Senate Committee Postpones Hearing as Former Minister Contreras Declines to Attend

The Senate Special Select Committee’s public hearing on the Portico “Definative Agreement” is being postponed, again. This time it’s because former UDP Minister, Erwin Contreras has declined to participate, according to the committee.

The next hearing was scheduled for Wednesday, May 29, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. at the National Assembly building in Belmopan.

The committee says that it had anticipated the attendance of Contreras, who has since indicated his unwillingness to attend.

“The Committee is most disappointed at this information as Mr. Contreras has already admitted that he signed the “Definative Agreement”, which committed the Government and the people of Belize to grant Portico financial concessions worth hundreds of millions of dollars for 30 years. Mr. Contreras is the only person and former Government Minister who can explain why he signed the Agreement.”

The committee is urging Contreras to reconsider his decision and attend the hearing.