Panton calls for full disclosure on the Mira investigation

By Breaking Belize News Staff (HP): The Parliamentary Opposition is calling on the Government to be fully transparent about the investigation into Minister Oscar Mira and related public procurement matters, warning that public confidence depends on more than just the announcement of a probe.

In a formal letter to Prime Minister John Briceño dated June 24, Leader of the Opposition Tracy Taegar-Panton said that while establishing the facts is imperative given the seriousness of the allegations, what will ultimately matter is the scope, independence, transparency, and effectiveness of the investigation. The letter was written on behalf of the United Democratic Party.

A central concern raised in the letter relates to the independence of the Auditor General. The Opposition said it noted with grave concern the Prime Minister’s public statements about instructing the Auditor General, reminding him that the Office of the Auditor General is constitutionally mandated to be independent and free of Executive influence, and should not have to await instructions from anyone to act.

The letter calls on the Government to immediately make public the formal terms of reference, written instructions, directives, and any other instruments issued to the Auditor General, arguing that Belizeans are entitled to know exactly what the Auditor General has been mandated to examine and the full scope of the work.

Among the matters the Opposition says the investigation must address are the legal authority under which it was commissioned, the makeup of the investigative team, whether Mira exercised any influence over the award of contracts to businesses connected to his family, and a comprehensive review of the procurement process for every relevant contract, including any conflicts of interest and whether any public officials breached their duties.

Notably, the letter also acknowledges a legal nuance, that under the framework governing public life, allegations alone, even those supported by leaked screenshots, may not amount to admissible evidence before the Integrity Commission. For that reason, the Opposition urged that the investigation be directed toward gathering legally admissible evidence capable of supporting any future proceedings.

The Opposition further called for the investigation to be extended to the governance and operations of the Reconstruction and Development Corporation, or RECONDEV, and raised questions about the legal basis for the Prime Minister’s announced move to appoint a new RECONDEV board.

Closing the letter, Panton said Belizeans deserve confidence that the matters will be resolved not through a narrow administrative review, but through a thorough, impartial, and transparent investigation that follows the evidence wherever it leads.

The Government has previously said it referred the matter to the Auditor General for a full audit, expected to take about three months, and has urged the public to await the findings. Mira, for his part, has denied any involvement in awarding contracts or directing payments. No findings have been made at this stage.

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