Former Chief Transport Officer Responds to Letter Questioning Procurement of License Plates

Government & Politics Transportation
July 11, 2023
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Former Chief Transport Officer (CTO) Dian Vasquez says she has responded to the letter sent to her by Transport CEO Adele Catzim Sanchez questioning the procurement method utilized to pay out over a hundred thousand dollars of public funds. On June 9, Catzim wrote Vasquez requesting a written explanation on the procurement of license plates that saw one hundred and eight thousand eight hundred dollars paid to the Sign Factory. Catzim urged Vasquez to explain the procurement practices utilized and provide a copy of the procurement approval of the plates for the Transport Department. Today, Love News spoke to Vasquez, who declined a recorded interview, but would only confirm that she did respond to the CEO. She noted that she will provide further clarity on the matter shortly. Meanwhile, we had spoken to the Minister of Transport, Rodwell Ferguson, this past weekend, who indicated that the was not certain that the CTO had responded, and that it is all irrelevant now since she is no longer in that position.

Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Transport: “I am not quite cognizant that she had responded to the CEO’s letter but I know her contract with the Government of Belize had expired maybe a month ago. And she was trying to renegotiate a new contract but normally that is the Ministry of Finance not the ministry that they work with. And so apparently there has been a deadlock. I heard nothing more if anything would happen after this but eventually we’ll have to advertise the post for a CTO. Well I told my CEO that we want the public service to advertise the post within the public service to find public officers who have the experience to figure out how they can take on a department such as the Department of Transport. So we are hopeful that they are found a very good replacement once she doesn’t want to come back.”