| But two out of five of the UDP's elected members were notably missing - deputy leader Hugo Patt and Cayo West's Miguel Guerra. Today Panton admitted that she doesn't know why they didn't show up, but she believes that it is their responsibility to do so. However, it is a matter of waiting and seeing whether they will attend the next two days of the budget debate.
Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition
"That's for the Honorable Hugo Patt and the Honorable Miguel Guerra to respond to. I think that we have a duty and we have a responsibility. We have an obligation to the people who elect us to be present, to participate in this process, to add our contributions to the national debate."
"Again, it is a social contract. We need a robust and functioning democracy to have a robust and functioning government. And so I believe that they should be here. I don't know why they are not here myself."
"I know we had village council elections yesterday in those constituencies, but I don't accept that as a suitable excuse for not being here on the first day of our budget rebuttal."
Reporter
"As leader, what will you do to compel them to come to the House within the next two days?"
Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition
"I can't compel anyone to do something that they ought to be doing. Even before today's meeting, we have been meeting as a team, as a UDP parliamentary caucus, preparing for today. We have included all colleagues."
"We have shared our notes. In the truest sense of defending and promoting and advocating for democracy, we have an obligation. And they will need to answer for themselves why they are not here. I won't make a frivolous excuse for why they are not here."
"I do believe Honorable Hugo Patt will be making his contributions to this debate in the next two days. And so I expect him, if he couldn't be here today, would be here either tomorrow or Wednesday."
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