Last night, we told you how the PUP Senators pushed for an immigration probe by way of a Senate Select Committee to investigate the Auditor General's findings at the Immigration Department. Ultimately, the Barrow Administration outmaneuvered them. That's because when it came down to the vote, Government Senator Godwin Hulse suggested that instead of a Senate probe, a joint special select committee from both house would be better at investigating the Auditor General's reports.
Church Senator Ashley Rocke - who had spoken in favour of the PUP motion - heard the Government's suggestion of a bi-cameral committee, and he withdrew his support from the PUP motion. So instead of a 6 - 6 deadlock, the final vote to end up as a 7-5 split in favor of the Government's configuration.
For that vote, Rocke today came under heavy and sustained fire first form the Evangelicals and today from the Catholic Bishop, Dorick Wright, for his removal as their representative in the Senate.
Wrights statement reads, quote, "...Bishop Dorick Wright...hereby expresses grave disappointment with Senator Ashley Rocke's vote against the motion for the appointment of a Special Select Committee. The Catholic Church wholly dissociates itself from such position." End quote.
And then, the blow follows when Bishop Wright's statement says, quote, "The Catholic Church has lost confidence in Senator Rocke to represent the Roman Catholic values on behalf of our faithful. We therefore call upon the Evangelical Association of Churches, as substantive majority in the Belize Council of Churches, to demand the Senator's immediate resignation." End Quote.
For good measure, he then took a roundabout swipe at the Barrow Administration when he said, "We call on all Belizeans to take note of how our pillars of democracy are being compromised."
Today, we contacted Howell Longsworth for comment, but up to news time, our request has gone unanswered. We went looking for Senator Rocke at his Church on Mahogany Street, but he was not there. We did reach him by phone, and declined to give any comment, pointing us in the direction of Louis Wade, who we told you last night was one of the first to condemn his actions publicly.
Rocke did give PLUS TV a text message statement addressing the accusation that he made a traitorous move to side with the Government by saying quote, "I have never been known to sell out. Yesterday in the Senate my actions, though unpopular, were for the greater good of Belize. I did not go against the Church - I sided with my country." End Quote.
He said that he saw the Government's suggestion as a more unified approach to the Auditor General's report.
Rocke adds, "...The counter proposal gave room for a more unified approach to investigating of the Auditor Generals immigration report… I would never support "No investigation". I believe the nation deserves it."
So, he's taking a lot of heat for a decision which took less than 2 minutes in yesterday's more-than 7 hour Senate Meeting. Tonight, we have that moment when the PUP's motion was voted down with Rocke's help. Here's how that went and how the PUP's in the gallery, including the Opposition Leader, heckled him right after the Senate's vote:
Eddie Webster, Clerk of National Assembly
"A division has been called on this motion, this special select committee - Senator Godwin Hulse, no; Senator Dr. Carla Barnett, no; Senator Minister Vanessa Retreage; Senator Macario Coy; Senator Stephen Duncan; Senator Aldo Salazar; Senator Michel Chebat, yes; Senator Valerie Woods, yes; Senator Paul Thompson, yes; Senator Mark Lizarraga, yes; Senator Ashley Rocke, no; Senator Elena Smith, yes."
Hon. Lee Mark Chang, President - Senate of Belize
"Members lets finish up. Honorable senators the vote is 5, yes, 7, no. Gentlemen can you please let me finish then we will wrap it up. Thank you very much. He is a senator in this house at this moment, you cannot tell him anything. He has a right to vote whichever way he wants, intimidation is not the way to go."
Crowd
"Shame pastor."
We note that the National Evangelical Association of Churches is also calling for his removal as Senator for the Churches.
This afternoon the Association released a statement which says, quote, "...The NEAB is calling for the resignation/removal of Senator Ashley Rocke as Church Senator as we have lost all confidence in his ability to effectively represent the Church. Our decision is in solidarity with the Roman Catholic Church as well as the outrage of the Unions at yesterday's Senate meeting."
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