And while Espat and King will take that up in the House of Representatives, today in the senate they weren't talking about stolen speeches, security cameras, humpty-dumpty or ramen noodles when they debated the budget. The Senate prides itself on enlightened debate, not the name calling and petty accusations that dominate discourse in the House.
Senator representing the business community Mark Lizarraga didn't like the budget. He said that for the last 2 fiscal years, the country has been borrowing around 160% more than it did 26 years ago.
Senator Mark Lizarraga
"Mr. President is 1987 we Belize owed externally 200 million dollars. 26 years later we owed 2.16 billion dollars. On average an increase of 77 million borrowing per year we have constantly borrowed according to the available statistics from the Central Bank over the last 26 years to balance our budgets. The budget deficit for fiscal year 2012/2013 was 77.8 million dollars, which is about on average. But the budgeted deficit for fiscal year 2013 was 125.8 million - 48 million more than average, but Mr. President, the actual numbers are projected to spike to 137 million. That's some 60 million dollars more than average. The budgeted shortfall Mr. President for 2014/2015 is projected at about 126.5 million or some 49.5 million more than average."
"In 2008 we owed externally 1.9 billion. Today we owe 2.16 billion added to the 404 million we owe locally it converts to $7,300 per every man, woman and child in Belize or a total of some 2.564 billion. Mr. President, every child owes this. Every student owes this. Every unemployed owes this. Every retired person owes this. Every single mother in this country owes this Mr. President. We, each and every one of us owe $7,300 each."
Today's Senate debate on the budget finished a little after 4 p.m.
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