EXPORT MARKET ORGANIZING IN OUR GOVERNMENT IS LIKE PLAYING MUSICAL CHAIRS

There is a black hole in Belmopan apparently?


BELIZE EXPORT TRADE INFORMATION GOVERNMENT DYSFUNCTIONALITY

The subject of trade information supplied from the Government of Belize is a touchy one, both for Cabinet politicians and ministerial senior bureaucrats.

There is a long story and a short story. The SHORT story is that whatever money the government is spending, if they are actually spending anything, it is not working.

The long story: For about a decade and a half, we have been told that different departments will investigate and supply export marketing information. It used to be in the beginning, BELTRAIDE was announced as responsible. It NEVER happened, but maybe that is beside the point. Since then there has been a relative plethora of new BUREAUCRATIC names and ACRONYMS of who is responsible to do this task. We have had a Foreign Ministry ( try to find a foreign ministry in Belmopan – I challenge you? ). Ministry of Economic Development, Either a Ministry of Rural Development, or a department – I don’t know which? The latest attempt at all this political propaganda, dis-information, rhetoric and bombast, is an article this week in the GUARDIAN newspaper, which is the political party running the government this past year.

It says that Ambassador Bert Tucker ( Ambassador of what? ) on behalf of the Foreign Ministry ( what Foreign Affairs Ministry? – How many staff do they have? ) received some computers from the OAS in a vital move to improve the development of Belize’s Trade Initiative. What trade initiative? I hear about it and read about it, but cannot find it? I haven’t seen a darned thing happening, but TALK and more TALK and more TALK. Now when I ask about such things in Belmopan, I get the runaround. Misdirected to other people, who in turn put me in a circle of traveling all around Belmopan, ( walking, about thee miles, this is very tiring on an old man ) trying to find somebody responsible for export market information gathering. Eventually after two or three miles and numerous offices, you end up full circle back at the first person you enquired from. None the wiser I might add.

Now this rhetoric and propaganda sounds very good. I should know, I’ve been listening to it and reading it in the newspapers for a DOZEN years. I’ve NEVER actually found a person, a real person, with a desk, that actually did the job that was announced in the various party media organs, as credit for their tax paid salaries and the monies that they spend.

Mid week, a farmer came to my house and said he had made the rounds and talked to civil servants in Belmopan about export markets for some agricultural goods. He said, he couldn’t find a single soul that would accept responsibility for the job of supplying such market information. The closest thing we have for trade information in the private sector is the STATISTICAL IMPORT/EXPORT figures, created by ex-Prime Minister Musa in a separate desk, in his Prime Minister’s office. It’s better than nothing I suppose? Anyway this farmer said the closest he came to honesty and transparency in government was a refreshing bureaucrat that said ‘WE DON’T DO THAT. The private sector has to find their own markets.” That is not what the politicians publicly say though!

I think there is a phoney industry BEEG TIME in our capital Belmopan, that soaks the overseas donors for equipment and things, that disappear in the maw of the politicians and bureaucracy, like gravity and light get sucked into the BLACK HOLE at the center of our galaxy. Be nice though if the con game was actually true? The only thing you can find though, is a bunch of excuses in Belmopan for FAILURE! These people couldn’t work for me, they would get fired within a week. You are performance based in the private sector.

The thing is; the foreigners abroad actually believe this baloney put out by our government. If they only knew? I think most administrative bureaucrats in Belmopan have multiple hats and titles to confuse people? They have so many, they can’t even remember them sometimes when you ask? They look lost and mystified. There should be a training program, or seminar for duplicity for bureaucrats. For politicians, they get that from their mother’s milk.

Sugar export crop in Belize is DEAD!

cutting cane in Belize
Sugar Factory in Northern Belize
WHO OWNS THE SUGAR INDUSTRY?

There was a bunch of articles on the sugar industry this weekend in the different newspapers, representing different details. The question that comes to mind, is who really owns the sugar industry?

