Chamber Supports Expanded PAC Committee, UNCAC Implementation

Despite the signing of the UNCAC last December, corruption continues to be pervasive. Usher calls on all stakeholders to come together and put in place a mechanism to keep all politicians in check.

On the Phone: Nikita Usher, President, BCCI

“Only a few weeks ago, we saw the audit report on a few ministries that was done and on that, you saw instances of—and again I don’t have the evidence of it, but we are reading what the media is saying about what they saw—phantom companies and all of that. And that is what underscores the point for us the need for the functional PAC Committee with inclusion of the social partners as was promised by the Prime Minister almost, just about a year ago. That has not been in effect as yet and therefore the PAC Committee is still sitting with I believe five or six government officials and two opposition. We are trying to request as was agreed before that the social partners be included to that to bring a little balance to the committee. It has to be the media houses, it has to be the Belizean public whether or not they will just continue for it to be happening. What we are trying to do is to bring it to light to say that it cannot be an acceptable practice.”