PetroCaribe
money patching roads - Shaw
By
Edmond Campbell, Senior News Coordinator
Jamaica
Gleaner
Kingston
Petroleumworld.com
08 14 06
Deputy
leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), Audley
Shaw, is accusing the Government of using PetroCaribe
funds illegally to shore up its election chances.
Contending that Government has ignored two legal
procedures by which these funds should be expended,
Mr. Shaw charged that nearly $800 million was being
used by the Transport and Works Ministry to carry
out road repairs across sections of the country.
"The
question we have to ask the Minister of Finance
(is), what else are they doing with PetroCaribe
money that the country doesn't know about, that
Parliament doesn't know about. Is the Minister of
Finance trying to use the PetroCaribe money to 'run
wid it' once again, without the approval of Parliament,"
Shaw queried, while addressing journalists yesterday
at a press conference to assess the party's just-concluded
election campaign five-day road tour in several
parishes.
Mr.
Shaw argued that PetroCaribe funds can only be used
legally by the Government if it is placed in the
Consolidated Fund or if a special legal entity is
set up to manage the funds.
No
amendments yet
According
to the JLP deputy leader, the Government has indicated
its intention to amend the Petroleum Corporation
of Jamaica Act to establish the PetroCaribe Fund,
over which the Financial Secretary would preside.
However, he said, this is yet to materialise.
The
Government recently admitted that the US$41 million
cost overrun in the controversial Sandals Whitehouse
project was funded by proceeds from the Caracas
oil agreement, which Jamaica had with Venezuela.
Finance
and Planning Minister, Dr. Omar Davies, has dismissed
claims that the funds were used inappropriately.
Jamaica Gleaner
Tuesday | August 1, 2006
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