Anthony Mai Says His Years at D.O.E. Give Him A Good Foundation for New Post

Anthony Mai

But, Mai’s promotion to Chief Environmental Officer came under question long before any official announcement from the Government of Belize. More than three weeks ago, President of the Public Service Union, Dean Flowers, challenged the selection process. Citing from the Procedural Manual of the Department, in February Flowers argued that the Deputy Chief Environmental Officer should have been elevated to the post. Flowers further questioned an amendment to the qualification requirements for the post, via a December 2021 circular, which reportedly removed the requirement for a master’s degree in an environmentally related field. Instead, applicants for the post could have a master’s in management or administration. According to G.O.B.’s release on Mai’s promotion, he has fifteen years of experience within the department, along with a graduate degree from Galen University and an undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Belize. Today Mai pointed out his considerable experience in the Public Service, most of which was at the D.O.E.

Anthony Mai, Chief Environmental Officer, Department of the Environment

“I don’t want to go in detail with discussing that particular issue, but just to say that I have been a career public officer for the last twenty-three years, fifteen of which has been at the Department of Environment. I started with the Department as an Environmental Technician. I have had the privilege of working within all of the units. Again, I had the privilege of supervising all the different units. I had the privilege to work in the Senior Environmental Officer’s position, which was very good. Through coming up within the Department, I also had the opportunity to create and establish a very broad network of key people inside and outside the government that gives advice and has basically guided me in understanding how the environmental issues within the countries should be addressed. I firmly believe that the Department of Environment and all the rest of technical people, we do know how to address the environmental issues, we just need to be given the opportunity to do so. One of the things I want to do, I want to open doors so that the technicians within the D.O.E. feel free to voice their concerns or provide the input needed to solve the environmental issues within the country. So, as it relates to the issue with the Public Service Union etc, I wouldn’t want to discuss that because I think that is neither here nor there. I think now is a time for us to move on, to move forward.”