Perhaps we should re-phrase that? Who CONTROLS the sugar industry? While BSI and the Cane Farmers Association, local citizens are supposed to be the owners of the FACTORY and their individual crops of sugar cane, it became apparent from reading the research in the weekend newspaper media articles, that the local sugar industry is not their own master. In fact, the sugar industry of Belize is very much still a colonial operation. Despite having some different markets for their sugar production. The major buyer is still TATE and LYLE an Irish company selling to the UK and European buyers and by the BUYERS RULES.

The recent squabble over the quality control machinery in the shape of the CORE SAMPLER, was based on erratic readings of sugar cane quality from samples, sometimes within the same truck, or with sugar cane from the same patch of fields, treated when growing exactly the same way. The cane farmers were dissatisfied with the quality control readings by the core sampler machine, which effected about 20% of the growers with low readings. Other researchers accused some farmers, about 20% of them of stuffing the weight of their trucks with trash cane using the sale of cane by weight loads. It seems more fair to pay by weight than by quality of sucrose, because of the limitations of the delivery and processing system at the factory? Trucks nowadays carry between 20 and 30 tonnes to the factory in one load. The trucks today are mostly 12 wheelers, bigger than before. Payment is stated to be around $40 a ton. Poor quality sucrose by this core sampler machine readings, dropped a load payment to as low as $26 a ton. I have to confess, I do not know what the difference is between good cane and trash cane taken from the same field?

As Lord Ashcroft has shown the public of Belize. It is not who owns local industries, but who CONTROLS the local industries. In the case of BTL it is done by votes and the Board of Directors to establish CONTROL, and disbursements of dividends, or consultancy contracts, management dispersements, etc. The government of Belize actually had to cancel taxes on PROFITS of BTL, because the profit figures were not deemed to be accurate and much of the revenue was believed to be skimmed using imaginative accountancy. So the GOB actually placed a tax on revenue instead of profits, in order to overcome the suspected machinations of imaginative bookkeeping, beyond their expertise to decipher. In the case of the BSI factory and the Sugar Cane Farmers, it is the contract holders ( buyers ) of the majority of the crop of sugar that is produced, who own the crop. It becomes even more murky than that, for an outsider like me to understand. For Tate and Lyle the buyer is an Irish company, which I’m not even sure they are part of the European Union? Yet the European Union is lending money to BSI and the Cane Farmers Association, to upgrade the quality of sugar content in the cane that is grown in Belize. Either way, the Government of Belize and BSI the FACTORY and the Cane Farmers Association have been forcibly obligated to abide by rules of the PURCHASING CONTRACT, to increase QUALITY of the cane in Belize and sucrose content. There has been separate technical assistance from the European Union also, with binding obligations on those contracts, ( strings ) on the sugar business of Belize, which includes the Government of Belize who negotiates these things, in return for financing improvements in quality production, including the Cane Farmers Association and BSI the factory that processes the sugar. The upshot of all the double dealing, is that the sugar industry of Belize is still a European controlled style operation, despite (hic) alleged ownership by the local population.

On the surface of all this, is the fact that it should be to the advantage of the farmers to increase their quality of cane. Unfortunately, the experts explain that there is a TIME FRAME, from the time of burning, clearing, cutting, loading and delivery to the factory of about 36 hours, after which sucrose content is rapidly lost, making the sugar cane cheaper and perhaps ultimately worthless. The farmers argue, there is not much sense in going for quality, if the FACTORY is too small to handle the crop within the TIME FRAME required for delivery. Indeed, all the evidence indicates the FACTORY is too small and long lines of trucks queue that take hours and hours of waiting, much more TIME from the beginning of harvesting to the delivery, than is practical for quality and a fair price. Part of this problem seems to be the road system, which is in bad shape and part of the problem seems to be, too low a processing capacity at the factory.

