For Belizeans earning minimum wage, one hour’s pay may barely cover a gallon of gas. That comparison from Union Senator Glenfield Dennison has renewed calls to raise the minimum wage from five to six dollars an hour. Today, we asked Prime Minister John Briceño what is holding up the increase. Here is how he responded.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“For instance, well we raised the minimum wage. And then I know Senator Dennison was making a big deal about it. And I am going to be kind to him, because I don’t think he understands the entire process, because the minute if we were to go ten dollars, twenty dollars, the minute the private sector say we cant afford that and then we are creating bigger problems, not only unemployment, but businesses slowing down and even inflation. So there are many aspects or different areas you have to look at as a responsible government. So what we have said is that we want to raise it to another dollar. But, we promised the Chamber that we will sit down with them and have some real discussion about when we will be able to raise it. I would want to do it from yesterday, but some things involve a process.”
Cost-of-Living Crisis Tests Government’s Promises
Government says it is working to make life more affordable, but many Belizeans say their pockets tell a different story. Prime Minister John Briceño points to several projects his administration has completed and others still in the pipeline. But with household expenses continuing to strain family budgets, the question remains: are those measures making a real difference?
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“We have increased the threshold of exemptions from income tax. That puts more money in your pockets. We are expanding the National Health Insurance. That puts more money in your pocket. We have been giving the free education. I think all government high school are totally free, uniform, books, that puts more money in your pockets. We have been looking in areas where we can do something. But the importation and goods we import into this country we do not control the cost of it.”
Paul Lopez
“Yet many Belizeans are saying that in the face of all that, it is not enough.”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“And I fully understand. Tell me what you want me to do.”
Reporter
“You all spoke about government stores.”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“Right now we are trying to come up with community stores and I am glad that you are reminding me, because right now we are trying to put the project together. You don’t want to do something that two or three years later it becomes a drain on government finances. So we want to do it in such a way where we put only like a five percent markup on these thing. I am not in the grocery business. So we are trying to find the right partners. WE are not there, but being able to find the right partners to put maybe a hundred products, the basic products people buy.”
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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