OAS ANTI-CORRUPTION MECHANISM ADOPTS REPORT ON BELIZE

On September 12, at its Twenty-fourth Meeting, the Committee of Experts of the OAS Anticorruption Mechanism (MESICIC) adopted a report on the implementation in Belize of the Inter-American Convention against Corruption.

This report provides a comprehensive review of the structure, operation and results achieved by the Office of the Auditor General (OAG), the Office of the Services Commissions (OSC), the Ministry of the Public Service (MPS), and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), four of the oversight bodies responsible for preventing, detecting and punishing corruption in Belize.

This review was performed taking into account the information provided by the country under review, and the information gathered during the on-site site visit held in Belize City and Belmopan in April this year by representatives of Canada, Jamaica and the MESICIC Technical Secretariat, where meetings were held with representatives of the aforementioned government bodies, and with representatives of Belizean civil society, the private sector and professional associations.

In addition to the review, this report contains a set of recommendations to be considered by Belize in relation to the foregoing oversight bodies that address the following:

With respect to the Office of the Auditor General, ensure that there are mechanisms to ensure adequate follow-up, implementation and compliance with OAG recommendations; and maintain adequate records on the results of the work of the OAG, in order to identify challenges and recommend corrective action.

In relation to the Office of the Services Commissions and the Services Commissions, prepare and publish an annual report summarizing the activities of the OSC; create an internet portal for the OSC; and maintain adequate records on the results of the OSC and the Services Commissions, in order to identify challenges and recommend corrective action.

With regard to the Ministry of the Public Service, conclude the process of reviewing and updating the Public Service Regulations; prepare and publish and annual report summarizing the activities of the MPS; ensure the proper maintenance of the website of the MPS; and maintain adequate records on the results of the work of the MPS, in order to identify challenges and recommend corrective action.

With respect to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, prepare and publish an annual report informing of its activities; create and maintain and institutional website for the DPP; ensure that there is adequate coordination between police prosecutors and Crown Counsel when the former are assigned to prosecute corruption related cases; implement the measures necessary for corruption-related cases to be assigned to and handled by trained Crown Counsel; and maintain adequate records on the results of the work of the DPP’s Office, in order to identify challenges and recommend corrective action.

In its second part, the report also contains the follow-up on the recommendations formulated to Belize in the First Round and with respect to which, the Committee, in previous reports, determined required additional attention. Some of the recommendations formulated to Belize in the First Round that remain pending include strengthening the system for financial declarations in Belize, by ensuring, among others, the operation of the Integrity Commission; as well as the strengthening of the system of access to information.

Together with the report on Belize, reports were also adopted corresponding to: Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Suriname, which are all available  here.