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So, while the Noble brothers and the Allan Kelly were out to tell the teachers that their continued strike is bogus, the PUP was also condemning the Government. They say that the Senate probe that is to look into the Immigration Reports from the Auditor General will be one big fiasco.

They released a statement which says, quote, “The PUP is satisfied that the motion in the Senate on September 30th 2016 is invalid for the reasons: The Hon Godwin Hulse, Minister of Immigration voted on the motion when he should have abstained since his involvement in the scandals is a blatant conflict of interest. Minister Hulse’s participation in that Senate meeting was unconstitutional as he violated Section 121 of the Belize Constitution.  The motion presented by Senator Ashley Rocke was indeed a motion of the Government and was an attempt to deceive the Belizean people and the Senate, that it was a private member’s motion. The motion was bogus; the voting was bogus; and the inquiry will be bogus.â€￾ End quote.

This evening, we spoke with PUP Senator Valerie Woods about it, and here’s what she had to say:

Hon. Valerie Woods - PUP Senator
"The Senators appointed by the opposition we met and we informed the leader of the opposition that we will not be participating in what we consider to be a bogus inquiry. The special select committee of the Senate on the immigration scandal if it were with the composition of 5 and a proper meaningful terms of reference as was originally motioned would have resulted in our participation but since that is not the case we discussed this with the party and with the leader of the opposition and we have come to that decision that we will not validate what we consider to be a bogus process on the part of the government; especially given the fact that all of what's been happening and heels of good governance. And if were to be honest with the people of Belize we can't be saying one thing and practicing something else."

"The terms of reference that was approved is weak in that one really does not provide for the natural justice which has been so touted but our motion did. Two it limits who you can call whereas the motion that all of us the business sector, the unions and originally the churches along with ourselves have wanted was a motion that called; could call to question those persons named in the scandals in that report as it relates to the report. Let's not get fooled by those who will say oh we will call you Daniel or just anybody; of course not you're dealing will mature responsible people in the Senate and it would be limited to those who were named and involved in the dealings as reported in that report. And the other point is that the Senate committee ought to have some budget assigned to it so that resources is not an issue as so why it can't be or why it couldn’t get this witness in and so forth."

But, are the PUP pouting because they did not get their way on the composition? We put that and a few more questions, and Senator Woods, and here’s what she had to say:

Daniel Ortiz
"There will be the criticism that the opposition is abstaining at this point simply as a matter of pouting; why would you want to abstain yourself from a process that is for the people and not for yourselves?"

Hon. Valerie Woods - PUP Senator
"I disagree with that Daniel. First let's be very mindful of the fact that the very People's United Party government no longer was the government because of the cries of the people and rightly for good governance, for no corruption, for no conflict of interests, to do things the right way. So for us to accept a position just because you're the opposition you will cry foul, just because you're the opposition? No. We are not going to be part of a circus if we truly are going to be a check and balance and we're truly going to serve the people of Belize in the Senate then we have to be quite frankly honest about the fact that the very process we are about to undertake is corrupt, is not fair, is not independent and will not serve the people of Belize. To ask us just because you're the opposition is then suddenly putting the people in a position to say even though it won't result in anything; just because you're the opposition we want you go, why? So you can just air things to air things sake? It's not a witch hunt; it's a serious, serious exercise investigating a serious scandal about our nationality, so let’s give it the seriousness that it deserves."

"Secondly it's not just about the composition, the terms of reference is absolutely relevant and important. If you're going to limit who we can call, if you're going to say that we cannot call this minister or that minister or limited to the ministry of immigration when the very report goes beyond the ministry of immigration's involvement. Then you’re setting it up to be a show and a circus with no true end, so to what end will we participate in such an inquiry just for gossip? Just to let the people have an entertainment? Just for the optics of saying we're investigating when there is no real investigation? And to be fair and clear right now whether there was no inquiry, if we were serious the police department could begin their own investigation, it does not need to Senate. You have a report that clearly states wrong doing was done, it needs to be investigated like all other allegation that come to the table or to the awareness of the police; why is it not being done?"