Nearly seven days have passed since Belize’s Chief Forest Officer John Pinelo was formally ordered to respond to public misconduct allegations that have sparked widespread public attention, and the future of his position remains uncertain as government authorities await his formal response.
Pinelo has repeatedly rejected all claims of wrongdoing since the allegations emerged, and was granted a six-day deadline to submit a formal written explanation addressing the accusations to his department’s Chief Executive Officer. On July 1, 2026, local news outlet News Five sat down with Minister of Sustainable Development Orlando Habet to get an update on the inquiry’s progress, and what disciplinary steps could come once Pinelo’s submission is received.
When asked to confirm whether Pinelo had turned in his explanatory report, Habet clarified that the official was actually given a full week to prepare his response, rather than the initially reported six days. “I think he was given a week to prepare it. I am sure if he has and he will prepare that letter and submit it to the CEO who will prepare the ministry’s position and present it to the Ministry of Public Service,” Habet told reporters.
Pressed for a timeline, Habet confirmed that the submission is expected sometime this week, with instructions issued last week requiring Pinelo to turn over his response by the end of the current seven-day period. Reporters also followed up on a separate pending inquiry tied to the allegations, asking whether a promised investigative report from a Mr. Godina had been filed with the ministry. Habet responded that no such report had crossed his desk as of the July 1 interview.
When asked what disciplinary actions would be taken if Pinelo’s explanation fails to resolve the allegations against him and confirms misconduct occurred, Habet declined to preview potential outcomes. “We can’t comment on that yet because it will depend on the report,” he said, noting that all next steps will be determined by the findings of the review process.
News Five has confirmed it will continue to track developments in the inquiry and publish updates as new information becomes available. This report is a transcribed excerpt from the outlet’s evening television broadcast, with all Kriol-language statements transcribed using a standardized spelling system for accessibility.