Rural Transformation Ministry’s Budget Increases by $1 Million

Oscar Requeña

Over forty-two thousand, nine hundred and sixty-five workers have benefited from the minimum wage increase to five dollars. It’s the data shared by Toledo West Area Representative Oscar Requeña in his presentation. He announced that the development priorities of the Briceño administration are poverty reduction, economic transformation and growth, trade deficit reduction and citizen security. The budget is one point four billion dollars, which reflects recurrent spending of one point one billion dollars, capital spending of three hundred and eighty-three point four million dollars.  Requeña also spoke of an increase in allocation to the Ministry of Rural Transformation.

Oscar Requeña, Area Rep., Toledo West

“We are putting our monies where it is going to work and that is why under this budget, five million dollars is being allocated for an additional two hundred and twenty-five police cadets, a hundred and ten new B.D.F. recruits and sixty additional coast guard recruits. That is significant and it is going to boost our citizen security. It is important to note under education, under the last administration, particularly after COVID most of our students were out of school, but through the efforts of this Ministry of Education and a P.U.P. government, we have seen more than two thousand six hundred students returning back to school, getting an opportunity at an education. It is important to note that this government will continue to support education, will continue to support job opportunities, health opportunities for all and will continue to ensure that we grow this economy in a sustainable manner. Our mission is to build resilient communities in Belize through improved local governance, labour administration and sustainable community development. Madam Speaker, when we compare the numbers in terms of the budgetary allocations for our ministry, we are seeing that under recurrent expenditure for 2022/2023, we had eleven million a hundred and thirty-six thousand one hundred and eighty-two dollars allocated. For this new fiscal year, 2023/20204, we have seen an increase to twelve million, a hundred and forty thousand three hundred and fifteen dollars.”