PM Briceño: “We’re Not Going to Cover This Up”

Prime Minister John Briceño said on Thursday that the investigation into the Ministry of National Defence and Border Security will test one of his government’s central promises: that it would govern “differently”.

During an interview conducted by CTV3 News and livestreamed on his personal Facebook page, PM Briceño defended his response to the publicly scrutinised “Mira Millions” procurement controversy. He said he moved swiftly after learning of the reported irregularities and rejected any suggestion that his administration would shield those responsible.

“We made a promise that we’re going to be different, and, as Prime Minister, I think it was my responsibility to act quickly. I did not try to hide anything. I did not try to push it aside. Once that came to my attention, I had to act,” he said.

Briceño added, “We have a contract with the Belizean people that we will be different and we’re going to do things differently, and so we were going to do that.”

Meanwhile, the full investigation is already underway, and Francis Usher, Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of National Defence and Border Security, has assured PM Briceño that the ministry is cooperating fully.

“The Auditor General will do a full investigation. And if there was any wrongdoing, be it public officers or politicians, they will have to answer. We’re not going to cover this up because this cannot continue within any government,” Briceño said.

However, while the PM vowed full transparency, questions are emerging over whether the audit has the capacity to deliver the accountability expected.

Sources tell News 5 that concerns have been raised within the Office of the Auditor General about the experience level of some auditors assigned to the investigation. Sources familiar with the matter say a special audit team has been assembled, but some members have fewer than ten years of auditing experience and, in some cases, fewer than five.