Within seven months of ascending to the nation's highest political office in March 2006, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and members of her accompanying delegation have spent close to $10 million on official overseas visits.

The Government approved close to $1 million per trip or $1.4 million per month between April and October, figures contained in official documents obtained through the Access to Information (ATI) Act showed.

But members of the public had mixed reactions about whether these trips were too costly.

"I don't want to diminish the importance of our leaders," said economist and publisher, John Jackson, "but (do they) have to stay in five-star hotels when people out here can't even afford to go to hospital?"

Bloated delegations

Mr. Jackson also argued that in this age of advanced technology the Prime Minister does not "really need this huge delegation".

"The question is whether we needed to have spent $10 million," he said.

On the other hand, Lorna Duffus, an entrepreneur, told our news team that the position of the Prime Minister demands a certain level of opulence. "You see true she inna dat status, mi can't say no, she shouldn't be spending so much," Ms. Duffus said when asked to respond to the fact that Mrs. Simpson Miller spent almost US$2,000 for two nights on a hotel room while in New York.

Stacy Williams*, a working-class woman, was not impressed. "The country cannot afford to spend so much money on trips alone. Pickney still ah use pit latrine in these civilised times."

She suggested that to cut cost the Prime Minister should travel with fewer people and stay at cheaper hotels.

The Prime Minister's travels are justified by a past press secretary for former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, Huntley Medley. Heads of government have "work all over the place to do and it (travelling) is a part of their job," he argued.

The communications consultant added: "The Prime Minister's responsibility is to represent the country and that must involve travel."

Big bucks for hotels

Mrs. Simpson Miller spent up to US$975 a night on hotel room but a representative from a local travel agency, who requested anonymity, believes that is a lot of money. She named several high-end hotels in the New York area worthy of hosting Prime Ministers, which would not cost the country close to US$1,000 a night.

"US$400 and she gets all the amenities. It is not necessary; she can get good hotels for less."

While it seems that Mrs. Simpson Miller opted against the pricier rooms, her predecessor, P.J. Patterson, spent more than US$1,000 to sleep in the posh suites. In July 2005, this newspaper revealed that the former Prime Minister spent $21 million in four years on overseas visits. That figure did not include the cost attached to his travelling delegation, or costs contained in other documents, which may have been missed during Access to Information searches.

Mum on entertainment

Mrs. Simpson Miller also received US$250 a day for meals and subsistence, but the documents provided by Jamaica House did not say if money was granted for entertainment. If available, those figures could push the Prime Minister's spending over the $10 million threshold. The documents, however, showed that she received US$1,500 every trip for contingencies.

Mrs. Simpson Miller's first overseas visit in the capacity of Prime Minister, was to fellow Caribbean Community member state, Trinidad and Tobago, in late April. PM Simpson Miller and her delegation travelled in style.

An aircraft was chartered from Town and Country Limited for US$5,000 (approximately $328,000 at the time) to fly her and four of her five accompanying delegates to the twin-island republic.

It was during this visit that Mrs. Simpson Miller inked an agreement with the oil-rich country for the provision of a long-term supply of natural gas to Jamaica.

Little less than two months later, Mrs. Simpson Miller was back in the air. This time she visited Washington, D.C. for more 'official business'. The documents provided on this sojourn presented conflicting information regarding the members of the accompanying delegation.

One document said that Rosalea Hamilton, chief adviser to the Prime Minister, was unable to travel and Patricia Sinclair-McCalla, Permanent Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), went in her stead. However, the itinerary invoice from Pauline's Travel showed that tickets were purchased for both women at the same time. The Sunday Gleaner tried to get Jamaica House to clarify the issue without success.

Several attempts to have other discrepancies explained also proved futile. Questions sent to the OPM on January 8, 2007, are yet to be answered.