VIP says 9th is distraction from manifesto promises

Paul Morgan

The Vision Inspired by the People, which is based in Belmopan, will also be absent from the Wednesday night’s consultations. The party issued a press release today, explaining its position on the ninth amendment, saying that government is simply using it to distract Belizeans from the countless unfulfilled manifesto promises. According to the VIP, “when the state unconstitutionally acquires businesses using an aggressive ideology of nationalism, democracy and free enterprise become collateral damage.” Today, Paul Morgan, one of the senior directors of the VIP, told News Five via phone today that government is being flippant with the constitution.

Via Phone: Paul Morgan, Senior Director, VIP

“We would like Belizeans to know that the ninth amendment is really a Trojan horse. We believe that it is time for government to speak about the things that it had promised in its manifesto and to deliver on those promises. If you notice, we haven’t heard anything about such things as the impeachment of a prime minister if he commits wrong, they haven’t heard anything about campaign financing, we haven’t heard anything about the oil funds, we haven’t heard anything about raising salaries for public officers, teachers; we haven’t heard any of the things that were promised in the manifesto. The ninth amendment was not a part of our imagination in 2008 when this government was elected. Why is it that we’re going down this road and we’re forgetting the most critical things. There’s absolutely no need for us to play around, for us to trivialize our constitution with something that is so trivial. The issue of B.E.L., B.T.L. and the water company; it’s not necessary for that to go into the constitution, there’s no need for that.”

Delahnie Bain

“The ninth amendment has been under debate for quite some time, why did you decide to make your position known now?”

Via Phone: Paul Morgan

“Well, we did that today because we believe that the whole consultation has become a big joke and we do not intend to go there as a party on Wednesday night, Belmopan being our home base. We do not intend to participate in that anymore. The show has been terrible and we don’t want to give that any kind of credence so we’re giving you in press release form and we will continue our activism on this matter in the short future.”

The VIP says that the main issues on the government’s agenda should be employment and fair representation for the people.