P.S.U. Prez: PM’s Transport Allowance is Unjustifiable

Dean Flowers

The Prime Minister’s vehicle allowance came up in today’s discussion. The President of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize has stated that the Prime Minister needs to justify the increase in his transport allowance of four thousand dollars monthly. The PM has responded by saying he is using his personal vehicle and did not use public funds to purchase a new one. However, he still needs an allowance for regular maintenance. P.S.U. President Dean Flowers says that you cannot justify the unjustifiable.

Dean Flowers, President, Public Service Union

“I won’t stand here and ask the prime minister to justify what could possibly be an increase of four thousand dollars in transport allowance in addition to perhaps the one thousand three hundred that is already given to ministers who utilize their private motor vehicle. I’d be a fool to ask him to justify that because that is unjustifiable. I currently drive a truck that has been driven by four presidents; I am the fifth driving that truck. It takes me across this country every single day; in some cases every single day of each week across the country. I can tell you that in two years, I’ve only changed tires once. And you know which district I travel the most? Punta Gorda, Toledo. So I can tell you that it doesn’t cost me thirty percent of what the prime minister is getting to maintain my vehicle. And I am positive that I travel as much as he does. And I don’t know if it is that you are mistaken, but no, that does not include his funds for his fuel. He is given a fuel card; that is pure vehicle maintenance. But I don’t want to get into that because the prime minister once again disrespected this country when he said, we should be happy that we didn’t have to buy him a vehicle. So I won’t beat that horse anymore as he said, we have beat that horse till ih dead. The people of Belize will judge the prime minister for these actions. He knows very well that he is abusing public funds; he knows very well that he is abusing his position as prime minister when he instructs and authorises these types of payments to himself. But the people of Belize will remember him for that.”