Shadow Finance Minister Bob Richards has hit out at Government spending on unnecessary overseas trips, which continue despite the recession.

Figures released in Parliament last week show five ministers and their entourages got through more than $140,000 in one year ending April 30, 2009.

Finance Minister Paula Cox was the biggest spender, taking five trips during that year, totalling $51,691.

Energy Minister Terry Lister racked up more than $42,000 in expenses in five trips in just 12 months.

And former Education Minister Randy Horton and his successor Elvin James managed to spend more than $28,000 on six trips.

Expenses included Mr. Horton and a civil servant spending $2,450 on the Scholar-Athlete Games in South Kingstown, Rhode Island.

And Mr. Horton alone spent $10,200 on the Global Summit on Education in Washington DC and the Labour Party annual conference in Manchester, England.

Despite a $150-a-day allowance for incidental expenses (per diem), Mr. Horton still managed to rack up $433 on entertainment and $46 on meals.

He and two civil servants spent more than $8,500 on trips to the University of Miami and the University of West Indies.

His successor, Mr. James, plus one civil servant spent just under $900 on the luminary awards in New York City.

And Mr. James plus one civil servant spent more than $5,800 on the Campus and University Grants Committee Meetings at the Cave Hill Campus in Barbados.

Mr. Richards wondered why Minister Horton had deemed it necessary to go to the Scholar-Athlete Games in Rhode Island and why his successor Elvin James had chosen to spent taxpayers' money on a jaunt to the luminary awards in New York City.

Environment and Sports Minister Glenn Blakeney, appointed in November, spent $14,204 on a trip to South Africa on which he travelled alone.

Health Minister Nelson Bascome appeared more frugal with the public purse, spending $4,644 on two trips. These were to the CARICOM Ministers of Health Conference in Washington DC in September, with one civil servant, and to the Third Annual Conference for Healthcare policy makers in the Caribbean Basin and Central America in Miami in December with two civil servants.

Shadow Finance Minister Bob Richards said: "What we see consistently with the attitude to spending with this Government is that there is no change from the previous pattern, just because there's a recession no change in travel expenses and no change anywhere else.

"It's business as usual."

He wondered how Energy Minister Terry Lister had managed to spend $10,468 in one seemingly seven-day trip, including $7,000 in accommodation.

He said Mr. Lister, accompanied by just one civil servant, couldn't have gone very far, as the airfare for both was just $1,405.

"I can't imagine a business trip which last seven days, it warrants explanation. $1,000 a day is a lot of money."

Mr. Richards said when the UBP were in power per diems were there to cover meals and transport, but the PLP had introduced the credit card which now picked up these expenses which had increased the bill to the public.

"It's a method of squeezing more juice out of the lemon."

Nor had the policy been changed since the downturn, said Mr. Richards.

However, Government has budgeted less money for travel this year down 15 percent to $6.3 million from $7.3 million last year.

Finance Minster Paula Cox explained the system of $150-a-day hand-outs known as per diems, exists side by side with Government credit cards which can also be used to charge up expenses.

Ministers receive per diems of $150 to cover incidentals in connection with the business travel separate from big-ticket items like hotel and business dinners.

"It could include taxis, photocopying and other incidental expenses," said Ms Cox. "No supporting documentation is required in respect of the $150 per diem.

"The check is that the credit card is to be used for legitimate Government business-related expenses that are properly incurred. Supporting documentation is required for all credit card charges."

Trips: What they spent in one year

Finance: $51,691

Energy: $42,000

Education: $28,000

Environment and Sports: $14,204

Health: $4,644