7 News Belize

Attorney General Tells NTUCB To Apologize
posted (March 1, 2018)

Today we asked the Attorney General about yesterday's huffing press release from the National Trade Union Congress of Belize. The union umbrella group complained bitterly about the delay in the next phase of the UNCAC implementation. 

Belize is waiting for a country assessment which will be done by experts from the nations of Haiti and Tuvalu. It was scheduled to take place this week Tuesday, and it would have concluded today. These experts would have examined Belize's systems to ensure that the goals of anti-corruption can be achieved by the implementation of the UN Convention.

But, Tuvalu's experts couldn't get their travel documents prepared in time to make it here for the site visit. So, it has been postponed until July 10th to the 12th.

In the NTUCB's press release yesterday, they took jabs at the Belize Government, the nation of Tuvalu, and the UNODC. This evening, Attorney General Mike Peyrefitte said that the NTUCB owes everyone an apology, especial the people of Tuvalu:

Hon. Michael Peyrefitte - Attorney General
"They have every right to be upset, I can tell you they are not anymore upset than I. We have put in an inordinate amount of time preparing for this country visit. I have been to cabinet several cabinets and I have been to ministers and for them to pass on to their CEOs that they had to be in Belize and available for when the country visit was to take place. There was a back and forth because people are busy and people have things to do but I said you have to be available and the ministers and the CEOs and their staffs they made the time available, they made the sacrifice and we were ready. So when we heard the news that Tuvalu could not secure their tickets and their visas to come to Belize then we were extremely disappointed and we were as upset as the NTUCB. However there is no excuse for the NTUCB to send out a release that totally in my view disrespects another nation. It is out of order and rude to claim that simply because it has a certain size or population that somehow that is not a place that is worth to be a country. I will not go there, I do not share that sentiment, the NTUCB will have to own that comment on their own. I have no part of that, the government of Belize has no part of that and the NTUCB in my view owe the people of Tuvalu an apology. The next thing is there is a misconception and seems to be pushed by the PUP let's be frank and their agents wherever they have them in the NTUCB as well. In the selection process to determine who would assess Belize we do not choose the countries that assess us. There is a draw, a random draw. My confusion with the NTUCB is why are you lashing out at the government for this, we were ready and prepared for a country visit. Tuvalu was the country that couldn't make it, the United Nations office on Drugs and Crime said they were very weary of just sending one country because it is a dual analysis type of thing. Tuvalu has similar legal structure and laws to Belize, they wanted two countries to come because when the assessment is done how can you have a one sided assessment?"

Peyrefitte once again stressed that the UN organizations involved with the UNCAC implement have commended Belize for staying well ahead of the deadlines for the implementation process.

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