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Senator Smith Scoffs At Senator Salazar’s Story
posted (February 28, 2020)
Last week Monday, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize announced 6 demands it was making of the Barrow Administration for good governance.

These were hardline positions that the umbrella union and its 10 affiliate members were taking as a statement against corruption in public life. You'll also recall that the Unions took to the streets of Belize City to demonstrate to the Barrow Government that they are serious. Well, among those demands was a call for the completed report from the Senate Special Select Committee. That's the infamous inquiry of 2017 where the Committee members listened to hundreds of hours of public testimony from public officers.

The hearings were concluded in December 2017, and since then, the final report has still not been submitted.

Well, in a recent meeting between the Prime Minister at the NTUCB to discuss their 6 demands, an explanation was given to the union members. And in minutes of that meeting, which was leaked to the media, the Senate Committee Chairman, the PM says Aldo Salazar has pointed fingers at the BNTU President, Elena Smith for some of the delay.

The Minutes of that meeting reads, quote, "PM informed that Senator Salazar has complained to him, that he was basically abandoned by other senators during the drafting of the report. Specifically, Senator Salazar called out Senator Smith for not assisting him with the report.

That's a serious allegation to make against the BNTU President, who was among the main speakers for the NTUCB's rally last week, and so, she spoke with the press today to defend herself. Here's what she had to say about why she thinks it is unfair that she is being blamed for the delay in the report:

Hon. Elena Smith - Member, Senate Special Committee
"I think it's quite unfortunate. One lawyer told another lawyer - I didn't say, attorneys, right? A lawyer told another lawyer that the report wasn't ready because I did not do my part in preparing the report. I think as you've said we've all heard Senator Salazar saying to the media that he's working on it. His personal and professional duties have caused him not to complete it on time, but he knows it's his responsibility, and he will finish when he can. So, for me to be blamed for not having a report is really beyond me. The standing orders are very clear. The chairman is responsible for preparing that report and presenting it to us. If it is that the other Senators are not in agreement with what is presented, then we can prepare our own minority report. That is how that happens. As the Senate Select Committee, we also have an attorney that was hired to work with us, the Committee, and to assist the Chairman in putting that report together. So, the portion of the report that dealt with the summary of the hearing, those were sent to us earlier. Those were dealt with. The other part which would have the recommendations, those were not shared with us. And so, we could not comment. So, I don't know how we got from the Chairman being responsible to Senator Smith not taking up her responsibilities, or they tried to reach her, and couldn't find her. I don't know if I was living somewhere else. But, they couldn't find me, I suppose, to prepare the report."

Jules Vasquez
"Is he making excuses, Senator?"

Hon. Elena Smith
"Jules, how many times have we been asking him for the report. He keeps saying, my personal..."

Jules Vasquez
"Exigencies."

Hon. Elena Smith
"Yes, that was the word, thank you, and his professional [commitments] kept him from doing so? What are those? Aren't those excuses? Whether they are valid or not, they are excuses."

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