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Hon. John Saldivar- Area Rep, Belmopan
"How can they turn around and say that it is this government that is fueling the economy by borrowing. They are the ones, madam speaker, who, during their 10 years, took up the debt by over $1.2billion. And, let us not forget the rates at which they were borrowing when they were in government- average of over 8.5% compared to the 3.5% which this UDP government has been borrowing at. Then, to actually criticize our budget which, I will repeat, has no new taxes in it. How can you come and take a budget that doesn't have any new taxes on it and still lament the fact that revenues have gone up. If revenues have gone up it is perhaps because we have become more efficient or because the economy is growing. When your economy grows your revenues will go up without having to take up any taxes. And so, I repeat, madam speaker, our Prime Minister has presented this budget here today and there is no new tax in that budget. Then, madam speaker, they back with this same thing again. The last time they phrased it, 'oh people can't eat street.' They don't seem to understand the importance of transportation and the road infrastructure in a country for its development. Any standard of economics book will tell you, one of the main roles of government in propelling an economy is through public works, it is through public works, it is through public infrastructure."

The debate continues tomorrow, and is expected to go into the night.