We caught up with Waight as he was coming out of KREM Television - after a rare talk show appearance. Waight is on a sort of media tour along with UDP Legal Advisor Michael Young trying to debunk public apprehension about the Petrocaribe Loans Bill. Critics say it violates the finance and audit act and gives the government powers to assume loans and spend without the approval of Parliament. And now Waight and Young are doing the morning shows to say that Petrocaribe is a very singular situation - and passing the bill for it does not undo the provisions of the Finance and Audit Act. Here's how they pitched it to the media after this morning's talk show appearance on the KREM W-U-B:..
Michael Young, S.C. - UDP Legal Advisor
"There's no repeal of the finance and audit act. It is merely that this is a unique case and special legislation has been passed to deal with the unique case. "
Joseph Waight, GOB's Financial Secretary
"Under the finance and audit reform act, they specify the types of borrowing. From sources multilateral agencies, financial institutions and so but, it didn't conceive the Petrocaribe as such which is a credit facility, bilateral program. So essentially what this is doing is essentially allows for the borrowing from Petrocaribe."
Michael Young, S.C. - UDP Legal Advisor
"But the fact of the existence of the Petrocaribe funds was public knowledge. How can that be denied."
Reporter
"The existence was public knowledge, but the spending of it and how much was spent was not public knowledge... and hence the reason for Julius Espat's actions. And this whole matter afoot when Jules Vasquez asked the Prime Minister how come he had spent so much money and hasn't taken it to the house."
Michael Young, S.C. - UDP Legal Advisor
"Well obviously it was felt that there was no need to bring it as a matter of a loan act to the house at that time."
Reporter
"But then that was not in order of the finance and audit act provision?"
Michael Young, S.C. - UDP Legal Advisor
"That's a matter of opinion and that was what the litigation was all about."
Reporter
"Sir, was that illegally and criminally done then, for you to see the need to bring the Petrocaribe loans act 2015 now?"
Michael Young, S.C. - UDP Legal Advisor
"No. I don't agree, that's certainly not my position. Why would it be sinister for you to have monies being disbursed? Which the government obviously felt, at the time, did not fall between the requirements of the finance and audit act. Why would it be sinister to proceed to disburse those funds as long as those funds are disbursed for the public good? What would be sinister is if you are using those funds for private gain, for fraudulent activities and those kinds of things. That is what would be sinister as far as I am concerned. The auditor general has that obligation of investigating, as a matter of fact, preparing a report as to the disbursement of public funds including that fund. And that has to be put before the national assembly. So that if there are acts of corruption, and acts of corruption can even be by junior officers. If there are acts of corruption and fraud, missing monies or any mismanagement then that were to come to the attention of the public."
The Trade union Congress of Belize and the Chamber of Commerce have said they do not support the Bill. The Teacher's Union is reportedly holding consultations on its position.
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