Getting to the bottom of the airport developer mystery

News Five continues to follow the developing story of developer Jorge Jaen's dubious past and what it means for his multi-million dollar development project for the Efrain Guerrero International Airport in San Pedro.�Jaen has previous convictions for fraudulent activity in the U.S. dating as far back as 1999, and his company appears to be only recently formed.�There is pressure on the government to avoid a repeat of the Puerto Azul fiasco and to say what it knows and how it intends to follow up the situation. But P.U.P. leader John Brice�o fears it's the same old story: U.D.P. hustling.

John Brice�o, Leader, P.U.P.

"If you can remember a few years ago, ministers were posing with actors and the paparazzi in Cannes, where they had the Puerto Azul project, and we found out that it was basically a Ponzi scheme. Now we have here another gentleman that comes in and makes these pie in the sky promises, that he's going to raise a hundred million dollars, U.S., to build an airport on Ambergris Caye; and now we're finding out that this man has been suspected of committing fraud, not once, but several times. We're finding out that the company that they own has no history in any kind of airport development or any kind of history in developing big projects because this is a massive project. And on the part of the Government, here we have the Government signing on to something - because I've got a feeling that some people believe that it is a 'quick-rich' scheme for them. The ministers and the U.D.P. cronies and their hangers-on believe that if we can move a hundred-million dollar project some of us can make some money from it. But have we done the proper studies? Have we done the engineering studies that is needed to be able to build an airport in Ambergris Caye? Where are we going to get the massive amount of landfill that we'd have to be using? How is it going to affect the people from San Pedro, San Pedra�os, our local airlines? So there are many questions that should have bene answered before we signed an M.O.U. Once again, we believe that it is a hustle from some people in the Dean Barrow U.D.P. government."

Channel 5

DPM Faber Says Basil Jones Is Legit

Was Belize duped by a South Florida scammer? That is the question on everyone's mind after developer Jorge Jaen's credibility has come into question. Jaen appeared last week as the point-man for the hundred million US dollar airport project at Basil Jones on northern Ambergris Caye.

But he has no track record in airport development - and neither does his company, International Airport Alliance. Jaen has also been accused of fraud in 2006 - including allegations of Conspiracy to Commit Extortion and voter fraud.

While a statement from International Airport Alliance says that Jaen has never been prosecuted, it still raises major concerns about the legitimacy of his partnership with Belize and the future of the Airport. Today we asked Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber about it and he says all this might just be mischief making - people trying to jeopardize the project. Here is how he put it.

Courtney Weatherburne, reporter
"Regarding the new airport on San Pedro, there is some questionable information or documents that have surfaced regarding the South Florida investor Jorge Jaen. They are questioning in terms of his past there are several allegations that he is a con man. How are you guys dealing with this? Have you all done your own investigation and if so how will you more forward with this? Is the information actually true?"

Hon. Patrick Faber, Deputy Prime Minister
"I am not able to say. Actually the last meeting if the cabinet sub-committee on investment I was out of the country. I think it was around the time I was in Antigua for Cuba CARICOM and so I really did not have a chance to see, but what I can tell you is that the cabinet sub-committee on investment aided by Beltraide and headed by Minister Tracey Panton - we do our due diligence. So there are thorough checks. Things are in such a way that things happen way back in the past, but because of course of those who are trying to make mischief they go and dig up things from way back in the past."

Courtney Weatherburne, reporter
"Apart from as you said mischief, you said that the committee did do their background. They did the due diligence and all of that. Did the information first of all did they stumble upon this information in his past and then also didn't that raise any red flags?"

Hon. Patrick Faber, Deputy Prime Minister
"This is why I am telling you I may not be the best person to ask, as I was not at that last meeting. What is for certain is that we have no negative intention. We want to build the best possible airport in the northern Ambergris to serve not only Ambergris Caye but the wider Belizean population and we will continue to look for information to make sure that we have the right people and if for some reason there is a misstep in that direction, then we will correct that."

As you heard, Faber directed us to Minister Tracey Panton and her committee to get the full scope of the background check that was done on Jaen. We will keep following this story.

Channel 7