Barrow: Even Current G.O.B. Must Explain Portico Agreement

The Senate Select Committee will begin its inquiry into the Portico Definitive Agreement on Tuesday, December fifth. The committee is expected to call a number of former and current government ministers as it tries to unearth the details of the agreement and who were involved. Today, the Leader of the Opposition, Shyne Barrow said that the U.D.P. has been steadfast in its position on that matter in condemning it.

Moses Shyne Barrow

Moses Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“There has not been any division in the party when it comes to that matter. And we’ve been all consistent with our condemnation of that corrupt Portico Agreement, which all colleagues maintain was done in the dark of the night by a rogue former minister. So I do not anticipate that anything contrary to my colleagues’ position, that they had no idea as to what the former minister was doing, I don’t anticipate anything contrary being unearthed. So I welcome them being called and I also anticipate that the Prime Minister of this country, as the Minister of Finance, and his Minister of State, Chris Coye will also be called because these are just the first group of witnesses, and obviously we have to start, but where it ended was in the Cabinet and it was not presented by a server.  It was presented by the Ministry of Finance and the prime minister has said that he is responsible for the Ministry of Finance. I have him on record saying that on audio video record saying that Chris Coye, Brother, Espat, senior Espat, Mike, they work for him. He’s the boss, and so he needs to hold by that. And so the same way former ministers, current members of the House have to comply and respect the authority of the Senate, the Prime Minister, Minister Coye and whoever else from the government side needs to explain to the Senate body that is doing this investigation how they arrived at presenting that paper, – that paper was presented with attached legislation to go to the next sitting of the House. So how did we get there? The prime minister needs to explain that.”