Politics is a dirty business, but we live in a small society – and usually politicians try not to mash each other’s personal corns when they’re outside of the House of Representatives. But the UDP’s Port Loyola Representative Boos Martinez says the PUP Leader crossed that line last night when he said this:

Hon. John Briceno, PUP Party Leader
“A daughter I don't know that she has been working for a year. So, if it's the name of a daughter, where did she get the money? Has the FIU done an investigation? Maybe the FIU needs to investigate where his daughter got the money to build that mansion if that is the case."

So today, Anthony Boots Martinez called his own press conference to defend his daughter, who he says Briceno has baselessly maligned.  But Boots didn’t just defend; he went on the offensive to blast Briceno’s family – extending even to the PUP leader’s deceased father – Eligio Joe Briceno, who Martinez eulogized just a few months ago. Today, all the niceties were put aside and it was about getting out the hurt, and putting a hurting on Briceno:..

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez - Port Loyola Area Rep
"To start with, I didn't raise an issue against Mr. Briceno and his family. He raised it on me so I need to respond. So then I must place the record straight and attacking and insinuate that FIU need to investigate my daughter. How you reach deh? How you reach deh? How you reach deh? How you reach deh?."

"I gave that building to my daughter as a gift, that is a private transaction, that is not a building that I have gotten from government. Then for you to be saying "my daughter where she got the money from to build the building?" Nobody said that. I said that my daughter is the owner."

"Then you are going to tell me that you don’t have eyes to see? As your neighbour, you have been running that gas station for years. As your neighbour, you don't have eyes to see that that building exists from a long time ago?"

"Here are the documents that say, that this was a mortgage between me and the bank of Nova Scotia, so I find it very disturbing to have, and also too to have the question the character of my daughter for something that was gifted to her. What they need to question what was gifted to them and how it was gifted, because their father, his father and his family have a track record of doing illegal thing."

"I don’t know if the FIU has the tentacles to reach back from 1985 and beyond to see what was inherited through illicit activity. When his father was both minister of government and after he was minister of government. Apart from that like I said they have a lot of things that they have in their closet. For example he set up the Speednet deal at the time, unbeknown to the Prime Minister of the country at the time, Mr. Musa. Mr Musa didn’t know that such arrangement existed. Only because I am form Southside I must not own nothing? No man."

So when you fass with me boss you are live lumber, I am dead lumber, I am going out. You want to attend the big dance, you need to conscious that your pants have a big split sir and the light is dancing over and the light the come on. So everybody will see how your pants tear big."

"I think also too, the charge also too his comment I find it racially offensive. Why? I am a black man. I am from Southside. I name Martinez but I might have the wrong pigment. Only Briceno's and the Martinez's and the Huang and the Chuang's and soh should be owning people? I am an entrepreneur, I am a professional and I work, and I work for money I noh work for stone."

And while he doesn’t work for stones, his critics say Martinez does have a glass house situation going with a department in his own ministry renting office space in his daughter’s building.  It’s the Women’s Department, not the Department of Social Services as we had first reported.  They’ve moved from Albert Street while a new building is being constructed – and they moved into the Martinez building that the corner of the Western Highway and Central American Boulevard.  Today Martinez said that they rented it as a last resort:..

Reporter
"Sir can you say whether or not other buildings were looked for before."

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez - Port Loyola Area Rep
"Enough, that is what I'm saying to you, enough! That was the final stop because I was a little reluctant align with my daughter to even end up in this situation."

Reporter
"Sir but you do understand why it raised eyebrows because a department of your ministry is being housed in your daughter’s building. You understand why it raised eyebrows?" 

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez - Port Loyola Area Rep
It is what it is sir. I understand why it raise brow you know. If you look on the building of Women’s Department right in front of Channel 7, you see where the building is unfit for people to work. But I think that we settled for what would be a temporary rental base on the fact that my daughter wants the building to do her own business."

He says the temporary rental should last for a little more than a year, but declined discussing how much rent was being paid. But, all this talk of Martinez’s buildings forced us to ask about those bright yellow buildings which are known to be the property of Boots Martinez.  It’s his trademark yellow, but he says he has no shame in his game, because they’re legitimately acquired:..

Jules Vasquez
"Mr. Briceno's family company Speednet got a prized telecommunication providers license whilst he was the deputy prime minister. You have amassed a number of real estate holdings while you are a minister."

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez - Port Loyola Area Rep
"When you say a number sir, clarify for me sir."

Jules Vasquez
"Mr. Boots we know about the yellow building they."

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez - Port Loyola Area Rep
"Which yellow building they, every yellow building da for me sir? Ask me a question, how many buildings have I amassed since I become a minister of government you must ask the question and not speculate. You were making a statement about the amount of yellow building, no all yellow building inna this country da fi me sir. I da wish that every time you see a yellow building you could have give it for me for true. What you must da how much buildings I have amassed since becoming a minister then that will tell the story."

Jules Vasquez
"Okay how many buildings have you amassed since becoming a minister?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez - Port Loyola Area Rep
"One sir."

Jules Vasquez
"Okay so let's go through it because you have 4 other yellow right ya."

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez - Port Loyola Area Rep
"Let's put it this way, me have 4 others."

Jules Vasquez
"5; 4 others which are linked to you."

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez - Port Loyola Area Rep
"How it wa link to me, I the tell you yo di ask me so we no have speculation and so I the say to you; Charo building and right here."

Jules Vasquez
"Now you can see how there might be some question. You say you have your salary deduction, legit."

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez - Port Loyola Area Rep
"Yes."

Jules Vasquez
"Mr. Briceno with whom you don't compare because he's a multi-millionaire many times over but Mr. Briceno have a store front; he have his business, the turn over. His business you can see the gas station every day the make cash, the cable company can't do that. So I'm saying you don't have a story."

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez - Port Loyola Area Rep
"So because I no have a store front I no have no have brains inna my head. I was an entrepreneur before, even up to now. Make I tell you part of my side business, I manage property for people."

"What is interesting that you a see all that need to seen when the integrity commission comes into play. So I don't have a problem, I no have no shame inna my game. So a part from that I da wa business man and because I am a black man that black shouldn't have brains, black man shouldn't be able to make money only Briceno and store front people and so."

And while Martinez gave us juicy news with all those sound bites, one journalist wanted a bit more after the 48 minute oppress conference, and he secretly snapped a picture of Martinez’s cash dongle he keeps in his sock.  For those who’ve been around politics it’s fairly well known that he does this, but Martinez complained to us today saying that whichever media practitioner took the picture did him a low because the circulation of the photo on Facebook now exposes him to personal risk…