BAPDA Calls SSB’s Press Release on Santiago Ciau Case “Deflective”

The recent passing of former police officer Santiago “Santi” Ciau Jr. has left the community questioning the treatment of individuals seeking invalidity benefits in Belize. Ciau, who passed away at 37 on October 8, had been battling a debilitating bone illness linked to a workplace injury from 2009.

The Belize Assembly for Persons with Diverse Abilities (BAPDA) is criticising the Social Security Board (SSB) for failing to provide the necessary support during Ciau’s struggle. In a statement, BAPDA declared that “this level of structural violence is unnecessary,” condemning the SSB’s “deflective press release” as an inadequate response to the profound injustice faced by Ciau.

Ciau reportedly faced repeated denials for invalidity benefits from SSB. Despite his long service in the Belize Police Department, Ciau faced repeated denials for invalidity benefits. Even after appealing the SSB’s decision, he received a delayed notification that hindered his ability to pursue a timely second appeal.

The SSB defended its actions, stating that the Medical Board ruled Ciau did not meet the criteria for benefits, a decision upheld by the Social Security Appeals Tribunal. However, this has done little to address growing calls for reform.

“Mr. Ciau was a Person with a Disability that somehow was not protected by the entities we would expect to do so,” BAPDA stated. It added that “a deflective press release simply cannot be the norm as the life of a worker is discarded due to a lack of assistance to benefits that he was supposedly paying in for, hoping to collect upon if ever needed but only have an independent Medical Board deny him ALL access at a time when he needed it most.”