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Senate And Minister Clash On Public Characterization Of Sittings
posted (July 5, 2017)

And while he took issue with questions on Alvarine Burgess, Business Senator Mark Lizarraga made sure to question him on his public comments from last week.

You’ll remember he called the Senate Hearings a “circusâ€￾ for even allowing Burgess to testify in the first place. He also felt disrespected for being summoned last week, only to be sent home, after he had canceled all his appointments as a minister and as an Area Rep. for the day.

Here’s Lizarraga challenging him on his description of the hearings:

Hon. Mark Lizarraga - Business Senator
"In reference to the hearings, I find that to be a kind of circus. Would you care to explain minister why you find these proceedings to be a circus?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez - UDP Minister
"Put it this way sir, you are talking about my comment outside, that is my opinion. Outside, I am not here to form opinions, I don't care to comment on that, I am no here to form an opinion, I'm here to deal with the issues in regards to what is in the report, I am not here to form an opinion. You have one Ms. Alvarine Burgess, who was called here who was never mentioned in no report."

Hon. Mark Lizarraga
"And that is a joke?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"That is a joke for me yes, that is not serious business."

Hon. Mark Lizarraga
"That ministers have been implicated in perhaps wrong doings and we'll get to the a lot of the facts later but I'm just wondering why as a minister being a part of this administration under which these illegalities and irregularities took place that you could consider any proceedings to clear up not only your name but the name of your colleagues to be a circus and a joke."

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"I stay by that sir, that is my opinion. I stay by that."

Hon. Mark Lizarraga
"Section 1:21 1D says that you are not to place yourself or conduct yourself in any way to demean your office or position. You’re familiar with that minister?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"Yes sir, yes sir."

Hon. Mark Lizarraga
"Are you honourable minister? Are you familiar with the section that says that you should not allow your integrity to be called into question?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"Yes sir."

Hon. Mark Lizarraga
"And that also minister you are not to endanger or diminish respect for or confidence in the integrity of government?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"Yes sir."

Hon. Mark Lizarraga
"And you are agreeing with these sections of the constitution minister?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"Yes sir."

Hon. Mark Lizarraga
"Thank you minister. Minister if you agree with these sections and somebody is calling into question the reputation, the integrity or actions of any minister because you have agreed that you all have collective responsibility. Do you not then think minister that you have every right to try and clear any allegations made against yourself or any minister by anyone?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"In this report as you terms of reference."

Hon. Mark Lizarraga
"In this hearing minister."

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"And the hearing is about the report sir so you can't tell me, you can't cast a wide net sir, you need to stick to your terms of reference sir."

Hon. Mark Lizarraga
"And we win sworn testimony before this committee received testimony from a witness, Ms. Burgess in this case, making certain allegations against certain ministers and we are you giving you the courtesy minister. Let me finish minister, please."

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"I want no courtesy sir."

Later on in the news, we’ll show you what the PUP and the Senate Pro-Temp Chairman, Elena Smith had to say about the rudeness in the remarks made by the UDP Ministers.

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