P.U.P. Names Nominees to Integrity Commission

Melissa Balderamos Mahler

Weeks ago, the Prime Minister gave in to numerous demands due to overwhelming public pressure; one being to reactivate the Integrity Commission which has a secretary and office space in Belmopan, but no members. In October, the Chamber of Commerce was to provide a possible list of appointees drawn from the Institute of Chartered Accountants. The People’s United Party is proceeding quickly to name two representatives to the Commission in the persons of Attorney Melissa Balderamos Mahler and Claudette Grinage. A release states the appointment is in accordance with Section Three two of the Prevention of Corruption Act. We repeat the Prime Minister’s statement on October thirteenth, 2016.

Dean Barrow

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“The Chamber of Commerce has been in touch with the Institute of Chartered Accounts. Remember the hold up with this is our inability to find a chartered accountant willing to serve. It is our understanding that the Institute is prepared to give me a list of five names of chartered accountants who would be prepared to serve. We are not quite sure, based on what is reported to us as having been said by the Chamber President this morning, whether they sent the names to him and he forwards it to me or whether I am to write directly to the Institute asking for the list of names, but either way we will get that done. And once we have those names, then we will go through the processes required by law for the appointment of the integrity commission.” 

The naming of the members of the Integrity Commission was also one of the demands by the Belize National Teachers Union in its recent dispute with the government.