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Debate on legislation aimed at supporting Belize’s sugar industry took center stage today in the Senate of Belize, as senators met in Belmopan for their latest sitting. At the heart of the discussion was the Sugar Industry and Cogeneration Project Amendment Bill, 2025, which seeks to extend a range of tax and duty exemptions for Belize Sugar Industries and its energy partner Belcogen for a ten-year period beginning October 1, 2025. Government Lead Senator, Eamon Courtenay, emphasized the importance of the measure, pointing to ongoing financial challenges within the industry and the need to ensure the continued viability of the northern sugar factory.
Eamon Courtenay, Senator, Leader of Government Business: “Madam President, the facts are Belize Sugar Industry Limited and the Belize Co-Generation Company Limited have lost in excess of $50 million dollars in the last five years. I don’t ask you to believe me I’m telling you the facts. BSI and and Belcogen have lost money in seven consecutive years, and this year will be the eighth consecutive year. That is the context in which we find ourselves. The purpose behind this legislation is to extend incentives that were granted from 2012 when there was a crisis. The crisis has not been alleviated. Madam President, we can laugh and we can make a joke but when you speak to the Cane Farmer’s Association and when you speak to BSI let me tell you the crisis, and it’s in the budget, that they face. Because of the Fusarium virus and the decrease in production of cane there was a real risk, hopefully avoided, that the factory would have to shut down simply because there was insufficient cane to go through the factory. Nobody’s fault, a virus. That reduction in production of sugar cain means a reduction in the production of sugar. A reduction in the production of sugar means less money for farmers, less money for workers, and therefore the economy feels as a result of that. Let us face the fact this sugar industry is in crisis.”
On the opposition side, UDP Senator Patrick Faber strongly objected to the proposed concessions, arguing that such exemptions could disadvantage Belizeans while favoring external interests.
Patrick Faber, UDP Senator: “This is not the first major company where a tax break has been extended. I don’t want to get into any war today, unnecessarily. What is important is that the Belizean people understand that there are these sweetheart deals and lovey dover relationships that the government tends to have with these big companies. They’re now trying to make these tax breaks, these tax holidays, a permanent fixture. That defeats the whole point. Because under these exemptions they can do whatever they want. They are making huge profits and if that’s not how it is then we don’t know because you don’t give us the figures. Ten years Madam President is a very long time. Ten years spans an entire generation of students entering secondary schools today. Ten years represents a multiple national budgets. Ten years represents billions of dollars in economic activity. Such a decision Madam Speaker demands stronger justification and again I call on the government to do that. Madam President lest we be misunderstood on this side know that we believe very much in supporting the productive sectors. This is not a fight against sugar. We believe, Madam President, in sustaining the northern communities of our country that depend on sugar. But we also believe Madam President in accountability and there is none in this bill. But it is the practice of this administration not to be accountable at all. They want you, they come like they’re doing fanciness, they’re doing this they’re doing that don’t worry the poor people are getting benefits but underneath the poor people are getting shafted Madam President. And this arrangement right here is a shafting of the people. It’s a shafting of the cane farmers. So don’t come and dress it up.”
Church Senator Louis Wade also contributed to the debate, noting that while he had not initially planned to speak on the bill, concerns surrounding the sugar industry and its broader implications compelled him to weigh in. His presentation was balanced and sober, indicating that there must be a resolution that would see all parties walking away with a win.
Rev’d Louis Wade, Churches: “We want to penalize a company with tax. That is not the purpose of tax. Tax, as it relates to this particular case, should be based upon whether this particular company is going to benefit to the extent that the farmers can benefit and the nation can benefit. So it’s whether or not should we give these incentives to the company whether or not not only they will benefit but the farmers can benefit but also the nation. And that is why I believe that they should get exemption. Because they should not be penalized because they are having a particular argument at this time with the farmers, I do not believe that withholding the tax exemption from them as a punishment is a good idea. So I have not been bought into that argument. I want the farmers to win. I want the government to remain committed to the farmers as they pursue the case but I also want the company to benefit. And I think that is what this bill is able to do.”
The debate culminated in a division called by Senator Faber. When the votes were counted, eight senators supported the bill, four opposed, and one senator was absent, allowing the legislation to pass in the Senate. Today’s sitting also featured a packed agenda of government business. Senators considered the General Revenue Appropriation Bill for the 2026–2027 fiscal year, along with several papers including amendments to Supplies Control regulations, financial statements from the Central Bank of Belize, and the draft national estimates for the upcoming fiscal year. Additionally, motions were approved for over two-point-five million dollars in spending from the Official Charities Fund.
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