Is Administrator’s Leave from B-SWAMA Linked to Missing Funds?

We start off tonight’s newscast with an update on the missing funds at the Belize Solid Waste Management Authority. The investigation into the matter is still ongoing to determine the magnitude of the crime, how many people were involved, and from what unit of that office specifically. Since the news broke, there have been two different amounts reported, from half a million dollars to double that amount. All that the Ministry of Sustainable Development’s press release stated is that it is investigating an alleged wrongdoing at the authority and that it has been in communication with the Belize Police Department which is investigating the alleged misconduct. Today, the Prime Minister, John Briceño, told the media that the administrator has been asked to take a few days off, and he said that while the government wants the public to know what is happening, he needed to be careful how he spoke in the event the matter winds up in the courts.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“The minister informed us in Cabinet of supposedly there seems to be some unaccounted funds, monies that quite likely have been mismanaged. And I need to be very careful how we use the terms. There are many, many instances when we give interviews and the words that we use are used in court to get some of these people off. So, I don’t want to say more. I want basically to tell you that we’re doing a thorough investigation and that any information that’s found out and any wrongdoing that we find, we’re going to have the police involved, which I think the police is already involved. And if there’s any wrongdoing, we’re going to ensure that these people see their day in court and to be able to account to the people. We want people to know that something is happening, but that we’re investigating it and we’re not trying to hide it, but we need to have that investigation. And let the chips fall where they may and whosoever is responsible if something went wrong those persons have to be held accountable.”

 

Reporter

“I know you can’t give details, but can you say if the Director of the Management Authority is on administrative leave during the investigation?”

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I’m not sure if she’s on administrative leave at this point, but I did know that she was asked to take a few days off, but if it is merited, it probably is already done. I’ve not been informed, but certainly if they need to put her on administrative leave if it has been done yet, it will be done. It will be done.”