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From since Friday, the news has been dominated by the discussion of the PUP's decision to walk out of the House meeting. It had been planned for weeks before as the Opposition's opportunity to challenge the Barrow Administration on the decision to amend the Petrocaribe Loans Act instead of repealing it.

Well, at today's session of the Senate at the House of Representatives, an in-depth discussion took place from both sides of the floor in which all the technical points for and against the amendments were hammered out. Here's a few excerpts of the points presented:

Senator Mark Lizarraga – Business Senator

"We're told that these amendments today will ensure greater transparency in the spending of our petro dollars. But in fact Mr. President, these amendment today do nothing to strengthen our management of public funds. On the contrary what they do is seek to validate and encourage poor budgeting practices. Mr. President tax payers, shouldn't we be concerned when independent reports speak to the failure of this administration to properly manage and account for our monies?"

Senator Lisa Shoman – PUP Senator

"You would believe Mr. President that by putting in here a section that says and I quote, "The money borrowed from ACBEL shall be kept in a fund at the central bank of Belize which fund form a part of the consolidated revenue fund and maybe withdrawal time to time as the need arises. The withdrawal and spending of the money shall be in full measure, subject to the finance and audit reform act and all other laws, regulations and procedures applicable to monies forming part of the consolidated revenue fund". Sound good right Mr. President? Sounds really good. Until you realise that is not talking any at all about the borrowing of that money, it's not touching how that money is borrowed. There is still an issue with the constitutionality of the borrowing of that money. And it doesn't matter if you try to claim - like the leader of government business claim when we were debating the parent act, it isn't a loan at all, it's suppliers credit. Well I'm sorry to have to contradict my friend. The parent act and this act makes it clear that it is not a supplier's credit. This is money that is being borrowed and will be put into the consolidated fund and therefore; since you have not touch the issue of borrowing in this act, the amendment does not cure the constitutional illegality that still exists."

Senator Juliet Thimbriel – UDP Senator

"For them, this is not about any law or the tweaking of any law. That is what they are masquerading this to be Mr. President. This is not about the law and the tweaking of any law. This is about bitterness and embarrassment about not being able to say what you did with the money. Everybody knows there was money before. You are the only person who does not know leader of the opposition. Everybody knows that there was money before, how come you don't know? You need to check with your leader or maybe the second senator that speaks for the PUP can make a call and find out what was done with the money. We have sugar roads, we have village council that have received funds through petrocaribe to improve their villages. Back to school, mortgage relief, home improvement programmes, ASUS tablet, Jaguar paw upgrading of the road. You remember that you guys did Jaguar paw prior to us? Man the place was broke up, broke up, embarrassing, shameful. We had to go and do Jaguar paw road the proper way with the use of the petrocaribe fund."

This morning, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry sent out a release on the amendment bill. They voiced their disappointment of the Prime Minister's comments to 7News saying, quote, "To say by way of the media that the BCCI is 'playing the fool' and ignore the call for dialogue is to dismiss the voice of the businesses and employers who make up the largest block of taxpayers paying back this and all other loans. Most disappointingly, it erodes the fabric of public-private dialogue, which the BCCI has been faithfully and diligently trying to weave with the government." End Quote.