Cabinet says petroleum fund will expand N.H.I.

Expanding on Briceño?s remarks, a press release from Cabinet added that government will be setting up a Petroleum Fund that will finance the expansion of National Health Insurance nationwide as well as subsidize the cost of school fees and textbooks. The money for those initiatives will presumably be increased by new taxes to be levied on petroleum producers. According to the Cabinet release, those amendments to the tax code will be ready for presentation to the House of Representatives at its next sitting.

In other news from Cabinet that executive body has approved new legislation to speed up criminal trials by abolishing preliminary inquiries for indictable offences and level the courtroom playing field by requiring more disclosure of evidence by the defence. Defendants will benefit, however, from increased access to free legal aid services funded by Belmopan.