Dorothy Bradley Challenges Belizeans to Read Report

Dorothy Bradley

Outside the National Assembly, the Auditor General gave her first public comments since the scandal broke. She stated that in keeping with her organization, the purpose of the report is not to determine the guilt or innocence of any individual named. The Audit is simply a set of findings in response to alleged contraventions of Government regulations taken from established records. As for what to think about the conclusions drawn in the Audit and the limited recommendations made by the auditors, Bradley contends that that issue is one for the Belizean people, whom it ultimately affects. She also speaks about the lessons learned from the Audit for the Department.

Dorothy Bradley, Auditor General

“When you review my audit, actually and really, my audit was simply outlining what we had found and those findings would be in relation to the regulations. If you are not complying with the regulations, we will bring that to the forefront. We will say what we find; we do not find people guilty. That is for the law and we are not. So we simply do an audit examining records and we do our findings.”

Reporter

“One of the most important aspects I think people have picked up on is that you make the assertion that recommendations come from ministers in the Immigration and Nationality Departments and that the regulations do not provide for these sorts of recommendations. And if I am not misquoting you, you draw the conclusion that this, because it does not exist under the law, it might be illegal.”

Dorothy Bradley

“That question, I would simply want to ask you how you feel about it because whatever happens on immigration has an effect on you and everybody else for that matter. Do you think that that is right? You answer.”

Reporter

“The reason I ask ma’am is because all those persons named who we have had an opportunity, who are ministers and we’ve had an opportunity to question them, they seem to feel entitled just to being an area representative; saying that they are providing a service for those constituents. And for you to draw the conclusion that they ought not to be giving recommendations is unfair and erroneous.”

Dorothy Bradley

“The truth is I never examined what they are entitled to as an area representative. What I’ve done is examined what has happened within immigration and as it relates to the regulations. And those are my findings.”

According to the Auditor General, those persons named in the audit are not intended to be implicated in any wrongdoing unless criminally prosecuted. The Auditor General was accompanied by two personal attorneys to today’s hearing as provided for in the terms of reference: Senior Counsel Derek Courtenay and Philip Palacio.