PM Briceño and Opposition Leader Panton Trade Sharp Words

The final day of budget debates wrapped up late Wednesday, but not before things got heated inside the National Assembly. Prime Minister John Briceño opened his closing remarks by going after Opposition Leader Tracy Panton’s presentation, criticizing both its tone and substance. Tensions quickly escalated when Panton accused the PM of mocking her disability, a claim that drew immediate pushback. Briceño insisted his comments had nothing to do with her physical condition, arguing instead that his criticism targeted what he described as her inability to properly analyze a national budget. It was a fiery end to three days of debate, with both sides leaving the chamber firmly planted in their positions.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“The listening public received key details on how Plan Belize 2.0 is delivering for the Belizean people as well as how we plan to keep delivering for the benefit of all. From those on the other side, especially the leader of the opposition, they received a dry and dragged out ramble with little substance and no true analysis of the budget. The leader of the opposition was poorly prepared and failed in a real analysis of the national budget proposal. She tried unsuccessfully to deceive and distort the facts and many of my colleagues were quick to point this out. And perhaps this is where her disability lies. Her disability lies in her inability to properly analyze and provide alternatives, exposing her lack of qualifications to lead a nation. I can be a lot harsher in criticism of the leader of the opposition, at this time. You could remember when the then prime minister Dean Barrow use to come after us, he called us all kinds of names and she sat over there and laughed, she enjoyed it. But what they say, do suh nuh like do suh.”

 

PM Briceño Amplifies August’s Criticism of Tracy Panton

 

Prime Minister John Briceño didn’t stop at criticizing Tracy Panton’s budget presentation; he also took aim at those backing her. During his closing remarks, the PM pulled out a recent Facebook post from former UDP Deputy Chairman Alberto August. In that post, August sharply criticized Panton’s performance. And Briceño didn’t just mention it, he quoted August directly on the House floor, using the opposition’s own former insider to drive his point home.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I don’t need to be cruel because the critics of her own party have already passed judgment on her performance. One of their stalwarts posted on social media, and I quote, “is this crap what we invited UDP supporters to tune into”, end of quote. Say a name and I will whistle. “Alberto August”, *whistle*, now this is the word he used to describe almost two hours of aimless rambling. Not even I would have gone there. But this is from one of their own. So let me sum it up this way, the opposition came to this house and for three days all they were able to say with clarity are two things, one, thank you PUP for giving us what we never gave you when you were in office for the past thirteen years.”

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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