Do Politicians Truly Understand the Cost-of-Living Struggle?

As the cost of fuel, electricity, and other essentials continues to put pressure on household budgets, questions are being raised over whether political leaders and senior public officials can truly understand the financial struggles affecting ordinary Belizeans.

Union Senator Glenfield Dennison argues that officials who have their fuel paid for by taxpayers are disconnected from the everyday cost of transportation, while NTUCB President Ella Waight says workers’ concerns about the rising cost of living have gone unanswered by government.

Dennison says having access to government or statutory body vehicles and fuel means transportation is not an expense for some officials in the same way it is for ordinary citizens. “Anybody who has been getting just gas paid for, they have a government vehicle, a statutory body vehicle, the utility company that they are directors for provides a vehicle for them, any of those people who don’t buy their own fuel, can’t relate to what is happening on the streets right now,” Dennison said, “I feel like once you can’t relate to buying your own gas, you can’t relate to the average Belizean, straight like that.”

The issue of affordability also extends to electricity, with Waight pointing to recommendations the NTUCB has submitted to government in response to the rising cost of living. She said the union sent Prime Minister John Briceño a list of about twelve areas where it believes government could help address the situation, including issues stemming from high fuel costs.

According to Waight, however, the union has yet to receive a response. “We did not even get an acknowledgement that we can sit down and discuss these issues, these recommendations, nothing from government,” she said.

Waight said the union wants dialogue rather than confrontation, arguing that workers’ representatives should be part of discussions on how to address the country’s economic challenges. “We want to promote social dialogue,” she said. “So, we made a list. We sent in a list with some proposals, nothing, no response.”

Waight also pointed out that power outages affect everyone, regardless of income or status. “When the electricity go off, the prime minister and Minister Musa and Minister Usher say, ‘shux, it’s hot in here. The AC come off,’ just like all of us, our fans come off,” she said.

Both Dennison and Waight say more needs to be done to address the financial pressures facing ordinary Belizeans. Dennison is questioning whether officials who receive fuel benefits can fully understand those pressures, and Waight is calling on government to engage with workers and consider the proposals put forward by the NTUCB.