Hon. Godwin Haylock criticizes government performance during budget debate

The final day of debate on the 2026/2027 national budget got underway yesterday at the National Assembly in Belmopan, with the opposition’s Godwin Haylock leading off presentations for the United Democratic Party.  Haylock used his contribution to sharply criticize the government’s performance across several sectors, raising concerns about reliance on the Cuban medical brigade, as well as ongoing challenges in accessing affordable house lots. He also pointed to instances where land allocations have been made without proper infrastructure, including electricity and water services.

On the government side, Area Representative for Caribbean Shores, Kareem Musa, pushed back against the opposition’s arguments, describing their contributions over the past two days as underwhelming. Musa also highlighted what he said were contradictions in the opposition’s positions throughout the debate.

Meanwhile, tensions flared briefly in the House during the presentation from Oscar Mira, whose remarks on allocations for salaries sparked a reaction from Mesopotamia Area Representative Lee Mark Chang, adding a moment of contention to the proceedings.

We will have more coverage of the presentations from the past three days in subsequent newscasts.