Photo: Hon. Janelle Chanona

Sen. Janelle Chanona will chair Inquiry on scandalous Portico DA

BELMOPAN, Wed. Aug. 16, 2023

Prime Minister John Briceño has continued with his rebukes against the presenters of the motion to conduct a Senate Inquiry on the Portico Definitive Agreement signed by former UDP Minister of Economic Development, Erwin Contreras. In particular, the Prime Minister is taking aim at Senator Janelle Chanona who has since been selected as chairperson of the Senate Special Select Committee. Briceño welcomes the investigation into “all documents, communications and processes tied to the signing of the document titled ‘Definative Agreement by and between the Government of Belize and Portico Enterprises Ltd. (dba) the Port of Magical Belize,’” as outlined in the motion. However, he takes umbrage with the fact that the Committee also intends to review the circumstances that led to a Portico Cabinet White Paper being presented to Cabinet in May of 2023, prepared by no other than his own Ministry of Finance. The latter (the White Paper) contained the very same benefits and fiscal incentives outlined in the Definitive Agreement (DA). The Cabinet members were asked to support accompanying draft legislation which would then go to Parliament for approval. The PM defended his Ministry’s actions of May 2023 saying that Cabinet was rightly apprised of what had been previously signed so they could make a decision. He said they did the right thing, which was to reject the scandalous DA in its entirety.

In an interview on August 4, PM Briceño affirmed that there is no reason for him to be called before the Senate Inquiry. He declared, “We need to remind everybody that Cabinet discussions are confidential, and that not even a Senate Inquiry can ask for ministers to go and discuss what is discussed in Cabinet, because once you do that, that means that ministers are going to be very careful how they speak in the Cabinet – so I’m not sure if I’m going to be called. There’s no reason to call me, but I think they may want some kind of information, which if it is within the law, the Cabinet secretary will be able to provide.”

Fast forward to this week, the Prime Minister during an appearance on Channel 5’s OYE Morning Show said he was disappointed in the NGO senators for wanting to also investigate his Government’s actions regarding Port of Magical Belize. He added, “When you try to be, oh so neutral, you end up looking foolish.” But he went further and said, in reference to Senator Chanona and the wording of the motion, “Well, we know who wrote it. I wish she would be brave enough to say who wrote it. We know who wrote – that was written for her.”

Upon being announced as the Chairperson of the Committee, Senator Chanona was very collected and unruffled in her response to the media when asked about the PM’s comments. On the matter of the Inquiry also targeting the current Cabinet’s actions, she said simply that the Prime Minister is entitled to his opinion. At the same time, she asserted that “the powers of the Constitution are very clear in terms of what the Senate should be doing. This type of matter is a core function of the Senate, and as Senators, this is what we’re proceeding to do.” Asked whether the Prime Minister will be called to appear during the Inquiry, Chanona reminded that Section 61 A (1) (d) of the Belize Constitution allows the Senate to institute and conduct inquiries and investigations “on any matter of public interest or importance, including inquiries into mismanagement or corruption by persons in the central government or public statutory bodies.” For that purpose, it can require the attendance of any minister of government.

Regarding the accusation that someone else wrote the motion, Chanona responded that the social partner and civil society senators put together the motion which was unopposed in the Senate.

The other members of the Senate Special Select Committee are PUP Senators Isabel Bennett and Bevington Cal, UDP Senator Beverly Williams, and social partner and civil society senators Elena Smith, Bishop Alvin Benguche, and Kevin Herrera.

After the first meeting of the Committee on Tuesday, August 15, Chanona reported that they are discussing how the Committee’s work will be conducted, but they want to move expeditiously.

Lead Opposition Senator Michael Peyrefitte told the media after today’s Senate meeting, “Let’s just hope that the people who they want to call respect the Committee enough to attend when they’re called, even if they believe that they are above the law and don’t need to be called.” In a previous interview, Peyrefitte had called the Prime Minister’s reason to not attend a cop out.