Faber Disrupts Senate Agenda Over BTL Board Decision

The fallout from BTL’s proposed Speednet acquisition did not stay outside the company’s headquarters. It spilled into the Senate chamber. While unions and UDP supporters protested outside BTL, independent senators and UDP senators walked out of today’s sitting at the National Assembly. Lead Opposition Senator Patrick Faber broke from the order of the day to register his frustration over BTL’s decision, forcing Senate President Carolyn Trench-Sandiford to step in and try to restore order. Moments later, she briefly suspended the sitting. Here is how it unfolded.

 

Patrick Faber, Lead Opposition Senator

“We have sat here and we are very uneasy that we are here doing the people’s business but while we are doing the people’s business, the government is seeking to purchase Smart from its owners in a deal that the Belizean people have said its don’t want. The government is ramming down the throats of Belizean people as we speak madam president. The Belizean people are against it madam president madam president and we expect that we will be heard. Madam President we will not stand here and behave that it is business as usual in this honorable chamber. We will continue to behave that I tis business as usual while we prostitute ourselves by taking on a project that we don’t know is correct. The Belizean people don’t want it. The Belizean people don’t want it. I am speaking for myself and thousands of Belizeans who don’t have a voice. You are ramming this down our throat and we cant have that. We have made our position known and we are hoping you are genuine in terms of valuing what contributions we made and that they can see their way in whatever amendments you put in the committee of whole. But we cannot continue to sit here and behave like it is business as usual.”

 

Church Senator, Louis Wade was the only independent senator to remain inside the National Assembly during the walkout.

 

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