Elvin Penner
After months of absence in the House, the disgraced former Minister of Immigration, Elvin Penner put in an appearance. Penner, as you all know, is at the centre at the huge immigration scandal that will not go away. The former Minister personally delivered an incomplete application for nationality certificate and moved it through the process even though certain required documents were not provided. The nationality certificate is required for the issuance of a passport and that too was recommended by Penner for international fugitive, Won Hong Kim, who at the time sat in a jail in Taiwan. But today Penner sat in the government’s aisle. For many Belizeans, Penner’s slap on the wrist for his very active role in the immigration corruption scandal is a joke. Penner has been stripped of his government portfolio, but still receives a salary as a member of the House of Representatives. He still drives a fully maintained government SUV, with fuel and other allowances still going to him. In addition, Penner received almost seven thousand dollars per month, paid into his account, which should be used to operate a constituency office and help constituents. Today UDP Cayo Northeast Executive Committee Chairman Fermin Magana confirmed that Penner’s office is closed, and has been since the scandal broke in September 2013. Still, the PM says that’s just the way it is.
Prime Minister Dean Barrow
Dean Barrow
“Yes, he is. Like so many other area representatives, like everybody, he receives a stipend and like so many others, he does have an office open…as far as I understand. So you are perfectly correct. That is something that he will have to account for, I supposed, to the Auditor General. We try to make the point that these funds are given to all of us as area representatives for specific purposes, but he is not the only one who is not using the money for the purposes for which they are given. But because of the practices that it is done by way of depositing monies in their accounts, it is pretty hard to be able to ensure that they open offices.”
Fermin Magana, Chairman, U.D.P. Cayo Northeast Executive Committee
“I am here because of other business that brought me to Belmopan, but it is not in support of Mister Elvin Penner, but again like I said, I have nothing against Mister Penner.”
Mike Rudon
“Could you give us an update on the situation in Cayo Northeast? Are the two, the committee and Mister Penner, still working on separate roads, so to speak?”
Fermin Magana
Fermin Magana
“Yes, we are on separate roads. We are now working along with Mister John August who is the person that was the only one who submitted his name to run for the area. So we are going to work with Mister John August.”
Mike Rudon
“Could you tell us the situation with Mister Penner at this time that you know of? Has he opened back his office?”
Fermin Magana
“As I know of, he has not opened back his office. As I know of, he is still laying low.”
Mike Rudon
“But to make the point, he is still collecting up to close to seven thousand dollars a month. Is that correct?”
Fermin Magana
“Well I would not have access to that information; I am not sure. But we are not receiving anything to give the people. That is as far as I can tell you.”
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