In other news, Tuesday was World Press Freedom day. According to the World Press Freedom Index, Belize is ranked 47 out of 180 countries in the world for Press Freedom - up from 53 in 2021.
The report notes, quote, "Successive governments have maintained generally open relations with the press, keeping public information easily accessible. But this enviable situation has deteriorated in recent years."
We can confirm that it has - measurably so - especially without regular press conferences by leading public officials.
The UDP Chairman seized on this yesterday at his party's press conference:
Mike Peyrefitte, UDP Senator
"We've had a number of press conferences, your prime minister has not had one you know, still no have one you know, you have to catch him in Spanish Lookout or catch him in a little spot and corner him for a little 20 minutes then he tell you I have to go campaign, I have to roll. He has not sat like this and say give me your questions, give me your best shot because the public needs to know what our position is on various issues. He has not done that from November 2020, he has not done that."
Jamaica is ranked highest in the Caribbean at 12th worldwide for press freedom, while Costa Rica, at 8 is ranked highest in Central America.
