Nearly two decades after Belize introduced sweeping reforms to safeguard public money, the fight for transparency remains as relevant as ever. In 2005, during his second term in office, former Prime Minister Said Musa’s administration passed the Finance and Audit Reform Act to strengthen oversight and help protect the young nation from corruption and misuse of public funds. In a recent interview, Musa reflected on why the legislation was necessary then and why Belize still depends on strong laws and institutions to hold public officials accountable today. He also offered a pointed message to the country’s current leaders about protecting the public purse and preserving the people’s trust.
Rt. Hon. Said Musa
Rt. Hon. Said Musa
“I do know that on the Finance and Audit Reform we had to do a lot to avoid the party and the public service going corrupt, becoming corrupt. That is because we put in the safeguards there. And I think that is what has helped Belize to maintain a relatively safe and fair system. But the important thing is that we stayed away from the corruption we have seen in other countries that have brought them down. We have to keep at it, we just can’t give up. We have to keep at it, to educate them. Keep them informed that is the most important thing and keep them consulted. Consultation and information is key, it is very key towards, if you want the people support your venture, inform them about it to let them know exactly your pros and cons, what are the dangers of it and what are the goodness of it and make sure you follow the correct path.”
The Finance and Audit Reform Act forms a part of the guiding regulations for the Office of the Auditor General and it has played a crucial role in annual audit reports for years.
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