A positive sign but - the ever increasing cost of living has been putting a hurting on regular folks. Aside from that, in early 2026, both water and electricity rates will increase. When asked about the government's cost of living committee, the PM said it's too early for it to yield results. However, in the meantime, he explained what the government has been doing to lighten the financial load on Belizeans - which may include a free day in the Free Zone next week.
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"There's no magic wand, what we have been doing, we have been doing a lot of little things that can help the cost of living. GST free weekends for instance, that helps with the cost of living. Let me tell you, in Cabinet we just agreed to maybe, next week Tuesday, to allow Belizeans to be able to go to the Free Zone to be able to buy. No liquor, no cigarettes, just clothing and shoes, that kind of stuff. Again, that helps. Scholarships, that helps, feeding programs for children, that helps, NHI, that helps. NHI is already over 20,000 visits per month already. All of these things, when you put it together, it's helping. You could imagine if we weren't doing all of that how difficult it would be for people. So it is unfair when you try to make these allegations as if we are not concerned and we're not doing anything. We're doing a lot of different things. Minimum wage, it went up to $5, that helps significantly so I believe that we have a proud record when it comes to saying that we are doing something. And listen, we recognize that challenge. Unlike other prime ministers, I am on the ground everyday, I don't stay in an office, I walk the streets, I visit here this afternoon, i'll be at the inauguration of the Minsa plant in Cayo and I talk to people so we are aware of the difficulties, we are facing it as a country, as a nation. A lot of contracts we give, when they come back they say the prices went up because goods have gone up, or materials have gone up. As much as we hate it, but it is a sad reality."
