Recinos Group says procurement participation was routine, says K&M Construction did not win Government bid

By Zoila Palma: The Recinos Group of Companies has issued a statement addressing public concerns over the participation of businesses within the group in government procurement processes, saying it is important to provide additional context about its operations and business history.

In the statement released on August 3, the company said the recent public discussion had centered on “a well-known entrepreneur from the Cayo District whose career began in the beauty industry,” adding that it believed “it is important to provide a more complete understanding of the businesses involved and the history of their operations.”

The group noted that Maria Estella Recinos has spent more than three decades building and expanding businesses across multiple sectors, including retail trade, construction, importation, exportation, distribution, beauty services, logistics, and entrepreneurship initiatives.

The company said its operations include K&M Construction Company Ltd., Salon Essentials Ltd., Maria Estella’s Beauty Salon and other affiliated enterprises. It described K&M Construction as “a Belizean construction company engaged in construction-related works and services, including the execution and support of building and infrastructure projects.”

 The statement also noted that the group’s businesses have maintained commercial relationships with customers, suppliers, contractors, and institutions in Belize and abroad, including partners in Guatemala, El Salvador, the United States, and Guyana.

Addressing questions surrounding public procurement, the company said participation in government bidding is a normal part of doing business for many established firms.

 “The receipt of an invitation to participate in a procurement process is not, in itself, evidence of wrongdoing, nor does the submission of a proposal guarantee that a contract will ultimately be awarded,” the statement said.

It added that, in the case under discussion, “K&M Construction Company Ltd. submitted a proposal but did not win the bid and was not awarded the contract.”

The Recinos Group concluded by reaffirming its support for transparency and accountability while urging the public to consider the full context of its business operations. “The public has every right to expect transparency and accountability, and we support that principle fully,” the statement said, adding that the public is also “entitled to receive complete, accurate, and properly contextualized information concerning the work that our businesses have undertaken over many years.”