In a public statement dated August 5, 2026, Giacomo Sanchez, president of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), has raised sharp concerns over the Ministry of Defense’s repeated practice of engaging third-party middlemen to source supplies, rather than purchasing directly from accessible original producers.
Sanchez pointed out that in the majority of documented cases, manufacturers and original producers are readily available to work directly with government agencies, and they offer significantly lower per-unit prices than intermediaries that add unnecessary markup to public purchases. He emphasized that responsible stewardship of public funds demands the same cost-conscious approach that ordinary Belizean households apply to every personal purchase.
“Every Belizean carefully stretches every dollar in their pocketbook to get maximum value for every purchase they make, and public spending should follow that exact same standard,” Sanchez explained. “A robust, effective public procurement process should be fundamentally price-driven. This ensures that every dollar held in the national consolidated fund delivers the greatest possible public benefit, and that we secure the lowest possible prices for all government purchases.”
When pressed by reporters to explain why this practice is problematic, Sanchez did not mince words: he noted that this model of relying on middlemen for easily accessible goods would never be accepted or sustained in the private sector, where thin profit margins demand strict cost control. Beyond unnecessary public expenditure, he warned that the opaque practice of cutting middlemen into public procurement deals opens the door to unethical activity and potential corruption, leaving the public to question whether inappropriate “shenanigans” are driving procurement decisions rather than public interest.
When asked whether BCCI would organize public protests to push for reform, chamber executives confirmed that leadership is currently holding ongoing discussions with government stakeholders. For the moment, the organization plans to continue advocating for procurement reform through formal representation at official decision-making tables, rather than street action.
This report is adapted from a transcribed broadcast of a national evening newscast.