Ten Million U.S Loan Motion for Belize’s Digital Innovation Program
The second loan motion brought to the House today is valued at ten million U.S. dollars. The I.D.B. loan is being sought to invest in a digital Innovation program to boost economic benefits in Belize. The loan motion speaks to benefits for women involved in M.S.M.E.’s and rural communities, among others. But again, Leader of the Opposition Shyne Barrow was not too pleased about the presentation of yet another loan motion, neither was he convinced that the Briceño Administration has been effective in its digital modernization efforts.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“In plan Belize we made a commitment to digitize most of the government services and to do so as quickly as we can. Over the past couple years we have been working hard at doing just that, digitizing. In 2021 we launched the online Tax Payers Portal known as IRIS Belize. IRIS allows tax payers not only to seamlessly file mostly tax returns but also to make payments immediately online among other things. Late last year we also launched the Online Business Registry System that merged consolidated and modernize the company’s registry. You know longer need to go to Belmopan to form a company or partnership or register a business name or even file a company report. All of that can be done and paid o line and it also can be paid online.”
Moses Shyne Barrow
Moses Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“I’ll give you a current example. The Prime Minister comes into this house and tries to portray himself as some business and finance genius. It comes across and very pompous because we know it’s Christopher Coye that writes for you. You look at the Immigration system because the presentation of digitization it is a very appealing presentation whoever wrote that for him. But you look at the Immigration Department the worst it has ever been. And you came into this house and asked for twenty-five million dollars to go digital in the immigration department and now you have to wait six months you go online write now Mr. digital and you have you try to get an appointment for wait six months to get an appointment, worst than it has ever been.”
