And that 12-hour House Meeting ended after Queen Square Area Rep. rose to criticize the Minister of Sustainable Development. He first highlighted the allegations of bribery against Deputy Chief Forest Officer John Pinelo, then he pivoted to the 30-year logging license that the Ministry granted Orlando Habet's son. Here's how that went:
Godwin Haylock, Area Rep., Queen Square
"Deputy Forest Chief Mr. Pinelo gave an interview in which he defended himself and it's the most obscene defense I've ever had to listen to. As an attorney I would advise him for free, and I can't believe nobody advised him for free, keep your mouth shut because it makes you sound fool on TV."
"Then the bank transfer, remember it's to his personal account, so I'll give you his defense. According to John Pinelo, that was payment for computers for his business PC.com. This is a joke, seriously, if we want to get serious about corruption, this is an absolute joke. You have a business account, you pay to the business account, in fact you go to try to deposit a business check into a personal account, the bank blocks you, immediately tells you why, and we still have to listen to this today, imagine."
"I listen to the minister himself glorify the deputy forest chief in a moment when he's really in the most corruptible position a public officer can be place in. You can't get any worst than that in an allegation and you're glorifying him for all he has done in the past? It's almost like you're blind."
"The matter becomes even more concerning when viewed alongside another issue that again is widely reported by Jules Vasquez. Info reaching the opposition is that the Minister's son, Art Polido, is also a shareholder of this company Arch Timbers that received a 30 years logging license through the Forestry Department in a reserve. Now you have ministers giving contracts to brothers, you have ministers giving contracts to son, is that the policy of this government?"
And just before the close-almost at midnight-Habet defended the logging license. But more than that, he confirmed that logging license recipient Arturo Pulido is his son and, despite the accusations of favored contracts, he still loves his boy:
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development
"When you make an accusation you need to get educated, learn. Look at this, three sheets of paper that speaks about the process for Forest Licenses for sustained yield long term forest license. It says long term forest licenses for sustained working of timber. This applied to forests in forests reserves, reserves are for logging licenses. Now if you go into a national park that's something else, if you go into a nature reserve that's something else. This is problem with you and this is why the prime minister have to discipline you every minute because you don't give people time to talk."
Lee Mark Chang
"You want to talk while people are talking."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Speaker, on a point of order, when the other side is talking, we're listening to them. The honorable member from Albert is one of the worst offenders, when she is talking we listen to her."
Speaker of the House:
"Member from Albert. Standing orders. Please let's stick to it."
Hon. Orlando Habet:
"The next concern they had was and 30 years. Well let me read this. It says the duration of a long term forest license extends from 20 to 40 years and the types of forest licenses and permits issued under this category include long term forest licenses and long term private forest permits."
"So yes, Arturo Pulido is my son and what you and Jules were trying to do, you wanted to push me to say that he is not my son, you want me to deny him as a son because he has a difference last name. But you know what? Arturo Pulido is my son and I am proud of him and I love him."
