Government Taken to Court Over Ombudsman Vacancy

When a citizen has a complaint against the system, the Ombudsman’s Office is supposed to be one place to turn. But that office has been vacant for months, and social activist Jeremy Enriquez says the delay is more than administrative, it is a denial of justice. Enriquez is now taking the Government of Belize to court over its failure to appoint a new Ombudsman. Former Ombudsman retired Major Gilbert Swaso supports the challenge and is urging Belizeans to rally behind it.

 

Major Gilbert Swaso (Ret’d), Former Ombudsman

“Certainly, Mr. Enriquez is exercising a right which I believe every Belizean should be concerned and join, because it is to my view important to have such a constitutional office open and available for vulnerable people in particular to access. We all know how difficult it is economically. So if you are now asking vulnerable people who are challenged, to get any finances to get a case resolved, I believe that is not fair and not just being given to those people. So I personally applaud Mr. Enriquez’s effort and I believe that every Belizean should join hands and come on deck with what Mr. Enriquez is doing at this time.”

 

Enriquez says he is challenging the prolonged vacancy to ensure this is never repeated in the future.

 

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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