At the start of the latest State of Emergency, police swept up one hundred and eighteen individuals for questioning. But now, only forty-nine remain behind bars at the Belize Central Prison, leaving many to wonder: what happened to the rest? Today, the Commissioner of Police Doctor Richard Rosado addressed that very question. He explained that while many were initially detained, not all had enough evidence against them to justify extended detention under the SOE.
Richard Rosado
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police
“Individuals are just detained. We started with a hundred and eighteen individuals detained and after the extensive and rigorous interview only forty nine detention order was issued. If there is no merit or after we asses the material if there is no evidence for us to keep them longer they are released. The primary objective is to allow investigators to conduct their investigation without hindrance from the criminal elements and our main objective is to ensure we solve those violent crimes without any hindrance.”
Commissioner of Police Doctor Richard Rosado is yet to indicate if the state of emergency will be extended after the first month expires. We will continue to follow.
Are ghost workers haunting the government’s payroll? That’s the burning question from the Public Service Union, as concerns grow over Belize’s ballooning wage bill. Union leaders say it’s time to shine a light on where the money is really going and whether some of it is being paid to people who don’t work. On Tuesday, PSU President Dean Flowers turned up the heat, publicly challenging government CEOs to come clean about their stance on ghost workers. He didn’t stop there, he also called out Transport CEO Chester Williams, the former Commissioner of Police, urging him to act.
Dean Flowers, President, P.S.U.
“Dah unu the financial secretary the reward, dah unu the prime minister the reward. That is the conversation. Bring all of them in a room and tell them let us open up Smart Stream to see how much you responsible for C.E.O. Dian, how much you responsible. Chester, I have a special message to the former commissioner of Police, you just took over ministry, youth and sports, even though it has been split, it was transport, youth and sports under the honorable Ferguson. No other than the former commissioner is there. I am waiting for him to face the Belizean public and tell them that he has opened an investigation. And if the former commissioner refuses to do that, because his minister is talking a good talk on the media. I am yet for him to say he has commissioned an audit of youth and sports and I am challenging the honorable Daly and Mahler to do the audit. That is one ministry, when the time is right we will speak about the other ministries. I want to call the former commissioner out because he is also an attorney and if he is not serious then he has no business being a CEO if he will not hold those beneath him accountable.”
With a twenty-one-day notice before the Belize National Teachers’ Union is set tostrike, union leaders say their latest sit-down with the government felt different, in a good way. Following Tuesday’s negotiations, P.S.U. President Dean Flowers and B.N.T.U. President Nadia Caliz expressed cautious optimism, calling the meeting one of the least heated in recent memory. As details of the discussion begin to surface, so does pushback from union members and the wider public. Some are questioning whether the outcome truly reflects the demands on the ground, and whether enough progress was made to call off the looming strike.
Dean Flowers
Dean Flowers, President, Public Service Union
“I think in terms of us have been here before, it had to do with the ten percent salary cut and the economic impact it had, not only on our members, but the wider Belizean community. So, those meetings were very tough, in my view, tougher than the meetings we had today. The actions taken three or four years ago had far reaching implications that we are still wheeling from and recovering today. And today we were able to demonstrate to the government that dah nuh only three increments we lose mih breda, you have to compound that. We demonstrated to them that one single public officer at the age of twenty would have lost ninety thousand dollars over his or her career.”
Nadia Caliz
Nadia Caliz, President, Belize National Teachers Union
“They have agreed for us sit down every year to look at inflation and based on that formula we will be adjusting salaries. We don’t have to be on the streets lobbying, advocating for an increase. That is what is different this time around.”
The voices calling for government accountability just got louder and older. Retired public officers across Belize stepped out of the shadows and into the spotlight this morning, demanding respect and recognition from the Government of Belize. Gathering in Battlefield Park and other key locations nationwide, members of the Association of Beneficiaries and Retired Public Officers made it clear: they’re not sitting quietly on the sidelines. Their message? “We refuse to be forgotten or left behind.” This bold move comes on the heels of last week’s fiery national demonstration in Belmopan, where tensions between union members and the government reached a boiling point. Now, retirees are adding their weight to the growing movement, standing shoulder to shoulder with active public servants in a united call for better treatment. Here’s Britney Gordon with the following report.
Burndina Eck
Burndina Eck, Retired Public Officer
“Look at the walking stick there. Look at the wheelchair behind me. Many of ushave to, you know, limp our wheel out here and we still haven’t gotten our money and we are hungry. We need to eat.”
