Cabinet discussions today in Belmopan put the spotlight squarely on the fallout from the Oscar Mira controversy and how government plans to manage the shake-up. Prime Minister John Briceño confirmed that while Mira is on administrative leave, Minister Julius Espat will step in at the Ministry of Home Affairs, with Minister Henry Charles Usher temporarily overseeing Enterprise. But the reshuffling isn’t the only issue drawing attention. Questions are still swirling about payments for grocery bags made from the Office of the Prime Minister to MP Farms. When pressed on that, the Prime Minister insisted that all proper procedures were followed, dismissing the concerns as an attempt to “grab at straws.”
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“Obviously it is something very concerning and we felt that it was the best decision that Minister Mira has to be excused from Cabinet and that we ask Minister Espat to take over Home Affairs and Minister Usher to take over the Freezones.”
Paul Lopez
“To what degree are you all on the same page on this matter, at least where Cabinet members are concerned?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“Well there were no arguments in Cabinet over it. We were saddened by what has happened but our work comes first and we have to look after the interest of the government and the people of Belize.”
Reporter
“What expectations do you have of Minister Espat in the ministry?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“I expect him to continue the work that Minister Mira started. I think Minister Mira was doing a very good job in the Ministry of Home Affairs.”
Paul Lopez
“PM you or your office are now in the spotlight, because the invoices reflect payment from your office to MP Farms, over one hundred and thirty thousand dollars, over eleven invoices. How do you explain that?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“What is there to explain? You all are grasping at straws. I have no idea. The people at finance or people in my office do that. There was nothing illegal done there. And we followed the process, end of story.”
Briceño Grilled Over RECONDEV Board Reset, Procurement Decisions
Prime Minister John Briceño is now facing scrutiny over his move to reconfigure the RECONDEV Board, currently chaired by Brian Mira, leaving Belmopan residents wondering when a new board will be installed. At the same time, attention is turning to thousands of dollars in payments made from the Office of the Prime Minister to MP Farms for grocery bags. Why were those purchases made in such large quantities and was it the best use of public funds? We put those questions directly to the Prime Minister.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“In the next few days. Certainly by early next week we will be able to put a new board.”
Reporter
“What does it mean to you that when the dealings with your ministry all payments were above ten thousand dollars, however with the Ministry of Defense we saw over a thousand payments below ten thousand dollars?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“A thousand payments? A thousand transactions? Certainly we do our best to follow the process and certainly when we saw these continues payments under ten thousand it raises questions and it raises and alarm and that is why I called the Fin Sec to send the Auditor General to take a look at what is going on?”
Paul Lopez
“What is the need in your office for grocery bags PM?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“I think you need to ask the Cabinet Secretary. He is the one that looks after payments. But I am sure he will be able to answer that.”
Reporter
“Do you think that Minister Mira is still politically viable in Belmopan?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“I have every confidence that he is. He has been a good minister, a competent minister. So, I do believe that politically he will still be able to connect with the people of Belmopan.”
Reporter
“If the Ministry of Defense is being audited why did Mira as Minister of Home Affairs need to take a leave?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“Well because he felt that he being in Cabinet it might just give the wrong impression. So he felt it was best to just pull his way out of Cabinet. So, for this work to be done.”
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