On Tuesday, August 13th, Dr. Osmond Martinez was officially sworn in as the new Area Representative for the constituency of Toledo East. An official ceremony was held at the residence of the Governor General, Her Excellency Dame Froyla Tzalam, in the Capital City of Belmopan, where it was also announced that Martinez would be Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Trade.
Martinez dominated the by-election held on July 17th, garnering 70% of the votes and winning a landslide victory under the People’s United Party. His immediate family and supporters accompanied Martinez. His new Cabinet colleagues, the Honorable Kareem Musa, Rodwell Ferguson, Jose Mai, Kevin Bernard, Francis Fonseca and the Prime Minister John Briceño, attended the special occasion.
The new Minister of State for Foreign Trade is not new to the government as he served as the Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Economic Development. He said to be ready for the challenge. “I welcome the challenge; based on the experience I have gained at the Ministry of Economic Development, I think that I’m well equipped,” Martinez told the media. “It’s not only about me, but also about a team and I do believe that presently the Ministry of Foreign Trade under the leadership of the Honourable Francis Fonseca has been doing a fantastic job, plus he has a team. So, it’s just about guiding the team and continuing to do the work that they have been doing.” In regard to trade, Martinez said the government continues to diversify having discussions to further integrate in markets like Mexico and Central America. “There is a lot that needs to be done in terms of trade and commerce. I will be having a meeting with the Honourable Fonseca to let me know what the next steps and the vision will be we should follow,” Martinez said.
The Honorable Martinez also spoke about some of the priorities in his constituency. The creation of jobs was placed as a top priority. “When you look at Punta Gorda Town and the surrounding villages in Toledo East, unemployment is very high, and it has been historically. That is one of the biggest challenges, to create jobs and to even sustain jobs in Toledo East,” he said. Martinez added that there is also the need to increase human capital in that area of the country; education is one way to do so. Martinez noted that there is a need for diversification in the expertise to upscale and re-skill the labor force to mitigate the mismatch in the supply and demand within the labor force presently in the country.
Prime Minister Briceño supported Martinez through his campaign and stated he was very talented and experienced. The new government minister is expected to make his first appearance in the House of Representatives next month.
Share
Read more
