$8 Million Wanted for Public Education Campaign

Wilfred Elrington

There was consternation in the Senate with news that only forty thousand dollars was in the recently passed Budget for the public education campaign for the referendum on settling the Guatemalan claim at the I.C.J.  But Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington confirmed to News Five today that while forty-K was approved, government needs eight million dollars.  It means that it is only four days into the new budget and there are already plans for a supplementary budget for another seven point nine-six million dollars for the referendum campaign.

Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs

“I know for a fact that we did have some money left over from the last fiscal cycle. But I also know that the contemplated budget for this public education campaign is more in the region of about eight million Belize dollars. That has not yet been budgeted for, but I know there are ongoing discussion with the Fin Sec and the C.E.O. from our Ministry, and the contemplation is that a supplemental budget will have to be put to the National Assembly.”