Gegg Says Former PM Barrow and Others Knew About the Portico Project 

Gegg said he instructed his attorney, David Morales, to draft up a letter to former PM Dean Barrow and copied to then Ministers Erwin Contreras, Michael Peyrefitte and Tracy Taegar-Panton. When Senator Bevington Cal probed Gegg on the role that former Minister of Economic Development, Erwin Contreras signing the document Definitive Agreement, and the authority he had to do so without further approval, Gegg said he didn’t think Contreras needed any, but he said key persons in the previous government, including the former Prime Minister knew about it.

 

Bevington Cal, P.U.P. Senator

“I know you said that Prime Minister Barrow – just to track back a bit – that Prime Minister Barrow, Honorable  Panton, Erwin Contreras, all of these persons knew about this project that was coming up to the signing of the MOU.

 

David Gegg, Portico Developer

“That was really the first thing that happened and they knew about it because so many other things happen after the MOU. The MOU was September of 2017 and that kind of paved the way for everything else that happened after that. And Bishop Benguche, by the way the, studies that you might like seeing are all online with the Department of the Environment, but I would be happy to send copies directly to you, if I had the means to do so.”

 

Senator Bevington Cal

“I’m looking at the signatories to the MOU. I see, and we’re yet to verify these, but I’m sure that, or maybe I should ask the question. Who were the signatories to the MOU?”

 

David Gegg

“The ones that I remember were myself, of course, Mr. Contreras and Minister Saldivar.”

 

Senator Bevington Cal

“Mr. Saldivar. And why did Honorable Panton not sign if she was the –“

 

David Gegg

“Senator, it was my understanding. It is my understanding that Minister Panton did not approve of the government signing an MOU with us and she refused to sign it.”