Is the FIU following the trail of monies in the passport scandal?

Marilyn Williams

There is much more to come in the alleged Castro visa hustle, but the Elvin Penner debacle is still simmering. It hasn’t boiled over yet because there is absolutely no word from the Ministry of Immigration on what is being found. The best the public has been offered is that there are multiple investigations underway, from the immigration team, the Police and the FIU. Not much is expected from the immigration team investigating itself. The Police have not touched on Penner at all, and have stated that they are not looking in that direction. So where does that leave the Financial Intelligence Unit? On October seventh, Director of the F.I.U., Marilyn Williams, told the media that an investigation into the passport scandal had been initiated a week before. One day after at a press conference Prime Minister Dean Barrow showed that he had perhaps not even known about the start of that investigation. But he took the time to point out that the F.I.U. operates under his direction. And the message may not have been lost because today Williams was asked again about the status of the investigation. She didn’t exactly say that the investigation died a natural death, but that’s what is understood from her response. For context here are the comments by Williams and the Prime Minister.

Reporter

“Ma’am, can you tell us if your office has taken any action in relation to the passport scandal?”

Marilyn Williams, Director, F.I.U. [File: October 7, 2013]

“Yes, the F.I.U. under the laws of which they are mandated will in fact, actually has already started the process of an investigation. Unfortunately I am not in the position to give out any information whatsoever. The type of investigation that we do must be done I won’t say in private but not open for public discussion.”

Reporter

“You can’t say what day exactly the investigation was launched?”

Marilyn Williams

“It was launched a week ago.”

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

Dean Barrow

“Indeed it turns out that my view as to the absence of any legal evidence of a crime in so far as merely the signature on a form and on a passport was concerned, certainly did not stop the director of the FIU from launching an investigation. Even as I was having that exchange with the reporter, it turned out that the FIU had already launched an investigation. But for those of you that don’t know, the office of the Financial Intelligence Unit is in effect under the minister of finance you know, under me. I am the one who signs the director’s contract. I am the one who sets out the terms and conditions effectively. I am the one that appoints her.”

Reporter

“Ms. Williams in regards to the investigation into the passport scandal, could you give us any update? Is that still ongoing?”

Marilyn Williams

“You all know that I don’t discuss investigations.”

Reporter

“But could you at least say if it is still ongoing?”

Marilyn Williams

“I have no comment on that. Sorry.”