Looking at this from the outside, it is obvious that the existing sugar factory is too small and another sugar factory needs to be licensed and built to handle cane as a crop. Secondly, BSI, or any other new factory producer operation should seek alternative markets for our sugar. Obviously we are prisoners of a colonial applied exploitive system, that is not to the advantage of local production. We need a different set of markets for sugar than Europe, or Tate and Lyle. We were recently double crossed by the Europeans who knowing that our Euro centric pseudo black ROYALIST Englishmen ( called Creoles ) in the port town controlling our government, continually look backwards, rather than forwards for newer ways of dealing with existing problems. The recent half year fuss over a European FREE TRADE ( EPA ) area agreement, for our CARICOM countries including Belize, was based on our being locked into the mind set, that our sugar industry majority buyer is the EU market. ( we do have some other markets, but not enough ) To save those 6000 jobs or more, the Government of Belize signed a 5 year contract with the EU if they would not cancel our market for sugar in the EU. The EU honored the agreement when our Royalist controlled government signed the agreement ( EPA ) along with other CARICOM, African and Pacific countries and we can still sell our sugar to the existing buyer. What happened though was outside the experience of our CABINET and bureaucrats. A month or two later after the arm twisting and blackmail and the signing of the EPA to open our markets to tariff free EU goods, the sugar price was immediately SLASHED by 36% from our EU buyer and is now being threatened with another slash in price. Obviously we in Belize are going to be forced out of the sugar producing business, as the writing is on the wall for everyone to see, if you will only look. In favor presumably of European sugar beet growers. The Europeans opened our import markets in that teaser EPA agreement and got the customs duties lifted for 5 years and now they are screwing us over again. Europeans PAAH!

With or without the EU sugar buyers, it is obvious we better find some other agriculture pursuit for those 6000 cane farmers. While the EU is giving us some grants in foreign AID, we are getting far more from both TAIWAN and VENEZUELA in amounts. Just raising sugar cane quality is not going to solve the problem of EU sugar beet competition, or the rapaciousness and deceitfulness of ex-colonial masters, double dealing which is going to kill our sugar industry. This industry is dead in Belize, we are just flopping around like a chicken with it’s head cut off right now, at the mercy of those EU people wielding the axe.

If you want to keep the sugar industry, it is going to have to be smaller, leaner and more competitive. Even then it is not too sure! It is time to find a new game. The deck in this one is stacked against Belize right now, unless we find newer markets in ASIA, or CANADA, or someplace else than the EU. Otherwise lets find markets for vegetables or something else and switch our agriculture mainstay crops and diversify our markets for a change.

Genetically altered crops are altering bees as insects and starving them to death?

honey bee on flower collecting pollen
honey bees in hive


Experiments have shown that gene altered seeds and crops are responsible in a series of experiments done in Mexico, in a double blind study. The culprit is that gene altered crops with an odor, or insecticide implanted gene to discourage pests, has altered the genes of the bees feeding off the polon. The bees in the hives with the aroma they now produce, makes them none productive for collecting and making honey. So they literally are starving to death. So says the article below in technical detail.
===================================

Genetically Modified Crops Implicated in Honeybee Colony Collapse Disorder

Sunday, January 11, 2009 by: Patty Donovan, citizen journalist

NaturalNews) As the disappearance of honeybees continues, researchers are trying desperately to discover the cause of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). General concensus at this point is that there is more than once cause and the latest culprit may be genetically modified crops. This is one area of research being neglected as mainstream scientists insist GM crops are safe.

For the last 100 years, beekeepers have experienced colony losses from bacteria, (foulbrood), mites (varroa and tracheal) and other pathogens. These problems are dealt with by using antibiotics, miticides and and other methods of pest management. Losses are slow and expected and beekeepers know how to limit the destruction. This new mass die-off is different in that it is virtually instantaneous with no warning of the impending collapse.

John McDonald, a bee keeper in Pennsyvania with a background in biology, speculated that genetically modified crops could play a role in CCD. Although the government constantly reassures us that these genetic manipulations are safe for both humans and the environment, his hope is that looking more closely at these issues might raise questions about those assumptions.

