Patrick Faber Says Petrocaribe Ballyhoo Is All About PUP Hypocrisy

Patrick Faber

The Petrocaribe money is all the rage these days, hundreds of millions of dollars in GOB’s hands to be used specifically for poverty alleviation, human and social development projects. But the Opposition says GOB accessed, and spent that money illegally, since it did not take the loan before the House to seek approval. Additionally, the Opposition contends that there is no accountability in how that money is being spent. Putting the legal system where its mouth is, the PUP has filed suit against the PM, saying he breached the financial regulations of the House. It’s become a messy issue, with GOB launching a full scale, intensive and campaign to defend its use of the Petrocaribe fund. That is still playing out, but today News Five got the opportunity to get some input on Petrocaribe from Minister of Education Patrick Faber. He says that contrary to what the Opposition is claiming, accountability is not an issue. He says the issue is really the hypocrisy of the People’s United Party.

Patrick Faber, Minister of Education

“For us it is simply hypocrisy on the part of the P.U.P. The manner in which the Petrocaribe agreement was signed dictates that it is very difficult to go to the house for a single approval for the loan funds. I think that all Belizeans are aware that the PM HAS BEEN VERY transparent in terms of telling this nation every time that Petrocaribe funds are being spent and so there is no question about accountability here. The problem is that to take it to the house was always and issue because there was never a single amount, it was a continuous amount of money that is being borrowed. The Prime Minister took the motion to the House of Representatives even before Mr. Espat filed whatever he filed in the court. So there is no question on the part of the Prime Minister and this administration that we want to be accountable and we understand very well that, that procedure has to be done. There are all kinds of complaints and what we want to be clear on is that as far as we see the P.U.P. is trying to stop the spending of Petrocaribe funds, these are monies as everybody knows and of course we will do our best to highlight on Tuesday what these funds have been spent on. We have been well accountable to the Belizean people and the agenda of the P.U.P. can only be deemed as trying to stop progress in Belize and only be deemed as trying to stop the progress of the United Democratic to be the next government and to be the only party in history to be a three term government.”