Government Unveils $800K Plan to Tackle Homelessness Crisis

Prime Minister John Briceño has announced a major government initiative aimed at addressing the growing homelessness crisis in Belize, a move that comes amid mounting public concern following several incidents in which homeless or mentally ill individuals have assaulted random passersby, often with no legal repercussions.  Cabinet has approved a plan to allocate more than eight hundred thousand dollars toward the establishment and expansion of shelter homes and support facilities in Belize City, Orange Walk, Cayo, and Stann Creek.

John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “Minister of human development presented a paper to cabinet where they expect to spend over eight hundred thousand dollars to be able to set up new homes, not only in Belize but like in Orange Walk to look after the north, in Cayo and in Stann Creek. Homelessness is becoming a serious problem in our society and it’s a sad one. In many instances many times these people have mental issues and I know that lot’s of time people say the families don’t care for them, a lot of families try and they try and they finally get frustrated and then they end up on the streets and then now I think we believe that as a government and a people we have a responsibility, a moral responsibility to do something for them. So the plan was presented to Cabinet, it was approved but then we need to look at the budget. I wa speaking with the CEO of investment suggested that maybe what we could do is the Boledo has become very very successful remember under the UDP they were collecting about $2.5 million. This year it seems that we’re going to make about $25 million dollars in profit, ten times more than what was happening under the UDP. So I was suggesting, thinking that maybe we should take monies from the Boledo to be able to menace this.”

Prime Minister Briceño stressed that the issue is not only one of public safety but also of social responsibility, noting that many individuals living on the streets is affected by untreated mental health conditions. He acknowledged that families are often overwhelmed and lack the resources to adequately care for relatives who require specialized support.

The Prime Minister indicated that while funding mechanisms are still being finalized, increased revenues from the national Boledo lottery are being considered as a key source to help sustain the expansion of these critical services.  Government officials say the initiative is intended to provide structured care, reduce risks to the public, and offer humane interventions for vulnerable individuals, as authorities seek a more comprehensive response to a problem that has increasingly affected communities across the country.