Opposition Leader Moses “Shyne” Barrow criticizes the Government’s response to wildfires in Toledo District: “Do more, say less!”

By Aaron Humes: Leader of the Opposition, Moses “Shyne” Barrow, during a parliamentary debate, voiced his concerns about the Government’s handling of the wildfires in Toledo District. Barrow highlighted the devastating impact of the wildfires on the local communities and criticized the John Briceño administration for what he described as a failure to effectively respond to the crisis.

Barrow emphasized the urgent need for the government to adopt a more proactive and policy-oriented approach to anticipate and prepare for such emergencies. He stressed that while natural disasters like wildfires cannot be prevented, the government must be ready to respond swiftly and adequately to mitigate the damage and support affected communities.

Drawing attention to his recent visit to Trio village in Toledo East, Barrow lamented the inadequate government response, citing instances where homes were completely destroyed and relevant government agencies have not been prepared to offer assistance. He questioned the absence of assistance from organizations such as NEMO (National Emergency Management Organization), the Ministry of Housing, and the Ministry of Human Development, emphasizing the need for a more coordinated and effective government response to such crises.

Barrow brought up the need for a dedicated fire station serving the villages as well as “air assets” but when he brought up alleged comments by the CEO in the Ministry of Economic Development and candidate for Toledo East, Dr Osmond Martinez in the forthcoming PUP convention on June 9 when he suggested that the district is still “in the dark ages.” He also mentioned that members of the party in the Toledo West constituency had begun posting on social media concerning fundraising efforts, prompting area representative Oscar Requeña to rise complaining of a falsehood by implication that he was responsible for such posts.

It should not be that women, children, and villagers generally have to fight these fires mostly on their own and that policies should encourage swift action and response, said Barrow. He called for a breakdown of how the funds announced by Minister for Disaster Risk Management Andre Perez would be spent and finished with a Bob Marley quote: “So much has been said, so little has been done…Do more, say less! The people of Toledo West deserve better.”

In response, Prime Minister John Briceño maintained that the Government was on the job and doing more, including using Astrum helicopters to fight the fires from above and calling in all hands on deck from emergency management to the military, fire service, and non-governmental organizations.

Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Belize ~ We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages. Your content is delivered instantly to thousands of users in Belize and abroad! Contact us at mаrkеtіng@brеаkіngbеlіzеnеwѕ.соm or call us at 501-612-0315.

© 2024, BreakingBelizeNews.com. Content is copyrighted and requires written permission for reprinting in online or print media. Theft of content without permission/payment is punishable by law.