The common bacterium, bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) supplies the most commonly used segment of transgenic DNA. Bt has been used for decades by farmers and gardeners to control crop damage from butterfy larvae. Now, instead of spraying this bacterium directly on the crops, where it is eaten only by the target insects, the genes containing the insecticidal traits are incorporated into the genome of the plant itself. As the genetically modified plant grows, these Bt genes are replicated in every cell of the plant, including pollen. Therefore, every cell of each GM plant contains its own poison aimed to kill the target insect. The target insects consume some portion of the plant, then once ingested, the toxin produced by the Bt genes causes crystallization in the guts of boring larvae and thus death. The primary toxin is a protein called Cry1Ab. In the case of field corn, the targeted insects are stem and root-borers and butterfly larvae.

Although scientists "assure" us that bees (hymenopterans) are not affected, there are Bt variants available that target beetles, flies and mosquitoes. There is indisputable proof that Cry1Ab is present in beehives. Beekeepers spray Bt under hive lids to control the wax moth because the larvae cause messy webs on the honey. Canadian beekeepers have noted the disappearance of this moth even in untreated hives, apparently the result of bees ingesting Cry1Ab while foraging in GM canola plants.

Bees forage heavily on corn flowers to obtain pollen for the rearing of young bees. These pollen grains also contain the Bt genes of the parent plant, because they are present in the cells from which pollen forms. Mr. McDonald believes it may be possible that while Cry1Ab has no direct lethal effect on young bees, there may be some sub-lethal effect, such as immune suppression, acting as a slow killer.

Tens of millions of acres of genetically modified crops are allowing the Bt genes to move off crop fields and contaminate other flowers from which bees gather flowers. "Given that nearly every bite of food that we eat has a pollinator, the seriousness of this emerging problem could dwarf all previous food disruptions".(John McDonald) He proposed an experiment to compare colony losses of bees from regions where there are no GM crops to losses of colonies where they are exposed. He wanted to put test hives where GM crops are so distant from the hives that the foraging worker bees would have no exposure to GM crops. Researches readily dismissed his ideas and no one followed through with such an experiment.

At this point, he decided to do his own investigation at his own expense. He established 8 colonies in new wooden hives to ensure no possible disease transfer from old hives. The bees were fed continuously with sugar syrup until the hives were placed at the selected locations.

"At both sites the flowers of goldenrod provided ample pasturage, with the honey flow commencing in the middle of August and tapering off by the second week in October. Medium-depth empty honey storage supers (a super is the part of the beehive used to collect honey) were put on the hives at this time in addition to the three brood chambers already there. By the simple expedient of lifting the hives from behind, progress could be roughly monitored.

This monitoring showed that the hives of the farmland bees, while numerous, were not gaining weight. Meanwhile, the non-farm colonies steadily gained weight. This part of the experiment was terminated Oct. 14 with the removal of the honey storage supers, with these results: The farmland bees had not even started to work in the honey supers and will require extensive feeding before winter sets in. The non-farm bee colonies produced, in total, nearly 200 pounds of extra honey in addition to about 150 pounds per hive stored in the over-wintering brood supers. These colonies will be left in place to see whether the die-off of last season is repeated. These results should encourage new research to determine what factor or factors are present in farm country to cause such a discrepancy in honey production." John McDonald



John McDonald is a beekeeper in Pennsylvania. He welcomes comments or questions about the bee problem at mactheknife70@hotmail.com.

Another study indicating that Bt may be contributing to the death of honey bees was undertaken in Mexico. This study compared the effects on young adult honeybees of 2 concentrations of Cry1AB (3 and 5000 parts per billion) to a chemical pesticide, imidacloprid. 3 different effects were evaluated by the researchers:

1. Survival of honeybees during sub-chronic exposure to Cry1Ab.
2. Feeding behavior.
3. Learning performance at the time that honeybees become foragers.



