Carib Scope

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  • SLM krijgt maandelijks USD 2 miljoen van staat ondanks ontbreken jaarverslagen

    SLM krijgt maandelijks USD 2 miljoen van staat ondanks ontbreken jaarverslagen

    Suriname’s government is currently grappling with a pressing governance and fiscal challenge centered on the state-owned national carrier, Surinaamse Luchtvaart Maatschappij (SLM). According to an official announcement from Finance and Planning Minister Adelien Wijnerman during a ministry press conference on Friday, the state has been transferring approximately $2 million in public funds to SLM every single month to keep the struggling airline’s operations running — yet the finance ministry has not received the company’s up-to-date annual financial reports.

    Wijnerman confirmed the ongoing monthly transfers in response to questions from attending journalists, stating plainly, “We transfer around $2 million to SLM every month.” When asked whether the ministry had obtained the required recent annual reports, she gave a clear negative answer: “No, we have not received the annual reports.”

    The lack of transparent financial disclosure leaves the government in a bind. While the finance ministry has no access to current financial data to evaluate SLM’s performance and fiscal needs, Wijnerman noted that the state has had no choice but to continue the emergency support to prevent the airline from halting operations entirely. “Up to now, unfortunately, we have had to do this,” the minister added.

    Discussions between government officials and SLM leadership over the carrier’s financial standing have been ongoing for quite some time. Following a cabinet meeting this past Wednesday, officials have scheduled an emergency emergency consultation in the near term to map out a clear path forward for the future of state financial support for the airline.

    Beyond the missing reports, the finance ministry is moving to formalize the nature of state aid to SLM. Officials want to avoid the monthly transfers being classified as non-recoverable subsidies, and have already reached an initial agreement with SLM to reclassify all current and past support as formal loans that the airline will be required to repay to the state. “We do not call this a subsidy, because you do not get subsidies back,” Wijnerman explained, noting that the ministry expects to recover the allocated public funds from SLM over time. It is also working to document all past aid disbursements to the carrier to formalize those as loans as well.

    At present, the ministry is still compiling a full accounting of total state support SLM has received over previous years, and Wijnerman said officials are not yet able to release a final aggregate figure. The current direct financing structure through the finance ministry replaced an earlier arrangement from the previous administration that routed aid through state-owned mining company Grassalco, which is no longer in effect.

    The minister also emphasized that SLM is not an isolated case: multiple state-owned enterprises across Suriname have accumulated significant backlogs in submitting required financial documentation, and SLM is among the companies with the largest delays. While the ministries of Finance and Economic Affairs have repeatedly pressured SOEs to meet their mandatory annual reporting obligations, Wijnerman acknowledged that the finance ministry has so far not implemented strong enforcement measures to compel companies to submit the required documents.

    This issue carries particular urgency for SLM due to the ongoing monthly multi-million-dollar public outlay. Wijnerman stressed that the current transfers are emergency support to address SLM’s immediate crisis, not regular budgeted subsidies, which makes a formal long-term arrangement all the more critical. The ministry has already drafted preliminary documents to formalize the loan structure, which will be discussed with SLM leadership in upcoming talks.

    If current monthly support levels are maintained for a full calendar year, total public funding to SLM will reach roughly $24 million. The upcoming emergency consultation will allow the government to decide how long this financing can continue, under what terms it will be provided, and what repayment framework SLM will follow to return public funds to the state.

  • Steep Electricity Costs Leave Belizeans Feeling Powerless

    Steep Electricity Costs Leave Belizeans Feeling Powerless

    As Belize continues to grapple with a cripplingly high cost of living, a sudden sharp spike in residential electricity tariffs has pushed thousands of households further into financial distress, prompting top government officials to launch a public inquiry into the price hike.

    On August 21, 2026, Prime Minister John Briceño confirmed that he has formally instructed Michel Chebat, the country’s Minister of Public Utilities, to convene urgent talks with top leadership from Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) — the national power utility — and the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), the independent regulatory body overseeing the sector. Following these closed-door discussions, Briceño mandated that both agencies must present their findings directly to the public and media no later than early next week, to clarify the root causes of the unexpected tariff increase that has left many Belizeans unable to cover their monthly energy costs.

