Dean Barrow, the prime minister of Belize, says the government has borrowed BDZ$75 million from the Central Bank to help persons who have been placed on the unemployment line and are unable to take care of themselves and their families.

But Barrow has described the loan as “a drop in the bucket” and has made a “solemn promise” to help get more funds.

“I am in no doubt that we will end up at least doubling that $75 million. So there will be add-ons to the disbursement of monies to our unemployed, which disbursements start this week and will also initially utilise the contributions made by Belize Electricity Limited (BEL), Belize Water Services (BWSL) and Social Security Board (SSB),” he told the nation.

“Belizeans, I say again that you are not alone. Together we will overcome, and I swear by that Almighty God whom I ask now to bless us all that government, our national partnership and I personally will do everything to bring Belize as whole as possible out of this national and international nightmare,” Barrow said.

He said that help from the IDB is a little slow to come since the IDB and other international financial institutions are also busy rendering assistance to other countries that are also battling COVID-19.

“The second point I must make is this, our local health team and the Ministry of Health are so plentifully resourced that we could theoretically reach the point of equipment oversupply. I hasten to add though that there can never really be too much, I’m just trying to underline the fact that we are completely prepared for the battle on the health front,” Barrow said.