Musa Says G.O.B. Spending of Venezuelan Money is Irresponsible
Said Musa
While we were with the former prime minister, we also broached the issue of the two hundred and twenty-eight million dollar PetroCaribe loan. The Opposition is challenging the management of the PetroCaribe funds by the Barrow administration. While the prime minister has gone on record on various occasions to talk about the seemingly unending supply of money, there is little accounting for its expenditure. In fact, there are concerns as to whether the monies have been granted to Belize or simply loaned to the country through the PetroCaribe initiative because the money was never taken for approval to the House until very recently. Former Prime Minister Said Musa whose government received a sizeable grant from deceased Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says that while the money is being spent freely, there is no responsibility in its spending.
Said Musa, Former Prime Minister
“It’s very simple, during my time whatever funding we got from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela under President Hugo Chavez was grant money and we did account to the people, you’ve seen exactly how the money is being spent. Indeed, under this administration a government that said they were committed to better governance and accountability there has been absolutely no accountability about the funds that they have been spending. In fact, all they do is boast on the rostrum about millions and millions that they have to spend, you know. But the people don’t know what they are spending it on, where the money is going.”
“Venezuelan money irresponsible?” Oh yeah, blast from the past. Musa took $40 million of Venezuela $ for Belizean housing and dropped it into Ashcrofts account over in UK! Musa, you are done! Get outa politics before you get job at Kolbe Foundation, on the other side of the bars!
Seriously Said??………Seriously??
You,Of all people, have something to say about how the Venezuelan money is being spent?
You truly believe that, that thing with you the last time….. “mi blow over like wah lee breeze”, noh?
You could deh right deh di think seh Belize Kruffy figet.
First of all, Hon. Said Musa was taken to court during the present era under UDP government. Second of all, dean oliver barrow is an excellent lawyer by profession but a horrible prime minister dangerous political figure. Why don’t Belizean people love to READ AND RESEARCH THE FACTS? Kindly read the COURT JUDGEMENT, so you can take your head from under the ground where it has been burried. If Hon. Said Musa committed any theft then dean barrow is a competent lawyer to prove theft the reason he could not prove theft by Hon. Said Musa is because there was no theft. dean barrow just wanted a scandal in order to garner votes. Now what goes around comes back around karma is out to get dean barrow for all his lies that he spread to deceive the Belizean people and we the PUPs will be able to PROVE OUR CASE.
http://www.belizelaw.org/web/supreme_court/judgements/CJ%20Jugments/Claim%20No%20%20155%20of%202009%20-%20Said%20Musa%20and%20Earl%20Jones%20Magistrate%20for%20the%20Belmopan%20Court%20in%20the%20Cayo%20Judicial%20District1.pdf
75. In the first place, as regards Mr. Barrow’s and Ms. Wallace’s
statements, I am satisfied that a careful read through these
statements do not disclose or lead to any reasonable conclusion
that the claimant or Mr. Fonseca (who was with the claimant at the
audience with the Prime Minister) committed the offence of theft. At the highest, these statements were only recounting what Mr. Barrow said the claimant and Mr. Fonseca said to him concerning
the Venezuelan grant to Belize of US $20 million dollars; and how US $10 million of this sum was used to pay off the Government of Belize’s guarantee of Universal Health Services (UHS) loan with
the Belize Bank; and the other US $10 million dollars would be used for housing and the Marion Jones Sporting Complex: and
how, according to the claimant’s understanding, the Venezuelan
authorities gave their blessing to this and that only US $10 million would be publicly declared. Mr. Barrow also stated that he queried
this because the same Venezuelan authorities who had let the new Belize Government know of the full amount of the Venezuelan grant as to US $20 million dollars were asking for proof that it had been
spent on housing.
Ms. Wallace’s statement essentially confirmed the audience and
stated, among other things, that the claimant told the Prime Minister
(Mr. Barrow) what had taken place and that primarily, he, (the
claimant), wanted the Prime Minister to know that the US $10 million dollars did not go into anyone’s pocket and he explained that he (the claimant) had made a decision that the money would be
used to pay off the UHS’ debt with the Belize Bank which the Government had guaranteed.38
Both Mr. Barrow and Ms. Wallace stated in their statements that the
claimant said that he would make a radio/television statement on
the issue to the nation.
76. It would, in my view, be reading far too much in these statements to
find that they amounted to a confession or admission of the offence
of theft by the claimant or Mr. Fonseca, as the learned Director of Public Prosecutions urged. It would, with respect, take an
overwrought imagination to come to this conclusion.
77. The claimant did in fact make a public broadcast on the evening of
the day of the audience with the Prime Minister (I have mentioned
this at para. 14 of this judgment – more on it in the context of these proceedings later before me.
78. After a careful read through Mr. Barrow’s and Ms. Wallace’s
statements I am satisfied that they could not lead to any reasonable opinion that they contained sufficient evidence to commit the
claimant for trial for theft