    In an interview, Briceño emphasized that he shares the public’s deep frustration over soaring power prices, noting that the affordability of basic utilities has become one of the most pressing challenges facing households across the country. He acknowledged that external global pressures have placed unavoidable strain on the nation’s energy market: the government retains control over domestic tax policy, which it has not raised to offset higher costs, but has little influence over international fuel prices and the cost of imported goods that feed into energy generation expenses. Despite these constraints, Briceño stressed that the administration has already implemented every feasible measure to ease the financial burden on ordinary citizens.

    The recent price adjustment, which adds one and a half cents per kilowatt-hour to consumer bills, was formally approved by the PUC in a recent ruling. Briceño explained that the government had pushed aggressively to delay the increase for as long as possible, but ultimately accepted that the adjustment was unavoidable amid a growing domestic energy crisis.

    The core of the crisis stems from a significant energy shortage during peak daily usage hours, when BEL is forced to purchase supplementary power from external suppliers at rates far higher than what it charges consumers. Currently, the utility pays as much as one U.S. dollar per kilowatt-hour for this emergency power, but sells it to domestic customers for just 40 to 42 Belizean cents — a gap that forces BEL to operate at a steep loss, even before accounting for transmission and infrastructure maintenance costs. Briceño noted that the government has capped price increases for months to protect consumers, but the unsustainable losses eventually made a small adjustment unavoidable.

    Looking ahead, Briceño highlighted a potential path to long-term relief that grew out of an energy emergency declaration the government issued several months prior. In recent meetings with BEL’s Executive Chairman Ambassador Young and senior energy ministry officials, utility leaders confirmed that the emergency framework has cleared the way for new independent power producers to enter the Belizean market and expand domestic generation capacity. Briceño projected that within six to 12 months, four to five new generation projects will come online, cutting BEL’s annual operating costs by an estimated $28 million in the first year alone. While he cautioned that expanding energy infrastructure requires time and cannot deliver immediate relief to households struggling with current bills, the projected cost savings are expected to create conditions for more stable, affordable power prices in the near future.

    This report is adapted from a transcript of an evening television newscast, with all local Kriol-language commentary transcribed using a standardized spelling system for accessibility.

  • Saudi Solar Project in Belize Faces Lengthy Delays

    Saudi Solar Project in Belize Faces Lengthy Delays

    Belize’s push to strengthen national energy security and expand its renewable energy portfolio has hit significant unexpected snags, with two high-priority infrastructure projects facing prolonged holdups, Prime Minister John Briceño has confirmed. Among the most high-profile is a large-scale Saudi-funded solar energy initiative, which has been stuck in bureaucratic limbo despite years of planning and final approval of its multi-million dollar financing.

    Briceño explained that Belize moved quickly to secure financing from Saudi Arabian development partners early in the project planning process. While Saudi authorities approved the requested loan almost immediately, moving through the large institution’s multi-layered procedural steps has stretched on for years. As a large global actor with a wide range of competing domestic and international priorities, Saudi administrative bodies have moved slowly to advance the Belize project, Briceño noted. Currently, Belizean authorities are just at the stage of identifying and engaging qualified developers ready to break ground on the solar installation.

    A second key renewable project, a 40-megawatt energy storage facility that is being backed by a $100 million loan from the World Bank, has faced its own unusual barrier: a squatter who occupied the project site for two full years. The site, located in San Pedro, is owned by Belize Electricity Limited (BEL), and the squatter claimed to be occupying the land to protect native iguana populations. Briceño dismissed the claim as a fraudulent pretense for illegal occupancy, stressing that the site is not a unique or critical protected habitat for the species.

    The prime minister revealed he held meetings with World Bank officials this week to push for unblocking the project, criticizing Washington-based bureaucratic processes for holding up progress over an illegal occupancy that should not derail a nationally critical infrastructure initiative. If the energy storage project were operational, Briceño noted, Belize would already be able to import low-cost excess energy from Mexico during overnight hours, when imported power costs just 3 to 4 cents per unit, delivering significant savings to consumers and strengthening the country’s energy grid resilience.

