Belmopan, Belize 14 February (Belizean.com) Prime Minister Dean Barrow told Belizeans this week that the worst is yet to come and he asked the nation to have "understanding" and to be "patient."

In what will go down in history as one of the most somber press conferences ever held in Belize, the Prime Minster stood before the nation and said: "The upcoming fiscal year is going to be the hardest of the UDP term."  He went on to say that the numbers were not good.  "The Financial Secretary and his team, tells me that we are looking at a deficit of about $60 million."

For Belizeans the numbers not adding up mean nothing in the face of their everyday reality.  The rising cost of basic food items; the fear of losing their jobs and the unceasing crime and violence, are evidence of the fact that things are not adding up in Belize.

In the business community the number of Belizean business persons who are one step away from bankruptcy increase by the day.  The lack of any real stimulus to help small businesses and those in the agro productive sector has led to an ever increasing lack of confidence by bankers and investors. The amount of mortgage foreclosures published in the newspapers increase on a weekly basis signaling the difficulties faced by Belizean families to meet their basic needs.

At the same time, the 60 million dollar shortfall in government revenues can only lead to further cuts and a decrease in government's services.  To make matters worse, the fear that the Prime Minister will resort to an increase in taxes is also increasing.

And on the other side of the economic ledger, public officers will not only not get a cost of living adjustment to ease the steep escalation in prices, but there is growing concern that the axe will soon swing. And we all know it won't start with the fat salaried contract officers.

Belize's single largest foreign change earner, tourism, has been without a captain of the industry at the helm of the Belize Tourism Board for months, and turf wars and personality conflicts have determined that we are assured of yet another lost season of opportunity. Even if the industry rebounds in other places we can be sure that Belize will be the last to see those benefits.