PM Briceño: “The state of the nation is stronger…” 

During his State of the Nation address, Prime Minister John Briceño said, “The state of the nation is stronger, more hopeful, and more confident than at any time in our 43 years.” According to the Prime Minister, this is because “Belizeans are working and Belizeans are winning.”

According to Briceño, 97 of every 100 Belizeans who want a job have found one. “The SIB reports that the unemployment rate stood at 3% since April of this year. Never before have so many jobs been available, and never before has the minimum wage been so high.”  Briceño referenced the “job boom” in the BPO sector and tourism, saying these were two examples that “have brought about a skilled labour shortage.”

According to the Prime Minister, tourism is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the Caribbean and Latin America. “We have made remarkable strides. In the first half of this year, overnight arrivals have surpassed pre-pandemic levels by 15% and increased by 26.5% compared to last year.