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Hon. Julius Espat - PUP Cayo South
"It is something new for Belize, what we are trying to do here with this motion Mr. Speaker, is to propose a joint public accounts committee. Why are we asking for a proposed public accounts joint committee - it is because the public accounts committee has not functioned since 1981. Mr. Speaker this is a serious issue because all we hear and I am speaking on behalf of the Belizean people - is the bickering that we do here, back and forth but at the end of the day there is nothing concrete that we are proposing to be able to change the system so that we can stop what we're doing here. We need to start working for and on behalf the people of Belize, this is a serious motion we're doing and I am humbly requesting that 'daddy Barrow', the leader of the opposition and the honorable member from....(interrupted by UDP's) - we are not in the UK gentlemen, we are in Belize so he is 'Daddy Barrow' now. Daddy Barrow, who is Queen's Square area rep, I am humbly requesting from him that we seriously look at this issue to change the problems and the things that he has said about and we are asking to be changed so that we can stop speaking about them. The people of Belize need to be given the power to analyze it on their own."

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"Mr. Speaker, I am very sorry - this motion is entirely and wholly misconceived, shot through with procedural and substantive errors from beginning to end and I, after I finish speaking, will ask you for a ruling because it is my submission that it is out of order and has to fall without the merits being debated."

Hon. Francis Fonseca - Leader of the Opposition
"If you believe that it is fundamentally flawed then bring your objections to the house and lets us fix it.

Hon. Michael Peyrefitte - Speaker of the House
"He's objecting to it, member."

Hon. Francis Fonseca
"He's engaging in a debate Mr. Speaker. There is a process you follow when a motion is tabled, you know that very well."

Hon. Michael Peyrefitte
"The procedure member is that if it is not procedurally correct - any member of the house can object to that. Not every motion that is brought...what do you mean based on what? Do you want me to rule now without even having to hear from the Prime Minister? Because to tell you the truth, member - the Prime Minister didn't need to speak, I already know based on what is happening here what will be my decision."

Hon. Dean Barrow
"So, Mr. Speaker please, I...."

Hon. Michael Peyrefitte
"Now the member from Cayo South will be able if he wants to, to respond to the objections."

Hon. Julius Espat
"I will respond to what the Prime Minister said about looking at the motherland - he made a comment that we are following..."

Hon. Michael Peyrefitte
"Member for Cayo South, this is your motion you know, you have a chance to respond...."

Hon. Julius Espat
"I just want to explain to him one thing..."

Hon. Michael Peyrefitte
"Wait your turn. Mic Off!"

Hon. Dean Barrow
"You can't change the rule which says that the balance on that committee reflects the balance in the House - that is a fundamental principle of democracy - majority rule. How can you come here and try to hoodwink the Belizean people and suggest that what you want to do is to make things more transparent when in fact you're looking to up end the first principle of our democracy. Mr. Speaker as I said, utterly and totally misconceived, error from beginning to end and this motion has absolutely no chance in my respectful submission to you. The whole purpose of bringing forward this motion is to take away attention from the fact that as chairman of the public accounts committee - he has not been doing his job."

Hon. Julius Espat
"Think about your people Mr. Prime Minister - we have been complaining for too long and you need to put systems in place that can correct you and can correct us. The Belizean people are tired of the rhetoric, they want systems in place that can work for us. If you are serious - you would join us and make sure everything is done your way, Daddy Barrow. Make sure it happens for your children, make sure it happens for the Belizean children."

Hon. Michael Peyrefitte
"Member from Cayo South, can you give me five minutes - let me tell you something - let me tell you what this is not and I don't respond to emotions, I don't respond to talk shows, I don't respond to nothing like that. I don't have to go to England, India or America or anywhere like that - we have the standing orders of Belize and I am saying that there's an objection which I take myself. You have not proposed the section that you want to amend - why didn't you do that?"

Hon. Julius Espat
"This motion will not go away so let the Prime Minister join us to find a way to do it his way so that it can benefit the people of Belize."

Hon. Michael Peyrefitte
"You can carry it for as long as you want but once - let me tell you something - the National Assembly is not a testing ground to see where......" (interrupted)

Hon. Julius Espat
"Well the people of Belize are dying because you don't want to get through representation for them - that is the problem. We cannot send our children to school, that is the problem and if we don't realize that problem then we are wasting our time - that is the problem!"

Hon. Francis Fonseca
"We've heard a long lengthy objection - a very technical objection from the Honorable Prime Minister - he has raised valid concerns about the motion - the question is, can we agree that there is a need for us to reform this Public Accounts Committee? My sense is that there is a general perception among the Belizean people that there is a need for such reform and the question is - how do we move forward? If the Prime Minister and his government is saying no and that they are happy with the current status and structure of the Public Accounts Committee - there is no need for change, then that will be the end of the debate. But if there is, the objective of the motion, is to put on the table - the need for reform, and we are prepared to work with the government to achieve that reform. The Prime Minister is a very good lawyer, and he has done his research - if he can assist in the process of making this motion better and enhancing the objectives of the motion - we welcome that."

And just as he said he would – at the end of the debate on procedure, the House Speaker ruled that the motion had too many irregularities and omissions to gain passage and so it was defeated before it could be introduced.