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Matura-Shepherd Says Senator Davis Should Step Down
posted (April 10, 2015)
Last week, we told you about the meeting that the principals of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize held to discuss the actions of Labour Senator Ray Davis at the last senate meeting. As we told you, he abstained when it was time for the senate to vote on the Petrocaribe Loans Bill, and with a 6 to 5 majority, it was passed to by the Senate after the House did the same. The NTUCB said its clear position was opposing the bill, not abstention and so they asked him to account for his actions.

As we told you, Second Vice President Audrey Matura-Shepherd has called for him to step down as the senator representing the unions, and that issue has to be discussed by the entire membership of the NTUCB. So, if you're wondering if Matura-Shepherd's action seems excessive, we'll that's just what the media asked today. She explained why Senator Davis needs to seriously consider vacating the post:

Audrey Matura-Shepherd
"We said in the meeting and I am prepared to say publicly - I have called for the removal of Mr. Ray Davis as senator. It's not a choice that mine. There should be canvassing of all the different branches of the union, because he represents not only one person or one sector - every sector. I make that call because I believe that already on three occasions, I have seen where his vote has not been in line of what the position of the NTUCB has been. In relation to the recent Petrocaribe loans bill 2015, clearly, previously he gave a remark that was in line with the union. So, I don't know why he could not go to the next step and do the right thing. That is my position and I stand by it. As a professional and I have said this to him to his face personally, I told him he needs to either resign or the entity has to remove him. I have nothing to say behind his back or behind anyone's back. It's not personal. It's just that the union is all of us and we stand for certain principles. Accountability and transparency is number one."

Mike Rudon, Ch5
"Could there be any possibility that the abstention by Senator Ray Davis was because there was not a clear mandate given to him by the unions?"

Audrey Matura-Shepherd
"No. I say no. But that's something he has to resolve in his mind. His answer to us was that he felt that if he had said yes, it would look as though he is going with those who say yes and if he said no, it will look like he is going with those who say no and he didn't want to be pigeon-hole. That's was his exact words, he didn't want to be pigeon-hole. And I explained to him what problem had with that. Because to me, you are not voting yes or no for the bill, based on what others are saying. You are going to put your arguments forward and on those standards, that's what you will vote on. that is the way I see it and I can say from personally experience, I have been in the senate and I represented a political party and I know that there were times when they ask me to take a position that I personally did not agree with, but I had to remember I wasn't there to represent myself. I was there to represent someone else - an entire set of people. When I felt I couldn't do it anymore, I resigned. That's what I did and I explained that to him."

Senator Davis' fate still needs to be discussed further by the NTUCB before a final decision is forthcoming.

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