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Port of Belize CEO makes formal request to Ombudsman to investigate Portico ‘Definitive Agreement’

Major Gilbert Swaso

Posted: Wednesday, May 31, 2023. 12:15 pm CST.

By Aaron Humes: Citing his powers under the Ombudsman Act to investigate with reasonable cause suspected acts of corruption or wrongdoing by any authority, including Government ministries and Ministers and other persons in charge, the CEO of Port of Belize Limited, Ted Peralta, Breaking Belize News was informed today, has made a formal request to Ombudsman Gilbert Swaso to investigate the ‘Definitive Agreement’ between the owners of Port of Magical Belize Limited and former Minister Erwin Contreras, who purported to act for the Government.

The Agreement, leaked last week, purports to authorize by legislation the operation of a cruise port near the Sibun River under terms considered overly generous and inappropriate, including a complete break from taxes for 30 years. The Agreement has been roundly condemned by leading members of the Opposition United Democratic Party, including former Prime Minister Dean Barrow and Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte, who have explicitly denied knowledge of and/or approval of the Agreement by themselves or Cabinet collectively.

The letter cites these various denials and explanations (and the lack of such from Contreras himself), and implores that lest the Government sustain any tremendous financial exposure and losses, this matter must be investigated and reported to the National Assembly, and if any criminal charges are to be filed, to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) via the Police.

Left unsaid but very much hinted at is that Waterloo Investments Limited, which continues to pursue a combined cargo improvement-cruise port development at the Port’s site in Port Loyola, will certainly challenge the legality of this agreement or any replacement which the Government proposes to renegotiate with Portico, not least because it attempts to put a stop to their development and that of Stake Bank Enterprises which are within a 25-mile radius of the Portico development. The companies have been at war for years over who will develop a cruise port for Belize City, with Stake Bank the first to sign and furthest to completion at the moment.

 

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