Neither test concentration of Cry1Ab had lethal effects on the honeybees, however, when exposed to the higher concentration, feeding behavior was affected. The bees spent longer ingesting the syrup which contained the Cry1Ab which could mean smaller amounts of pollen would be collected. These bees also had impaired learning performance. Honeybees normally do not continue responding to an odor when no food is present, but should be discouraged and seek other sources. These bees continued responding to the odor which again, could affect pollen gathering efficiency. This study indicates that although Bt is not directly lethal to honeybees, it could indirectly lead to colony death due to failure to collect enough food to sustain the hive.

These findings may be the key to the difference in honey production in Mr. McDonald's experiment. Bt appears to have non-lethal effects which become apparent only when the lethal effect is absent. Although not directly lethal to non-target organisms, the toxins from the Bt gene potentially puts non-target insects such as honeybees at risk.

http://persianoad.wordpress.com/2008/01...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18206234

Summer program in Belize for teachers who have money.

College Planning Summer Teacher Institute in Belize on July 3-12

Released: 2/4/2009
In light of five successful Summer Teacher Institutes in Belize, SUNY Cortland is planning another program from July 3-12 that will bring teachers back to that Central American country for a unique learning experience.
Since 2004, SUNY Cortland's International Programs Office has arranged for 53 American teachers, administrators, college faculty members and college students to visit Belize for a two-week Summer Institute in Environmental Studies and Culture.
This year's summer institute, hosted by the Chaa Creek Eco Resort, is a three-credit graduate course. The application deadline is Monday, March 16, and scholarships are available. Participation is limited to 10 participants and acceptance will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
The institute is open to individuals currently in teaching and administrative positions as well as those working toward their master's degree in education or a related field, which offers a unique professional development opportunity to work together with their Belizean counterparts. Participants are involved in a variety of hands-on experiences, active participation in field research and ongoing collaboration with individuals in the educational field.
"One of the benefits that many American students mention as the most valuable of the program are the new friendships they made with the Belizean teachers," said Gail Tooker, director of the institute and teacher of science and environmental education in the Childhood/Early Childhood Education Department at SUNY Cortland. "Many of the teachers have plans for ongoing joint projects, like having the children in their classes become pen pals."
The program focuses on ancient Mayan civilization, archaeology, eco-tourism, conservation and the rainforest. Participants take related excursions and view presentations by local experts in the environmental field and take in cultural experiences and events. Though most of the program takes place at Chaa Creek, located near the Guatemalan border, the group also makes trips to smaller neighboring towns, including a visit to the world famous Belize Zoo.
Belize, formerly British Honduras, is a small country in Central America that is politically stable and has English as its first language. About the size of Massachusetts, Belize, with approximately 273,000 citizens, is sparsely populated compared to neighboring countries.
For more information or to register for this summer's institute, contact Ann Marshall, International Programs Office, at (607) 753-2209.

Falconview Adventure Hostel for budget accomodations in Western Belize http://folkmusicfl.tripod.com/adventuresinbelize

Wester Belize newsletter and photos http://westernbelizehappenings.blogspot.com

BELIZE RIVER FISHING LODGE, BUMPER TARPON SEASON

Here's a great fishing report, sent out in an email by Mike Heusner's
Belize River Lodge. Makes me want to take up fishing.

--Lan Sluder

>>

Fishing Report for December
Through January
By Raul Navarrette

During the months of December thru February, winter time for us, the
wind blows from the North and Northwest quite often. The wind from
this direction usually causes the Rivers and Creeks that are along the
mainland, to run out pretty fast. These are the conditions that Snook
like and one of the reasons why there are more Snook seen around this
time. Despite the numbers of Snook present this time, there are still
a bunch of small to medium Tarpon around along with the bones that are
here all year long. The illusive Permit is also found, but not in
great numbers. On any given day that you fish out of Belize River
Lodge, the angler has a 75% chance to get a shot at the Grand Slam.

