Category: Economy

Earlier this week, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry unveiled the 2025 Business Policy Roadmap. This comprehensive guide aims to tackle some of the most pressing issues affecting Belize’s economy. The roadmap highlights key areas of concern, including corruption, labor force development, and immigration. B.C.C.I. President Katherine Meighan shared more details with us today about the roadmap’s tax reform policies. Here’s more on that.

 

Katherine Meighan, President, B.C.C.I.

“We have a tax system that is dated in many ways. You’re nodding your head, so you’re fully aware of that. And then secondly, we have a changing world. And that means changing local national interest as well. And tax reform is just a part of that. So that that wheel can function properly. There are many areas of tax reform. There is, and this is a part of it, the trade license. Yes. Right? And if I may, the process of grade B, sometimes grade C collaboration has led us to the part with trade license where we’re still not where we need to be. And so we could think about it, from a collaboration perspective, to bring this topic full circle as well, to say if we collaborate further, we can achieve. There’s other areas of tax reform. business tax, corporate income tax, income tax. All of these important parts play a significant role in how we can ensure that our investment climate or economic climate or development climate for most of us, including those who are the significant contributors, which are all of us, the Belizean community, the Belizean citizenry is gonna have an impact, right? Anybody who gives tax wants to know that they’re going to receive something in exchange, right? And they need to understand and believe that it’s healthy, and it’s transparent, and that it’s functioning in a way where they’re receiving something back at the same time.”

 

Regarding housing, the Plan Belize manifesto promised that the P.U.P. government would build at least ten thousand low-income homes during this term. Today, we asked the PM about the project’s progress. He explained that the government has helped many households, including single mothers, to get their own homes. He assured that this plan will continue if the P.U.P. is re-elected.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“PlanBelize is not a five year document. It’s a 10, 15, 20-year document. Secondly, when we said that we want to see that ten thousand homes being built, it does not necessarily mean that it’s only the government that’s going to build them. We work with the private sector, so the private sector has had several thousands of homes. So when you compare what the government has done, we’re probably not at the ten thousand, but thousands of homes have been built in Belize. What are we doing? As always, as a government of social justice our party that Belize believes and practices social justice. We need to go to the marginalized. We need to go to those that need the most help. And who are those – single mothers that are struggling to be able to have a home for their children, are struggling to pay the rent. So we came up with this innovative idea, building these starter homes. They come for about twenty thousand dollars for the cost. They pay no interest; they pay $100 a month. And then, we look at them, we provide them with the plans. So with time when they save money, they could put another room. These buildings would be expanded to include at least two more rooms, three bedrooms. So, this is what we do when it comes to housing.”

 

Back in 2013, former Prime Minister Dean Barrow didn’t mince words when he called out the Ministry of Natural Resources, especially the Lands Department, as a breeding ground for corruption. There were stories of desk clerks practically demanding “incentives” or gifts just to do their job of processing land documents. If you didn’t play along with this corrupt game, your paperwork could take forever or even mysteriously disappear. Fast forward to today, the P.U.P. Government is promising to clean up this mess. They’re planning to digitize the land registry, push through new land laws, and improve the land tax collection system. Prime Minister John Briceño shared more details about these plans today.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“There is a process when you are transferring land from one person to the other, maybe the people at Lands could have been more vigilant, probably. maybe some may be involved, I don’t know, but yes, I think there’s a lot that has to be left to be done in the Lands Department. There are a number of things that we want to put into place. First of all, the DPM has given me a copy of the proposed legislation for real estate agents – to regulate that industry. It is something that I started working, I had it pretty much ready when I resigned back then in 2007, but it seems that the previous government had no interest in working on that. Or D.P M obviously got carried away – well, I shouldn’t say got carried away but was tied up with all of these land cleanings that he continues to do. And then he finally has this bill ready to take to Cabinet and then to the National Assembly when the elections came upon us.  In his mind, the timeline I think he was working was November, 2025. So he did not have it ready, but to take it to the National Assembly. But we’re working on that, so we have that ready and that’s going to be a priority in the next government. Secondly, we’re looking at digitizing the land registry on the titles unit because once we can digitize that, it slows down. It makes the issue off fraudulent transactions more difficult because then there is a digital imprint of what is happening. And so we want to do that, not only to prevent fraud, but also to provide a more effective and efficient service for the private sector. And thirdly, we need to be able to digitize the land tax unit of the ministry and see once we can digitize that. And maybe look at how the Lands Department can partner with the Belize Tax Service to be able to have a more effective and efficient ways to be able to collect land tax. I am told, and I may be wrong, that we have as much as a hundred million dollars in land tax to collect. But we collect maybe ten or twenty percent of that. So we have to be able to digitize it, modernize it, and then to be able to collect that money is in a timely fashion.”

With just over two weeks until Belize’s 2025 General Elections, the Belize Police Department is gearing up for a busy day. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams expects a hectic day with some aggressive voters. However, he assures the public that officers nationwide are being briefed on best practices to ensure every Belizean can vote in a safe environment. Here’s more on that.

