Last night we told you how the ill-fated Commission of Inquiry Into the Sale of Government Assets had another defeat in the Supreme Court.
Former Minister Godwin Hulse, like his past colleagues Dean Barrow and Hugo Patt successfully sued the commission for not allowing him to answer the cavalier allegations made against him in the report.
The High Court awarded him 105,000 dollar sin damages. That's in addition to the combined 320 thousand dollars already awarded to Barrow and Patt.
We asked the Prime Minister today about this costly misadventure:
Jules Vasquez
"The bill is over half a million dollars. Was this all a political misadventure plotted by your government?"
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Absolutely not. I think what has happened and this is what you need to remind people that these formers minister were not fighting to say that we were innocent. They were saying you did not give me a chance to come in front of the commission. It was a procedural error and I am disappointed that that procedural error was done, because now it is costing us. If they people were given and allowed the opportunity to be able to come, there would be no reason why they would be able to challenge that report."
Jules Vasquez
"However, if it ends up costing the tax payers half a million dollars, was this a reckless decision?"
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"No, it was not a reckless decision."
Jules Vasquez
"What value was gained from it?"
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Hold on, its important for me to point this out, Jules. What is important on this matter, Of course I dislike very much in paying these former ministers, but you can look at it as an investment in the future. I am not dismissing the payments please. I don't want you to go on your news to say that I am dismissing it. Of course, it pains. You know what we could do with that kind of money? we could use it for more pantry, put more kids to school, build a few more houses. But what this has done now is that future governments starting with us need to realize that if you do these things, a next government is going to take you to court. So at the very least you could look at it being optimistic or positive that in the future that these acts will not continue."