    The delays come as Belize has made expanding renewable energy capacity a core policy goal to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and boost long-term energy affordability and security for households and businesses across the country.

  • When Will Belizean Workers Earn More?

    When Will Belizean Workers Earn More?

    As the cost of basic goods and services continues to squeeze household budgets across Belize, demands for a long-promised minimum wage increase are growing louder, putting the Briceño administration in the spotlight over its response to the country’s cost-of-living crisis.

    The current debate was reignited by Union Senator Glenfield Dennison, who drew a stark comparison to highlight the inadequacy of Belize’s current $5 per hour minimum wage: even one full hour of work at the base pay rate is barely enough to cover the cost of a single gallon of gasoline. Dennison has repeated calls for the government to raise the minimum wage to $6 an hour, a step that has been delayed for months as policymakers weigh competing economic pressures.

    In a recent interview with reporters, Prime Minister John Briceño laid out the government’s rationale for the delay, explaining that a responsible approach requires balancing the needs of low-wage workers with the realities of the private sector. Briceño noted that hasty, large-scale wage increases would push businesses that are already struggling with rising operating costs to cut jobs, slow expansion, or pass additional costs onto consumers through higher prices, worsening the country’s inflation trajectory.

    “I would have implemented this increase yesterday if I could,” Briceño told reporters. “But any policy change requires a careful process. We have committed to raising the rate by one dollar to $6 an hour, but we first promised the Belize Chamber of Commerce that we would sit down for detailed discussions to determine a timeline that works for all stakeholders.” Briceño also pushed back on Dennison’s public criticism, suggesting the union senator does not fully grasp the full scope of economic tradeoffs the government must consider.

    Beyond the minimum wage debate, the prime minister defended his administration’s existing efforts to ease financial strain on Belizean families, pointing to a series of policy changes designed to put more disposable income into household pockets. These include raising the income tax exemption threshold, expanding the country’s National Health Insurance program to cover more residents, and eliminating tuition, uniform, and textbook fees for students at all government-run high schools. Briceño also noted that the government has no control over the price of imported goods, which make up the vast majority of consumer products in Belize and have driven much of the recent growth in living costs.

    Even with these measures in place, many Belizeans continue to report that existing support is not enough to offset rising grocery, utility, and fuel prices. When reporters pressed Briceño on the status of a previously proposed government-run community store initiative designed to lower prices for basic goods, he confirmed the project is still in development. The administration plans to cap markup on essential items at just 5% to keep prices affordable, but officials are still working to secure the right private sector partners to avoid creating a long-term drain on public finances. The proposal will initially stock around 100 of the most commonly purchased basic consumer products, once the framework is finalized.

    This report is a transcript of a televised evening news broadcast, with all Kriol-language statements transcribed using a standardized spelling system.

  • National Bus Company Targets Fully Electric Fleet by 2027

    National Bus Company Targets Fully Electric Fleet by 2027

    In a strategic move to reshape the country’s public transportation sector, the government has announced a revised investment framework for the newly launched National Bus Company (NBC), with an ambitious sustainability target: replacing the entire fleet with fully electric buses by the end of 2027.

    Originally, the government planned to transfer ownership of 20 million dollars worth of existing bus terminals to the new public entity. Under the revised plan, Cabinet will instead lease these public assets to NBC, and build the government’s stake in the company through the purchase of new zero-emission buses over the next two years. The shift in investment strategy was outlined by Transport Minister Dr. Louis Zabaneh, who detailed the rationale behind the decision to pursue a public-private partnership (PPP) model instead of full nationalization of the fragmented bus sector.

    Dr. Zabaneh explained that full nationalization would have imposed a far heavier financial burden on public coffers. Independent valuations of the 17 existing private operators that have already joined NBC, with one additional operator set to join imminently and four more in the pipeline, put the total compensation cost for these entities at just over 19 million dollars. Extrapolating this valuation to cover all private bus operators across the country would have required 25 million dollars in government spending to buy out all private stakeholders – a cost the government chose to avoid through the PPP structure.

