Fool Di Talk But Da Noh Fool Di Listen – Audrey on Barrow’s Petrocaribe Rationale

Audrey Matura-Shepherd

Furthermore, Matura-Shepherd said that government should do the right thing as it relates to public funds and she openly questions government’s borrowing as it concerns Petrocaribe funds, asking whether or not the monies can be saved in a trust before a motion is tabled in the house.

Audrey Matura-Shepherd, President, Christian Workers Union

“Let’s make sense out of nonsense.  He is saying that when the money comes in we don’t know the amount but that’s why you have to wait until the money comes in and you know the amount then you go to the National Assembly because then you will know what you are going to be borrowing.  So you are telling me that each time you borrow you are borrowing blindly?  Better yet, he knows that you can put that money in an account on trust until you go to the national assembly and do the right thing.  Or even better yet, have you ever heard that money spoils?  So if you put it aside and do the right thing because you want to be accountable, is the money spoiling in the meantime?  Are you saying that oh we can’t ensure that we comply with the cooperation because we have to borrow the money contrary to our laws before?  Since when, please Isani tell me since when, I know I’m dealing with a prime minister who is an attorney.  Since when can an agreement or a contract circumvent the law?  People haftu think!  Fool di talk but dah no fool di listen.  No contract agreement or anything, or even a treaty can circumvent the local law and our local law is clear cut, it doesn’t matter who you sign the agreement with, where the money is coming, once it exceeds ten million dollars the law is clear cut, you go to the national assembly.  You are accountable and transparent, you reveal what is the amount, what it’s going to be used for and you get approval.  Man this nonsense when you read that now, after violating the law since 2012 which many of us unfortunately did not even know until this act came out how much money has been spent.  You’ve been violating the law since 2012, two years and a half later you are coming to us and say oh I want you to… the words are here… I want you now to turn and use the law to validate and conform retrospectively the spending of over two hundred and eighty-six million Belize dollars.”

News Five has attempted to get a comment from N.T.U.C.B. President, Marvin Mora, but all requests have gone unanswered.