And while the prime minister is cracking down on that development, he's also cracking down on Belizeans who don't show patriotic pride by belting out the national anthem. Twice this week, the PM has voiced his concern about it - first at Muy'Ono's Philanthropy Program Ceremony, and then today at the BWS inauguration. When the anthem began playing, he stopped the ceremony and asked that the Caye Caulker students go to the front of the crowd and that everyone join in on the singing.
Today he told us it's a real pet peeve when people don't proudly sing about the land of the free.
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"But if there is one thing I think we could improve is singing the national anthem. I wish more of us would be proud enough to be able to sing. I am a terrible singer, please. I don't do karaoke.
"I sing in my mind. And it's not good, by the way. But I don't sing out in public. But I wish that when we speak, I heard of many of you speaking and singing, but if more of us could sing loudly about this, it is a beautiful anthem and to show how proud we are about our country and have that pride."
"Once you have that pride, it oozes out, you know, like osmosis and attracts people to feel excited about Belize."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"It really upsets me that people don't want to sing our national anthem. We always say we love Belize, well show it, sing the national anthem, pick up the garbage, practice how much you love this country and it's important to inculcate this into our children. That's why, if you noticed, when they started, I said stop, let's start again. We have to do this at all times and you the media should call us out whenever that's happening, hey, you need to sing the national anthem show how proud you are of this country."
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