Prime Minister John Briceno Reflects on G-7 Movement in his Political Career

As Prime Minister, John Briceno celebrates his 30 years in politics, he appeared on The Morning Show today where he reflected on some moments in his career. One of those events was the G-7 movement that he was a part of under the Said Musa administration.  It was a moment in Belize’s political history that the older heads would recall clearly.  Here is how, Briceno explained that point in his career, some nineteen years later.  

Hon. John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “Well the G7 again it was not something that we planned. We simply wanted to speak to then Prime Minister Musa our concerns about the way we were managing the finances of the country and felt that we need to really take stock, that we cannot continue to spend the way we’re spending monies and that we also have to be more accountable on what we’re doing. And from there it spiraled out to where it reached to where seven senior Cabinet ministers stepped out of the Cabinet. All of that could have been avoided if we could have spoken, if the Prime Minister would back then would have sat down with us and said, okay let’s see how we can fix it. But eventually, we fixed it. But after the G7 we turned things around in this country. We fixed the finances of the country.”

Fast forward today, and Briceno is now at the helm, and is wiser in politics.  He explained how his past has given him lessons in doing better and not repeating mistakes made in previous administrations.  

Hon. John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “So we turned things around.” 

Ernesto Vasquez, Host, The Morning Show: But by that time it was too late huh ?

Hon. John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “It was too late, yes. But also it was a tremendous cost because we had to raise certain taxes. We had to let go a lot of contract people. We had to tighten the belt. But credit needs to be given to former Prime Minister Musa, to have listened after that and for us to be able to literally roll up our sleeve and work and fix the finances of this country. It’s about investing wisely. Look at right now at the technical where we’re putting the STEAM building. Again the former minister used to talk a lot about that project, but they did nothing. It is when we came in Francis took it on and make it a reality. Then we had to go with IDB and they lend us the money. We’re building it and it’s going to be something that is going to be addressing the future of this country, preparing our kids for the future in mathematics, in computer sciences. So this is what you do, you invest wisely, so you can get back returns.”