Said Musa

Too often, customary practices and discrimination on the basis of gender, ethnicity, race, religion, social status, or class are the root sources of pervasive inequality in many countries.

None can be more negative in its impact than the limitation on human resource capacity.

We have much work ahead, to stand still.

We need to diversify the economy. We need to get away from sugar.

The PUP came into office in 1998 when the public debt of Belize was over $600 million and the economy was at a standstill. When we left office in 2008, ten years later, the debt was higher, but a lot was accomplished: the economy was transformed and the social and physical infrastructure of the country significantly upgraded.

We don't think it is fair for these environmental groups to be beating up Belize over this little dam when their own countries have so many of them. Now they are trying to tell us we can't have one.

Since taking office in 2008, the Barrow Administration failed to stimulate the necessary economic growth. Instead they have, over the more than four years, continued on a path of borrow and spend,accumulating huge additional debts.

Our Government is committed to pursuing policies and programs which facilitate a further lowering of the interest rates in order to fuel investment and growth. We call on the commercial banks to partner with us in this effort.

Without productivity gains, any growth in GDP is exactly offset by population growth, and the average income stays the same.

The instinct to improve oneself materially is necessary for growth. It is at the fountain of the enterprising spirit which drives private enterprise.