Embattled Belizean government minister returns to his job

BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC – Prime Minister John Briceño has announced the return of the embattled senior minister Andre Perez back into the government, coinciding with the announcement of a Cabinet re-shuffle.

Perez had been on leave since August last year while an investigation was being conducted into allegations made against him. The Rural South Area representative was  embroiled in a scandal involving a female attorney.

Media reports said a demand had been made for a criminal investigation to be launched, given the graphic descriptions shared by the attorney in her account of what purportedly took place involving Perez.

In August, a government statement said that “at the conclusion of the investigation, the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs will advise the Prime Minister on whether there has been any actionable wrongdoing”.

In its latest statement announcing the return of Perez to the government, the government noted that “the Cabinet, under the leadership of Hon John Briceño, remains committed to strengthening government's performance and to the service of the people of Belize”.

It said after due consideration and consultation, Prime Minister Briceño had also announced changes to the current composition of Cabinet and that he has “invited” Perez, “to return as a Minister of Cabinet, with responsibility for the portfolios of Blue Economy and Disaster Risk Management.

“Minister Perez now assumes control of NEMO and the National Fire Service. Prime Minister Briceño is now the Minister of Finance, Economic Development, Investment, Civil Aviation, and Immigration.

“These adjustments and assignments come on the heels of an overwhelming mandate at the polls, a reminder not only of the confidence and trust in this government, but also of the tremendous responsibility we have to the people of Belize,” the statement said.

Perez has consistently denied the allegations against him and the attorney, Wendy Auxillou, took to social media on hearing that Perez had been reinstated to the Cabinet.

“To date I have not been contacted by anyone in the government to ask to review my evidence or to hear my side of the story,” she wrote on her Facebook page..

But, Auxillou, who also claimed that she had to flee Belize because she feared for her life, has yet to make an official complaint to the police.

“I saw the Facebook post, but in terms of a report from here there is none,” Police Commissioner Chester Williams told News Five television.

Asked whether the police would be following up on the Facebook post as it had been done on previous occasions, the top cop replied “it is different.

“We are not in the business of witch hunting people. If it is that she has a complaint against the minister then her duty is to come to the police. We don't go after people like that.

“Now if I see a Facebook post with people fighting, that is a matter where the police can be the complainant. I can take that, but in terms of a report like what she is commenting on social media it is not our job to bring her in to make a report, no.”

Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister, Kareem Musa, said that he has seen the statement posted on Facebook by the attorney and that  without a police complaint, the post is defamatory.

“I know that the Attorney General, (Anthony) Sylvestre was tasked to conduct and carry out an investigation into  those allegations so to speak. To me there was just a lot of posts that have been shared by whatsapp and being shared on social media.

“So I don't know if anything went beyond that. I know that at the time, based on that sort of information that was coming out it seemed to have been somewhat of a consensual relationship. So I don't think there was anything done further.”

The Home Affairs Minister said that neither party has come forward to the police department to make any sort  of police report “and I think that is where that ended up.

“I am only now seeing a Facebook post in which I don't even want to answer a question to that effect because we might be committing defamation of character when in fact a police report has not been made

“So it is always encouraged, if you have any sort of allegation to make, whether it is true or false, the court will decide if it is true or false, and perhaps the chips will fall where they may then. But to me, this seems to be some sort of new allegation being made,” Musa said.

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