7 News Belize

PM: Gov't Funds Flatline, But Non-Partisan Support For The Most Needy Will Roll Out
posted (April 16, 2020)

The good news tonight is that there is no new case of COVID-19 in Belize to report tonight. And while that is encouraging news, for tens of thousands of Belizeans who have lost their jobs, and their livelihoods, there is deepening social despair and growing desperation.

Just a few minutes ago, the Prime Minister released a statement discussing the measures being taken to get relief for Belizeans who are going hungry. Here are a few of his remarks form that 10 minute address:

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"Business activity has come almost to a halt; people have lost their jobs and livelihood and revenue sources have dried up. The tax base has utterly eroded, and we are terribly short of money. We have to find salaries, especially for our doctors and nurses, our security forces, immigration and custom officers and all the public servants that maintain the administration. We must keep the lights on and the water flowing. Above all, we must help our people, we must feed our people. It is an unprecedented challenge; it seems an impossible task, but it is one we go after with hands and heart and we will prove equal to the job. Borrowing from our Central Bank, working with the international donor community, employing every resource we can, we will deliver to our citizens. As of today, then, 23,264 persons have already been approved for unemployment relief and their payments sent to their banks. Ultimately, this particular safety net, will cover upwards of 50 thousand persons. Likewise, 4 thousand households for a total of 17 thousand beneficiaries, have received food baskets. This first tranche of that particular program is costing government 12 million dollars. Now this unparaded outreach in this unparallel time has not been perfect. We wish that the money and the food could be more, we wish that the distribution process could be faster but the shock to our lives, our economy, our systems, is like nothing any of us have ever witness. I close by making one other promise to you, all that we do, is without regard to colour, red or blue. No politician of any stripe will get hands on any GOB money whether for unemployment relief or for food distribution."

Again, the statement was released just a few minutes before newstime, and you can see it in its entirety after the news.

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