CHOGM cost $345M, final cost not yet determined

The cost of hosting the recently concluded Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) was $345 million according to figures published in the Sunday Guardian.

The paper said the original budget cost for the summit went above the $235 million because the breakdown of cost did not include the fees for two cruise ships which were used as floating hotels for the 3-day meeting.

The government chartered The Caribbean Princess and The Serenade of the Seas for some of the delegates and the international media.

The Guardian said the figures obtained through the Freedom of Information Act reveal that the state paid $59.1 million at the start of the 2009 financial year to guarantee the availability of the vessels but the actual cost of rental was much higher.

It said Trade and Industry Minister Mariano Browne disclosed via email that the government paid about $109,620,000 for the cruise ships for the Summit of the Americas in April and expects that the cost for CHOGM would be the same.

The paper said Browne noted that the final cost for CHOGM will be determined when bills are tallied and recorded.

The final CHOGM cost will be was much lower than the Summit of the Americas, which was just over $700 million. Togeher both events would have cost the taxpayer more than one billion dollars.

Some of the cost broken down by the Guardian include:

• Telecommunication services - $31.3 m
• Marketing and communication - $6.9 m
• Accommodation and catering services - $30.3 m
• Management for both cruise ships - $6.3 m
• Official CHOGM dinner and luncheon - $2.5 m
• Security - $13.3 m
• Protocol activity - $12.0 m for CHOGM
• Business and Youth Fora - $14.0 m
• Opening and closing ceremonies - $20.0 m

Expenses for the Queen and her entourage were not included.