PSU President Says Mira, Marin Should Not Return to Cabinet

In related news, the Public Service Union President Dean Flowers has accused several Cabinet ministers and senior public officers of failing to uphold the responsibilities they accepted when taking office.  Flowers made the criticism during yesterday’s joint press conference, noting that ministers and public officers are required to act honestly, protect public resources and make decisions in the interest of the Belizean people.  He pointed specifically to Oscar Mira and Florencio Marin Junior, who are both on leave from Cabinet while the Auditor General examines procurement and payment practices at the Ministry of Defence. Flowers says that, regardless of the audit’s eventual outcome, the circumstances surrounding the transactions represent a serious failure of leadership. He declared that neither Mira nor Marin should be allowed to return to Cabinet.

Dean Flowers, President, PSU: “I wish the good lord would start sending down lightning and brimstone when they go to the Governor General’s house and we swear in that bible. They promised us the they will insist on good and transparent governance to hold accountable those who betray the public good. Does this mean then that the Prime Minister’s next public statement will be “Oscar Mira, Florencio Marin will never return to Cabinet ever because they’ve betrayed the public good ?” Does this mean then that the Minister of Public Service needs to be held accountable for having led a good governance unit for the last five years and led the Ministry of Religious Affairs ? What has been accomplished in the best interest of the people under your stewardship ? Now therefore bit it resolved that this honorable house will pass legislation to empower the integrity commission,.” We just reappointed an integrity commission after several reappointments can’t even produce one report. One singular report. And they were just reappointed. They said they would modify the membership and provide adequate funding to the commission. Well the chairman has spewed a lot of nonsense as far as I’m concerned during her last interview. “Take measures to reduce discretionary ministerial power in order to increase administrative efficiency and eliminate where possible political intervention.” Yet nothing has changed whereby ministers continue to dictate what happens and what doesn’t happen.”

Mira proceeded on leave in June after questions emerged about significant payments and contracts awarded to businesses connected to members of his family.  Marin requested leave in July to allow a wider audit of the Ministry of Defence, covering the period from 2019 to 2026, to proceed without any perception of interference. Prime Minister John Briceño assumed responsibility for the Defence portfolio in the interim.  The Auditor General has confirmed that the audit remains underway and is expected to be completed by the end of September. Preliminary findings reportedly point to the possible involvement of additional people