It stands adjourned, but as you heard the chairman say, no one has denied that government assets are still being sold under the hand of the Prime Minister.
This was confirmed by the Prime Minister himself on Friday - when he discussed the sale of one of the abandoned narco planes, and the sale of firearms to two elected PUP representatives.
In a contentious exchange with the media - he said his government needs some time to get it completely right:
Reporter "You had the commission of inquiry of public assets sale and then you had yourself approve the sale of 2 aircraft and we don't know if those things went to tender at all for other people in the public to buy them at a higher price, in fact we heard that there was someone who wanted to buy those aircraft at higher prices and then you have the guns as well. You are criticizing something in a commission of inquiry investigating it and you turn around to do the same thing."
Hon. John Briceno - Prime Minister "I don't know how you get to that point, I honestly don't. Listen to me, this was brought to my attention saying that this offer was made and that we should accept it. I won't sit down and ask did you do this or that, that has been brought to me and I approved it. Let me finish please, what we are trying to do right here now, is that those planes have been out there and it's losing value every day. The BDF is telling me, one in particular they have spent about 100 thousand dollars to take care of it in over a year and so when they brought it up to my attention and say it's best that you sell it and I was under the impression that this was the best offer that we got, that is then why I approved it. Now as to the issue of the guns, can we improve? Of course, we can improve, I'm not infallible, I am human and if you are asking now it would be much better if you would ask me do you think you could do it better opposed to being accusing. We are working towards making better, just give us a little time, we're just 4 months in government."
Jules Vasquez "You're not consistently adhering to best practices in government."
Hon. John Briceno "That's not true Jules, we're trying to do as best as we possibly can, in such a sort time we just have to try to get things done quickly. A lot of the beautiful things that we have to get done, will come but right now we're just trying to put things in order, just trying to control what's going on and to see how best we can address the crisis that is in front of us. Now if 2 years from now you come and tell me that if in 2 years time you said you're doing the same thing, then I think you have a right to accuse."
The Prime Minister told us today that the PUP's Cayo Central Rep Alex Balona who bought a disused gun from the government has been ordered to bring it back and have his money refunded.
As for the sale of the abandoned narco plane which the PM signed off on, he said that is one stuck behind Crooked Tree and it had costed the BDF $100,000 dollars - so selling it was actually saving the government money.
