And the Governor of the Central Bank will have to watch the new virus closely for the possible effects on tourism not he economy. Deputy Governor Kareem Michael has gotten the nod for the new job. That's after the bank went almost half a year without one - after the PM's handpicked choice Manuel Vasquez left in a costly conflict.
PM spoke about the new Governor's selection today - in spite of him being from a UDP family, apparently:
Hon. John Briceno - Prime Minister
"We have looked high and low in trying to find who will be the most appropriate person to lead the central bank, we've looked even in the region, the cost is way too high, we won't be able to afford it, we've looked in Belize, some of the people were already retired and probably would not be adequate to come in, so we felt that Mr. Michaels who has been a career central banker and member of the central bank has the experience, he knows the bank very well, he also understands government policy and understands the importance of the central bank working in tandem with the central government and believes the best way to move the country forward is for the central bank and government working at the same time moving in the same direction. So after long discussions with different people and ministers and the board of directors, their recommendation has been that way to appoint Mr. Michaels as the governor of the central bank. He is accepted, he is a young man but brilliant, intelligent, hard working and I know some of my colleagues have concern because they think he comes from a UDP family but so what, I think we need to look at one, his qualifications, two his sincerity and three his wanting to work at the central bank but at the same time wanting to cooperate and work in tandem with the government. From all that I have seen, he meets all of those qualifications."
