For weeks, swirling public controversy has hung over former Belizean cabinet minister Oscar Mira, centered on millions in taxpayer-funded government contracts awarded to businesses tied to his close family members. Now, three weeks after the Belmopan Area Representative stepped down from his ministerial post on administrative leave, Mira has spoken out for the first time in an exclusive interview with News 5, pushing back against mounting public scrutiny and asserting that the ongoing official audit will ultimately exonerate him of any wrongdoing.
Mira was clear to emphasize that even as he steps back from his cabinet responsibilities, he has no intention of stepping away from the public duties he was elected to fulfill. He remains active in his role as Belmopan’s elected area representative, a position he has not taken leave from, and says he is prioritizing constituent work over the growing noise of public criticism.
“I was not elected solely to serve as a minister — I was elected first as this area’s representative, and I do not plan to abandon that work no matter what questions are being raised,” Mira stated. “There is a lot of unfounded noise surrounding this situation, but I choose to block it out. It will not deter or slow down the work we have committed to delivering for the people of Belmopan.”
The independent audit currently underway is focused on taxpayer-funded contracts issued through the Ministry of Defence to family-connected businesses while Mira served as Minister of State, and later as the full substantive minister of the department. Rather than opposing the probe, Mira says he has actively welcomed it, expressing full confidence that the audit will confirm he had no involvement in any improper activity.
Central to Mira’s defense is his argument that his relatives, as hard-working Belizean citizens, have the same legal right to bid for and win government contracts as any other person in the country. He rejected the widespread view that family members of sitting elected officials should be barred from contracting with government agencies, calling the notion unfair and unfounded.
“My family is a hard-working family, full of eligible professionals who have every right to participate in government procurement processes just like any other Belizean,” Mira said. “I do not subscribe to the idea that simply because a relative holds public office, all other members of that family should be locked out of the chance to bid for work and earn an honest living through their services.”
When questioned about the validity of the work performed for the public funds disbursed, Mira did not equivocate: he confirmed that all contracted goods and services were not only delivered, but delivered to a very high professional standard. He added that any payments his relatives or their businesses received were strictly in exchange for completed professional work, and there was no case of unearned compensation being issued.
Amid lingering questions about Mira’s benefits while on administrative leave, the politician confirmed he continues to retain access to his government-issued vehicle. When pressed to address whether he is still drawing his full ministerial salary during his leave, however, he could only respond that he had not checked his pay status to confirm.
The audit, which is expected to be completed in the coming months, will ultimately reveal what exactly public funds were allocated for, and whether any misappropriation or conflict of interest occurred. For his part, Mira remains unshakable in his conviction that the final audit report will clear his name and confirm that no improper conduct took place.