Papaya growing in my backyard in Western Belize Recreational Area.

Myself, Ray Auxillou, the author picking a papaya outside my kitchen door, by the washing machine. My cousin Gustavo Pinzon sharing the photo, with a coconut tree in the background. We now have an orange tree bearing and a breadfruit tree loaded with breadfruit also. Lots of flowers and a nursery in the yard for growing lettuce and herbs.
It's a tough life retired living in Belize, but somebody has to do it.

Immigrants prosper in Western Belize after hard times.

Young Linnette Figueroa of Hillview, on the slope of narrow Green Parrot Valley has just got her new, two young brown and white rabbits to raise. She is a neighbor of mine, a corner away in our small suburban rural community, part of Santa Elena Town, supposedly. Around 1986, her grandparents and children came to Belize under the auspices of the United Nations Refugee program from El Salvador at the end of the Reagan sponsored CIVIL WAR in Salvador. Her grandfather had some terrible tales to tell of the human slaughter during this war. At any rate, Linnette is now third generation born in Belize, Belizean. Her mother was this age when she arrived with her parents, Linnettes now grandparents. They all live in one house. Her mother Betty, got married young and had two children and then her young husband died in a car accident. Betty, then a widow and her parents and the grandchildren were having a hard time of it. They lived off food they grew themselves. Ground food we call it locally. In order to provide Betty and her children with a job, the old man built a wooden shack to work as a village grocery. This later got expanded to a cement building and doing very well indeed, due to Linnette's mother's hard work and very long hours. The family prospered and her mother and brothers, all have their own piece of land now and small family businesses. They are entrepreneurs and pretty much have to be in the economic climate of Belize. The grandparents speak no English. Betty the mother learned English from taking private lessons and struggling, as she never went to school. They couldn't afford it. She learned to run her store, learned to add and subtract and even now does the bookkeeping for our Falconview Backpackers Hostel, paying contractors as a sideline. Extremely honest and conscientious she is worth her weight in gold to us at the Hostel, as we are very old folks. Linnette though, is the real hope for both the nation of Belize and her family. She goes to school, is bilingual and learning farming, grocery business and other business entrepreneurial skills first hand. Her mother bought a car and learned to drive, has learned to read by herself, learned English the hard way by herself, bookkeeping and other life skills without schooling. A cousin of the grandfather sold out in El Salvador and moved to Belize where he bought a DFC government house across the street, converting it to a cheese making factory and now is clearing 300 acres of jungle in the hinterland, and bringing in dairy cows, as milk which is needed to make cheese is insufficient in the country of Belize. These are the immigrant families to Belize that are the salt of the Earth and are building our new nation of Belize.

Weekend newsroundup in WESTERN BELIZE

WEEKEND NEWS ROUNDUP ( Sept. 21, 2008 )

HAND GRENADE CASE

Police have not solved the thrown hand grenade mystery, that was thrown into the 10th Parade last week down in the coastal port town. The grenade did not go off. Oh sure, they have a confession, beaten out of a young boy, who may, or may not be guilty. The police failed to establish a chain of evidence, as required for a court of law. No magistrate worth their salt, could convict a boy on the basis of a confession coerced into signing by any method of brutality, without the presence of a lawyer. Our police department, and seemingly Belmopan Police Headquarters are as stupid as ever, working with methods used back in the time of King Henry the VIII. Unless they have fingerprints on the grenade by Richard Flores, witnesses, that saw him throw it, or a witness willing to say they saw him with it in his possession, or something legitimate, there is no case. The police department have RUINED the case against Richard Flores otherwise, guilty or not. The court case must be thrown out. Coerced confessions claimed to have been made under torture are not valid. Do they have any other chain of evidence? That is the the question, or they must let Richard Flores go. The USA attempt to teach the Belize Police a method of forensic evidence seems to have been a failure? They still use British monarchists torture methods of ancient times.

