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Boots Blocked Questions On Burgess
posted (July 5, 2017)

But, before it was Castro’s time in the hot-seat, his ministerial colleague Anthony “Bootsâ€￾ Martinez was up first. Martinez took the morning session and though he was the better behaved of the two witnesses today, he was very intolerant of any questions related to Alvarine Burgess. And every time the Senators brought her up in the hearings, he shut them down. 

Here’s how that went:

Hon. Elena Smith - Labour/Civil Society Senator
"You are aware minister that Ms. Alvarine Burgess appeared before this committee few weeks ago?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez - UDP Minister
"Yes ma'am but also I am aware of Ms. Alvarine Burgess coming before this committee madam chair but I am asked to deal with what in this report as regards to where my name is called in this report. So maybe you could refer me to the page of which Ms. Alvarine Burgess name has been called or named in his report and then we move forward from there. I am prepared to answer question on what is in the report, I am not prepared to answer no question on no hearsay evidence of no person that is not in the report."

Hon. Elena Smith
"The matter of the testimony of Ms. Burgess minister is-"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"She is not in the report so I will not answer no questions about that, so I the tell you straight, I will not-"

Hon. Elena Smith
"Let me finish then you respond."

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"Yes ma'am."

Hon. Elena Smith
"I am saying that the testimony of Ms. Burgess in her testimony she implicated you and I would think that you would want to clarify your name and so for that matter then we would want to give you the opportunity to clarify what she said about you here."

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"Put it this way, I am not here to clarify no name you know, I am not here to clarify my name you know. Like I said to the media, everyday my name is being tarnished wrongfully; what could you do? A part from that I am here before this committee to answer what is in the report about me. I don't see, maybe you could refer me to Ms. Alvarine Burgess where she's in the report or any other thing. No former minister of government, no immigration officer, no auditor general, nobody a part from writing in her report, nobody that gave testimony before whose name appeared in here called my name."

Hon. Mark Lizarraga - Business Senator
"In my view at least and I'm not counsel, we have every right to ask you these questions whether you want to..."

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"I think and I...."

Hon. Mark Lizarraga
"I'm not finished minister."

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"Just let respond sir, you said you think you have every right, I think you have none because as far as I'm concerned nothing in this report, I no see anything here about Ms. Alvarine Burgess, I no see anything; nobody called before this committee previously who name falls in this report call my name. I for one as to what is in here with my name man, so that is your opinion, I have my own."

Michel Chebat - PUP Senator
"How many times have you given a recommendation for a visa?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"About 3 or 4."

Michel Chebat
"3 or 4 and would that include the 2 times that Alvarine Bugress came to you?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"No man, no, no, no, no, no include which 2 times? Alvarine Burgess no have nothing about immigration sir."

Michel Chebat
"She never came to you?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"No sir, stick to the report."

Michel Chebat
"No?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"Talk about the Zeng Lee or..."

Michel Chebat
"I am asking the questions minister, I am asking the questions."

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"No sir, listen to me sir."

Michel Chebat
"I am asking you the questions minister, it is a matter for you to answer or not. My question to you minister..."

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"Your question is out of order sir."

Michel Chebat
"The recommendations that you made did those recommendations also include 2 for Alvarine Burgess?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"I explained to you sir that I did the recommendation on the request of Mr. Zeng Lee. I did not recommendation for no Alvarine Bugress."

Michel Chebat
"And when Alvarine Burgess said she paid you 2,000 dollars for each recommendation is that so?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"Put it this way, put it this way here so, is it political grand stand you want be on or what? Is that political grand stand - Alvarine Burgess name not even mentioned in the report sir."

Michel Chebat
"Minister, minister, minister."

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"Yes sir."

Michel Chebat
"Alvarine Burgess has come before this committee and she..."

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"Listen to me, people have said all kind of things, people can say all kind of things so I don't want to hear anything about Ms. Burgess who is not even featured in this report. Talk about where my name appears."

Michel Chebat
"Minister are you denying that she paid you 2,000 dollars?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"I'm not answering any questions in regards to Alvarine Burgess."

Michel Chebat
"Should I take your silence to mean yes she paid you?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"Put it this way, maybe she paid you sir."

Hon. Elena Smith
"So minister so you are saying that you are not going to answer those questions?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"I will not answer the question, anything related to Alvarine Burgess, I will not answer anything."

Michel Chebat
"You did not recommend any visa applications on behalf of Alvarine Burgess Minister?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"I think I stated for the record, any question involving Ms. Alvarine Burgess, I will not answer sir."

Michel Chebat
"I ask again minister, did you at any time do any recommendations for visas on behalf of Alvarine Bugress?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"Will not answer."

Michel Chebat
"The recommendation you made for Alvarine Burgess, did you do 1 recommendation or 2 recommendations?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"Alvarine Burgess, who that? Who that sir? Who that?"

Michel Chebat
"You remember..."

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"What page are you referring to sir in this report? What page? Could you give me the page number."

Michel Chebat
"I am actually referring to the testimony of Ms. Burgess."

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"No I want the page number which part Alvarine Burgess is mentioned in here."

Michel Chebat
"Ms. Burgess in her testimony said that she went to you twice for recommendation for visa."

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"Not at all."

Michel Chebat
"So she's lying when she says that?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"She lied a lot of times."

Michel Chebat
"She lies a lot?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"A lot."

Michel Chebat
"Do you deny that you met her once in the parking lot at Brodies where she paid you money?"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"Man make I tell you something, the lady is a liar sir."

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