Opposition Infighting Erupts During House Session as Taiwan Ambassador Observes

Parliamentarians met today inside the George Price Center for a Sitting of the House of Representatives.  The session ran for about four hours with the presentation of several Bill amendments, motions and a special resolution.  For many, the most interesting part of the sessions came in the afternoon when the opposition further aired its dirty laundry this time, in parliament and in the presence of the Taiwan Ambassador to Belize who was present as an observer.  Faber stood up just after eleven o’clock to lend support to a resolution on Taiwan which we tell you more about shortly.  Faber’s opening, clearly laced with sarcasm and was, perhaps, what triggered the back and forth.  Either way, here is how the internal friction within the opposition, played out in the House today.

Patrick Faber, Member for Collet: “Madam Speaker, I preface my remarks in this motion today by saying that I hope I can speak on behalf of the opposition. I say that Madam Speaker because indeed we are bound to be on the same page, but when we are not a part of the parliamentary caucus that decides on what position we will take we just have to assume we’re on the same page. And so, Madam Speaker, I’m sure my leader will get up and correct me if this is not the position. But on behalf of the opposition, we express our full support. There is one opposition, it’s an opposition to the government. His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. Madam Speaker, I recognize that when we speak about conduct that there’s a proper place to do that. There’s a proper time to do that in the standing orders. In fact, if we felt my colleague from Albert and I aggrieved enough then we could have early this morning asked you to consider having us raise a privilege motion. We do not feel aggrieved to that extent, Madam Speaker, but I feel compelled to stand this evening to make it unequivocally clear that my colleague from Albert and I have not resigned from the United Democratic Party nor do we accept, Madam Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition and the leader of our party’s position that we have resigned from the United Democratic Party. I say Madame Speaker that we are not aggrieved enough even though I will tell you that….”

House Speaker: “Just for clarity of the record, what is the matter of public importance? We normally ask that that be stated,”

Patrick Faber, Member for Collet: “The matter of public importance Madame Speaker is that the Leader of the Opposition even though it was not his official presentation. Just now when he stood on the adjournment I would have left it alone had he not been allowed to say things. And I don’t accuse you, Madam Speaker, you probably did not even know what matter he would have spoken. In fact, he just snuck it in there.”

The back and forth played out in the House for an estimated ten minutes and proved entertaining for the government’s side, giving them the chance to laugh and ridicule the opposition’s state of affairs.

Patrick Faber, Member for Collet: “We must put on the record that we absolutely have not resigned and that we reject the Leader of the Opposition and the leader of the UDP’s position that we have constructively resigned. Just let me illustrate to you Madam Speaker because we do have…..

House Speaker: “Member for Mesopotamia please….”

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition: “On a point of order Madam Speaker you asked what is the issue of national importance I still have not heard that response.”

Patrick Faber, Member for Collet: “It is a matter of national importance Madam Speaker when…..”

House Speaker: “Leader of Opposition sit.”

Patrick Faber, Member for Collet: “When the leader of a political party attempts to have duly elected representatives of his own party be removed. If that is not an emergency for the nation then I don’t know what is. To the world….”

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition: “On a point of order what is the issue of national importance? You in your ruling to me you told me that you do not determine internal party politics.”

House Speaker: “Kindly take your seat. The Member for Collet has clearly articulated the matter of public importance. I am listening to that.”

Patrick Faber, Member for Collet:  “And Madam Speaker, it is not party politics when, as I’ve been saying, I went dutifully downstairs to the committee room to participate on behalf of my party who I know…..not because you say so anyway. Madam Speaker could you talk to him so that he stops interrupting.”

House Speaker: “No Member for Mesopotamia, Leader of the Opposition…….”

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition: “You cannot pronounce on our internal mattes and he is lying. He is not a member of the UDP. That’s like me getting up saying I’m speaker. I’m the speaker then. Com on.”

House Speaker: “You did say that once I believe. Member for Mesopotamia you seem to have difficulty with respecting the Chair. All I’m asking, all I ask of all members I don’t get into your debates. Member, I don’t get into the debates, that’s not my role. My role is to follow the rules. My role is to try and moderate and referee as best as I can, given the rules. When I am speaking you do not counter me by talking back to me. You don’t do that..”
Patrick Faber, Member for Collet:“But imagine the leader of your own party is trying to inhibit your participation on a national discussion, if you will.”

Outside the center, in an interview with the media, opposition leader Barrow, stood by his declaration that Faber and Panton are no longer wanted in the UDP.  

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition: “The difference between myself and the member from Collet and Albert is that despite the difficulties that I have experienced with the Speaker I have respect for the seat of the Speaker and the Speaker was well in her remit to interpret the constitution in a manner which she did. I was in my remit as the Leader of the Opposition, knowing that these people are no longer members of the party to notify the speaker of such. There is language there that talks about resigning as the member of a political organization by which you were elected. I believe there is a deficiency there in the constitution because while it allows the member to resign, it does not address the member being expelled or the member ceasing to be active in the political organization. And in this instance, you all see the type of coup d’etat that was on display before the members were expelled from the party, or as we put it, “constructively resigned.” as an ode to the former Party Chairman, Mr. Patrick Faber himself who constructively resigned Marcel Cardona. So it’s ironic that they were able to constructively resign him from the party but now he doesn’t want to accept that because if you do your history, Cardona also said I did not resign but the UDP maintained that he was no longer a member of their organization. So it was 50-50, maybe even greater for the Speaker to interpret it in the way that she did. I totally respect that. I wish that those colleagues would have the same reverence for our party chairman who according to our constitution has the authority to interpret petitions and different things that come up in our party and that’s the way it works. So the Speaker has made her decision, I move on.”