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But NTUCB Second Vice President Audrey Matura-Shepherd is not easing up - even when we confronted her with internal letters between NTUCB members making it clear that Davis asked for clarification. We've also shown you correspondence in which Davis asked for Matura-Shepherd herself to be part a subcommittee which would meet and discuss the position that he should take as senator.

That never happened, and Davis clearly laid out what his line of reasoning was. He explained in his email to Matura and other Trade Union Congress members in November of 2014 that the NTUCB membership benefits from Petrocaribe funds through the National Bank of Belize. He stated, quote, "…I'm not going to play Pontius Pilate and pretend that we were not a party to receiving funds.." End Quote.

When we spoke with Matura-Shepherd this evening, she dismissed this position as Davis trying to justify his abstention after the fact by putting forward this defence after he's backed into a corner. Here's how she explained it:

Daniel Ortiz

"Did the NTUCB lamp up on this issue? You all did not act according to Mr. Ray Davis' letter."

Audrey Matura-Shepherd - 2nd Vice President, NTUCB

"I don't know about the document you are talking about, sadly I didn't see the news. However, I can tell you, there was a meeting sometime earlier this year just after I became the 2nd vice president in which I had objected before on how he voted on the cane issue and how he voted before on the petrocaribe money. And so, I was one of the persons who suggested, clearly before my time, they had to be a process in place but I was not satisfied with the process - if there was one. Because I, parallely to what I know, the Chamber of Commerce does where senator Lizarraga has a court team at advises them immediately. There was not a vote taken on it - however, I've always made myself available. But I am not the sole person to give advise. But on this particular issue, I don't want the issue to be clouded by any other thing anybody else wants to say - other than Mr. Davis if he wants to be honest can revile to you all the paper he read when the petrocaribe loan money issue came up. The position was clear what he took, the position that he stated then was clearly against the petrocaribe loan money, how it is being spent, etc. I don't see how, having given that as the statement then, which he read to us that night we had that special general council meeting - and you all were outside waiting to interview him. That day he had the document to read what the position of the union is. So no matter what excuse he makes now, he knew what the position was, he wrote it down, he read it out before the senate, he read to us at that meeting, so it does not justify then - how come if you know all of that, that then you can abstain?"

"It still comes down to common sense, think about it. You already know what is the union's position. You mean you literally need the president to say: Hey boy Ray, please remember, we're not down with that petrocaribe thing because it lacks accountability. You really mean if that is the level if we have to go, then he deserved to be moved from there because then he doesn't have the capacity to think for himself and take the thought process to the next level."

Daniel Ortiz

"The union sit on the board for BIL, which is funded purely by petrocaribe funds. They're is also the national bank of Belize which public officers and teachers benefited from - and that is also funded by petrocaribe funds. So Mr. Ray Davis, as we have been informed, saying basically - look, I can't be asked to play Pontius Pilate when I know that you all are benefiting from this same issue. Therefore our position is some what compromised, you need to inform me better than this. That is far as we know."

Audrey Matura-Shepherd

"Well I don't know where you get all that information from but I will tell you one thing. Yes the union is represented on BIL and on BIL it's magistrate Sharon Fraizer that sits there and she comes back and reports regularly. She doesn't wait to see who will call her or not, she comes and she reports and she tell you plain, what you think about this. She acts very responsible. In terms of being compromised, let me first tell you - if Mr. Davis wants to be honest, when he asked at the union meeting, that special general council meeting where you all lay wait him and asked for an interview. He never gave these reasons you all are giving his abstention you know. His reason was simply, he never want to vote yes, because they will say he is siding with the people that are yes. And he didn't want to vote no, because if he voted now, he would side with the people who said no and he felt pigeon hold."

Daniel Ortiz

"Critics and person who oppose you maybe take this a certain direction and say, you're agitating to replace him as labour unionist and labour senator in the senate. If that what you are intending to do?"

Audrey Matura-Shepherd

"Oh man. Those who think so, I hope you're not one of them Daniel, that's so low. I respect all senators, been there, done that. If I am to take any office, it will not be at that level, be assured. I'm very satisfied with that I'm doing, I have no ambition to replace Mr. Davis, absolutely none. "

Davis has declined comment. He is a long serving member of the PSU – which, numerically, is the largest union under the NTUCB umbrella.