As one of our repeat customer said "this is the best December fishing
I have ever had" these were his words after having a wonderful 6 days
of fishing here at the lodge. The week he was here he released several
Snook in the 10 to 15 lb range, hooked several small tarpon and
released a few. He also had some great shots at the illusive Permit
but none committed to the fly. The winds were very light causing the
bones to be very abundant on the flats and also very happy. On one of
his days he must have released about 15 bones within 45 minutes. After
catching so much in such a short time, most anglers try to go after
something else, which he did or he could have caught countless numbers
of these Bonefish. The nice weather conditions contributed to a lot
of schooling Jacks (Crevalle) who were very aggressive and explosive
at any fly or lure that was presented to them.

This January, we had some new customers who had always tried to land a
Tarpon, but had not succeeded in the last three years while visiting
other destinations. They went up to Black Creek which is about an
hour away from the lodge up the Belize River. The entire creek was
alive according to these anglers. They had never seen so many juvenile
tarpon that were so active and willing to play their game. That day,
they jumped about 25 Tarpon and released 5. These juvenile Tarpon were
in the 10 to 25 lb range. That day, the guest were in Tarpon heaven;
that was how they felt.

The same week they were here, they also tried for bones. They had only
heard stories about how difficult it is to see Bones, to be able to
catch them, but that week they released over 30 bones. The smallest
was 2 lbs and the biggest 5 lbs. What amazed them the most was the
variety of fish species that an angler can fish for here at Belize
River Lodge. That week between the two anglers, they landed and
released a bunch of cudas, jacks, ladyfish and even snappers. Their
best day (according to them) was when both anglers each got a Grand
Slam. They each released half a dozen bones, one snook and a couple
juvenile tarpon.

To wrap things up, December through January was a very productive
month for all our repeat and new customers that were here fishing with
us at Belize River Lodge.


~ ~ ~ * * * ~ ~ ~


For anglers who are looking to cross over from freshwater to saltwater
or for experienced anglers who want their2009 saltwater experience to
be a little different, below are a few options.

#1. The Redding Flyshop is offering a Saltwater School at Belize
River Lodge in March 2009. This is the first of its kind in Belize,
so if you are new to saltwater or someone who just wants professional
help improving their fishing skills (the dreaded double haul), this is
the trip for you! Along with our wonderful BRL guides, the Flyshop is
sending a FFF Mastercaster and instructor to train for the week. This
is an opportunity not to be missed! The Flyshop is offering a full
fishing package or combinations fishing and eco-tour package, it is
all up to you.

Date: March 26 thru April 2, 2009

For more details, please contact Mike Caranci at the
Flyshop by calling toll free 1-800-669-3484 or e-mailing,
Michael@theflyshop.com.


#2. The second great option is fishing along with the world famous
Beck's. Barry and Cathy are hosting a trip to Belize River Lodge in
April 2009. They are great people with a lot of great insight and
fishing advice. This will be a week packed with fishing fun!

Date: April 21 thru 28, 2009

For more details, please contact Denise Schreiber or
Barbara Alden at Frontiers Travel by calling toll free 1-800-245-1950
or e-mailing Denise at dschreiber@frontierstravel.com or Barbara at
balden@frontierstravel.com.


#3. And finally, for anglers who want to contribute to a little to
Bonefish and Tarpon research, do we have the project for you! BTT has
set aside dates in May at Belize River Lodge to tag bones and 'poons,
a great opportunity to be a part of this research awaits you.

Bonefish and Tarpon Trust has a few spaces available for some great
research angling trips. What are Research Angler trips? This is when
a group of anglers get together to plan a trip to a lodge that is
participating in the BTT research program, and each also donates a
small amount above the normal price to help pay for research expenses
such as sample equipment. In addition to great angling, you'll get a
chance to learn about the latest research on bonefish, tarpon, and
permit, ask some serious questions, do some serious learning, have
some serious fun, and help out the fish! Follow the link below for
details about the different trips. Please, tell your angling friends
about these opportunities, and give coming some serious thought.

