And while the PUP fight internally – insiders say that all this battery from the old guard is about keeping Briceno close, even if by mild force. And that’s because the leading figures in the old guard, Said Musa and Ralph Fonseca face imminent arrest on criminal charges for diverting the Venezuelan money. And when they do, they will need political cover from the mass party – cover that so far, Briceno has been reluctant to commit to. And according to the Prime Minister, those charges are coming because there is criminal culpability. He discussed the case this morning – as well as the civil suit that is being filed against the Belize Bank. He said the civil case against the bank appears to be winnable.
Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
“The lawyers have advised us that there really is no difficulty. I have received a memo detailing the causes of action that underpin the suit. We’re relying not just on the Solicitor General but on Mr. Michael Young who is a senior counsel. They’ve both concurred in the opinion that’s been given to the government and they feel that it should be pretty smooth sailing with respect to eventual recovery.
Of course you know that the people we are going up against have all the resources in the world and they will be filing motions and counter-motions so it is going to take some time but we are very confident on the basis of the opinion we’re received, on the basis of the facts – on the basis of the justice of the case that ultimately we will get back this money for the government and people of Belize.”
Jules Vasquez,
Sir now what action will you be taking against the former principals of the government, the previous Prime Minister and the previous Housing Minister, previous CEO of Foreign Affairs?
Dean Barrow,
“The opinion is in that crimes were committed, that there is the kind of material that compels criminal charges being levied. This is the stage though at which you must go to the Director of Public Prosecutions, respecting his constitutional authority, and the decision that he has to make ultimately. I am satisfied that the police can move now but I don’t think that you give the opinion that we have to the police and hope that they will move without any reference to the DPP.”
For that criminal case, Barrow said that the government may choose to bring in a special prosecutor from abroad to take up the case. We have heard that government is considering a particular Jamaican attorney. As regards the civil suit against the Belize Bank, government’s attorney Michael Young confirmed this evening that the civil suit has been filed and it will be served tomorrow.
