Glenn Godfrey, he's the former Chairman of the DFC, and consummate PUP insider turned villain of the DFC drama and Musa administration adversary. Last week, he was in court trying to block publication of the Lord report, and last night, he was on the Lik Road talk show with Michael Finnegan making it clear that the blame for DFC rests squarely with Ralph Fonseca and Said Musa. Not quite believable as the babe in the woods, but Godfrey did his best. He said that government induced the DFC into bad investments and the only mistake he made was trusting Ralph Fonseca and Said Musa.
Mike Peyrefitte, Co-Host
"Would you say that during that entire time, the Minister responsible for DFC, and or the Prime Minister were fully aware of what was going on?"
Glen Godfrey, Former DFC Chairman
"Absolutely. Government more than knew, they negotiated it. They came and said, 'oh we are making a contribution to capital because we have put down a deposit on this thing, that deposit will be a contribution to capital but you have to now manage this project.' We looked at some of the projects and we said guess what, these projects don't look feasible and they said, never mind, if there is a loss, government will cover it. The Minister said if there is a loss, government will..."
Michael Finnegan, Host
"But you said the Minister, which Minister?"
Glen Godfrey,
"Minister Fonseca."
Mike Peyrefitte,
"So he was pushing for Mahogany Heights and Los Lagos?"
Glen Godfrey,
"And Los Lagos and the Prime Minister pushed very hard for the houses, these plywood houses. So if I blame myself for anything, it is being too trusting that the government would keep its word. This government has no word. They have illustrated that many times, with Intelco, with the Port, several several projects where they give an exclusive and then turn around and give some..."
Mike Peyrefitte,
"You can't believe what they say?"
Glen Godfrey,
"I think that this government is a government of its most recent word. What killed the DFC were these projects that we all knew were not..."
Michael Finnegan,
"Ill-conceived, corrupt."
Glen Godfrey,
"I am not going to say they were corrupt. I don't want to be sued on
anything but certainly if there is any blame it has to be laid on the doorsteps of those people who brought those projects to the DFC.
I am very concerned that there is a deliberate attempt by this government to distract the blame, to say the people who were responsible is the management and the Board."
Mike Peyrefitte,
"Why do you think they are trying to do this?"
Glen Godfrey,
"Because they are politicians and they have to win elections. I think Mike that this government was hoping to find a scapegoat, somebody who would roll over and play dead so that they could look good, and they picked the wrong person."
Mike Peyrefitte,
"Why would they turn on you?"
Glen Godfrey,
"Because they feel I am expendable. They want somebody to take the lick so they can go on and win elections."
Michael Finnegan,
"So you're the whipping boy?"
Glen Godfrey,
"Well I don't want to say I'm a boy. I am not a boy but, yes.
I don't see how any fair report can come out that does that say that the real blame for the failure of DFC lies at the door of the Prime Minister, his Cabinet, and his Minister.
So it can only be that if they are trying to suppress any other report, it must be that that report is saying unu, these people are involved. It will point fingers at the people who were ultimately responsible which would be the government of Belize."
Michael Finnegan,
"And who are those players?"
Glen Godfrey,
"Well it would have to be the Prime Minister and the then Minister in charge of DFC."
