BELIZE CITY, Mon. May 29, 2017–Almost two weeks ago, the United Democratic Party (UDP)’s “dogs of war” were unleashed at the Senate Select Committee investigating the Auditor General’s findings which were documented in a report that pointed to irregularities at the Immigration Department. The blistering, coordinated attack was led by the party’s chairman, Alberto August, and the House of Representatives Mace-bearer (Sergeant at Arms), Brian “Yellowman” Audinett.
Since the attack, there has been no official response from the UDP leader, Prime Minister Dean Barrow.
Audinett’s actions have been loudly condemned by a wide cross-section of Belizeans, including the Leader of the Opposition People’s United Party, Hon. John Briceño, who has written to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Laura Longsworth, asking her to remove Audinett.
The media has written to the Chairman of the Senate Select Committee, Senator Hon. Aldo Salazar, asking him to ban Audinett from future Senate Select Committee hearings.
Mayor Darrell Bradley comments on Brian “Yellowman” Audinett fiasco. The UDP appear to turn a blind eye to lawless behavior in the Senate
Belize City’s Mayor Darrell Bradley also weighed in on what happened in the Senate in an interview aired on 7News during Friday evening’s newscast.
“What occurred is a stain not only on those people, but it’s a stain on the entire country. It affects me as a member of the party, and I would wish that situations like that did not happen. The media in our society discharges a very fundamental objective. The media provides a level of accountability and strengthens our democratic process.
“I was very dismayed by the fact that a session of the hearing had to be cancelled so that what you are doing, is subverting a very essential process. You actually undermined that, and any person who is involved in that, shame on them,” said Mayor Bradley.
Mayor Bradley was referring to the fact that last Wednesday’s Senate Select Committee hearing had to be cancelled due to a threat posed by the same individuals who were intent on disrupting the proceedings again.
Mayor Bradley was asked if the UDP should hold those individuals accountable.
He replied, “I think that as a member of the party, that should be done. Again, this is our parliament. I tell my son, who is 4 years old, that he must conduct himself in a certain way.
“So, nobody will see me carrying on in such a way in front of cameras, or doing this; that demeans the office of Mayor. So, to me it should go without saying that when certain actions happen, there must be consequences.”
Mayor Bradley was also asked to comment on the fact that people are calling for the removal of Audinett as the Mace-bearer.
“I think that if people want to call for his removal, that’s within their right …I do think that there should be consequences, because again, you hold an office in our land, it’s symbolic and we need to ensure that we have a conversation about what is the appropriate level of conduct and when that level or that standard is lowered, that we hold those people accountable, and I am not the person who is responsible for that, but if I were, I know what I would have done,” Mayor Bradley explained.
August and Audinett, however, continue to act defiantly, and have launched a so-called movement, “Belizeans Against Courtenay,” which appears to be a classic effort to distract public attention from their attack on the Senate and the media.