On Tuesday, August 20th, the Belize Integrity Commission Office announced the formation of a new commission under Section 3 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, #21 of 2007, at the Government Office in Belmopan. The seven-person commission was reappointed to serve for an additional two-year period with effect from April 1, 2024. Andrea McSweeney Mckoy was reappointed as the chairperson, along with six members: Zoe Robertson-Zetina, Katherine Vanessa Meighan, Ricardo Ismael MogueI, George Randolph Swift, Payal B. Ghanwani, and Jaraad Ammar Ysaguirre.
The Integrity Commission’s role in ensuring transparency and upholding the highest standards of conduct for public officials, as outlined in the Prevention of Corruption Act in Belize, is of utmost importance. The Commission, led by a Chairperson, must be an attorney-at-law with at least five years of standing and six other members of integrity and high national standing.
Chairperson Mckoy, a sole practitioner attorney at law, brings a wealth of experience and qualifications to her role. She holds a legal education certificate from Norman Manley Law School in Kingston, Jamaica (2004), and a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of the West Indies (2002). Her professional journey includes being the secretary of the Belmopan Business Association, practicing law in Belize since 2004, and serving as a Notary Public since 2012.
The Commission is tasked with reviewing and maintaining all declarations, conducting necessary inquiries to verify or ascertain the accuracy of the submitted declarations, addressing complaints related to non-compliance with or breach of the provisions, and fulfilling any other functions as necessitated by the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Established under the 2007 Prevention of Corruption Act, the Integrity Commission intends to investigate complaints or any other declaration regarding non-compliance. The commission also has the right to investigate corruption matters and must make scheduled reports to the Prime Minister. After eight years of inactivity, the Integrity Commission of Belize was officially re-established in 2027. The pressure to enact this commission was a demand for good governance and to fight against corruption within many organizations, including the Belize National Teachers Union (BNTU).

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