Today The Guardian headlined a story claiming that Minister Joe Coye and his family are acquiring land by the handful - or in the paper's description, "like sweets from a ruptured pinata." It goes on to list sizeable acreages in Placencia held by a company called Aqua World Limited. Today Coye addressed the allegations against him saying that yes his family members do own the company, but it's all on the level.
Hon. Jose Coye,
"Let me make it quite clear here that my family, my wife in particular is from Placencia, and we do have interest in a company, Aqua World, family, we invest in tourism in that area, multi-site tourism. I have absolutely no apology to make regarding our interests in any investment in a company. We have absolutely nothing to hide about it. I was interviewed by yourself I think in the past and you are interviewing me again and I state my position clearly: we do have interests in that company, we are involved in tourism in the area and elsewhere, and we have no sinister motive behind it. I am a public figure but my investment and my family's investment in any company does not make me greedy, it does not make me hypocritical, and it does not make me malicious."
In his choice of the words malicious, greedy and hypocritical Coye is making a not so subtle reference to the recent Lois Young Barrow libel case against The Belize Times. Coye says he is considering whether he will take legal action against The Guardian.
