Briceño: Belizeans Must Keep Up With Technology

Belize is partnering with Google and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) on a programme called TalentUp, designed to train Belizeans, particularly young people, in digital skills.

The initiative comes as the government rolls out its Digital Transformation Roadmap, which was presented on Tuesday and sets out Belize’s technology goals up to 2030. 

Prime Minister John Briceño, who also holds the e-governance portfolio, said his presence at the launch of TalentUp was intentional, stressing the urgency for Belize to keep pace with rapid technological change. “If we do not keep up, we’re going to be left behind,” he told reporters.

It’s a message that hits differently in a small country where young people often feel they have to leave to find opportunity. The initiative, backed by two major international partners, is essentially a bet that Belize can build that opportunity at home, but only if Belizeans show up for it.

“I felt it was important for me to be here to express our support as a government, and also to encourage Belizeans, especially young people, to participate, to be able to scale up,” Briceño said.