NTUCB Calls for Oscar Mira’s Immediate Resignation

Shortly after Minister Oscar Mira stepped aside from his Cabinet duties, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize intensified pressure on the government by calling for his outright resignation.  In a strongly worded statement issued today, the NTUCB said leaked Smart Stream records point to millions of dollars in government supply contracts being awarded to businesses connected to members of the Mira family during Oscar Mira’s tenure as Minister of National Defence and Border Security. The organization cited concerns over dozens of payments allegedly being processed on the same day to a family-linked company, raising questions about whether financial thresholds established by Ministry of Finance regulations were deliberately avoided.  The NTUCB described the allegations as a direct challenge to transparency, good governance and the rule of law, arguing that public funds should never be directed to politically connected families through procurement processes that may bypass established oversight mechanisms.  The umbrella labor organization is demanding a full, transparent and independent investigation into the awarding of contracts, the payment approval process, the role of accounting and finance officers, and any potential circumvention of treasury oversight mechanisms. It also calls for both performance and compliance audits to determine whether taxpayers received value for money and whether any laws, regulations or circulars were breached.  Beyond the investigation, the NTUCB is demanding the immediate resignation or removal of Oscar Mira, the release of relevant records under the Freedom of Information Act, and broader legislative reforms including whistleblower protections, campaign finance legislation, stronger financial oversight laws and comprehensive procurement legislation.  The organization says the practice of splitting invoices below the ten-thousand-dollar threshold should also be investigated across all government ministries.