Senate Hearing Postponed Abruptly

Mike Peyrefitte

Former Minister of Economic Development Erwin Contreras and former Deputy Prime Minister Hugo Patt were summoned to appear before the Senate Special Select Committee today where they would face questions in respect of a dubious Definitive Agreement that was signed in October 2020.  The agreement was signed by Contreras in his previous capacity as a Cabinet minister and lands were acquired by Portico for the development of the Port of Magical Belize in the days leading up to the November 2020 general elections.  While they were expected to show up to Belmopan earlier today, the third public hearing was postponed at the last minute when the panel was unable to make quorum.  Earlier today, we asked Senator Peyrefitte, who is not a member of the panel, for his thoughts on the adjournment.

Mike Peyrefitte, Opposition Senator

“They were so gung-ho about it and they seemed so aggressive in summoning Erwin Contreras and Hugo Patt and they seem very nonchalant in wanting to hear from the prime minister himself, who was the one who took the document, the Definitive Agreement, as well as proposed legislative draftings to the Cabinet to be passed.  So they were excited to have these people there, these people showed up today and they balked.  What prevented them from proceeding with the hearing today and putting it to, I think February fourteenth is anybody’s guess.  That is a matter for them.  I’m not privy to that information but I think it would have been good for the public to have heard what these two gentlemen have to say, or at least their responses to the questions that they were going to ask them.”