Re-shuffling Of Cabinet Expected In Wake Of Max's Meltdown

Cabinet meets tomorrow - anticipating what is expected to be a re-shuffle in the wake of the Max Samuels meltdown. Samuels, it is expected, will be stripped of both the Immigration and Home Affairs Ministry. The Prime Minister is also expected to use the opportunity to transfer Henry Canton's ministries as he is resigning from Cabinet effective September. His ministries are expected to remain in the control of a Southern representative. In that regard, retiring Dangriga representative Ted Aranda was called in to the Prime Minister's office for a meeting this morning. When the Prime Minister will make his move is not known, but the evidence against Samuels is mounting. Today the opposition cited but did not disclose evidence that shows a widening web of corruption in the processing of nationality documents. The UDP release alleges that officers of the Special Branch have acted corruptly in approving nationality documents - without processing them through Interpol - as they are required to do. According to the release, the Special Branch officers short circuited the vetting process by approving any name given to them by immigration agents within a day. While that's only an allegation - it would explain how applications like alleged drug lord Jorge Carlos Moreno, who is under federal indictment in the United States, got approved on a day in October of 2001. Speaking with us this evening, Commissioner of Police Carmen Zetina says he knew nothing of the allegations, but couldn't vouch for anyone. He said he's confident that this matter will be dealt with by investigators. But the UDP isn't confident that the police can investigate its own officers - and is calling on government to establish an independent commission of inquiry headed by a justice of the Supreme Court.