New details revealed about oil concession to Paradise Energy Limited
The latest contract to surface for oil exploration in Belize was given to Kimano Barrow, the nephew of the Prime Minister Dean Barrow along with Alfredo Acosta as owners of the Paradise Energy Limited. The contract came to light recently and triggered uproar because of the huge area involved, which includes the Maya Mountains and the Chiquibul Forest. Today the Vice President of Oceana Belize, Audrey Matura Shepherd, provided News Five with fresh information on the contract. It was signed by the Deputy Prime Minister, Gaspar Vega, and came into existence just after Oceana was established in Belize.
Audrey Matura Shepherd, V.P., Oceana
Audrey Matura Shepherd
“This contract, Paradise contract which is owned by Mister Kimano Barrow and Mister Freddy Acosta is date the twenty-first of June 2010. The oalition to save our natural heritage was established on June eighth 2010. After we established that coalition, twelve days after, this contract was signed. So obviously they didn’t think our voice mattered. All along from then ‘til early this year, we’ve been doing presentations and discussing the different contracts and saying the different areas that have been given out. We’ve heard a lot of shows with different members of government; especially from the petroleum and geology department and not one of them has said you know what, the one information we need to correct for Oceana and the coalition or anyone speaking on the issue is that unlike what they think, the Maya Mountain has been given out since June twenty-first. To me that shows a lot of bad faith. I won’t even go into all the details of the contract; I’m still reading through it.”
It is now reported that soon after the contract to Paradise Energy was exposed, other persons appeared as majority owners; Oren F. Miles I and II, Allen Saum and Erubiel Ku and are believed to be the front men for Barrow and Acosta, which, if true, would not be surprising since the Prime Minister hinted at his last press conference, that other investors could be involved.
Belize needs a basic law to prevent government officials from voting on any contract with friends or family. “You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours” has been the song of all the thieves in government since independence, both parties.
most corrupt gov. and pm in the history of belize quan quan barrow resign resign you are a disgrace to our country and to the belizean people giving away our country to the highest bidder sick gov. and pm.
Money, money, money we see lots of money when we talk oil. Oh how this oil exploration would help to propel my wealth building legacy scheme and sit my family and all my comrades at the top of Belize just like it did for the other administration, why should we have informed Oceana or any other NGO’s after all we are the masters here and we run this country and our main goal is to create wealth not for the country but for us who runs this country and don’t even try to protest this decision least I call out the tugs to shoot up some since they also works for us. Remember, My Legacy B 4 My People.
Oceana seems to pay well. Look at Audrey Matura looking all fly compared to her pre Oceana look. LOL. Everything weh dem lawyers do da fi money da noh fi the common man’s concerns. She might be right bout oil drilling. But hey, she getting paid because I can see the difference in her appearance. she looking fly, shiny, and well fed. I wish I was in her shoes. Why is it that all these lawyers run our country and live well when di lee man with his U.B. bachelors degree di struggle, hustle and suffer just fi mek ends meet?
Ainsley i agree with u we have couple them in my area,drive supper nice autos have or are building Mansions…..THEY get the MINE we get SHAFT”
For over 100 years,the pup and udp mafia have been in power,one gets in,the other gets out,and still belizeans have not learned that this 2 belizean law firms(pup&udp)get in power to get rich,have big foreign bank accounts,they get in power for them,to take care of them,and thier families,and no one else.how can this two law firm movement gets in power,commit crimes,as THEFT,unjustly get rich,make millions of $$$ loans to better belize,but nothing of those million$$ loans makes belize a better place,belize still have farm roads called highways,when thse roads are a hazard,causing daily accidents and deaths of belizeans,how about that?
Ainsley, thank you for the nice comments because I was worried that my pull back hair would have shown I having a bad hair-day and was also worried that I not lookign fly – but your comments uplifted my spirits thanks very much. Whiel I am an attorney I prefer to use my legal skills for public and civil service.
I however invite you to come visit my office so we can talk about the issue and have your most valuable input into this debate instead of getting personal. I am sure you are not like the politicians who want to throw out the red-herrings to keep us fool and ignorant. Also if you have anything to prove our facts are wrong please bring it to the table so we stay on track with the true debate. God Bless you my brother and all who commented above, as we work together to make Belize a better place.