Anti-Corruption Reform Back in Focus Amid New Scandals

Belize has no shortage of corruption scandals. What it has struggled to produce is a system strong enough to prevent them, investigate them, and hold people accountable when public trust is broken. With the Mira Millions controversy and questions over Ministry of Defense procurement still dominating public discussion, attention is once again turning to a promise Belize made ten years ago, to fully implement the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, better known as UNCAC. The convention lays out a global blueprint for transparency, accountability, and the protection of public resources. But while Belize signed on to that agreement, putting it fully into practice has moved slowly, slowed by gaps in legislation, limited technical capacity, and the cost of reform. Tonight, we look at what UNCAC actually requires, why it matters now, and why many Belizeans say the country can no longer afford to treat anti-corruption reform as unfinished business. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.

 

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

As two major scandals continue to dominate public discussion, the Mira Millions affair and questionable Ministry of Defense procurement, pressure is building for Belize to finally put the United Nations Convention Against Corruption into action.

 

Phillip Willoughby, UDP Councilor Aspirant

“Nuh care what no government do, the only thing that will stop corruption in this country is UNCAC. They need to give us UNCAC.”

 

But how can UNCAC help Belize fight corruption at its roots? The U.N. calls it a complete anti-corruption toolkit, and it is the only global agreement that legally requires countries to act.

 

Antonio Gutteres, Secretary General, United Nations (File: May 23, 2018)

“Society cannot function equitably and efficiently when public officials from doctors, to police, judges to politicians, enriches themselves rather than perform their duties with integrity. Corruption robs funds from schools, hospital, infrastructure and other vital services.”

 

Belize made the pledge in 2016 when it signed on to UNCAC. Nearly ten years later, full implementation is still dragging. According to Director of Good Governance Cesar Ross, limited funding and technical capacity remain the biggest hurdles. His unit is now tasked with getting the process across the finish line.

 

Cesar Ross, Director of Good Governance

“The burden on drafters and crown counsels who are the ones that have to sit down and put these legislations together, and the amount of work they have, and so it slows it down. Wherever possible we would like to bring in a consultant to develop and draft the legislation. That is what we need to do, but that entails a certain amount of expenditure right.”

 

But Ross says the process is not standing still. He points to one major development: draft legislation that would give insiders more protection when they come forward with information about wrongdoing, much like the whistleblower behind the leaked Smart Stream invoices.

 

Cesar Ross

“The legislation and the elements within the legislation are there to ensure that any complaint made is processed that the reporting authority has to look at it seriously. And in it we are putting in that if they minimize its importance and say it is frivolous that there be another opportunity for that move forward.”

 

So, as the process towards the full implementation of UNCAC drags on, in the end, the true sign of success will be the enactment of legislation that yields results, such as jailed politicians.

 

Cesar Ross

“The creating of the legislation is not the end point. It is applying them and showing them, when we can say that there is so much less corruption occurring. I remember one time saying that there is so many millions we are losing to certain levels of corruption, whether it is contractor or procurement or areas as such.”

 

Ross admits Belize may still be years away from fully bringing UNCAC to life. But he says the work has started, and his unit is pushing reforms aimed at closing the gaps that allow corruption to take root. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.

 

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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