MINISTER CARDONA

If the story of Minister Cardona in the Belize Times newspaper is true, then the Minister should resign his cabinet position and be consigned to the back benches. The story claims the Minister was in a traffic accident which he caused and fled the scene in Chetumal, Mexico. In Belize that would be a jailable offense. The Minister is required to give up his position in the CABINET. Not even referring to the SHAME and EMBARRASSMENT claimed in the TIMES story, for the people of Belize. This is not behavior needed in a CABINET MINISTER.

ECONOMIC STATISTICS ARE PUBLISHED

The Belize Times printed a flurry of statistics on the economy for this year, from the Statistical Unit of Belize. While the Belize Times is an Opposition party rag taking the negative view of some statistics. The information is useful. There were no surprises! Remittances from abroad continue to fuel the economy and imports of goods; far in excess of our nation to afford otherwise. Inflation is 7% in round numbers, which is dangerous and worrisome, but for the most part out of control of our local government. We could not find statistics on borrowing effects by the new UDP government this year, but the National Debt is expected to have grown by about 5%. This in turn is inflationary, but more importantly leads to a potential DEVALUATION. Between inflation and devaluation, things get very hairy for the economy of Belize. The slide either way in the overall debt ratio will point to either good, or bad money management by the UDP. I fully expect the news to be bad to a certain extent, and because of the loan borrowing incurred this year, for political party propaganda purposes, the debt ratio is supposed to have gotten larger. We did not see the debt ratio in the published statistics yet though. The UDP seem to have caught on, and the last two months has seen a switch from foreign loan borrowing talk, to GRANT methods of development. Which is a very good sign from the new UDP government. The borrowing this year is expected to set back UDP economic management schemes by about 18 months for prudent self sufficiency goals. The Belize Times the Opposition newspaper, took great glee in proving that the UDP Election promises were lies and pure hot air. None have been fulfilled, nor expected to be, as the election was a rebound vote against a perceived criminal corrupt PUP.

MICHAEL REID

A very good article in the Belize Times by Michael Reid. He was formerly a politically appointed police press officer and very abrasive. Before that, he was supposed to have been a bad fellow in the USA, or someplace? In recent months his writings and vocabulary have been getting better. He could probably write better stories now than once infamous UDP writer, political party hack,Yasmin Andrews who has gone squirrely in her writings in the Guardian Newspaper since the election.

BAINBRIDGE COLLEGE

The study abroad program of Bainbridge College is expanding in Belize. Mentioned were Dr. Betty La Face and Ben White speaking at a Bainbridge Rotary club meeting. Dr. Le Face, is an Assistant Professor of English and also Assistant Director of Training Abroad. Library Director Bainbridge, Susan Ralph has a library project in Belize she is working on. These courses give credits for study abroad in Belize. We had Berea College of Kentucky ourselves at Falconview Hostel last Xmas and January, out in Western Belize Agriculture and Recreational Area for six weeks. More Colleges in the USA are using Belize as a STUDY ABROAD component for their students in a different culture. Colleges from New Hampshire and the University of Corpus Christi have used Belize for 45 years.
http://stellapinzon.tripod.com/bereacollegetravel/
http://stellapinzon.tripod.com/apartmentwesternbelize/
http://folkmusicfl.tripod.com/adventuresinbelize/

SALVADORANEAN COMMUNITY IN BELIZE OUTNUMBERS CHINESE IMMIGRANTS

There are about 30,000 Salvadoraneans registered living in Belize. They have formed a Community on San Pedro Island. In Western Belize agricultural area, most of them came originally back in 1986 during USA President Reagan’s Civil War in Salvador as United Nations refugees. They have turned into a valuable asset to Belize as we grow. They are into milk production, cheese manufacturing, cattle and milk cows and vegetables of many kinds. Their children have businesses in Belmopan and the Twin Towns of Santa Elena and San Ignacio and the grandchildren are now bi-lingual young people of the third generation who will build our nation of Belize, when they get out of school.


