Easy Glenn busted using Minister Michael Finnegan’s name to scam businesses
Michael Finnegan
Easy Glenn; he’s a well known U.D.P. supporter but tonight a government minister is calling him out as an “old thief.” According to Minister of Housing, Michael Finnegan, Easy Glenn has used his name to con various businesses. Finnegan says he found out weeks ago that Goldburn Adolphus has been impersonating him in telephone calls soliciting money from various businesses and government ministries. An incensed Finnegan told News Five that while Easy Glenn was not successful with the Ministry of Works, he did manage to trick Belize Waste Control.
Michael Finnegan, Minister of Housing
“This thing started four weeks ago you know when I was first told about it by the Minister of Works and his C.E.O. in the Ministry of Works. Both called me and said Minister, the favor that you called for this morning in connection with those boys in your area; we have looked after it and they are right here with us now and we are going to deliver on this now. So I seh, ask which favor? Ih seh but di gentleman is right here with me and this was Goldburn Adolphus, better known as Easy Glenn and one James Sawso. Well, I told them deliver nothing to them and give them nothing because I did not request any favor. And I reported the matter to the commissioner of police. But somehow, the commissioner of police failed to pick up these guys when I was promised by him that he would look after it. But in fairness to the commissioner of police, he went out the country the same day so the person that he gave the orders to in Belize City to look after it because he was going out the country apparently failed the commissioner and failed myself, the police as usual. Then I got another call from the gentleman at Waste Control, Mr. Griffith. And he called and said to me that the gentlemen are here to pick up what you had asked for. I said me asked for? He said you noh call me this morning and asked for monetary request? I said, no Mr. Griffith and Mr. Griffith—I tried to convince Mr. Griffith that it was not me. He said the gentlemen just left from here and he gave them ex-amount of dollars, some two thousand and odd dollars.”
Since then, Finnegan says he continued to hear reports about the scam, but he didn’t follow up. That is until he struck again today. This afternoon Easy Glenn targeted the business Special Effects in Belmopan. It was the same M.O. and the owner, called Finnegan explaining that James Swaso was there to pick up money he had requested. They conspired to get Adolphus and Swaso into the hands of the cops but, the duo still managed to pull a fast one and were able to evade the police.
Michael Finnegan
“I seh I wonder if you could hold dehn til I get di police fi come een. Hamid seh I wah hold dehn. So Hamid hold James Swaso and the other guy—I don’t know who is he but the police teck so goddamn long fi answer di phone and teck so long to teck yoh call when yoh call dehn, Swaso and di guy escape. When they escaped, I called back to Hamid because Hamid gave me his number when he called me. I seh well, we wa play detective pan dehn. I call back Hamid and Hamid saw where they went and he trailed them to the market in the market. And the police, by the time they got to the market, it was too late. But Hamid saw them got in a red taxi and Hamid follow them all the way. So I have the police Hamid number to call Hamid while he was following them if yoh want details. Di police got Hamid and the police followed and again their attempt was abortive my friend. So Hamid trailed them on the road and tell di police to follow him on the road and Hamid follow them as far as Cotton Tree and Turned back because he know that the police have everything set up for them to have the police at mile thirty-one to stop them and hold them and take them to the police station. But apparently they got out the car before they got to mile thirty-one because dehn smart enough. Dehn dah old criminal; Easy Glen is an old thief so ih know di police apparently was following.”
While he knows that Easy Glenn received over two thousand dollars from Belize Waste Control, Finnegan says there may be other businesses who gave Adolphus and Swaso money without contacting him. Police are still on their trail.
Is that what is call now? Favor?.God whats going on with the police!!!
This sounds like an old trick all these ministers are in on the con all a dis gov tha lone thief from the pm down when will the belizeans get tired of being robbed by this thieving gov. They are stealing in front of your faces now belizeans and daring you to do anything about it worse pm and gov. In the history of this country every aspect of this gov. Is corrupt and di thief.
“He went out the country the same day so the person that he gave the orders to in Belize City to look after it because he was going out the country apparently failed the commissioner and failed myself, the police as usual”. “I don’t know who is he but the police teck so goddamn long fi answer di phone and teck so long to teck yoh call when yoh call dehn, Swaso and di guy escape”. So Finnegan by his own admission is stating that the police infact are incompetent and unable to carry out their duties. This is a fact that we have all come to terms with by now but the government still insults our intelligence in trying to convince otherwise. I really am not sure how this makes me feel, should I feel a sense of vindication knowing that Finnegan through his own admission proved me (and all Belizeans for that matter) right when we say the police are incapable of doing their jobs or should I feel angry knowing that I pay taxes so a bunch of kindergarten drop outs can ride around in my tax paid for vehicle and bust my hard working skull because they feel like it and know they can get away with it. “An old thief”, most hypocritical statement to ever grace public media, even police can call this a case of “the pot calling the kettle black”. I noticed at one point in the interview that his phone rang and he took it out of his shirt pocket silenced it and put it back; it was probably Dean calling him to say shut the @#$% up! Or maybe it was John to say don’t let the genie out of the bottle; don’t let the people know that my police force are dumb and incompetent. If so, I have bad news for you John… we dumb subjugated folks have already figured that out. I have bad news for the government as well, this may come as a shocker to you but some of your subjects are capable of free though and we are not all obedient lap dogs. I was going to make comments about the other stories on this news cast about police brutality but this one story (from the a$$e$$ mouth) only serves to both confirm and explain why these criminals in uniform do and get away with the crimes they commit. All these business owners that pay for political protection (especially the last one mentioned as he has all the contracts from the police minister himself) should be ashamed of themselves for contributing to our subjugation.
