By: Omar Silva – Editor/Publisher

National Perspective Belize – Digital 2026

www.nationalperspectivebz.com

Belize City: Tuesday 3rd February 2026

Motorcades.

Handshakes.

Flags.

Honour guards.

Speeches about “historic friendship” and “shared destiny.”

It is political theatre at its finest.

And this week, Belize got a full performance.

The arrival of Mohamed Irfaan Ali, hosted by Prime Minister John Briceño, was staged as a diplomatic triumph — a symbol of “deeper ties,” “food security,” and “new opportunities” for Belizeans.

But after the motorcades leave and the microphones are packed away, one simple question remains:

What, exactly, got cheaper for the Belizean people?

Not speeches.

Not symbolism.

Not memorandums.

Prices.

Because if prices don’t fall, nothing has changed.

Let’s stop pretending

Belizeans are tired.

Tired of announcements.

Tired of ceremonies.

Tired of government press releases dressed up like progress.

Every administration promises:

“investment”

“partnerships”

“regional cooperation”

“new opportunities”

And yet:

Food still expensive.

Fuel still expensive.

Electricity still expensive.

Shipping still expensive.

Life still expensive.

So forgive the public if we don’t clap for another handshake.

We’ve learned.

The brutal reality politicians avoid

You can sign all the MOUs you want.

If Belize does not control:

• shipping
• cargo
• freight routes
• distribution

Then we control nothing.

Nothing.

• Every sack of rice.
• Every gallon of fuel.
• Every bag of flour.

Still passes through foreign middlemen before it reaches Belize.

Mostly Miami.

Which means somebody else always takes their cut first.

So when government says:

“Guyana will help with food security…”

How?

By swimming here?

Because unless there is a direct logistics system, it still goes through the same foreign choke points that inflate every price Belizeans pay.

That’s not trade.

That’s dependency with extra steps.

MOUs don’t feed families

Memorandums of Understanding sound impressive.

They look serious on paper.

But let’s call them what they are:

Intentions.

• Not obligations.
• Not contracts.
• Not delivery mechanisms.

• They don’t lower freight costs.
• They don’t move cargo.
• They don’t fill supermarket shelves cheaper.

They are political comfort blankets.

And Belizeans cannot cook intentions for dinner.

This is the same old script

We’ve seen this movie before.

Utilities “nationalized.”

Prices stayed high.

Telecom “reformed.”

Bills stayed high.

Energy “bought back.”

Rates stayed high.

Now it’s:

“historic diplomatic visits.”

• Same stage.
• Same applause.
• Same outcome.

The political class celebrates.

The people keep paying.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth

Belize is not poor because we lack friends.

Belize is poor because we lack control.

Control of:

• production
• transport
• distribution

Without those, independence is just a flag and an anthem.

Nothing more.

A country that cannot move its own goods is not sovereign.

It is managed.

And until we break that system, every foreign visit — no matter how friendly — becomes just another photo opportunity sold as progress.

Enough with the optics

Belizeans don’t need:

• More ceremonies
• More speeches
• More ribbon cuttings
• More smiling politicians

We need:

• Ships
• Routes
• Direct trade
• Lower costs

• Real systems.
• Real economics.
• Real relief.

Because red carpets don’t reduce prices.

• Handshakes don’t feed families.
• And diplomacy without delivery is deception.

If this government truly wants wellbeing for Belizeans, stop staging theatre.

Start building logistics.

Until then, spare us the fanfare.

We’ve seen the show.

We’re still waiting for the results.