Cabinet Advances Tourism, Law Reforms, and Security Initiatives

Cabinet approved several key initiatives aimed at enhancing tourism, modernising governance, and strengthening national security. Among the measures was the extension of weekend operating hours at the Punta Gorda Port of Entry, paired with targeted marketing to attract more traffic to Southern Belize and capitalise on Toledo’s cultural and natural appeal. Cabinet approved infrastructure upgrades and marina development in Punta Gorda to bolster tourism offerings and stimulate economic growth in the south.

In a move toward improving national standards, the Cabinet established a National Quality Council under the Bureau of Standards to oversee the implementation of Belize’s National Quality Policy. This Council will address areas such as standardisation, technical regulations, accreditation, and market surveillance. Modernisation efforts also include comprehensive amendments to the Labour Act and updates to the Trade Licensing Act, with new regulations for the latter set to take effect on October 1, 2025. Additionally, the Law Revision Act will be repealed and replaced to improve the consolidation of Belize’s laws, with the establishment of a Law Reform Commission to guide future reforms.

In the realm of security and efficiency, Cabinet approved Belize’s National Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risk Assessment Report to align with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards and mitigate risks in the public and private sectors. Further advancing its modernisation agenda under #PlanBelize, the government will introduce electronic immigration and customs forms at the Philip Goldson International Airport starting December 1, 2024. This initiative will expand to all ports of entry by January 2025, with paper forms fully phased out by March 31, 2025.