Cabinet Brief

Belmopan, August 30, 2024. 

The Cabinet met on 28^th August 2024.

1. The Minister of Foreign Affairs reported to Cabinet on the recent official visit to the Republic of Guatemala where Prime Minister Hon. John Briceño met with Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo on several priority areas, including Trade and Economic Cooperation, Security and Border Management Issues, Energy, Tourism, Labor and Migration, the ICJ process and Taiwan. On trade, a trade delegation for Belize met with their counterparts. The meeting involved discussions on the expansion of the Partial Scope Agreement, agriculture and regional cooperation. On energy, the discussion focused on Belize becoming connected to the Central American, which would help to support Belize’s rapidly increasing energy demand.  On the dispute, talks involved working to ease tensions on the Sarstoon River, as well as Belize and Guatemala committing to abide by the ruling of the ICJ.  Discussions were also held on regional issues such as migration, Immigration and agriculture.
2. Cabinet gave its approval for a one-time subsidy of 1 million dollars to the citrus industry for the purpose of purchasing fertilizer solely to apply to orchards in order to improve production.
3. Cabinet gave its approval for the repeal of Part VI of the Social Security Act, Chapter 44, revised edition 2003, which establishes the National Health Insurance as part of the Social Security institution, to introduce legislation to create the National Health Insurance Authority as a Statutory Board under the Office of the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.
4. Finally, Cabinet reminds Belizeans to remain alert as we enter the peak of the hurricane season.

Ends