In response to a groundbreaking investigative report by News Five, Belizean Prime Minister John Briceño has declared current legislation insufficient to combat sophisticated financial crimes emerging from the country’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector. The January 29th exposé revealed a widespread credit card scam operation involving former BPO employees who confessed to stealing sensitive financial information from international clients.
The Prime Minister emphasized the critical importance of protecting the BPO industry, which currently provides employment for over 20,000 Belizeans and contributes more than $150 million annually to the national economy through salaries alone. “We need to ensure they can feel safe operating here,” Briceño stated, acknowledging the vulnerability of both domestic and international victims.
Despite the industry’s significant economic impact, the investigation uncovered multiple business victims and featured rare testimony from a former BPO employee who admitted to systematically stealing dozens of credit card details. This revelation has created urgent pressure for legislative reform.
The Prime Minister’s proposed solution involves implementing targeted, tougher laws specifically designed to pursue scammers “to the full extent of the law.” He emphasized the need for comprehensive measures that would empower authorities to more effectively investigate and prosecute those exploiting the BPO infrastructure for fraudulent activities.
This development occurs alongside other national policy discussions, including Belize’s eight-year offshore oil ban, highlighting the government’s balancing act between economic development and regulatory oversight in key industries.