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Senate Argues Against $106M In Supplementary
posted (November 11, 2024)
Going back to the National Assembly, the Senate today debated a supplementary appropriation bill for 106 million dollars, with only four months left in the fiscal year.

It wasn't passed without objections, however, as UDP and social partner senators voiced their concerns. Michael Peyrefitte called the appropriation the result of bad planning, while business senator, Kevin Herrera pointed out a glaring issue in the budget for the Ministry of Defense.

Michael Peyrefitte, UDP Senator
"This supplementary is for us to pay for what we owe for 2023/2024 and to ask for more money for 2024/2025. You understand what's going on here? Bad planning for 2023/2024 until it put you where, in Kriol, you "howe." And you don't have enough because of bad planning for 2024/2025. So now you come to the National Assembly and say, approve us $106 million. That's what we're talking about today. Today, in this very nondescript move. This body will decide that the people of Belize need to approves $106 million on top of the billion dollars budget that was presented earlier this year. With a full 4-5 months left, you come here and you ask for 10% for what you asked for in 2024. That's unacceptable."

Kevin Herrera, Business Senator
"I flagged this item two times in the last two budgets. The Ministry of National Defense and Border Security seems like they're copying and pasting previous budgets and the numbers didn't really make sense, I highlighted this in my budget presentation both last year and this year. In terms of the new personnel, in terms of what was required in supplies, it just didn't make sense. And so it's not a surprise to me, when looking at these numbers again today and looking at the Ministry of National Defense and Border Security is asking for $3.3 million more or 15% of the 19 million which was budgeted earlier. Now you're looking at, there's this, and we've seen it several times on the evening news where soldiers and our security forces are complaining about the conditions under which they have to work, the resources that they have in their disposal. And I feel that the head of these areas, whoever is responsible for budgeting should take this process very seriously in terms of trying to get the resources for our soldiers."

But while the leader of government business acknowledged everyone's concerns, he explained that the money is necessary to continue GOB's work and they will continue to bring supplementaries whenever they feel it is needed.

Eamon Courtenay, Leader of Government Business
"I listened very carefully to the contribution of each senator. I didn't hear any senator saying that there was misspending. I didn't hear any senator saying that this is a wrong policy choice. I didn't hear any senator say I don't support this project. The complaint was, if I can paraphrase, we want better planning. There was no complaint that the money going to the people's constitutional commission should not go to them. I was looking for a line item here for the Senate Special Committee but I don't see it here, it will come up shortly. I didn't hear anybody saying the money for COVID 19 support which continues shouldn't be done or that we shouldn't be spending money on literacy workshops or GOB infrastructure projects. The point I am making is that the supplementary allocation and the supplementary budget has included good works that are required for the people of this country and the PUP government under the Honorable John Briceno will come to this National Assembly every time that we're doing good work and we need approval to the Senate."

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