Public Service Minister Pressed on Whistleblower Protections

And while questions surrounding the Defence Ministry audit continue, Minister of the Public Service Henry Charles Usher was also pressed on the protection of whistleblowers within government.  The unions have repeatedly called for whistleblower-protection legislation to safeguard public officers who expose possible wrongdoing, corruption or breaches of government procedures.  Usher, however, did not indicate that the legislation is being treated as an urgent priority, nor did he provide a timeline for when it may be taken to Cabinet or the National Assembly.  Instead, the minister questioned whether the disclosure of the SmartStream payment records should be considered a leak of secret information. He noted that the financial-management system is used by authorised public officers and that the information circulating publicly may not necessarily have been confidential.

Reporter: Public officers have been praised particularly by the opposition for sort of sending in these leaks and exposing the government. How do you feel that these are employees under your ministry? 

Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service: “Well, they’re employees of the Government of Belize not necessarily under the Ministry of the Public Service and I think that the information was really available. I don’t know exactly who you’re referring to when they’re praising them but you know, I think that you know, nobody really has been called so it’s just a general praise that’s being done by the opposition. I wouldn’t expect anything else.”

Reporter: But it’s  the public officers who are sort of you know sending out these things to the media houses and whatnot. 

Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service: “Okay, so what’s the question?”

Reporter: Are you concerned? 

Reporter: Do you welcome that where there is an idea or some suspicion of corruption that this is made public? 

Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service: “Well I think that the information has been put into the public domain. You’re seeing the Auditor General going in there and doing an audit and let’s see what the audit brings out. I think it’s important that if there are areas that need improvement, that those areas are improved, that if there are additional controls that need to be put in place. If you would recall when you first asked me this question even before the Auditor General stepped in I said what is important is that an audit is done and I think that that process is ongoing now and we have to see what report comes out from the Auditor General.”

The SmartStream records raised questions about hundreds of government payments, including multiple invoices processed for the same suppliers within short periods.