$100K Missing from Treasury Department’s “New Hire Account”

An investigation into the misappropriation of a significant sum of money from the Treasury Department is underway and the public officer who is allegedly behind the scheme has been placed on administrative leave.  It is believed that close to a hundred thousand dollars remain unaccounted for from the department’s “New Hire Account”.  The purpose of the account was for the remuneration of new employees of the Government of Belize; in this case, it was the Ministry of Education.  While a thorough review of all transactions involving that account is ongoing, the embezzlement of funds reportedly spanned a period of several months.  The ploy, we understand, was to access the monies by making it appear that new teachers had been hired.  Earlier today when we contacted Financial Secretary Joseph Waight, he confirmed to News Five that the police and Audit Department have been called in and that the accused officer has been placed on administrative leave.