Nearly three years from now, in October 2026, public debate continues to swirl around the Belmopan City Council’s handling of a closed sexual harassment investigation, even after the probe officially concluded. Belmopan Mayor Pablo Cawich has stepped forward to publicly address lingering questions about the process, pushing back against growing claims that city officials intentionally hid the investigation’s findings from the general public.
At the center of the case are sexual harassment allegations leveled against Efrain Novelo, a contract employee who served as the council’s local economic development advisor. Novelo has repeatedly denied all claims of misconduct, and the formal investigative committee convened by the city ultimately found no concrete evidence to support the allegations against him. Despite the lack of evidence tying Novelo to wrongdoing, Cawich confirmed this week that the council has parted ways with the employee, a change that has sparked fresh suspicion among observers.
Cawich was quick to decouple Novelo’s departure from the investigation, explaining that the advisor’s contract had reached its scheduled end, and the council simply no longer required his services. He pushed back against widespread rumors that the separation was a quiet disciplinary action tied to the harassment claims, noting that Novelo’s role was always a time-bound contracted position, and the mutual separation followed the council’s standard contracting protocols. He also emphasized that Novelo never served as a personal advisor to him, correcting a common misrepresentation of the employee’s role that has circulated in public discussion of the case.
Addressing the most persistent criticism that the council attempted to cover up the investigation’s findings, Cawich argued that the multi-step process of forming a special investigative committee, conducting interviews and analysis, and drafting a final report naturally requires significant time. He pushed back on narratives that frame delays in releasing the findings as proof of an intent to hide information, arguing that critics who make this claim simply do not understand the formal procedures required for an impartial internal investigation.
The mayor repeatedly stressed that the Belmopan City Council remains fully committed to two core priorities: radical transparency in its internal operations, and maintaining a safe, respectful working environment free from harassment for all city employees. He pointed to the creation of an independent investigative committee to review the claims as proof that the council took the allegations seriously and had no intention of sweeping the issue under the rug, contrary to recent public claims.
This report is adapted from a verbatim transcript of a televised evening news broadcast, with Kriol language quotes transcribed using a standardized spelling system for accuracy.