Ministry will investigate U.B. finances

One week after it was discovered that more than a hundred thousand dollars may have been embezzled from the University of Belize, this morning, Minister of Education Francis Fonseca, says that in addition to a police investigation, there will be an internal review to devise policies that will decrease such opportunities for theft in the future.

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education

“I’m very, very concerned about that matter. You are absolutely right in saying that there seems to be something wrong in the structure of the financial management system where one individual it appears–it is alleged that one individual who was in charge of a particular unit of the university, in this case the Adult and Continuing Education Unit, seem to have full control over the finances of that unit, receiving money and issuing receipts. But it appears that it was a case of fraud and abuse. But obviously someone has to be responsible for overseeing those units, so there are a lot of questions that I myself have asked and I am waiting to have those questions answered. But I share the concern of the public that at our national university, we must ensure that those sorts of financial mismanagements don’t take place because people expect more from our national university and the credibility of the university is put on the line when those things take place there.”

To date, no one has been arrested in connection with the incident.