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Meanwhile, the United Democratic Party has voiced opposition to government’s plan to acquire additional shares in Belize Electricity Limited, with UDP Leader Tracy Taegar-Panton questioning the proposed use of public funds for the investment. Panton indicated that while the UDP supports investments that benefit Belizeans, she does not believe that funds from the Social Security Board should be used to facilitate the acquisition of additional shares in the utility company.
Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition: “73 million. You know we talk about these figures like we’re talking about a couple hundred here and a couple hundred there. It’s millions we’re at. The debt is close to a billion with a “B”. $73 million dollars for a bailout of BEL. Well I think I am sure that you have an idea where the UDP stands on that issue. It’s where we stand on the BTL issue. And I don’t want to preempt the House Committee meeting that will be held tomorrow that I will be attending to look at the bill critically and to get the input from the technical people who have put that bill together. I don’t want to prejudice that process but I will tell you if following that meeting we get any hint that we are going to capitalize, use our SSB money for bailout of BEL you will be the first to know. Because I asked the question yesterday. I was in Belmopan yesterday for another bill and when I asked one of the members from the PUP government where the money, where the $73 million dollars is coming from they’re not quite sure but he said that its not the SSB. They’re not quite sure but we are going to insist tomorrow that we understand where government is going to source $73 million dollars but here is the crux of the matter. Wherever they source it from you know who will pay it ? The Belizean tax payer. We the people will pay it and I don’t know that the people will mind paying if their light bill is going down you know ? If the light bill is reliable you know ? But that isn to the case. With all this MCC money we got for energy security in this country instead of us seeing direct benefits from the use of renewable energy we the people are taking the hardest lick.”
As indicated, the bill remains subject to parliamentary approval.
English (US) ·