By: Omar Silva

Editor: National Perspective Bz DIGITAL 2024

www.nationalperspectivebz.com

Belize City: Friday, 01 November 2024

As Belizeans struggle to make ends meet in an economy that is increasingly out of reach, the PUP government has shown a remarkable indifference to the pain felt by households nationwide. Rising inflation, sky-high import costs, burdensome customs duties, and an almost callous disregard for the urgent needs of the people have defined their administration, revealing a government disconnected from the reality of everyday Belizeans. The cost of basic living essentials has surged, and yet, actionable steps that could alleviate these struggles remain noticeably absent.

Consumer sentiment has hit new lows, with the latest report showing a 10.9% drop in the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI). Belizeans are increasingly disillusioned, unable to afford even the most basic food items as prices climb higher. The government’s complacency on critical issues impacting the common man shows a profound neglect of its duty to its citizens. Five key measures—outlined as essential for the government to address but that continue to be ignored—serve as sharp evidence of this failure.

1. Absence of Price Controls on Basic Goods

While food prices spiral beyond affordability, the government has done nothing to control costs on basic necessities. Establishing temporary price caps on essentials such as rice, beans, bread, and cooking oil could provide critical relief to families living paycheck to paycheck. Other countries in the region have shown that government intervention, when used strategically, can shield citizens from hyperinflation’s worst effects. Yet the PUP government has failed to adopt this basic, people-first measure. It raises a haunting question: does this government have the political will to protect its people, or are the voices of ordinary Belizeans too small to be heard?

2. Lack of Incentives for Local Production

Belize’s reliance on imports has only intensified inflationary pressures. Supporting local farmers and small business owners by reducing red tape and providing financial incentives would boost domestic production and shield the economy from volatile international markets. The government’s failure to invest in Belize’s own agricultural strength not only drives up food costs but also leaves the nation vulnerable to external price shocks. By neglecting local production, the PUP administration effectively surrenders our economic autonomy to global fluctuations, placing Belizeans at the mercy of forces beyond our borders.

3. Failure to Expand Social Safety Nets

In a time when more Belizeans need support than ever, this government has expanded little to no social assistance. Households in extreme poverty receive inadequate aid, often navigating bureaucratic hurdles for meager relief. Countries facing similar hardships have introduced direct cash transfers or expanded food subsidies, measures that allow struggling families to purchase essentials without sacrificing other necessities. The absence of such policies in Belize speaks volumes about this administration’s priorities. Instead of directing resources to alleviate the daily struggles of its people, the government seems more preoccupied with preserving its political standing.

4. No Progress on Wage Increases

Wages remain stagnant while the cost of living skyrockets. Workers in Belize are seeing their paychecks stretched thin, their purchasing power eroded daily. Yet the government has taken no meaningful steps to raise the minimum wage or introduce tax breaks for low-income families. Belizeans are, therefore, being squeezed tighter than ever, with no relief in sight. By neglecting to adjust wages to match inflation, the PUP administration is effectively asking its citizens to shoulder the burden of an economy in turmoil without any fair compensation for their labor.

5. Failure to Diversify the Economy

An economy overly reliant on imports and limited in scope leaves Belizeans at the mercy of global market changes. But the PUP government has failed to encourage diversification, ignoring opportunities to invest in emerging industries that could bring stability and sustainable growth. As other nations forge ahead with innovative approaches to resilience, Belize remains trapped in an outdated economic model that delivers high prices and low wages. Diversifying the economy would create jobs, reduce reliance on imports, and give Belizeans more options to sustain themselves independently of foreign markets.

Conclusion: Neglect Has Consequences

In its disregard for these essential steps, the PUP government has shown it is out of touch with the Belizean people’s needs. The high cost of living, compounded by astronomical customs duties and indifference to economic diversification, has created a crisis of affordability that this administration has failed to address.

Each month, Belizeans are faced with the grim reality that the government—elected to serve and protect—has abandoned them. Rather than work to lower the cost of food, secure jobs, or create a fairer tax system, the PUP’s neglect leaves Belizeans to navigate an economic landscape where they are increasingly left behind. The people deserve better than the empty promises and neglect they are currently receiving; they deserve a government that takes immediate, tangible action to reduce the cost of living and restore confidence in the economy.

If this government is unwilling to implement the policies its people so desperately need, perhaps it is time for Belizeans to demand new leadership—one that prioritizes people over politics.