PM Talks Cruise Development and Senate Inquiry

Prime Minister John Briceño

While on the Morning Show today, we also asked PM Briceño about the present investment climate in respect of cruise tourism development.  Prior to answering that question, he segued briefly to discuss the upcoming senate inquiry into the Portico Definitive Agreement, taking aim squarely at NGO Senator Janelle Chanona.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I’m disappointed with the NGO senator’s when they say they want to also investigate government.  That’s the problem when you try to be, “Oh, you are so neutral.”  You ended up looking foolish, and I say that as respectfully as I can, especially with Ms. Chanona who is the person, well we know who wrote it.  I wish she would be brave enough to say who wrote it.  We know who wrote that, it was written for her.  But Ms. Chanona knows very well that we haven’t done anything.  We did not pass the law.  If we brought it to Cabinet, so what?  To discuss, yes, we bring everything to Cabinet and the Cabinet said no, we can’t support this.  So, there’s nothing more I could say.  What we’ve done is saying that this agreement, the Portico [Definitive Agreement], the way it has been structured cannot work.  But here we have a huge, two multinationals, Royal Caribbean and Boskalis, reputable companies [and] they are saying they want to invest in this company.  Royal Caribbean has said it openly, they have looked at the three projects and of the three projects they are saying that this is the one that they believe that they could invest.  It’s not the Government of Belize saying that.  All along, we’ve said that we will let the private sector decide which one can work.”