Prime Minister says Belizeans turn to Ministers daily for financial assistance

By Zoila Palma:  Prime Minister John Briceño says ministers are faced with requests for financial assistance on a regular basis, as many Belizeans turn to politicians for help with their personal expenses.

Briceño made the comments while appearing on Open Your Eyes on Tuesday, where he was asked whether ministers’ allowances should be reduced as a show of solidarity with Belizeans facing financial pressures.

Briceño said he would not oppose a reduction in ministers’ allowances, noting that the government is prepared to examine the issue. “We’re prepared to take a look at everything.” He said ministers’ allowances amount to “just a little over 200,000.”

He also pointed to the recent $112 million salary increase for 16,000 public officers.

The Prime Minister added that ministers are approached by people seeking assistance daily.

“At the same time, hundreds of people come to us every month asking for some kind of assistance, and in many instances we have to dig from our pockets.” He said some ministers rely entirely on their salaries while dealing with requests for help from constituents.

Briceño said he is among those who are financially able to provide more assistance. “I’m one of the fortunate ones that I don’t depend on my salary, so I can be able to do more.”

He recalled the view of a former UDP minister that politicians have effectively become part of Belize’s social safety net, saying, “I think there’s some logic to what he said, that we are the social safety net in Belize, the ministers, because they’d rather go to them.”

But, the Prime Minister said that the goal of Plan Belize is an economy where Belizeans have jobs and can support themselves rather than depend on ministers for assistance.

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