Britney Gordon, Reporting
As union workers across Belize continue to demand fair wages and respect, a powerful new voice has joined the call, retired public officers who say they’ve waited long enough. For more than thirty years, they’ve been asking the government to pay up two years’ worth of salary increments that were frozen back in 1995. Now, with national momentum building around workers’ rights, they’re making it known that their struggle is far from over.
Glenfield Dennison
Glenfield Dennison, Senator, National Trade Union Congress of Belize
“This cause is one where former public officers who have given their entire lives and career to the service of the government and people of Belize are literally dying before they are able to collect on a benefit that is there. Is this trust has been set up for so long and they have not been benefiting. And so the cry, the cry of these retired public officers are simply this, listen, we are ill, we are ailing. Our colleagues have died, and we need the proceeds and the benefits of this trust. And so I think that cause is a cause that anyone who would just process it would have to get behind.”
Over eight million dollars meant for retired public officers is sitting untouched in a trust and the retirees say it’s time to hand it over. The money is currently held by the Public Service Workers Trust, but the Association of Beneficiaries and Retired Public Officers is calling for the trust to be dissolved and the funds distributed. They say they’ve waited long enough. But there’s a legal snag. Prime Minister John Briceño says the government’s hands are tied because a subgroup of retirees has taken the matter to court. That group, known as the Jenetty group, is holding up the process, according to the Association’s interim vice president, Lizbeth Castillo.
Lizbeth Castillo
Lizbeth Castillo, Interim VP, Association of Beneficiaries & Retired Public Officers
“I am not that liberty to say what they actually intend to do, but would think that between the Jenetty group and the government, they can come to some sort of agreement between themselves. So that we can pass, go past that stage. I do understand what the Prime Minister says that it’s before the court. Yes, it’s, but if he promises the Jenetty group, I will think that he will definitely de do a dissolution of the trust and do it in writing. That probably might be sufficient for them to drop that case, but we can’t have people just uttering words. Because words mean absolutely nothing if you have nothing in writing.”
He may not be owed a cent, but Glenfield Dennison is standing tall with those who are. The senator for the National Trade Union Congress of Belize has thrown his support behind the Association of Beneficiaries and Retired Public Officers in their ongoing battle for justice. He emphasized the need to deliver these funds quickly as more of them continue to die.
Glenfield Dennison
“If the country is doing so well, why people noh di feel it. I don’t know what bubble the elected officials are living in, but it’s not the reality of the masses, and so I fear that it’s a situation where it’s the elected leaders and the CEOs who are directly linked to the political directorate, who are living in this vacuum where they alone see such a wonderful country and are living such a beautiful benefit when people are telling you, I don’t understand inflation, you know, but I understand my money noh enough.”
As of today, sixty-five of the beneficiaries have passed away before receiving their owed funds in the Belize District alone. Britney Gordon for News Five.
The Association of Beneficiaries and Retired Public Officers also publicly demonstrated in four other districts this morning.
Belize’s towns just got a major facelift, not in buildings, but on the map. All eight towns, including San Pedro and the twin towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena, now have new boundaries. The changes officially took effect on April first through a series of statutory instruments, marking a big step in how Belize plans for the future. This re-delineation process started back in 2012, with consultations involving key stakeholders. Now, more than a decade later, the updated town limits are designed to keep up with urban growth and bring better services to fast-growing communities on the outskirts. From improved infrastructure to more efficient public services, the goal is to make sure no one gets left behind as towns expand. In this episode of The Five Point Breakdown, we take a closer look at what these changes mean for residents, local leaders, and the future of municipal development.
Marion Ali, Reporting
For the first time in thirty years, the official boundaries of Belize’s towns are being redrawn, a move that’s reshaping not just how towns look, but how they grow. From Punta Gorda to San Pedro, the map of Belize is getting a long-overdue update. The process began with community consultations all the way back in 2012, involving residents and key stakeholders in areas set to be affected. Under the Briceño administration, the work has finally begun. The goal? To reflect the real growth happening on the ground and ensure that expanding communities get the services and infrastructure they need. It’s a big change, and one that’s been a long time coming.
What is the Delineation Process?
Florencio Marin Jr
Florencio Marin Jr, Minister of Local Government
“The leadership of Minister of Requena and the team that was there did countrywide consultations with the municipals, the different municipals with the different stakeholders, with the buffering villages. They tried to do a full, comprehensive consultation to be able to get that when they come with a plan now it encompasses all the requirements.”
