Earlier in the news, you saw UDP Chairman Michael Peyrefitte discussing how difficult things could become for the party if Leader Patrick Faber was the subject of yet another criminal complaint of domestic abuse.
The opportunity to discuss that topic came during our interview with him about the Finance Ministry's latest response to his request for disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. As we told you, he is persisting on his to get the full payment details on the Blue Bond. He wants to know what did the government do with the 15 million dollars that were supposed to be paid as part of the settlement and buy-back of the Superbond.
On Tuesday, Financial Secretary Joseph Waight wrote to him providing a list of all the companies which the Government paid for their expert professional services.
But, the Fin. Sec. does not give any actual dollar figures for those payments. He goes on to say quote, "Disclosing those fees charged and paid to individual firms will weaken our negotiating stance I am.. of the view that further disclosure you seek is therefore not in the public interest." End quote.
And about the 15 million dollars in question, the Fin Sec says, quote, "I hereby certify that the $15 million will NOT be allocated or De-Reserved by the Ministry of Finance since it is no longer needed." End quote.
Today, Peyrfitte told us that in his opinion the Prime Minister keeps on avoiding the question he is asking:
Hon. Michael Peyrefitte - UDP Senator
"The people who you listed as getting paid, how much did each of them get paid? Did you see him answer in the letter? He just said to me? No, he did not answer that. He, point-blank, told me that he's not going to answer it. He told me he's not going to answer it because, well, those â š¬Ã‹Å“White Man' who live abroad, you can't really question them, you know. So, we can't tell you what is made, or who made what or whatever, no. That is utter foolishness. I asked that question. As a member of the public, as a member of the Senate, to the Minister of Finance. How much money was paid to each of these people? The Minister of Finance refuses to answer me that very, very simple, straightforward question, talking about the firms wouldn't want you to reveal how much they got paid for some competitiveness or some foolishness like that. Come on, man or it's also in the public interest that is absolute nonsense. The Prime Minister refuses to answer me as to how much these people got paid. I noticed in there, they've answered one part of the question. The 15 million, according to them, has never been spent, was not spent. And supposedly, now, that remains in the government and the people's coffers. So then, we would like to know now, my follow up question, which I will come with, because they may play for Dodgers, but I play the Braves, I won't give up the Freedom of Information Act, allows me to ask not just how much Daniel Ortiz was paid, but I want to see the paperwork. I want to see the wire transfer, the check however, you paid it because it allows me to ask for proof of what you're saying. They can come out and say, Well, we paid Citibank only five hundred, but we want to see the documentation the people need to know, and it is no excuse that that information was never provided for So now, you don't see any need to provide it. Maybe nobody had asked about it before. When were you wanting to tell the people of this country that you reserved $15 million for a Super Bond issue and you were not going to use it again When were you going to tell the people that you were not going to spend that money for which you went to the House, to get approved. And then now, you will turn around, now the people have a right to know, well if are not going to use the $50 million for the bond, what are you going to use the $15 million for now? I think that needs to go back to the National Assembly for them to explain and how fast the reasons why they want to have that money spent on what and to whom."
