BELIZEAN BAD MIND MALA MENTE BELICEÑA en Español

“Apres moi, le deluge” is a legendary quote from King Louis XV of France. Purportedly, he said this about what would happen to France after his death; After me, the flood. In Belize, this infamous quote is associated with the former prime minister when he referred to Belize’s imperilled economic outlook due to the chronic mismanagement, unbridled spending and rampant corruption of his administration were most renowned for. The cryptic proclamation was made on national television by the bird of ill omen, who described just how bad things were. It sent shock waves across a nation already badly hit by the pandemic, the shutdowns and the economic havoc that had begun. As Hon. John Briceño has reminded us in this year’s budget presentation, we are a long way from the million-dollar-a-day borrowing to pay salaries and defaulting on international commercial debt. The bleak days when the devaluation of our dollar seemed inevitable are certainly over.

Any Belizean worth his salt will tell you “Bad mind no prosper!” Indeed, there was a deluge, but instead of the disaster and misfortunes predicted a flood of employment and economic boom and prosperity swept clean through Belize. These happy tidings came from the strong and strategic monetary and fiscal policy. It came from the hard decisions that had to be taken in the first moments to stem the overwhelming tide of debt drowning this country. The PUP Government moved swiftly to reduce debt, specifically 315 million US dollars in poverty due to the Super Bond-Blue Bond swap and the 163 million US dollars from the reduction of the Petro Caribe reduction from Venezuela. Today, there are 68,000 fewer people living in poverty in Belize because of the 51 per cent increase in the hourly minimum wage. There are 14 thousand of public officers whose full wages have already been restored and whose increments will be restored in the new fiscal year. This fiscal year, the budget estimates have no new taxes; in fact, all taxes on sanitary products for women have been eliminated. This alone will benefit half of the population living in Belize.

This year, global overnight travel is expected to grow by 28 per cent and cruise tourism by 13 per cent. Our rate of economic growth at 12.4 per cent is double what the International Monetary fund predicted. This was led by the rise in domestic exports of 46 million dollars, Foreign Direct investment of 15.7 million dollars and remittances of 14 million dollars. The rise in inflation to 6.3 is well below the global average of 8.8 per cent. There are six priority actions for the Belizean government: poverty reduction, economic transformation and growth, trade deficit reduction, citizen security, protection of the environment and stopping corruption. They have identified 224 programs and projects that are critical for the achievement of these priority areas. Through collaboration with private sector partnerships and other stakeholders will engage to participate fully in all these areas.

It sometimes seems as if some bad-minded people wanted Belize to fail, it seems that it was their intention and purpose to sabotage and destroy what little was left and slip out of their hands. Those detractors must now know that you cannot keep good Belizeans down! You knock us down, but you do not knock us out! You destroy and we build back, you squander and waste and we show you time and again how we put the pieces back into something bigger and better than before. The more you hate, the more we raise, the more you bad mouth, and the more venom and poison you spew it turns and taints all you touch till the flood destroys all you have. Those with a pure heart and good intentions will prevail. The deluge that came for Belize was filled with prosperity and better times. Oh yes… Belizeans will tell you because we know, “Bad mind no prosper!”

"Apres moi, le deluge" es una cita legendaria del rey Luis XV de Francia. Supuestamente dijo esto sobre lo que le ocurriría a Francia después de su muerte: "Después de mí, el diluvio". En Belice, esta cita infame se asocia con el ex primer ministro cuando se refirió a las perspectivas económicas en peligro de Belice debido a la mala gestión crónica, el gasto y la corrupción desenfrenadas de su administración. El pájaro de mal agüero hizo esta críptica proclamación en la televisión nacional, describiendo lo mal que estaban las cosas. Causó conmoción en una nación ya muy afectada por la pandemia, los cierres y los estragos económicos que habían comenzado. Como nos ha recordado el Honorable John Briceño en la presentación del presupuesto de este año, estamos muy lejos de los préstamos millonarios diarios para pagar los salarios y del impago de la deuda comercial internacional. Los sombríos días en que la devaluación de nuestro dólar parecía inevitable han pasado a la historia.

