Belize’s Ministry of Immigration, Governance and Labour said on Wednesday it had launched internal reviews into reports of possible embezzlement at the Belize City Immigration Department Office and was also investigating two missing nationality certificates from its Belmopan office.
The ministry said preliminary inquiries were underway to determine the nature and extent of any possible wrongdoing linked to the Belize City office located at 1 ½ Miles Phillip Goldson Highway.
Minister of Immigration, Governance and Labour Kareem Musa said the government had strengthened oversight measures within the department in response to concerns over misconduct and corruption.
“There have been instances in the past where corruption and unethical practices weakened public trust in the Department,” Musa said in a statement. “That reality is exactly why this Ministry has increased oversight and strengthened internal controls across our offices.”
Musa said the ministry was carrying out a “direct crackdown on improper practices” and warned that any officer found to have engaged in criminal conduct, fraud, corruption, or abuse of office would face prosecution if evidence supported criminal charges.
The ministry said any confirmed criminal activity would result in further action, including financial audits and referrals to the Belize Police Department for criminal investigation.
Separately, officials said two nationality certificates were discovered missing from the Belmopan office during internal reviews. Authorities have not yet determined whether the certificates were misprinted, lost, or stolen.
The ministry said it would formally report the matter to police this week to facilitate an investigation.
In February, the ministry began a consultancy aimed at digitizing Belize’s nationality process as part of efforts to improve accountability, strengthen monitoring systems, and reduce vulnerabilities tied to document handling and tracking.
The ministry said it would refrain from further comment while the matters remain under active review.
The post Immigration Ministry vows crackdown amid corruption probes appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Belize’s Ministry of Immigration, Governance and Labour said on Wednesday it had launched internal reviews into reports of possible embezzlement at the Belize City Immigration Department Office and was also investigating two missing nationality certificates from its Belmopan office. The ministry said preliminary inquiries were underway to determine the nature and extent of any possible
The post Immigration Ministry vows crackdown amid corruption probes appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
