U.D.P. Chairman Writes to PM Under Freedom of Information Act

On Friday, Prime Minister John Briceño told reporters that there is no reason for him to be called before the Senate Special Select Committee that will be looking into the Portico Definitive Agreement. PM Briceño went on to say that if the committee requires any information, Cabinet Secretary Stuart Leslie would be able to provide it. In an interview with Michael Peyrefitte, the Chairman of the United Democratic Party on Tuesday, he told reporters that he believes the Prime Minister is trying to dodge answering questions from the committee. Peyrefitte also revealed that in July, he wrote to the Prime Minister under the Freedom of Information Act asking him to reveal how much was paid to Ben Juratowitch and Douglas Mendez for their legal opinions on the agreement. Today, Peyrefitte wrote a follow-up letter to the Prime Minister.

Michael Peyrefitte

Michael Peyrefitte, Chairman, United Democratic Party

“Consider that it is a cop out, that is a complete cop out, but this is John Briceño that we are talking about. I wrote him a simple letter under the Freedom of Information Act, simple enough that I even thought he could understand that, asking him to tell me as a senator and task paying member of the community and country, to tell me how much was paid to Ben Juratowitch and Douglas Mendez for their opinions and still to this day, the time prescribed by the law has passed and he has still not answered me, so he believes he doesn’t have to follow the law. He believes genuinely that the rules and regulations do not apply to him and I would say that what he is saying is rubbish, foolishness. If the committee requires your attendance you have to attend or else anybody who does not want to attend and is required to attend can take that position and then what, you will have no hearing? The terms of reference for the committee are very simple, essentially what led to the signing of the document and to it being taken to Cabinet for approval, the Prime Minister was the one who sponsored that Cabinet paper.”