And while the teachers were protesting in Dangriga - the Commission of Inquiry investigating the sale of government assets continued today at the House of Culture grounds in Belize City.
Today's hearing took an interesting turn when Juvencio Herrera finally appeared along with his attorney. He's the man who bought the Deputy Prime Minister's 2020 Toyota Tacoma from the government of Belize. He paid $65,000 dollars - but how does an occasional handyman get his hands on that kind of money in just a few days?
Well, as we learned, he did it today, for his friend of 18 months, former DPM Hugo Patt:
Today's first witness was Juvencio Herrera, a contractor and ex accused person for murder turned Ministerial financier.
He made the Deputy Prime Minister, Hugo Patt a loan to buy his ministerial vehicle and never made a single dime of interest off it - all because of a strange spiritual bond:
Juvencio Herrera, Bought GOB Tacoma
"I met the guy, we became friends, because maybe the man spirot take me and I take him. We had conversations and we became friends."
Andrew Marshalleck, Chairman of the Commission
"Alright, so your spirits took each other and you became friends."
A friend and a financier, this contractor who gets occasional work, came up with 65 grand to buy Patt's vehicle from the government but never drove it, in fact, he never even saw how it looked inside:
Andrew Marshalleck, Chairman of the Commission
"Are you familiar with that Tacoma?"
Juvencio Herrera, Bought GOB Tacoma
"Yes sir."
Andrew Marshalleck, Chairman of the Commission
"What can you tell us about it?"
Juvencio Herrera, Bought GOB Tacoma
"I assisted Mr. Patt in acquiring that vehicle."
Andrew Marshalleck
"Have you ever had possession of that vehicle?"
Juvencio Herrera
"No sir."
Andrew Marshalleck
"Had you ever driven it?"
Juvencio Herrera
"No sir."
Andrew Marshalleck
"Do you know what it looks like?"
Juvencio Herrera
"Yes, from the outside."
The title was in his name - and so was the loan, he took out from this man, Kelvin Lee - to help his friend the Deputy Prime Minister
Juvencio Herrera
"I went to Mr. Lee so that I could acquire the funds so that I could pay for the vehicle."
But then after he did all that, Herrera was stuck with the vehicle because Patt had a change of heart. So, Herrera was stuck with the loan and the title. No problem there, in steps Deputy Commissioner of Lands, Ivan Leiva, Patt's former employee at the Ministry, and also his landlord who also happens to be Herrera's occasional employee - Ivan Leiva, also the man left holding the vehicle. One big and strange family of friends in a circle of trust where tens of thousands of dollars are exchanged and no one signs anything. It all started ta Leiva's Belmopan apartments:
Andrew Marshalleck
"How did you come to meet your friend Minister Patt?"
Juvencio Herrera
"I worked for Mr. Ivan and he use to stay at one of the apartment building."
Andrew Marshalleck
"So you've met him through your friend Mr. Ivan's apartment building?"
Juvencio Herrera
"Yes because I do a lot of work for him."
Andrew Marshalleck
"And when did you meet him?"
Juvencio Herrera
"I would say in 2019."
Andrew Marshalleck
"So within the next 2 years Minister Patt asked you for a loan of $65,000 to pay for a vehicle?"
Juvencio Herrera
"He never asked me, I offered it to him to see if I could help him."
But, in the end he couldn't help him and the vehicle was sold on the open market to Said Perdomo with this title:
Andrew Marshalleck
"You know how much they paid for it?"
Juvencio Herrera
"Well I got back my $65,000. That's all that I wanted."
Andrew Marshalleck
"I know that's what you wanted, but did you know how much the vehicle was sold for?"
Juvencio Herrera
"No sir, as I said that didn't interest me. I just wanted back my money."
Andrew Marshalleck
"You sure you never got back $59,000?"
Juvencio Herrera
"I got back $65,000 sir. I counted it, it was in a brown envelope when the guy brought it to me and I checked it to make sure it was correct, put in back in the envelope, drove to Belize City to Euphrates Avenue on where Mr. Li's office is and gave him back the money."
That's Kelvin Li, the man who financed the entire transaction - and also a man who happens to have gotten many parcels of land signed by Patt in the dying days of the UDP government.
Alfred Cal, Senior Land Information Officer
"The research shows that Mr. Li owns or has title to a total of 36 parcels of land all over the country of Belize. However, 23 of these parcels are located in San Pedro, Belize District. I provided a table to show the number of parcels that he has. But between October and November 2020 17 parcels were acquired by Mr. Li. What the data is showing is some of these transfers are down within the same day. I think there is 11 of them."
Andrew Marshalleck
"It says 11 of the 29 transfer transaction conducted in 2020 are completed on the same day based on these findings."
Alfred Cal, Senior Land Information Officer
"Based on these findings it is safe to say that Mr. Li seems to be a very influential person. The data is showing that probably he has some assistance from the lands department."
But the Deputy Commissioner of the National Estate Section who would process the transfer said the name didn't jump out at him:
Andrew Marshalleck
"You've had occasions to deal with Mr. Kelvin Li as deputy commissioner of lands in national estate section?"
Ivan Leiva, Deputy Commissioner of Natl Estate Section
"No sir, I haven't dealt with him."
Andrew Marshalleck
"Have you dealt with applications by Mr. Kelvin Li to lease and purchase national lands?"
Ivan Leiva, Deputy Commissioner of Natl Estate Section
"I can recall one instance I saw his name."
Andrew Marshalleck
"Only one instance?"
Ivan Leiva, Deputy Commissioner of Natl Estate Section
"One instance."
That was only the morning session - there was more coming out of the commission this afternoon and we'll have that for you later on in the news.
