That's because Portico Developer David Gegg took the stand - and did not plead the fifth. He says he was ready to talk about everything and that included the request for a multi million dollar political donation to get his Portico EIa approved under the UDP. Jules Vasquez reports:

David Gegg sat in the witness chair today and cooly crossed his legs like he was hosting a Portico podcast. He used the platform to play his favorite role - that of Portico pitchman, but he also used it to drop a bomb on the former UDP administration. He says NEAC at first approved and then disapproved the Portico EIA in August of 2020 - and the cost to change the light from yellow to green? Anywhere between 1 and 9 million dollars:

David Gegg, Portico Developer
"Around the middle of September, after the August 28 NEAC meeting, which supposedly approved our environmental clearance, I received a message and I interpreted that message as saying to me that the environmental documentation approved on August 28 would not be concluded in the absence of a significant campaign contribution."

Senator Bevinton Cal
"That was mid -September of 2020?"

David Gegg, Portico Developer
"Right."

Senator Bevinton Cal
"By whom?"

David Gegg, Portico Developer
"I can't say."

Senator Bevinton Cal
"What was the amount asked for?"

David Gegg, Portico Developer
"Seven figures."

Senator Bevinton Cal
"If you would have paid the, you call it the seven figures, do you think you would have gotten an environmental clearance before the general election?"

David Gegg, Portico Developer
"Well, I understood it to be a quid pro quo. After that, there was another meeting of the NEAC called on October 15. My analysis, by then they knew nothing was in the pipeline, and they were hoping for something smaller."

"And they didn't get that either. And the fact that that administration did not conclude our environmental clearance should put that issue to rest. We did not pay anything to anybody."

PUP Senator Bevinton Cal probed that some more:

Bevinton Cal, PUP Senator
"Dr. Omar Figueroa."

David Gegg, Portico Developer
"Yes, Dr. Figueroa, yeah."

Bevinton Cal, PUP Senator
"Was he part of any of the meetings you attended?"

David Gegg, Portico Developer
"No."

Bevinton Cal, PUP Senator
"Did you get in contact with Mr. Figueroa at any time?"

David Gegg, Portico Developer
"There were some communications with his office."

Bevinton Cal, PUP Senator
"Anything directly from him?"

David Gegg, Portico Developer
"You know, years ago, before he became a minister, I helped Mr. Figueroa launch his Jaguar studies in the Gracie Rock area. And we worked closely with him to carry out those studies."

"When I launched this project, I went to see him, and I thought that he would be very helpful and cooperative. And he was initially, but only initially."

Bevinton Cal, PUP Senator
"Dr. Omar Figueroa. Did you approach him or him approaching you to expediate any of these processes that you would need to get that environment that clearance?"

David Gegg, Portico Developer
"No, Senator. I dealt directly with people at the Department of the Environment. There may have been a couple of meetings where his CEO may have been present, but after an initial meeting that I had with Dr. Figueroa, probably, I don't know, maybe 2018, I did not see him again after that."

Gegg also made sure to stress the role of Mike Peyrefitte's law firm:

Bevinton Cal, PUP Senator
"Who would have drafted the definitive agreement?"

David Gegg, Portico Developer
"Would have gotten it?"

Bevinton Cal, PUP Senator
"No, drafted."

David Gegg, Portico Developer
"Morales Peyrefitte law firm, and it was done, I must admit, in conjunction with lawyers from Boskalis in the Netherlands, but the primary drafting agency was Morales Peyrefitte."

Bevinton Cal, PUP Senator
"And was the AG Ministry ever consulted or involved in the drafting of the definitive agreement?"

David Gegg, Portico Developer
"I heard it said that he was, but I don't have first -hand experience of that."

Bevinton Cal, PUP Senator
"Sorry?"

David Gegg, Portico Developer
"I heard it said that he was, but I don't have first -hand knowledge of that."

Bevinton Cal, PUP Senator
"So you cannot confirm if the former AG Peyrefitte would have?"

David Gegg, Portico Developer
"No, I cannot confirm that."

Gegg wrapped up his testimony today still talking, still pitching for Portico and saying he's ready to come back.

We did reach out to former UDP Minister with responsibility for the Department of the Environment Omar Figueroa and he expressed shock and dismay at Gegg's statement. He told us, quote, "I never asked David Gegg for anything - my knowledge of that project was that it was far from getting any kind of clearance." In reference to the request for a campaign contribution, He added, quote "I don't know who David Gegg is talking about - he should say the name of whoever the request came from. He called his allegation cowardly.