P.U.P. Leader Says PM Barrow Negligent in Filing declarations

Francis Fonseca

Last week, the Vision Inspired by the People protested in Belmopan to draw attention to perceived corruption in government, and the need for the Integrity Commission to become a real and functioning body. One focus of their attention is on a little followed law that all elected officials, including the Speaker of the House and members of the Senate, must declare their holdings and financials to the Integrity Commission for scrutiny. It’s called the Corruption in Public Life law, and in the fifteen years or so since it was implemented, barely anybody has done it. P.U.P. Leader Francis Fonseca says he has, religiously, even if the U.D.P. leader hasn’t. 

Francis Fonseca, P.U.P. Leader

“I have never missed a year from the time I was elected in 2003. I’ve never missed a year, unlike almost every U.D.P. elected representative including Mr. Barrow. The entire time we were in government, because we passed the law establishing the Integrity Commission and passing the Integrity in Public Life Act – the entire time we were in government, from whenever we passed the law, I think it was 1999 or so, up until 2008 Mr. Barrow never, ever filed his integrity report – never once in that entire time. I don’t know what he’s done since he’s gone into government, but I believe he is on record saying that he believes it is a waste of time. We don’t believe so. We know that yes, it is not foolproof, but it provides an opportunity for the Belizean people to see what the incomes are of their representatives. It provides them with that opportunity.”

According to Fonseca, the last time he checked eight of the thirteen Area Representatives of the P.U.P. have filed their financials with the Integrity Commission.