On Christmas Eve, the Ombudsman Gilbert Swaso received a letter he didn't expect - it was from the Cabinet Secretary Stuart Leslie and it wished him well. He had written the CabSec prior, reminding him that his contract ended on December 31st. He had been hoping for a renewal but up to now, with only one day in office left, that hasn't come - and it is clear that it won't.
But he also hasn't received a letter explicitly stating that his contract won't be renewed either. So today we asked him what he made of the CabSec's letter.
Gilbert Swaso, Ombudsman
"The letter basically stated that as my tenure comes to an end the 31st of December, that they wish me well in my future endeavors."
Courtney Menzies:
"Is there any reason it doesn't explicitly say, we will not be renewing your contract?"
Gilbert Swaso, Ombudsman
"Well that is the purview of the government of Belize and I have served this country and will continue to serve this country with dignity and I also want to mention that even up to tomorrow, it is my responsibility to make sure that I act within the statute, the constitution and the rule of law to ensure fairness, justice and equity for all."
Courtney Menzies:
"Did you expect that your contract would not be renewed?"
Gilbert Swaso, Ombudsman
"No not at all. I didn't expect that. But my point is my contract came to a natural end and if it's not renewed then I have to move on with my life."
Courtney Menzies:
"Considering that you are appointed by the parliament do you think it's appropriate for the letter to have been written by the Cabinet Secretary?"
Gilbert Swaso, Ombudsman
"It's a process which will have to take its own course certainly but again I'll leave that up to the process as it moves forward. The appearance of what may be maladministration is what it is at this time but certainly there are recourses to every action taken."
Courtney Menzies:
"Did you find it odd that they didn't say they would be advertising the position?"
Gilbert Swaso, Ombudsman
"I will not speak for the government and I cannot speak for the government in any way or form. There is a gap, it's the government's responsibility to fill that gap within due course and it appears there will be a gap until parliament decides who the next Ombudsman will be. But again my hope is that whatever we have established in relation to the level of transparency, the level of visibility for the office, I believe that we've done well as the ombudsman and as a team within the office of the ombudsman and it is our hope that it will benefit Belize in terms of the democratic process."
When we reached out to the CabSec for clarity, he stated that it was his duty to respond to Swaso's letter, but that he is not able to renew the contract - that would be a parliamentary decision - which is why his letter could only come off as vague.
With Swaso's 3 year contract ending tomorrow, the Ombudsman seat will likely be empty on January 2nd, until a new one is appointed with the approval of both the House of Representatives and Senate.
