By Belize Live News Staff: Espat weighs in as Broaster files complaint against Mia.
The political tug of war over Minister Oscar Mira shows no sign of slowing, with Minister Julius Espat now responding to a corruption complaint lodged against his colleague.
The complaint was filed on Tuesday morning at the Integrity Commission by Edward Broaster, a former police officer who has announced plans to contest the Belize Rural Central division. Broaster turned up at the commission’s office to submit a formal report against Mira over the ongoing questions surrounding government payments to businesses connected to the Mira family.
Asked about the move, Espat, who is currently overseeing the Ministry of Home Affairs on an interim basis while Mira is on leave, put it down to politics. He indicated that he viewed the complaint as a political play, though he also recognized that Broaster, as a citizen and an aspiring politician, had every right to file it.
Broaster, however, has rejected the suggestion that politics is behind his actions. He has insisted he is speaking up on behalf of ordinary Belizeans, regardless of party, and has said the issue is simply about holding elected officials accountable for the use of public funds.
As the back and forth continues, the formal processes are still playing out. The Integrity Commission is the body tasked with receiving and considering such complaints, and the filing of one does not amount to a finding of wrongdoing. Mira has denied any role in the awarding of contracts or the handling of payments, and the government has pointed to the Auditor General’s audit of the Ministry of Defence as the proper avenue to establish the facts. That review is expected to last about three months, and no conclusions have been reached.
