PM Briceño Plans to Put LIU Money to Better Use

The government’s decision to halt a major component of the Leadership Intervention Unit program has left hundreds of participants searching for what’s next. Critics argue that the move has displaced vulnerable Belizeans who relied on the program for income, but Prime Minister John Briceño says the LIU was never intended to function as a permanent employment scheme. Pointing to the nearly eighteen million dollars spent on the initiative, Briceño argues that those funds could be redirected into youth development, after-school activities and other programs aimed at preventing crime before it starts. He also says job opportunities already exist, including in the country’s growing construction sector, but insists participants must be willing to meet the demands of private-sector employment.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“This was never an employment agency. LIU was simply to hold you for about three months and then say okay for you to go elsewhere. Listen, we’re looking at almost eighteen million dollars. That’s a lot of money that we can use elsewhere. We could have sports program. We have after-school programs. We could keep these kids in school so that they don’t go down that route. I think there’s better use for it. Mind you, and I want to repeat again, there are certain programs from LIU, the intervention and different programs, we want to keep that. But the issue where we are paying these guys and there’s work everywhere you want to. They might not get the work that you want, but you can get a job and then you work your way up, as the opportunities arise.”

 

Shane Williams

“With the many construction projects going on, are you making any efforts to get those [I’m sorry, the what?] The many construction projects happening right now, are you making any efforts to get these individuals hired in these programs?”

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“Well they do and I’m sure that the people from LIU can be able to help in setting them in these areas. But it is something that then these guys would want to do because when you work in the private sector you have to put in a full eight hours. The LIU was never designed to be a employment agency, never. And somehow it end up where it just give these people a salary. Whether we get money, whether we we’re getting our money’s worth, pretty much like weh I tell you, we don’t think so. And so it is important to put that money to better use.”

 

The Leadership Intervention Unit continues to serve the community, but insiders say the ending of the work programs will make mediation and intervention efforts significantly more difficult.

 

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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