7 News Belize

Dermen the Diplomat?
posted (January 15, 2020)
So, John Saldivar says his office was never used for fraud or bribery - because the suggestion is that Lev Dermen was tiring to buy his way into a diplomatic posting. And that's why he allegedly used cash to cozy up to UDP ministers. Today the Prime Minister said Lev Dermen did ask to be a consular representative for the city of Las Vegas - which is not a diplomatic posting, per se. Here's how he explained it:

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"Mr. Lev, Mr. Levon, whatever his name is, at no appoint approached the government for a diplomatic appointment. He did approached the government expressing an interest in an honorary consulship and none of you better not tell me that that's a difference without a distinction an honorary consul, the very title means that you are and can never be considered a diplomat. He did approached the ministry of foreign affairs and he was guided indeed to the ministry of foreign affairs by a minister. He never wrote any formal recommendation, a minister whose name I will call. There is nothing to hide, the Hon. Michael Finnegan and Minister Finnegan said to him you go to the ministry of foreign affairs and as Minister Elrington told cabinet yesterday, that happens on a very regular basis. Minister of Foreign Affairs made clear that there was nothing unusual about that and he instructed his people to interview the gentleman and to conduct due diligence. Ministry did its due diligence sent Mr. Levon, he was then known as Turmenzian, sent his name and his particulars to special branch, to properly vetted and the report dated 25th May 2013 signed by Mr. Vidal as head special branch, reference is made to your request for vetting to be conducted on Mr. Levon who is being considered for appointment as honorary consul for Belize in Nevada. Interpol checks do not reveal anything adverse on the applicant and so with that in hand the ministry proceeded to ask the United States whether there would be any difficulty with Mr. Levon being made honorary consul in Las Vegas. US ultimately said no we have our reasons, send us another name, he is not going to be appointed. Consular appointments are for the minister of foreign affairs. Diplomatic appointments are for me and that's why everybody needs to get absolutely straight that there was never any application or approached about a diplomatic appointment, because such an approached would have had to be made to me and nobody in my government would have dare to approach me to appoint any Lev whatever as any kind of Belizean diplomat."

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