Conflict of Interest with Minister of State Chris Coye
There is a report of alleged conflict of interest being made against Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Chris Coye. The information is that Coye and another minister have acquired a license from Phoenix Capital Limited and are operating in the banking sector in Belize in a limited capacity. The banking license was discovered under the previous Central Bank Governor Gustavo Manuel Vasquez and has raised eyebrows. Today, P.M. Briceño said that the company was operating under the previous administration and that as the substantive Minister of Finance; he sees no conflict of interest.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“The facts are that they have a company that was operating under the U.D.P. government. The U.D.P. government approved those licenses and when the former governor Manuel Vasquez found out about it, because apparently it was not… To try to explain it as best as I possibly can, when he found it in a different file where it did not belong – in some filing cabinet – and so then he started to ask about it. And then he was told and he found out that there was nothing wrong and it was straight forward. There is absolutely nothing wrong and it ended as that. And so the former governor that has nothing to do with him stepping down as the governor of Central Bank.”
Reporter
“So but do they have the license for the Phoenix Capital Limited?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“I don’t remember what’s the name, but they do have a sort of limited financial license – whether it is a bank, I don’t know. I don’t want you to quote me, but they had this from in the U.D.P. days. So if there was a conflict, maybe you should have talked to Dean Barrow back then.”
Reporter
“But Chris Coye is the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance now; he wasn’t back then.”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“He is the Minister of State, I am the minister and I am responsible. So at the end of the day, if there is something wrong, you hold me responsible – not Chris Coye.”
