Tracy Panton Says “Hold PM Briceño to His Word” for Fuel Prices

The budget is to be presented at the House of Representatives on Tuesday as the Briceño administration charts the 2022 fiscal year.  News Five will have coverage of that presentation, but one huge concern to most Belizeans is the cost of fuel, which is at its highest in decades.  Fuel prices are at or passed the thirteen-dollar mark and Belizean motorists are clamouring for some relief.  It is known that the conflict between Ukraine and Russia is also driving world oil market prices up and smaller countries like Belize are feeling the brunt of the inflation. Diesel is retailing at around thirteen dollars and thirty-six cents in Belize City while in Corozal, it is sixteen cents higher and premium gasoline is selling at thirteen dollars and two cents. While we spoke with aspiring U.D.P. Leader Tracy Panton, she says that Prime Minister John Briceño, and by extension his administration, should be held to his word.

Tracy Panton

Tracy Panton, Candidate, U.D.P. Leadership

“It’s not an easy problem to solve because the fuel prices in terms of the acquisition prices on the world market are escalating and this current situation between Russia and Ukraine doesn’t help the situation. But it was the John Briceño administration in opposition that made it clear that there were solutions to increasing fuel prices; that the government ought to take a reduction in the tax intake from fuel to ensure that we – because we are at the point of diminishing returns now – I mean the competitiveness of our commodities are in question. These escalating fuel prices affect every economic sector in our country. And so it might not be a permanent measure, but there has to be some temporary solution by this administration, who said they had the solution. They were very clear that something can be done and ought to be done when we had that particular challenge when we were the government in office. And so what excuse is that now? All of a sudden those solutions have gone away? I think we ought to hold the prime minister to his word and that some temporary solution to mitigate the impacts on our productive sector, on our tourism sector, on our transportation sector, every meaningful sector of this economy will be impacted and continues to be impacted. The cost of commodities keeps rising in this country. And so I think the government must look at the tax intake from fuel as a first step in trying to mitigate the negative impact that is happening in terms of our economy. He certainly was full of ideas when he was the leader of the opposition.”