Opposition senator questions PM’s overseas travel

Opposition Senator Ryan Walters has challenged Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s justification for her frequent international trips, despite her reports that they have secured over $120 million in grants for Barbados.

Senator Walters’ remarks in the Senate highlighted concerns over the cost and frequency of Mottley’s travel and sought to contrast her administration’s record with that of Freundel Stuart’s between 2008 and 2018.

Speaking in the Senate on Monday, Senator Walters responded to Mottley’s recent defence of her travel expenses, where she revealed that her international engagements had brought in over $120 million in grants. The prime minister’s disclosure in the House of Assembly came after opposition criticism over the frequency and cost of her trips.

But Senator Walters challenged the rationale behind the expenses, noting that the government has been in office for 94 months – some of which were impacted by COVID-19 travel restrictions – yet her travel frequency remained high over the period. While acknowledging that the $120 million in grants was beneficial, he questioned whether such funds were unique to the current administration.

He told the Senate: “The government has been in office for 94 months, and out of that 94 months the airport was closed because of COVID – you could not fly. Do the maths and let us see if this travel is logical. If it makes sense that almost every three weeks the prime minister has to take a trip.

“The justification is that it is travel with benefits. The prime minister has brought back to the country $120 million in grants. I am sure the taxpayers are very grateful but it sparked my curiosity because when I think about grants, I think grants are things that every government has access to or gets in some form or fashion.”

In citing Central Bank reports, he highlighted that between 2008 and 2018 Barbados received a total of $229.9 million in grants with “far less trips” under the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) administration.

He said: “In 2008-2009, $7.5 million; 2009-2010, $35.6 million; 2010-2011, $2.8 million; 2011-2012, $14.3 million; 2012-2013, $57.6 million; 2013-2014, $4.7 million; 2014-2015, $57.5 million; 2015-2016, $18.1 million; 2016-2017, $9.8 million; 2017-2018, $22 million… from the Central Bank reports. $229.9 million in grants over the period [from] far less trips.”

Walters further explained: “Between 2018-2024, as per the Central Bank reports… that total $36.6 million dollars. It’s very possible that the other remaining $90 million or so is somewhere else unaccounted for. I am merely reinforcing what the leader of government business said, that Central Bank reports are a credible source. I am supporting that view, and I have used that view today to show that with less travel, the Democratic Labour Party raised more money.” (SB)