By: Omar Silva

Editor/Publisher: National Perspective Bz – Digital 2025

www.nationalperspectivebz.com

Belize City: Thursday 23rd January 2025

Editorial:

Prime Minister John Briceño has masterfully positioned himself as the undisputed ruler of a hollow administration, where silence is golden—for his ministers and backbenchers, that is. His government operates under a mantra that could very well be titled “At Briceño or Else”, where dissent is stifled, loyalty is demanded, and silence is rewarded with the spoils of political survival.

What kind of democracy is this when those entrusted with public office cower under the shadow of one man? Ministers who were elected to serve the people have become puppets, their strings pulled by the Prime Minister’s office. Backbenchers, instead of representing their constituencies, sit mute, watching as their leader consolidates power at the expense of accountability and progress.

The Prime Minister’s Iron Grip

Let us not mince words: John Briceño has turned the People’s United Party (PUP) into a dictatorship masquerading as a democracy. His administration does not operate on consensus but on coercion. Ministers and parliamentarians have fallen into line, not because they believe in his vision—if one even exists—but because they fear the repercussions of standing against him.

Where are the voices of reason within the PUP? Where are the ministers willing to challenge a leader who has prioritized political financiers over his own people? Their silence is deafening, their complicity glaring. This is not governance; this is a reign of fear disguised as leadership.

The Cowardice of Ministers and Backbenchers

The ministers in Briceño’s Cabinet, many of whom once styled themselves as champions of the people, have become mere spectators in a government driven by self-interest. Where are these so-called leaders now? Why do they stand by as Belize’s social class struggles under the weight of broken promises and economic neglect?

The backbenchers, meanwhile, have become nothing more than seat-fillers. Their silence on critical issues—rampant corruption, economic stagnation, the neglect of local industries—is an insult to the Belizean people who elected them. Are these the voices of the constituencies they claim to represent, or are they merely echoes of Briceño’s agenda?

Plan Belize: A Con Job in Disguise

It is painfully clear now that Plan Belize was never about uplifting the Belizean people. It was a polished manifesto of lies, sold to a population desperate for change. Briceño’s administration promised the moon and delivered crumbs, all while lining the pockets of political elites and their financiers. And yet, his ministers say nothing. His backbenchers say nothing. The people, meanwhile, are left to wonder if they were ever more than pawns in a cynical game of political theater.

A Party Held Hostage

The People’s United Party, once a beacon of hope for Belizeans, has been reduced to a political plutocracy where power is concentrated in the hands of a few and loyalty is demanded, not earned. Briceño has weaponized the party’s structure, ensuring that dissent is not just discouraged but punished. This is not the mark of a leader committed to democracy; it is the behavior of a leader desperate to cling to power at any cost.

The silence of Briceño’s ministers and backbenchers is not just cowardice—it is complicity. Every unspoken word, every ignored injustice, every unchecked act of corruption is a betrayal of the people they were elected to serve.

Belizeans Deserve Better

Belize deserves better than a government ruled by fear and self-interest. The people deserve leaders who will speak out, who will challenge the status quo, and who will prioritize the needs of the many over the greed of the few. What Belize does not need is a cadre of silent enablers who stand idly by as the Prime Minister leads the country further into stagnation and despair.

The time for silence has long passed. It is time for the ministers and backbenchers of the PUP to find their voices—or to step aside for those who will. The Belizean people are watching, and history will not be kind to those who stood on the sidelines when their voices were most needed.