Season’s Greetings from Prime Minister John Briceño

Prime Minister John Briceño

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas – not the celebration of the past two years that included lockdowns and movement restrictions, but Christmas like we used to prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the backdrop on which Prime Minister John Briceño sends greetings of the season to all Belizeans this year. In his Christmas message, PM Briceño speaks of the country’s resilience, even as we are still recovering from Hurricane Lisa. Here’s an excerpt from the message.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“This year, all the festivities of the holiday season are back in full swing. So we thank and should count our blessings. Among the things I am thankful for is our remarkable men and women in uniform, especially our B.D.F. soldiers who stepped up to help before, during and after the storm. They together with our police officers and members of the coast guard were on the frontlines of our emergency management and the process of recovery. To all our men and women uniform, we say thank you for your service. For sure we cannot forget the many volunteers who came out to help with the cleanup, including the hundreds of volunteers who assisted through the Red Cross or public officers who kept hurricane shelters open so that those who lost their homes had a roof over their heads for as long as was needed and yes, our amazing cane farmers who left their fields to come into those affected areas to clean up. Your example is the meaning of service; your generosity is the true Belizean spirit. This year as we celebrate Christmas, we should all be grateful that we live in a beautiful country with big-hearted generous people. We should also celebrate the fact that we are today a more prosperous nation. Today, more Belizeans are working, more of our children are going to school, our economy is growing and we are paying down our debt while enhancing our social safety net, especially for the poorest among us. For all these reasons, we should consider ourselves blessed; we should fill up our churches, chapels and other places of worship celebrating the birth of Jesus, recalling this miracle of miracles which was proclaimed by the Prophet Isaiah who said, “To us a child is born, to us a son is given and the government will be on his shoulders and he will be called wonderful counsellor, mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace.” This is the real meaning of Christmas. So as we enjoy this year’s holiday season, let us give thanks and look to the new year with hope, joy and love.”