BCCI Commends AG and Calls for Activation of PAC

The Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry would like to congratulate the Auditor General for the preparation and circulation of the office’s Annual Report for the year April 1, 2008 – March 31, 2009. The Auditor General’s obvious commitment to the principles of transparency and accountability and his grasp of the importance of his role as an independent, objective assessor of the Government’s performance as it relates to the management of the people’s money is refreshing and laudable.

Since the release of the current Auditor General’s first report in 2008, the first in at least fifteen years, The Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been calling for the assembly of the Public Accounts Committee. This extremely important parliamentary committee is charged with ensuring that the rules and procedures instituted for the proper management of public funds are adhered to and with protecting against the abuse of power in the use of public funds. However this committee relies on the Auditor General’s reports to conduct its work. Until recently these were not available.

Now, with the reinvigoration of the Office of the Auditor General, the demonstrated professionalism of the current Auditor General, and the five of seven reports tabled in the House of Representatives to date, there is absolutely no reason for an inactive Public Accounts Committee. The Chamber therefore publicly renews its call for the immediate assembly of the Public Accounts Committee, for its participants to approach their mandate with the importance it deserves and for the release of regular reports of it work. The Chamber also offers its resources in whatever capacity it may serve, to ensure the committee appropriately discharges its obligation to the Belizean people.

The Chamber also calls on the Government of Belize to treat the reports with the significance they deserve and to use the information therein to inform and change practices and behaviours going forward. The GOB should immediately mandate its agents both within the political directorate and the public service to make the changes necessary to effectively address the recurrent irregularities highlighted by the Auditor General.

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