We spoke to Marin outside today's House Meeting - which was convened to extend the state of emergency by 60 days. It was historic for that piece of house business, and in a few other ways - from the limited number of members in chamber, to the masks and gloves they wore.
Jules Vasquez was there to catalogue it all, and here's his report.
It was an unusual day in the House for sure. All members showed up in masks. Some more stylish than others. As for the press, we were told we couldn't even go up.
As I had to experience for myself
Jules Vasquez
"Who says this though? I spoke to Mr. Webster in the presence of Mr. Itch by phone this morning."
Door Guard
"Well that's the directive that they gave us. Please just contact him again."
After some frustrated looking on from outside. And some spirited complaining...
They agreed to let us in - on the understanding that we would wear masks, and keep socially distant, which was the understanding from the outset.
And inside the house, all 7 members - the minimum for a quorum - all donned masks and kept socially distant - a first for the house.
The Prime Minister read the motion to extend the state of emergency by 60 days.
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House, being satisfied that a period of public emergency persists in the entire country of Belize as a result of the outbreak of the infectious disease known as COVID-19, hereby extends the period of public emergency in the country of Belize for a further period of two months."
Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition
"Our parliamentary caucus has approved their support on extent to the national state of emergency for 30 days starting May 1st, 2020 and I'll explain why. This is our recommendation because our public health authorities, people with specialization in public health, epidemiology, clinical health and hospital management, believe that keeping people at home for 30 more days represents our best means of further containing the spread of the Corona Virus at this time."
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow
"This motion before the house today asks for an extension of the state of emergency for 2 months. This is not something that I came up with on my own. This is not something that the cabinet of Belize came up with, this is something that was fully and thoroughly discussed at the national oversight committee, which the Leader of the Opposition chairs and it was only after that thorough going discussion, because we talked about the various options that the vote was taken that resulted in the national oversight committee in effect directing me to bring to the house the motion for an extension for the state of emergency for 2 months. That vote of the national oversight committee was unanimous. The Leader of the Opposition was part of that unanimity. I need to tell this house, I need to tell the Leader of the Opposition and I need to tell the People's United Party, I will do absolutely nothing to encourage any kind of break up of that national unity effort, so he can act in a way that I might consider bad faith, he can holler what he wants to holler, he can scream till the cows come home - I will not respond. If he and the PUP wants to go, let them go on their own."
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