8 MAR
2015
THE BELIZE TIMES
Reid Egg on the face! By G. Michael Reid If there was any surprise in the egging of disgraced UDP politician Elvin Penner which occurred last Friday, it was that it took so long to happen. Back in September of 2013, Elvin Penner, in his capacity as Minister of Immigration, authorized the issue of an official passport to Kim Won Hong, a Korean fugitive who was at the time, imprisoned and awaiting extradition to his home country. Hong, later referred to as Citizen Kim, is alleged to have embezzled billions of dollars from one SK Shipping Company in South Korea. He then fled to Taiwan to escape prosecution but was subsequently arrested and was scheduled to be extradited back to his home country to face charges. Hong produced a Belizean passport and requested to be deported to this country instead. Problem is that while the passport was dated as having been issued on September 9, 2013 it turned out that Hong had been in a prison in Taipei, Taiwan since July 13, 2013. Won Hong’s passport picture and application were both signed by Elvin Penner who swore an oath that he had known Won Hong for over five years. At least one immigration clerk verified that Penner had personally taken a person into the Immigration Department who he claimed to be Won Hong. It turned out that Hong had never even set foot in Belize and Penner later claimed that he was duped by another Chinese fellow who told him that he was Hong. It obviously had to have been one of those, “they all look alike” moments for poor Penner. City Councilor Eric Chang was also implicated in the crime and is alleged to have been the person who masterminded the entire scheme. It is suspected that he may have personally visited Won Hong while in the Taiwanese jail where he was detained. Despite widespread outcry and persistent efforts by a citizens’ group neither Penner nor Chang has faced any type of prolonged legal scrutiny. In early March of last year, the PUP sought and received a writ of mandamus from Chief Justice Ken-
neth Benjamin ordering Commissioner of Police, Allen Whylie to continue an investigation into Elvin Penner’s role in the Passport Scandal. An initial investigation had begun but the man in charge of that investigation, Assistant Superintendent of Police Julio Valdez had been ordered quite early in the proceedings to cease and desist. The orders had been sent in a confidential memo but it has never been revealed who actually sent the memo and who ordered the stop to the investigation. Despite a Supreme Court order to the effect, no evidence has emerged that said investigation was ever resumed. Sometime in March of 2014, shortly after the writ of mandamus was granted, the Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action (COLA) filed for a private prosecution of Penner. Deliberate stonewalling and delaying tactics have left the group totally frustrated however and has left the general public with very little confidence in our justice system. Penner was in court this past Friday to answer an appeal filed by COLA against the private prosecution against him being thrown out by Magistrate Aretha Ford last July. According to Kareem Musa, attorney for COLA, Magistrate Ford could have and should have exercised her discretion and summoned Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie to court to disclose whatever material evidence that he had in his possession. The decision by Magistrate Ford has been labeled by many as a clear and unfortunate travesty of justice. Just a few moments before being pelted with eggs, Penner had finally broken his silence and spoke
a few words to the media; his first since being implicated in the scandal. Penner was unremorseful however and instead, advised the media to “go and chase something out there that is not a ghost”. He then ranted about “a person in Orange Walk that has been charged for an offence that is in (his) view by far greater than anything that has been alleged against (him)”. Problem is Mr. Penner that said “person” has been arrested even though at this point, the charges against him are simply as a result of an allegation. In your case dishonorable sir, the evidence is overwhelming and the real question has to be, “Why haven’t you been arrested”? The young man who is alleged to have thrown the eggs at Elvin Penner should not have been arrested and treated as a criminal but should have instead, been hoisted and hailed as a hero. He only did what many others would have wanted to do and given the chance probably would have done and more. What Elvin Penner did was egregious and Belizeans should not rest until this matter is properly investigated and brought to court. No way should this man still be walking the streets freely and collecting taxpayers’ money as salary. The act of throwing eggs at people has long been a popular and established form of protest. It might be that eggs are used because they break easily and causes no real harm to a person. It does create some embarrassment but considering the type of embarrassment that Penner has caused for Belize as a country, a few raw eggs should be little enough to endure and ignore. The list of individuals who have been victim to egging is lengthy and includes British Prime Minister Tony Blair and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. In April of 2010, the Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament was egged by deputies inside of parliament as a protest against a natural gas agreement. To arrest a young man for throwing an egg while refusing to arrest Penner for
17 selling a passport to a criminal in jail has got to be the ultimate irony. If anyone should be in jail, it would have to be Penner. Contrast this incident with one that happened in July of 2011 when another politician was stoned but this one had committed no crime. At the time, Marcel Cardona was the duly elected representative of Orange Walk East constituency and a member of the House of Representatives. His sin was to speak out against his own party in favor of the people of his constituency. A known UDP crony, later identified but never charged, stoned the Honorable Cardona in his head at close range with a wallet. Cardona was hit on the side of the face and right shoulder. For his part, the assailant got off with what could only be described as a slight slap on the wrist. He was put out of the House for the rest of that meeting and was banned for two subsequent meetings. Instead of being arrested, he was put on the government’s payroll and has had a high paying job ever since. Guess the moral of the story here is that when you assault someone; be sure that they are not in favor with the government. Elvin Penner goes back to court on Friday March 13th. At that time Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin will deliver a decision on whether or not Commissioner Whylie should be made to hand over whatever evidence is in his possession against Penner and thereby allowing the case to proceed. At this point, that should also includes the infamous passport, which after what seemed an eternity, has finally made its way to Belize. The Belizean people have been very patient and on March 13th, we will learn whether justice delayed will in fact be justice denied. In a little over a week, we will know if March 13th will be a “black Friday” for Elvin Penner or a “black Friday” for the hope of justice in Belize. We will see what we shall see!