Last week Friday's newscast, we told you how PUP Chairman Henry Charles Usher scolded the media for reporting the quote, unquote, "rumor" that the Opposition had appointed Dr. Candice Pitts as a Senator. He insisted that there was nothing official on her appointment, and suggested that we were making things up for sensation.
But, we weren't - and tonight we can show you the black-and-white proof of the proposed appointment.
In a letter dated, August 14th, 2019, which was last Wednesday, Opposition Leader John Briceño wrote to Governor-General Sir Colville Young informing him of the proposed names.
That letter said, quote, "I have the honour to inform your Excellency of my decision to recommend the appointment of two senators, namely: Senator the Hon. Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Senator the Hon. Dr. Candice Pitts." End quote.
So, had there been no roadblocks in Dr. Pitts' way, the next step would have been for her and Dr. Zabaneh to be officially sworn in at the next sitting of the Senate, which is scheduled for Friday, August 30th.
But, as we told you, Section 7 - 1 (J) of the Belize City Council Act says quote, "No person shall be eligible for election as a member of the Council, or having been elected, shall sit or vote on the Council, who:- is or becomes a member of the National Assembly or of any commission established by or under the Belize Constitution." End quote.
So, in order to become a senator, she would have to resign from the Belize City Council, which - sources say is highly unlikely. So, now, the PUP, after showing ignorance of a rather elementary municipal regulation, will now have to sheepishly nominate someone else. And, the optics dictate, that it should be a woman - since the opposition had only one woman in Parliament - and that was Senator Valerie Woods - who Pitts was supposed to replace.
But,
they have some time. And that's because the Senate will not meet until Friday August 30, fourteen days after last week Friday's House Meeting. The norm is that the Senate usually meets 5 days after, but Senate President Darrell Bradley is currently on vacation.
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