Opposition Senator Questions U.S. Government Intent Behind $125 Million M.C.C. Grant

The Government of Belize is seeking to establish the Millenium Challenge Account-Belize as the authority over a one hundred and twenty-five million U.S. dollar grant from the Millenium Challenge Corporation. As Prime Minister John Briceño explained during the last sitting of the House of Representatives, the agreement has already been entered into between G.O.B. and the M.C.C. The U.S. government has agreed to provide the funds to improve the nation’s economic situation through investments in energy and education. But the account must first be established before the funds are disbursed. The bill to operationalize the process was debated in the Senate on Tuesday.

 

Michael Peyrefitte, Lead Opposition Senator

“Not to look a gift horse in the mouth Mister President but I need to know what the deal is. One day the U.S. gets up and just gives Belize a hundred and twenty-five million U.S. What led to that? What is the quid pro quo? This is not a nation that is known to just give things freely. So, it is legitimate for any Belizean to ask well what are we giving up? What is this costing us? And we are not indicating that it may be anything sinister. We just need to know, what do we give in return for this?”

 

Kevin Herrera, Business Senator

“In terms of the composition of the board, section eleven, I see that it is chaired by the Financial Secretary and him being a member of the board itself. My only concern would be, from all my interactions with him in the past, he just seems like someone who is extremely consumed by tremendous responsibilities. So I am wondering if he is the best person, only from that perspective. He just seems to have a lot on his plate.”