GOB Tables Fourth Supplementary Appropriation Bill

During the final Sitting of the House of Representatives for this year, a fourth Supplementary Appropriation bill was tabled. Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance, John Briceño tabled the bill seeking the appropriation of twenty-five million Belize dollars. These monies will be apportioned to cover a myriad of initiatives of national importance such as Hurricane Lisa recovery efforts, providing support to upgrade the BDF’s living quarters at Price Barracks, and continuing the Grocery Bag program for constituents. PM Briceño gave a brief breakdown of how the money will be allotted.

Hon. John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “This includes but it is not limited to 1. $2.3 million additional grocery bag food assistance primarily for Belize district. 2. $3.2 million for NEMO related emergency relief, expenditures on various supplies including mattresses and other essentials as well as funding for fuel and other supplies to support the BDF’s assistance in emergency clean up and related efforts in connection with Hurricane Lisa. 3. $3.2 million in emergency relief including home repair supplies like zinc and plywood to those most affected by Hurricane Lisa in constituencies in the Belize district. 4. $.27 million for major repair and reconstruction works at Price Barracks in Ladyville and other national defense facilities. You should see the appalling conditions that the BDF is living in. I mean it’s shameful that we had PetroCaribe money, we had the oil money over a billion dollars and they did nothing to try to fix the living facilities of the BDF.”