Where are the Hurricane relief funds? NDP ducks answer
The spotlight is now on the financial donations pledged by a number of countries following the devastation of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, which destroyed the British Overseas Territory of the Virgin Islands.
For months, some on social media including radio personality Paul A. Peart aka ‘Gadiethz’ has been asking where is the money pledged in 2017 and 2018, however, the ruling NDP has dodged the questions.
Where is the money?
There has been over $16M plus worth of Hurricane donations some in goods and some in cash. Reportedly, many of the goods were left to spoil and others distributed to elected members for their districts, while some were given to the Department of Disaster Management for central distribution.
However, with a quantity of the goods left to waste, residents are claiming that they did not receive any goods or food after the Hurricanes.
At a press conference last month, the matter was raised with Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL) who promised to get back to the press. Our newsroom then followed up with the Administration’s Chief Information Officer Ms Desiree Smith who said a press conference was planned for October 16, 2018, to address the questions, however, to date no press conference was held.
Still waiting
It is unclear when the NDP Government will account for the donations and say whether cash was turned over to NDP officials and how the people can access it.
Some social and political commentators have already warned the international community not to give any more donations directly to the Dr Smith led regime, but instead to Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s).
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