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PM Says Christmas Cheer Programme Is The Best Opposition Has Ever Had It
posted (December 11, 2013)

And the Prime Minister also had to defend his government's Christmas Cheer programme.  It seems like one shouldn't have to apologize for spending 2.2 million dollars on Christmas hand-outs, but the PUP did criticize the PM for inequitable distribution and for, again, putting public funds at the discretion of unelected UDP politicians.  

Here's what the PM said:

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister of Belize
"No minister, no area representative, or no caretaker can receive any cash. The only person who have so far applied for cash is the opposition deputy leader, Julius Espat. We kind of understand the circumstance; he obviously went and bought toys in Panama before the Christmas Cheer Program was announced and now he wants us to reimburse him, ain't going to happen. You can't get any cash and in terms of the U.D.P. caretakers all they are able to do is suggest recipients for Christmas goodies which will be distributed by the or channel through the Ministry of Human Development. So, nothing is wrong; it is in my view completely fair that members of the government should be able to have distributed rather more than members of the opposition. And I am saying last year, it was same Mr. Espat who came to me and said do something for the opposition. I immediately complied. Last year they had access to the distribution to ten thousand dollars' worth of supplies. This year, they've gone up to $25,000. Lord man, compare - I never got when I was in opposition for then long year a penny from the then government. By way of Christmas Cheer by way of constituency allocation by way of nothing we are miles ahead of these people."

Jules Vasquez
"However, the principle stands, sir, and it's not to be argumentative, but persons who are unelected, and who have taken no public oath, should they be able to determine how public funds will distributed?"

Hon. Dean Barrow
"They are not determining how public funds are being distributed."

Jules Vasquez
"Aren't the caretakers making recommendations?"

Hon. Dean Barrow
"They are making recommendations which the ministry has to accept. It is the ministry that distributes, but I understand what you are trying to get at and I am saying that as long as the resources get to the people in the constituency. What it then means is that in opposition constituency, fifty thousand dollars' worth of resources are going to get to the people. Man that is what is really important."

The Christmas cheer programme seemed to be in full effect today at the Mesopotamia divisional office where we saw quite a crowd lined up waiting for Representative Michael Finnegan.

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