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9 Years Later, PM Signs Commencement Order for 13th Senator
posted (October 20, 2016)
So, while the Minister of Education may just have to gift wrap that olive branch, the Prime Minister wasted no time in fulfilling the commitments he made in those heated strike negotiations. Today, he signed the commencement order for the 13th senator.

A press release from the Government says, quote, "This order takes effect on 20th January, 2017. The three months will be used to facilitate the necessary consultations with the NGOs to work out the mechanism for selection of the thirteenth senator. End Quote.

A week ago, the Prime Minister explained why the 3-month delay is necessary to ensure that the 13th Senator will be properly identified:

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"Appointment of the 13th Senator I will sign the commencement order bringing that into force by next Thursday but while the instrument fixing a date for it to come into force will be done not later than next Thursday it won't actually come into force for 3 months. And the reason for this is that the constitutional provision providing for the appointment of the 13th Senator is extremely open ended, it merely says the NGO community is to do the selection. We believe and the BNTU seemed to agree that we will have to meet with all 20 odd registered NGOs that are in good standing to discuss putting something in the NGO act that will describe the mechanism by which the NGO community can make the selection. Who would qualify, who would then advise the Governor General to say the NGO community will advise doesn't make too much sense that can get you into trouble. If you look at the provision in the constitution for the appointment of the business senator for example it says the Chamber of Commerce and the Belize Business Bureau; for the labour senator that the NTUCB and so and so. There is nothing for the NGO community which is far too much and at large designation. So the 3 months should give us enough time to work out those mechanics and by the time that 3 months would have expired hopefully all will be in place for the NGO community to be able to advise the Governor General through whatever mechanism we agree on as to who that 13th Senator is."

The BNTU said earlier in this week, that they will be take a watchdog-role to ensure that the Prime Minister follows through on all the commitments he made to the teachers on their good governance demands.

The constitutional amendment for the 13th. Senator was passed 9 years ago.

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