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In related news, Minister Andre Perez, says he has reached out to his Cabinet colleague, Oscar Mira, as the embattled minister remains on leave of absence pending the outcome of an audit into procurement activities at the Ministry of Defence. Speaking to reporters this week, Perez said his outreach was made on a personal level, acknowledging the intense public scrutiny and criticism Mira has faced in recent weeks following revelations surrounding the awarding of government contracts to members of his family. While expressing empathy for his colleague, Perez stopped short of weighing in on the controversy itself. Asked directly for his views on the allegations and the procurement issues now under investigation, the minister declined to comment, saying he would not offer an opinion while the matter remains under official review.
Andre Perez, Minister of Blue Economy: “I do not want to answer and say the circumstances are similar. What is similar is that it’s a leave of absence. But I want to clarify you know I don’t want to say it’s similar or it’s different. You know it’s a leave of absence and I respect that and from the decision of the Prime Minister and I’ll leave it at that. You know he’s my colleague and yes I reached out to him but that is personal. That is very personal, I will not discuss that in public. That’s not for me to answer here publicly. He’s a colleague and a friend. These are all allegations and I want to say let’s leave for the audit to take over and the Prime Minister has spoken alright ? So I don’t think I want to just say anything or opinions. The Prime Minister has spoken. They are allegations made and let the audit roll and after that we’re able to comment.”
Reporter: Does your ministry engage in split payments ?
Andre Perez, Minister of Blue Economy: “Listen we have a very small ministry and we don’t engage in these things, no split payments. We don’t make those payments as far as I’m concerned. Actually I want to tell you something I have double checked with the office and checked with my CEO. CEO is everything and I said we’re fine. And I said thank you very much because I’m telling you, I speak from a ministry where we’re transparency and we’re not engaging in anything of split payments as such.”
Reporter: Is this the first time you are hearing that was possible ?
Andre Perez, Minister of Blue Economy: “Actually I’ve never really got into what are the line items and what is the paying through SMART Stream. I don’t know the details so I don’t want to comment on split payments as such I have no idea what is. The media is out there pointing out and the optics is not looking good but that’s about it. I can’t comment beyond that. Allow the audit to take it over. I want to ask the media not to engage in the realm of all speculations. Let’s let the audit department do what they need to do and then we comment and then we ask the questions and I’ll leave it at that.”
Perez’s comments carry added significance, as he himself experienced a similar period of public scrutiny in August 2023, when he was placed on administrative leave while an investigation was conducted into matters involving his ministry. He was later reinstated to Cabinet. With Julius Espat being a more senior Cabinet minister and the Chairman of the PUP Western Caucus, our newsroom asked him for his views on the Mira debacle.
Julis Espat, Minister of Home Affairs: “No political organization wants a scandal, if you call it a scandal. It makes you reflect. I’m talking as a party. It makes you reflect. The same thing that society is complaining about, the party complains about. You form government and then you tend to abandon the party. There’s not enough attention given, everybody want to be minister, everybody want to be this, everybody want to be that and then nobody worry about the party itself. And if you leave that to one side then everybody starts doing what they want or what they believe. And so the party needs to do its work too. Bring back the soldiers, explain to them why we are here, remind them of George Price and how he used to work it and look at whatever problems we have and see how we can better it, and become stronger after that analysis. That’s the hope.”
Oscar Mira proceeded on personal leave earlier this month after questions were raised over payments and contracts involving relatives. The Government subsequently appointed Minister Julius Espat to oversee the Ministry of Home Affairs in the interim while an independent audit is carried out. The audit remains ongoing, and government has said its findings will determine any further course of action./
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