B.G.C.I.: Confusion ruled terms of reference

The Belize Governance Improvement Commission released more documents to the media today, apparently determined to bolster its case and repair the reputation of the twelve members who resigned en mass earlier this month. The bulky file sent to News Five includes a complete breakdown of members, the commission’s terms of reference, and several letters of correspondence between former chairman David Gibson and the Prime Minister. The gist of all the paperwork appears to indicate that it is the contention of the commission that there was great confusion over the role of the body, not only in the contradictory statements in the terms of reference, but also in the actions of the Musa administration itself in the creation of an Office of Governance. That confusion appears to have been heightened by actions of the newly appointed Director of the Governance Unit, former chief elections officer Myrtle Palacio, as in a letter to the P.M., Gibson states, “legal counsel Ghandi…has been told by the director of the Office of Governance to discontinue work on the preparation of draft legislation formalising the status of the commission.” In his response to the B.G.I.C., the P.M. writes, “the Office of Governance is now the principal organ to implement public sector reform and governance improvement initiatives…as such; the office will rely on the advice of the direction of the B.G.I.C. and other agencies.” That would appear to fly smack in the face of the commission’s mandate as it was publicised during official swearing in ceremonies in June 2004, which stated that ?”the primary role of the B.G.I.C. is to provide high level leadership…through its chairman, the B.G.I.C. reports to and advises the Prime Minister and Cabinet on aims, direction, and management of all aspects of governance improvement.” News Five’s attempts to garner an official response from Belmopan to the assertions of the former members of the B.G.I.C. were unsuccessful today.