Opposition Leader Backs Enriquez’s FOIA Effort

Leader of the Opposition Hon. Tracy Panton has voiced firm support for civic activist Jeremy Enriquez’s ongoing effort to secure transparency from the Government of Belize through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Panton described the government’s persistent withholding of information as symptomatic of a broader failure to uphold its commitments to accountability and good governance.

Speaking to The Reporter on October 23, Panton stressed that transparency is not optional but a constitutional responsibility of those who serve the public. She said that when any citizen or stakeholder group makes a formal FOIA request, the government’s duty is to comply unless national security or sovereignty is genuinely at risk.

“The government’s first responsibility is to the people,” she said, emphasizing that citizens cannot make informed judgments without access to the facts. Panton added that repeated refusals to disclose information through the FOIA process undermine public trust and the very principles of democratic governance.

Panton also pointed to what she characterized as a growing “aloofness” within the Briceño administration regarding transparency. She recalled that the government, in both its Plan Belize 1.0 and 2.0 frameworks, and through a National Assembly motion early in its tenure, had promised to set the “gold standard” for good governance. Instead, she said, the administration has shown a pattern of reluctance to share information of public interest—particularly where financial transactions and contracts are concerned.

This opposition position aligns with ongoing efforts by Enriquez, who has sought disclosure of payments made to private attorneys retained by the government. The Ombudsman recently ruled that the Attorney General’s refusal to release these records breached the FOIA and ordered partial disclosure within two weeks. Enriquez confirmed to The Reporter this week that there has been no update from the Ombudsman’s Office midway through that compliance period, though time remains before the deadline expires.

Enriquez, who has relied partly on the pro bono support of Trinidadian attorney Anand Ramlogan after local attorneys declined to represent him in his earlier redistricting case, said his broader goal remains to strengthen transparency in public office.

Panton framed his effort as emblematic of citizens’ right to hold government to account. She argued that the refusal to release information requested under lawful procedure represents not just bureaucratic obstruction but a disregard for the people’s mandate.

“The government does not exist on its own,” she said. “It exists because it is following a mandate from the people, and if the people make the request, the information ought to be provided forthwith.”