Tighten up! Mo Haad Time di Come

Friday, February 12, 2010, 13:38

This news item was posted in Headline category and has 3 Comments so far.

barrow looking foolish (1) Prime Minister Dean Barrow told Belizeans on Wednesday that the worst is yet to come and without the usual confidence one expects from the leader of a country, he asked the nation to have “understanding” and to be “patient.”

In what will go down in history as one of the most abysmal press conferences ever held in Belize, the Prime Minster stood before the nation and said: “The upcoming fiscal year is going to be the hardest of the UDP term.” He went on to say that the numbers were not good. “The Financial Secretary and his team, I don’t want to blame poor Joe for everything, tells me that we are looking at a deficit of about $60 million.”

For Belizeans the numbers not adding up mean nothing in the face of their everyday reality. The rising cost of basic food items; the fear of losing their jobs and the unceasing crime and violence, are evidence of the fact that things are not adding up in Belize.

In the business community the number of Belizean business persons who are one step away from bankruptcy increase by the day. The lack of any real stimulus to help small businesses and those in the agro productive sector has led to an ever increasing lack of confidence by bankers and investors. The amount of mortgage foreclosures published in the newspapers increase on a weekly basis signalling the difficulties faced by Belizean families to meet their basic needs.

At the same time, the 60 million dollar shortfall in government revenues can only lead to further cuts and a decrease in government’s services. To make matters worse, the fear that the Prime Minister will resort to an increase in taxes is also increasing.

There is only the hollow promise that things will get better. There is only Barrow’s words, and Barrow words alone, that things will get better. There is no plan, no strategy, no nothing. Barrow failed to prepare and so we must now be prepared for failure.

He could not even offer a single idea for closing the deficit gap. Who wants to bet that he will resort to retrenchment and taxes?

And on the other side of the economic ledger, public officers will not only not get a cost of living adjustment to ease the steep escalation in prices, but there is growing concern that the axe will soon swing. And we all know it won’t start with the fat salaried contract officers.

Dean Barrow tried to act as though it was good news when he said that fiscal incentives fell from 1 billion dollars in 2008 to just 189 million in 2009, yet still he glowingly forecasted that that number will grow to 500 million in 2010. The fact is that foreign investment has dried up, remittances have turned to pittances, and now the heretofore growing financial services sector is under threat.

Our single largest foreign change earner, tourism, has been without a captain of the industry at the helm of the Belize Tourism Board for months, and turf wars and personality conflicts have determined that we are assured of yet another lost season of opportunity. Even if the industry rebounds in other places we can be sure that Belize will be the last to see those benefits.

He gropes in the dark of his lack of vision, failing to understand that inflation has turned to deflation and the economy plummets from recession to depression.

For ordinary Belizeans the economic forecast says that things are going from bad to worse. Old Kriol people used to say wi gawn fram grace to grass, and now fram grass to r—s.

Tings haada out ya!

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3 Responses to “Tighten up! Mo Haad Time di Come”

christian ku said on Saturday, February 13, 2010, 13:55

it sadence me as a belizean to see a man who we elected as leader the hon. dean barrow, to be broking our country apart trying to do nothing about the recession in belize but instead he is increasing tax, man that is nansence, how will a man like him increase tax to the belizean people when the country is facing an economical recesion, also it is him same who is chasing foreighn investors to not invest in our country, why? because of what he did to b.t.l it is sad to hear this but i know for a fact that the other administration would have done more in the countries betterment i placed my faith and confidence in the U.D.P but not any more this country is ready to give a change thank you.
Rick Hofacker said on Wednesday, February 17, 2010, 9:52

Hello Belize, Im writing you all to let you know about things here in north carolina. Ive been layed off for 14 months now. Im a finish carpenter. We just cant build, when they keep foreclosing on families in record numbers. Food has gone through the roof. It seems like all neccesities keep on increasing each month,. I read alot about Belize , because it is a beautifull country. You have problems with outsiders fishing your waters. We had to ban catching grouper for awhile because of greedy longliners who want the money and to hell with the species. We didnt have a damn thing to say about 857billion dollars that went to banks and large companies, to keep them afloat. This was our the taxpayers money. We still have 17 milloin unemployed , and not much hope to find a job. So, you see its all relevant. Here is what the average joe is going to do about it. We have come together basically through fox news and email etc. We are going to vote out all the crooked and self centered and deal making in the back room scum bags that we ended up with when Barack Obama became president. He and his crew have the us. well on our way to not being able to pay our national debt. In november 2010 we are going to shock the united states, by taking back our country. We are going to vote in a new senate and house of representatives, who have the average joes best interest in mind. Who will be ostrosized if we get wind of backroom deals. We will embarass them out of office. So, my friends in Belize , perhaps its time for you to do the same.Each citizen of Belize should plant a garden, and share the crop with eachother. We have lots of homeless and foodbanks and starving people, so know we are all in the same boat. God Bless and stay focused on getting the bad apples out of your barrel. Sincerely Rick Hofacker
John said on Friday, March 5, 2010, 11:31

In response to the above article. I must say I am a Belizean not just looking frrom the outside. The entire world is going through hard times we all have to tightened our belts and become more creative. There is no one person that can claim they have all the solutions to our problems. So we must come together and try to solve these problems. To Mr. Rick Hofacker while you are there listening to FOX ‘ s opinionated broadcast shows. Note: not News because they are part of the News. They are not a model of a News source that you should try to impart on my countrymen. Mr. Rick Hofacker, The collapse of the banking industry came about because of the greed of the banks the Republican party that you are advocating int his piece, MASSIVE DEREGULATION . Something that you republicans are always advocating. With respect to your gripe with Obama, You appear to be one of the birthers who is still upset over the election of a black man as president of these united states. Let’s put things in there proper perpecrive. Two wars not paid for, one of them unnescessary. Two tax cuts for the wealthy, not paid for. Prescription drug progaram, not paid for. Two hundred billion dollar buget surplus Clinton handed to Bush. Bush then gave it to his rich republican freinds in tax cuts. All this was done by BUSH and the REPUBLICAN PARTY. So while you are reaching out to my people characterizing the average JOE rhetoric, rest assured that the republican party have NEVER done anything for the JOE’s. Presently they are trying block REGULATION of the insurance companies in an attempt to protect their profits at the expence of the JOE’s. Thats right Mr Rick Hofacker the JOE’s . Insurance reform Mr. Rick is about the JOE’s, so don’t go shooting off your mouth I am living PROOF of it. Never get your information from a source that makes the NEWS Mr. Rick Hofacker. Go to a source that REPORTs the news. I hope this serves to clear up that JUNK you try to unload on my people.