P.M. Briceño says U.D.P. Protest Was a Fail

Panton also told reporters that she did not take part in her party’s protest on Tuesday, because she was working in her constituency. She told us that she also had some concerns with the fact that the protest was still being held even after the U.D.P. was denied its application to protest by the police. Today, we asked Prime Minister John Briceño for his thoughts on the U.D.P. protest, and the high cost of fuel and living that protestors marched against. Here is what he told us.

Prime Minister John Briceño

Prime Minister John Briceño

“They are grandstanding and trying to move attention away from deep internal division that they have. I think they need to get their house in order before they try to do anything. It was a fail, as far as I am concerned, a failed protest. But, they have the right to protest. That is fine. We all recognize. They are not saying anything new. They are not being Columbus here or Einstein, we know the issues. That is why today we are voting the subsidies for bread, the subsidies for the bus runs. There is another subsidy we are doing. We have the constituency development fund. There are many things we are doing to try to address those issues. We have cut down the taxes on fuel. But, the reality is we have no control on the cost of things that come in. Most of the basic food pays next to zero on taxes, so there is nothing more that we could have done. I wish I could have a magic wand and make it disappear. What we have to do is continue to work hard, continue to create more opportunities, continue to create more jobs, and continue to help small business to prosper. We have the M.S.M.E. Road Show that will be on that we are asking people to come in. We are going to train you and in some cases even offer some grant funding. These are the things that touch the lives of people, make a fundamental difference. Today we are voting two million dollars as a start to develop two thousand lots for the residents of Belize City. That has a direct impact. This is how you create wealth with land, especially to poor people. We are going to start putting in the infrastructure. It is going to require more than two million dollars. But, with two million dollars we are going to start to provide a thousand lots to residents of Belize City.”