VOICE OF THE COMMON MAN UNPRECEDENTED PUP DEVELOPMENT

By Hilly Bennett

There is no naysaying that a paradigm shift in massive development in Belize, in all facets of government, has been occurring in the Jewel. It is the kind of development of the country and its people that have never been seen or experienced since the era of self-government and the beginning of the end of political colonialism. In 1964, Belize attained self- government. “With internal self-government the political leaders representing the people in the Legislative Assembly had much more latitude to make decisions of policy. They had the onus of implementing those decisions” (JA Bennett). The most important of decisions was the formulation of a Seven Year Development Plan for the period 1964 to 1970 in collaboration with UNESCO. In referring to the economic situation of Belize in the early 60s the UNESCO mission report stated: “The outlook for development of British Honduras economy is now distinctly promising, but there are serious deficiencies of skills which, if not rectified will retard the pace of development of natives of British Honduras in that development.”

Although, those serious deficiencies of skills remain an existing problem for Belize’s development, it was the People’s United Party Government recognizing the effects of the “limited talent” that was needed to be RECTIFIED in the country moving forward.

Upon the impressive supermajority victory at the polls in November 2020, it was clear that the PUP was ready to lead Belize. Anticipating that victory, the five-year plan was already architected—PlanBelize. The first of many submissions embedded in PlanBelize recognized that the previous government, the United Democratic Party government left many problems in the wake of leaving office. However, it was also recognized that the Briceño administration needed to develop practical solutions to the gigantic problems that festered under the red hydra’s reign as a three-term government, if Belize was to realize its full potential in moving towards its true development.

During the Barrow government, the Belizean economy buckled and was plunged into the status of an indentured economy caused by insatiable borrowing and reckless spending. Belize was on the brink of losing its economic sovereignty and the possibility of being brought under the dictates of the IFIs. The debt to GDP ratio stood at a mammoth one hundred and thirty odd percent of gross domestic product. This was one of the PUP’s biggest challenges and was the first to be tackled. It was the need to create fiscal space to jumpstart the economy. The IFIs had turned its back on King Dean and the UDP ran the economy into a debt wall. Armed with the cadre of economic experts and shrewd negotiating skills, sacrifices were made with the public officers agreeing to giving up their ten percent and allowing for the increment freeze. Thereafter, the Blue Bond was successfully negotiated and created the necessary fiscal space. The arrangement was made possible by The Nature Conservancy and has become a lauded model for the rest of the world.

Gradually, confidence was restored in government, the People’s United Party Government, led by Prime Minister John Briceño. Investor confidence was also restored, a far cry from sullen, chilly rejection of the red regime. Initiatives emanating from the Office of the Prime Minister and BELTRAIDE - The Investment Summit, MSMEs and the Buy Belize, ENTRECON and The Made in Belize - have played an integral role in the massive ongoing development of the financial structure. The infrastructure development and the continued construction of the road network, bridges, public sector buildings, the Gungulung project, the single mother homes by the Honorable Julius Espat, and the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing, working in tandem with the other ministries, ministries firing on all cylinders. Education and the curriculum reform to Competency-based along with Southside free education pilot program and the further expansion to the South is great component of the PlanBelize development design. The NHI expansion to the North and the recent signing of the 90-million-dollar loan to build a tertiary level Hospital by the Saudi Government, in Belmopan, is a promise of the PUP manifesto. This is development. BWSL water expansion and upgrades of its existing facilities and BEL expansion in electricity infrastructure is development. The many buildings under construction, both industrial and residential, the political alignments with foreign trading partners and governments and the “We In The world” deliverance of PlanBelize is development.

The undercurrents of criticism and the creation of discord, by the UDP and its cohorts, in the attempt to undermine the unprecedented development, has not deterred the PUP from achieving the expectations of PlanBelize. However, with Hope Ignited, Hands United and vision renewed and the North Star of PlanBelize the development continues. The PUP is a government of the people, by the people, for the people. Aluta continua, the struggle continues!