Government of Belize Top-up Constituency Development Funds in Wake of Hurricane Lisa

Prime Minister John Briceño

Prime Minister John Briceño and his Cabinet have not yet ascertained the value of damages caused by Hurricane Lisa. At the moment, the Government of Belize is working through NEMO and area representatives in the affected communities to offer relief to residents. As of today, monies are being deposited into constituency development funds for both P.U.P. and U.D.P. area representatives, according to P.M. Briceño. The Prime Minister also confirmed that a second budget is being established for area representatives to offer further assistance.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“We have not sorted out a figure out as yet, but what we are doing we believe that what we are working with NEMO and Human Development Ministry where we have given them the go ahead to order the amount of food that is necessary wanting to start with the people in the shelter that they get the food and the battery, whatever it is that they need. We are also working with the area representatives to ensure they can get food in their constituencies through the constituency development funds. All the areas that were affected the area representatives including the U.D.P. area reps will be able to get funding. Of course they will have to give full accounting for the money they get. We have the recovery and rebuilding process. In the recovery we are using the area representatives; they are going to be giving them another budget to be able to do small repairs for people that needs two zincs a little bit of ply wood. While the Ministry of Housing is doing the assessment of the actual rebuilding of houses that needs to be done in these areas. I am very pleased or proud to point out, the houses that the Ministry of Housing built withheld.”