Almost Half a Year Later, No Ombudsman

Belize has an Office of the Ombudsman for a reason. It is the place where ordinary citizens can take their complaints of corruption, abuse, and injustice by those in power, free of charge and in confidence. But right now, that office has no one sitting in it. Retired Major Gilbert Swaso served as Ombudsman from January 2023 until his contract quietly expired last December, and in the nearly five months since, the post has sat empty. In March, the Prime Minister told reporters that a House committee was responsible for drafting the terms of reference, after which the vacancy would be published. More than a month has passed since then, and still, no vacancy has appeared. So, the question tonight is a simple one: when a citizen of Belize needs someone to hold authority accountable, who exactly are they supposed to turn to?

 

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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