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Yesterday at the Senate Special Select Committee hearings, Portico Developer David Gegg dropped a bombshell. He said that in late 2020 some functionary of the former Barrow administration had asked him for a 7 figure campaign donation and in exchange his project would get full environmental approval.
Though he didn't say any name - the finger could point to former UDP Minister of the environment Omar Figueroa. We spoke to the former minister about it via Zoom today:
David Gegg, Portico Developer
"Probably around the middle of September, Ir received a message, and I interpreted that message as saying to me that the concluding of our environmental clearance, approved at the meeting of August 28th would not happen in the absence of a campaign contribution."
Bevinton Cal, PUP Senator
"By whom?"
David Gegg, Portico Developer
"I can't say."
Bevinton Cal, PUP Senator
"What was the amount asked for?"
David Gegg, Portico Developer
"Seven figures."
Bevinton Cal, PUP Senator
"If you had paid the 7 figures, do you think you would have gotten the environmental clearance before the general election?"
David Gegg, Portico Developer
"Well, I understood it to be a quid pro quo."
Omar Figueroa, Former Minister Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment, and Sustainable Development.
"I think it it's unfortunate, Jules, that a witness would allow to make that kind of statement in the Senate and not be pressed to really see who it was that made those those requests of him."
"So I think it is reckless and it is irresponsible to just make a statement like that without giving it some clarity and seeing exactly who it was."
Jules Vasquez:
"You were the minister responsible for the Department of Environment. At that time, were you aware of any such proposal being made?"
Omar Figueroa, Former Minister Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment, and Sustainable Development.
"None whatsoever, Jules, I. I think I only met David Gegg once, and it was probably back in 2017 and my recollection is that he visited my office to to essentially pitch a project that he had, a concept more or less."
"Since that meeting, I believe, which was in 2017. I have not had any communication with Mr. Gegg either directly or indirectly, by phone, by text, by email or whatever. No kind of communication whatsoever, Jules."
