Senate Debates Having Acting AG for four months

Senator Eamon Courtenay acknowledged that it’s not ideal to ask the Senate to support the appointment of an Auditor General for just four months, but it’s the reality they face right now. He reminded everyone that Dorothy Bradley was brought out of retirement, and her contract was extended until it expired in August. Since then, the Auditor General position has been vacant. Courtenay cited the 2001 constitutional amendment that allows for the appointment of an Acting Auditor General. The government has recommended Deputy Auditor General Maria Rodriguez for the temporary role. Today, the Leader of Government Business explained the reasoning behind this short-term appointment.

Eamon Courtenay

Eamon Courtenay, P.U.P. Senator

“The Government has come asking the permission of the House of Representatives to approve the recommendation to the Governor General to Miss Rodriguez as Acting Auditor General for four months. The period of four months has to do with, as I understand it, completing the process of advertising and interviewing and hopefully recommendation of a person to be appointed the Auditor General. My appeal to this Honourable Senate, Madam President, is to reflect soberly on whether or not we prefer to continue for one minute, one hour, one day, one month, four months without an Auditor General in an acting position. Is that better than having an acting Auditor General? If the social partners and the Opposition, as they have articulated, are not supporting the motion, then the motion will fail and it means that we will have no Auditor General. I do not believe, with respect, that is in the interest of the Belizean people. All the criticisms that have been levied are taken on board. I am not standing here to dispute them. What I will say is the importance that is attached to this Constitutional Office – the fact that the Constitution was amended to allow for an Acting Auditor General to be appointed should be borne in mind to say where the public interest lies. Is it in having an Acting Auditor General on a short-term basis so that we can complete the process of making a formal appointment? Or is it better to have the office without someone acting in the interim?”