When the information hit the media, there was a quick response ? Town Council elections countrywide are slated for less than a month away. The Government Press Officer fired off a letter which said that the Office of the Prime Minister confirmed that ?there has been no official interference in a pending case involving one Eulalio Meneces of Orange Walk Town, who has been accused of illegal importation of a quantity of beer ?and that the matter is now before the Magistrate?s Court in Orange Walk Town.?

At about the same time, a letter surfaced, allegedly from one Kevin Alvarado, who signed, saying that ?On the 19thof December, 2005, I wrote a letter on the letterhead of the Hon. John Brice?o ?my employer ?on behalf of Mr. Eulalio Meneces ?I wrote the letter without the knowledge or authority of the Hon. John Brice?o or the Hon. Servulo Baeza ?I did it to assist Mr. Meneces ?I regret doing so and apologize for doing so.?

A check with the Orange Walk Magistrate?s Court today revealed that the matter was lodged with the court yesterday by the Customs and Excise Department, but they have not yet scheduled a date for its commencement.

Meneces is scheduled to be charged for the illegal importation of approximately 75 cases of beer.

Hon. Brice?o returned a call from Amandala today, saying that he did not give authority to use his letterhead. He said that when he first confronted Alvarado with the situation, Alvarado said that he did not recall the matter.

As for Alvarado, Brice?o said that he would continue to work in the office, but his activities would be monitored.