Briceño: G.O.B. could have done better for flood victims
In respect of the recent flooding and relief efforts, Briceño gave praises to N.G.O.s and the business community but was less generous with the government.
John Briceño, Leader of the Opposition
“This is a national disaster and P.U.P.’s, U.D.P.’s, and others are affected and require our assistance. The waters are now receding and the more than thirty-six thousand Belizeans who are affected by this flood must now begin to recover from their losses. It is now time for our government to provide the necessary assistance to those most in need by first making available relief grants and soft loans for victims.”
“I must express my disappointment in government’s inability to attract international assistance. To date very little assistance has come in and most of the assistance has been granted to the N.G.O. community. It does not speak well that this administration is not capable of gaining the confidence of the international community to provide the much needed assistance at this time. it is equally unfortunate that the prime minister has taken this long to present to the House of Representatives promised legislation on the declaration of a national emergency although the absence of such legislation is no excuse for not being able to attract international funding.”
Jose Sanchez
“You mentioned that the current administration has been unable to get grants, to get support from international organizations during the flood time. What would a Briceño administration have done differently?”
John Briceño
“First of all I think that the first thing we would have done is that we could have already, through the constitution, the prime minister can advise the governor general to declare certain areas as a disaster area. When we were in government over the past several years we did that. We did not have to wait to pass any legislation. So the first thing we would do is that. Secondly, we would have to make sure that we would have to have a plan of action as to how is it that we are going to get our act together and how is that we are going to move forward. The international community is not going to come forth unless there is a plan. They don’t want to see everybody running around like chickens without their heads which is exactly what is happening to this government. So we would have already declared the areas as disaster areas, as would have been done in the past and secondly come up with a plan. Thirdly, we would have already taken out a team, as we did after hurricane Mitch. A team of Belizean technical experts to go abroad and meet with the I.D.B., meet with the World Bank, meet with the U.S. government and other people that will give us assistance.”
