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And while the PM seemed into the idea before, yesterday he wasn't too sure. Courtney Menzies takes a look at the conflicting statements:

Whether area reps and Cabinet ministers should take a cut to their allowances is an ongoing discussion, with many Belizeans agreeing it should be decreased and the extra funds allocated elsewhere.

Well, yesterday the prime minister said that a lot of those funds are already being used to help constituents:

John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Well yes what happened is, but again we haven't got a chance to give it a serous discussion and I think at the next cabinet probably we will have to be a able to have a discussion on how that works but the point is though and what is it that people in the media want to make an issue over the allowances is that I know you are aware that ministers go beyond the call of duty everyday they get calls of people wanting help they get called that they need assistance with education or a death in the family or somebody is sick so removing that allowance will only let them have less monies available to help people it is not as if they are keeping that allowance for themselves they give it back, that and more so I am a bit hesitant because it sounds good for the politics of it. The reality is that ministers and myself go beyond the call of duty we every single day we are assisting people in so many different ways."

But even so, two of his ministers agreed that the allowances should be cut without alluding to needing the funds to assist those in their constituency. In fact, the DPM even suggested the idea himself.

Cordel Hyde, Deputy PM
"I think we as a government have to tighten our own belts, have to make some sacrifices, have to look at our own allowances too because we can't be living one way and have the people living another way. I think that we have to really do something in that regard so that people understand because if we don't do anything then it will only allow people to continue to saay that we are disconnected and out of touch and we don't want that to happen, we don't want that stain to be on us, I think we have to really put some dent in our allowances to show people we are living in the same space and we understand what is happening out here."

Reporter
"Would you support cutting your allowances?"

Julius Espat, Minister of Infrastructure Development and Housing
"Yes, if it has to be. As I said, we are blessed and we have done it before. Our allowances and our salaries were reduced during the COVID period and so we have precedents that that has been done before and if that is needed to show, it would be a symbolic reality that won't cut down inflation but if that helps for the people to understand that we are willing to do our part, I think it's important."

And the first time we brought it up to the PM, he promised to take it to the next Cabinet meeting:

John Briceno, Prime Minister
"The PUP is always a party of renewal and soul searching. As I mentioned in the state of the nation, how much work we have done for the people of this country, how much work have we done in trying to address the issues of the cost of living because it's something that we understand and that we discuss every single day and he is in Cabinet and he has supported all of these initiatives that we've done and I can understand where he comes from. Cordel represents among the poorest constituencies in the area, one of the areas were we have a lot of social problems so I could understand him saying that and so when we get into Cabinet, we are going to discuss it and see what more we can do, what else can be done, how can we continue renewing and innovating and energizing the party but one thing that does not change, we are a party that is based on social justice. The minute we lose that then we cannot be a member of the PUP."

And yesterday he explained further that the allowances and the constituency development fund are the tools the area reps use in order to alleviate some financial burdens of their communities.

John Briceno, Prime Minister
"The idea is that the constituency development fund is a way where the area reps can make immediate decisions on helping within their constituency. The way it was done before, you have to go to either rural development or the ministry for municipalities or local development or the ministry of infrastructure development or housing to be able to do small works. Sometimes you need to fix a drain, or to fix a door for a school or to do some kind of work in the community. So we decided to make that money available to every area rep, PUP and UDP alike and I think it has been very successful. It has nothing about clientelism or whatever it is you want to call it. It's simply that we are finding ways how we can get help and how we can serve our people most effectively and most efficiently."