In a firm response to mounting corruption allegations, Belize’s Minister of Rural Transformation Oscar Requena and his Chief Executive Officer Valentino Shal have vehemently denied accusations of financial misconduct within their ministry. The high-ranking officials characterized the claims as baseless attempts to undermine their department’s integrity during recent press inquiries.
The allegations, which have circulated through unspecified channels, suggested possible kickback schemes and improper payments for unfinished infrastructure projects in northern regions. When confronted with these assertions, Minister Requena dismissed them as ‘total nonsense,’ emphasizing his ministry’s adherence to strict financial protocols and oversight mechanisms.
‘We maintain a cadre of highly skilled professional employees operating with complete transparency,’ Requena stated. ‘All our operations undergo rigorous scrutiny from the Ministry of Finance and development partners, ensuring full compliance with national financial regulations.’
CEO Shal adopted an equally defiant stance, refusing to engage with what he termed ‘speculation and allegations’ without concrete evidence. He suggested the accusations originated from parties seeking to ‘tarnish the hard work’ of the ministry while hinting at awareness of the sources behind the claims.
Addressing perceptions of financial impropriety, Shal clarified: ‘Some might imagine the ministry controls substantial discretionary funds, but reality proves otherwise. All resources originate from the Ministry of Finance following established procedures and multiple approval stages.’
Both officials maintained their primary focus remains on executing their ministerial duties despite the distracting allegations. They declined to publicly identify their suspected sources of the accusations while affirming confidence in their operational integrity and financial management practices.