And, while the Designated Processing Areas Bill, the Income and Business Tax Amendment Bill, the Stamp Duties Amendment Bill, and the International Business companies Amendment Bill were all passed today, one piece of legislation that was not introduced was Kareem Musa's diaspora voters legislation, the proposed amendment to the representation of people act. He explains why it was not introduced at today's special sitting:..
Hon. Kareem Musa
"I just wanted to give an update, madam speaker that it will be presented at the next ordinary sitting of the House as directed by your ladyship. In addition to that, madam speaker, a bit of good news on that point; I had the opportunity to consult with the Prime Minister in chambers at the back and I don't know if it is the seasoned Prime Minister or if maybe it is the blue shirt. I don't think it is none of the two. I think that the Prime Minister genuinely recognizes the importance of not having Belizeans, of the fact that no Belizean, no matter where in the world they live, should feel disenfranchised or should feel deprived of the right to have a voice in this very important ICJ referendum that is coming up in April. So, I gave an undertaking to the Prime Minister because I think we are at the point where it is important to look at all the nuts and bolts, so to speak, the mechanisms that would have to go in to this piece of legislation to ensure that it would work. So, we had that discussion and I gave the undertaking to the Prime Minister and to the honorable house that I will follow up and to provide those nuts and bolts in the form of a scheduled, Mr. Prime Minister."
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow- Prime Minister
"There is no difficulty, as I understand, members on this side of the House, with allowing Belizeans who have some kind of family address in this country to register, so that they might be able to vote in the referendum. Now, the question as to whether such a thing finds favor with the majority of Belizeans living at home is another one. I suspect that if we were to have any chance of knowing, of gaging that sort of sentiment, we'd have to have a second referendum on that. But for ourselves, we have no difficulty with the question of registration. The common place phrase that the devil is in the details is very much going to be an issue in these circumstances. So, all I am trying to do is to say that sympathy for a principle is not the same as suggesting that there is any commitment to the end product."
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