PM BROWNE SAYS ECCB MONETARY COUNCIL CAUGHT ‘FLAT-FOOTED’ ON ‘MANSION’ SPENDING

Prime Minister Hon. Gaston Browne says the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank’s Monetary Council was left in the dark on the true cost of the official residence for the bank’s Governor. He insists the reporting and accountability mechanisms will need to be strengthened going forward, as the Monetary Council was left “flat-footed” by the expenditure.

A reported XCD$22M price tag for the residence in St Kitts and Nevis has been deplored by St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, who calls the spending scandalous. However, Prime Minister Browne was more guarded in his response on the swirling controversy during the Browne and Browne Show on Pointe FM over the weekend.

Prime Minister Browne, who is set to chair the Monetary Council later this year, says, “The Monetary Council has not met as yet. I’m sure we’ll have to meet at some point to look at this issue, but we don’t have all of the information.”

Prime Minister Browne also says, so far, there’s no evidence of corruption or impropriety on the part of Central Bank Governor, Timothy Antoine.