With the recent release of Transparency International’s latest corruption perception index, Belize appears to have taken two steps forward by moving away from corruption at a brisk pace. In perceived lack of corruption Belize has risen from the 47th percentile rank in 2008 (under Said Musa) to the 57th percentile in 2010 (under Dean Barrow). This was the sixth biggest improvement of the 207 countries examined. This is a testament to Prime Minister Barrow’s commitment to good governance and his oft repeated statement that he will not tolerate corruption. Unfortunately, while we have been making such excellent progress in the political arena we seem to be slipping one step backwards in other areas.
Even a cursory analysis of news from the judiciary is enough to raise questions. It appears that no one is ever charged in most crimes and of those people charged only those with no financial resources or social support network are actually found guilty. Cases are dropped for lack of evidence; non appearance or sudden amnesia of witnesses; loss of case files by police or prosecution; astonishing not guilty verdicts returned in the face of overwhelming evidence; strange rulings and direction given by magistrates and judges. Such events certainly contain the seeds for perception of corruption. We are left to think that some police and magistrates may be less than straight arrows and some witnesses and jurors have been influenced by threats or rewards or both.
While the political hierarchy was cleaned out in one fell swoop in 2008 the institutions of the state that had been moulded by ten years of corrupt PUP governance have remained largely unchanged. There can be no doubt that some institutions were gutted of most of their middle-management talent and filled with pliant individuals who were happy to unquestioningly do their masters’ bidding. It is proving extremely difficult to get rid of corrupt and/or incompetent public officers in these institutions. Everyone might know who the most corrupt officers are but without proof that will hold up in Court they cannot be removed. Naturally, the evidence required to bring charges will not be found because it is in the hands of those who least want it to come to light.
The news that several immigration officers have been charged for involvement in a human trafficking scheme that smuggled Chinese nationals through Belize is only incredible because the case actually came to light. Similarly, the only astounding information about the landing of a drug plane in Southern Belize is not that several police officers may have been involved but that they have actually been arrested and charged. Equally amazing is the fact that the movement of several containers of methamphetamines has been interdicted over the past two years. Even less surprising is the list of names of “Big Men” that are surfacing in connection with drug and crime rings that ran in Belize with impunity under the PUP.
So while we may despair at the injustice that leaves the poor and powerless in gaol for relatively minor offences while rich and powerful crime bosses enjoy a fabulous lifestyle we can be comforted that their ease of operation is being seriously impaired. Naturally, these crime bosses are not pleased and this is reflected in their determination to restore their political associates to power by any means. These same crime bosses have determined that the best way to undermine the UDP government is to create the conditions that are behind the upsurge in violent crime. An added benefit is that the authorities are kept busy chasing after petty but dangerous criminals leaving the bigger fish more space to swim. It is not the street youth who are importing plane loads of weapons and ammunition into Belize nor are they the masterminds behind drug and people smuggling.
So yes, we need programs to address poverty and lack of education; jobs and self esteem – but even more importantly we need to curtail the activities of the Big Men and question any actions of public officers, judges, magistrates, jurors and witnesses that seem suspicious. However, even if we are taking two steps forward and one step backwards at least we are moving in the right direction.
