PM Briceño Announces Plan to Revamp Port of Belize

The Port of Belize is set to receive a major upgrade. Today, Prime Minister John Briceño confirmed that the Port of Belize will undergo a major transformation into a world-class cruise and cargo facility by the end of his government’s next term if re-elected. This ambitious plan has already received backing from the Cabinet, he says, and the work on the master plan is already underway, despite setbacks from previous attempts.

“The Cabinet has already agreed. I presented a paper to the Cabinet several months ago on what could be the different options,” Briceño said.

He said that the port will be set to handle both cruise ships and container ships. However, the new development raises questions about the future of Stake Bank.

When asked if this means Stake Bank is no longer viable, Briceño responded, “We all knew that Stake Bank was a short- to medium-term investment. The berthing facilities cannot take the big ships. These cruise ships want to berth on land. The tendering is a big issue.”

He added that Stake Bank was always meant to be a temporary fix, and the country needs to build a nearshore facility to meet long-term needs.

While the government is pushing forward with its plan, there have been a number of expressions of interest from major investors. However, Briceño said that the government will not proceed until a clear plan and strategic investors are identified.