P.M. says Castro checks are distasteful, but not corruption
Dean Barrow
Distasteful and wrong, but not corrupt. That’s a very fine line drawn by Prime Minister Dean Barrow, who has been faced with all manner of accusations against his ministers and officials. Still, the bottom line is that as distasteful as it may be, Castro will face no punishment for the outrageous fleecing of taxpayers’ money. According to PM Barrow, he spoke to Castro after the story aired on Tuesday night, and incredibly, Castro claims that he didn’t know that using the BAA as his personal and political piggy bank was wrong.
FOR VIDEO CLICK HERE: PM RESPONDS TO CASTRO & CHEQUES
Prime Minister Dean Barrow
“As I’ve said, the Airports Authority had the power to issue the cheques, had the power to approve the payments and that is what they did. So technically, everybody is in the clear. I have said to the board that I am extremely disappointed in that and I have said to the minister that I am extremely disappointed in him because of the optics, because it does stink to high heavens. But I cannot say that any offence was committed. I can just accuse both of them of extreme bad judgment.”
Reporter
“Sir but these are public funds. He should not be able to use public funds at his whim or to access them.”
Dean Barrow
“I don’t know if it was at him whim. For whatever purposes he used the funds for, the board, the Belize Airports Authority, approved the issuing of the cheques, the disbursement of the funds to him. I can’t say too many times that I consider that extremely ill-advised and wrong, but every board has the authority to make payment for purposes that the board approves. Some of those purposes, you and I will obviously see as ill-considered and in this case, you can’t get away from that fact—and I am not trying to do that at all—but you must realize that this is not a matter of hair-splitting. Indeed the authority, going through the proper process—by way of board meetings that were convene, by way of their internal protocols that were followed—approved these disbursements. I, had I been on that board, would have absolutely resigned in protest if other board members in the majority had insisted in doing what was done.”
U MEAN BARRO so smaat dat e kant figa out husling and kurupshian? e know well dat if wah civil sarvant no cooperate wid dem ministaz deh wah end up dah punta gorda fi work. go ahead pappi, protek u crooks dem. we di rite yah di look aan an we no fool paps. evry turkey have e krismas.
This government has to go. Why are Belizeans so passive? I am not for violence but there comes a time. We could learn from these brave souls. Better to get hurt or even to die for something because the killers who walk free will do it anyway because even the justice system of the nation is broken and in many cases such as this it is non existent. http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25838962
I know this PM got good education and could read di dictionary. Corruption inna govt da when the ministas use them official position fi personal gain. Again more #@$$ from di PM cause this da clear corrution. Now da wah different thung if immi say dat him cant put the minista da jail cause all the cronies sign di paperwork fi mek it proceduraly correct. Caca still stink even if you spray perfume pon it. Di next corrupt one da di minista weh tek taxpayers money and use it inna fi he store only. You calk that conflict of interest and it da wah corrupt practise. Fool di talk but da no fool di listen. Wait fi 2017.
Barrow is just as corrupt by protecting his Ministers…he is twisting the law to try legalize what his minions are doing. You believe you self bro but we outside here don’t …..election day will come ….
Poor Prime Minister, grasping at straws…honestly I would think much greater of him if he just got rid of the corrupt ministers and replaced them….covering for them just puts him in the same box as the corrupt ministers.
If its not corruption, then its what Mr. PM? All you corrupted thieves will get voted out soon!! Mark my words!
Political corruption is the use of power by government officials for illegitimate private gain. However our most powerful elected official thinks this is not corruption because he himself must also be doing it! This man has given his mind over to deceit and pride and must keep making these excuses for his ministers to stay alive. Sad. His legacy will be one of shame.
cuando se pierde la verguensa ya se ve asta con orgullo
When shame is lost the ignorance even tends to look like an honorable thing in this crazy world we live in. Really is this the kind of P.M we really want to keep running our country? when will Belizeans learn to understand that party colors doesn’t make a difference but the real person who is the head of it. If we plan to keep putting people who are so ignorant about corruption like these being taken lightly then we’re screwed up for the rest of our lives.
Every time ruling government believes it is time to step down and for the opposition to form the new government, we have scandal breaks free. The same thing with the PUP, and then the same thing with UDP. This is what they agree on. Now the people will vote out the UDP and vote back in the PUP. Then the same cycle again. We always wonder, what else is there to steal and corrupt? But the winning government never fails to find something. Everybody knows. To make headway in this life in Belize, you either become a politician, or you become one of the minions.
Is there a policy at the airport authority that specifically allow for this sort of disbursment of funds? I find that hard to believe.
The funds from each of these agences should only be used for the airport!
These guys have no shame!
Castro again? This guy know how to do it, and the PM have him covered. He need to go home. We have to ask, what does Penner and Castro know that can hurt the PM? It seems the have him by the bolas, and we the people are being given the shaft.
How can this PM say that there is nothing wrong with those checks that were written to pay Castro”s bills. What is wrong with this man is he stupid or just plain don’t care. The airport people had the authority to write those checks?
So anyone in government can have checks written to them from a government account for personal use? Wow my Belize people should be outraged over this.