Panton Claims Senator Pitts Silenced in Budget Debate

A heated exchange inside the National Assembly is now sparking fresh debate about fairness, representation, and who gets heard in Belize’s highest chambers of power. Opposition Leader Tracy Panton says attempts were made to silence UDP Senator Sheena Pitts during Friday’s budget debate, before she ever had the chance to speak. As Pitts awaited her turn, Lead Government Senator Eamon Courtenay rose to close the debate and was recognized by the President of the Senate, effectively ending discussion. Panton is calling the move a direct assault on democracy and says it cuts against national efforts to amplify women’s voices in leadership. Tonight, we take a closer look at how it all unfolded.

 

Hector Guerra, PUP Senator

“Thank you madam president, I support this budget.”

 

Eamon Courtenay, Lead Government Senator

“Madam President, to wind up the debate I wish to respond to a few of the remarks that.”

 

Patrick Faber, Lead Opposition Senator

“Madam president I will have to call out my friend on the same standing order. You were most unkind because you know my colleague has not spoken yet and she went to the bathroom. My point of order was thirty-three on to point out how low you are and how much you can’t listen to my colleague deliver her presentation here today.”

 

Sheena Pitts, Opposition Senator

“Madam President.”

 

Carolyn Trench Sandiford, President of the Senate

“2027 be read a second time. All those in favor kindly say I.”

 

Sheena Pitts

“Madam President.”

 

Carolyn Trench Sandiford

“Those against kindly say no.”

 

Sheena Pitts

“Madam President.”

 

Carolyn Trench Sandiford

“The I’s have it. Senator Pitts I was concluding the budget debate. Do you have a point of order?”

 

Debate Ends in Opposition Senators Walkout

 

The standoff inside the Senate didn’t end without one final exchange. President of the Senate Carolyn Trench Sandiford did allow Senator Sheena Pitts the floor to state her objection to the way the meeting was brought to a close. Moments later, President Sandiford laid out her own account of how events unfolded from the Chair’s perspective. But the tension didn’t ease. In the end, opposition senators walked out, before the meeting officially adjourned, turning a procedural dispute into a dramatic exit.

 

Sheena Pitts, UDP Senator

“What I will say is this, and I invite your indulgence, before we begin the debate Madam President came over this side to indicate how the debate would go, at that time I can say Madam President knew I intended to speak. And my record in this Senate has always been to provide interventions. It is rather unfortunate that my interruption to the House of Commons invited your good self to permit the closure of the debate knowing I had every intention to contribute to the debate.”

 

Carolyn Trench Sandiford, President of the Senate

“I looked the right there was no one who stood up. If no one stand up then my next move is to call the leader of government business to close the debate because there was no one standing up. I cannot call someone if they have not stood up. I cannot anticipate that at the beginning of the debate you intended to speak.”

 

President Sandiford maintains she followed Senate procedure, while Senator Pitts says she was denied her chance to speak, an impasse that ultimately pushed opposition senators out the door before the meeting officially ended.

 

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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