This story illustrates the major social problems inna Belize right now. This is the root of the problems we face.
People – beware.
The problem is too much people like handouts and it is making the rest of us hard working Belizeans look bad!
This is a shame and disgrace on the part of Easy Glenn and this other fella…
Finnegan said it right – they want money but they don’t want to work…
If you have the time to think up and elaborate plan like that and execute it you must have the capacity to hold down a ligitimate job!
It’s a corrupt practice for ministers to agree to hand out cash “favors.” Taxpayer money must be budgeted and accounted for, not handled like the personal ATM of every thieving government minister.
Easy Glen and Swaso may be petty crooks who knew about the corruption and tried to take advantage of it, but I hope somebody — press or police — will investigate the corrupt practice itself, and try to figure out how many millions in public money get handed out in such favors. How about it, Mr. Barrow?
Ha ha ..so funny- HUSTLER GETTING HUSTLED???
HA HA – made my day..
This story is the best, most revealing and greatest piece of satire in a long time. Good job News 5, now while I try to laugh and cry at the same time let me make a few points:
1. I want to print a T shirt called GO GLENN GO, I hope that the local musician realized how crucial this point is in our culture …if it was in Trinidad it would be immortalized in a calypso. I caant stop laugh.
2. OOPS did Fingan really said: OLD THIEF?….i wonder which one he referring to.
3. More proof that the Police is incompetent, and a waste of time.
4. EASY GLENN is the new ROBBING HOOD.
one more: I guess we need to have the commissioner’s number to get help; Why cant he just call the police like we do. People are not fools anymore they are learning from the politician. Times haad out here.
This is BLATANT CORRUPTION on so many levels, and I can’t believe that a minister of government would go on national TV and admit to accepting bribes, corruption, ministerial incompetence, police incompetence, and the list goes on. Easy Glen had to learn about this type of con game from somewhere. It also seems from the minister that it is the norm of ministers to solicit “favors” (bribes)regularly from wealthy private citizens. Shouldn’t a contribution of this sort be a recorded charitable contribution? I guess Mcaffee was right after all.
Ministers getting favors from other ministries been going on for years.
Want somebody’s land? Go to the ministry of lands and seize the property for a school and give it your campaign donors as a Xmas gift.
This UDP man just figured out he could be an unelected GOB minister to play this game.
Part of the corruption are the ministers and their circle of friends.
Part of the corruption are the lifelong GOB bureaucrats out to keep their jobs and curry favor.
@ BUJU – it’s true that they want money but they dont want to work but what about all the George Street Gang whom he pays every month and they still keep killing people its like they get paid my finnegan to kill.
@What?, the person who was supposed to pay the favor was NOT just a wealthy private businessman, it was the MINISTER OF WORKS. That was PUBLIC TAXPAYER MONEY that was supposed to fund the favor — why would any minister consider that normal business and AGREE TO PAY IT???
This is a big joke! He’s learning from the best.
been happening for years. PUP and UDP. ” yo suppose to hustle who i tell yo fu hustle, not hustle my people”. Like someone said before, thats one of the biggest problems, and we as belizeans will never learn that when you allow ministers to give you handouts you make them feel like they are better than you, and they forget they work for the people. until our mentality changes, nothingesle will. Instead of fighting for a favor from a minister, fight for better laws against corruption, for better education for our people and salaries for police officers and then punish corruption to the max.
just my 2 cents.
@Creole, you’re right. too many of us get bought off by the crumbs dropped for them by thieving ministers and political parties. So evry election we sell our nation, and the future of our children, for crumbs. Both major parties are the same, they just tell different lies to get elected, but once in power, they are institutionally and professionally corrupt, just concerned with stealing the public treasury.
It will take revolution, hopefully non-violent, to set things right, and put corrupt politicians in prison where they belong.
The Jewel needs a new start.
Nigel
I feel your pain and anger which has visited many of us Belizeans where the service of the police is concerned. However, I would not be fair to nail and entired department to the cross for the sake of a few. I am in now way here trying to down play you sentiment in this matter. While our past history has saw us have cops who could have joined with only a primary school leaving certificate, the educational level of the police have increased since then. To be fair though, if we will agree that back in the days we had better policing, then we must admit that when the qualifications for joing was only a primary school certificate, we had better policing.
We all all had to hear stories of police corruption or unprofessional conduct. However, many times we fail to see that the root causes of these things are not being addressed. I think that too much lips service where improving policing services are concerned. This needs to be corrected. I think if we improve on the conditions of service of our officers we would be able to get more from them. Better health packages, better crimes fighting equitment and aids such as DNA etc.
It is my hope that those officers who cause the embarrashment mentioned in this piece are dealt with. As you rightly said, what the minster experience is what have been visited upon us.
Let see how this one places out.