Date: May 8 thru 13, 2009
For more information, please visit
http://www.tarbone.org/news_display.cfm?newsid=131


#4. And for those who cannot make any of the above dates, Mike with
his great stories and Marguerite providing delicious cuisine will make
any trip, any time of the year memorable!

And finally, if you would like to join one of these groups, but the
dates do not match your schedule perfectly, contact us! BRL is
conveniently located so if needed, we can shift dates by a day or two
to make it work.

We look forward to visiting with you in 2009. . .



Belize River Lodge
PO Box 459
Belize City, Belize
Central America
><(((((((((*>
Phone Direct: (501) 225-2002
Fax Direct: (501) 225-2298
Toll Free: (888) 275-4843
Website: www.belizeriverlodge.com
><(((((((((*> Catch And Release ><(((((((((*>

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CHERRY BLOSSOMS IN BELIZE???? Can you believe it?

beautiful tree blossoms

I don't know the name of this tree, or blossom, but on the way from Spanish Lookout via the ferry road to the Western Highway, on the way home from a shopping trip, there was a huge area of trees just pink against the background of a pasture of BRAHMA cattle, with a back drop of the Maya Mountains in the background. Spanish Lookout is a pastural scene of rolling hills and farms and on this early February morning, when I saw these trees, I was thinking to myself, this is a Japanese Cherry Blossom photo. Of course it isn't a Japanese Cherry Blossom tree, but I don't know what it is? It is VERY BEAUTIFUL here in Belize though. What do you think? This is FEBRUARY when the Europeans are freezing and buried in snow and the USA is not much better off. The news from the outside world is DEPRESSION, FINANCIAL CHAOS AND predictions of DISASTER. Here in Belize, we are living beautiful and it is warm too!

Taiwan Foreign Aid to Belize and Onion Leeks !

Tropical fruit of Belize
Miguel and helper showing me his version of the Taiwanese onion LEEK.

The guy on the right is Miguel, he is in charge of the experimental vegetable growing plots for TAIWAN, here in Belize. Currently he is doing greenhouse experiments and variety experiments. We asked him to do LENTILS for us as well. We had asked the administration at Central Farm Research Station to make this a formal request, but after a month they had neglected to do so. What he was showing me and the wife, was his Taiwanese version of the onion leek. This one he has, does not have a bulb, or a bottom white part you eat, but what you do is eat the grass like leaves. It actually looks like grass, but has a strong aroma of onion. We do grow LEEKS, but the ones we grow, you only use the bulb on the bottom. Anyway, to make a long story short, he gave us a couple of bunches of his variety and we will pot them and try them in our nursery and eventually eat them.
THE TAIWANESE TECHNICAL MISSION TO BELIZE
This technical mission is going on 18 years now. It is the longest lasting and probably the most effective program of all programs of FOREIGN AID ever done in Belize. It is funded by the International Cooperation and Development Fund of TAIWAN.
The Technical Mission has a RICE project. They are trying different varieties and a seed production system. The HORTICULTURE project is the one I'm involved with, they are doing vegetables, a relatively new science in Belize and my own TEXTBOOK is now the standard guide for development research in Belize. The mission is also helping the University of Belize to organize the tissue culture training program with micropropagation. There is also the agro-processing for tropical fruits and foods. Mostly they do a school feeding program using dehydrated fruit snacks in plastic bags. They are slowly effecting the upgrading of local food processing technology. There is another program they have with the local Community College system, which is still basically in infancy, until the population grows some more in about ten years. They do vocational training in food science for processing technology with student help. All of these programs are intended to promote Belize Economic Development as the population grows and assist entrepreneurial employment social opportunities. There is an Information and Communications Technology Center in the small national capital of Belmopan. There is also five long term volunteers assisting in various economic development programs, including the University of Belize automation system and training of librarians.
There is no other FOREIGN AID from any first world industrial country to match the assistance that TAIWAN is giving to Belize. They are vastly appreciated here in Belize !