No Ombudsman, Fewer Safeguards for Belizeans

Belize is still without an Ombudsman, and that’s raising serious concerns. The position, which many see as a last line of defense for everyday citizens facing unfair or illegal treatment by public authorities, remains vacant after the previous Ombudsman’s contract was not renewed. Now, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize is sounding the alarm, warning that this absence weakens accountability and leaves vulnerable citizens, especially those who can’t afford a lawyer, with fewer options for justice.

 

Ella Waight, President, NTUCB

“That is the main concern we have that the country is without an Ombudsman again, because we know in previous years that was the case. The Ombudsman as we know is a very important office, I think one of the most important offices in this country, because that is where regular people like me and you can go to when we find we have been treated unfairly or illegally by public service, whichever organization we go to, department , or even the police, that is our legal person we can go to. If we cannot afford a lawyer that is where we go and we get assistance. When it comes to the renewal of the contract, I cannot make any specific comment on that. If that was the case, because the Ombudsman chose to do his job, the way he chose to do his job, then that is a very negative perception of what the government would have been displaying. That issue should not be touched when it comes to any entity. The Ombudsman has that within his constitutional rights to do his job and that is what he was doing. But if that is the perception the public is getting out there, that is a bad perception.”