News: Belize Financial Intelligence Unit denies receiving report from former PM

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Belize Financial Intelligence Unit denies receiving report from former PM

BELMOPAN, Belize: Director of Belize's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) Geraldine Davis Young has categorically stated that former Prime Minister Said Musa had at no time submitted to the FIU the report of the Senate Special Select Committee on its investigation into the operations of the Social Security Board under his administration, nor did the former Prime Minister at anytime ask the FIU to take any action on any matter arising from that investigation or report.

This was confirmed by the FIU Director in a meeting with Prime Minister Dean Barrow last week.

Dean Barrow. AFP PHOTO

On at least two occasions in the National Assembly, when questioned by Barrow, who was then Leader of the Opposition, Musa stated that he had submitted the report in question to both the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the FIU for them to take appropriate action.

One such occasion was the House Meeting of August 25, 2006. Below is a transcript of the specific question by Barrow with respect to the FIU and the Senate Special Select Committee’s Report, followed by Musa’s response.

Dean Barrow: “Will the Prime Minister say whether he has considered (and if not, why not) asking the Financial Intelligence Unit to make inquiries of counterparts in the US and elsewhere in an effort to trace loan monies that the Senate Special Select Committee has identified as having been (possibly) fraudulently obtained?”

Said Musa: “Madam Speaker, a copy of the Report of the Senate Special Select Committee has been provided to the Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit with the view to tracing the loan monies that the Committee alleged as having been wrongfully obtained. The Director of the FIU will no doubt pursue the matter.”

The statement by the FIU Director to Barrow squarely contradicts that claim made by Musa.

Barrow, for his part, has indicated that his government is now making provisions for a copy of that report to be submitted to the FIU for action to be taken.

With respect to the DFC Commission of Inquiry, Barrow says his government has asked the FIU to make further inquiries into, and take appropriate action on whatever might have arisen out of that inquiry, utilizing whatever material is available as a result of the inquiry.

The Prime Minister says the FIU will also be pursing investigations with respect to the Moises Cal case involving the illegal transportation by suitcase of over a million dollars in cash to Panama.

Barrow says the FIU Director has assured him that also very much alive with her unit is the case involving the theft from BTL of BZ $6 Million, allegedly given to money-changer Dion Zabaneh by CEO Gaspar Aguilar to convert into US dollars. The FIU, the Prime Minister says, will continue to pursue that matter to determine whether any banking laws or the Money Laundering ACT was violated.

Finally, on the matter of the missing US$10 million from Venezuela, the Prime Minister says that in addition to a letter sent to Venezuelan authorities by Belize’s Financial Secretary, the FIU has written to its counterpart in Venezuela to assist in investigating the matter.

Barrow says his government will continue to pursue justice on behalf of the Belizean people and will leave no stone unturned to bring to account those who have robbed the people of this country.

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