Gov’t Also Afoul of Official Financial Regulations

Accompanying the Finance and Audit Reform Act are Fiscal Transparency and Responsibility Regulations.  That set of guidelines contains sixteen steps, including a fiscal outlook and mid-year review report, none of which have been presented to Auditor General Dorothy Bradley.  While the citizens of Belize clamored for these measures to be put in place to ensure openness and to allow for effective public oversight, it seems as though government has conveniently sidestepped them.

Mark Lizarraga

Mark Lizarraga, Business Senator

“This call came from all quarters of this country to strengthen the way we report, to strengthen the way we account for the spending of the people’s money.  This very government passed these laws, this very government imposed fines for people who do not follow the law and this very government continues not to act in the way that they should, in an accountable and fully transparent manner in regards to the spending of the people’s money.  Let’s speak specifically to [Statutory Instrument] Ninety-five of 2010.  There’s a section, part four, which talks to regular fiscal monitoring and reporting and we are not seeing those reports.  It speaks about a mid-year report, it speaks about a fiscal outlook report, it speaks about government laying out its assets and liabilities.  It speaks about publishing certain indicators.  It’s a whole, huge section and none of these have been forthcoming.  It speaks about the respective roles that the Auditor General, the Central Bank, the National Assembly, including the Financial Secretary, it speaks to all those people that should be involved in the compilation of these reports.  And as I said, I have confirmed with the Auditor General that these things are not being given to her and in fact, the Financial Secretary has confessed that they are not being published, they are not being done.”