Mike Peyrefitte, Senator
"Well I think every Belizean, first of all, is entitled to a passport and secondly in this new world that we live in you may never know when you might need to travel, go somewhere for an emergency or visit family or just have something that identifies you as a Belizean and have you be proud of your nationality so, a passport is something that is very essential and it was disrespectful of the Prime Minister, quite frankly to suggest that certain people, I don't know what he was trying to say that they're too poor and they are stupid and they aren't going anywhere anyway and so they don't need any passport. I think really on that matter he should have just shut up and shown some respect to the Belizean people. Those statements were really really ridiculous and of course, he has to double down he's too ashamed of what he said"
Jules Vasquez:
"What the Prime Minister is trying to do is say that the Passport may be expensive but it is not like a tax being imposed on 0-rated goods it is something that those who are able to can choose to get."
Mike Peyrefitte, Senator
"I never thought that you would ever be an apologist for John Briceno Jules, I hear wonders never cease but, then say that then say you know what we have to raise fees, because of this reason or that reason or whatever, or you have no way of creating an enabling environment to grow the economy so you're the only source of income is taxes and this is another opportunity for you to make money off of something that you know you can charge, then say that both don't imply that it won't hurt those poor people than depend on Dan Dan and so therefore, um, you don't have to worry about it you aren't going anywhere in life and you don't have the ability to travel so I mean very very disrespectful and he should apologize but like I also said to my friends and. To other people that want to listen. You don't need a passport to vote, that's for sure and I hope those people that were disrespected by those statements remember that they will have a chance to let him know whether or not he will get to keep one of his passports.