TOURISM DOWN 5% FOR THIS YEAR IN BELIZE

May was a DEAD month for us at Falconview Backpackers Adventure Hostel. The Belize Tourist Board reported it was bad all around the country that month. Otherwise our gross revenue stream tripled for the 8 month tourist season year. We are still in the red, after the first two pioneer years in Cayo Western Belize. Our own philosophy has been to expand more upscale accommodations and we are increasing our number of furnished apartments, from one to three; while maintaining our bunk bed dormitory for the low budget backpacker explorer.. The low budget traveler trend did not materialize from our AUXILLOU FAMILY GROUP tourist facilities on Caye Caulker island. We did not get the backpackers we expected from Caye Caulker and Tina’s Backpackers Hostel on the beach there. Which does very, very good as a HOT spot for University age, partying student travelers. The tourist season past, was not bad by any means. It just fluctuated, but as the biggest earner for our government revenues, a 5% fluctuation has the government worried. The Western Belize Recreational Area adventure tours offered locally, are improving in quality, variety and services and this is reflected in increasing numbers of tourist visitors overall. Western Belize is now getting referrals from all over the spectrum of Belize national tourist resorts. We also now have a direct Cessna 172, three passenger charter service from Caye Caulker and San Pedro tourist islands arriving at the Twin Towns municipal Central Farm airstrip to order.

MAYAN, SAN ANTONIO TOWN IN CAYO DISTRICT GETS A PRESCHOOL

Nestled in a small beautiful valley, what forty years ago was a small thatch roofed, palmetto walled typical housing style, Mayan village; at which I once did magic tricks for the children, when traversing with tourist groups; has grown into a widely dispersed community of vegetable farmers, supplying both the Twin Towns and the nation, and now have posh cement houses, drive cars, trucks and trail bikes. Television and washing machines are not uncommon. Well the little village now a TOWN of sorts, still small in population, but uncommonly wealthy, now has it’s first pre-school. Built by the Village Council and inaugurated by Rene Montero the local AREA REPRESENTATIVE ( elected government official ), the new preschool has a student body of 45 young children.

GALEN UNIVERSITY OF THE, WESTERN BELIZE RECREATIONAL AREA

Galen University located just past Central Farm agriculture research station for the Belize government and next door to the University of Belize Agriculture College now has an official five years in existence. This year they have 300 students. They even get foreign students and also have arrangements to give USA recognized degrees in certain subjects with associated Universities in the USA, with which they have agreements and distance learning programs. The major partner in the USA for GALEN UNIVERSITY in Belize is the University of Indianapolis. Undergraduate programs in Belize are recognized by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools in the USA. Foreign students are coming from the USA, Canada, England, France and Sweden. We had thought once, we would be a mecca for Central American students, but this never materialized. Chinese students once made up a big group to learn English, but this program has declined in recent years. Native Belizeans make up 90% of the student body. In my own lifetime, I have seen Belize go from a country, which had no people with even a Bachelors Degree, to two Universities now giving PH’ds, recognized abroad.

Sugar and Ethanol feasability study in Belize

ETHANOL PILOT PROJECT IN BELIZE BITES THE DUST !

The feasibility study for an ethanol 200 proof, pilot project in Belize by the Belize Development Trust (NGO) bit the dust, over the cost of locally produced sugar.

In rough estimates, local brown sugar is sold $3.25 per 5 lb bag in Santa Elena Town. You can of course probably get a 25% savings if buying in bulk. For estimating costs, it is better to use the higher figure as a yardstick, so you have built in savings for a feasibility study. $3.25 Bz sugar per 5 lbs, means a cost of .65 cents a pound for brown sugar.

Sugar is fermented by adding yeast and then heated and distilled to make ethanol. Assuming a rough figure to cover transportation, labor and firewood, the idea is to estimate 3 times the cost of the sugar, to find an end production cost figure.

It takes 15 to 20 lbs of sugar to make a gallon of 200 proof ethanol. Again for safety calculations, we will assume 20 lbs of sugar to make 1 gallon of ethanol. Gasoline sells locally around $10 bz, give or take a dollar. Locally produced ethanol would cost 3 production costs x .65 cents per pound of sugar x 20 lbs for a gallon. Or a gallon of ethanol would cost $13.00 bz in brown sugar to make one gallon. Muliplied by 3 to get a round number for production costs, a gallon of ethanol would cost $39.00 a gallon.

