Tonight we continue our investigation onto those security contracts awarded by the Belize Airports Authority to two private companies in December of 2024.
We note that three persons in high positions of authority have said they didn't have full knowledge of the contracts - and have kind of put it all on the Chairman Ricardo Martin.
But, we checked the law and at least one of those highly placed persons had a duty to know about those contracts. Jules Vasquez reports:
In 2024, the three most important political figures at the helm of the Belize Airports Authority were Minister of Civil Aviation, John Briceno, who appoints the board members and whom, ultimately the Board answers to; his CEO Narda Garcia, who is an ex officio Board member; and the General Manager, in this case, her daughter General Manager Thea Garcia.
Yet, when the Chairman of the BAA, Ricardo Martin signed 28.5 million dollars in security contracts with two non TSA certified companies owned by politically connected persons on December 23rd and 24th, 2024 - somehow none of them seemed to be fully in the loop.
CEO Garcia said she didn't know who got the contracts, GM Thea Garcia said she was out sick, and the PM said he didn't know about it at all:
(May 5, 2025)
Jules Vasquez
"Are you able to say who got the contract for securing the various airfields and aerodromes throughout the country? We know that it went live very suddenly and I am told that a preferred person has received it. Are you able to say who has that contract?"
Narda Garcia, CEO, Ministry of Civil Aviation
"No, I am not. Belize Airport Authority is the entity that gave that contract. At the time, the chairman was the one that executed that contract."
May 29, 2025)
Thea Garcia Ramirez, Former General Manager, BAA:
"I remember getting an email. I was out on sick leave. It was the 23rd. I was of the opinion that maybe it was a bit, you know, maybe hasty. Yes. But, I was not there when the contracts were signed. I wasn't in office"
John Briceno, Prime Minister:
"Was I involved in the process? No. Had I known, I would have probably given advice that we need to go a different route."
But, it was the PM's job to know, actually his legal obligation. The Belize Airports Authority Act says explicitly "The Authority shall appoint a Tenders Committee from amongst the Board of Directors and all contracts above forty thousand Belize Dollars awarded by the Authority shall require the prior approval of the Minister."
In this case, the Minister of Civil Aviation, PM Briceno. These contracts were way, way above that threshold.
And, as the Minister of Finance, the PM also had a duty of oversight, because the act says:
"(4) Except with the approval of the Minister of Finance after consultation with the Minister for Communications, no further sum shall be expended during any financial year other than is provided in the estimates relating to such financial year."
Notably, the BAA's FOIA letter to us makes no mention of a tender committee - in fact it says that Chairman Ricardo Martin decided to do selective tendering instead of open tendering.
We did try to reach the past Chairman Martin for a comment but up to news time got no reply..
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