Prime Minister Honourable Dr. John Briceño

On Friday, March 8th, Prime Minister Honourable Dr. John Briceño presented the 2024-2025 fiscal budget under the theme ‘Staying on Track’. The budget prioritizes job creation, economic stimulus, support for the producing sector, and expansion in access to education. During the budget presentation at the House of Representatives in the Capital City of Belmopan, the Prime Minister also mentioned plans to expand the coverage of the National Health Insurance Programme across the country. During his address, he also cited global factors as the cause of the high cost of living in the country.

Area Representative for Belize Rural South (BRS) (Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker), Honourable Andre Perez, was granted a leave of absence from Cabinet and consequently from his Ministry of Blue Economy and Civil Aviation in August 2023 following allegations against him from a woman. An investigation was to occur before his return to Cabinet. Almost five months have passed, and the BRS representative remains out of Cabinet without a ministry. On Wednesday, January 17th, Prime Minister Honourable Dr. John Briceño told the media that no decision has been made regarding Perez's return to Cabinet and his ministerial duties.

After days of negotiations over the terms of a commercial agreement between the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA) and the American Sugar Refinery (ASR)/Belize Sugar Industries (BSI), the two parties finally inked the new contract on Monday evening, January 8th. The negotiations occurred at the Yo Creek Agricultural Station near Orange Walk Town in northern Belize, where Prime Minister Honourable Dr. John Briceño acted as mediator.

A Belizean pilot, Jason Smith, was on the flight crew that brought down Belize JetBlue's inaugural non-stop flight on Wednesday, December 6th, from New York City's John Fitzgerald Kennedy International Airport. Smith, a native of Punta Gorda Town (PG) in the Toledo District, was honored to pilot the Airbus A320 that touched down at the Philip Goldson International Airport (PGIA) on Wednesday afternoon.

The People's United Party (PUP) town council slate in San Pedro Town hosted their endorsement convention on Saturday, December 1st, at the Honourable Louis Sylvestre Sporting Complex. Current San Pedro Town Council Members, Mayor Gualberto' Wally' Nuñez and councilors Dianeli Aranda, Ernesto Bardalez, Jose Castellanos, Marina Kay, Adaly Ayuso, and Johonnia Duarte are completing their first term in office and aspire to be re-elected in the municipal elections set for March 2024.

The first Margaritaville Beach Resort in Belize was officially inaugurated on Wednesday, October 4th, in northern Ambergris Caye after a soft opening in March of this year. The new resort, located 13 miles north of San Pedro Town, is described as a secluded, family-friendly hideaway with a stunning beach in front of the second-longest coral reef in the world. The ribbon-cutting ceremony and program included dignitaries and special guests, who were later introduced to the different services and amenities offered by the new beach resort.

On Saturday, September 2nd, the construction plans of a five-star Four Seasons resort on Caye Chapel were revealed during a groundbreaking ceremony on the private island. The international luxury hotel and resort company plans to construct a 104-room hotel, 50 private residences, a 10-hole White Shark Golf Course designed by retired professional golfer Greg Norman, and over-the-water accommodations that include hotel guests’ rooms, shared facilities, and a detached swimming area offshore. Other amenities will include an upgraded marina, health and wellness facility, a private beach clubhouse, restaurants, cafes, and a 3,400-foot runway for Cessna planes. Caye Chapel Four Seasons is set to open in 2025.

Prime Minister Honourable Dr. John Briceño officially opened the second edition of the Belize Investment Summit on Thursday, August 31st, at the Grand Caribe Resort north of San Pedro Town. The summit, held under the theme 'Belize: Endless Opportunities!' is organized to attract local and foreign investment to the country. One of the main topics highlighted at the summit's opening is the importance of exploring other aspects to build the economy, one of these being the Orange Economy, explained by special guest and keynote speaker former Colombian President Ivan Duque Marquez.