Belize City. February 21st, 2019. The 2019 Prime Minister’s Business Forum was held today, February 21, under the theme: “Embracing Innovation for Economic Prosperity”. This forum is a signature event organized and hosted by the Economic Development Council and provides the private-sector an audience with the Prime Minister to table and directly address business climate concerns and recommendations toward an improved service delivery by the government to the business community. It is also an opportunity to showcase public sector reforms and projects directly aimed at facilitating the private-sector’s ability to grow and innovate. The forum was attended by approximately 300 participants from a wide cross-section of the business community. Two guest speakers, Linner Viik, founder of the Estonian eGovernment Academy and Glynis Alexander-Tam, the General Manager of the LINX brand of electronic debit payments in Trinidad and Tobago, delivered inspirational presentations on the power of digital transformation.
Some of the main highlights of the forum included: the launching a You Reform mobile app for improving the private sector access to the Government of Belize on business climate issues; updates on the modernization of the tax administration; the commitment by government to advance the creation of a national Credit Bureau; the formation of a valuation index at the Lands Departments and the commitments to digitize key public services such as registering a business. The Prime Minister recognized the possibility and potential of a small state country like Belize to digitally transform itself as in the Estonian case for the benefit of its citizens. Lastly, the recognition of the economic benefits of a domestic debit payment system for assisting micro, small and medium enterprises grow and for citizens to feel secure in a cashless society.
The Economic Development Council thanks all sponsors and participants for making this event possible, and calls on all partners, public and private, to continue collaborating on its work of steering business climate reforms to improve the ease of doing business in Belize.
To find out more about the work of the Economic Development Council, visit their website at www.edc.gov
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