Email

Print

Going back to yesterday's meeting between the Joint Unions and the Government - the unions felt they got some encouraging signals from the government on the possibility of an independent UN funded watchdog agency. Conceptually, it would be something like CICIG - the "INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION AGAINST IMPUNITY IN GUATEMALA" which put at least one Guatemalan president in jail.

Of course, the approval of such bodies things are usually lip service, but PSU president Dean Samuels said that they put out the proposal and it least it wasn't rejected.

Dean Flowers, President, PSU
"Because they had to concede none of our oversight bodies have the requisite expertise in the in the numbers that is required, nor do they have the proper infrastructures in place to be able to effectively implement these these different pieces of legislation, including the most recently passed civil asset recovery and unexplained wealth order bill. And so we've said to the government, similar to what our neighbors did in Guatemala, that we seriously need to approach the UN and see if they are prepared to fund such a commission and to spearhead the establishment of such a commission and to lead such a commission over the next 3 to 5 years."

Reporter:
"Are they amenable to accept such a proposal?"

Dean Flowers, President, PSU "Well, surprisingly, as I stated, they did not object to it. I know and I can say categorically that this type of conversation with the past administration was a "hell no." I can say that categorically, including some of the past attorney generals. It was a "hell no." This administration has not said no to the establishment of a UN funded and aided commission Anti-Corruption Commission."

"It could be that they are not serious."

Reporter:
"Or just paying lip service. I mean, you've seen how this government treats with requests for a Freedom of Information Act request. I say just FOIA requests and you've seen how they treat with the media. When we're asking things, they are simply just walk away. And I'm talking specifically about the Prime Minister. So they seem to be or seem to have an apathy to be investigated, to even just be questioned by the media."

Dean Flowers, President, PSU
"Again, the media cannot be discouraged, similar to how we are never discouraged in championing these issues. And it is important that the Belizean people understand that, no, it is not okay for you not to know whether or not your money is being spent properly. It is unacceptable. It should be unacceptable to the Belizean people when members of the media are asking for contracts takes for example, the infrastructure contracts and there is a, there is lack of cooperation or disclosure by the government of Belize. The only time you have this type of behavior in government is when they are doing something wrong."