7 News Belize

The Controversy Over Excelsior’s Missing Money
posted (June 14, 2019)
The Minister also discussed controversy at another government school, Excelsior High where almost $200,000 has reportedly gone missing.

The misappropriation of these government funds came under scrutiny during the investigation of the murder of Excelsior's principal, Alarice Andrewin. Here's what Faber had to say about it...

Reporter
"Can you speak on the oversight of funds passed from government to schools especially in the case of Excelsior where we found out that over two hundred thousand dollars went missing or it was misuse?"

Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education
"Again, while the government gives government owned schools as well as grant-aided schools, those are by a large the church and community schools that engage with us in partnership monies, the government does not micro-manage and I am understanding in the case of Excelsior there might have been a case where - and we have to be careful these matters are still very alive and we don't want to pronounce or say that anything has happen that has not happened, but as far as we understand monies that were to be taken out of the salaries of the teachers to pay into income tax or social security monies that may not have been paid and so that kind of thing speaks to the administration of the school and again, that administration is overseen by the board which is the managing authority. So the ministry right on might not be able to catch that right away at least, down the road at some point it would have happened and I believe that is how it was brought to light. The ministry does have some oversight especially as it relates to government owned schools and so that is really what happened here, but it happened after the fact of much of this which we are told might have happened."

Home | Archives | Downloads/Podcasts | Advertise | Contact Us

7 News Belize