Gaspar Vega’s Resignation Does Not Exempt Him from Investigation, Says Faber

Gaspar Vega

Once the second most powerful man in the country for two consecutive terms, the fall from grace for Orange Walk North Area Representative Gaspar Vega has been steep and sudden.  That downward spiral began when he was stripped of the Ministry of Natural Resources where it was long suspected that there were shady land transactions taking place at the Lands Department under his watch.  The coup de grace, however, is the recent revelation that Vega’s son, along with attorney Sharon Pitts, benefited from handsome compensations paid out by government for properties that were acquired through questionable means.  Amid an investigation into his role in authorizing the hefty payouts, Vega tendered his resignation from Cabinet on Monday.  Many believe that he demitted office on his own terms and that more could have been done punitively to address the matter.  Today, that question was posed to Vega’s successor, Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber.  Here’s what he said about the PM’s decision.

Patrick Faber, Deputy Prime Minister

“We maintain that what makes the United Democratic Party different from any other political party is what we do when that corruption is proven and the facts are given and that is what sets us apart.  It’s not that corruption is not happening, it is what is done and if you check the record of the prime minister, the Right Honorable Prime Minister, you will see that every time he is confronted with these situations and is given the kinds of evidence and facts that he is able to do something he tries to be fair to all parties concerned but he acts.  You might not be satisfied with the extent to which he acts, you might say that there is a lot to be desired in what he could do but you cannot deny that he has acted. It was Mr. Vega’s choice to say I believe that while this matter is under investigation and that for that matter I choose to exclude myself from the Cabinet, please I don’t wish any longer to serve.  But that did not in any way, I repeat, exempt him from whatever the investigation can bring later.”

Isani Cayetano

“But that, Sir, can be argued or construed that Mr. Vega stepped down on his own terms, as opposed to direct measures taken by the maximum leader of the country who is also the head of the party that you represent.”

Patrick Faber

Patrick Faber

“Let’s look at that for a minute.  If it is that Mr. Vega would have been fired, the prime minister…  What’s entailed in the firing of a minister?  The Prime Minister says to you, I no longer wish for you to serve in my Cabinet, go home.  It does not affect your benefit, your salary, your, you know, it does not.  Whether you resign or you are fired, I don’t like to use the word fired, the Prime Minister indicates to you, I no longer wish to have you serve in my Cabinet, and I think that is the point that the prime minister was trying to make, what difference does it make?”

Reporter

“But Sir, there is this belief that more should have happened, a criminal investigation should have been triggered to handle the entire weight of what is suspected to have happened.”

Patrick Faber

“And Daniel, that is the point that I am trying to make.  Nobody is saying that that is not going to happen.  Nobody said this case is exempted from any further investigation.  In fact, the contrary is being said, the minister, the Attorney General is now saying this investigation will continue and I will tell you that I have a lot of confidence in the AG that she will get to the bottom of not only that case but all the cases that look a bit shady in the Ministry of Natural Resources.”