Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Chairman Berman on USAID funds

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman has withdrawn his objections to disbursement of USAID’s Cuba program funds, except for grantees under investigation:

“In response to our Committee’s concerns, USAID has announced an immediate review and an expanded audit of all Cuba democracy program participants, and I applaud this expanded oversight. Yesterday, I received assurances that USAID and the State Department are seized with the gravity of the problems in these programs and that they are actively working to correct the problems. Therefore, I have decided to release the hold placed on the $45 million in funding for Cuba democracy programs, except that funds will not be extended to those program participants that are under investigation.”

His full statement, released today, is here.

1 comment:

Mambi_Watch said...

I don't think this news was mentioned at all today. I guess it came out a little late.

But, both the Maria Elvira show and Oscar Haza show covered the USAID funding freeze story.

Haza's show (A Mano Limpia) had on Francisco Hernandez from CANF further explaining the waste of funds from the Cuba Program, and later Frank Calzon appeared by satellite.

Calzon reiterated his point about the funding freeze being a "fishing expedition" by Rep. Berman. But, also insinuated that Berman, and others who supported the freeze, such as Hernandez from CANF, were Cuban agents because they were repeating the same thing Granma was reporting.

As before, Calzon warned of the day when Cuban government archives are finally uncovered (after a possible overthrow), and all US spies are finally revealed.

Keep waiting Frank.