    Crucially, the minister emphasized that all participating private operators joined the partnership voluntarily. “You have not heard anybody come in the media who are members of the NBC to say that their hands were twisted to be a member of the NBC,” Dr. Zabaneh noted, pushing back against potential speculation of forced consolidation in the sector.

    Beyond the transition to electric vehicles, NBC has already laid out its next major infrastructure upgrade: rolling out a unified electronic ticketing and payment system that will modernize fare collection and improve convenience for riders across the network.

    This restructuring marks a major shift in the country’s public transportation landscape, balancing public oversight of a critical public service with private sector participation, while prioritizing climate action through a rapid transition to zero-emission public transit.

  • Belize City Commuters Embrace Electric Buses

    Belize City Commuters Embrace Electric Buses

    More than two years after launching a small-scale pilot electric bus program, Belize City is moving forward with a major expansion of its clean public transit initiative, responding to overwhelming demand from local commuters who have quickly embraced the zero-emission service. The city’s pilot launched with just two electric buses, but early results have convinced leaders to add four more vehicles to the growing e-Ride network, with the Belize City Council now accepting competitive bids from suppliers to complete the purchase.

    Neil Hall, e-mobility consultant and E-Transit Coordinator for the Belize City Council, shared that early adoption has far outstripped initial projections for the program. “Our buses consistently operate at full capacity, and during peak rush hour periods, they often run over capacity with standing passengers,” Hall explained. “We are fortunate our vehicles are equipped to accommodate this level of demand safely.”

    Currently, the two pilot electric buses only serve a limited core route covering a small section of Belize City, leaving many surrounding neighborhoods without access to the clean transit option. Hall noted that expanding the network will open up the benefits of electric public transit to a far larger share of the city’s population, giving commuters a new alternative to existing private transit services.

    Hall emphasized that the expansion is not intended to displace existing transit providers, but rather to give residents choice. “We’re not trying to take anybody’s business, but we will make it possible for others to choose us if they so desire,” he said.

    Among the most praised features of the e-Ride service are the quality-of-life benefits that set electric buses apart from traditional fossil-fuel models. The vehicles operate with near-silent performance, produce zero tailpipe pollution, and avoid the soot and exhaust fumes common to older diesel buses. They also deliver a far smoother, more comfortable ride for passengers.

    An unexpected but widely appreciated accessibility feature has also made the service a hit with vulnerable residents: all e-Ride buses are low-floor models, requiring just one small step to enter the vehicle. This design makes boarding far easier for senior citizens, people living with disabilities, and commuters who use wheelchairs or mobility walking aids.

    “We didn’t know that when we stepped in, that we’d be helping so many people to get through their day and make their lives that much easier,” Hall added.

    Official ridership data underscores the program’s popularity: over the first two years of pilot operation, more than 380,000 passenger trips have been taken on the two electric buses. To fund the purchase of four additional buses, the city will draw from proceeds of its municipal bond issue. Once the new vehicles arrive, leaders plan to extend service to entirely new routes across the city, as well as adjust the existing pilot route to better serve demand.

  • SSB CEO Deflects Questions on Controversial BTL Board Vote

    SSB CEO Deflects Questions on Controversial BTL Board Vote

    On August 21, 2026, a controversial split vote on a major corporate acquisition has sparked public debate in Belize, after two directors appointed by the Social Security Board (SSB) to the Board of Telecom Belize (BTL) cast opposing votes on BTL’s planned purchase of telecommunications provider Speednet. The conflicting positions from two representatives of the same major institutional stakeholder have left citizens and industry observers questioning what official stance, if any, SSB holds on the high-stakes transaction.

    Following a public presentation outlining SSB’s current financial standing, investment portfolio, and strategic priorities, SSB Chief Executive Officer Jerome Palma was pressed by reporter Shane Williams to address widespread public curiosity around the vote and the guidance SSB provided to its nominated BTL board members.

