Belize Observes Ombuds Day with Official Ceremony in Belmopan

Belize joins the rest of the world in observing Ombuds Day. The Official ceremony was held tin Belmopan to commemorate the day’s awareness. Ljay Wade has more.

LJay Wade, Love FM Correspondent: On the second Thursday of every October, Ombuds Day is recognized to raise awareness and celebrate the work of Ombuds professionals worldwide. The Ombudsman serves as an impartial, confidential, and independent conflict resolver for individuals and organizations. The role exists to promote fairness, transparency, and accountability in public administration. Today in the capital city of Belmapan, the Office of the Ombudsman celebrated Ombuds Day at the Civic Center. The Ombudsman, Gilbert Swazo, told us more. 

Gilbert Swazo, Ombudsman: “Today  we are  celebrating Ombuds Day 2025, an annual event. uh Ombuds Day was first instituted back in 2018 by the International Ombudsman-Institutor Association,  with a view then to sort of put some focus on  and highlight  the  role and responsibilities that the office of the Ombudsman play  in ensuring  that  the public  has  a voice with a view then to ensure that they are served  by the authorities or the public officers or the ministries  of government.  We are of firm view then  that  as stipulated by Ombudsman Day or is required by the International Ombudsman Association that we make this day open so that then we can bring more awareness and promote the role of the Office of the Ombudsman to the country and the community at the respective communities at large. The Office of the Ombudsman is a bridge which the any member of the public whether a citizen of Belize or any visitors to Belize  who believe that they have been treated unjustly, have been abused or otherwise they have seen any corrupt act by any  authority, which is any ministry, any government,  any public authority.  And the office  is there  to ensure that we investigate those complaints that are lodged at the office  with a view to  certainly ensure that the public office  remembers what their oath is  in a view to serve the people with respect and dignity. “

LJay Wade, Love FM Correspondent: At this morning’s event, some organizations that work closely with the office of the Ombudsman were also present. Swazo says that his office tries its best to collaborate with a number of organizations to bring fairness and transparency to all Belizeans. 

Gilbert Swazo, Ombudsman: “The University of Belize recently are embarking on a project that promotes human rights. Very soon they will also be having free  online training  so that the general  public  is  in  a better position to understand what are their  fundamental rights and freedoms  and then with a view then  so that we better  understand  that  we  can empower ourselves with a view then to know when we are being abused or when we are not treated with the respect and the dignity that we so deserve as  a regular person within the society.  So it is important for us to continue to collaborate.  So we collaborate with  UB,  we collaborate with the Good Governance  desk, we collaborate with the  Disability Desk, we also collaborate with different civil society  that has anything  in support of any vulnerable groups. And this is what is represented here by the respective booths so that then we collaborate to make things better so to get the respect and the dignity for any individual within the country.”

LJay Wade, Love FM Correspondent: This year’s Ombuds Day was held under the theme Ombuds, empowering voices, resolving challenges. Reporting for Love News, LJ Wade.