Cabinet Still Weighing Cost-of-Living Relief

The Briceño Cabinet has discussed possible measures to ease the cost-of-living burden on Belizeans.  

Minister Rodwell Ferguson told News 5 that the proposals would return to Cabinet before being finalised. He did not disclose the specific measures under consideration. However, Ferguson said the Prime Minister John Briceño plans to move money within the existing budget rather than cut costs. 

“We’ll relocate it to be able to support our Belizean people,” Ferguson said. “It’s across the board, and I want to be honest, with all of the differences and whatever it may be, we must remember that we are a very small country.” 

He added, “Imagine four hundred and twenty-eight thousand people to suffice a nation of eight thousand eight hundred and sixty square miles. Almost impossible.” 

He compared Belize to Barbados, which he said has a similar population on a far smaller land mass, which makes it easier to serve. “Unless we expand our population and have a bigger tax base, then we can say that the government must be responsible for and so-and-so,” he added. 

On Tuesday, Minister Louis Zabaneh told News 5 that short-term relief must be accompanied by efforts to improve productivity, strengthen skills training and increase the value Belize generates from its workforce. 

“For every hour that we work, there’s not a lot of value added that can translate into increasing salaries,” Zabaneh said. “Focus on science, technology, and innovation will be the pathway, in my view, to make our country much more productive, more efficient, and for our people to have a better quality of life.” 

For now, Cabinet has yet to finalise its proposed cost-of-living measures.