BELIZE CITY, Fri. Dec. 3, 2021– Yesterday, Minister of Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management, Hon. Orlando Habet, issued a statement through his Ministry in response to a comment made by the president of the Public Service Union (PSU), Dean Flowers, while on Channel 7’s local nighttime show, Uncut. Flowers made some remarks regarding the presence of Habet’s wife at the COP26 conference along with the relatively large delegation (approximately 30 persons) from Belize which traveled to Glasgow, Scotland, a few weeks ago. So far, a public statement has still not been made on how much exactly was spent to finance the delegation’s trip, but the PSU president took it upon himself to mention that Hon. Habet took his wife along with him for the ride.
The release issued by Habet in response to Flowers’ remarks states, “As a happily married man, I consider it a privilege to have my wife accompany me on a trip that allows for such accommodation and do so at my personal expense. If the President of the PSU requires to see the receipts for my wife’s expenses, which were paid from our savings, he is welcome to view them.”
Local media reported that Minister Habet’s wife accompanied him in a working capacity, but could not confirm whether she was a part of the official delegation from the Government of Belize. Either way, Habet in his release confirmed that the expenses were covered by him and his wife, and not the Government. He added, “It is regrettable that such accusations and insinuation were made without first checking with me or my wife.”
His statement further described Flowers’ remarks as uncalled for and distasteful, “since it brings into question the reputation of my wife, who is a private citizen.”
Flowers, over the last few days, has recanted certain statements made during the same local talk show after a press release threatening legal action was issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in response to Flowers’ comments which questioned why Immigration Department officials were traveling to South American countries to facilitate travel documents for Belizean nationals who are currently in those nations and which suggested that something unethical might be afoot.
In a release from the PSU, Flowers admitted that his choice of words was faulty and said he had no intention to impute any improper motives but only to highlight possible deficiencies in a policy decision by the Immigration Department.
“The union wishes to categorically state that at no point in time was it the intention of the president to incur improper motives on the work of any public officers directed to carry out those missions,” the release states.
There is no indication yet whether Flowers has apologized privately or backtracked on the remarks made regarding Hon. Orlando Habet’s wife.