However, on the subject of the elected Senate, the writer of SIXES AND SEVENS implied that our elected Senate could be manipulated and controlled by special interests.

?We The People?, the ?Party? for Meaningful Reform, is convinced that our elected Senate proposal is the formula, the base for meaningful change. We are the only political organization moving away from traditional politicking of merely replacing one party with another. What we demand is the removal of the undemocratic system of government.

More specifically, we want to bring about the removal of the absolute power of Cabinet Ministers and to make their powers controllable. A people-empowered elected Senate will defend our constitutional rights by continuously clipping the wings of Cabinet Ministers who attempt to abuse their authority.

We are not in favor of the old system of the Blue replacing the Red in Government and vice-versa, while the same malfunctioning machinery of Government remains in place. We believe that replacing an old five-dollar bill with a new five-dollar bill does not change the purchasing power of the bill. We believe in changing the currency.

We sincerely believe too, that our proposed elected Senate is like a powerful D-7 bulldozer which will soon uproot this evil system of government which promotes greed and corruption, which consumes our children?s daily bread, bleeds us with taxation and higher prices after the country?s finances are squandered, and wastes the blood, sweat and tears of our teachers, factory workers, farmers, nurses, policemen, soldiers, public officers, shopkeepers, taxi drivers, orphans and widows, all in all, crucifying us and mortgaging the future of our children?s children.

Our ultimate objective is to secure for Belize a legitimate Government. We cannot continue to support a half-elected, half-appointed, half-breed Government. Such a Government is illegitimate. We must secure for ourselves and our children, a legitimate Government with an elected Senate.

Apart from Civil Society?s support for an elected Senate, we have direct and indirect support from other sources. Noteworthy, on the 23rdAugust 2001, Prime Minister Said Musa, stated, ?In terms of the legislature, it would be difficult to defend against the widespread and vociferous view that the Senate in practice is ineffectual and functions as a rubber stamp ? The political reform agenda must remain people-centered.?

Spokesman for the Bar Association and former Attorney General, V.H. Courtenay, told the House Constitutional and Foreign Affairs Committee on 16thOctober, 2001, that the then 4thConstitution Amendment Bill, expanding the membership of the appointed Senate was ?totally insignificant and inconsequential and serves no real purpose except to give an opportunity to more persons to voice opinions on Bills?.

The distinguished parliamentarian and former Minister of National Security, Jorge Espat, was more forthright. Addressing the House of Representatives on December 7, 2001, the day of infamy, when the PUP Government ignored our call for an elected rather than an expanded Senate and railroaded the 4thConstitution Amendment Bill, Mr. Espat championed the cause of the elected Senate. He said without hesitation:

?Madame Speaker, the proposals before us seek to make the Senate an important second chamber of Government, a central national representative institution ? Popular opinion, Madame Speaker, is that the manner in which members of the Senate are selected needs to be changed if indeed the enhanced Senate is to serve a more meaningful role in our democracy? Madame Speaker, the issue of who decides is central in a democracy. The issue of election is no small matter. The legitimacy of a representative institution is derived from the people, and its integrity is determined by the electorate. Madame Speaker, at a celebrated conference on Government and sustainable development held in November 1997, at the Belize Biltmore Plaza, His Excellency, Mr. Assad Shoman, Ambassador with ministerial rank, had this to say and I quote, ?The various consultations of the Belizean people over the past three years on the issue of political reform have resulted in many suggestions, but the major concern of the people has to do with the concentration and abuse of power. People want to reform the system in such a way that power becomes less concentrated and more controllable. Where can we start?? end of quote. I believe that we can begin with the election of a Senate? I believe Madame Speaker, that we need to restore equity in our politics to disperse and democratize power. This is why I support a 15-member Senate, 12 of whom would be directly elected by the people and three independents. Two would be sent from each district.?

Mr. Editor, for the benefit of readers, we wish to point out important provisions of our proposed elected Senate.

A. Three Senators will be elected from each district, that is, eighteen (18) elected Senators.

B. Three (3) Senators representing civic organizations will be incorporated.

C. There will be a total of twenty-one (21) Senators.

With respect to the nature of the proposed Senate:

1. It will have its power derived directly from the people.

2. It will be fully and equally representative of all Belizeans and Belizean institutions.

3. It will be a check and balance on the activities of Cabinet, scrutinizing public projects, public funds and public assets.

4. It will be a catalyst for improving Government management practices.

5. It will have the power to oppose and amend tax bills, ensuring that the tax burden is fairly distributed and not unjustly favoring the wealthy.

6. It will save millions upon millions of dollars each year; its cost will be insignificant.

But we believe that the most important aspect of our elected Senate proposal is the provision for a SPECIAL SENATE INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE that can convert itself into a SENATE TRIBUNAL OR COURT to sanction, remove or impeach any present or former Cabinet Minister, official or agent of the national and local government, found guilty of wrongdoing.

The Special Senate Investigative Committee will have its powers of investigation defined in the Constitution. It will:

1. Determine and carry out investigations into misconduct of public officials and agents and criminal activities against the national interest.

2. It will draw up the relevant charges against the alleged offenders when there is convincing evidence.

3. It will convert itself into a Senate Tribunal or Court to hear the case.

4. It will invoke its powers to sanction or to immediately remove the guilty individual or individuals from public office and ban such individuals for life from public office.

5. If the offence is found to be criminal, the offender will be turned over to the Supreme Court for trial and sentencing.

The decision of the Senate Tribunal for the removal of an individual from public office shall not be challenged by any Court of law.

The proposed ?We The People? elected Senate is the institution that will ensure that government ministers and other officials perform their duties with clean hands, that is, with honesty, transparency, and accountability, or suffer the consequences.

(Signed) Lucilo Teck

(Signed) Hipolito Bautista