And while questions surrounding the Defence Ministry audit continue, Minister of the Public Service Henry Charles Usher was also pressed on the protection of whistleblowers within government. The unions have repeatedly called for whistleblower-protection legislation to safeguard public officers who expose possible wrongdoing, corruption or breaches of government procedures. Usher, however, did not indicate that the legislation is being treated as an urgent priority, nor did he provide a timeline for when it may be taken to Cabinet or the National Assembly. Instead, the minister questioned whether the disclosure of the SmartStream payment records should be considered a leak of secret information. He noted that the financial-management system is used by authorised public officers and that the information circulating publicly may not necessarily have been confidential.
Reporter: Public officers have been praised particularly by the opposition for sort of sending in these leaks and exposing the government. How do you feel that these are employees under your ministry?
Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service: “Well, they’re employees of the Government of Belize not necessarily under the Ministry of the Public Service and I think that the information was really available. I don’t know exactly who you’re referring to when they’re praising them but you know, I think that you know, nobody really has been called so it’s just a general praise that’s being done by the...
Executive Summary What’s new: The Seventh Circuit affirmed dismissal of an outsider’s qui tam action under the False Claims Act, outlining a potential path to dismissal where a relator lacks ins...