And another UDP politician is under pressure but this time it’s
from the Opposition. Minister of Works Anthony Boots Martinez was reportedly
the subject of a suspicious transaction report made by one of the commercial
banks. The report was allegedly made to the Financial Intelligence Unit in August
after Martinez made cash deposits. We could not confirm how much, and Director
of the Unit, Geraldine Davis said that she could not comment on it.
But that’s not where it ends. Yesterday, the Leader of the Opposition
wrote to the Prime Minister making some very broad allegations, but insisting
that there is a Financial Intelligence Unit investigation, and asking what the
Prime Minister plans to do about it. The Prime Minister has responded to that
letter and we’ll tell you what he had to say later on. But first, today,
we spoke to Boots Martinez about the allegation and he said it was news to him.
Jules Vasquez,
The Leader of the Opposition has written to the Prime Minister making a specific
complaint that you are under investigation by the Financial Intelligence Unit
for making large cash deposits into your account at the Belize Bank. Is this
true, what is the story?
Hon. Anthony Boots Martinez, Minister of Works
“Well I wish I would be making large deposits at the Belize Bank because
I would be a rich man today.”
Jules Vasquez,
But isn’t the FIU investigating the deposits you made?
Hon. Anthony Boots Martinez,
“I don’t know nothing about FIU investigating make deposits.
I don’t know nothing about that but all things being what it is, the facts
should be in place so let us see what are the facts. Nobody from FIU has contacted
me to say whatsoever the case may be but also if that is the fact then there
is a penalty for that so all we need to do is make sure that, if that is the
case then it will come to light.”
Jules Vasquez,
Did you make a deposit at the Belize Bank?
Hon. Anthony Boots Martinez,
“Man I make many deposits at the Belize Bank.”
Jules Vasquez,
There are reports that it was involved with a donation from the BTB for a tar
machine that you were supposed to get.
Hon. Anthony Boots Martinez,
“No man, I think what we need to do, nothing like that. I think what
especially if the Leader of the Opposition is making that claim, and I challenge
anybody, to bring the facts to the table in terms of what the deposit is, I
am a public figure, what it warrants, how much, how often, what was it. So I
have no problem and in my view the record will speak for itself. There must
be some record where if they are charging any kind of allegation, there must
be some record.”
Jules Vasquez,
Are you prepared to disclose your holdings?
Hon. Anthony Boots Martinez,
“Man mek I tell you something, I have nothing. I have nothing so disclose
holdings is nothing so I wish that maybe I could have been making large deposits,
maybe I would have been a rich man today you see.”
The Prime Minister’s response to the Leader of the Opposition
is that he has offered no proof of his allegations. He concludes by saying that
if the FIU is taking such an action and if charges are to be laid, he will act
appropriately. The Prime Minister told us that he knows of no investigation
but he will check with the Financial Intelligence Unit and report back to us.
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