BELMOPAN, Belize, Sept7, CMC – The Belize government say it has approved an increase in the General Sales Tax (GST) exemption and that the electricity bill threshold for residential customers have been increased by 100 per cent to BDZ$200 (one BDZ$=US$0.49 cents) per month effective from the first of this month.
“This measure is expected to provide direct relief to more than 91,000 customers, representing 96 per cent of all residential customers. The $100 threshold had been in place since April 1, 2017, when it was lowered by the then United Democratic Party administration,” the government said in a statement.
The GST rate in Belize is 12.5 per cent. It is a consumption tax charged on most goods and services supplied within the country, as well as on imports.
The statement said the government had also approved “important measures to strengthen Belize’s electricity security while providing meaningful relief to residential consumers”.
It said that an Emergency Declaration was approved to enable Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) to commence the procurement of additional generation capacity to address the projected supply shortfall in 2027, noting that “this is a proactive step to ensure that the country has sufficient electricity to meet growing demand and maintain a reliable supply”.
Additionally, the government is supporting thes expanding eligibility for the Social Rate from 60 kWh to 80 kWh per month, extending the preferential tariff to approximately 17,000 residential customers.
“Together, these measures demonstrate Government’s balanced approach: providing immediate relief to households today while investing in the additional electricity supply needed to secure Belize’s energy future.”
The statement said that the government has given gave its approval of the request for the extension of a two dollar -per-gallon fuel subsidy for the Belize Bus Association for the remainder of the financial year, provided that the price per gallon remains above BDZ$12, adding “these conditions will be reviewed every two months.
CMC/ah/ir/2026