On Sunday, Belize City mayor Darrell Bradley will be endorsed as the UDP candidate for Caribbean Shores. But, as the old saying goes, he didn't get there alone. Sure, he can thank his family and friends, but he also has to thank Petrocaribe. Like a few other select UDP Standard Bearers he's gotten access to funds for his divisional constituents through the Mother's day Cheer programs. Now when we say access, we don't mean he got any funds; he absolutely did not. But he did have a say in how those cheer funds were directed, to whom - he admitted as much today - which led to a whole big argument - it's fun, enjoy:..
Reporter
"Sir did you personally asked for the Mother's Day cheer money?"
Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor
"No, you think that I go to the Ministry of Finance?"
Jules Vasquez
"It's done through Minister Martinez. That's what the Prime Minister said."
Reporter
"And that you received it."
Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor
"No. in relation to this. This is what I will say. Funds..."
Reporter
"That you received."
Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor
"Yes. In relation to saying that we have an input in that, people will have a certain argument, a significant argument because I have listen to a lot of it in terms of the bail and the legislation. Lots of things about Petrocaribe. A lot of it is political fluff. The ultimate beneficiary is residents in our community, that I have an input in relation to that. I don't think that there's a difficulty with that."
Jules Vasquez
"By virtue of being a political party?"
Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor
"Yes."
Jules Vasquez
"But then being in a political party, the party is not the government. The two should be divided."
Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor
"Man, we live in a certain context. You want leadership that is ethical and principle. If you cannot point to something that is improper and you can say that individuals in the community benefit, I don't see a difficulty with that."
Jules Vasquez
"What authority do you have to decide how funds from Central Government from the Ministry of Finance..."
Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor
"Be careful there Jules. I don't decide how any funds from the Central Government are spent. If monies are allocated for Caribbean Shores and I have an input in that. I can't tell anybody write this one a cheque, write that one a cheque. That is not how these things are allocated. Nobody is given any cash. So that if I have an input in that because I'm part of a political party and I accord with principles of good government practice. To say that I am...."
Jules Vasquez
"How is patronage a good government practice?"
Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor
"How is that patronage? I don't understand."
Jules Vasquez
"That is political clientel-ism when you say, boy I know you are a good supporter see a little $50 for Mother's Day, make sure you buy your..."
Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor
"No, no, no. One of the things that we are doing right now in Caribbean Shores is working very closely to ensure that people in the Caribbean Shores area get their fair share of educational assistance that's routed through the Ministry of Education. How can any single person complain that if I have an input in raising awareness and ensuring that people who are deserving and these monies come from tax pay dollars anyway because Petrocaribe is a loan which has to be repaid so it's still going back to tax payers' dollars? How can there be any assertion that if I advocate in whatever capacity that I do in terms of input or whatever because I don't go and sit down at any Minister of Finance office and say ok this has to be done, that has to be done. That's not how that thing works. But if they say that Caribbean Shores people in terms of educational allowances will get this amount of money and that money directly goes to the school children of this country. How can anybody say that that is patronage? You may say in relation to the divisions and I will grant you this - that In terms of the division were maybe you would say that opposition people get less. That something which one can make an argument in relation to that. You can say that. But to say that there is any impropriety in me having an input in how funds are... - I mean you are talking about education. Like I don't see that."
Jules Vasquez
"Yes, but it's not only education. It's just straight political hand-outs and that's fine. That's how the system works. We have to accept it for what it is. And I'm saying you have no greater authority at all. Why can't I decide who gets the money because we have not taken an oath of office for the Government of Belize."
Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor
"But what authority am I exercising?"
Jules Vasquez
"You are not a Government Official. You are the decider of who benefits from certain Government Funds."
Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor
"When you say decider, that's where I divide from you in relation to discretion. There's no Darrell Bradley being a decider of anything. These are public funds and these are funds which are going to benefit people for social services."