Statutory instruments for all eight municipalities have been put in place to formally get on with the process, which includes continued consultations. But why is re-delineation necessary in the first place? The Minister of Local Government, Florencio Marin, shares the reason.
Purpose of Delineation:
Florencio Marin Jr
“It has become important because I believe from around the, we have not had any delineation of our municipal boundaries.”
Marion Ali
“What does it mean politically?”
Florencio Marin Jr
“To be able to provide better services to where the towns are already providing services because the municipals do garbage collection, they maintain the streets, they help provide for the different utilities, when in a village the village council doesn’t have all those powers to do so.”
The map of Orange Walk Town just got a little bigger, and so did its responsibilities. As part of a nationwide re-delineation effort, all eight municipalities in Belize now have clearly defined new borders. For Orange Walk, that means three nearby communities — Petville, San Lorenzo Housing Site, and Ann Gabourel — are officially being brought into the town’s limits.
What Shapes a New Municipality
Ladrick Sheppard
Ladrick Sheppard, Mayor, Orange Walk Town
“Many people are tired of seeing dust blowing in their house. Many – sometimes when it rains, the water goes inside their house. We’ll be working on a draining system, and again, the garbage as well too. You have the garbage outside, pile it up there. It doesn’t look good, you have to be burning it, which is sometimes illegal. So all these things are essential services that we’ll be giving to these people. So it’s a huge plus for them.”
These areas have long existed in a gray zone, not quite villages and not officially part of the town. But with no village councils in place, Orange Walk Mayor Ladrick Sheppard says it’s time they receive the attention and services they deserve. Some communities are still finding their place on the map — others are ready to redraw it. While Belize’s re-delineation process is bringing small, unzoned areas into clearer focus, it’s also shining a spotlight on villages that have outgrown their labels. One standout? Ladyville.
Bernardo Bennett
Bernardo Bennett, Chairman, Ladyville Village
“Ladyville has the three necessary components and more that would qualify a community or a village to be declared a town, because we do have a full operation police station has about 80 plus police officers that go on rotation and shifts and stuff for Ladyville Formation itself. We do have a community center/ health center that works Monday to Friday and Saturdays. Now with the lobbying efforts and with the size of community, we have a full-fledged NHI clinic. Also we have a full-fledged fire station here in Ladyville itself. And of course, when you look on components, economic activities, we are bustling. Jobs here are not really short like that. We have the Belikin factory, the Coca-Cola plant. We have the international airport, we have BATSUB. We have the B.D.F. Camp and other businesses, supermarkets. We have gas stations.”
Ladyville also has three primary schools and a high school and most of its streets have been upgraded with hot mix. Chairman Bernardo Bennett says many residents are also clamoring for Ladyville to become its on town. And with that declaration will come more autonomy.
Townships Are Autonomous
Bernardo Bennett
“Working a community, dealing with issues takes resources and the only resources we have so far we getting is the like license fees. And that fees basically goes to taking care of the public spaces. And here in Ladyville we have a lot of public spaces. We have like five parks, two sporting complex, basically the cemetery and we have to basically clean those places once a month, sometime every month and a half to make sure they’re clean and maintained and that costs. So right now for myself, we’re hoping that the amendment to the trade Licensing Act comes into effect later this year in October so we can see what kind of revenue base that will be, and then from there, work your budget so that we can attend to the issues that the residents are asking.”
The discussion for Ladyville, according to Minister Marin, is a relevant one at the Cabinet level.
A Future for Ladyville As a Town
Florencio Marin Jr
“Yes, we’ve had some discussion of this in Cabinet about the different sizes of villages. Like for example, I know there are certain villages that only have about three hundred voters, versus Ladyville, which I believe they’re way past – they’re huge. I mean, clearly they can’t be treated or governed the same way. So I mean, this has to become part of the public discourse and then depending on our Cabinet guides us is how the ministry will look at it.”
Could Orange Walk Town soon become Orange Walk City? If its current growth is any indication, the answer might be yes, and sooner than you think. Marion Ali for News Five.
