And now back to Belmopan where the Leader of the Opposition gave his formal response to the Prime Minister's budget presentation.
Shyne Barrow - who has free-styled it in the past - today stuck to the script - mostly.
Jules Vasquez reports:
Let's just say there was a lot of space on the opposition bench today - and leader Shyne Barrow stood alone for his response to the budget. Tracy Taegar Panton called in sick, and Hugo Patt had a death in the family while Patrick Faber was on his way:
Shyne Barrow, Leader Of The Opposition
"The honorable member from Collet, he is on a plane from Los Angeles so he should be here this afternoon."
But for this solo performance, Barrow didn't need accompaniment:
Shyne Barrow, Leader Of The Opposition
"I did not sleep last night. I stayed up all night going over the budget as I have been doing for the last several days."
And neither isolation nor insomnia could mute Barrow's trenchant tone:
Shyne Barrow, Leader Of The Opposition
"This is a hollow budget that does not present any vision. Madam Speaker, no bold, courageous policy decisions and no numbers to support, Madam Speaker."
Barrow focused principally on spending in health, education, security and social support:
Shyne Barrow, Leader Of The Opposition
"$3 million for food assistance. Madam Speaker, is not enough in the face of inflation."
"But that $3 million is not enough, Madam Speaker. A UDP government will increase that exponentially. Madam Speaker, certainly to customize for the issues of the day. Madam Speaker."
And the issue right now - as ever - is crime:
Shyne Barrow, Leader Of The Opposition
"And the Minister of Police does not have a sufficient budget in order to deal with the problems that he has. Madam Speaker. They have tied his hands behind his back. Madam Speaker, it is difficult for me to say he is incompetent or is being sabotaged by his own government."
"When the Opposition Leader at the time and his police shadow minister, the now minister, police had regular press conferences, always criticized and they said that they had a common sense solution to arresting crime. We are still waiting. Madam Speaker, this budget does not present that. Madam Speaker, the member from Caribbean shores is still being sabotaged by his government."
Barrow also focussed on health and two new public hospitals in Belmopan and San Pedro:
Shyne Barrow, Leader Of The Opposition
"How will this $90 million hospital, tertiary hospital be staffed Madam Speaker? When in this budget you have reductions in nursing scholarships and nursing posts, Madam Speaker?"
"The Briceno administration continues to ribbon cut, but again, in San Pedro, how will that hospital be staffed? When you have reductions in nursing scholarships, reduction in nursing posts?"
He also spoke about public contracts and the lack of transparency:
Shyne Barrow, Leader Of The Opposition
"This is a government that said we are going to do better and we are going to rid this country the scourge of corruption. Madam Speaker. So give us the information. Tell us who is bidding. Tell us when the tender process begins and concludes, Madam Speaker, so that there is no void. There is no absence of information."
Barrow ended by presenting himself as a sort of latter day ideologue.
Shyne Barrow, Leader Of The Opposition
"This country deserves, this country deserves balance. I pride myself on being a centrist. Madam Speaker, going down the middle moderate. Madam Speaker, no extremes. Madam Speaker, and this is the only way we will create the infrastructure that the member from Lake Independence spoke of so that we can give Belizeans the access to the pathway to whatever reality they want to create."
"Get It done. Madam Speaker, no more governments with budgets that only serve the chosen few cronies. Madam Speaker, on the serve the Nepotistic Affiliates. Madam Speaker, we need budgets with vision. Madam Speaker, budgets with aspiration. Budgets that leave zero room for corruption, Madam Speaker."
Uncannily, the PM's budget speech 12 days ago lasted one hour and 16 minutes, and Barrow's response today lasted one hour and fifteen minutes.
