Press office gaffes, only Barrow will see U.H.S. deal

On Thursday night’s newscast, we reported that the Press Office had informed us that the Cabinet had authorised any member of the National Assembly, upon request, to view the privileged document that is the Government guarantee to Universal Health Services debts. But tonight it appears someone in Belmopan got their wires crossed. This afternoon legal point man in the Ministry of Finance, Gian Ghandi, confirmed that in fact the Prime Minister has only granted one man permission to see the document: Leader of the Opposition Dean Barrow. Barrow had an appointment to meet at Ghandi’s Belmopan office in this afternoon. In speaking with News Five prior to that visit, the party leader expressed his eagerness to read document, but complained of the constraints attached to it. According to Barrow, he was warned in advance that while notes are permitted, anything extensive would be interpreted as an attempt to copy the contents. The United Democratic Party has planned a press conference for Monday afternoon to give their official reaction to the guarantee. Previously, requests to see the four page loan document were denied on the basis of the confidentiality between a creditor and borrower; in this case, the Belize Bank and U.H.S. principals Victor Lizarraga and Luke Espat. Besides members of Cabinet, the only other person that saw the guarantee before today is Ombudsman Paul Rodriguez.