    When Williams first asked what internal deliberations SSB conducted ahead of the board vote to inform its representatives’ decisions, Palma declined to expand on details of the decision-making process. He argued that the vote was an internal matter for the BTL board, and that questions on the outcome should be directed to BTL leadership rather than SSB management.

    Williams followed up by pressing Palma to confirm whether SSB’s own governing board had taken an official position on the acquisition ahead of the BTL vote. Palma clarified that SSB never held a formal vote to establish an institutional stance, framing the acquisition decision as a matter for BTL rather than the social security fund. He noted that the national cabinet, as the government body holding ultimate decision-making authority over the transaction, has already issued its own position, and redirected all further questions to cabinet and BTL leadership.

    When asked whether SSB’s BTL representatives are required to report their voting rationales back to the SSB board, Palma confirmed that the representatives do provide updates. He emphasized that the acquisition represents a major holding for SSB’s investment portfolio, and ongoing monitoring of the asset is a core responsibility of SSB management. However, he again deflected requests to share why the two SSB-nominated directors cast opposing votes, repeating that the inquiry should be directed to BTL and the national government.

    Currently, SSB holds three appointments on the 12-member BTL board of directors. Records confirm that of the three SSB representatives, Arturo Lizarraga supported the Speednet acquisition, while the other two nominees – Allan Pollard and Anissa Perdomo – voted against the purchase. This report is a transcribed version of an evening television news broadcast, with all Kriol-language comments transcribed using a standardized spelling system for accessibility.

  • Government and PSU Trade Blame Over Revenue Authority Readiness

    Government and PSU Trade Blame Over Revenue Authority Readiness

    A high-profile public disagreement has broken out between Belize’s national government and the Public Service Union (PSU) over the progress of the controversial Revenue Authority Bill, with both sides trading blame over the failure to resolve stakeholder concerns before the legislation moves to formal parliamentary approval. The core of the conflict centers on a fundamental question: was the government’s consultation process with union representatives a substantive effort to incorporate worker feedback, or just a procedural box-ticking exercise designed to lend legitimacy to a pre-determined outcome?

    From the union’s perspective, the process has been deeply flawed. PSU leaders note that while the government initially invited public service workers to participate in discussions around the bill, it ultimately pushed the legislation forward without ensuring that the union’s key concerns about transition preparedness and worker protections were formally considered by the parliamentary review committee. The union has also raised persistent questions about whether the government has put in place the robust operational frameworks needed to smoothly transition existing tax administration functions to the new revenue authority, warning that a rushed rollout could create major disruptions and harm worker rights.

    Prime Minister John Briceño has pushed back forcefully against these criticisms in his recent public remarks, shifting the full blame for the stalled consultation back to the union. Briceño emphasized that while he holds respect for the PSU as a representative of public service workers, a clear line of responsibility must be established: the government holds the mandate to set national policy, while unions fulfill the role of advocating for their membership. He went on to detail the timeline of the consultation process, noting that union leadership was included in every step of preliminary reviews of the bill through June and July of this year.

    According to the prime minister, the review committee formally requested the PSU submit its proposed changes to the legislation by mid-July, with an extended deadline granted after the initial window passed. Despite this accommodation, Briceño claims the union failed to submit any formal amendments to the committee for consideration. In contrast, he noted that the national Chamber of Commerce submitted its own recommendations focused specifically on protecting existing employee rights, including provisions that allow current tax service workers who remain in government positions to retain their existing employment terms, while those who transfer to the new Semi-Autonomous Revenue Authority (SARA) would receive equivalent working conditions to those they enjoyed in the public service. Briceño confirmed the government has already implemented these requested changes to protect workers.

    Briceño added that while the union has now claimed it submitted feedback, the materials were never presented to the parliamentary House Committee, a step that falls under the union’s own procedural responsibility. Despite the public disagreement, the prime minister stressed that the government remains open to continued collaboration with the PSU and hopes to resolve remaining differences moving forward.

