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Christian Workers Union denounces Petro Caribe Loan Act, 2015

By on March 31, 2015

The Christian Workers Union today came out swinging against the Petro Caribe Loans Act, 2015.

And the CWU did not mince words, saying that the legislation is “lacking in transparency and accountability.”

A press release from CWU says that “this recent Petro Caribe Loans Act flies in the the face of measures to be more accountable and more transparent with the monies of the people.”

CWU press release

CWU press release

This the CWU says is despite the 2010 amendment to the Finance and Audit Act which was designed to increase oversight of public finances.

CWU says that once the Act takes effect, no longer will Belizeans be informed about public spending as prior approval would not be necessary from the National Assembly.

CWU also concludes that the Act “frustrates Auditor General accounting of PetroCaribe finding as it will not be part of the Consolidated Revenue Fund to be tracked by the Auditor General; removes PetroCaribe spending from being subject to the Finance and Audit (Reform) Act, 2010; bestows GOB with power to borrow ANY amounts to be used “without limitations”; and also validates, legalizes and legitimizes previously illegal and unconstitutional Government conduct for the past two and a half years.”

In its release, the CWU also takes aim at Prime Minister Dean Barrow saying that “despite the Finance Minister’s justification why he does not wish to go back to the National Assembly each time to obtain approval for spending monies over $1O million, the truth is the Act was really designed to defeat the present case brought against it by the Opposition challenging Government’s violation of the law thus it being made retrospective to September, 1, 2012.”

According to the CWU press release, “already some Bz $286,166,698.78 dollars has been spent from September 2012 to February 2015 by our Government without complying with  the Finance  and Audit Act, and with no accountability  to the National Assembly.”

Prime Minister Dean Barrow’s rationale for pushing the legislation through parliament last week has also come in for harsh criticism from the CWU.

“The lame excuse of being unable to tell oil prices and thus the amounts available for loan to the Government  flies in the face of good sense,” the CWU release says.

The Christian Workers Union concludes that “Government’s recent actions reveal the high-handedness with which it abuses the law and exercises its parliamentary power, not to create better governance but to sanction its illegal, unethical and immoral conduct when dealing with the people’s affairs.”

CWU press release

CWU press release

The CWU is calling on government to “repeal this Act and to apologize to this nation for the promotion and sanction of the breach of our laws.”

The CWU is also taking aim at the Senator representing the social partners, Ray Davis.

He abstained when a division of the vote was called for on the floor of the Senate on Monday.

The CWU said that it “calls on other Unions to denounce this Act and to unite to demand the repeal of this law.  CWU Members need to remain vigilant about this issue and to stand ready to participate in the discourse as the monies obtained by these loans will be repaid by us Workers.”

And regarding Senator Davis’ abstention, the CWU poured scorn on his action in the Senate saying that “it distances itself from the decision of the Social Partners Senator Mr. Ray Davis, who represents the Unions, to abstain from the vote on this critical issues as it does not reflect the position of CWU, endorsing a Senate vote against the PetroCaribe Loans Bill.”

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