Obviously gasoline in Belize is cheaper to buy in Belize , than making local ethanol? So how do the Brazilians do it? In order to be competitive, brown sugar locally produced would have to sell for .18 cents a pound or less. Taxes are not included in this study. Something is wrong somewhere in the cost of sugar produced in Belize ?

======================

This comparative cost study actually points out that local brown sugar is overpriced by 350%. .18 cents it should be retail a pound versus .65 cents a pound we are buying at. We actually produce sugar here in the country. The government often talks about the inefficiencies in the sugar industry and the outside world does too. Obviously our comparative pricing here, from what it should be to what it is; indicates that the Belize Sugar Industry is woefully inefficient. So how to fix it? I would think the powers to be would be working on that, as there is OBVIOUSLY room to work with here. If one was going to use expertise and government intervention, I would go with legislation forcing improvements in the sugar industry to make us world competitive. Why should we sell our trade preferences to the EU to keep a bunch of inefficient people in jobs? Doesn't make sense. They have a grace period, let them CHANGE.

ALBA debacle crisis with Honduras, Belize and CARICOM

A HECTIC WEEK OF CRISIS EVENTS IN BELIZE

The two major crisis events in Belize this past week, were foreign policy events. First were the collapse of the EPA negotiations and the Eastern Caribbean countries are now talking about re-negotiating with the EU. In Belize, our Prime Minister showed his lack of grasp of the nuances of the EPA contract with the European Union and announced himself ready to sign the EPA as is; anytime the Eastern Caribbean wanted him to. This not only was a disastrous statement, based on lack of knowledge, which he should have known, and obviously the PM did not even take the trouble to either read, or study the situation. George Bush could have done no worse. Furthermore, when the Eastern Caribbean leaders started to complain about the lack of an escape, or withdrawal clause, it was even further obvious how far out of the loop in international affairs regarding the EU and this EPA contract our Prime Minister in Belize and his advisors in Belmopan really were. We were ashamed! The Prime Minister was not protecting the interests of Belize, or seemed to even care about it?

The second crisis event was the toppling of a string of dominos, in that US Ambassadors around the ALBA signatory countries started getting kicked out in the case of Venezuela, and refused recognition in Honduras. It is not clear that Belize is yet a signatory to the ALBA alleged trade group. We still don’t know by the weekend? Nor has the ALBA contracts been discussed in government, or the open PRESS for public debate. What came clear by the FRIDAY debacle in the capital of Honduras, Tegucigalpa, when the new US Ambassador was refused recognition by the President of Honduras, was that there is more to the ALBA trade block proposed by 7 socialist countries with tyrannical communist ideological sentiments than was supposed. In fact, from commentator reports, the ALBA trade bloc apparently includes some sections involving united front, International Policy decision making? Something that BELIZE who already is a signatory to a similar CARICOM group, could not sign, or agree to. Trade with ALBA countries yes! International political stances NO! We already have a voice in a united front of Caricom countries for international affairs. Presumably, the port town media will start some investigative reporting and give us some detailed articles on where we stand on the ALBA trade bloc? Our government has already received loans and grants from the ALBA Bank, whatever that means? One gets the feeling that the BELIZE CABINET do not know what they are doing on foreign policy? There is serious lack of leadership and vision. Perhaps some of the bright sparks in the CABINET, like Rene Montero, Edmund Castro and Patrick Faber can turn their attention to long range vision of the future of Belize and foreign policy deals in particular? Somebody needs to do it?

