PM Orders Independent Probe Into Mira Family Payments
Today, Prime Minister John Briceño announced plans for an independent review amid the growing concerns over the government payments linked to the family of Minister Oscar Mira. The move comes as questions continue to swirl over the hundreds of thousands of dollars paid to businesses associated with members of the Mira family. Speaking in Orange Walk Town, Briceño told CTV 3 that he will ask the Financial Secretary to engage the Auditor General to examine the transactions under scrutiny. He explained that the audit will determine whether proper procurement procedures were followed and whether the government received value for its spending. The Prime Minister maintained that he will not prejudge the outcome and said any next steps will be guided by the findings of the review. The controversy intensified following leaked records showing that MP Farms, owned by Brian Mira, the brother of the minister, received multiple payments totaling nearly four hundred thousand dollars. The payments, made through dozens of invoices below ten thousand dollars, have raised concerns about whether procurement safeguards may have been sidestepped. Additional scrutiny has also been placed on previous payments made to Jenny Mira, the sister of the minister, and reports involving Stanley Mira, the brother of minister, further fueling public concern. Defense Minister Florencio Marin Junior has since indicated that finance officers and procurement professionals manage payment processes and confirmed that a procedural review is underway. Former Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Defense, retired Brigadier General Dario Tapia informed News Five he will make himself available to the Auditor General and fully cooperate with her office. Meanwhile, Minister Mira has denied any involvement in contract awards, even as the Prime Minister moves to reconstitute the board of the Reconstruction and Development Corporation Limited amid allegations of undue influence.
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