Prime Minister John Briceño is setting the record straight: there was no delay in calling the first parliamentary session—just careful planning. Speaking to reporters, the PM explained that the timing of the session is entirely up to the government, and they chose what they believed was the right moment. During that time, the government was also fine-tuning the national budget. Some had speculated that the delay was linked to the U.S. government’s cancellation of the Millennium Challenge Corporation grant, which had been approved last June for poverty-alleviation projects. But Briceño dismissed that theory, saying the budget adjustments had little to do with the MCC decision.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“We wanted to make it. Even a bigger event. We were trying to see if we could have gotten somebody to come to Belize to address the first opening of Parliament. But it did that work out because that person’s schedule just did not work. But it also gave us time to make a readjustment with the budget. The budget was almost finished, but because we changed some departments and some ministries were reconfigured, it took a little bit of time to be able to fix that, so it was not deliberate but here we are today.”
Reporter
“Any of the issues had to do with the cancellation of the M.C.C.? Did that affect the government’s budget?
Prime Minister John Briceño
“No, the MCC is not a part of the budget, so that has nothing do – that played no role.”
Marion Ali
“Then how will the government finish the projects?
Prime Minister John Briceño
“But the point is that the M.C.C. was not a part of the budget. They came here and then we met with them and we did within record time, manage to get a compact sign for $125,000 million U.S., of which 20% have been for energy, and also for teaching. We already knew what are the challenges we face in the educational system. So, they would’ve been helping us and would’ve made it easier. But now they’re not then we have to look and see how we are going to find the money and start to make the adjustments between the educational system.”