In the past month – revenues from the petroleum industry have
dominated the talk show circuit and the news cycle. There have been so many
figures put forward from the Irish media, the Department Of Petroleum in Belize
and Belize Natural Energy that the average listener, viewer or reader must be
slightly overwhelmed. But we can tell you who isn’t: PUP Deputy Leader
Mark Espat. After all the accounting gymnastics he remains on message: Belizeans
are getting 18 cents out of every dollar earned by Belize Natural Energy.
And while the Prime Minister has said he is satisfied with the government’s
revenue from BNE pending a full and thorough review of their expenses –
Espat wants a full investigation by a House Committee. He’s written to
the chair of the Finance and Economic Development Committee, John Saldivar asking
him to convene a meeting of the Committee for the purpose of examining the petroleum
industry – focussing on the question of whether the Government is receiving
its rightful share of gross petroleum revenues. That committee is charged with
reviewing taxation and fiscal affairs and Espat told us why in his opinion this
is a pressing matter.
Hon. Mark Espat, PUP Deputy Leader
“Why would they want not to have a committee meeting, what is the
problem with having BNE officials, having Income Tax officials, having people
from the Ministry of Finance come to a House Committee in front of the people’s
representatives and present evidence as to why something is not seriously wrong
with Belizeans getting only 18 cents out of every dollar. It is the scandal
of all scandals in my opinion. So this is an issue I will relent on because
I firmly believe that the people are being cheated, we are being gouged. That
is what the House Committee is there for, not only matters that are referred
to it, but the Standing Orders are clear; any matter within government, any
matter within our society that falls under the purview of this committee can
that justify hearings.”
Jules Vasquez,
“We have a train petroleum accountant. The matter is in the hands of experts.
It seems like you want to grandstand on his issue.”
Hon. Mark Espat,
“Jules I would suggest to you that if you would do a poll out there
of the public, I think you will find that a significant majority of Belizeans
are not satisfied with the answers that have come forth.”
Jules Vasquez,
“You all don’t have the expertise to parse through all this information;
you all are not accountants, you all are not petroleum industry experts. What
would be the purpose of having these hearings apart from the optics of Mr. Espat
the look into the oil thing?”
Hon. Mark Espat,
“Well it would not only be. As you know there are six members on the
Committee Jules. If you we would use your rationale then that would apply to
all House Committees. It would apply to House Committees that consider Bills
on the Constitution, all members are not attorneys, certainly not constitutional
attorneys.”
We were unable to reach Saldivar to see if he will proceed with the
meeting. Two members of the Committee can call a meeting – but there must
be a quorum of at least three for it to proceed.
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