Last week, we started following the story of the funds paid out for the San Antonio Road, and after running into serial stonewalling and dead-ends, yesterday we finally got the facts from Prime Minister Dean Barrow.
As we reported, Imer Hernandez Development Company, owned by Deputy PM Gaspar Vega's nephew, was paid just under $200,000 for upgrading works on that road which joins Orange Walk Central and Orange Walk East. The problem is that nothing was ever done on the road, even though receipts we have showed that payments were made.
Well, Barrow told the media yesterday that from what he's found out, the contracts signed for work on the San Antonio Road were canceled, but the money was used anyway to do work in the Otro Benque area, which is in Deputy Prime Minister Vega's constituency.
Barrow described it as a sort of diverting of funds which was - to use his word - "unsatisfactory" that the payment was issued saying that works were done on the San Antonio road when in fact no work took place. He said that these were only the preliminary facts, and that he wanted to complete his investigation into the matter.
Today, DPM Vega made a public appearance at the 2013 Cane Farmers Day in Orange Walk, and after the ceremonies, the media tried unsuccessfully to speak with him. We wanted to ask whether the diverted funds were used to pave Clarke Street, where he and his brother live.
But Vega dodged us, and darted off saying he was busy. Opposition Leader, Francis Fonseca, also attended the ceremonies, and witnessed Vega's media-dodge. He told us today that the way both Barrow and Vega are handling the situation is unacceptable and that the public deserves an explanation with full disclosure:
Hon. Francis Fonseca - Leader of the Opposition
"It seems to be a pattern with this UDP government and this Prime Minster - a lot of rhetoric but no answers, nothing definitive. No decision in terms of what will be done - he's talking about receiving a report from Ministry and he seems to be prepared to hang out dry a particular engineer in the Ministry saying that that particular engineer signed off on the particular transaction and the change. There are proper procedures and guidelines and legal regulations that govern these matters - he doesn't have to guess, he is the Minister of Finance, he should know that there are guidelines in place, which don't allow for anybody to get up one day and decide on their own that they want to move monies from a particular contract to another contract without them going through a proper procedure. It's clear to me listening to the Prime Minister that none of that took place. There were illegalities involved in this matter; the Deputy Prime Minister has to answer to them. I saw him running away from the media today because he doesn't want to answer the tough questions. This happened in his community, in his area and he is responsible for what is taking place in his area - he has to answer them. Again the Prime Minister is defending the Deputy Prime Minister - putting his political interest and his financial interest ahead of the national interest and we will not allow that to continue so I am very glad that the media has been very vigilant on this issue. We will continue to be vigilant on this issue. So again I am totally disappointed with the response from the Prime Minister on this matter - we can't sit back and wait for a report, we know that illegalities took place and he has to address it as the Minister of Finance."
Reporter
"Sir do you believe that the Deputy Prime Minster in sight that the monies were diverted to his area should try to lobby with government for San Antonio road to be fixed now?"
Hon. Francis Fonseca
"Absolutely! Absolutely! For a very long time the town council has been saying this here in Orange Walk, Mayor Bernard and the Councilors - they have been saying it, there is an urgent need to fix the San Antonio road."
Imer Hernandez has maintained that he wasn't paid any money except $50,000 from the Orange Walk Town Council for work he completed. He has also declined to give us an interview despite numerous requests.
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