Cualquier beliceño que se precie le dirá: "¡Mala mente no prospera!". Efectivamente, hubo un diluvio, pero en lugar del desastre y las desgracias pronosticadas, una avalancha de empleo y bonanza económica y prosperidad barrió Belice. Esas buenas nuevas se debieron a una política monetaria y fiscal fuerte y estratégica. Fueron fruto de las duras decisiones que hubo que tomar en los primeros momentos para frenar la abrumadora marea de deuda que ahogaba a este país. El Gobierno del PUP se movió con rapidez para reducir la deuda, concretamente 315 millones de dólares de la pobreza debido al canje de Super Bonos por Bonos Azules y los 163 millones de dólares de la reducción de la reducción del Petro Caribe de Venezuela. Hoy hay 68.000 personas menos viviendo en pobreza en Belice debido al aumento del 51% del salario mínimo por hora. Hay 14 mil funcionarios públicos a los que ya se les ha restablecido el salario íntegro y cuyos incrementos se restablecerán en el nuevo ejercicio fiscal. Este año fiscal, las estimaciones presupuestarias no tienen nuevos impuestos; de hecho, se han eliminado todos los impuestos sobre los productos sanitarios para mujeres. Esto beneficiará a la mitad de la población que vive en Belice.

Este año se espera que los viajes totales con pernoctación crezcan un 28% y el turismo de cruceros un 13%. Nuestra tasa de crecimiento económico, del 12,4%, duplica las previsiones del Fondo Monetario Internacional. A ello contribuyó el aumento de las exportaciones nacionales (46 millones de dólares), la inversión extranjera directa (15,7 millones de dólares) y las remesas (14 millones de dólares). El aumento de la inflación al 6,3% está muy por debajo de la media mundial del 8,8%. Seis son las acciones prioritarias del gobierno beliceño: reducción de la pobreza, transformación y crecimiento económico, reducción del déficit comercial, seguridad ciudadana, protección del medioambiente y freno a la corrupción. Se han identificado 224 programas y proyectos fundamentales para la consecución de estas áreas prioritarias. Mediante la colaboración con asociaciones del sector privado y otras partes interesadas se comprometerán a participar plenamente en todas estas áreas. A veces parece como si algunas personas malintencionadas quisieran que Belice fracasara, parece que su intención y propósito fuera sabotear y destruir lo poco que quedaba y se les escapaba de las manos. Esos detractores deben saber ahora que no se puede mantener abatidos a los buenos beliceños. Nos derriban, pero no nos eliminan. Ustedes destruyen y reconstruimos, ustedes despilfarran y derrochan, nosotros les mostramos una y otra vez cómo volvemos a poner los pedazos en algo más grande y mejor que antes. Cuanto más odiáis, más crecemos, más habláis mal, y cuanto más veneno y ponzoña escupís, más se vuelve y contamina todo lo que tocáis hasta que el diluvio destruye todo lo que tenéis. Los que tienen un corazón puro y buena intención prevalecerán. El diluvio que llegó a Belice estaba lleno de prosperidad y tiempos mejores. Oh, sí... los beliceños te lo dirán porque lo sabemos: "¡Mala mente no prospera!".

17m Agreement

Signed by Minister of Civil Aviation

New aviation primary radar

Icaza Belize Trust Corporation Limited

Registered Agent

Notice Of Commencement Of Dissolution

Notice is hereby given to all interested parties that the company I-TECH CAPITAL INC. (“the Company”) Registered under the Belize Companies Act 2022 commenced dissolution on the 02nd day of March, 2023; and

Carmen L.O. Visconde of Rua Leopoldo Couto de Magalhaes JR 1200 AP 51, Sao Paulo, Brazil is the Liquidator of the Company.

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Icaza Belize Trust Corporation Limited

Registered Agent

THE

Notice is hereby given that the below company has been dissolved and struck off the International Business Companies Register with effect from the date indicated:

The Government of Belize, through the Ministry of Blue Economy and Civil Aviation, participated in the 250th Ordinary Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Central American Corporation of Air Navigation Services (COCESNA) held in Madrid, Spain, on March 12, 2023. Hon. Andre Perez, Minister of Blue Economy and Civil Aviation, and Kennedy Carrillo, CEO of the ministry, attended the meeting, where a US$8.5-million agreement was signed for the acquisition of a new aviation primary radar and the upgrading of its air traffic control center.

The new primary radar will significantly improve Belize’s control centers and it will provide the opportunity to modernize its air navigation services, making them safer and more secure on a regional and international scale. Belize currently utilizes a secondary surveillance radar system that relies on signals transmitted by equipment on an aircraft to determine its location. The new surveillance radar will emit a signal that bounces off aircraft to determine their positions, even in cases where aircraft are uncooperative or involved in illicit activities.

Furthermore, the COCESNA board members have agreed to provide additional support to Belize to enhance technical capacity-building and legal reform efforts. These measures aim to ensure that Belize's Civil Aviation Regulations fully comply with the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization. The approval of this support demonstrates COCESNA's commitment to improving aviation safety and efficiency in Belize and the wider Central American region.

