SIF refuses to audit construction material at Dangriga market site

The scandal at the Social Investment Fund can potentially give Belize a bad rap among international lending agencies such as the World Bank and Caribbean Development Bank that provide funding for SIF projects. Four staff members were fired and the Executive Director had to resign when it came to light that SIF was not after all squeaky clean and that when it came to the Dangriga market, the contractor, Kenard Smart, was allegedly being extorted for huge sums of money. The scandal subsided after the firings, but it doesn’t mean that the dust has settled. Today, investors in the project say SIF has refused to conduct an audit of construction materials purchased to complete the Dangriga market project. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

Since the abrupt restructuring of the management of the Social Investment Fund one week ago, the outcome of allegations of rife misconduct concerning the renovation of the Dangriga market, very little has been mentioned about the existing construction material on the worksite.  Upon assuming the project from contractor Kenard Smart earlier this year, a significant sum of money was invested by Gush and Emy into the procurement of building material to resume work on the market.  News Five understands that SIF, under the direction of Nellie Trench, will move to takeover the project on Wednesday.  Despite constant requests by Emy Gilharry Ramirez to have an audit of the material conducted, the organization has refused to do so.  This is in light of the fact that an audience had been sought with SIF representatives on September thirteenth, to discuss the assignment of the project to the employer.

In a release issued by Ramirez today, she says, quote, SIF is refusing to be responsible and their unprofessional conduct has cost me even more money and while I have tried to reach out to SIF they are now refusing to address my concerns. First they tried to get me to sign off on a payment that was bogus, then they refuse to discuss my payments with me, then they refuse to explain to me their recent decisions concerning the market, and now they are refusing to audit my material on site or to address the fact that K&G Construction will never go hand over any site, so they must deal with me the actual contractor on the ground, unquote.

Ramirez, after being encouraged by SIF to continue investing in the project, did so freely in an effort to see the project to completion.  As a consequence of the manner in which the situation is being handled, Ramirez says, quote, the negligent conduct of SIF is very telling of their management of the entire project and now as one individual so adversely affected by the recent revelations of corruption, and bribery, I demand an independent investigation into all aspects of this project, since someone needs to account for the money I have invested in this project and SIF is only now refusing to pay, unquote.

A final letter has been sent to the Social Investment Fund demanding an explanation on how the organization will proceed with the assessment of work done, as well as an appraisal of the material.  SIF, it is being asserted, has abandoned the project and defaulted on its responsibilities, causing Ramirez grave financial loss.