Later on in the marathon press conference, Opposition Leader Patrick Faber took the podium to demand explanations for recent instance of suspect Government expenditure.
From their perspective, the government has failed to be transparent with public spending, and if the Prime Minister does not offer an adequate explanation, they say that these acts can be interpreted as corruption.
Here's Faber's call for an explanation on reports that public funds were used to pay the private medical bill for Ingrid Vega, the wife of the deceased Area Rep, David "Dido Vega:
Hon. Patrick Faber - Leader of the Opposition
"Everything that you spend - that $12 million that Julius has got from the government to do to do quick fixes, we still are not clear. We still have not seen those contracts. We still do not know the details. And as you know, my friends, the devil, quite often, is in the details. We hear now of a situation where the government has agreed to pay for the medical bills of a former elected representative. No, on the surface of things, there might be a sorry. Well, that's the thing, I'm not sure. I am not sure I want. I want to believe it's the way you put it, funds or it may be for the two of them because the bigger cap in or below, God bless him. And so it may well be that it is. The hospital bill that was left haunting the wife, who was also a client of the hospital and suffered from COVID 19. In fact, I think she may have well, I don't know that, but she was intubated but spent quite a number of days in the hospital as well. We don't have any quarrel with the Vega family, and we know that that time was very, very much a time of turmoil. But the prime minister owes this nation an explanation. If you are going to contract $146,000 of the taxpayers' dollars to pay a bill like this."
Once again, the UDP wants the Government to explain why 15 million dollars in legal fees are being paid out as part of the Blue Bond, which has replaced the Superbond. Belize got a 45% discount on the settlement of that part of the sovereign debt, but the Opposition says that no clear explanation has been given about why it is that taxpayers must pay 15 million dollars in legal fees for the Blue Bond's launch.
Here's an excerpt of Faber's call for answers:
Hon. Patrick Faber - Leader of the Opposition
"Explain to us, Mr. Prime Minister if it is not corruption if it is not something that you feel the need to hide. And we did ask the question in the Honorable House. I'm not sure if it was asked in the Senate, but I believe because you cover all grounds, Mike - you and your team - that you asked again. What the hell was the $15 million for and who is going to collect that $15 million?"
