Government Ministers Confront Belize’s Affordability Crisis

For many Belizeans, making ends meet has become a daily struggle as fuel, transportation, utilities and housing costs continue to climb. Cabinet will confront that growing pressure when ministers meet in Belmopan on Tuesday to discuss possible relief measures. Minister Henry Charles Usher says there is no easy fix, but insists the Briceño administration understands what families are facing and is searching for the right balance.

 

Henry Charles Usher, Cabinet Minister

“We have addressed the cost-of-living issue in numerous Cabinets and we have seen initiatives taken by the government, decisions made in terms of making sure individuals have more resources, more money in their pockets to be able to ameliorate the effects of what is happening in the global economy. I just recently read a report from the UNDP that says that developing countries are facing three shocks at the same time, a rising cost of energy caused by what is happening in the Middle East. We have sever drought caused by the El Nino effect, affecting our farmers, affecting our waterways, and thirdly we have inflation that is raising the cost for acquiring capital investments. So these three shocks are happening the same time. There is a saying ‘ceteris paribus’. They say all other things remain equal, or remaining the same. Right now that is not happening. We are having multiple shocks at the time so we have to be able to have tools available to respond to those multiple shocks. I am very ready to contribute at the Cabinet level as to some ideas I have to reduce the cost of living and the cost of groceries to our citizens and to look at different areas where we can save them. It is always a balancing act. Some people say, let us remove the taxes on this, let us reduce, let us subsidize. But if you do that you will take away money from other initiatives.”

 

Paul Lopez

“Would you be open to have your allowances cut as one of the measures.”

 

Henry Charles Usher

“Yes, I have no problem with it. I have heard that discussion come up before and if that is the decision then I am very prepared to support a decision.”

 

Paul Lopez

Do you believe your administration is doing enough? Some people accuse the Briceno administration of being tone-deaf.”

 

Henry Charles Usher

“Well, I certainly don’t agree with that assessment.”

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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