Belize Diagnostic Center Gets Contract for COVID-19 Testing

Michel Chebat

Did the Government of Belize award a contract to do COVID-19 testing at the ports of entry to a business owned by a relative of Minister of Health and Wellness Michel Chebat?  Not so – according to Chebat.  Today, he distanced himself from that business, saying that he has no familial ties to the owners. Chebat explains how G.O.B. ended up awarding the contract to the Belize Diagnostic Center.

Reporter

“Sir, the testing at the airport and the ports of entry have been privatized and I understand that Belize Diagnostic Center got the bid and I understand that that’s the wife of your cousin?”

Michel Chebat, Minister of Health & Wellness

“No, that is not the wife of my cousin at all. As a matter of fact, it is in the process and if you would have done some research especially with the project management unit which handles this you would have know that that there are twelve licensed institutions who do testing and they were all invited to tender and out of the twelve of them only two tendered; one of them had affixed a price to the government to pay to provide the service, while the other did not. So, the team who evaluated, which included, I want to say, a member of the Ministry of Finance as the regulations require selected Belize Diagnostics Center.”

Reporter

“So, it is not a relative of yours at all or anyone linked to you?”

Michel Chebat

“Not to me. I have nothing to do with B.D.C. I have nothing to do with them.”

Reporter

“To your wife relative?”

Michel Chebat

“My wife? Absolutely not!”