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Rookies Run the House! Julius Says Santi "Sauvecito!"
posted (July 12, 2012)
Yesterday in the House of Representatives, the big hitters like Francis Fonseca, Patrick Faber, Said Musa, and Michael Finnegan opened the house debate.

And while those veterans did their thing, today, the rookies got their turn. There are ten first time members and many of them had a go at it today. But none more memorable than Cayo South representative Julius Espat - who is quickly gaining a reputation as a gutsy debaters - even if he is a little rough around the edges.

Through the courtesy of PLUS TV we have some clips of today's presentation where Espat jousted with a UDP newcomer - who is no stranger to the microphone. Here's how that went:..

Hon. Julius Espat
"We have also been designing a website to promote the people and the business establishments of Cayo South."

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"I personally am very impress by the horn blowing that the member of Cayo South is doing but I can't understand what that has to so with the general revenue appropriation will."

Hon. Julius Espat
"That is unacceptable by the Prime Minister Mr. Speaker because this is justifying what his horrible newspaper has been saying that we have been doing our work."

Speaker of the House
"Member for Cayo South, there is a time if you want to raise those matters on a separate issue...."

Hon. Julius Espat
"It is a part of the budget."

Speaker of the House
"But refer to the budget and speak within the budget."

Hon. Julius Espat
"It is a part of the budget, it is money that they allocate to us and we are justifying how it is being used. So why is that not a part of the budget?"

Speaker of the House
"Proceed member for Cayo South. Member, I have to ask you to stick within the budget. It's understandable what you want to say. Listen, I completely understand; you are here to stand and speak on behalf of your people and you can speak for as long as you want member but you have to speak in this moment. You have to speak within the draft estimates."

Hon. Julius Espat
"Are we discussing the budget Mr. Speaker?"

Speaker of the House
"Yes we are."

Hon. Julius Espat
"Then I am justifying that what we are doing with the money allocated; that is a part of the budget."

Speaker of the House
"I have to say though member because I am trying to speak to you, other members from both sides of the chamber has acknowledge whenever I have indicated to it, if you persists in irrelevance I will have to ask you to stop."

Hon. Julius Espat
"No problem Mr. Speaker."

Speaker of the House
"Stick within the estimates. You can speak to midnight if you want."

Hon. Julius Espat
"What I will do is send record of this to the Prime Minister and I'll post this on Facebook and I will put it on Channel and on Plus TV."

Speaker of the House
"Exactly, there is a place for that."

Hon. Julius Espat
"Mr. Speaker, the problem with the opposition because they are the opposition, we are the real government. Mr. Speaker there is a document here that I would like to table. It is a budget prepared for Cayo South for a 5 year plan. It includes part of what they have in this year's budget but it gives vision and it's to be able to assist them. We really need to help them."

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"On a point of order, look man, please man, you've come here and I've started off by saying that I am impressed by the list of accomplishments he's numerated. But part of his accomplishments ought to be to read the standing orders, familiarize yourself with the procedures in the House; there is a way to do what you want to do but not in the fashion you are attempting to."

Hon. Julius Espat
"Mr. Speaker, my standing orders come from the people of Cayo South who put me here."

"Investor climate confidence is at an all-time low due to: one; political interference in the judicial system, corruption at the highest level and no respect for property."

Speaker of the House
"Member, we just talked about corruption - member, do you have a copy of your standing orders?"

Hon. Julius Espat
"I said corruption at the highest level."

Speaker of the House
"You said interference in the judicial system."

Hon. Julius Espat
"Yes I did."

Speaker of the House
"What can that mean? Pick up your standing order; I just want to draw something to your attention."

Hon. Julius Espat
"You draw it to me Mr. Speaker."

Speaker of the House
"Look at 38.8."

Hon. Julius Espat
"Read it to me, I don't have it."

Speaker of the House
"You don't have it. I can understand you; I don't doubt you that you don't have it."

Hon. Julius Espat
"Yes, read it to me."

Speaker of the House
"You are imputing improper behavior on behalf of the judges of the supreme court. You are not allowed to do that."

Hon. Julius Espat
"Not the judges, the politicians that interfere with the judges. Let's continue Mr. Speaker."

Speaker of the House
"Let's continue!? If you persist in this I will have to ask you to stop. You are way out of order member. Present on the draft estimates."

Hon. Santino Castillo
"It looks to me like the member of Cayo South came to fight and like a good fight, but Mr. Speaker the member that I know is handicap by a chronic illness like many of his colleagues across the floor, he is suffering from a terminal case of amnesia. In other words Mr. Speaker he forgets things. In things case he has somehow wipe clean from his brain the entire decade of 1998-2008. He mistakenly believes that history started the day he was elected this honorable House."

"Mr. Speaker we on this side of the floor do not suffer from this disease."

Hon. Julius Espat
"Mr. Speaker, point of order."

Speaker of the House
"What's the point of order?"

Hon. Julius Espat
"Mr. Speaker are we going through a history course?"

Speaker of the House
"What's the point of order?"

Hon. Julius Espat
"Is it a history course that we are going through?"

Speaker of the House
"What's the point of order member?"

Hon. Julius Espat
"Get to the budget; he is not speaking about the budget."

Speaker of the House
"What's your point of order member?"

Hon. Julius Espat
"I want him to go to the notes and refer to the budget."

Speaker of the House
"You member for Cayo West want somebody to speak on the budget?"

Hon. Julius Espat
"I am not the member for Cayo West sir."

Hon. Santino Castillo
"Mr. Speaker while we can perhaps forgive the honorable member for his embarrassing disease, we cannot allow ourselves to become infected with that disease. We must vaccinate ourselves with the most powerful medicine known to man."

Hon. Julius Espat
"Mr. Speaker I don't accept those insult because we could start called him "suavecito" right now if you want to start."

"Mr. Speaker I just want to make it clear this is not KTV Latino; you are serving the country of Belize."

Speaker of the House
"If you continue member I will maim, you are being very disrespectful to the House. Member of the gallery, the member of Cayo South has the mic. Yes member."

Hon. Julius Espat
"I have one question Mr. Speaker. Why is he insulting us on this side and its being...."

Speaker of the House
"Member for Cayo South, I have to make a balance here. Nobody was more insulting than you. So if I allow you to get away with your few jabs here and there you have to take some jabs too. It is only natural."

Hon. Julius Espat
"I accept Mr. Speaker."

Hon. Santino Castillo
"The member called my "suavecito" which I take non objection to because I am giving it to him "suavecito.""

At newstime the debate was still going - with the Prime Minister still left to wrap it up.

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