Editor Sir,
I will appreciate it very much if you could publish with proof the fact that I have made my required submission of my Declaration Form to the Integrity Commission of Belize. I have enclosed my bank statements as well as my income tax receipts, proof of my financial status and the payment of my income tax.
I wish to categorically state that my purpose is twofold: First of all to prove that I will be transparent during my term of office as councilor as well as now that I am, once again, a candidate for municipal elections. Secondly I wish to invite all my colleagues in the San Pedro Town Council to show the good example of their honesty and integrity. Thank you, Mr. Editor, for providing space and time in this important procedure in my political life.
/s/ Gualberto “Wally” Nuñez
Editor’s Note:
We learned from Wally that this is a required declaration form as a result of the Prevention of Corruption Act No 21 of 2007 which was signed into law on February of 2008 under the first term of the UDP Administration. (This applies to town councilors, senators, cabinet ministers, members of the National Assembly among a few others). The prevention of Corruption Act states: a person in public life shall, in accordance with this act, file with the Commission, a “sworn” declaration of assets, income and liabilities in front of a Magistrate, JP, Commissioner or Registrar of the Supreme Court.
Failure to file a declaration form carries a penalty of three thousand dollars ($3,000.00) on first offence and a fine of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) on the second offence. Additionally anybody who fails to file the declaration shall be fined $100.00 for each day that they are late in filing their forms. This leaves us with one big question. What about all those elected members of the Town Council who did not file during the past administrations, as well as this present administration 2012 to 2015? Having broken the law, are they liable to pay the fine or face imprisonment?
We have in file a copy of Mr. Nunez’s Official Declaration Form but in respect of his privacy we are not publishing the figures.
