7 News Belize

PM Barrow: Imer Hernandez Got Paid For Work Done
posted (June 6, 2013)
Last night, we told you about the second contract that Imer Hernandez Development Company got in relation to the renovation of the Belmopan Market.

That's a 2 million dollar contract, in addition to the 6 million dollar contract for the renovation of the Belize City Municipal Airstrip.

But, as we told you, the scandal surrounding that $200,000, which was paid out to Hernandez for works which were not done on the San Antonio Road, is still lurking.

So today, we asked Prime Minister Dean Barrow for an update on that inquiry, and he says that by all indications so far, the officials at the Ministry of Works are the ones who must answer for this.

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister of Belize
"The Ministry of Finance agreed to a change of the contract, a change in the scope of works. Mr. Medina, the person in charge at the Ministry of Works says that he has the record to show that the contract for San Antonio road was cancelled. The monies were then shifted for infrastructure works in the Otro Benque area of Orange Walk town. Why Mr. Hernandez, thereafter, paid out on the basis on the new contract but by way of documentation that made it appear as though the old contract was still in existence was a matter only Mr. Medina can explain and he's been asked to do precisely that. The Financial secretary wrote the official letter, I can furnish you with a copy if you so please, I don't know that the Ministry of Works has yet responded."

Daniel Ortiz
"So is that the point we're at in terms of this inquiry?"

Hon. Dean Barrow
"Yes, we're waiting for the Ministry of Works to explain why it is that the appearances that the Ministry was paying for a contract that had already been cancelled. That the ministry was paying for the San Antonio road when in fact that contract was no longer in existence and the work that was being paid for was worked done in Otro Benque."

Daniel Ortiz
"If the investigation at the Ministry of Works shows that there's more irregularities and that it comes to fruition that something out of the norm or something unacceptable took place, is there any method by which the government is able to sanction the company and Imer Hernandez?"

Hon. Dean Barrow
"But how will it sanction Imer Hernandez when the Ministry of Works is saying - 'we paid Imer Hernandez for work done' bur it was work done in Otro Benque when we the Ministry of Works made it appear that it was for works done in San Antonio and admittedly no work was done on San Antonio because that contract was cancelled. How is that the fact of Imer Hernandez. You ask whether if any irregularity arises, if any action will be taken? We already know that there was an irregularity, how could the Ministry of Works certify payment for a contract that was no longer in existence - why did the Ministry of Works not simply issue a new contract and make the payment officially on the basis of the new contract? I gather that Mr. Medina said it was pressure of time and it was simply a mistake for which he apologizes. That must be put in writing and then thereafter in accordance with the public service regulations and rules, a decision will be taken as to how to proceed."

Daniel Ortiz
"In terms of making sure something like this doesn't happen again, how is the Ministry of Finance, your ministry, able to involve itself more to make sure that any irregularities in paper work if that is the only problem which took place?"

Hon. Dean Barrow
"Well the Ministry of Finance will never be able to do that. We control the allocation of the money, we control the approval of the purposes for which money is sent across to the Ministry of Works. Thereafter, the drawing up of the contracts and the payment that's done by the Ministry of Works. All we can do is that if it turns out that the Ministry of Works or the officials of the Ministry of Works did not act in accordance with the government procedures, recommend to the public services commission or to the department that they caused any official guilt or any wrong doing to show cause, then there has to be due process."

Graciano Medina, the engineer in the North for the Ministry of Works, has declined comment to 7News on this matter.

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