Electricity up, fuel high, transport shaky: PM faces cost of living backlash

By Breaking Belize News Staff (HP): Prime Minister John Briceño says he understands the frustration over the cost of living but insists government has limited room to act.

Speaking to reporters as electricity bills spike, fuel prices stay high and bus operators threaten to park their buses, Briceño repeated that many of the pressures on households are outside government’s control.

“Most of these things we have no control over, the price of fuel, we don’t have control over the price of goods that are being imported into the country,” he said. “We have not been raising taxes. We can control tax but short of that we can’t.”

He pointed to steps already taken, including raising the minimum wage, increasing the income tax exemption threshold, expanding national health insurance, and free education at government high schools including books and uniforms.

On calls for a larger minimum wage increase, he cautioned that a jump to $10 or $20 would trigger unemployment, slow business and fuel inflation.

Pressed that Belizeans say it is not enough, the Prime Minister replied, “And I fully understand but tell me what you want me to do?”

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