The controversy surrounding Minister Oscar Mira is now headed straight to the Cabinet table. Minister of Infrastructure Development and Housing Julius Espat says the issue won’t be brushed aside, confirming he plans to raise tough questions about contracts awarded to Mira’s siblings at Tuesday’s meeting. According to Espat, once the facts are laid bare and the answers are on record, the pressure will shift to Prime Minister John Briceño, who will ultimately have to decide what comes next.
Julius Espat, Minister of Infrastructure Development and Housing
“All of these things that are happening and have happened in the past should give us an opportunity to learn and to better. I think that will happen next week when we sit in Cabinet. It will come up. It has to come up. It can’t, something like this can’t be thrown under the rug. It has to be discussed, analyzed. It has to be looked at closely and the prime minister as the head honcho has to decide what is best for all. Remember all of us are appointed by him, so we work at his request. But I don’t know the facts, the details. But we will find out, because I believe everyone is compiling the details and he has a right to defend himself. We have a right to voice our opinion. At the end of the day we hope we can make the right decision. He is a colleague of mine and I wish him well. I hope that he can answer the questions properly and if it is that they are in error then a decision has to be made. I don’t know what that decision will be. Those decision are solely the role of the prime minister. You will get a call the next morning and you are either still there or not there. You will rail up or you go home.”
Opposition Leader Panton Calls for Mira’s Immediate Removal
Opposition Leader Tracy Panton is ramping up the pressure on Minister Oscar Mira, calling for his immediate removal amid what she says is mounting evidence of corruption tied to his family. Pointing to dozens of payments to relatives linked to the minister, Panton argues this goes beyond mere allegations. She says Belizeans are owed clear answers and accountability from those at the very top of government.
Tracy Panton
Tracy Panton, Leader, United Democratic Party
“I invite the Belizean public to join me and to join every advocate for the position I carry. Oscar Mira must go. He must resign. He must be removed from Cabinet. It is a sacred duty and responsibility one holds when you take political office. And being a political officer or being elected to political leadership, it is not a license to enrich yourselves, your family, companies that are affiliated with your family. What is even more egregious is that I am angry and I think every citizen in this country should be angry is that there has not been a single indication from the prime minister of this country who happens to sit as the minister of finance, there has not been a single interview with the financial secretary of the country. Here you have these politically appointed CEOs scrambling to try and make the case for Oscar Mira. There is no case to be made. These are not just allegations. We have proof, forty-four payments in one single day to an Oscar Mira-related family. That is nepotism and the heart of corruption.”
Minister Oscar Mira is again rejecting the claims, insisting he played no role in awarding contracts to his siblings or in the substantial payments they received.
Oscar Mira
NTUCB Calls for Audit Amid Mira Payment Controversy
Labor leaders are stepping into the growing controversy over government payments tied to the Mira family, pressing for answers and tighter safeguards. NTUCB President Ella Waight is urging a closer look, not to assign blame, she says, but to ensure the system is working for taxpayers. She’s calling for an independent audit to verify value for money and proper procedures, while also pushing the government to close loopholes in its payment process and finally deliver on long-promised whistleblower protections.
Ella Waight
Ella Waight, President, National Trade Union Congress
“We want to ensure that there’s an audit done to just ensure that there was an agreed contract on the amounts of money to be paid, that the items were delivered, the items are up to standard. We’re talking about vegetables. My understanding is of vegetables. So we want to ensure that they’re up to par, up to standard. Were the prices fair and comparable to the market rate? So all that information we would want to know. And of course, that would come through either an audit or willingly provided information from the ministry. My understanding is nothing illegal was done. I’ll be very fair to say my understanding is nothing illegal was done. But the process that allows for multiple payments under ten thousand dollars to one person or one entity must be revisited to avoid the risk of avoiding legitimate accounting practices. Farmers across this country should benefit from their hard work, from what they plant. And I understand fully that there’s a bidding process. However, are we doing enough to create the enabling environment for persons to bid for contracts? This a small pie, and we must share that pie. We must do our best to ensure that many persons benefit from their hard work when it comes to these contracts. And I would hope they would take lead from the Social Security Board, because Social Security Board has a whistleblower policy. And it’s not something – I know in the public sector, obviously it will be much more difficult because we’re talking about thousands of workers, but it provides some kind of security for you to do the right thing for your country.”
The National Trade Union Congress of Belize recently met with Prime Minister Briceno, and it was agreed that a draft Whistleblowers Act would be shared with the union by Friday, June 26th.
Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.
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