There were thirteen motions raised in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, two of any significance. One was passed, and the other fell on the floor. But those procedural House matters have taken second place to the very heated debate which characterized the session. And a vicious attack on Belize Rural Central Area Representative Dolores Balderamos-Garcia has dominated the airwaves today. The representative who responded to Balderamos Garcia over complaints of Brian “Yellow Man” Audinett was Mesopotamia Area Representative Michael Finnegan, who is well-known for his unedited and unadulterated debating style. Still, he outdid himself on the floor on Wednesday. Mike Rudon has that story from the House.
Mike Rudon, Reporting
As the session of the House neared closing on Wednesday, member for Belize Rural Central Dolores Balderamos-Garcia rose to make her presentation on decorum. Her target was Sergeant at Arms Brian ‘Yellow Man’ Audinett, who is currently before the courts on assault charges, and not for the first time.
Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, Belize Rural Central Area Representative
Dolores Balderamos-Garcia
“I believe that the sergeant at arms that we have now—not only has he been found drinking or harm to a woman back in 2006 and charged a hundred and fifty dollars, but I have personally seen the conduct of him draining the bottle of Belikin outside of this House and his behavior and conduct out in public, urinating in public Mister Speaker and now we have a situation here. Mister Speaker.
Anthony Boots Martinez, Port Loyola Area Representative
“Miser Speaker, I have a point of order. When somebody’s standing orders say matters must be of national importance. What that has to do with a man di drink wah Belikin beer pr whatsoever the drink. Unu di get personal; that dah unu problem.”
Those comments resulted in swift and severe rebuttal from the other side.
Michael Finnegan, Mesopotamia Area Representative
“Is the lady finished? Yo dah wah crude; yo dah wah crude woman.”
Dean Barrow
Prime Minister Dean Barrow
“To be uttering that sort of character assassination. Man, make a formal report to the speaker. The question of how this speaker governs the employees of the House is a matter for the speaker to raise this. And if she did that the speaker would no doubt show a fair play…natural justice where any accusation that you want to make can be put to the sergeant and the speaker will give him a chance to defend himself. To just get up and malign the man like that without him getting a chance to defend himself…You talk about mean; that is mean.”
And that’s when things got really nasty, and completely out of order.
Michael Finnegan
“To get up and to say that she saw the chairman of arms urinating out there, then I nearly wah ask…like dah weh. If she see the sergeant of arms urinate, dah weh size? Mister Speaker she is asking for it. I know that the sergeant of arms is a man of many ladies so she coulda answer that question to me all the while weh I mi wah know. You understand.”
Michael Finnegan
And Finnegan wasn’t quite finished.
Michael Finnegan
“And the things I know about fi you husband weh dehn tell me. You have ought to be very careful.”
House meetings are traditionally considered circus performances, but with the addition of sexual insults and personal threats, this one was more like a soap opera, a low budget one. Mike Rudon for News Five.