PM says Public Accounts Committee attempt to reshuffle is idiotic
On Wednesday, the People’s United Party submitted a motion for inclusion on the order papers for a House Sitting scheduled for next Wednesday. The motion is for a restructuring of the composition of the Public Accounts Committee to include the Senate and take away the majority from either the government or the opposition. Prime Minister Barrow told News Five today that the motion is procedurally tainted and just plain wrong where the Standing Orders of the House on committees is concerned. And apart from that, says P.M. Barrow, the simple fact is that majority rules in a democracy, so the motion is idiotic. If it does get past the Speaker of the House and onto the order papers, Barrow says he will rain fire and damnation on it.
Prime Minister Dean Barrow
“That’s for the speaker to decide. But I am telling you, I have looked at it, I got a copy of it yesterday and I have looked at my Standing Orders and that thing can’t get off the ground. Even if the speaker allows Mister Julius Espat to move the motion, I will take all sorts of objections to it based on the Standing Orders. The motion, the way it is crafted and what he is trying to do, is completely contrary to the Standing Orders. Maybe I should save my powder for that day, but it doesn’t matter. It is not parliamentary procedure by ambush. I don’t care if Julius knows what I am going to do because everything should be open. Lord man, he is trying to conflate a standing committee with a special select committee. If you read the Standing Orders, these are two different creatures.”
Mike Rudon
Dean Barrow
“If you would ask anybody out here…listen this is what is being proposed—two, two and three from the senate. On the face of it, it looks okay. It looks like something we could probably work with when it comes to accountability of public finance.”
Dean Barrow
“No sir. No sir. In my view, absolutely not. I am telling you that democracy is ruled by majority. It doesn’t mean that majority can simply do what it likes. Rule within the laws, in accordance by the laws, but by the majority. You can’t turn it around and say bwai it would be a better democracy if we could have rule by the minority. No man. Democracy by definition contemplates majority rule.”
what is idiotic is this criminal government, and the citizens who let it thrive.
Belize at the bottom of education, there is your next generation to run the country, if it still is around in five years.
Yes democracy means majority but it also assume you start on an even keel. You cant start with a biased majority in your favour and then pretend that the majority will be neutral and objective. If govt always keep the majority then there will never be a majority non govt position. At least julius no di suggest a swing to the opposition but instead di try put di majority line in neutral territory.
Da fool di talk but da no fool this listen! Mr Barrow this is not about RULE it is about effective oversight! What do you have to hide? Why will you not convene ANY of the oversight committees constitunally designed to give the people security in knowing you and your executive are properly accounting for the spending of the people’s money? What u got fu hide? Did you not promise good governance and accountability? What does Minister Hulse have to say about accountability now I wonder? Ooooops I just remember he has been quieted! Dean you have turned out to be no better than those you criticized. Look at all the foolishness your deputy pm is doing and u have become his little apologetic puppy. I hope the little bone he throws to you is worth it and no end up choking you!
I congratulate the chairman of the PAC for trying to find a solution, and for trying to do his job which we pay them to do. I only wish ALL the other oversight committee chairpersons and members would be making as equal the effort to comply with their responsibilities and do their jobs. When will the PM get it in his hard head that we did not elect him to rule, Kings rule Dean, you were not elected king. You were elected because you fooled the people into thinking that you would MANAGE the executive in a manner that would be respectfully of the people’s desire for accountability and good governance. You all are managers please remember, elected to serve, NOT to RULE!
I agree 100% with you Dean, after these people check out how you guys are spending our money building over half million $ homes for themselves, the hustling will have to slow down. There are people who couldn’t afford to pay and fix up $7000 homes in the new city, after thirty years so where are politicians getting the millions from in less than four years?
Just check out the houses owned by these UDP Ministers in five years! They are there for all to see. Yeah…I know, these ministers wish we were dumb!