But one good governance measure that she says is being implemented is UNCAC. That's right, those 5 letters that have been written over and over on the signs of the unions for the last 5 years. And in this case, she says they've got it all wrong.
Young explained that UNCAC has already been signed onto and that it's a matter of carrying out the duties of the convention - which include the good governance legislation she said they're working on.
Here's how she explained it.
Magali Marin Young, Attorney General
"Belize has in fact signed on to the UNCAC, the UNCAC is a convention, it is not a piece of legislation that we simply import into Belize, it is a convention just like the convention for the elimination for the discrimination against women, the CEDA convention. A country then has a duty to take legislative measures to implement the aspirations under these conventions and that is what we're doing, that's what good governance - we're looking at the whistleblowers legislation and all of that so Prime Minister Briceno is committed to enacting home grown legislation in its commitment to UNCAC."
Courtney Menzies:
"So the unions are essentially misunderstanding or incorrect in saying when they say, " when will the government sign on to UNCAC, when will UNCAC come into process, ratify..."
Magali Marin Young, Attorney General
"I think the unions are well meaning clearly all of us what good governance and they are a key stakeholder. So they're well meaning but I think in this sense they're being a little unreasonable in the expecting us to enact all these legislative measures overnight."
Courtney Menzies:
"I know you listed all the good governance legislation that the party is working on and that they have already passed but do you think this is enough or should be enough to satisfy the unions that we're on the right track?"
Magali Marin Young, Attorney General
"Well, I think so. If you look at what we're looking at and what the various Ministers have said, we're looking at whistleblowers, we're looking at civil asset recovery, we're looking at unexplained - orders, we're looking at campaign finance reform so I think we're very much in keeping with what the unions want."
