2 days ago
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Following today’s Cabinet meeting in Belmopan, Prime Minister John Briceno granted the media an interview with a range of questions regarding Mira and the new Home Affairs Minister, Julius Espat. While the FinSec was clear on the red flags and the possibility of a collusion, PM Briceno was not that direct. Here is a snippet of that interview.
John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “We felt that I think that it was the best decision that Minister Mira be asked to be excused from Cabinet and then also that we ask both Minister Espat to take over Home Affairs and then Minister Usher to take over the Freezones.”
Reporter: To what degree are you all on the same page on this matter, at least where Cabinet member are concerned ?
John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “Well there was no such thing to argue in Cabinet over it. We were saddened by what has happened but you know our work comes first. We have to look after the interest of the government and the people of Belize, that’s what we were elected for.”
Reporter: What expectations do you have of Julius Espat in the Ministry ?
John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “Well I expect him to continue the work that Minister Mira started. I think Minister Mira was doing a very good job as the Minister Responsible for Home Affairs.”
Reporter: The invoices reflect payments from your office to MP farms, over $130,000 in payments, over 11 invoices. How do you explain that ?
John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “What is there to explain ? I think you’re grasping at straws. I have no idea. The people at Finance or the people in my office are the ones that do that. I don’t think there was anything illegal that was done here and we followed the process.”
Reporter: How soon can we expect RECONDEV’s board to be changed ?
John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “In the next few days certainly by early next week I’d be be able to expect to put a new board.”
Reporter: What does it mean to you that when the dealings with your ministry all the payments were, all ten payments were above $10,000 however with the Ministry of Defense we saw over a thousand payments below $10,000 ?
John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “A thousand payments ?”
Reporter: A thousand transactions.
John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “Well a thousand transactions well certainly we do our best to follow the process and in this instance when we saw these continuous payments under $10,000 obviously it raises questions and it raise an alarm and that is why I called for the Financial Secretary to send the Auditor General to take a look at what is going on.”
Reporter: What’s the need for, in your office, for grocery bags ? What’s the purpose of that ?
John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “I think you need to ask the Cabinet Secretary. He is the one that looks after payment but I’m sure he’ll be able to answer that.”
Reporter: Do you think Oscar Mira is still politically viable in Belmopan ?
John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “I have every confidence that he is. He is a good area representative and has been a good minister, even a competent minister, so I do believe that politically that he’ll still be able to connect with the people.”
Reporter: Don’t you find it odd that MP Farms had its hands in the Ministry of Defense and also in your office ?
John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “I don’t know how you could say something like that “they’re putting it’s hands” I need for you, I think it’s best for you to speak with the Cabinet Secretary who handles those issues and those matters. I really can’t answer I’d be speculating.”
Reporter: How did you go about requesting an audit ?
John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “I just called the Financial Secretary as the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.”
Reporter: If the Ministry of Defense is being is being audited why did Mira as Minister of Home Affairs need to leave ?
John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “Well because obviously he felt that he being in Cabinet that it might just give the wrong impression so he felt it’s best that he were to pull away out of Cabinet and so for this work to be done.”
The interview lasted for a mere six minutes, and in the end, when the PM was asked to comment on the UDP’s call for Mira’s resignation, he questioned the opposition’s moral standing to make that call.
John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “I don’t think the UDP have any moral authority to speak when it comes to those issues because if you were to remember the then Prime Minister would defend, defend, defend until he absolutely can’t do anything better. In our case you know we take actions immediately and we need to be able to get to the bottom of this.”
Reporter: Why call on the Financial Secretary to request an audit from the Auditor General and not the National Assembly Clerk ? The Public Service Union President argues that the Auditor General does not answer to the Prime Minister nor does she answer to the Financial Secretary but rather to the National Assembly. How do you respond to that ?
John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “That is opinion. All I did is call to the Financial Secretary and said you know what I think we need to ask the Auditor General to be able to do an audit end of story.”
Reporter: What happens when those findings are made ? Will those findings be made public ? Can you commit to making those findings public ?
John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “Well obviously the report will have to be able to I think we’ll be able to make it public so that’s as far I’ll be able to commit.”
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