And the prime minister's ambivalence towards the controversial 11th amendment was apparent today when the media interviewed him during a break in the meeting. More than simply not embracing it, he didn't even want to answer questions about it. Here's how his exchange with the press went.
Reporter:
"Talk about the timing a bit about that being brought right after a no confidence motion is announced."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"But if not now, when?"
Reporter:
"But you're undermining the process of the PCC, PM."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"It has nothing to do with undermining, this was in process way before the PCC. So can I have another question?"
Reporter:
"But the social partners objected greatly."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"And that's fine."
Reporter:
"And so this will fail at the Senate."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"What next?"
But the media persisted, and asked him whether the amendment is discriminatory towards the those members of society that are more susceptible to crime. The PM rejected that notion and explained that it's more about evening out the playing field.
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"I don't think it has to do anything with that, you all are giving too much importance to the issue of the Leader of the Opposition. I think it is something simply whereby there has to be a correction, I don't think it is right that you can block a person in Belize who committed a crime or someone that committed a crime in the commonwealth, but yet somebody outside Belize commits a crime in Melchor or here in Chetumal, can run. So we have to find a balance how best to fix, so we want to fix that right now but we will also give the PCC an opportunity hopefully when they come up with a new set of rules but for this time, for now, we need to be able to try to see how we can fix that discrepancy."
Again, the amendment was withheld by the government at the last minute, so, effectively, it did not pass. We should note that it was not likely to have gotten support of the independent Senators in the upper house, and was also likely to face legal challenges in court.
