Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne is calling on the government to release long-overdue financial statements detailing ministerial travel expenses over the past year. This demand comes after the government boasted about spending over $7 million on fisher folk following Hurricane Beryl. Thorne argues that taxpayers have a right to know how their money is being spent.
“It’s the least the government could do,” Thorne stated, emphasizing the need for transparency. He questioned the government’s spending priorities, suggesting that ministerial and prime ministerial travel should be subject to greater scrutiny. “The public is obligated to know how much is spent on these luxuries,” he asserted.
During a House debate on the Sustainable Fisheries and Management and Development Bill 2024, Thorne challenged the government’s justification for these expenses. “A government must not be allowed to go on these expeditions without the scrutiny of the public,” he said, highlighting the importance of checks and balances on government spending.
Thorne criticized what he described as lavish travel practices, mentioning “happy folk…ingesting champagne in the skies on private jets at the expense of the people.” He also pointed out that traveling delegations are often quite large, and each trip must be justified, especially given the country’s current IMF austerity program.
He contrasted this spending with the struggles of vulnerable citizens, citing the example of an unemployed mother of six who receives only $649 monthly in welfare. “The people of this country will never be tired of making this plea for the disclosing of every last penny of spending,” Thorne insisted. He added that no one should be judged for their personal circumstances. The core of his argument is that transparency in government spending is paramount, and that the needs of those requiring social and financial assistance should be prioritized.