By: Omar Silva

Editor National Perspective Bz DIGITAL 2024

www.nationalperspectivebz.com

Belize City: Tuesday, 1st October 2024

In a country where political promises seem to echo louder than solutions, Belize's low-income families find themselves trapped in a cycle of survival — living from hand to mouth while clinging to dreams of a better future that remains just out of reach. As the cost of living continues to soar, the realities of everyday life for the majority of Belizeans paint a grim picture of neglect. Meanwhile, the extractive political class in Belmopan remains comfortably insulated from these harsh realities, pushing empty rhetoric that does little to ease the suffering of the people.

The False Promises of Minimum Wage Increases

The government proudly parades its accomplishment of raising the minimum wage to $5.00, yet this gesture now feels like an insult to the working class rather than a relief. When the People’s United Party (PUP) boasts that it was they who introduced this wage, they conveniently forget to mention that inflation has rendered this amount meaningless. The prices of basic necessities — food, rent, utilities — have skyrocketed, making survival on a minimum wage nearly impossible.

Imagine a family of three trying to get by on $5.00 per hour. After working 45 hours a week, this equates to just $225 per week, or $900 per month. Now compare that to the cost of basic living. Rent for a one-bedroom house ranges from $400 to $500 per month, utilities add another $60, food for the family costs upwards of $100 per week, and that doesn’t even account for transportation, internet, or the ever-increasing price of school supplies. Where does that leave the family? In debt, in poverty, and with little hope for upward mobility.

The Extractive Political Class: Power and Propaganda

While the masses struggle to make ends meet, the political class in Belmopan is too busy basking in their own power to notice the plight of everyday Belizeans. The government’s propaganda machine churns out feel-good messages about “progress” and “development,” while the social well-being of the majority continues to deteriorate. Instead of addressing the root causes of poverty and inequality, the politicians distract the public with shallow achievements and empty promises.

This extractive political class — those who benefit from their positions of power while doing little to improve the lives of the people they serve — continues to thrive. Their rhetoric is filled with reminders of what they’ve supposedly done for the poor, yet the reality on the ground tells a different story. For every dollar a minimum wage earner makes, much of it is taken back by the government in the form of high import duties and taxes on basic goods. Where is the care for the social well-being of Belizeans?

High Costs, Low Wages, and Broken Dreams

The cost of living in Belize has spiraled out of control. Basic goods that once cost $30 to feed a family for a week now cost over $100. Rent for a single room that once cost $100 per month now costs $100 per week. The gap between the cost of necessities and what people can actually afford is widening by the day. And yet, in the face of this crisis, the government continues to impose high customs duties on essential imports, driving up prices even further.

Belizeans, especially those in the low-income bracket, are left to fend for themselves. They must choose between paying for food, rent, or utilities because they cannot afford all three. Meanwhile, the politicians in Belmopan, who should be leading the charge to bring down these costs, are busy reminding the public that they gave them the “gift” of a $5.00 minimum wage. But what good is that wage when it doesn’t even cover basic survival?

Time for Real Solutions, Not Rhetoric

Belize’s leaders must wake up to the realities of the people they claim to represent. Empty rhetoric and political grandstanding won’t feed families, and it won’t pay the bills. What Belize needs now is a government that is willing to tackle the structural issues that keep the masses in perpetual poverty. Reducing import duties on essential goods, raising wages to match the cost of living, and ensuring affordable housing and utilities should be at the top of the agenda.

Furthermore, the government must stop using education as a tool for political gain. While they boast about “free education,” many families still have to cover the costs of transportation, books, and other school-related expenses. A $300 per child subsidy is not enough when the real cost of education runs into the thousands. Real investment in education and social welfare programs is crucial to lifting Belizeans out of the cycle of poverty.

Conclusion: Belize Deserves Better

The Belizean people deserve more than empty promises and propaganda. They deserve real solutions to the real problems they face every day. The government must move beyond its self-serving rhetoric and take concrete steps to improve the lives of the people who are most in need. Otherwise, Belize’s low-income masses will continue to live on dreams, while the extractive political class remains drunk on power, indifferent to the suffering they’ve left behind.

The time for change is now. The question is: Will the government rise to the occasion, or will they continue to offer hollow gestures while the people struggle just to survive?