Opposition Leader: “Our Lives Have Not Gotten Better in the Last 4 Years.” 

The Leader of the Opposition, Moses “Shyne” Barrow, delivered his State of the Nation Address from the United Democratic Party’s headquarters, in stark contrast to the Prime Minister’s address on Tuesday.

Barrow questioned the state of Belize under Prime Minister John Briceño’s leadership, challenging Belizeans to reflect on whether their lives had improved. He said, “Despite Bricenos annual attempts to deceive Belizeans we do not see the GDP growth he boasts of, nor do we feel it!”

He asked whether they could afford the rising cost of living, if they had access to affordable housing, public healthcare, or if they felt safer. Barrow painted a picture of a Belizean reality marked by economic and social challenges, leaving many people struggling.

Barrow cited the closure of several businesses, including Renco, Smiling Meats, and Hofius, as evidence of an economy in decline. He directly countered the Prime Minister’s claims of a six-billion-dollar GDP, arguing that despite the numbers, ordinary Belizeans had not felt the impact.

“The State of the Nation is falling when regular Belizeans pay twenty-five percent income tax, while special Belizeans pay six percent, and million-dollar corporations pay only three percent,” Barrow stated, criticising the government’s tax policies and its failure to collect taxes from businesses that exploit the vulnerable.

The opposition leader also addressed the disparity between the low unemployment rate of three percent and the poverty rate, which remains at 38%. He chastised the government for spending millions on land in Belmopan for a new hospital and criticised the handling of the health sector, calling the Ministry of Health’s track record from 2020 to 2024 “horrific.” Barrow attacked both the former and current Ministers of Health for their alleged failures.

In his address, Barrow lamented the shortage of teachers and the challenge of completing 120 CPD hours within five years. He proposed reducing the required personal development hours to alleviate the pressure on educators, suggesting that this would help teachers manage their professional development more effectively.

On the topic of crime, Barrow claimed that murders had increased by forty percent this year. However, he acknowledged that the Commissioner of Police had contested this figure, noting that the murder rate had decreased in recent months. Barrow promised to review the data and correct the figure if necessary.

Barrow also touched on issues of national security, particularly the continued incursions by the Guatemalan Armed Forces into Belizean territory. He ended his address on a note of optimism. He called on Belizeans to embrace their power to change the country’s future in the upcoming general elections.

“All hope is not lost. The resilient people of Belize have the absolute power to change the State of the Nation in the next General Elections,” Barrow said, closing with, “Long live democracy, long live Belize. Que viva Belize. Dios te bendiga Belize. God bless Belize.”