Cabinet: House and Senate members can see U.H.S. guarantee

That so-called guarantee given by government to back a thirty-three million dollar loan made by the Belize Bank to Universal Health Services may not be so secret after all. A call from the Press Office this afternoon informed us that Cabinet has authorised any member of the National Assembly, upon request, to view the document in question. Previously, the Association of Concerned Belizeans had filed a request to see the loan guarantee under the Freedom of Information Act. That request was denied on the basis of confidentiality, but the Ombudsman was given viewing rights and he confirmed that the document exists. Now members of the House and Senate will get their shot. One persistent critic of government’s financial management, Senator Godwin Hulse, told News Five that while he will take his look as soon as possible, he’s still sceptical, first about the guarantee’s authenticity and second over why government should be on the hook for a loan that was initially guaranteed by the D.F.C. In any case, Hulse claims that under the constitution any such payment from the consolidated fund must be approved by the National Assembly … and he’ll argue hard against disbursement when the decision reaches the Senate.