How will Cabinet Ease cost-of-living burden for Belizeans? 

Would boosting productivity and expanding Belize’s ability to sell goods abroad key factors to improving the public’s purchasing power? The Briceño Cabinet is currently considering short-term measures to ease the cost-of-living burden for Belizeans. 

Cabinet Minister Louis Zabaneh told News 5 that area representatives are aware of the financial pressures facing their constituents, but said lasting relief will require a more productive workforce and an economy that generates greater value.

“ I don’t mean to become technical, but our level of productivity is, is fairly low. For every hour that we work, there’s not a lot of value added that can translate into increasing salaries,” he said, He used countries such as Taiwan as examples, where investment in education and skills training has helped workers produce more and compete internationally, he says.

Zabaneh said Belize must strengthen trade, improve training and make education more relevant to the needs of the economy. He named investments in ITVET and the shift to competency-based education as part of that long-term plan.

Zabaneh also cited the move to electric buses. According to him, this transition will save the National Bus Company (NBC) over 800,000 gallons of diesel a year, worth between $11 million and $12 million in savings each year. 

But will that mean cheaper fares? Not exactly. 

Zabaneh said the savings “will take away the pressures to increase prices,” since bus operators have long pushed for higher fares. He added that the money can also go into terminals, passenger experience and safety. 

“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,” Zabaneh said.