So today was the biggest day on the Parliamentary Calendar for the year so far - the much hyped Amended Petrocaribe Loan Amendment Bill was taken to the house. This issue has galvanized all those organizations opposed to the government for months - principally for the PUP which has made it the central focus of all discussion and political activity. So today surely they would have rained down a mighty debate to push back against and expose the government. Well, that's what we thought....but, this one never happened. And that's because very early into the House Meeting the opposition walked out.
They did it in support of their senator Patrick Andrews who was in the gallery as an observer. Now, the Senator is a member of Parliament so he has special privileges - but speaker Michael Peyreffitte told had cautioned him earlier - and then during a Patrick Faber presentation - he ordered him removed! We pick it up about a minute after the speaker called the police - and Andrews refused to move - that's when UDP's Michael Finnegan brought the situation tot the speakers attention.. We air it moistly unedited from there:..
Hon. Michael Finnegan
"I think your instructed the police to take that gentleman out who are destructing the House. Make him get out."
Hon. Michael Peyrefitte - Speaker of the House
"One second Minister."
Hon. Michael Finnegan
"Who is he? Was his father making him when he was....?
Hon. Michael Peyrefitte - Speaker of the House
"Leader of the Opposition, I explain a long time.... wait let me explain to you. When the Opposition side is speaking, remain quite. It doesn't matter of you are a senator or a governor general or anybody. You will be removed by me if you can't follow my rules. Simple."
"When you speak, they have to be quite or I will move them out too and for the record, I put out more from this side than that side. Who vex could leave."
"Officer remove the gentleman."
Hon. Francis Fonseca - Leader of the Opposition
"Mr. Speaker this is outrageous. We are subjected and we take it like big girls and boys. We are subjected to all kinds of name calling and all kinds of things and we take it. I did not hear the Senator say anything Mr. Speaker. He laughed during a comment made by the member for Collet. Mr. Speaker, I am appealing to you to reconsider. Because if you remove the senator, then we will walk out of this meeting. I am telling you that right now. You touch one of us, you tough all of us. You are treating us unfairly. You are treating the senator unfairly. He did nothing."
Hon. Michael Peyrefitte - Speaker of the House
"It is not true that when you speak or any other member from this side speak, that I tolerate any shouting at you or anything like that. That is not true. But I believe if the person is a senator, the person should set an example. To be frank with you he acted that way as if though he was daring me to put him out. Well he dared me and he dared the wrong person. He has to go and if you choose to go thats your choice. That's your choice."
"Remove Mr. Vaughn too please."
Hon. Francis Fonseca - Leader of the Opposition
"Mr. Speaker we are walking out and I put on record again, this is the arrogance and tyranny and dictatorship of this government that the people of this country are starting to wake up to and stand up against. We will have no part of it Mr. Speaker."
Hon. Michael Peyrefitte - Speaker of the House
"Officer, remove this man."
"Are there any more presentations on the debate?"
The PUP hung around…not wanting to leave - while police had to call their Belmopan Commander Superintendent Howell Gillett - who tried talking to Andrews - because the police clearly did not want to forcibly remove the Senator. After some talking to Senator Andrews finally accepted that rather than be hauled out, he would walk out - and with a wave to the crowed - he strolled out pass the UDP who heckled him, and went down the stairs.
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