Briceño Says Fuel Tax Cut Not on Government Agenda

Prime Minister John Briceño has once again made it clear that the Government of Belize is not currently considering a reduction in fuel taxes, emphasizing that such a move would significantly affect government revenues needed to fund essential services.  Speaking in an interview yesterday, the Prime Minister reiterated that while he understands the public’s concern over rising fuel costs, the administration must strike a balance between easing pressure on consumers and maintaining the revenue required to support national development and public services.  Briceño noted that the matter of lowering fuel taxes had already been addressed earlier this week and remains under careful consideration, but it is not presently on the government’s agenda.

John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “The leader of the opposition would refuse to acknowledge that during that time the then Prime Minister had Petrocaribe with them. They had the monies from the oil, the revenues they were getting, they got a combined of over a billion dollars apart from the taxes. So they could have probably do some of that. We are going to do what is necessary to be able to help our people. We are committed to our people, we are committed to the economy. So we have to find that balancing act as to how best to be able to manage these high prices that are coming to Belize. We have to be more prudent in how we use our vehicles. As I said, the pie is the pie. And when we set up the 2026 / 2027 pie, it is set. And we already projected the amount of revenues that we’re going to collect from fuel. And if we were to cut that then we either have to collect it from somewhere else or cut from some government program. So it’s too early to say, so we need to be able to take a look and act prudently and don’t act hastily as if we are in a panic.” 

The Prime Minister first addressed the issue on Monday, explaining that reducing the fuel tax would mean forfeiting millions of dollars in government revenue. According to Briceño, those funds play a critical role in financing key public services, including road infrastructure, healthcare, education, and agricultural support.  He also pointed out that fuel taxes remain one of the most efficient forms of tax collection for the government because fuel imports are easy to track and monitor at the point of entry into the country.  However, Briceño noted that the government continues to monitor international fuel prices and may reconsider the policy if global prices continue to climb and place additional pressure on Belizean consumers.  For now, the Prime Minister says the government will wait to see how fuel prices stabilize before making any adjustments to the current tax structure.