On Monday there was an armed home invasion at the King's Park home of 75 year old Maria "Maude" Sylvestre. Police say Thieves made off with over $17,000 in jewelry along with $20,000 US dollars in cash.
Today, police charged two men: 23 year old Trevor Guy, a Belize City resident who was charged with a single charge of aggravated burglary and 20 year old Victor Franklin who was charged for handling stolen goods.
Guy pleaded not guilty to both charges however, due to the nature of the offenses which involved a firearm no bail could be granted and Guy was remanded to the Belize Central Prison. Franklin' got bail in the sum of $1,500 dollars.
PM Calls Hon. Espat Allegations, "Nonsense"
And while he didn't speak to the press when he was leaving the national assembly – actually police held the media at bay - Prime Minister Dean Barrow did grant Jules Vasquez a phone interview this evening. We wanted to ask him about the allegations made by Julius Espat:
Jules Vasquez, 7News
"He's saying that you instructed Mr Mike Peyrefitte, the Speaker of the House, to shut him down..."
Rt., Hon. Dean Barrow Prime Minister, Prime Minister
"What?"
Jules Vasquez, 7News
"...Because he intended to bring up where you and your wife referenced in the nationality audit,"
Rt., Hon. Dean Barrow Prime Minister, Prime Minister
"Sir, let me deal firstly with the allegation that I instructed Mr, Michael Peyrefitte - that is absolutely a lie and it insults me and it insults Michael Peyrefitte. Michael Peyrefitte is his own man, he's the speaker, anybody who was listening and observing what was taking place would have seen the sequence of events, would have seen the way that Espat challenged the speaker. The speaker's decision was his own. So that is absolutely outrageous. In terms of some allegation about my having acted as a referee for my wife's brother in law. I have no doubt that he applied for a passport I would have in fact certified that I know him for so very many years. If he's saying that I wrote some sort of a letter asking that he be given his nationality, I do not recollect any such thing and I would believe that that is absolute nonsense. And in terms of the substance of his charge, my wife's brother in law maintains a residence in Belize, you can argue about what is enough to satisfy the requirements of the law, that's a matter between him and the immigration officials. "
Jules Vasquez, 7News
"But, Sir, were you aware that your name and your wife's name is in the nationality report?"
Rt., Hon. Dean Barrow Prime Minister, Prime Minister
"No, I was not, I was not."
Jules Vasquez, 7News
"And if Indeed it says that he gained his nationality, it was an irregular process because he didn't have sustained or unbroken residence in Belize. Is this something that you then regret since you are now - to whatever minor extent - painted with the same unfortunate brush."
Rt., Hon. Dean Barrow Prime Minister, Prime Minister
"Man, listen, listen, listen, no, no, no, please. I cannot be painted with any unfortunate brush. You people have been about allegations in the audit that suggests people were writing letters and vouching for individuals that they did not know and that sort of thing. This is my wife's brother in law, married to my wife's sister - who is Belizean - entitled to - (married for 20 years or so) - having married in Belize - entitled as far as I am concerned to get nationality, and for me to have signed the passport photos and, ah, the recommenders portion in the application - what on earth could be improper about that? That's nonsense. Absolutely nothing to it. "
We'll have more of that telephone interview on Monday's newscast.
|
