Dean Barrow was back in the House of Representatives today - but the man who was once called the "Father of the House" wasn't there to relive his 36 years of oratorical dominance - he was there as an attorney to block the Senate Special Select Committee from probing his clients, former UDP Deputy PM Hugo Patt and former Lands Commissioner Wilber Vallejos, about things outside what he said is the Committee's purview.
It was an entire afternoon of back and forthing on this issue - but, basically, the argument that Barrow put forth is that the Committee is empowered to ask about matters related to Portico. But, today they brought Hugo Patt as the former Minister of Natural Resources to ask him about the transfer of 17 parcels of land that he signed off on in the last days of the UDP in 2020.
On the strict advice of his attorney, Patt said he could not answer anything that wasn't about Portico:
Hugo Patt, Former Minister of Natural Resources
"From the line of questioning, Madam Speaker, as it pertains to the Ministry of Natural Resources, it was not part of that terms of reference. And so as much as I would be willing to answer and willing to help, I will relay my questions and my answers specifically to the terms of reference."
"And so in the absence of any line ministry that has to do with the Ministry of Natural Resources, personally I don't know anything about Portico and so I am here to answer anything about the definitive agreement which I myself don't know about."
"And so in that context, Madam Speaker, as much as I can tell you is that I would be willing to answer anything that is related to the terms of reference."
