Email

Print

Those two public officers, plus former Director Ruth Meighan, and a UDP Minister are all Nanes called in the internal report. 

The Senate Select Committee can or have called these persons to testify. In fact, Gordon Wade was called back this evening, and we’ll have more from him in  tonight's newscast.  But, the Committee Chairman says that he doesn’t believe that the Committee can question them about the David Nanes Case. 

That’s because the Nanes scandal was never covered in the audit period of 2011 to 2013, and so, the Chairman believes that they aren’t allowed to bring up that topic in these hearings. Here’s how he explained why:

Daniel Ortiz
"Can you share your personal view on whether the committee is able to review cases that maybe outside the scope of the audit report but it demonstrates the same irregularities that the senate is trying to examine?"

Hon. Aldo Salazar - Chairman, Senate Select Committee
"I think our terms of reference are very clear, we can only examine that which are in the report, which are produced in the report for that period 2011 to 2013; In my view we can't go beyond that. If something only tangentially on that I believe we can but if it’s something that is totally outside of the period or outside of the report itself then I don't believe we have any - in relation to that."

Reporter
"So in specifically in the case of Nanes Schnitzer which does fall within the time frame but is not highlighted in the report; what would happen in relation to that?"

Hon. Aldo Salazar
"I am not familiar with any details of the Nanes Schnitzer matter, I don't know about any allegations against Ms. Pacheco in that regards and as far as I'm concerned I myself am not concerned with, that is a matter for the police or other authorities, not for me."

Reporter
"Sir have you heard back from Ms. Pacheco about when she would be available to the committee?"

Hon. Aldo Salazar
"Ms Pacheco is not able to attend because of a certain medical issue which I don't wish to disclose. There is a time period by which that will expire; a medical survey is for a certain period. I can't really say what will happen thereafter."

Reporter
"You do recall though that when Senator Lisa Shoman then the lead opposition senator brought a motion before the senate in 2015 December, you voted against that motion alongside the leader of government business Mr. Hulse who she was asking to recuse himself. So you are aware of the case."

Hon. Aldo Salazar
"Nanes Schnitzer?"

Reporter
"Yes."

Hon. Aldo Salazar
"Yes I am but the question is whether I am going to commence an investigation, I don't have that power."

Reporter
"To question removing your hat as chairman, to question you as a senator taking that decision back then, I'm not sure if you've been following it up but with the revelations now that there was clearly fraud and although the nationality and passport were revoked there was never any police investigation into the matter to find out who were the ones who committed that wrong doing. Do you feel that there should be such an investigation or a police investigation?"

Hon. Aldo Salazar
"Well I don't know - I haven't studied any of the things that you're saying, I don't know that there wasn't an investigation. If what you're saying is true that there was illegality, there's wrong doing then I believe that any illegality should be investigated but I don't know, I don't really know, I haven't seen what they are speaking about on Plus TV and really it's not my responsibility to do that. When the matter comes before the senate then we will consider it at that point."