Turning now to politics, there's quite a bit to report tonight. First, neither Belize Rural North Representative Edmund Castro nor Prime Minister Dean Barrow have spoken with the press, but Castro did issue a statement through the Government Press Office this morning. We'll get to that shortly, but first to other developments. The Prime Minister has called a house meeting for Friday - this is expected to be a sort of legislative housekeeping - as the PM will be leaving the country shortly after for surgery on his ailing back. Also, the opposition has now formally prepared a Senate motion to appoint a Special Select Committee to investigate irregularities and wrongdoing at the Immigration Department. The proposed composition would be one senator form the government, one form the opposition and three from the social partners. The opposition is banking on the social partners in the senate to support the motion, but as with all other matters, only a vote by the government senators can carry it.
So that's the general state of political affairs tonight, and now we get into the specifics. Edmund Castro returned from Miami on Saturday morning. Just as we had done for the Prime Minister, the media waited for him at the airport, but Castro dodged us - just like the PM, he did not come out of the arrivals area. His ploy seemed to be more elaborate than the Prime Minister's, though, as decoy vehicles linked to Castro were sent into the restricted "air-side" of the airport, creating confusion amongst the media which was scattered at all available exits. In the end, best information said that he either slipped out in an unidentified personal vehicle or that, he had used his pull as Minister of Transport and slipped through the other side of the airport - where there is a new terminal across form the beer factory. In the end, who knows? All we know is that instead of an interview with the media, today Castro issued a statement through the government press office. It says, quote, (Minister of State) Edmond Castro...utterly rejects and condemns the viciously false and malicious story concocted about him by Channel 5 and its agent....Castro makes clear that the allegation is a lie. He was never engaged in any visa ring, and never collected a penny from the woman now turned self-proclaimed whistleblower."
The statement goes on to refer to the whistle blower by name, saying,
"Some time ago the woman....did visit Castro at his office (asking him) to write a letter recommending consideration of five visa applications." We note that she claims he facilitated two hundred applications, Castro told us it was far less than that; this statement says it is only five.
The statement continues to say, "because Hon. Castro knew Mrs. Burgess and her husband, he wrote a generic letter to the Department asking for consideration for the five visa applications..
The recommendation that he wrote...on the one occasion, was consistent with his role as a politician/public servant. it was thereafter left to the Director of Immigration to decide whether or not the applications were in order and visas ought to be granted."
And then, his statement says, "The Minister is upset and angry that Alverine Burgess, to whom he tried to show courtesy and helpfulness as a citizen of Belize, should now turn around and lie so shamelessly on him."
The statement adds that quote, "Channel 5 and (the woman) have failed to produce a shred of evidence as to any wrongdoing or acceptance of money on his part. It closes by saying that quote, "Castro has retained legal services in launching a suit to demand a retraction, apology and damages from both Burgess and Channel 5."
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