Belize City just got a major upgrade in how people get around. Say hello to eRide, the country’s first-ever digital taxi service – and it’s already turning heads. After the buzz around the Belize City Council’s electric bus rollout, residents have been eagerly waiting for the next big thing in clean transportation. Now, it’s here. With just a few taps on the eRide app, commuters can book safe, reliable, and eco-friendly rides across the city. Whether you’re heading to work, running errands, or exploring the city, eRide promises a smoother, greener way to travel. The service is designed to cut down on emissions and make clean transport more accessible for everyone – locals and tourists alike. News Five’s Britney Gordon was there this morning as the service officially launched.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Belize City just took another bold step into the future of transportation. Nearly a year after launching its electric bus pilot program, the city is now rolling out digital ride-hailing services and residents are already taking notice. The new e-taxis are officially on the move, offering a modern, app-based way to get around town. With just a few taps, commuters can now book rides that are not only convenient but also eco-friendly.
Bernard Wagner
Bernard Wagner, Belize City Mayor
“We have a broad vision of really driving modern transportation system within the scope of our city. And so this is, again, ties in as we continue to build out that ecosystem. As you know, last year, we had launched the e-buses, and as part of that project independently of course with the Belize City council, this project really put in place a sort of additional component needed to really put, to really have us realize our ambition of a cleaner less pollution, less noise pollution Less emissions in the air.”
Getting around Belize City just got a whole lot easier and smarter. With the MiDriva app, booking a ride is now as simple as tapping your phone. Much like popular apps such as Uber or Lyft, this lets users order a ride, pay digitally, and even chat with their driver, all in one place.
Bernard Wagner
“You use this system to really communicate with the driver. You would book your ride, you would pay, it has a cash payment option, but it also allows you to pay cash if you want. You track your driver as he or she progress towards you and you get in the vehicle and enjoy the clean ride.”
Wondering what a ride will cost you? It all depends on how far you’re going, but here’s a quick guide: on average, every 1.3 kilometers will run you about eight dollars. Currently, there are four e-taxis being operated in the city. Abigail Westby is proud to be the first female driver for the new digital taxi service and she’s loving the ride so far.
Abigail Westby
Abigail Westby, E-Ride Taxi Driver
“I have had several instances prior where I’ve had trouble renting a taxi that’s reliable, that works efficiently. And this is a great opportunity that I’ve been waiting for a long time. And also I have thank my mother. She is a taxi as well for over eleven years. So it’s her idea that made me even venture into the taxi industry and now it has given me the opportunity to do this with the council.”
Belize City’s push for cleaner, smarter transportation hasn’t come without its bumps in the road. The e-Ride Taxi Service was made possible through a loan agreement secured in early 2024. But according to Mayor Bernard Wagner, that debt is already paid off. Despite the financial win, the road to progress hasn’t been smooth. Just like with the e-bus pilot project, the council is once again facing pushbacks from traditional taxi operators. Cabdrivers are voicing concerns that the new digital service could cut into their earnings, echoing the same frustrations previously raised by bus operators.
Bernard Wagner
“ We want to ensure that we do not compete. I know that there’s always this level of competition, but we don’t want to undersell our taximen at no time. They have been around for many years. They have provided this sort of service for years. But, again, it’s really challenging when you are dealing with change. But we are not here to really create barriers. It’s more to create opportunities. And we, while we are ignited for this project or the catalyst for this project, it’s not something that we see long term. We want this to be driven by the private sector. By the sort taxmen.”
Taxi drivers can operate the vehicle through a lease agreement, where drivers pay the council for the use of the vehicles. The council hopes that as the service grows, more vehicles and drivers can be introduced in the city. Britney Gordon for News Five,
The app is currently available for download on IOS and will be available to Android users by next week.
Nearly a year after the arrival of the E-buses in Belize City, the Belize City Council has introduced the e-Ride Taxi Service in the city. These are a part of the council’s E-Mobility Pilot Project, which seeks to offer Belizeans sustainable and reliable transportation options. However, these celebrated additions did not come without a steep price; with the e-Ride taxis requiring a two-hundred-and-twenty-three-thousand-dollar investment from the council. Considering these heavy costs, we spoke with Mayor Bernard Wagner, on whether the E-buses project had been a lucrative investment.
Reporter
“Have you made your financial assessment of the electric city bus service, is it financially feasible or does it still require a subsidy?”
Bernard Wagner
Bernard Wagner, Belize City Mayor
“The bus? No the bus has been doing pretty well. Like I told you from last year, that on an average for those in buses earn the city, about ten thousand per week. That has been average. We have seen a bit taper, tapered off, and we figured that would be in the neighborhood of eight thousand per week for two buses. We are not fully across the entire city. So that is expected, but we see it as a viable project going forward.”