A STUDY OF THE FYFES AND TATE & LYLE IN BELIZE SUGAR AND BANANA INDUSTRIES

A STUDY OF THE SUGAR AND BANANA EFFECTS ON BELIZE SOVEREIGNTY

by Ray Auxillou, Sept. 14^th, 2008

The debate over the effect of the EPA by CARIFORM and CARICOM countries in the Caribbean and the subsequent sovereignty effects on Belize, came to some startling conclusions. What we found out in the sugar industry, is that basically the sugar industry controlled locally by Belize Sugar Industries owned by local native sugar growers was working excellent from the viewpoint of local national sovereignty, self sufficiency goals. The fly in the ointment was in marketing, in which the dominant largest part of the sugar sales was by the old colonial International Corporation of Tate and Lyle. The history of sugar in Belize was the successful wresting from the control of TATE & LYLE a foreign International Corporation of the United Kingdom, now a part of the European Union and turning it over to local land and productive ownership. The only drawback is the large marketing share by Tate & Lyle as majority buyer of our sugar, in which what is otherwise, a good diversified beginning in world competition. The only suggestion offered by the study, is that marketing by BSI should start searching for substitute markets for the European Union accessed by Tate & Lyle. Perhaps we should be marketing to Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Calcutta? Certainly sovereignty means we must diversify away from the EU. Currently, the USA, three Caribbean countries and the local internal market for sugar are beginnings.

The study of the effects of the Economic Partnership Agreement ( EPA ) through the banana industry in Belize turned up a startling conclusion, which had very little to do with the marketing arrangement and more to do with local CABINET policies on immigration. The Banana industry in Belize is basically an IRISH multi-national operation owned by the FYFES Corporation. We do have 7 small local banana growers riding like ticks on the back of the foreign owned FYFES Corporation operation, but in comparison to the Sugar Industry, the effect on local Belizean national economic growth and sovereignty independence, of the much smaller banana industry locally is dismal, if not counter productive to the medium and longer term goals in which we should be heading, for self sufficiency and independence from outside foreign sources. There are some very ghastly studies on the internet which claim that the Belize Banana industry is the worst labor situation in the banana producing region of this part of the world. Through Fyfes we are tied like Siamese twins to the ACP negotiations for the EPA, the European Union wishes to impose on us.

The setup is strictly colonial imperialism, albeit done by a multi-national corporation system, based on steady supplies of bananas, banana variety and subsequent foreign corporate exported profits.. What we need in Belize is a change to the Fyfe operation of bananas in Belize, which has been done by past Belizean governments in decades past, that was done to Tate & Lyle in the sugar industry. Which means a method of switching total local ownership of operations to a WORKER owned land system and FOB ( Free on Board ) collecting and shipping system as done by the BSI growers owned sugar system in Northern Belize used as a template. We did not quantify the economic effects of the Banana industry to Belize government revenues. They are however obviously minimal? Our problem in doing research was hampered by the cost of telecommunications, the excessive cell phone system charges in Belize. After we spent a half a day salary, calling around for detailed information for just between 12 and 25 minutes, we could afford to do no more. That was about a half hour of talk time. Obviously telephoning costs in Belize needs to be corrected? What is needed, is that farmers who are banana workers, OWN the land on which they grow bananas. To do this a coordinated effort by Central Government, needs to be implemented.

The situation is hampered by the BLACK port town control of the political system and current outcries in the port media, against demographic changes by reducing black coastal populations leaving for Western industrialize countries. The banana workers are mostly Mestizo Honduran citizens who come to Belize as temporary permitted workers. Obviously a government campaign to give these people naturalization and citizenship with Belizean passports is needed, to make them stakeholders in Belize agricultural development. With citizenship and subsequent land titles of the banana growing lands in plots, the banana growing system would change and bring more taxes and revenues to the Belize government, which in turn would change the dynamics on how the country economically grows. The sugar industry shows this works.

Immigration into Belize, is a sore point to the racism practices by the BLACKS of the port communities, particularly the hotbed of political scandal and control of the politics of the nation of Belize, the major port town. Their BLACK segment of the nation is shrinking, due to emmigration flight to cities of the industrialized world. Nor do they culturally seem inclined to developing the national agriculture or industrialized future of the country of Belize. They seem to want to be a city of salaried government clerks? Unfortunately for the nation of Belize, the control of central government by the port of Belize City, racist black population, is holding back our sovereign development and self sufficiency, and increasing our revenue base. Lately, this is most notable with cries of the port media to control immigration by Mestizos and Mayan ethnic cultures into Belize, without which economic development would grind to a halt..

