Earlier in the news, you heard Sports Minister Rodwell Ferguson's views on the visit of the FIFA President to Belize.
That press encounter allowed us to ask him about the allegations - without any physical evidence - that he engaged in corruption.
As we told you, someone has compiled report called "A Sequence of Events" and it makes a case that Minister Ferguson has made compromising agreements with a bus operator in Guatemala. Although the document signals some sort of insider knowledge, no actual proof has been provided to justify the claim that Ferguson is compromised.
A few days ago, he denied an on-camera comment to our news team, but today, when we brought the topic up once again, he made a very stout defense of his reputation. Here are those comments:
Rodwell Ferguson - Minister of Transport
"Initially, I said, you know, that I won't make any comment on the press because, on my own personal Facebook page, I explained to the nation why I went to Guatemala. As a matter of fact, three months ago, the Minister of Tourism from Mexico came to Belize, and they wanted to resume the ADO run. And as the Minister of Transport, I told them, unless you allow Belizeans to go into some of Mexico, then you can come into Belize. And I told them that the only person who can change my decision is the Cabinet of this country. And about a month ago, the owner of Fuente Del Norte came to see me. I never knew him before. I know him as a businessman who said that he is the owner of Fuente Del Norte, and I told him the same thing. I said, sir, if you want to resume your run back into Belize, it must be reciprocal. While you can come, we can go. He said the only way that can be done is for him to arrange a meeting for me to meet the officials in Guatemala. I told him I had no issue because if I go there, it will be a direct connection, debate, and make sure that I negotiate for the country of Belize. Those who want to make mischief that is politics. I left Belize the Wednesday at 6 p.m. by bus, a 12-hour ride to Guatemala City. I spent maybe less than 74 hours in Guatemala for one or two meetings. I returned the Friday evening, and I reached Belize at 6 o'clock Saturday morning; no time for any party, no time for anything. I went there to negotiate for the country of Belize, and I came back, and I told Fuente Del Norte, you cannot come into this country unless we can go into your country. That is my final determination unless Cabinet decides otherwise."
Daniel Ortiz
"So, those people in the public who try to suggest that you took some inducement, is there any truth to that, sir?"
Rodwell Ferguson
"There is absolutely no truth, and everybody who went with me, I had never been in any private meeting with the owners and managers of that company. When I go to a meeting with them, there was my Chief Executive Officer and my Chief Transport Officer. So, I have nothing to worry about. I have a clear conscience, and they can say whatever they want if they want to play politics."
