Weeks after Parliament voted not to pay the 95 million dollar Universal award to the Ashcroft Alliance, the Chamber of Commerce today issued a statement criticizing both sides of the House. A punchy and slightly preachy statement says, quote, "The Chamber…condemns the ugly political drama that played out in Parliament on Friday, August 31st. when parliamentarians convened apparently with no clear intent to constructively resolve the decade-old UHS debt saga. The self-serving charges and childish rhetoric thrown tastelessly around our dignified National Assembly on that day, served only to further impoverish our nation. The indisputable fact is that neither side is exempt from blame. This debt is a specific example of the carelessness and irresponsibility of our leaders toward the country they are elected to lead."
It continues, "A much smaller debt, wrongfully incurred, was shunted from court to court, and now that debt has grown to monstrous levels. True leadership would address the matter squarely, rather than leave this debt to become yet more atrocious. Instead, the ruling party announces, in advance, its intention to make it some other generation's problem, no matter what the ultimate cost. Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition in turn, chose to walk out instead of voting, abdicating their sworn - and salaried- duty. Neither side appeared to have the will or the desire to set petty partisanship aside, and to find a constructive solution to the problem.
Parliament must uphold the rule of law. The nation's highest court has ruled that the debt is lawful, and must be paid. That decision is final and binding on Belize, whether we are pleased with the decision or not. Parliament's duty was, therefore, to vote to ensure that the debt is paid. A 'no' vote does nothing to erase that debt or stop mounting interest."
Chamber member and UDP official Doug Singh fired back with his own commentary today, saying to the Chamber, quote, "The Chamber proclaims that leaders of both parties are to be blamed for the Monstrous debt, and…they purport that the UDP should have paid a debt that was wrongly incurred by the PUP. Well is that truly the wish of the Belizean people, and is the Chamber seeking to impress on Parliament the perceived wishes of the Belizean public - one that that they do not represent?"
Singh then calls out the chamber, saying, quote, "The Chamber membership is spotted with businesses and businessmen that have at sometime in their operations not paid debts and may have even declared bankruptcy for a business which is also a legal way of avoiding paying their debts, this is the rules for business that Governments and the courts have respected, is it that the Chamber cannot support the exercise of similar rules available to Governments?" End quote.
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