You may remember the US Congressman Brian Mast. In March he wrote a letter to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio asking him to inquire into, quote "the state of rule of law in Belize..." and the "(State) Department's assessment of recent investor disputes involving compulsory land acquisition to determine whether these issues warrant closer U.S. attention."
That's an oblique reference to the Stake Bank acquisition - and this week, while he is in Washington for the Spring Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank, PM John Briceno went to meet with Mast face to face. A Facebook post says they had cordial discussions and focused on advancing the Belize-United States bilateral relationship and strengthening trade cooperation.
And today, Prime Minister Briceno also chaired a high-level discussion on small state development. In his remarks, Briceno highlighted ongoing challenges faced by small states, including limited fiscal space, increasing energy and food costs, and the growing effects of climate change.
