UPP suports Barbudans’ call for inquiry into the handling of hurricane-relief funds, but is not optimistic it will happen
The United Progressive Party (UPP) is supporting Barbudans’ call for
a public inquiry into Hurricane Irma relief funding and the
donations that came from several quarters.
To that end, a call has been made and a letter has been penned to
Prime Minister Gaston Browne by the Barbuda Council. The letter
asks for a public inquiry into what has happened to millions of
dollars earmarked for hurricane relief, but which never made it to
Barbuda.
The correspondence has been copied to Governor-General Sir
Rodney Williams and to the Cabinet.
One donor has been pleading with the Government to ensure that
the monies he donated gets to the sister island, and recent
revelations have shown that at least $2.7 million has never shown
up.
In the latter instance, Prime Minister Gaston Browne has admitted
that the funds were held up in an offshore bank owing to its
financial difficulties.
Damani Tabor, the UPP public relations officer, says the Party
supports the Barbudans’ call for an inquiry; but, he admits, the UPP
is not optimistic that one will be convened.
He points to the Nigel Christian issue and the matter involving the
African migrants who were smuggled from Antigua, with some
perishing at sea.
Calls by the Opposition and by other concerned persons for public
inquiries into these grave matters have gone unanswered. In fact,
they were rejected by Governor-General Sir Rodney Williams.
What he expects will be done, Tabor says, is that word will come
from the Cabinet claiming that the attorney-general has investigated
the matter – but no report on the findings will be made public, as
was the case with the Antigua Airways scandal.
Meanwhile, Tabor says this call by the Barbudans for an accounting
of funds is similar to the call by Leader of the Opposition Jamale
Pringle for all the audited statements and management letters for
government-run entities and statutory corporations
That was Damani Tabor, public relations officer for the United
Progressive Party.
