In its first day of public hearings, the Commission of Inquiry investigating the sale of government assets was kind of anti-climactic. The biggest thing unearthed so far is the sale of some very big pieces of furniture to the former Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte.
But, one sale that caught our attention was the one to Deputy PM Hugo Patt of his Ministerial Ride, a 2020 Toyota Tacoma that he - or someone - bought for far less than the suggested price.
7News has obtained leaked emails that speak about one price which should have been final - but learned in the hearings about another much lower price. Jules Vasquez has the story:
Joe Waight, Financial Secretary
"The fourth of Octob..., November, there was a sale to Minister Hugo Patt of a 2020 Toyota Tacoma in running condition for 65,000 dollars."
This is a web version of that grey 2020 Toyota Tacoma - it had been bought ten months earlier by government for $90,000.
The financial secretary wrote to the Former Prime Minister, suggesting a sale price of $87,210,00 which he said, "is high as the vehicle was only purchased in late January"
And on November second, the Financial Secretary wrote to the manager of the Vehicle Care Unit, Ruperto Vicente, "I think we can begin to draft the letter of offer to Minister Patt at the Price of $87,210.00"
But, two days later, it was sold for 22 thousand dollars less - just 65 thousand dollars for a model year luxury pickup.
But that is not what the Former Prime Minister agreed to, though he did agree, grudgingly:
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Former Prime Minister
"I spoke to the DPM and I told him, but you know the policy, anyway (sighs). I thought that as a special favour, I would agree."
But what he agreed to was that price price of $87,210.00.
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Former Prime Minister
"What happened thereafter though was that the usual requirement from me that there be a customs valuation so that we could document that we were not selling for any under value, did not happen."
Ruperto Vicente, Manager - Vehicle care Unit
"The one for Hugo Patt, no, we did not get that valued by Customs; Customs had said that since it was within the year, they would not value that vehicle. So, what we did at the ministry did, we, ahm, as it is with Customs, we would look at 20% depreciation for the first year."
20% deprecation would have left it at $72,000.00 dollars, but it still went for $7,000.00 less than that.
But who approved it? The PM says it never came back to him
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Former Prime Minister
"...Or whether there was some other reason or whether it just fell through the cracks, but that one did not come to me for my final approval."
But the head of the vehicle care unit said he did agree with the sale:
Ruperto Vicente, Manager - Vehicle care Unit
"And so he struggled, I must say that, that he struggled with that bid and, I believe after much discussion, you know he then indicated to me that the sale of that vehicle for Minister, Honourable Hugo Patt will go through."
Andrew Marshalleck - Chairman, Commission of Inquiry
"But he didn't do it in writing? He did it orally?"
Ruperto Vicente
"I believe he sent me an email. I would have to, I would have to look at it."
Andrew Marshalleck
"The file you shared with me doesn't have anything on it. You say you recollect an email?"
Ruperto Vicente
"Yes."
And while Vicente could not produce that email - he also could not account for the appearance that the seller of the vehicle also ended up as the person who brought it back!
Andrew Marshalleck, Chairman, Commission of Inquiry
"But I flash through this file again and I can't find the receipt for the payment for the agreed price, a government receipt."
Ruperto Vicente
"What happened they paid, its a wire transfer."
Andrew Marshalleck, Chairman, Commission of Inquiry
"Yes."
Ruperto Vicente
"We havent gottten the receipt. If the receipt is not there, then we can get that receipt for you."
Andrew Marshalleck, Chairman, Commission of Inquiry
"But interestly it says a transfer from Mr. Emil Torres who is the original person who sold it."
Ruperto Vicente
"Ahh."
Andrew Marshalleck, Chairman, Commission of Inquiry
"The transfer information that paid the government for it."
Ruperto Vicente
"I am not sure of that one."
Andrew Marshalleck, Chairman, Commission of Inquiry
"It wasnt the person who sold it buying it back, was it?"
Ruperto Vicente
"I would hope not. We dont go that far. We dont investigate that far."
Andrew Marshalleck, Chairman, Commission of Inquiry
"His name appears on the transfer for the payment for the government for the price."
Ruperto Vicente
"I would hope that he was not the one who bought the vehicle."
The Commissioners are now reviewing a large box of files covering all known asset sales provided by the Financial secretary. Hopefully at the next public hearing on February 26th we can find out who the final purchaser actually was.
