Was Prime Minister Giving ex-Deputy the Easy Way Out?

Dean Barrow

So, did PM Barrow smell a whiff of corruption in the Ministry of Natural Resources prior to the November fourth general election and waited until afterwards to reshuffle his Cabinet?

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“After the last election, after reflection, consideration and consultation, I appointed the Cabinet in a way that I thought would give the best fit for a successful administration.”

Reporter

“Sir, there has clearly been communication that you have spoken of between yourself and Mr. Vega.  I know how the political party, it is a family.  A political party is like a family, perhaps a very dysfunctional family, but allow me that, a family nonetheless.  Has there been talk that as a part of the easy [way] out, Mr. Vega will resign and that Mr. Andre Vega will kindly repay the money without the government having to go through the, what internally would be unsavory, externally would be eminently satisfying, but what would be internally unsavory of the government having to take Mr. Vega’s son at least to court and perhaps involving Mr. Vega in some way, in some, what the P.U.P. has suggested could be an act of misfeasance?”

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“I don’t know how any circumstance which has seen Honorable Vega put an end to his career as a minister in circumstances where he and his family have been under tremendous assault and pressure.  I don’t know how that can be described as an easy way out.  Certainly, in terms of the compensation, in the course of my communications with Gaspar I did indicate from the start that government would be seeking to recover the compensation paid.”