Description
A constitutional showdown that could redefine the independence of one of Belize’s key oversight institutions is now before the courts. A former Ombudsman is now asking the court to decide whether government crossed a constitutional line. Retired Major Gilbert Swaso has filed a claim against the Government of Belize, arguing that the state failed to honor the terms and conditions attached to the Office of the Ombudsman. But Swaso says the issue goes even deeper. He alleges that government chose not to renew his appointment in retaliation for a ruling he made against the state in a sensitive Freedom of Information matter. Today, that legal fight officially began moving through the courts, with timelines now set ahead of a trial scheduled for November twentieth.