7 News Belize

At Last, Government Signs UNCAC
posted (December 9, 2016)
Belize is now the 184th country to sign on to the United Nations Convention against Corruption known as UNCAC. Acting Prime Minister Patrick Faber signed the treaty today in the presence the UN Resident Coordinator Christian Salazar Volkmann, Minister of State Dr. Carla Barnett, and members of the Belize Chamber of Commerce.

Signing onto the UNCAC was one of the key demands that the teachers made to the Barrow Administration as part of their 11-day strike for good governance.

The signing ceremony was planned for today, to coincide with the observance of the International Anti-Corruption Day. Prime Minister Dean Barrow, as the head of Government, was to have signed, but because of health issues in the US, he authorized Patrick Faber to do so in his place. Only the Government Press Office was invited to observe the event in Belmopan. Here's what Acting Prime Minister Faber told them about the significance of the signing:

Hon. Patrick Faber, Acting Prime Minister of Belize
"It is a pleasure to be joining over 183 countries signing the UNCAC. We're a little bit late in coming but we're here and it is a pleasure for me in particular to be given the honor to sign today. Corruption as far as I've observed, affects primarily the poor of a country and given Belize's position and given what the human development report that we just saw, the UNDP released that report. We have seen how our country is devastated by the issue of poverty but also the wider region. So signing unto a convention like this will help us in the fight against corruption but more importantly the fight against poverty."

Christian Salazar Volkmann, UN Resident Coordinator
"This is an important day today, a great day. I really comment the government, the state, the people of Belize for this important moment. I'm really happy that it has come to this moment. We're also conscience that this is the start of a lot of work in terms of modernizing the state so that state and society can be fit to be more efficient, more transparent, and in that sense minimize and even eliminate corruption. Acting Prime Minister, you manage Belize is now the 184th state that will join this convention. What this shows also is that many countries in the world have gone through or going through the same process and I can assure you and the people of Belize that the UN particularly UNODC and UNDP, we are ready to help Belize on its way to bring in the experience from other countries, to bring in the technical expertise that is needed, to move forward on a way that in fact is a task of the Belizean government and society to find the right ways to end corruption, to be more transparent. We're here to help and support and we're very proud of this day so congratulations to everyone."

Today, the Belize Progressive Party, which has been pushing for the convention to be adopted, called the signing a "begrudging concession" by government. They also remind the public that the Prevention of Corruption Act requires all elected persons in public office - right down to village councils - to file declarations of their assets to the Integrity Commission annually.

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