Over $1.8 Million Spent Per Year on Travel
Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
May 29, 2012 (CUOPM)
Travel paid for from state funds is towards travel made on behalf of the state to do the state’s business.
This was made clear by Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas.
He told the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly during the last sitting that the twin-island Federation is party to a number of regional and international organizations from which numerous benefits in the development of the country are derived.
“Mr. Speaker, Ministers of government have therefore traveled on occasions representing the state at meetings and conferences geared towards and from which further development and advancement of our country can be realized directly or indirectly,” said Prime Minister Douglas.
The Prime Minister in responding to a question from the Member for St. Christopher 8, the Hon. Eugene Hamilton disclosed that Ministers’ travels over the last 10 years including airfare, accommodation and subsistence which are recorded together amounts to EC$18,252,774.00 at an average of EC$1,825,277.00 yearly representing on average 50 trips per year.
Prime Minister Douglas advised the member for St. Christopher (8) to join with the government in agitating for the proper functioning of the Public Accounts Committee which is chaired by the Honourable Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Mark Brantley.
“I wish to advise the honourable the member for St. Christopher (8) that he should take the time out to study the annual estimates from which he can find relevant information relative to his questions,” said Prime Minister Douglas.