SSB Clarifies “Key Facts” in Police Officer Santiago Ciau’s Invalidity Case

The Social Security Board (SSB) has addressed details concerning the case of former Police Officer Santiago “Santi” Ciau Jr., who passed away at the age of 37 after a prolonged struggle with a debilitating bone illness. Ciau passed away on October 8. 

After the government retired him due to medical unfitness stemming from a 2009 workplace injury, he was reportedly faced with repeated denials for invalidity benefits from the SSB. 

Today, the SSB said in a statement that Ciau received the maximum entitlement of 234 days of Sickness Benefits. After exhausting these benefits, he submitted an invalidity claim. The SSB noted that Ciau received Sickness Benefits from April 30, 2021, to December 19, 2021, with payments made directly to the Government of Belize as his salary continued, allowing him to receive his full salary. The SSB also noted that Ciau never applied for Employment Injury Benefits.

After exhausting his Sickness Benefits, he was denied further payments from February 1, 2022, to April 30, 2023, for exceeding the allotted days. The SSB explained that a GOB Medical Board later deemed him unfit for work, followed by a Medical Board declaring him “not an invalid” and that “the condition is susceptible to remedy with total hip replacement surgery so that he could return to gainful employment.”

The SSB said that the Appeals Tribunal upheld this decision on December 4, 2023, and Ciau chose not to appeal the decision of the Appeals Tribunal.