$800,000 for New Shelters for the Homeless

Prime Minister John Briceño says the government is moving to expand shelter services across Belize as homelessness becomes an increasingly serious social issue.

Minister of Human Development Thea Garcia-Ramirez presented a plan to Cabinet on Wednesday, which calls for more than $800,000 to establish new homes and support facilities in Belize City, Orange Walk, Cayo, and Stann Creek.

“Homelessness is becoming a serious problem in our society, and it’s a sad one,” Briceño told News Five.

According to officials, many of those living on the streets are struggling with mental health challenges.

Briceño added that families often try to care for relatives but eventually become overwhelmed, leaving the government with a moral duty to act. “I think we believe that as our government and as a people, we also have a responsibility, a moral responsibility, to do something for them.”

Although Cabinet has approved the plan, funding arrangements are still being finalised. Briceño suggested that increased revenues from Boledo could help finance the initiative, pointing to significant growth in collections in recent years.

“Remember under the UDP, they were collecting about $2.5 million. This year it seems that we’re going to make about $25 million in profit, ten times more than what was happening under the UDP,” he said.

The Prime Minister admitted the new shelters may not fully meet demand but said even small increases in capacity can make a difference.