4 days ago
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President of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Giacomo Sanchez, does not believe Tuesday’s Senate walkout caused any lasting damage to the legislative process. While the action was intended to protest the BTL Board’s approval of the proposed acquisition of Speednet Communications Limited, Sanchez suggested that the moment was not as significant as some have portrayed it. According to Sanchez, any business left incomplete because of the departure of the opposition and independent senators can be addressed when the Senate meets again. He described the situation as one that can be remedied through the established parliamentary process.
Giacomo Sanchez, President, BCCI: “I think it was one of those responses that had to be addressed on the fly because you had some serious business being undertaken by the Senate and a walk out suggests hat …. Or at least strikes to the heart of the opposition that we currently have in terms of this overall transaction.”
Reporter: It was done ahead of a vote on the OSH Bill. Do you weigh one against the other in terms of importance ?
Giacomo Sanchez, President, BCCI: “I think because of the gravity of the BTL acquisition it ranks a little higher in priority in terms of importance at least at this point. The Osh Bill has been around for so long that I think we’ve been on pause for a while and so we can pick up the pieces on that and ensure that you know we get a good piece of legislation coming out of it.”
The walkout occurred as the Senate was preparing to ratify the Occupational Safety and Health Bill. Church Senator Louis Wade Junior was the only independent senator who remained in the chamber, saying he did not want to neglect his responsibility as a legislator. Sanchez’s remarks add another perspective to the debate, suggesting that while the walkout sent a political message over the proposed BTL-Smart acquisition, it did not create an irreversible setback for the OSH legislation or the work of the Senate.
English (US) ·