As we reported earlier this week, the LIU work program was abruptly discontinued, displacing 523 people who are now without work.
Today, we finally spoke with the Prime Minister John Briceno about it. He said that the funds can be put to better use:
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"What has happened is that it has come to our attention atlas that I was unaware of that we're still using millions of dollars to be able to pay individuals for them to be able to live a better lifestyle. I think that the LIU has had great success in mediation and intervention but on the part where you start to for lack of a better word reward people to let them behave and they do so for a few weeks and later on they go and do something else it's not working. I think that we need that money in the police for better use. So as the CEO made the point that those funds given to individuals it was
never intended for the long term. It should have been for a 2,3 months but it ended up being for a long term and so I think that moneys could be used to work with the police. The police are not able to have enough equipment when they are fighting some of these same gang members or going after people that are involved in drugs or that they rob somebody or whatever and we have the police officers in Belize who are putting their lives on the line because they don't have the proper tools that they will be able to protect themselves so I think personally I think we need to use some of that money to beef up the police department to be able to use equipment to protect themselves. But again as to the LIU, it's not that we're going to close everything, certainly the part of mediation and intervention and certain programs we should still continue that."
"What I've come to understand is that it's been put on pause, so that they can analyze it and go back to the drawing board per se. But the reality is that 523 persons are currently displaced and this might have major effects on Belize city not only the livelihood of these persons but also the crime rate. Is this a point of concern for your government?"
"Well absolutely not because it was never intended for them to stay in there permanently you know and it's a lot of money, it's a lot of money and I'm sure that most Belizeans will be outraged when they find out it's about 3million dollars per year we've been in government for 6 that's 18 million dollars, you could answer yourself."