After weathering the storm of the COVID-19 pandemic, the country’s economy is back on its feet and walking tall. But according to government officials, keeping it that way will take more than just momentum. It’ll require smart planning, steady hands, and a whole-of-government push. The Briceno administration has set its sights on maintaining a healthy budget surplus, between one-point-five and two percent of G.D.P., over the next few years. That’s a key part of its strategy to keep the economy strong and debt under control. In Monday’s budget presentation, Prime Minister John Briceño touched on public debt which, he says, has already dropped faster than expected. According to the Minister of Finance, the budget deficit now sits at around sixty percent of G.D.P., well ahead of IMF forecasts. But trimming it further, down to fifty percent by 2029, won’t be easy. Slower economic growth and unpredictable global interest rates are making the road ahead a bit bumpier.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“Although our economy has stabilized with a robust rebound following the COVID Pandemic, sustained growth will require unceasing policy initiatives and whole-of-government efforts. With regard to fiscal policy, my government’s goal is to maintain a consistent primary budget surplus -in the range of 1.5 percent to 2.0 percent of GDP – into the medium term. While public debt has come down years ahead of IMF projections, to the 60 percent range, further reductions will be more challenging, given the limitations on GDP growth and our lack of control over global interest rates. Our goal is for the public debt to gradually fall to 50 percent of GDP by 2029. Our gross financing needs are estimated to average 7.5 percent of GDP, supported by continued fiscal discipline, a manageable repayment schedule for the Blue Bond, and limited short-term refinancing needs from domestic creditors. Despite this positive outlook, the Government remains committed to mitigating emerging risks, such as climate-related events, volatile global markets, and commodity price shocks, by maintaining primary surpluses, building buffers and contingency funds, establishing contingent credit lines, while keeping public debt in careful check and improving disaster risk financing (DRF) arrangements. Our fiscal policy stance will remain consistent with other macroeconomic policies and growth objectives, requiring careful management to mitigate potential risks and ensure long-term sustainability.”
The message is clear: the economy may be stable now, but staying that way will take vigilance, coordination, and a long-term vision.
As Orange Walk Town continues to grow, so does its garbage problem, and local leaders are taking action. Today, Mayor Ladrick Sheppard and the Orange Walk Town Council sat down with the Belize Solid Waste Management Authority and a visiting delegation from Argentina to explore fresh solutions for waste management. The goal? To keep the town clean, green, and visually appealing as its population expands. Mayor Sheppard says the talks focused on innovative strategies for managing waste in fast-growing communities—ideas that could soon be put to the test right here in Orange Walk. With international collaboration and local commitment, the town is hoping to turn its trash troubles into a cleaner, more sustainable future.
Ladrick Sheppard, Mayor, Orange Walk
“We have been having – most municipalities have been having problems with garbage and waste, especially at the dumpsite. Some of these dumpsites that are in the country are not open, especially the one in Orange Walk. We’re not open so people intend to just throw garbage all over the place and then it’s a daunting task for us as a council because when our truck goes there then we have access to where we open because there are other people that go around the area and collect garbage and just dump it anywhere they want. So these are the challenging tasks that we have. That’s why we’re having a meeting today to discuss how we can control the waste and how we can get rid of it the proper way.”
Marion Ali
“What are they proposing?”
Ladrick Sheppard
“They’re proposing to have a big station here – I don’t know if its actually going to be here in Orange Walk, but a big station so we can deal with the waste. That’s the goal that we have and I’m pretty sure that most of the municipalities are asking to see if they could talk to the government to have something like that to collect all the garbage to turn it into bio-products and turn it into energy as well.”
All eyes were on the House of Representatives today as Prime Minister John Briceño rolled out the proposed 2025 National Budget—totaling a hefty $1.78 billion in spending, with projected revenues and grants coming in at $1.74 billion. The PM explained the delay in presenting the budget, which usually happens in March before the new financial year begins on April first. This year, however, the March twelfth General Elections pushed everything back. He pointed out that this isn’t the first time an election year has caused a delay, citing a similar situation in 2012 under the previous U.D.P. administration. Briceño also highlighted what he called a strong economic performance, boasting an eight-point-two percent GDP growth in 2024. But not everyone was impressed. Leader of the Opposition Tracy Taegar-Panton questioned the government’s priorities, expressing concern over how much of the budget is being funneled into infrastructure rather than areas she believes need more urgent attention. News Five’s Marion Ali has more on the presentation and what this budget could mean for Belizeans.
