UDP’s Edward Broaster Calls PM’s Fuel Tax Cut “Peanuts”

UDP caretaker of Belize Rural Central, Edward Broaster, described Prime Minister John Briceño’s fuel tax relief as “peanuts”. He made the comments during this morning’s bankrolling of a two-dollar-per-gallon subsidy at the Northern Gas Station in Belize Rural Central. His subsidy covered up to ten gallons per vehicle for residents.

Broaster accused the PM of refusing to touch the taxes that bite hardest on Belizean people. He said despite the Briceño’s 68 cents excise tax reduction, the environmental and GST levies remaining on fuel are what is choking Belize’s working class.

“That is giving the government the big bite from the fuel that the prime minister refused to touch,” Broaster said. “He can’t blame it on the war.”

He also pushed back against Dangriga Area Representative Dr Louis Zabaneh’s calls for him to take his fuel relief initiative nationwide, while BRC Area Representative Dolores Balderamos-Garcia dismissed his move as a “political gimmick.”

Broaster accused the Briceño administration of failing to provide meaningful relief, stating, “They really don’t care about the people,” he said. “They’re the ones who has the power to reduce the fuel prices.”

Meanwhile, in Tuesday’s interview with Broaster, he said he’s also working on a seven-day fuel initiative for bus commuters.