Accountability for Petrocaribe Funds Can be Seen on the Streets

Patrick Faber

Attorneys for the Opposition who are dealing with a suit filed against the Prime Minister, say that the loan motion was not taken to the house as required by the Finance and Audit Reform Act. So the Petrocaribe funds have been spent illegally and furthermore there has been no accountability. Minister Faber thinks not saying that the accountability can be seen on the streets.

Patrick Faber, Minister of Education

“Absolutely not the Venezuelan money was diverted. 10 million US dollars was completely diverted never taken to the house never accounted for. Even the 10 Million that was put in the coffers of the country, we saw very much a squandering of. Of course there was a special report of the Public Accounts Committee. You will remember that was tabled and that was reviewed, we would have loved to see Mr. Espat there. You know that he boycotted all the meeting of the PAC even the one that dealt with the way the Venezuelan funds were spent in 2007 leading on to 2008. And Belizeans should know as well that there were proceeds from Petrocaribe even before this administration got in. We have been hearing various different figures but it is hard to tell because they never accounted for it and this is why I open by saying that this is hypocrisy on the part of the P.U.P. because monies started coming in probably from 2—6 after the agreement was signed in 2005. By the time they demitted office we are told there is somewhere between 40 and 50 million that is totally unaccounted for. We don’t know what happened with those funds. We would wish that in the debate on Tuesday they will be forthcoming with some answers as to what has been done with those funds. But to compare what the P.U.P. did whether with those Petrocaribe funds or with the money that was used in housing purposes. It’s like night and day. Every step of the way PM Barrow has explained and given account for the monies, you will see that on Tuesday, all the monies of  the Petrocaribe funds that have been spent, those that are yet to be spent and you will see what is left to be determined  of how it will be spent.”

Mike Rudon

“Sir but there was an argument that that is not genuine accountability, you are saying that the main difference between then and now is the accountability. That  the Musa administration did not account for those funds, the argument by the opposition currently is that there is no  accounting for how the funds are being spent now with the exception of ads saying this amount of million went to streets, with the exception of interviews by the Prime Minister  or maybe times in the house when he mentions, but there is no real accountability.”

Patrick Faber

“Well I would like you to try and tell the Belizean people that. The accountability is out there on the streets; in the rural areas where the road s have been renovated, in my area of Collet where the streets in the back area have recently been renovated, in those countless number of students that have received educational assistance including those members of the opposition, including Julius Espat who has received funds from the Ministry of Education given from the Petrocaribe fund. That is the true value of the Petrocaribe money.”