Attorney General Castigates Chamber Over UNCAC Implementation

Michael Peyrefitte

The Office of the Attorney General has finally responded to the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in respect of the UNCAC implementation process.  On October twenty-second, the Chamber wrote to Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte regarding the carrying out of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.  The business organization took that opportunity to register its dissatisfaction with the sluggish pace at which the process is reportedly moving, criticizing it as, “a slow and winding path of bureaucracy.” On Friday, President Nikita Usher told News Five that it was the second letter written to the AG’s ministry, in light of a report from the Chamber’s committee member citing a lack of progress on the status of the UNCAC implementation.  We followed up with AG Peyrefitte at the prime minister’s press conference on Monday and here is his response.

Michael Peyrefitte, Attorney General

“The letter from the Chamber clearly demonstrates that they have very little to no understanding of the UNCAC process, but I will respond to them by the end of the day today and I pray that they show you my response.”

A copy of that letter was disseminated by the Government Press Office this evening and in it Peyrefitte slams the Chamber president for being misinformed. The AG writes, “Consequently, it is alarmingly surprising that the B.C.C.I. views this mechanism as a slow and winding path of bureaucracy.  As you are well aware, Belize is viewed as a State Party with an economy in transition and as such our participation in the mechanism is an attempt to fill the void where we lack capacity and would require technical assistance to assist us in overcoming the challenges to implementing such a complex international instrument.”