Usually on Wednesday, the news is loaded with stories from the Senate Hearings. But the Senate Select Committee is on a one month break, so, tonight, we’ll look back at a few memorable moments. 

In the 8 months that the hearings have been ongoing, the Committee has had its fair share of stunning reveals, from bribery and corruption, to outright theft. The Senate went digging, and they certainly found a few  bodies. Unfortunately, they just couldn’t determine with absolute certainty, who is guilty of crimes committed at the Department.

Many in the public would wish to point in the direction of ministers as being responsible for the immigration hustle.  But in the blur of allegations and counter allegations, it became a question of who the viewer believed more. Just last month, the Senate called 4 sitting UDP Ministers, and while it certainly was entertaining to watch the sparring matches with the Senators, after the dust settled, we’re no closer to knowing the truth. 

Tonight, we recap a few memorable exchanges they had with Senate Select Committee. Here are the Senators challenging each Minister about allegations that have been exposed either in the Auditor General’s reports, or the hearings themselves:

FILE: July 5, 2017 http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=40970&frmsrch=1

Hon. Mark Lizarraga - Business Senator
"This is a director, a former director which worked under your time as a minister who made reports on you and other ministers that were securing approvals for ministers. It said visa approvals, plural, minister list. Apparently this list was prepared so that it could be sent to Cabinet. Minister you feature quite prominently on a list made by the former director. Were you privy to this list, have you seen this list minister?"

Hon. Edmond Castro
"Senator is that list in the report that I could have taken a look at it?"

Hon. Mark Lizarraga
"It has come to us through testimony of a former director minister, so we have every reason to believe that it's credible and I think that we have every right to ask you about it. So minister again, did you know of this list?"

Hon. Edmond Castro
"(Laugh) Senator when your maid accused you of sexually assaulting her, the police report, was that true? Was that true?"

Hon. Mark Lizarraga
"Minister...."

Hon. Edmond Castro
"Was that true?"

Hon. Mark Lizarraga
"No sir."

Hon. Edmond Castro
"Well then behave yourself and stop asking me thing."

Hon. Mark Lizarraga
"But I answered to it in court and it was proved to be false so minister."

Hon. Elena Smith
"Should you require minister to see what we are asking you about, we can show you that."

Hon. Edmond Castro
"I have no interest."

Hon. Elena Smith
"But we have the right to ask."

Hon. Edmond Castro
"I went over what was in the auditor general's report, so all the other garbage I have no interest in, I don't want to pack up my brain with that."

Hon. Elena Smith
"Those are your descriptions I am saying to you that we have...."

Hon. Edmond Castro
"U have no interest. Ma'am I have no interest."

FILE: July 12, 2017 http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=41103&frmsrch=1

Hon. Aldo Salazar - Chairman, Senate Select Committee
"From the desk of Hon. Rene J. Montero in the nationality file of Wael Harmouche address to Ms. Ruth Meighan which stated Ms. Meighan please facilitate me with the following nationality for the ceremonies to be held on January 2012 and she gave what I would think are the file numbers. Are you familiar with this?"

Hon. Rene Montero - UDP Minister
 "Yes, I am familiar."

Hon. Aldo Salazar
"With the letter?"

Hon. Rene Montero
"Yes, yes."

Hon. Aldo Salazar
"Okay did it come from you?"

Hon. Rene Montero
"Yes, it did."

Hon. Aldo Salazar
"What did you mean in the letter when you said please facilitate me with the following nationality? Since she seemed uncertain with what you meant, can you clarify for us please?"

Hon. Rene Montero
"But before we move to the word facilitate, I think we should explore the meaning of please. Please means basically to ask someone to consider my request and it is essentially asking a question, it is not a command and it is not stated that they must consider my request and to facilitate means just asking for an assistance for these nationality documents. At no time did I infer that they shouldn't follow the vetting process or that they should proceed with incomplete applications, at no time did I infer that or alluded to that, it was simply a request to facilitate."

FILE: July 5, 2017  http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=40974&frmsrch=1

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."

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."

FILE: July 12, 2017 http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=41105&frmsrch=1

Hon. Mark Lizarraga
“Ammar Harmouche, you’re familiar with that name?â€￾

Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr.
“Several Ahmads as we mentioned.â€￾

Hon. Mark Lizarraga
“No this is Ammar, A-M-M-A-R, Ammar Harmouche, where she’s saying he did not meet the five year requirement. I was wondering again, she states that you requested the file and this file request was minuted by the same Gertrude Armstrong again saying you requested the file. Even though the person did not meet the five years so there is a series of cases like this minister where we see the same people, the same players, the same last names. Heredia, Armstrong, Harmouche, Heredia Armstrong, Harmouche.â€￾

Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr.
“The way I’m understanding it now you are pretending to tell me that Ms. Armstrong and myself have something in common. I knew Ms. Armstrong but I will never influence or can never influence Ms. Armstrong. Ms. Armstrong for some reason sent that file or sent it for approval, question Ms. Armstrong, don’t question me.â€￾

After they return at the end of August, the Committee will start wrapping up by calling the last few witnesses.