For only the third time in Belize's Parliamentary history, a Senate Special Select Committee has been formed. The first was in 2005 to investigate investment irregularities at the Social Security Board; the second was in 2016 to investigate Immigration irregularities - and today, one was convened to investigate the Definitive Agreement with Portico.
This one is a PUDP production; since it came into being in the dying days of the UDP - and was then embraced and then rejected by the PUP.
So the Special Select Committee will investigate its 2020 genesis right up to its appearance in the Briceno Cabinet on May 16th of this year.
It's what's called a Private Member's Motion and NGO Senator Janelle Chanona presented it today in the Senate:
Janelle Chanona, NGO Senator
"I arise to present a motion for the appointment of a special select committee to investigate all documents, communications and processes tied to the signing of the document titled "Definitive agreement by and between the Government of Belize and Portico Enterprises Ltd DBA the Port of Magical Belize" dated October 2020. And to investigate all documents, communications and processes that resulted in the document titled definitive agreement by and between the Government of Belize and Portico Enterprises Ltd DBA The Port of Magical Belize" dated October 2020. Being presented to cabinet accompanied by draft legislation and cabinet white paper in May 2023. Whereas paragraph D section 61 A 2 of the constitution of Belize provides that among the powers and the functions of the senate is the instituting and conducting of inquiries and investigations on any matter of public interest or importance."
Kevin Herrera, Business Senator
"I just rise to second the motion, Madam President."
Luke Martinez, Unions Senator
"So Madam President, we are hoping that the process will be fair and just and that we will get to the bottom of this definitive agreement. Thank you very much."
Bishop Alvin Benguche, Churches Senator
"Madam president, I believe that surrounding this entire thing and from what I have read and from what I have ascertain from the research I have done that, indeed there is something for us to investigate."
The members of the 7 person Committee are: four Independent Senators, Janelle Chanona, Kevin Herrera, Luke Martinez, Moses Benguche, one UDP Senator and two from the PUP. The political senators are yet to be named.
