_{Photo: (l-r) Stuart Leslie, Cabinet Secretary and Chris Coye, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance}

A release issued by the Senate Special Select Committee following the hearing highlights its disappointment in both witnesses.

BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Oct. 17, 2024

The 24th meeting of the Senate Special Select Committee (SSSC) into the Portico “Definitive Agreement” (DA) was scheduled for yesterday, October 16, 2024. Two witnesses, Cabinet Secretary Stuart Leslie and Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Hon. Chris Coye appeared for the hearing but did not stay to take questions from the senators.

These two top PUP officials were represented by attorney Eamon Courtenay, the Senator for Government Business. Courtenay, in his capacity as a lawyer for the two men, advised that they refuse to answer any questions from the SSSC.

Cab. Sec. Leslie said that he was advised that since Cabinet confidential papers and meetings are exempted from public disclosure, he was not at liberty to answer any question regarding the Portico DA and associated draft legislation that was presented to the Cabinet in May 2023.

“As Cabinet Secretary, I took an oath to uphold the laws and the Constitution of Belize, and I intend to be faithful to the oath. I have been advised that I am not at liberty to disclose any Cabinet documents or deliberations of Cabinet to this committee or otherwise,” Leslie said in his opening statement. 

He declined to answer any further questions, and walked out after receiving a nod from Courtenay.

It must be noted that the SSSC is empowered by virtue of the Constitution of Belize to call any person to testify under oath in furtherance of its objective. In this case, it is to get to the bottom of how the exorbitant Portico DA, signed under the UDP administration, made it to a PUP Cabinet meeting with a directive to approve and pass legislation to give effect to all the outlandish concessions afforded to David Gegg’s Port of Magical Belize project.

Hon. Chris Coye, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, is widely viewed as the investment and financial czar to the government. In his presentation, he spoke favorably about the Portico investment – saying that firms like Boskalis and Royal Caribbean showing interest in the project was a positive sign for the investment climate in Belize.

He called the Portico investment “promising,” adding that he first saw the “Definitive Agreement” in early 2023. 

Coye shared that after the government had received the legal opinion of attorneys Ben Juratowich and Douglas Mendez, the Cabinet Paper and draft bill, after undergoing “numerous iterations”, were sent to the Ministry of Tourism and other ministries.

In a May 2023 interview, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Anthony Mahler said, “It was presented to us the night before; I went through the night reviewing it. I had some major concerns with it, and I brought them to Cabinet. Other members in Cabinet then chimed in, and then it was led by the PM who said, no, we should put a hold on the document.”

Hon. Coye, in his opening statement, simply said, “Cabinet did not approve the paper.” He posited that those were the facts as he knew them, and said that he would not go into any further detail or offer any further evidence to the SSSC.  

In his presentation, he took a swing at the work of the Committee and its Chair, Senator Janelle Chanona. She also sits as Vice President of Oceana Belize. Hon. Coye alluded to the body being manipulated by these outside interests into abusing its power.

“As much as conservation is a national priority, it should never be that nature-positive conservation should have priority over people-positive sustainable human development. There is no doubt that the Senate or any Committee of the Senate has the powers to conduct enquiries and investigations on any matter of public interest or importance. At the same time, just as with any other authority that enjoys powers and discretions, those powers of the Senate can be abused. The Senate and any Committee thereof must be resolutely sure not to abuse their powers or be manipulated into abusing their powers to serve third party special interests including foreign interests, but rather to act reasonably and judiciously in the public interest of Belize and its citizenry alone,” he said.

He then walked out, while being asked a question by the Social Partners senator.  The public hearing was then suspended.

A release issued by the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly following the suspended hearing states, “The Committee was surprised at the witnesses’ failure to participate in the Public Hearing. The SSSC is also disappointed with the suggestion made by the Hon. Coye in his opening statement which attempts to cast aspersion on the work on the Committee. That is unacceptable.”

The release ends by asking Leslie and Hon. Coye to reconsider their decision “and meaningfully support the work of the SSSC in this important matter of public interest.”