Ray Davis
The Senate met this morning in Belmopan following the House meeting on Wednesday which was primarily convened for passage of the Electricity Acquisition Settlement Bill. The House approved seventy million dollars to be paid to Fortis as compensation for B.E.L. The deal, which also includes thirty three point three percent of shares for Fortis, will be completed on Monday with the transfer of payment. But today, the Bill promptly went before the senate for ratification. Now here is where it gets rather interesting. Present at the sitting, was Ray Davis, who we have reported, has been removed as senator for the National Trade Union Congress of Belize. Davis did not make a statement at the sitting, but when a division was called to record how the votes would go, he voted in favor of the Bill and then left the chambers. This afternoon, the N.T.U.C.B. sent out a release lashing out at Davis’ actions and confirming that he had been removed as senator and so informed via letter. According to the N.T.U.C.B. President, Marvin Mora, late on Thursday night, Davis sent out an email stating that he would attend today’s sitting. The release further states that Mora immediately informed him that he should not attend as the General Council of the N.T.U.C.B. had removed him and that he was well aware of it. Mora says that he also sent a text message to Davis and called him but his call was answered. Says the release, “Davis has acted on his own along with the handful of persons who have been inciting him to such action. He has no instruction on how to vote or what position to take on the matters before the Senate.” This afternoon, Mora said that any position taken by Davis will not be ascribed to the N.T.U.C.B.
Marvin Mora
On the Phone: Marvin Mora, President, N.T.U.C.B.
“The Congress already started the process of having a replacement for our representative at the Senate. Mister Ray Davis was in fact advised via official letter from the government that he no longer represents the N.T.U.C.B.; that he was removed. This happened at the general counsel meeting and the majority of the members voted in favor of removing him. He was informed via letter subsequently and we do not expect that he would go there to represent the N.T.U.C.B. So whatever he went to do there, it has nothing to do with the N.T.U.C.B.”
Duane Moody
“As a temporary substitute, who represented the N.T.U.C.B. today?”
On the Phone: Marvin Mora
“Today, nobody. We could not get anybody there to represent the Congress.”
Dr. Sharmayne Saunders of WIN-Belize has been identified as a replacement for Davis, but the union is awaiting approval from the Civil Society Steering Committee for the formal appointment.
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