Still no Integrity Commission, but Barrow defends Armead Gabourel
Dean Barrow
The Integrity Commission is in trouble after two government appointees stepped down. They did so because under new legislation passed because of the Financial Action Task Force, they would come under scrutiny as Politically Exposed Persons. According to PM Barrow that has caused no end of problems. And speaking about problems, Belize Airports Authority checks have surfaced in the name of Armead Gabourel, a member of the BAA Board. She’s one of those members forced to resign in the stink of the Castro controversy. Prime Minister Barrow defended her today, claiming that she was one of those members who spoke out against the Board approving checks for Minister of State Castro.
Prime Minister Dean Barrow
“The Integrity Commission was appointed long before the news broke about the Belize Airports Authority. We had to send the proposals to the Leader of the Opposition. We had to work out with him who his two persons on the Board would be. But those suggested by the U.D.P. were fixed; in fact, from as early as a couple of years ago when we had tried to constitute an original Board but got stuck when we discovered that we didn’t have a chartered accountant on it. In terms of this reincarnation though, that was entrained before what happened, happened. In any case, though, it is my understanding that Ms. Gabourel is one who opposed and is on record as having done so, the decision of the Board to approve a sort of ongoing commitment to assist the minister in his constituency. Clearly we had to ask everybody to resign…at that point you can’t be making distinctions but I wouldn’t see the resignation there as being fatal to the Integrity Commission appointment. I am more concerned about finding the replacement to the new resignations now even before formal constitution of those on the Integrity Commission that have said we simply are not prepared to live with the PEP obligations.”
PM Barrow says that he has been too busy to search for replacements for Brett Feinstein and Steve Duncan, who decided to stand down from appointment to the Integrity Commission.
integrity? when did Ali get integrity?
LOL, what a jerk, a real laugh off.
But Belizeans love being treated as fools, good sheep and pack mules while the 40 work.
Let’s get down to business.
Time to put Elvin Penner to chair the integrity commission.
Let’s get this done fast and quick.
We need something saying Ali and 40 are honest.
Could have a deadlock on the committee to get that.
Put Bootyman on there along with Hulse, they can fix the problem and make it look fun.
The nepotism continues Ms Gabourel is on several committees collecting from each. She was once the live in companion of the PM. One does not have to ask where her loyalties lie.