And while the hottest news tonight is the resignation of the Deputy Leader of a party that’s experiencing a diversity of morbid symptoms – the issue that’s on the tip of every tongue is the Taiwanese money, the Venezuelan money, and where it all went. Now that we now the secret diversions started as far back as September, we dug into our archives to see where the executive obfuscation began. And we found that it started shortly after the first $6 million was paid.
[September 17, 2007]
Jules Vasquez,
S ir in a week's time the Universal principal payment is due, September 23rd. What will happen on that day?
Rt. Hon. Said Musa,
"We are convinced that the private sector will take up the matter."
Of course, that wasn’t quite true – what he should have said was that just 5 days earlier he had handed this check over to the Belize Bank – money gifted by the Taiwanese to the people of Belize – US$6 million, 12 million Belize dollars, partial payment for the Universal debt. And then on October 10, Musa again mis-spoke:
[October 10th, 2007]
Jules Vasquez,
Sir the principal for Belize Bank was due September 24th. I know it was not paid. What is the arrangement?
Rt. Hon. Said Musa,
“We are nearing concluding the matter but they have agreed to an extension.”
Jules Vasquez,
is that with a number of side concessions because I know Mr. Ashcroft is not a philanthropist when it comes to banking.
Rt. Hon. Said Musa,
“No, absolutely no concessions. Mr. Ashcroft wants to get his money and we have assured him that he will get his money through the private sector and we’re looking now to the end of October.”
Jules Vasquez,
And it is the Belize Health Partners that will take it up and they will pay the full indebtedness?
Rt. Hon. Said Musa,
“Is that the group with Dr. Venny? Yes that is.”
Jules Vasquez,
And they will pay the full indebtedness?
Rt. Hon. Said Musa,
They’re looking to secure the complete financing for the project.”
Of course, as we now know that “complete financing” came actually from public funds secretly paid by the Belizean government
Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
“That money was then as we understand it, deposited in the name of a charitable trust registered in Nevis but operating at a Turks and Caicos Belize Bank Account. In turn, that money was used, $5 million of it to lend Dr. Venny as a direct loan from the Belize Bank and another $8 million or so as a loan from one of the free vehicles that were used by the Belize Health Care Trust Group in connection with this whole UHS deal.”
And while the former Prime Minister publicly prevaricated at every turn, he also sanctioned executive deception, when Foreign Affairs CEO Amalia Mai in this December 28th letter to the President of BANDES, Mai acknowledges that the US$19 million is for construction and repair of houses and then asks that ten million U.S. dollars of that be sent to the Belize Bank’s account at the Bank of America, in London. The money was then transferred to London via this wiring directive and stating plainly and unequivocally “disburse only to the GOB of Belize for the construction and repair of houses.” Of course, it was never used for that – it went into the all swallowing hole of this hospital’s debt.
And proving that the thick air of scandal has not completely smothered it, the PUP today sent out a release attempting to explain the non-disclosure, the misrepresentation and the diversion. The statement goes on at some length – almost three single spaced pages – to explain that the government – under the strain of a judgment from the London Court of International Arbitration – had to seek a solution. The statement says that they spoke to Venezuela and Taiwan for grants to, quote “make a private sector transaction feasible while at the same time establishing a trust to hold shares for the benefit of the people of Belize,” close quote.
The statement goes unto say that both Taiwan and Venezuela assured government that they would assist with US$10 million each for debt obligations. And for proof that those countries knew what the money was for, the release points to the fact that neither country made any announcement. It fails to mention that the then government of this country didn’t do it either, even if it was its duty to do so.
But not according to the PUP statement which says that it disclosed what it was asked to disclose, the gift of US10 million for housing and the Marion Jones Stadium. And so, the PUP concludes that both countries knew what was happening and did not want to make public announcements or for such announcements to be made. The statement concludes by saying that a $45 million debt obligation to the Belize Bank was settled without using taxpayers’ money.
