BELIZE CITY, Tues. Aug. 19, 2025
Redistricting claimant, Jeremy Enriquez continues to apply pressure on the Government of Belize, demanding full disclosure of all state funds that have been spent on legal representation in his redistricting case and the application for an injunction to stop the March 12, 2025 general elections. The election was deemed unconstitutional for failing to comply with section 90(1) of the Constitution, which states that all electoral divisions must have “as nearly as may be, an equal number of persons eligible to vote.” Enriquez is among several activists who have been calling on the government to hold a long-overdue redistricting exercise to address the severe malapportionment of divisions.
On August 18, Enriquez submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Attorney General, Anthony Sylvestre. As an upstanding citizen who is widely regarded as a social and political activist, Enriquez framed the request as part of his ongoing commitment to civic oversight, stating his dedication to “ensuring that the government and public authorities respect and uphold the Rule of Law.” He adds, “I have been a leading advocate for transparency, equality, justice, accountability, and good governance.”
He provides a detailed rationale for the FOIA request, stating, “As a community leader, I take a keen interest in the management and operations of state enterprises and public authorities to ensure they serve the public interest properly and deliver value for money.” To underscore his concern, Enriquez cites several instances where the use of public funds for legal services has raised questions. These include the reported $15 million in legal fees associated with the closing of the Superbond and the negotiation of the Blue Bond loan agreement. He also references a public exchange after Prime Minister John Briceño made the claim that, under the previous administration of Prime Minister Dean Barrow, legal fees were paid to private attorneys related or linked to Barrow. A third example points to a 2013 news report questioning expenditure of $10 million for legal and professional advisory services which had not been previously budgeted.
In the redistricting case brought by Enriquez, legal representation was provided by attorneys from the Attorney General’s Ministry, but the government also engaged several private law firms, including attorneys from Courtenay Coye LLP and Marine Parade Chambers, to bolster its legal team. Enriquez writes in his FOIA request, “I am interested in knowing whether the public is receiving value for money and ensuring that the expenditure of public funds by the State on litigation is consistent with the principles of transparency, accountability and good governance.” He emphasizes that the Belizean public has a right to know how public funds are spent, and notes that the payment of legal fees “remains a blind spot in terms of accountability.” He additionally notes that there are no published criteria or policies on the retention of external counsel, yet members of parliament on the government side “are frequently retained.” He further argues that sharing a general total without a breakdown “does not support the principles of transparency, accountability, and good governance.”
Addressing the retention of high-powered external counsel for the redistricting case, Enriquez remarks, “The use of public funds to defend State authorities in litigation was viewed as politically advantageous to the ruling administration, particularly where resistance to redistricting arguably preserved electoral benefits and raised significant public concern.”
Enriquez is asking for the disclosure of the amount paid to each attorney or law firm in the cases he brought since January 1, 2025. He reminds that the Government is the custodian of public funds – “not the owner…” and emphasized that “Citizens have a right to know whether public funds are being unreasonably or unnecessarily dissipated on exorbitant legal fees that cannot be properly justified.”
