By Breaking Belize News Staff: Prime Minister John Briceño says he does not believe Defence CEO Francis Usher should be removed while the Auditor General reviews procurement practices at the Ministry of Defence.
Briceño was asked whether Usher should step aside after public reports that the owner of Meat Masters has a family connection to the CEO by marriage. The Prime Minister said he has not spoken directly on that specific matter, but said there is a bidding committee and that Usher has been doing a “pretty good job” trying to hold the ministry together.
Briceño said removing Usher could be a disservice to the Ministry, the Belize Defence Force and the Belize Coast Guard. He added that the wider issue is not only one company, but a procurement system that has allowed questionable payment practices to develop.
The Prime Minister also defended the Government’s increase in food spending for soldiers, saying the BDF food budget was increased from about $4 million under the UDP to about $8 million under his administration. He said soldiers are eating better than before, but acknowledged that the good being done for the security forces has been overshadowed by concerns over payment practices.
7News Belize reported that Usher said Meat Masters went through an open tendering process and that he did not intervene. He also said the BDF and Coast Guard submit payments in batches and that the ministry is now moving toward compiling multiple invoices into larger, more transparent payments for further scrutiny. (7 News Belize)
The post PM says Defence CEO Francis Usher should not be removed amid Meat Masters controversy; ‘BDF eating better than before’ appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: Prime Minister John Briceño says he does not believe Defence CEO Francis Usher should be removed while the Auditor General reviews procurement practices at the Ministry of Defence. Briceño was asked whether Usher should step aside after public reports that the owner of Meat Masters has a family connection to
The post PM says Defence CEO Francis Usher should not be removed amid Meat Masters controversy; ‘BDF eating better than before’ appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
