Former AG Responds to Allegation Made Regarding Definitive Agreement

Former Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte has responded to a claim that the erstwhile Minister of Economic Development Erwin Contreras has made through his attorney, in respect of Portico’s Definitive Agreement.  In legal papers filed on his behalf, Contreras, who signed the controversial document alleges the past attorney general along with the Government of Belize were in negotiations with the principals of Port of Magical Belize.  This morning, Mike Peyrefitte commented on the claim.

Mike Peyrefitte

Mike Peyrefitte, Chairman, U.D.P.

“He said he was aware that there were some negotiations going on between the government, myself and Portico concerning this definitive agreement.  Well maybe that‘s what he feels he had to say, or maybe somebody told him to say that, but I can tell you, that is categorically not true.  He could not have known about any negotiation between the government, myself and Portico because there were no negotiations happening.  I repeat, I got a call with a request that there was a definitive agreement out there that Portico wanted me to sign.  I said, “Absolutely not, I‘m not signing any definitive agreement because we are not there yet.  Cabinet hasn‘t even considered that yet and I can only sign after Cabinet instructs me to do so.”  I also said, do not send any document to me, do not send anything to me.  Send it to the then chairperson of the investment committee which Portico obviously did, and that was the one that the prime minister read in the National Assembly and tried to pretend like it was sent to me when in fact it was sent to the honorable Tracy Panton which was not saying that the Honorable Panton did anything wrong.  When you are in government, a lot of things get sent to you.  I repeat this position, I was aware that there was a definitive agreement going around because they wanted me to sign one.  I said, I will not sign that.  I did not become aware that it was signed and signed by one of our ministers at the time until earlier in this year when everybody found that out.  I was the one who wrote to the prime minister in the first place to say, “Prime Minister, I am being informed that there is a signed definitive agreement going around and I want to see it.”