We are experiencing the same effects to the detriment of developing the CAYO DISTRICT out in Western Belize. Many of our campesino immigrants are unable to get land titles after years of trying. Lost files and bribes are the most common effects complained of. There is a discriminatory policy practiced by the government, in excessive government fees and costs, both for land ownership and for permanent residency, naturalization and citizenship. For the poor immigrant, the cash flow fee problem is insurmountable, until the second or third generation, leaving uncertainty in it’s wake and slowing down economic growth.

The immigrant to Belize is building this country, just like many other Commonwealth countries have experienced. In Belize, we find the retiree type immigrant from Europe, South America and North America with an income flow, can set themselves up in a break even type, cottage style, small business within five to seven years. With the illiterate type of campesino type immigrant, particularly in industry and agriculture, the growth aspects of the immigration takes longer, about 15 to 40 years to accomplish any effect on the economic growth of Belize. The reason is that first, the poor illiterate immigrant has to survive at very low wage scales. This makes land ownership and naturalization citizenship goals very important to them. Current policies are not helping, but hindering this national economic growth process. The children of these immigrants are the ones who are building the small cottage family businesses, that are boosting the economy and making the taxes to support a larger government. Sometimes, it is the children, of the children, of older immigrants to Belize; who are becoming the new business leaders, investors and through slow growth from savings, pooling of cash resources, importation of newer technology, and pooled family capital investment. It takes time in years to acquire and test the market place, experimental ideas, with subsequent losses of savings, in the learning process, to make money from business. The ones that are doing it, are second and third generation, roots-born in Belize, Mestizos and Maya citizens. Their parents may not be educated, or bi-lingual, but their children and grandchildren are; thanks to our English speaking school system. Another problem effecting economic growth; are Creole speakers teaching dialect, instead of International English, to immigrant bi-lingual and tri-lingual children born in Belize, in our schools, speaking an alternate language at home. Most Belizean children in Western Belize have to be bi-lingual and often tri-lingual.

Tomato and Lettuce research experiments in Tropical Belize.

Here we are in the downstairs nursery, experimenting with different kinds of tomato varieties for the Government of Belize, Central Farm Research Station, Director. This batch got wiped out in mid summer, due to overwarm night time temperatures. We have found in Tropical Belize that the thermostat for vegetables has to be very close. Most imported seeds for temperate zone vegetables require ten or fifteen degrees farehheight differential, between warm summer days and colder nights. When they fail to get that temperature of coolness at night, the growing biological trigger goes into non-stop overdrive and the plants spiral out of control. There are plants with very close temperature biological switches, and some that do not care at all. Finding these for Belizean summer conditions ( April, May, June & July and sometimes most of August ) is the problem at present. This plot eventually got wiped out by THRIPS and then MOSAIC VIRUS in continuous planting and tomato cropping. Currently this same plot is now growing lettuce and testing varieties for the FALL and Winter season, which do have a cooler night time temperature differential.

SECOND QUARTER ECONOMY OF BELLIZE BOOMS AT 7.3 %

BELIZE ECONOMIC INTELLIGENCE SERVICE

part of Western Belize News Service
------------------

OPEN SOURCE INTELLIGENCE: Source Lan Sluder, by way of Channel Love FM television in Belize, reported from the Government Statistical Unit.

• SUMMARY: SECOND QUARTER ECONOMIC RESULTS BOOM AT 7.3% in Belize

• INFLATION RISES ALSO AT 6.9% in Belize

The Belize economy had a blowout quarter in the 2nd quarter of 2008,
growing 7.3%. That's one of the faster rates of growth in the world,
and more than twice as fast as the U.S. growth rate that quarter.

Even China and India only grew at around 10% in the 2nd quarter.