I-TECH CAPITAL INC. – 14th March, 2023

Icaza Belize Trust Corporation Limited

Registered Agent

Notice Of Commencement Of Dissolution

Notice is hereby given to all interested parties that the company I-TECH CAPITAL INC. (“the Company”) Registered under the Belize Companies Act 2022 commenced dissolution on the 02nd day of March, 2023; and

Announcement

Carmen L.O. Visconde of Rua Leopoldo Couto de Magalhaes JR 1200 AP 51, Sao Paulo, Brazil is the Liquidator of the Company.

March 14, 2023

The Belize Broadcasting Authority hereby reminds media houses of its essential role it plays in the society. The majority of information is delivered to the public by the media. This aids in learning, understanding, and staying connected to other people and to the world in general.

It is therefore vital that our local media be vigilant and responsible in delivering of information to the wider populace.

In any case, the BBA calls for ALL Media houses to cease and desist from disseminating information that: discloses the names of victims of Domestic Violence (DV), Gender Based Violence (GBV) and from using derogatory words that are offensive, disrespectful and discriminatory.

The Broadcasting Authority hereby reminds operators to abide by the terms and conditions set forth in the Broadcasting & Television Act CAP. 227 Laws of Belize.

Icaza Belize Trust Corporation Limited

Registered Agent

The People’s United Party announces a Convention to Elect a Chairperson for the Corozal North Constituency Executive Committee. Convention will take place on Sunday, March 26th, 2023.

Polls will open at 9 a.m. and close at 3 p.m. at the San Antonio Government School in San Antonio Village, Corozal District.

Belize’s OBRS receives a digital champion’s award from the WSIS 2023

Following a comprehensive review by a panel of experts, Belize’s recently launched Online Business Registry System (OBRS) has been selected as a World Summit on the Information Society Prize 2023 Champion

March 15, 2023. In its 8th edition, the World Summit on the Information Society Forum (WSIS) organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and its 193 Member States recently held their WSIS Prizes contest. Belize’s Online Business Registry System (OBRS) which went live on November 28, 2022 was selected this year as a WSIS Prize 2023 Champion in category 7 - E- Business- ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life. The WSIS Prizes 2023 ceremony for Champions took place on March 15th 2023 at the Geneva International Congress Center in Geneva, Switzerland.

OBRS was created with the vision to digitally transform business regis-

BELTRAIDE Hosts BPO Job Preparedness Training in Corozal Town

On Friday, March 10, 2023, the Belize Training and Employment Centre (BTEC), a unit of BELTRAIDE, held a certificate ceremony to mark the end of its two-week Business Process Outsourcing Job Preparedness Training in Corozal Town. This training, held in collaboration with the Corozal Town Council, covered a diverse range of soft and technical skills to prepare participants for entrance into the BPO Industry.

The training is a part of the Government of Belize's push to increase participation in the growing BPO Industry with similar trainings planned to be held across the country. Trainees learnt the importance of professional etiquette, effective communication skills, customer service excellence, telephone etiquette, campaign scripts, expectations of the BPO industry and other essential skills that are needed to excel in the workplace.

A total of 20 participants completed the training program and were referred to Ariston Marketing Co. Ltd. for potential employment opportunities. BELTRAIDE takes this opportunity to thank the Corozal Town Council and Ariston Marketing Ltd. for their collaboration and wishes all the participants great success in their future endeavors.

BPOs were named as one of the economic positives that Belize have at the moment. This naming was on not less than the IMF concluding statement on Belize state of the economy. Today municipalities like Corozal and Dangriga have found it Important to train their citizens in preparation for the BPO Industry coming into town. The unemployment numbers plummeting in Belize Is most likely due to the rise In BPO's all over Belize.

tration thereby enhancing accessibility of business registration services, modernize business registration products, improve data integrity, and raise the awareness of the value of business creation to the economy. OBRS which is based on NRD Companies' Unified Registry Platform URP© is the first digital registry service of its kind in Belize and was one of 900 submitted projects of which 360 were nominated for the online voting following a comprehensive review by a panel of experts. More than 1.5 million votes were then casted and OBRS was among the topmost voted in its category.

Winning the Champion award is a major accomplishment for Belize and stakeholders involved in the execution of the project. WSIS represents the world's largest annual gathering of the ICT for development community and is co-organized by International Telecommunication Union (ITU), UNESCO, UNDP and UNCTAD. The contest was developed in response to requests from WSIS stakeholders to create an effective mechanism to evaluate projects and activities that leverage the power of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to advance sustainable development.

“The WSIS Prizes provides a distinctive worldwide platform for recognizing and highlighting exemplary accomplishments in executing the WSIS Action Lines and SDGs. We are extremely proud of being awarded a Champion Prize and are grateful to the WSIS and ITU for the honor”

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