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We asked CEO Martinez about that:

Osmond Martinez, CEO - Ministry of Economic Development
"Just a few days, you had an interview with this cement factory, you know, who produced cement blocks, you know and there's no workers to work on that field. And if you look at my speech, I actually highlighted the service sector."

"The BPOs and the tourism sector are boosting and their numbers are better off than where it was in 2019. So it has attracted young people, young, educated people who are well rewarded in terms of their salary."

"So they don't want to go and work in the construction sector or the agro -productive sector. So the citrus, banana, the sugar industry continue to face challenges year after year. And so there is an importation of hundreds and hundreds of workers every year."

"So, for example, in 2022, there were 21 ,000 workers that were imported from Central America so that they can continue to contribute to our economy through the agro -productive and construction sector."

Jules Vasquez
"Do we need to open our borders and relax the work permit regulations?"

Osmond Martinez, CEO - Ministry of Economic Development
"I don't think that we need to open the borders. I think there needs to be... And the Ministry of Labor is working on the work permit."

"But we have to be clear and it is visible that there is still a lot of crime in Central America, criminals, gang members. So it is important that who comes to Belize is well -screened and that all the background is done and all the due diligence that needs to do by our security department is being done."

"And so I don't think it needs to open the border, but, yes, we need to improve, especially for the private sector and new investors that are coming into Belize. It's important to enable that environment where visas can be issued on a more timely manner and the work permit."