Belizeans React to Post-Election $96K Salary Increase for CEOs and Cabinet Secretary

Cabinet Secretary Stuart Leslie and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in government ministries have received salary increases with effect just days after the 2025 general election.

According to an official document dated March 28, 2025, and signed by Leslie and addressed to Financial Secretary Joseph Waight and the CEOs, the salary adjustments were approved but retroactively took effect from 13 March.

The Cabinet Secretary’s annual salary has been raised to $96,000, while CEOs will now earn $88,000 annually, up from the previous $76,000—a 15.7% increase.

Many Belizeans took to social media to voice their frustration, particularly in light of ongoing struggles faced by public servants such as teachers, nurses, and several others.

“This is unfair,” one user wrote. “Teachers still can’t get their just pay, yet these people sitting in an office doing nothing get the pay of more than 50 teachers all together yearly.”

Others questioned the rationale behind the increases, “What is the justification for the increase?” And others questioned how educators must cover their own professional development costs just to maintain their licences.

“And yet teachers have to be paying for their own CPD hours and have to meet requirements for a licence to be granted.”