PM Briceño’s State of the Nation: Progress and Controversy  

The countdown to Independence Day got off to a powerful start this morning in Belmopan. At the UB Gymnasium, Prime Minister John Briceño took the podium for his annual State of the Nation Address. But before diving into the country’s progress and challenges, the ceremony opened with a proud moment, the swearing-in of forty-four new Belizean citizens, perfectly timed with the Forty-fourth anniversary of independence. As for the Prime Minister’s speech? It was packed, covering everything from the economy and jobs to wages and national security. He even addressed the Joseph Budna abduction case that’s gripped the nation, and yes, he tackled the hot-button issue everyone’s talking about, the controversial Thirteenth Amendment.