Will Minister Mira Be Suspended?

As questions continue to mount over hundreds of thousands of dollars in government payments to businesses linked to the family of Minister Oscar Mira, Prime Minister John Briceño says an independent review is being set in motion.

Speaking to CTV3 News (Briceño owns this station) in Orange Walk Town, Briceño said he intends to ask the Financial Ssecretary to request that the Auditor General conduct an audit into the period under scrutiny.

According to the Prime Minister, the review will seek to determine whether proper procurement procedures were followed and whether the government received value for money.

He stressed that he does not want to prejudge the outcome and said any decision on how to proceed will depend on the findings.

The controversy intensified after leaked Smart Stream records obtained by News Five showed that MP Farms, owned by Brian Mira (brother of Oscar Mira), received forty-four separate payments on September 25, 2025, totalling three hundred eighty-nine thousand, seven hundred ninety-six dollars and eighty-five cents. Each invoice was below ten thousand dollars, raising questions about whether procurement safeguards may have been bypassed.

The disclosures came on the heels of previous concerns over payments made to Jenny Mira (sister of Oscar Mira) and reports of a contract involving Stanley Mira (brother of Oscar Mira).

Defence Minister Florencio Marin Jr has since said payment processing is handled by finance officers and procurement professionals and confirmed that discussions are underway with the Ministry of Finance to review existing procedures.

Meanwhile, Minister Mira has denied playing any role in awarding contracts or influencing payment decisions. He maintains that tenders are publicly advertised and that decisions are made by procurement committees, not ministers.

The Prime Minister also announced plans to reconstitute the board of Reconstruction and Development Corporation Limited, commonly known as ReconDev, following allegations that members of the Mira family exert influence within the entity.