Marion Ali, Reporting
The numbers are in—Prime Minister John Briceño has officially unveiled a $1.78 billion spending plan for the 2025–2026 fiscal year. The budget, presented today in the National Assembly, outlines the government’s financial roadmap for the year ahead, covering everything from infrastructure and education to healthcare and social programs. With big investments on the table, all eyes will be on how the government plans to balance spending with revenue—and what this means for everyday Belizeans.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“We propose one point seven, two billion in total spending, of which one point two, five billion are recurrent in nature and five hundred and twenty-eight million dollars represent capital investments. In this budget cycle, eighty million previously classified as subsidies and transfers is being reclassified as what they truly are, which is personal emoluments. This is an important adjustment since this subsidies and transfers category imply an annual adjustable outlay, as opposed to personal emoluments that carry different obligations. Therefore, for this fiscal year, six hundred and ninety-eight million, let me repeat – for this fiscal year, six hundred and ninety-eight million is therefore allotted to salaries and pensions, representing fifty-six percent of total recurrent spending.”
While the government has laid out a bold budget for the upcoming financial year, it’s banking on $1.74 billion in revenue to fund it. That leaves a gap that will need to be filled—raising questions about how the shortfall will be managed. As the budget debate unfolds, all eyes will be on how the government plans to bridge the difference without putting too much pressure on taxpayers or borrowing beyond its means.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“On the revenue side of the ledger, one point seven, four billion dollars is projected for revenue and grants, which is an increase of $94 million compared to the last period, or some six percent growth, to be achieved by continued economic growth and collection efficiencies. Of the ninety-four million dollars, the largest increase – fifty-three million dollars is to come from a significant increase in bilateral and multilateral grants with thirty-four million derived from recurrent revenue growth and three million in additional capital revenues.”
The graph shows how the expenditure rose steadily, going from one point three six billion dollars in 2022 to what the forecast is in 2027/28 at one point five, nine eight billion dollars. Interestingly, the projection for that year is four hundred million dollars less than it is for 2026/27. On the flip side of the coin, the revenues and grants from 2022 went from one point three, two, zero billion dollars, to a projected one point seven, eight, three billion in 2027. Again, the venues for 2026/27 is higher.
Belize’s economy is picking up serious steam. With GDP growth hitting a solid 8.2% in 2024, Prime Minister John Briceño is calling it a clear sign that the country is moving in the right direction. “This is strong economic momentum,” the PM said, highlighting the figure as proof that Belize’s recovery and development strategies are paying off. The impressive growth rate puts Belize among the region’s top economic performers for the year—fueling optimism for what’s ahead.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“In 2024, Belize recorded spectacular real GDP growth of eight point two percent, primarily driven by advancements in the services and secondary sectors.
Among the highlights are significant investments allocated for infrastructure development.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“This year, we will be appropriating a record three hundred and thirty-six point seven million dollars to our Capital Two budget. That is the portion of the overall capital program that is funded from general revenue as opposed to donor financing. This emphasis continues to be on the upgrading and maintenance of our road infrastructure, such as the Progresso to San Stephen road and others, and to provide the necessary counterpart resources for capital projects funded by our development partners.”
Belize poured a hefty $438 million into infrastructure development in 2024—but not everyone is impressed with how the money was spent. Leader of the Opposition Tracy Taegar-Panton has raised concerns, criticizing the government’s approach to managing such a massive investment. While the spending signals a major push to improve roads, bridges, and public facilities, Taegar-Panton argues that the execution lacked transparency and strategic focus. As the government touts progress, the opposition is demanding answers—and accountability.
Tracy Taegar-Panton
Tracy Taegar-Panton
“There seems to be quite a lot of money being invested in infrastructure and my cursory look at the budget estimates suggests that where it matters for the Belizean people – in education, in health, in housing, there are going to be some serious adjustments in terms of the government’s investment. There’s no contingency planning for what happens, for example, with the global trade wars that are imminent and the impact that will have on our economy. There is no indication of how we are going to deal in a holistic way. The energy crisis that we’re already feeling the implications of – those kinds of things, so those things matter to the Belizean people.”
As the national budget heads to the floor of the House, the big question remains: will the $1.78 billion spending plan deliver real results—or just more political back-and-forth? The full budget debate is set to kick off on May twenty-sixth and will run for three days. Expect fiery exchanges, bold promises, and sharp critiques as both sides of the aisle weigh in on how the billions should be spent. We’ll be following every moment to bring you the highlights, the heat, and the headlines. Marion Ali for News Five.
