The The Associated Press

ALBANY - Gov. David Paterson is heading to the Caribbean next week to attend a business conference on St. Maarten and a legislative conference in Puerto Rico on a trip paid for with his own campaign funds.

Paterson will attend the annual Caribbean Multinational Business Conference Nov. 6 to 8, according to the governor's office. He will attend Somos El Futuro Winter Conference, sponsored by the Assembly Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force, at the Intercontinental San Juan Resort & Casino, Nov. 8 to 10.

Spokesman Errol Cockfield says the governor plans to meet with officials about improving economic ties with New York, while saving taxpayers money by using campaign funds to pay expenses for the trip. But that was quickly criticized by a government watchdog, who said it's unethical for campaign contributors to finance a Caribbean trip.

Blair Horner of the New York Public Interest Research Group said the trip would violate Paterson's own proposal for campaign finance reform that he submitted in June as legislation.

“It should be illegal for Albany fat cats to underwrite trips to the Caribbean. The governor agrees it should be illegal. We're amazed he's doing it,” Horner said.

The Senate Republicans, fighting to keep their majority in Tuesday's elections and charged by Paterson to cut $2 billion from the state budget because of looming deficits, declined to comment on the Democratic governor's trip. Cockfield said the NYPIRG question is use of political donations for trips that are not directly related to campaign activities.

“Since portions of the trip will clearly be for political purposes, and to save taxpayers money, the governor has directed that campaign funds be used,” he said.

Somos El Futuro said it expects to draw 7,000 New Yorkers, including community, business, labor and elected officials Nov. 8 to 12. The caucus also holds an annual Albany conference in the spring.

The St. Maarten trip was first reported Thursday in New York by The Buffalo News. On Oct. 14, St. Maarten Island Time reported that Paterson, along with leaders of several Caribbean nations, would address the business conference.

Cockfield said Paterson was still lieutenant governor when he agreed to attend to engage in a dialogue with Caribbean leaders about ways to improve trade between New York and the Caribbean region.