The Barbuda Council is calling on the Governor General to immediately convene an inquiry into Hurricane Irma recovery donations that are unaccounted for.
In a letter dated January 24, addressed to Prime Minister Gaston Browne, cc to Governor General Sir Rodney Williams, the Chairman of the Council, Devon Warner stresses the urgency of the inquiry not only for the accountability of the government but also for donors to have trust and confidence in the country.
Over the past few weeks, it came to light that a one million USD donation from the Steve Morgan foundation and USD 550,000 from Spain has never been received although donated more than 6 years ago to help Barbuda return to normalcy following the passage of the category 5++ hurricane.
The Council is therefore calling for a clear and detailed account of what was received and how these donations have been utilized for the recovery efforts.
It is encouraging the Governor General to make recommendations to the DPP if the results of the inquiry deem it necessary.
The Council is also demanding that the Minister of Finance and the director of Audit provide details on the receipt, allocation and expenditure of the funds by utilizing an independent accounting firm.
If that is not done promptly, the Council says it will take action, whether legal or otherwise.
The government had said that it never received the one million USD deposited in a Global Bank of Commerce account due to financial difficulties the bank has been experiencing.