And Barrow also called out the BTB and Minister Mahler for what he says is a lack of transparency and accountability regarding the Belize International Music and Food Festival. Last year, BTB published what was basically a flyer stating that they made a $50,000 profit after spending $750,000 but details were scant.
This year, Barrow said that report is not enough, and is calling for a detailed breakdown and accountability of public funds.
Shyne Barrow, Opposition Leader
"The opposition UDP feels very strongly about the lack of accentuality when it comes to this Belize International Music and Food Festival. A million dollars is a lot to spend on international artists. I'm sure you've seen the video with the lead singer from the TLC band complaining he's seen legendary artists such as Ernestine complaining about the treatment of the Belizean artists. So don't take a million dollars of our tax payers money to wine and dine the foreign artists and then treat our Belizean artists as if they are none entities."
"Furthermore, it is important for a government that has formed government based on accountability, based on transparency to give account of how the monies have been spent, so that we as the tax payers that are funding this Belize International Music Festival can make a determination whether or not our money is being well spent. That money doesn't belong to Anthony Mahler and his good friend John Marsden. It doesn't. That's not his slush fund. That is our money. The BTB is a quasi-government entity. Those are our tax payers' dollars. So we need to see why Costa Maya which was a renowned event international bringing in so many different people that was there for quite a long time. We need to measure why that was totally cancelled. We need to know if the monies are being spent are worthwhile."
