BELMOPAN, Belize: The Alliance of the Reform Movement, We
the People (WTP) of Corozal, the Peoples' National Party
(PNP) of Toledo, and the Party of Christians Pursuing
Reform (CPR) of Cayo, has called on the public to urge the
Belize government to stop the use of public funds to
finance party-political campaigns.

This recently established three-party political alliance
made the call on Saturday in Corozal town, where they met
to review election efforts and to distribute hurricane
relief to the victims of Hurricane Dean.

The Alliance said government ministers, area
representatives, aspiring candidates and their henchmen can
be seen all over the country in government-issued vehicles
doing campaign work, including the distribution of party
propaganda and the processing of property and nationality
documents.

This practice is rampant and out of hand, and must be
stopped immediately, says the Alliance.

They argue that, while government funds are being
squandered on political campaigns, the country continues to
pay huge debts, and hurricane victims who lost their
rooftops are still living under partially repaired
rooftops, still exposed to the elements of the sun, the
rain and biting insects.

But given the experience of the past, the Alliance said,
there is little hope that Government will of itself do
anything meaningful to end this abuse.

So, they have called on the general public to become
"watchdogs of the public purse" and to report to the radio
talk-shows all instances of the abuse of public property.

The Alliance of the WTP, PNP and CPR has already said that,
elected to office, their members will ensure passage of a
Whistle Blowers Protection Act.

This new law is to give solid protect against victimisation
to all those who report the abuse of public property by
public officials.