Written by Gertrude Lois Lizama www.belizetimes.bz
Thursday, 06 September 2007
Last week's headline in the UDP Guardian would be almost comical if it was not in fact dealing with the very serious matter of a clients (Mrs. Virginia Foreman) claim that her Attorney (Michael Peyrefitte) had received a financial settlement from the GOB in the amount of $33,000 on her behalf some two years ago and had not even informed her of the settlement much less paid a single dime to her. But Mrs. Foreman's claim is not just a claim; it is in fact supported by an unbroken chain of solid evidence. Mrs. Foreman went to Peyrefitte, a settlement was reached with the GOB , and the GOB made 2 payments to Peyrefitte, $20,000 on june 30,2005 and $13,000 on august 2, 2005 amounting to $33,000. And then NADA from Peyrefitte.
No contact with Mrs. Foreman! No response to her messages or calls! No placement of funds in any bank account for Mrs. Foreman! NADA!! Two Years and still NADA!!
Now Lawyer Peyrefitte is trying to destroy the reputation of his own client and is crying politics. Well unfortunately for him Mrs Foreman is on record from the very beginning of this sordid mess making it absolutely clear that this has nothing to do with politics. The good lady simply wants all her money back and that includes all the interest she would have earned if the monies had been properly paid to her and deposited into an account.
This is a straightforward matter. What's all this foolish nonsense about paying the money over to the Registrar or to the Bar Association. Calculate what you owe the lady inclusive of interest, make out the cheque and have your secretary call the lady to come pick it up at your office. Don't disrespect your own client by sending some unknown bully to her house to try and intimidate her into accepting less than she is due. Come on Peyrefitte, you must know betta dan that!
Furthermore, Peyrefitte was caught in a lie by his very own UDP TV station Channel 7. He claimed to be "hounding down" Mrs Sylvia Hulse to find Mrs. Foreman. Well lo and behold Channel 7 went to Sylvia Hulse as they reported in the same interview with Peyrefitte when he boasted that $30,000 is not a lot of money, and guess what, Mrs. Hulse said nothing no go so! Peyrefitte had not gone to her. Big Lie!
And stop trying to hide behind politics. Mrs. Foreman is not a Freetown Voter and not even a PUP. She is a serious woman who won't allow her lawyer to play games with her.
What Peyrefitte and the UDP should be worried about is what's coming next. You see my friends there is much more on Mr. P's plate. No wonder the UDP headquarters were scrambling all around to contact other former and present clients of the good gentleman. I believe they contacted about 9 of them including a good lady at the Citco and even brother Dale. And then there are the formal complaints filed with the General Legal Counsel. Oh what a tale they tell. Anybody see a pattern here???
We have given Barrow an opportunity to act and just as we expected he is playing it on the down low hoping it will go away. But it wont!
Dean Barrow cannot change. He is still all rhetoric, all talk and no follow thru. If he was half serious about presenting clean ,competent candidates to the Belizean people Michael Peyrefitte would NOT be the UDP candidate in Freetown. Straight like that