 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“We are prepared. Elections and Boundaries had a meeting I think on Wednesday to discuss the issues or strategy as it relates to elections. from a police department standpoint, we have put together our elections data having received the different polling stations, and we’re doing election briefing across the country, making sure that police officers understand what is going to be their role and expectations on election day. Our duty is to make sure that the election goes through free and without any hindrance and we are prepared to do we work in tandem with the Elections and Boundaries Commission they set the rules at the polling stations and we just are there to enforce or to act in support of them. And that is going to be how we’re going to police this election as we have done.”

 

Reporter

“Are you concerned about the risk of violence with the plurality of UDP candidates because you will have multiple people claiming their UDP and It lends itself to friction.”

 

Chester Williams

“Of course we do have that in mind. To look at the different factions of the UDP and what they’re going to bring. Not just from the UDP, but we also have the gang issue in certain areas of Belize City. That we also have to make sure that we are prepared to police. We don’t want that people go to polling stations to vote and then they become victims of crime. So we are looking at the entire dynamics to make sure that everybody who wants to go and vote can do so in a safe environment.”

 

 

The long wait is over! This morning, the Department of Transport started handing out license plates, stickers, and driver’s license cards to those who have already paid. Many drivers, especially in rural areas, have been waiting for months, even years, for these. The department began its tour in Belmopan today, where we spoke with Minister of Transport Rodwell Ferguson. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with the story.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

After years of waiting, Belizeans can finally collect their license plates, stickers, and driver’s licenses. Today, the Belize Transport Department launched a nationwide distribution tour in Belmopan, sending out multiple teams to district offices across the country to provide extra support. Minister of Transport Rodwell Ferguson admitted that the delay has caused significant inconvenience to the public.

 

Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Transport

“ I feel very guilty to a certain extent because I’m the minister responsible for transportation that covers rice and plates and stickers.  And so on a regular basis, I keep telling the staff that we need to fix this issue. And so over the last month and a half, the CEO and myself sat down and tried to find a solution.  And so we made a very large order to the Ministry of Finance and asked them for their approval. So today and over the next three weeks, we are going to have ten thousand license plates total of different categories.”

 

This initiative is designed to make the distribution process smoother, clear up the backlog, and improve customer satisfaction. It kicked off today in Belmopan and will continue in Belize City on Friday, then move to Corozal and Orange Walk on Monday, and wrap up in Dangriga, Independence, and Punta Gorda on Tuesday.

 

Rodwell Ferguson

“So we’re hoping that we can now be able to come back to normalcy to make sure we always have license plates and stickers. As a person comes to license, he’s a whole vehicle.  It’s an embarrassment to the ministry and I want to make sure that embarrassment is over. So I can safely say that this will be a thing of the past. So today, as we are issuing, I think in San Ignacio, Santa Elena and Belmopan, and eventually we’ll go north, Belize City, and end up all Punta Gorda. So I asked the staff to also have a license plate show, so that the people come in and bring their receipts and get their license plates and their stickers as they come in.”

 

To pick up their documents, customers need to show their receipts as proof of payment and the original Certificate of Title from the same office where they paid. One driver, Daniel Orellano, is relieved to finally have his license in hand.

 

Britney Gordon

“So how long have you been waiting to get your driver’s license or license plate?”

 

Daniel Orellano, Cayo Driver

“Around one month. Yeah.”

 

Britney Gordon

“So how are you feeling after coming here today and finally picking it up?”

 

Daniel Orellano

“Well, after a long, a long month waiting, I feel comfortable already. Because every time I pass through a checkpoint, they always, they ask for the plate, for the license.  So now, I feel good.”

 

Britney Gordon

”Which one are you picking up?”

 

Daniel Orellano

“The plate and the license.”

 

Ferguson has implemented a new strategy with the Transport Department to ensure that this delay never happens again.

 

Rodwell Ferguson

“It could be a miscalculation. And we live in a very small developed country, we don’t expect to have so many motor vehicles. So I emphasize to the staff that now there must be a minimum stock level and a maximum stock level. So once you reach a hundred for argument’s sake, it’s time to reorder license plates. Don’t wait until you reach zero or five.”

 

Ferguson says the ministry is pushing for a budget increase to keep enough stock on hand and prevent future shortages.

 

Rodwell Ferguson

“There should be no shortages. And hopefully by May, because of the backlog and present requests by May, we can put in another big order. We even asked the Minister of Finance to increase the budget for license plates and stickers. We’re hopeful that this will not happen in the future.”

 

Britney Gordon for News Five.

San Pedro’s John Greif II Municipal Airport has just completed a major runway upgrade, marking a significant milestone for Belize’s aviation sector. Funded by the Belize Airports Authority, the project includes new thermoplastic markings, modern LED runway lights, and enhanced taxiway lights. These improvements aim to boost safety and efficiency, ensuring a smoother experience for both pilots and passengers. This upgrade is expected to support the growing tourism industry and strengthen the local economy.  Here’s News Five’s Isani Cayetano with the following story.

 

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

The John Greif Municipal Airport in San Pedro has undergone a major facelift, with a newly upgraded runway now ready for action. Improved aerodrome facilities such as this can attract more airlines and passengers, boosting tourism and business travel. This, in turn, stimulates the local economy. On Wednesday, several government officials, including the Minister of Civil Aviation, Andre Perez, gathered for an inauguration ceremony.

