For weeks now - we've been reporting on those security contracts awarded to favored companies by the Belize Airports Authority. The contracts were unlawfully awarded and have now been cancelled, but these types of arrangements are not uncommon across statutory boards populated by PUDP personalities whose only qualification is being a faithful member of the ruling party.
So, does the persistent appearance of bloated contracts like these speak to the need for a public procurement law - where there would be required reporting to parliament?
Minister of state in the ministry of Finance Chris Coye has long pushed to centralize procurements, but he said the Belize Airports Authority would not be covered by that:
Christopher Coye, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance
"I think in terms of, the airport authority matter my understanding is that has been addressed, at the level of the Belize Airport Authority. That is not, strictly speaking, a central government issue, but in terms look, what you referred to at the beginning about centralized procurement, I 100% endorse a process of centralizing procurement. It does take a lot of effort. I think we're at that level, we are in the process of completing the draft procurement law. That looks to accomplish that. We will have to then take that to the cabinet for consideration and ultimately, approval. But that definitely I think is a way of managing the central government's finances in a, in an efficient way. Belize Airport Authority, unfortunately, would still not come under that because it's a separate statutory body. So it is important that they still maintain appropriate procurement, and procedures and policies."
