…And questions P.M.’s position on fuel tax

Briceño did not only criticize the Barrow administration for the poor performance in health, he also berated the P.M. for giving the impression he would adjust the fuel tax once it went over the seven dollar threshold. His criticism takes root with the fact that the government intends to table a bill to lower taxes on casino earnings at this Friday’s sitting of the House, rather than reduce the gas tax.

John Briceño, Leader of the Opposition
“In April, again, he promised to re-visit this dollar tax if the fuel price were to exceed eight dollars per gallon. Well, fuel is now eight dollars and sixty-one cents a gallon and the Prime Minister experienced memory loss when he said that he never made any specific promise other than to revisit the position. In the meantime, the taxes on fuel have gone up well above the one dollar with the tax on premium at three dollars and eight cents per gallon, two-ninety-five on regular, two dollars and two cents on diesel, sixty-one cents on kerosene, and to make matters worse, the Prime Minister has already expressed support for an eight percent increase in the cost of water.”

Jules Vasquez, Channel Seven
“If you’re saying that the Barrow administration should have enforced the fifteen percent, are you then holding that government to a higher standard than the government of which you were the deputy PM, which was charging four percent?”

John Briceño
“No, what I’m saying is that if it was wrong then, it is wrong now. And, that it should have been collected then, it should have been collected now. But to come at this time, when Belizeans are going through a very difficult time, when the Prime Minister is admitting that revenues are drying up for the government of Belize. But to come at this time, to justify to bring down the tax where it by law is fifteen percent to eight percent is simply wrong, especially when he had already promised the Belizean people, during the budget debate, where he was introducing the one dollar tax on the fuel, that if it were to go beyond seven dollars he was prepared to re-visit it to reduce it. And then when it passed seven dollars he said “well now when we reach at eight dollars”. Well, now it’s almost at nine dollars and he’s still saying now that he never made any promises. I think it is simply outrageous to think on the part of the government to discuss reducing taxes on casinos and gambling, which creates a lot of problems with families, especially here in Belize City, and all over the country. So I think it simply cannot be justified.”

“Exactly what would have been the Prime minister’s error? Acquisition costs are going up; we really can’t take it down much more. What would you have done if you were at the helm?”

John Briceño
“Well, first of all, let me make this very clear. The Prime Minister made a promise; I didn’t make that promise. He promised that the price of fuel wouldn’t go over seven dollars. He was going to bring it down, and then when it passed seven dollars he said that if it goes beyond eight dollars he was going to bring it down, and he has not done so. And taxes right now are above three dollars per gallon of fuel.”