And while Espat is shaking things up at the Ministry of National Development, he's not quite gotten past his former administrative and operational engine at the Belize Tourism Board. In the last few weeks, wave radio has released information which shows that while Espat was Tourism Minister, the BTB pre-paid Southside Meats $50,000 to purchase Christmas hams for his Albert constituency. About half of that was used last year, and the other half was to be used this year. But, Espat was fired from Cabinet at the end of last year and since then, the new Minister of Tourism, Godfrey Smith moved first to vary that programme and then to cancel it. So where does that leave Espat, and his always well-handled Albert supporters and their Christmas hams? That's what we asked him today.
Jules Vasquez,
Did you use proceeds from hotel tax, from the Tourism Board money, to benefit your division personally?
Hon. Mark Espat, Albert Area Rep.
"Well Jules I think because of the quality of the people who serve and served on the Board of Directors of the Belize Tourism Board, it has become one of the models of transparency and accountability. As a former Minister of Tourism, I can tell you that I left no stone unturned in trying to improve the quality of life for our people in Albert and I'm very proud of that record and that work has continued and will continue now. Our committee will be working for this Christmas, we plan to have a children's Christmas party. We plan to hopefully have a seniors party if we can raise the funds for our people and, yes, we hope to have some type of program to support the Christmas celebrations. I won't get into specifics; I think that is hopefully happening in all constituencies. But as far as the issue of accountability is concerned, I feel quite comfortable that investments were made ob behalf of Belize and the people of Albert."
Jules Vasquez,
Will Albert constituents be receiving their hams as they usually do?
Hon. Mark Espat,
"Well Jules you know I'm not here to promote any specific program in Albert. I can tell you we'll have the usual Christmas program that we had have every year for the last 8 years. That includes Christmas cards, it includes calendars, it includes everything that we have done every year. We've been working to raise those funds and I am sure the people of Albert will feel the effects of that, from the children right up to the seniors."
According to our reports, attorneys for the BTB have written to Southside Meats requesting that it refund to the BTB the $23,000 that were not used in last year's programme, a move which would seem to put an end to the Christmas ham programme as Espat had originally devised it.
In a government that regularly hemorrhages millions of dollars in re-profiling fees, currency swaps, tax waivers and secret deals both sweet and sour, $23,000 may not seem like that much, but it's become quite a big deal within the PUP, and as we understand it, the matter, now an inter-Cabinet rivalry, is presently before the Prime Minister as Espat is determined to have hams for his constituents and Smith's BTB is determined to get back the money. Ever open to compromise, we imagine that now the Prime Minister will have to find middle ground between these intractable positions when he returns from the Commonwealth Heads meeting in Malta.
