BELIZE CITY, Wed. Aug. 12, 2015–Senator Ray Davis’ status as the parliamentarian representing the unions and civil society in the Senate is up for review, after ranking members of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) began to call for his replacement following Davis’ abstention from voting on the controversial Petrocaribe Loans Act earlier this year.

Furthermore, when Parliament met to review amendments to that bill, Davis was absent. It had been alleged that Davis left the country without bothering to inform the NTUCB; however, Davis has confirmed that he had sent e-mail notifications to both the NTUCB’s president, Marvin Mora, and general secretary, Rebecca Swaso.

Davis was recently called before the NTUCB’s general council, where he was taken to task over the allegations, as well as the assertion that he did not follow the protocol of writing the NTUCB, based on its constitution, at its official e-mail address – and not the personal e-mails of executive members — to inform of his absence from the country.

“We went through facts on the ground, reviewed his defense of what he believed transpired, and gave him an opportunity to correct anything, if he wanted to ‘wheel and come again.’ We also had some serious concerns,” Mora told us.

When we contacted him today, Davis told us that the decision on whether he remains as Senator or not rests in the hands of the NTUCB, and the majority will decide.

We are told that over 20 persons sit on the NTUCB’s general council, and they may meet again this weekend to make their final decision on the matter.

At the July 1, 2015 sitting of the Senate, the NTUCB was represented by its 1st Vice President, Adelaida Guerra.

Mora told us that the decision of the general council on whether Davis stays or goes will be final.