On the negative side, inflation for the 12 months ending May 2008 was
6.9%, the biggest annual increase since 1996. The inflation rate was
mainly due to increases in the price of food; fortunately, some food
prices have fallen back since the 2nd quarter.
--Lan Sluder

From LOVE-FM:

BELIZE'S ECONOMY REBOUND FROM A BAD FIRST QUARTER
September 12, 2008

Belize's economy has seen an increase. That is according to figures
released by the Statistical Institute of Belize. A release from the
Institute says after virtually no growth in the first quarter of this
year, Belize's economy bounced back at seven point three per cent in
the second quarter to post growth of an estimated four per cent in the
first half of this year. The expansion was spurred by the wholesale
and retail trade and manufacturing sectors, both of which grew by more
than 10 per cent. After the collapse of the country's largest shrimp
farm, the fishing sector declined by 20 point five per cent however it
rebounded in the second quarter making it the third largest
contributor to the expansion of the economy during that period. Growth
was also recorded in the agriculture, transport and communication
sectors. On the downside the hotel and restaurant sector declined for
a second consecutive quarter. This reflects the continued decrease in
tourists' arrivals. The electricity and water sector also reflected a
decrease. This was attributed to the lower rainfall at the Chalillo
Dam which resulted in a 23 point four per cent in electric power
generation. As it relates to the international merchandise trade, from
January to July Belize imported 990 point three million dollars worth
of goods; this is an increase of 24 point five per cent or 194 point
eight million dollars from the same period last year. The most
significant spending increases were in machinery and transport
equipment which increased by 73 point eight million dollars.
Manufactured goods increased by 40 point eight million dollars and
mineral fuels and lubricants increased by 31 million dollars. The
United States continued as the largest supplier, providing almost 34
per cent of total imports. Central America ranked second with 21 per
cent most of which were for the Commercial Free Zone in Corozal.
Domestic export earnings rose by four point nine per cent to 367 point
seven million dollars. The bulk of the increase was due to higher oil
prices. Among the other major export commodities, only marine products
and bananas saw increased sales. Figures show that when crude
petroleum oil is excluded, there was a nine point two per cent or 25
point seven million dollars shortfall in domestic export revenues
between January and July. In value terms, the share of domestic export
sales to the United States of America remained at 30 per cent while
the percentage to Central America rose from 19 point nine per cent to
29 percent. The share of sales to Europe fell from 37 point seven per
cent to 31 point seven per cent. As it relates to consumer price
index, figures show that in May of this year, consumers were paying
six point nine percent more than they did in May last year for goods
and services in the consumer price index basket. This 12 month change
is the highest recorded since August 1996 when consumer prices grew by
seven point four per cent. The most significant increases were in the
prices of food and beverages which rose by an average of 12 point
three per cent. The price of rice went up by 21 point three per cent
while the cost of flour and whole chicken increased by 51 point five
percent and 13 point four per cent respectively. Increases were also
recorded in the transport and communication sector as gasoline rose by
seven point eight percent per gallon and diesel by 35 point four per
cent per gallon.

BELIZE ECONOMIC INTELLIGENCE SERVICE

BELIZE ECONOMIC INTELLIGENCE SERVICE ( private sector )

Western Belize News Service

OPEN SOURCE INTELLIGENCE – Channel 7 Honduras television-

- Internet sources

- Latin television stations on cable in Belize

Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez just upped the ante. The President of Honduras has just refused to recognize and accept the new Ambassador to Honduras on the grounds that Honduras is a member of the ALBA group. This after the new USA Ambassador made a beautiful speech to Hondurans on television in perfect Spanish.

Venezuela this past week had kicked out the US Ambassador in Caracas. In retaliation, the USA in Washington, D.C. had kicked out the Venezuelan Ambassador to the USA and another Venezuelan diplomat. Also two high level Venezuelan Intelligence Agents had their bank accounts frozen for funding the Terrorist Bandit Army made up of kidnapped Colombian children, brainwashed and terrorized into serving as the bandit army of the FARC Terrorist Mafia Group working in Colombia against Colombian citizens. This MAFIA terrorist group is also legally recognized by the Italian government for international travel and support.

In HONDURAS today, the US Ambassador was refused to be recognized by the Honduran government, because Honduras is a signatory the new economic federation in the American Continent called ALBA. Everybody who signed up to ALBA perhaps knew, or didn’t dwell on the fine print, but the deal is not just getting FREE MONEY from President Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, or OIL on long term, low interest loans. There is no FREE LUNCH one commentator said on televison in Honduras. Those that signed on to ALBA are required to go to each others aid in times of war,or emergency, as well as preferential trade. What one does as a member of ALBA, all members must do. Sort of like the party politics of Belize, in which party politicians are expected to hide corruption by their fellow political party members.

