UDP GOVERNMENT OF BELIZE GAINS 4 POINTS AND THE PERFORMANCE REPORT CARD NOW 9%

UDP GOVERNMENT REPORT CARD GAINS 4 POINTS ON THEIR PERFORMANCE REPORT CARD. NEW SCORE IS 9%

There were two cases in which the news media reported prompt action, in dealing with problems inside the country of Belize. While we have not yet heard the results of these actions, we are impressed with the prompt action being taken, in what previously was a glacial mode or reaction to dealing with Belize internal problems.

The first item was the problems with the Seismic Survey down in the Southernmost Toledo National Park, in which Guatemalan forest product robbers were using the seismic lines to enter Belize from Guatemala and rape the patrimony of the protected NATIONAL PARK. A team of relevant senior government bureaucrats were down there, the media reported, to see the problems on the ground first hand and deal with it. We have not seen the report of their findings in the media.

The second item was the shutdown of the biggest rice producer in the country, who has storage towers overflowing with rice that cannot be sold locally. The company has overproduced rice apparently, and claim the costs of growing rice in Belize are too high for export competition. Most of such costs are the cost of government taxation and various fees. The market for rice changes with the season and other factors on the local scene. The rice producer is reporting that the rice market dropped 50% on the local scene. Why, nobody yet knows? The Minister of Agriculture, Rene Montero with a team of bureacratic technical advisors went to Blue Creek to talk with the company producing rice, to see what if anything the government can do to assist. It is very important that Belize retains the ability to feed itself, through internal self sufficiency methods.

2 points, each case; are being awarded to the UDP government for promptness in response to economic disasters that hurt our small country, absorb the effects of global competition and self sufficiency. Normally, the UDP government responds at the speed of an Antarctic Glacier, these two responses are refreshing. We now await the results of the high powered political and bureaucratic delegations, thast went to deal with the problems.