BCCI to GOB: BCCI to GOB: Why Wait? Why Wait? Strengthen Strengthen Controls Now

The Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) is urging the Government to immediately strengthen financial controls over public procurement, arguing that many reforms can be implemented now without waiting for ongoing investigations or a broader review of procurement laws.

In a June 29 letter to Prime Minister John Briceño, BCCI President Giacomo Sanchez said the recent procurement and payment-processing irregularities should serve as an opportunity to strengthen the systems that safeguard public funds. While welcoming the Government's decision to launch a formal investigation, the Chamber deliberately shifted its focus from enhancements can individual wrongdoing to preventing similar failures in the future.

The Chamber's c e n t r a l recommendation is that the Government move immediately to strengthen the Smart Stream government accounting platform— or, if necessary, deploy an automated monitoring and compliance system alongside it—to detect and prevent irregular transactions before they are processed rather than relying primarily on audits after payments have been made.

Significantly, the BCCI argued that these improvements should not wait for either the completion of the current investigation or Cabinet's broader review of Belize's procurement rules.

The Chamber said many of the recommended be implemented without delay and would demonstrate the Government's commitment to systemic reform independent of, and complementary to, any enforcement action arising from the ongoing investigation.

Among the recommendations are system controls limiting multiple invoices from the same supplier within a defined period, automated detection of unusual transactions, invoice verification to prevent duplicate or manipulated invoice numbers, duplicate payment detection, strict segregation of payment initiation and approval functions, mandatory maker checker authorization for higher-value transactions, immutable audit trails, role-based system The recommendations mirror governance reforms access, real-time exception reporting and regular technical audits of the accounting platform itself.

Beyond technology, the Chamber also called for stronger institutional oversight. It recommended reinforcing the Government's internal audit function through timely publication of audit reports, defined timelines for implementing audit recommendations and accountability measures where recommendations are ignored or unnecessarily delayed. The BCCI further proposed making independent assessments of government financial management information systems a routine practice to evaluate system configuration, access controls and the effectiveness of internal controls.

The Chamber outlined in its Good Governance Agenda 2025–2030, including modernising procurement systems, strengthening conflict of interest and integrity frameworks, improving transparency in public expenditure and enhancing institutional oversight.

Sanchez concluded that strong governance is achieved not only through legislation, but also through robust institutions, secure financial systems and a culture of accountability throughout the public service, while reaffirming the Chamber's willingness to work with the Government in advancing those reforms.