Search Continues for New Contractor General, Integrity Commission Chair

John Briceño

The search continues for a new Contractor General to replace Godwin Arzu, and for a new head of the Integrity Commission to succeed Justice Marilyn Williams who has moved on to the Supreme Court. The two posts are important cogs in the oversight machine but Prime Minister Dean Barrow says the Contractor General is more urgently a priority. But whoever is appointed, says Opposition Leader John Briceño, the Government must put more teeth in their bite and, in the case of the Integrity Commission, reverse that critical decision that limits reporting on assets to 2016 and beyond.

John Briceño, Party Leader, P.U.P.

“That is the duty of the Government; that they need to put candidates, proposals that are acceptable to both sides, ourselves and them. In October when they brought up the issue of the Contractor General I opposed it and said we cannot support it, because we have had no reports, we have not gotten a single report from the Contractor General. And then at the Senate hearing, when the Senate brought it up again and then cited the law to show that we cannot give him another [term]; he has not brought in, has not submitted any reports and that is why he needed to be changed. The Integrity Commission – we know it has been a joke; the former chairperson of the Integrity Commission was there to protect the U.D.P. ministers; they don’t want to put in their reports. They need to put in their reports from 2008. Many of them have become multi-millionaires and we need to explain to the Belizean people how is it that they have become multi-millionaires in the last ten years.”

Isani Cayetano

“Anything on the appointment of a new Contractor General, sir?”

Dean Barrow

Dean Barrow

“No, we haven’t started the process yet.  I believe we’ll have to advertise and that’s going to take a little bit of time.”

Isani Cayetano

“Anything on the Integrity Commission? I know that since the appointment of Justice Marilyn Williams that that post has remained vacant.”

Dean Barrow

“Yeah.  Again, as you know that post has to be filled by a lawyer of at least ten years standing.  So we’re still casting about to try to find the right person.  That’s not as urgent as the Contractor General because the commission continues to function.  With the Contractor General the vacancy in the post is really something that hamstrings the entire process so that’s rather more urgent and we’re going to get to that as soon as we possibly can.”