Email

Print

Jules Vasquez
"Do you think of his remarks?"

Osmond Martinez, Minister of State - Foreign Trade
"Well, I think that Jesus Christ considered Judas a friend as well. And what I am seeing here is an act of a replication of Judas. You know, I don't see any act of good faith."

"I have shared with you the email that was sent to him on August 15, 2024, which we share with him the requested information. And I was sitting with him at his office when he said he has received the email."

"And if you can appreciate the email it was sent almost a year ago, which means that when it comes to the questions of source of funds, we shouldn't be having this conversation today."

Jules Vasquez
"The personnel who did the special audit also did not see those contracts, right?"

"And they flagged a number of issues. But, you know, they said that the account was flagged for a lack of documentation for source of funds, mainly the building contract, right? And they added later on that at least one of the deposits was referenced to a contract with the government of Belize for the amount of $48,050 signed by Dr. Osmond Martinez. The auditor says the contract did not appropriately have sign-offs by the contractor general or government of Belize official letterhead that would confirm their legitimacy. What is your comment on that?"

Osmond Martinez, Minister of State - Foreign Trade
"Well, my comment on that is that, and we will submit all the source of funds today to you, you know, as requested. And the reason why they were not submitted was because the financial secretary was out."

"Actually, he just got back today. He's working on them as we speak and you will receive them today. But, you know, there was, first of all, the contracts don't have letterhead. And the second point is that the CEOs have the authority to sign up to $50,000."

Jules Vasquez
"Without it having to go to the contractor general."

Osmond Martinez, Minister of State - Foreign Trade
"Without it having to go to the contractor general. So that's within the purview of the CEO. And so that didn't need any approval from contractor general."

"What I am trying to tell you here, let's focus on two things, right? It's important for us to focus on the source of funds, which will be submitted to you today. Right? And one of the things that I really hope to is to clear my name first and foremost."

"But my character is in question. It is in question because you put a story out there, being one-sided, and I have a family. I have kids. I have a name, right? I'm well-respected in my community. And then you came and you put a story promoting that corruption was there already."

"If you look at the comments on Channel 7, you know, everything is like thief, oh, he claimed himself that he's a Christian and look what he has done whatsoever. Now, let's focus on the source of the funds, which is very important."

"You will receive all the source of the funds today. And I just pray to God that you are objective in terms of providing that source of funds. So it is my hope that with the source of information that we are providing, that we can clear up any other thing because money laundering is a very serious concern, not only nationally, but internationally."

"And I am not doing money laundering. Hence, we have, and I have taken upon my shoulders, and you can confirm with the financial secretary. We have been behind him and saying, please send it."

Jules Vasquez
"I accept all of that. And money laundering is serious. And shouldn't you have been aware of this before? You have a good rapport with Jose Felipe Flores. I believe you have a good line of communication if you brought him to remodel your office in Belmopan. Shouldn't you have told him, listen, I don't want to get caught up in seh, seh, seh about any money laundering business. when you file those things, make sure you file the correct one, as has been done in the past. This is irregular Mr Martinez. This is unusual. Disbursement from the government do not have proper source of funds."

Osmond Martinez, Minister of State - Foreign Trade
"Isn't, but you are putting that on me, right?"

Jules Vasquez
"You chose a contractor."

Osmond Martinez, Minister of State - Foreign Trade
"No, but you are putting it on me, right? Um, you are taking a big responsibility from the credit union here, because..."

Jules Vasquez
"The credit union failed. The credit union was running like a panades shop. That is not in question, that has been established. You who have a public reputation to guard and who is acutely aware of the status of your public reputation. Should you not have said, listen, My friend, Mr. Flores, I do things in XYZ way to avoid any. This is the basics of the law. This is the money laundering requirements. Why didn't you stringently insist to the contractor it has to be done XYZ way rather than you talk to your cousin at the credit union. Sorry."

Osmond Martinez, Minister of State - Foreign Trade
"Okay. So Jules, I will answer this question and I would kindly ask you not to interrupt me. So I can explain it. Thank you."

"So we submitted the documents. As I explained to you, they went to the credit union, the credit union honor it which is on the fault of the credit union. When the credit union, the general manager called me, we submitted the full source of fund."

"That day, I had a good conversation with the contractor and I stated this to him because it is important to note that I have never, I never signed a contract with him, me, while I am a minister. It was as a CEO."

"And I said this to him. I'm a young politician. I don't want to be in anything related to corruption. All right. And I said that to him."

The source of funds documents he spoke about in there has not arrived on our email as yet.