As we told you last week Friday, the Chamber of Commerce is now back to supporting a Senate Inquiry into the irregularities at the Immigration Department. The business group made it official today with a press release. The lengthy release does note that indeed, on Wednesday, August 31, their executive met with the Prime Minister and agreed to a Joint Special Select Committee.
So, why is the Chamber withdrawing its support now? Well, they say that their lawyers looked at the Constitution and the Standing Orders, to come up with the terms of reference for PM Barrow's Joint Select Committee. That's when the legal advise said that going the Government's route may be unconstitutional, since only the Senate has the authority to do what this Joint Select Committee would be attempting.
The Chamber concludes, quote, "...any decision by the Bi-cameral Joint Special Select Committee could be challenged, and if found to be unlawful, the entire investigative exercise would be a waste of the nation's time and resources. Based on legal advice…the BCCI is satisfied that the investigation should be conducted by the Senate." So, that's why the Chamber says that it has to withdraw its support of Government's Joint Select Committee.
So, now, the Chamber is urging the Government, and all leaders, both elected and appointed to allow the Senate to investigate the irregularities at the Immigration Department. As you heard last week Friday, Prime Minister Barrow, told the media that he may be prepared to personally support it, because the greater objective of an investigation would still be served. But, there's an immediate problem.
As we told you, the Senate, with the Government's Majority, and Church Senator Rocke, has already voted down the motion to trigger a Senate investigation. To bring it back, would be against the standing orders, since a defeated motion cannot be brought back a second time. The PUP says that there is a loophole where the Senate could agree to suspend the rules, and which would allow them to bring it back. The Prime Minister made it clear that in this, the Senate President Lee Mark Chang would have the final say. Here are those comments:
Rt., Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister of Belize
"I am not sure if I am quite following not your question, but what it is that the Opposition is saying it would do. In other words it would want to re-introduce the motion."
Daniel Ortiz, 7news
"By asking the senate to suspend the rules...."
Rt., Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister of Belize
"Because you normally can't re-introduced something that's been voted down. That would be a matter for the President of the Senate. In principle I have no difficulty with that. I will tell you one thing, If they as you say they will, the Opposition attempts to re-introduced the motion, I am hoping that the president will allow them to. They would have to get the President of the Senate to agree that they can bring it back. I don't think that it would be a problem, I hope that it would be a problem but I am not the president of the senate. I spoke to the President of the Chamber this morning who said that they met with the Belize Business Bureau to work on proposed terms of commission, sorry, terms of reference for the Joint Select Committee but that the question was raised in terms of the lawyers who were advising them as to whether the clear constitutional position regarding the Senate and its power to investigate as opposed to the inherent jurisdiction that the House has. Remember this was a report that was tabled by me in the House, but as the president said, it did come up and they are prepared to look at that and perhaps after further discussion they might want to change their position and take Mr. Bradley's position and the position of the People's United Party. Unlike Mr. Bradley, the President of the Chamber assures me that he will do me the courtesy of letting me know beforehand, before making any public announcement in that regard. We certainly will want to see what position the chamber finally takes."
So, that's where it is, the Chamber is onboard, with the PUP for a Senate Inquiry. The objective of last Friday's meeting between the Council of Churches' Leaders and the PUP was to swing their support as well. The Labor Senator supported the PUP motion the last time, and there is no indication that their position has since changed.
The two variables, therefore, are the UDP Senators, and Senate President Chang. The Prime Minister made it clear that Cabinet will have to review whether or not to attempt to block the PUP again. If they do, then it could end up at a 6 to 6 voting deadlock with President Chang holding the casting vote. All this hinges on whether or not he will even entertain the PUP for a second time. We'll be following it very closely.
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