 

Andre Perez, Minister of Civil Aviation

“This rehabilitation project which consisted of the resurfacing of the runway and the introduction of a taxiway to allow for smoother flow of traffic is an important and timely gift to the people of Ambergris Caye.  As we continue to enjoy this distinction of being the number one tourist destination in our country, it is an honor that comes with an important responsibility to ensure the safety of our visitors.”

 

Upgrading an aerodrome is a strategic investment that enhances safety, efficiency, and economic benefits while supporting sustainable practices.

 

Chris Sosa, C.E.O., Maya Island Air

“As you all know, San Pedro remains one of the nation’s foremost tourism destinations.  According to statistics from the BTB and the BAA, in 2024, the island possessed some three thousand, four hundred rooms for rent, received nearly twenty thousand flights and hosted two hundred thousand ticketed air travelers.  Not only is La Isla Bonita a major center for investment but also for civil aviation.  The national airline careers that are so much a part of San Pedrano culture have contributed to this investment with terminals.”

 

Updating the airport keeps it in line with global aviation rules, which is crucial for keeping its licenses and certifications. Realizing this, the Belize Airports Authority devised a strategy to improve several facilities across the country.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“They came up with a plan, a plan on how we’re going to upgrade all of these [aerodromes] because we were already foreseeing that the traffic that was coming in was increasing by leaps and bounds, and the more flights we have the more risk we take if we don’t put the proper investments in these runways.”

 

The upgrade also boosts the airport’s capacity, letting it handle more flights and passengers. This means less congestion and fewer delays, making air travel smoother and more enjoyable for everyone.

 

Maximiliano Greif

“We have also made investments in maintenance facilities.  If you look around the aerodrome, you will see a testament to that investment.  We also are operating a combined fleet of some twenty-six aircrafts, providing hundreds of jobs across all technical levels within the community and also across Belize.”

 

Upgrading the airport can involve adding eco-friendly technologies and practices, which helps cut down its carbon footprint. Modernizing runways, taxiways, and other infrastructure boosts safety for aircraft operations, lowering the chances of accidents and incidents.

 

Andre Perez

“These improvements that have been funded by the Belize Airports Authority with the support of the Ministry of Infrastructure is a testament to our commitment to improving air travel and safety in Belize. The improvement of this and a number of other aerodromes across this nation form a part of the realization of our Plan Belize commitment to growing our aviation industry and ensure takeoffs and landings safely.”

 

Isani Cayetano for News Five.

On December eighth, 2023, the Government of Belize took over the Port of Belize Limited, and the interim board they appointed is still in place. Since mid-2024, the Christian Workers Union (C.W.U.) and PBL’s management have been negotiating a new Collective Bargaining Agreement for the stevedores. On January thirty-first, 2025, the C.W.U. issued a twenty-one-day notice of industrial action to the Minister of Labor. In response, the minister set up an Essential Services Arbitration Tribunal to resolve the dispute. However, the C.W.U. argues that the government can’t just rely on this tribunal, which includes three government representatives out of five members, to fix the mess they’ve created. The C.W.U. has warned the Government, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize, and the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industries that moving forward with this flawed tribunal is nothing short of a farce and a tragedy for the workers and the people of Belize.

 

Leonora Flowers, President, C.W.U.

“Our concerns surround the fact that it does not bode well for the CWU, its members and all the workers of Belize that the government owns the company.  The government as its management that has not made a decent offer to the stevedore and then when we reach an impasse and we indicated such and we sent this to the minister, the government turns around and empanels a tribunal and the government, again, chooses its three members to sit on a five-member panel.  NO matter how you cut that, no matter how you slice it, that doesn’t look fair.  There is no justice that we can await coming from such a makeup of the tribunal.  And we don’t say this to cause any slight on the tribunal, they believe, they may want to believe that we are putting their integrity into impunity.  We are not.  We are not looking at the person, we are looking at how it looks on the face of it.  We cannot ask the same government who owns the port to set up a tribunal to give us justice.”

The C.W.U. has pointed out the flaw in the Labor Minister’s decision to set up the tribunal. While the law does give the Minister the power to form a tribunal when a notice of industrial action is received, the principles of natural justice and fair practices mean the current tribunal can’t be seen as impartial.

 

Leonora Flowers, President, C.W.U.

“We are asking the government to do what it needs to do to come clean. You own the port, you can make an offer to the stevedores and resolve this matter.  Cost of living has gone up for every single worker in the country of Belize.  Every single household can tell you, what I use to buy with a hundred dollars, I can no longer buy that. My bags are this tiny when I go to the stores and the government knows that.  We have a statistical institute that explains that from month to month.  So the government, we are asking them to come to the table, make a decent offer and close the deal, resolve it to the extent that you don’t need to empanel a tribunal which is a farce, in the face of the Belizean people whom you came to on the eighth of December 2023 and said that we took over the port, we acquired the port for the people of Belize. It now belongs to the government, but they still continue to take us down the same road that the other person took us. How can that be just?”