    Even so, Briceño remains adamant that the bill must advance through the National Assembly without further delay. The government’s core policy goal for the new revenue authority is to create greater administrative efficiencies in tax collection and revenue management, reforms that Briceño argues are critical to the country’s long-term fiscal health. This newscast is a transcribed excerpt from an evening television broadcast, originally published on August 21, 2026.

  • 53 Constitutional Reforms Tabled, What Happened to the Other 114?

    53 Constitutional Reforms Tabled, What Happened to the Other 114?

    Belize’s multi-year push for constitutional overhaul has reached a key legislative milestone this week, after independent external reviewers and the Attorney General’s Ministry whittled down 167 citizen-led reform proposals to just 53 advancing proposals for further consideration.

    The proposals were originally crafted and submitted by the People’s Constitution Commission (PCC), a body established to collect input from ordinary Belizeans on updating the country’s foundational governance document, which was drafted ahead of Belize’s independence in 1981. Following months of closed-door scrutiny by legal experts and government officials, the trimmed 53-proposal package has now been formally tabled before the National Assembly, setting in motion a months-long public engagement process ahead of a national referendum.

    In an official address outlining the government’s next steps, Prime Minister John Briceño explained that the dramatic reduction in proposals was the result of rigorous technical and legal vetting, emphasizing that it was not feasible to adopt every recommendation put forward by the PCC. “Not all of the original recommendations can be taken on board,” Briceño noted, adding that a deliberate, inclusive public education process is critical before Belizeans cast their votes on the changes.

    Briceño outlined that the government will launch a widespread national public awareness campaign over the coming six to eight months, designed to walk citizens through the 53 remaining proposals, explain the government’s reasoning for retaining or excluding other submissions, and create a structured pathway for the public to submit additional feedback before the referendum is held.

    “Over the next months as government engages in awareness campaigns, I encourage all Belizeans to assess and review the PCC reports with its recommendations, and participate in a sober and responsible manner,” the prime minister said.

    The reform process, which was first launched in response to widespread public calls for updates to Belize’s governing framework, has faced repeated delays over the past several years. The upcoming public engagement period is expected to give civil society groups, community organizations, and individual voters time to debate the proposed changes before any binding national vote takes place.

  • Is GOB Borrowing Millions Without A Clear Plan?

    Is GOB Borrowing Millions Without A Clear Plan?

    A proposed $200 million government-to-government loan from Taiwan to Belize’s Briceño administration has ignited heated political debate over national spending priorities, with opposition leaders questioning the government’s lack of a clear allocation plan amid soaring household energy costs. The 20-year flexible financing package, which has no earmarked projects attached, will disburse $40 million to Belize by the end of 2026, with the full amount rolled out over a five-year period.

    Opposition Leader Tracy Panton has centered her criticism on the lack of transparency around how much of the funding will be directed toward improving Belize’s energy security — a pressing issue for ordinary citizens grappling with exponentially rising electricity bills that show no signs of slowing. Panton told parliament that Belizean households are currently bearing crippling energy costs with no clear policy solution from the incumbent administration, demanding clarity on whether the loan will address this urgent livelihood crisis. Panton specifically called out the government for failing to outline what portion of the $100 million disbursement earmarked for the first phase of the loan will be allocated to energy infrastructure and cost relief.

    In response to opposition scrutiny, Prime Minister John Briceño defended the flexible terms of the agreement, noting that the unrestricted nature of the loan is a deliberate choice designed to allow the government to cover local matching fund requirements for larger capital investment projects backed by multilateral development partners. Briceño clarified that priority areas for spending include ongoing core infrastructure projects, such as the ongoing expansion and upgrade of the George Price Highway, one of the country’s most critical transportation arteries. The prime minister pushed back on criticism, noting that the agreement is a standard government-to-government financing arrangement, and that the government’s capital investment plan will deliver broad benefits to the Belizean economy.

    The debate comes as Belize continues to navigate economic headwinds driven by global energy price volatility that has pushed up utility costs for households across the country, making energy affordability a top political issue ahead of future policy debates. The lack of earmarked spending has raised questions about fiscal accountability even as the government frames the loan as a flexible tool to advance ongoing national development projects.