And while that was happening outside - inside, the House of Representatives approved a 23.5 million US dollar loan through the International Development Association. The loan is for the Belize Early Childhood Development and Female Empowerment Project, which is to improve access to quality early childhood care as well as employment opportunities for women.
While the Opposition supported this - and other loan motions brought to the House today - they did so based on certain conditions. The Leader of the Opposition explained more.
Tracy Panton - Leader of the Opposition
"The opposition has a few requests and we believe they're quite reasonable. We request a geographic breakdown of the targeted project areas, which districts, which communities, which specific institutions will benefit. We request a projected disbursement schedule, and a model cost of the commitment charged under both optimistic and conservative draw down scenarios. We request a detailed multi ministry coordination framework, showing how the CEU, Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Human Development will execute this project without delays that have plagued similar structures. And we request a reporting obligation to parliament, not just the to the IDA. For the impact evaluation with defined metrics, timelines, and consequence mechanisms if targets are not met."
"The Opposition supports this loan motion and we ask that the additional information that is required be brought to this honorable house so that this government can be true to its commitment to establishing the gold standard in transparency and accountability."
And shortly after the Prime Minister stood up to end the debate, Panton began leaving the room to take a phone call, which triggered a back and forth between the two leaders:
John Briceño - Prime Minister
"The Leader of the Opposition started well and then she started moving away form all the good will that she was getting and then started being very negative in trying to kinda confuse the Belizean people - you should sit here and learn something, young lady."
Tracy Panton - Leader of the Opposition
"I have an urgent phone call from my mother."
John Briceño - Prime Minister
"You would learn something if you sit here. Maybe you could tell her right."
Tracy Panton - Leader of the Opposition
"You so thin skin."
John Briceño - Prime Minister
"Talk about thin skin. Just to correct the records because obviously the Leader of Opposition have selective learning."
"The problem with you all, that the TNC went twice to try to pitch the blue bond and you know what? One, they either didn't understand what they were presenting to them, or B they realize we can't hustle on this so we're not interested. They did not get it done."
"The debt which they are making such a big deal off of, we're borrowing but we're paying. We're not hard paying like them."
