Board member resigns in solidarity w/ Smiling

On Wednesday night’s newscast, Corozal Free Zone businessman Winston Smiling publicized his strong objections to his being denied the use of proxy forms during elections of private sector representatives to the zone’s board. Today, Smiling’s running mates, Gulab Sharma and Carlos Parra, who were elected to the board, have tendered their resignations as a show of solidarity. The trio are maintaining that the break from tradition is sufficient reason for new elections.

Gulab Sharma, C.F.Z. Businessman
?Some of the business investors who live in Chetumal, Mexico they don?t usually open on Monday. And most of the proxies given to us, thirty to forty, they did not open their business and were not aware that the proxies were not accepted. In a sense, they knew that the proxies will be used, that?s why they didn?t show up and we couldn?t get hold of them because they live in Chetumal, across the border. We are not fighting back and forth. We need the right people should be in there and the Vice Chairman should be one of the board of directors, from our side.?

Janelle Chanona, Reporting
?What do you want to tell the people from the zone??

Gulab Sharma
?People from the zone, that they should keep their eyes open. One of our directors should be the vice chairman, not the one the Minister picks.?

Winston Smiling, C.F.Z. Businessman
?I am hopeful that the Prime Minister in his wisdom will do the right thing. Will call Minister Espat and calm him down. And in some how or the other, let him realize that what he did was wrong. I hate to go back to this, Minister Espat?s interference with the elections on Monday was to satisfy his friend Sunil. After this fight is over, which I believe I?ll win, I?m not interested to go on the board. I?m just simply standing up for fair play. Minister speaks of not allowing proxy is fair play that is the opposite.?

Smiling maintains that if he is not satisfied by a response from the Government, he will take his concerns to the Supreme Court. In response to the allegations against him, Minister responsible for Free Zones Mark Espat has maintained that the elections were conducted according to the law. This afternoon Espat informed us that as soon as C.F.Z. Board Chair Florencio Marin returns to the country, a board meeting will be called and a new date will be set for the election of two new representatives. However, in late breaking news we have received a faxed copy of a letter from Carlos Parra asserting that he is in fact not resigning from the board.