Finnegan says Venezuela grant was US $20 million, not US $10 million

And while the P.U.P. gets its house in order, tonight there are new accusations against the Musa administration regarding those housing loans. When the program was launched in January, Belizeans were told that the Venezuelans had sent nine million U.S. dollars to assist low income families repair or construct homes. An additional million was stipulated for upgrades to the track at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex. But today, Minister of Housing Michael Finnegan produced a letter which says that Mr. Chavez’s gift was actually twice the advertised amount.

Michael Finnegan, Minister of Housing
“Either the Venezuelan government are making a mistake and I don’t see why they should or the former Government of Prime Minister Musa lied to the people of Belize. Because this letter is stating quite clearly that the Venezuelans are saying it was not ten million U.S. dollars, it was twenty [million] U.S. dollars that was given the people and country of Belize. The implication I would understand it from the Venezuelan is that twenty million Belize is missing.”

Janelle Chanona
“And you haven’t found it anyhere?”

Michael Finnegan
“Nowhere. And we would want to know…Where is the twenty million dollars?”

Janelle Chanona
“Why do you think this information has just come to light?”

Michael Finnegan
“Because this letter was sent to Amalia Mai from the Venezuelan people on the eight of February, this was the day after the election. That was the day we took office. This letter is now showing its face and it came to me as the Minister responsible for Housing who were dealing with the funds, it was saying to me probably that maybe we could give account of the monies at the Department.”

Janelle Chanona
“So how do you go about now complying with the requirements that the Government has committed itself to regarding showing where the money went?”

Michael Finnegan
“We can only give account of what we know about and I would imagine this matter will go at an extremely higher level so as to get to the bottom is exactly the situation.”

As Minister Finnegan noted, the letter is addressed to Amalia Mai at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and was dated February eight. Our attempts to solicit comment from Mai about its contents were unsuccessful. Associates tell News Five she is out of the country. Our phone calls to Venezuelan Ambassador to Belize Omar Valdiviezo and opposition leader Said Musa to verify the letter were not returned.