Of, so if you've been watching the news tonight, you've already been bombarded with the New Year's messages from the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. But, who can follow all that talking? The PM's one is 1200 words and almost twelve minutes long, while the Opposition Leader's one is one thousand words and 8 minutes long. That's a lotta words and a lotta minutes - so we cut it down to the bare minimum - the main points of contention. Here they are:
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"The year 2016 saw more than the usual share of challenges."
Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition
"As we close out 2016, a year that was not one of the best for us."
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"There was the final settlement for the nationalization of BTL. The Arbitration Award was large, though much smaller than the previous owners of the company had demanded. The Award a price well worth paying for an asset that is now a source of great pride and profit."
Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition
"We cannot have another situation like the BTL settlement which ended up costing Belizeans over half a billion dollars for a portion of a company which according to government's valuators, is worth a little over $100 million."
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"Government expects to improve the state of public finances and public debt by amending the currently unaffordable terms of our inherited Super Bond."
Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition
"We hold this UDP Administration fully accountable for the renegotiation of the super bond. Belizeans need to know all the details of this suspicious new agreement. In 2013 the country was told that this matter was solved, now they are going back to the bondholders to seek to re-negotiation."
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"The overhaul will also involve the implementation, after broad consultations, of a Budget for fiscal year 2017-2018 that cuts spending and boosts revenue."
Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition
"There is no doubt that there will be new taxes. The middle class and the productive sector will once again be called upon, by this UDP administration, to bear the burden of their incompetence."
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"Underpinning our entire economic, fiscal and monetary framework is the strength of the Belize dollar. It is still more than amply backed by the requisite level of reserves, and is immovably anchored to the traditional and current peg."
Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition
"We in the PUP will fight to ensure that any new fiscal measures be sensible, that these measures do not further hurt the poor; that they encourage investment & growth; that they be transparent and we must do everything possible to maintain the Belizean dollar at 2:1."
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"The Central Bank of Belize expects an economy-wide expansion of 3.5%, driven by dramatic growth in tourism and services and a robust recovery in farmed shrimp, corn and bananas."
Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition
"We pray that 2017 will be a better year for our productive sector and that our investment climate will improve. We need this to be the comeback year for our agro-producers."
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"We are determined, therefore, to resist external dangers and defeat internal threats. There is no room for lawlessness in our society. And so the bringing of economic and social progress to our people has to be accompanied by relentlessly confronting the culture of gangs, violence and murder."
Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition
"We sincerely wish that 2017 will be less violent, less destructive and that it will be a year of economic progress."
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"Happy New Year and God bless Belize."
Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition
"May 2017 be our year of rich blessings. Happy New Year! God bless us all and God Bless Belize!"
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