Before our commercial break, we gave you a blow-by-blow account of the current crisis that Barrow Government and the UDP face, following this week's big reveals in the Lev Dermen Trial in Utah.
Jacob Kingston has testified under oath that he sent $50,000 US dollars in cash to John Saldivar in Miami, back in early 2014. The context of this evidence is that the prosecution in that US court is attempting to show that Lev Dermen had an "umbrella" of powerful people in Belize, the US, and Turkey, who would protect him from the scrutiny of law enforcement.
For Saldivar, the scandal rages on, and the details of Kingston's testimony lend credibility to the allegations he, as a Minister of Government, engaged in improper behavior with Dermen. These new allegations have prompted the Prime Minister to take action against him, but the PUP is criticizing it as a minor slap on the wrist. They have a press conference planned for tomorrow. But this afternoon, after hosting a joint meeting with his party's executive and standard-bearers, John Briceno granted a brief comment to the press:
Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition
"I just want to mention that what the Prime Minister has done with issue of John Saldivar is an insult to the Belizean people. He knew all along what was taking place in Utah. He knew all along what was taking place in Utah. He was told. He saw documents that were filed in courts and he refused to take action. For him to say that he is going to suspend indefinitely John Saldivar and in effect still keep him as Minister of National Security, I think it is an insult. He is saying suspension but yet John Saldivar in his press release to the media he is saying that he is still the Minister of National Security. I find that insulting and that the Prime Minister despite everything refuses to look at the facts and to act."
Henry Charles Usher, Chairman, P.U.P.
"In reality what happened today was a crime against Belize. Why? because we feel that on Sunday it was a sham, a very expensive shame. Some people are saying as much as one point five million dollars was spent on that convention but it was a sham. And the only purpose of that sham on Sunday was to get rid of Patrick Faber and having gotten rid of Patrick Faber Saldivar is saying that he is still the Minister of National Security, the Prime Minister is saying that he has indefinitely suspended him from the Ministry of National Security or from Cabinet. Who is telling the truth? Somebody is lying. Somebody is not being upfront with the Belizean people and once again they are putting party before country."
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