Budget Debate concludes, PM Briceño slams opposition’s performance

The three-day budget debate in Belmopan has officially come to a close, culminating with a comprehensive wrap-up presentation by Prime Minister John Briceño, who reflected on the exchanges and key themes emerging from both sides of the House.  The debate centered on the national budget for the upcoming fiscal year, April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027, with government and opposition members presenting their respective positions over the course of three days.  Throughout the debate, five members of the opposition took the floor, raising a number of concerns ranging from public spending to national development priorities. However, in his closing remarks, Prime Minister Briceño asserted that the opposition, particularly its leadership, fell short in effectively scrutinizing the budget.

John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “My wrap up is kinda long. I’m trying to see how quickly I can go through it. If the Leader of the Opposition behaves we won’t take long. But you know if she’s behaving bad I will have to answer her back right ? But she looks like she’s in a good mood right now. Madam Speaker on a serious note the contributions over these past three days have been for the most part I think informative and also engaging. For those who have tuned in they were provided with two versions of this budget and what it represents for Belize. Well for us on this side and one member of the other side especially well… I mean the listening public for us on this side the listening public received key details on how Plan Belize 2.0 is delivering for the Belizean people as well as how we plan to keep delivering for the benefit of all. From those on the other side especially from the Leader of the Opposition they received a drab and dragged out ramble with little substance and no true analysis of the budget. The Leader of the Opposition was poorly prepared and failed in a real analysis of the national budget proposals. She tried, unsuccessfully I believe, to deceive and distort the facts and many of my colleagues were quick to point this out. And perhaps this is where the disability lies, Madam Speaker. The disability lies in her not being able to properly analyze, criticize, and provide alternatives, exposing her lack of qualifications to lead a nation. Now, I can be a lot harsher in my criticism of the Leader of the Opposition at this time, you could remember when the then Prime Minister Dean Barrow used to come after us. I mean, he called us all kinds of names and she sat on the other side and laughed, you know. She enjoyed it. But what do they say ? Do so noh like do so ? But I am not like that. So I am not by nature a mean person, Madam Speaker. And yes I know that sometimes they tell me I’m too soft. But I need to add something to that. I don’t need to be mean. I don’t need to be cruel because the critics of her own party have already passed judgment on her performance. One of their stalwarts posted on social media, and I quote…. please forgive me it’s not my words, Madam Speaker, and I quote “is this crap what you invited UDP supporters to tune into?” End of quote. Say a name and I’ll whistle.”

Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health: “Alberto August”John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: *Whistles*

On the government’s side, twenty-six representatives delivered presentations highlighting achievements across their constituencies and ministries, while also outlining forward-looking plans aimed at sustaining economic growth and improving public services nationwide.

Prime Minister Briceño also pointed to what he described as a clear contrast between the current PUP administration and the previous UDP government. He argued that the level of detail, delivery, and direction presented over the past three days underscores the progress made under his leadership.

In a pointed observation, the Prime Minister further suggested that Mesopotamia Area Representative Lee Mark Chang appears to be positioning himself as a rising voice within the opposition, potentially overshadowing the Leader of the Opposition despite his role as a junior minister.

John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “So let me sum it up this way. The opposition came to this house and for three days, all they were able to say with clarity are two things. One, thank you PUP for giving us what we never gave you when you were in office for the past 13 years. Not a scholarship, not a housing grant, not a boost, not a piece of land, nothing. 13 years. We punished. Right ? Member from Cayo South ? Nothing. And my brother from Toledo West. What? They promised you what? Two culverts, no? Three ? And then they said any amount of culverts we will give it to you, and budget after budget did you get the culverts ? When did you get the culverts? Thank you very much sir. So they came to thank us for giving them all of this.  I do not propose to respond in granular detail to the criticisms that the opposition members have levied. That is their job and we understand that and we don’t take this personal. They feel they have a duty to criticize. As the junior member of their team and representative from Mesopotamia reminded us yesterday they collect a salary to hold our feet on the fire. But they also collect a salary to make constructive contributions on behalf of the people they represent. I am not convinced they managed this part effectively and this is why. In the case of the Leader of the Opposition and that two hour ramble, everyone saw clearly that her slip was showing so to speak. But you notice, I don’t know if you noticed the play that the junior member from Mesop wants to trade places because he spoke longer than the Leader of the Opposition. He spoke for more than two hours. So I guess he wants that too but he wants to tr to get over there so he will try to outshine her but if there’s one thing I have to give the Leader of the Opposition credit she is doing a good job as the Leader of the Opposition and guess what we’ll keep her there for the next five years.”

The Prime Minister did not hold back in his critique of Opposition Leader Tracy Panton, accusing her of presenting what he described as misleading information during the debate. He questioned whether the inaccuracies stemmed from a lack of understanding or a deliberate attempt to misinform the public.

John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “When she comes to this Honourable House and talks about it’s not being audited. It’s one of two things Madam Speaker. She’s deliberately distorting the truth or simply doesn’t know. And if she doesn’t know then she doesn’t deserve to be the Leader of the Opposition. But let me give her a slight lesson. The National Health Insurance has been audited every single year since 2001 when the pilot project commenced in the south side of Belize City. Since 2001 even during the thirteen years of the UDP maladministration the audited financials of NHI have bene tabled in this honorable house along with the audited financials of SSB. You didn’t know that ? Social Security has been under Social Security that’s how it started off but quickly after that it started working on its own but SSB continuously have always audited the statements of the National Health Insurance and it is a part of their audited statement and it comes right here to this house. It seems that after all these years that we have been presenting these financials in the house it seems the Leader of the Opposition not one day opened the report and tried to read it because if she had opened the report and read it she would have noticed that the NHI is audited under the Social Security financials. So you’re either not reading or you don’t want to say the truth, one or the other.”

With the debate now concluded, the national budget moves one step closer to implementation, setting the stage for the government’s fiscal and development agenda for the new financial year.