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House Debate Turns Dramatic
posted (March 24, 2011)
The debate on the 2011-2012 Budget started today at a special Thursday sitting of the House of Representatives in Belmopan. As is customary, it began with the Leader Of The Opposition, John Briceno's response to the budget.

Briceno was in good form - but his response was eclipsed by his supporters' House hijinks.

Here's what happened:

Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the opposition
"I could sit down with you and draw it for you to understand, you, yes, when it comes to dollars, I could explain that to you. You don't understand."

Jules Vasquez Reporting
The House was eruptive today - with party supporters for both red and blue filling the galleries and creating a ruckus as the Leader Of The Opposition gave his response to the budget - at times descending into a shouting match:

Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the opposition
"If you were to shut up for a minute, and let me finish."

Speaker of the House
"Honorable members, Members of the Gallery, I will ask you to stop shouting."

But the shouting did not stop - it got worse - when the Leader of the Opposition started speaking in Spanish and his nemesis the Deputy Prime Minister shot back.

Honorable Gaspar Vega, Deputy Prime Minister
"Mr. Speaker, " Yo no creo que esta pronunciando las palabras bien." ( I don't belive that he is pronouncing his words properly)"

Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the opposition
"Look at who is talking; He can't even speak English nor Spanish."

Honorable Gasper Vega, Deputy Prime Minister
"Mr. Speaker…"

Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the opposition
"What is the point of order Mr. Speaker."

Honorable Gaspar Vega, Deputy Prime Minister
"Estas mentiendo" (You are lieing) Eso es lo que quiro decir. (This is what I want to say) Tu solo le das liquor a los caneros para que vallan a hacer riot. (You only give the cane farmers liquor so that that may riot.) " Descarado!" (Shameful!)"

Yeah, it was like that - and despite the sustained protestations of the speaker it got even worse - when the mace bearer - no other than yellow-man - went to eject one of the vociferous opposition supporters from the gallery - from there all hell broke loose:

They were there for Pulu - the demonstrative fellow in the bright orange - but - sure enough the entire crowd insisted that they go with him - all this while forcing a suspension of House business.

In the end we suspect both sides got what they wanted…the PUP supporters got to make a big show - and then joined their fellow supporters outside.

While the UDP got the House to themselves - which was fine since a preponderance of UDP speakers were left to speak:

Jules Vasquez
"I take it you don't support the actions taken by the mace bearer."

Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the opposition
"We do not support it because when I was speaking we had on their side, they were hurling insults but we ignored them. We just didn't listen to them. And so we do not support what they did but we are also here to do the people's job and the people's work. We are going to go back in there and we are going to continue and debate them every step of the way. We are not going to allow them to continue to deceive the people as they have been doing for the past 3 years."

Pulu, PUP Supporter
"If you notice Jules, on the other side of the place where the people are in red and white shirt and the red shirt, when Mr. Briceno speaks - they hollered and nobody said anything. As soon as I and my crowd hollered back they set up Yellow Man to call the police to put me out here. It is unfair Jules, we are suffering Jules."

Jules Vasquez
"You came here to get thrown out. You came to make noise."

Pulu, PUP Supporter
"Jules, I didn't came here to make noise. I came here to listen and make thing go the right way, but whenever Jonny asks Dean Barrow something he can't answer."

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