The audit into the Ministry of Defence and the transactions at the centre of the “Mira Millions” scandal has been finalised. This is according to the auditor general, Maria Rodriguez.
However, the report cannot yet be formally issued because the final presentation and response process is still pending.
Rodriguez confirmed to News 5 today that her report into the Ministry’s procurement scandal “is finalized.”
She explained that the next step is for her office to present its findings and recommendations to the ministry’s chief executive officer, then print the report and send it to him for a response. The CEO is then given an opportunity to respond.
“This is a 2-day process.” The report is finalised, but this process needs to occur first,” Rodriguez added. She said her office has now secured a date and has “obtained a timely response from the CEO.”
“I would prefer the CEO to provide this information. The longer they don’t make themselves available the longer the process takes to finalise,” she said.
Defence CEO Francis Usher told News 5, “The audit is still ongoing and is in the interview phase,” Usher said. “I’m not certain if the report has been completed… I have not seen correspondence with a request for that interview as yet, but I will check with my office.”
The audit is examining questionable contracts and transactions at the Ministry of Defence. These include contracts that fell below the $10,000 threshold and were allegedly awarded to several relatives of Belmopan area representative Oscar Mira, who remains benched from the Briceño Cabinet.
Rodriguez previously told News 5 that the investigation had uncovered alleged conflicts of interest involving public officers within the ministry, the Belize Defence Force and the Coast Guard.
The Auditor General had previously said an exit meeting would be held before the ministry was given time to respond to the findings.
Rodriguez set the end of September as her target. That deadline is today. The question now is when the findings will actually become public.
