In the wake of the Mira Millions controversy, government is now promising tighter controls over how public money is spent. Public Utilities Minister Michel Chebat says the allegations are serious and must be met with a serious investigation, because public funds demand public accountability. The proposed response includes mandatory procurement training for senior officials and a review of Belize’s procurement laws. Chebat says the goal is to strengthen checks and balances across the system. But with municipal elections fast approaching, the question tonight is whether this controversy could follow the government all the way to the polls.
Michel Chebat
Michel Chebat, Minister of Public Utilities, Logistics & Energy
“The allegations being raised are very serious allegations, and they must be treated very seriously. Public funds do require public accounting. There’s no way of getting around that, and I think cabinet and Prime Minister understands that, and I think we’ve now taken the necessary steps to make sure that this happens. So I have every faith in the process that we’ve undertaken, and I am sure that the Belizean people will see that and will understand the work that we have been trying to put in place. You know, and let me tell you this. I don’t think what is happening can define the work that this government has done. We have done tremendous work in terms of education, in terms of housing, in terms of healthcare. And so you need to look at the whole picture to tell the story of this government. And as I said before, these are serious allegations, and they require a serious investigation. Consider that the threshold for payments, not procurement, because the government can purchase in whatever amount it wants. It’s just the accountability and transparency aspect that it should be increased above ten thousand I think what you need to have are checks and balances, because at ten thousand or at one hundred thousand there can be abuses, and so what needs to be put in place are checks and balances balances.”
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Briceño announced that Cabinet is working to establish a Central Procurement Unit, developed in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank.
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