UDP Demands Full Transparency on Oscar Mira Probe and RECONDEV Shake-Up

The United Democratic Party (UDP) is calling on the Briceño administration to publicly disclose the full scope of the Auditor General’s investigation into allegations surrounding former Minister Oscar Mira, while also seeking legal clarification on government’s move to replace the RECONDEV Board.  In a three-page letter dated June 24 and addressed to Prime Minister John Briceño, Opposition Leader Tracy Taegar-Panton says the public deserves greater transparency regarding both the ongoing investigation and recent government decisions linked to the RECONDEV controversy.  The UDP argues that while the Prime Minister has announced an Auditor General’s investigation, the public has not been informed of the investigation’s official terms of reference, legal authority, scope, or the composition of the investigative team.  The Opposition is also requesting that the investigation examine whether Minister Oscar Mira exercised any direct or indirect influence over contracts awarded to businesses connected to members of his family. It is further calling for a comprehensive review of procurement procedures, contract approvals, payment processes, potential conflicts of interest, and whether any public officials breached financial, statutory, or ethical obligations.  The letter also raises concerns about the Prime Minister’s recent announcement that he had instructed the Cabinet Secretary to begin appointing a new RECONDEV Board. The UDP is asking government to disclose the legal authority for that directive, clarify who has the lawful power to appoint or remove RECONDEV Board members, and state whether the current Board has officially been removed, asked to resign, or otherwise replaced. Additionally, the Opposition wants the Auditor General’s review expanded to include RECONDEV’s governance, the allocation of national lands, and any decisions involving ministers, board members, their relatives, politically connected persons, or associated entities where conflicts of interest may exist.  Our newsroom did as the opposition leader for an interview on this list of recent demands, but our request went unanswered.