Can a Minister Say No to Prime Minister Briceno?

Talk about a political curveball. Minister Henry Charles Usher has turned down Prime Minister John Briceño’s offer to head the Ministry of Home Affairs and Enterprise, a post known for being one of the toughest and most controversial in Cabinet. That kind of refusal? Pretty rare. Ministers usually accept whatever role the Prime Minister assigns without much public pushback. Now, with Usher stepping aside, the Prime Minister is back at the drawing board, making another big call. This time, he’s tapped Oscar Mira, the former Minister of National Defense and Border Security, to take on the challenge of leading Home Affairs. It’s a confident move, and all eyes will be on Mira as he steps into a role that’s anything but easy. News Five’s Paul Lopez has the full story.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Just a week ago, Prime Minister John Briceño made headlines with a major Cabinet reshuffle. But tonight, there’s a surprising development, one that’s forcing the PM to hit the brakes and rethink his decision.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“As a Prime Minister, I am constantly looking and seeing where it is that I can make certain adjustments. I think that Kareem has done a good job over the past five years. But that ministry wears you down. And celebrating our fifth anniversary would be a good time to make some changes. From when we formed the new Cabinet Minister Musa when I gave him that appointment again he was expressing that he thought he would be getting another challenge.”

 

Prime Minister Briceño moved Kareem Musa from Home Affairs to Immigration and handed the Home Affairs portfolio to Henry Charles Usher. But before the week was over, Usher said “no thanks.” He wasn’t happy with the assignment, and now the PM is back to square one. If ministers serve at the Prime Minister’s pleasure, how did Usher get to say no?

 

Anthony Mahler, Minister of Youth and Sports (File: March 17^th, 2025)

“The Prime Minister in his infinite wisdom decided I could take up the role for youth and sports.”

 

Michel Chebat, Minister of Energy (File: March 17^th, 2025)

“The portfolios are determined by the prime minister. He has the ultimate decision.”

 

Oscar Requena, Minister of Rural Transformation (File: March 17^th, 2025)

“Certainly, the decision of Cabinet appointments is at the discretion of the prime minister. I was not anticipating anything. I am here to serve, and I serve at the pleasure of the prime minister.”

 

Thea Garcia-Ramirez, Minister of Human Development (File: March 17^th, 2025)

“I am humbled and honored to have been chosen by the P.M. for this huge responsibility.”

 

Back in 2007, when John Briceño was Deputy Prime Minister, he turned down a Cabinet reshuffle himself, rejecting lesser portfolios after clashing with then-PM Said Musa over the Universal Heath Services guarantee. He chose to resign instead. Cut to the present, and the roles are reversed. Briceño is now Prime Minister, facing a similar kind of pushback, but this time, he’s not fighting it. After Minister Henry Charles Usher declined the Home Affairs post, Briceño handed it to former Defense Minister Oscar Mira, who’s now stepping into one of the toughest jobs in government.

 

Oscar Mira, Minister of Home Affair and Enterprise

“Today I am here at the Ministry of Home Affairs and Enterprise, a new challenge, a challenge I take seriously, a job that is being entrusted in me by the Prime Minister of Belize and I am taking this job as a serve to the people of Belize. I know that this ministry is a challenging ministry. I never believe it is going to be an easy road. But there is many things we can change and do to get back the trust of the Belizean people to the Belize Police Department. It is never an easy job and transitions are not an easy thing. We don’t love to have change.”

 

Minister Henry Charles Usher will reportedly retain his position at the Ministry of Public Service, while Minister Florencio Marin is back at the Ministry of National Defense and Border Security. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.