7 News Belize

Tough Questions For PM
posted (October 17, 2016)
So, while Gaspar Vega denies any knowledge that the land was private, in fact he must, because otherwise it would mean that he knowingly forced the government into a situation where his son had to be compensated. The documents we have seen says that the Lands Department surveyors told their bosses from as early as 2011 that this piece of land near the Haulover Bridge is private land, and not available for the Government to sell.

As we told, Sharon Pitts, who also got 400 thousand dollars in compensation, received a permit to survey, and it was canceled because the Lands Department confirmed that it was private. Today, the press challenged the Prime Minister on the assertion that Vega is innocent of abuse of the public trust, and here's how that exchange went:

Daniel Ortiz, 7News
"Is this not an instance of corruption itself sir and will you as the leader of the country take steps to recommend an audit of his term and possibly a criminal investigation?"

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"Sir, you've just heard the attorney general say that an audit has been completed. The findings of the auditor general will no doubt be released shortly. The question of the compensation in this case large, tax payers want to know that we will seek to recover the compensation and I told you that we will and the investigation is ongoing. The minister of lands try to detail for you all that happened, but expressly said that there are certain things that are still unclear."

Daniel Ortiz, 7News
"Does it take glaring inescapable evidence for you to force your hand against ministers within your government?"

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"It takes evidence and when that evidence is forthcoming, I will. I have acted in the past and I will continue to act."

Mike Rudon, Belize Times
"At least on 3 separate occasions, the people in the ministry say 'you know what this land is not available to let, its private land'."

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"Man stop right there. There is nothing on the file that says that. Queries were raised admittedly. There is nothing on the file that says 'minister this land is private land, it is not available,' so please."

Mike Rudon, Belize Times
"Sir, at least separate occasions - there is a document which says this is private land and it's signed and it's attached to a copy of Carlton Russell's title document."

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"When was that? You know what, I'm not going to argue with you Mike, because the current minister has the custody of the file and as I said I went through it and I certainly saw nothing that indicated what you say is the case and that the minister was told the land was private."

Daniel Ortiz, 7News
"For those listening, if they are concern that this is another example of you and your government explaining a way the actions of those within your government and the public service, can you assure us that this is not what you are doing currently?"

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"We are giving an account of the incident to the public as we are obliged to do. Explaining away suggests that we are making excuse, we are trying to shy away from the hard decisions. My God man, the minister is gone."

As you heard, the Prime Minister did not exactly address our question about a criminal investigation, and so we asked once again, if Gaspar Vega is being given an easy out, where a lawsuit for misfeasance is being avoided. Here's how the Prime Minister answered that one:

Jules Vasquez, 7News
"Has there been talk that as a part of the easy out, Mr. Vega will resign and that Mr. Andre Vega will kindly repay the money without the government having to go through the what internally would be unsavory, externally would be imminently satisfying, but what will be internal and savory of the government having to take Mr. Vega's son at least to court and perhaps involving Mr. Vega in some way, in what the PUP has suggested could be an act of malfeasants?"

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"I don't know how any circumstance which has seen Hon. Vega put an end to his career as a minister, in circumstances where he and his family have been under tremendous assault and pressure. I don't know how that could be described as an easy way out."

"Certainly in terms of the compensation, in the course of my communications with Gaspar, I did indicate from the start that government would be seeking to recover the compensation paid and so he knows that as soon as the current minister and attorney general can get her ducks in a row - she is a very brilliant lawyer. Maybe that's why she is brilliant because she is careful. But Gaspar knows that a demand letter will be written to Mr. Andre Vega seeking the return of the monies. As to what would be Mr. Andre Vega's position when that happens, I don't know. Gaspar couldn't say, because Gaspar Vega is Gaspar Vega and Andre Vega is Andre Vega."

So, all that remains at this time is for the Auditor General to release her report on the Lands Department. What will it reveal? That remains to be seen, but today, we asked the Prime Minister if he is concerned that her investigation could reveal that others within the UDP Government will be exposed in scandalous allegations. Here's what he had to say:

Jules Vasquez, 7News
"Are you concerned that at the end of even a bursary review, many players in your government, their names may be called for having received compensation and or discounts, because we know that it's a family affair?"

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"Jules, I will have to go back to what I said earlier. Whatever the results of the audit into the question of compensation are, whatever those results are, any aspects that assigns blame to any member of the cabinet in a way that's actionable politically, from my point of view, will see me doing the right thing. I clearly earnestly hope that the report will turn up no such circumstances. But I concede from now the clear possibility that the opposite might be true."

Today the PUP issued a statement saying, quote, " The documents leaked from the Ministry have revealed that not only Andre Vega but Sharon Pitts benefitted from no less than institutionalized corruption in the Ministry," The PUP surmises that, quote, "Vega used his office as Minister of Natural Resources in an improper, highly unethical… manner." The statement concludes saying, quote, "the People's United Party calls for an immediate criminal investigation into this outrageous corruption at the Ministry of Natural Resources."

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