He is a two-term member of the House of Representatives and the Minister of State in the Ministry of National Development but tonight, the Honorable Marcial Mes is accused of driving drunk. And while the drunk driving allegation is one thing, the Honorable Mes mowed down two children who were on their way to church. The incident occurred last night around 7, in front of the Methodist Church in Forest Home Village, which is just outside of Punta Gorda Town. The two victims were rushed to the KHMH last night and that's where we pick up our coverage.
Keith Swift Reporting,
This morning an unconscious two-year-old Denver Gomez was transported from the KHMH nd into this waiting ambulance for a trip to the Medical Associates Hospital to get a CAT scan. And though you can't tell by looking at her, the news is slightly better for Denver's aunt - 15-year-old Samantha Romero. She is in the Accident and Emergency Ward at the KHMH and is awake. Her face however is badly bruised and scraped, she has a broken foot and a broken arm, and she has lost some of her teeth.
Both Samantha and her two year old nephew were knocked down yesterday on their way to church in Forest Home Village. The man behind the wheels was Marciel Mes - a Minister of State in the Ministry of National Development. Racquel Romero is Samantha's sister and Denver's aunt. It unfolded in front of her yesterday evening.
Raquel Romero,
"Upon reaching the church, not far from there, I turned around and I looked and this vehicle was swerving in the road and by the time I could turn around back and look, it had already gone into the side of a bus that was parked in front of the church and right beside of the bus, my sister and nephew were standing and that is when I heard the bag."
That bang was the force of this Nissan Patrol - Mes' government issued and licensed transport - hitting Baby Denver and his young aunt Samantha. And while the accident was one thing, the family says that Mes did next shocked them.
Raquel Romero,
"He didn't even stop and check if it was someone or what. He just continued and drove off and I grabbed my nephew and I checked him to see if he was dead or alive but he wasn't moving or breathing or anything. I just went in and I asked for help and everyone came out from church and helped us. I went running behind the vehicle and he stopped like a distance from where the accident happened.
And when he came to a stop, the two other passengers that were with him, came out and were throwing away beer bottles. I told him not to throw it away because even if they throw it away, they still will know because everybody smell them and they were smelt of liquor. He didn't want to turn back. He was going to continue his way and the Reverend told him in a nice way to please turn back and check on them. But he just passed, turned back, pass and went straight to the police station."
Mes headed to the police station where he refused to provide a blood or urine specimen. Samantha and Denver meanwhile had to find their own transport from the accident scene to the Punta Gorda Hospital. They were later flown to Belize City by a helicopeter. The KHMH's Chief of Medical Staff Dr. Khaled Ghazy says the outlook for Samantha is good but he is unsure about baby Denver.
Dr. Khaled Ghazy, KHMH
"Concerning the Baby Gomez, the two years old that is the pediatric ward right now, he is in critical condition and up to now. He went to take a CAT scan and an ultrasound to the abdomen. The situation from a neurological aspect is that he is very critical."
Baby Denver is critical and for his mom Keisha Romero, that is the worse possible news.
Keisha Romero, Denver's Mom
"I think nobody wants to feel the way I feel right now because I just lost my baby's father too, he died just about five months ago and I am going through a hard time right now. All I want is for the family to assist me and try to help us because I don't have anything and I really need the help. All I want is for my baby to recover back. I don't care what is the expense and what I have to go through. I just want to see my baby back good."
Raquel Romero,
"This is for Marciel, I need or I am letting you know that whenever we are done from here, whatever expenses we are going through right now, I am going to take all my receipts and bills and everything to you and you are going to repay us back and I will see to it."
But Orlando Romero, who is Samantha's father and Denver's grandfather, says it will take more than money to fix this problem. He wants justice.
Orlano Romero,
"I know that if somebody else, if it was me then, all kinds of things would happen. To be a Minister, I don't think he would have been out here like that if he was sober."
Keith Swift,
Will the family go forward with charges?
Orlando Romero,
"Yes I definitely will. That is one of the reasons why I would want this thing on the media, I would want them to take the pictures of the two kids so he can see it on the screen and make him realize what damage he did to my kids." [Sobbing.]
And it appears justice will be something the Romero family will have to fight for because while they were at Samantha and Denver's bedside - Marcial Mes was nowhere in sight - not in court and not at the hospital.
Alfonso Noble,
When is he to appear in court?
Supt. Noel Leal, Commander of Toledo Police
"He should have appeared today but for reasons unknown to me, he did not but I think we would have to check probably with the courts to see what was the reason."
Mes has been charged for driving without due care and attention, two counts of negligent harm, and failure to provide a specimen for testing.
And while we wait for him to appear in court, political observers say the Prime Minister must weigh the decision on whether he will discipline Mes, or simply wait for the case to take its course. But there is a lot to consider: first, to make it clear, it is an offence to refuse to provide a sample for blood alcohol testing. And while that offence does not establish that a person was driving drunk, it does make an inference that the person had something to hide. That is an inference, which, if coupled with eyewitness accounts which suggest that the minister had been drinking, can be used in court. The weight of that, and the fact that Mes is a most senior public official, specially sworn to uphold the public good, make it a compelling case that there was substantial public misconduct, beyond the criminal charges. It's left to be seen if the Prime Minister will see it similarly and choose to discipline Mes.
The Prime Minister was in a special Cabinet meeting today working on the next budget. As a Minister of State, Mes is not a regular Cabinet member and does not attend those meetings.