The HONDURAS reporters debating the effects in retaliation by the USA, as over a million Hondurans have a limited term, special work permit visa system to the USA. The remittances from these Honduran workers are the biggest economic boost to the Honduran economy and amount to an estimated $2 BILLION usa per year.

BELIZE was represented by a mystery person in Nicaragua, when the ALBA group of countries was formed. We do not know who that person was, or if that person signed on behalf of our Belize Government, to make Belize an official member of ALBA? Or perhaps that person was an OBSERVER? We do know that the Belize government, both the last one and the new government in Belize, has been receiving FREE GRANTS from the ALBA BANK in Venezuela, as it has been announced in the port town media for propaganda purposes by Prime Minister, Dean Barrow and the UDP. The ALBA signing contract has NEVER been delivered to the Belizean people by any government of Belize. There have been two of the two different political parties.

In late breaking FRIDAY evening television news from Honduras, the President of that country is now declaring that the accepting of the new USA Ambassador has simply been temporarily postponed. Presumably the Honduran President must go back to Venezuela to get instructions from his master? The Honduran Presidential Palace is all lit up into the Friday night like it was Christmas.

In the meantime, the USA is Belize’s biggest trading partner. Hugo Chavez is threatening to invade BOLIVIA with an International Army, if President Evo Morales should be assassinated, or deposed, in the current turmoil in Bolivia. the United Nations are supposed to have gone into Bolivia. Bolivia is part of the ALBA group of countries. What will Belize do? A number of CARICOM countries are now in the same boat as being ALBA signatories. Are we really planning to go to war with the USA in any shape or form, particularly economic? We are having enough trouble in CARICOM and CARIFORM over signing the European Unions invasion into Caribbean markets through a forced EPA. ( Economic Partnership Agreement ) The EU is trying to steal USA Caribbean Markets, even as small as they are.

The Honduran Presidential palace is in turmoil, this Friday night, it is reported by television commentators on Noticias Channel 7 television. On Western Belize Bayman Cable, this is Channel 50. World War Three, over the World’s resources and markets is heating up. The European Union is trying to steal USA markets in the Caribbean from the USA through the EPA. Oil is becoming the BIG STICK in this war by Venezuela. Taiwan our biggest economic foreign aid source is buying our vote in the United Nations.

Where do we in Belize go from here? How do we survive when Belizean political parties continue to overspend their budgets and the capacity of the government revenues collected. Where is our self reliance and independence? Where is fiscal prudence and good judgement coming from in a policy of thrift and hard work for Belize?

Belize Economic Intelligence Service is a by-product of the Western Belize News Service and accepts anonymous donations by Postal Money order for assistance in doing economic research, benefiting Belize. Internet time and telephone time is very expensive in order to do a good job. Contributions to our communications expenses would be appreciated. We ran out of telephone time money today, in trying to investigate the details of the Banana and the Sugar industry and their effects on the EPA decisions by the Cabinet in Belmopan.

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BELIZE ECONOMIC INTELLIGENCE REPORT

• BELIZE ECONOMIC INTELLIGENCE UNIT REPORT ( Private Sector )
• Western Belize News Service http://westernbelizehappenings.blogspot.com

In light of the European Union, contract, or Economic Partnership Agreement debate among CARICOM and CARIFORM countries, including Belize. It behooves us to understand the factors that are influencing policy at the CABINET level of the Belize government. The new ( private sector driven ) Economic Intelligence Unit has been formed to try and find motives, reasons and who profits?

The goal of this study paper are our SUGAR and BANANA industry. The two major bulk commodity industries worth $132 million in exports to Europe, which have effected the CABINET decision with this EPA invasion from the European Union, to bust open and enslave CARIBBEAN markets.. This is a first start and as information is gathered, this report will be updated, to enhance public understanding of the economic factors in play, which are interfering with the Independence of Belize and our goal of economic self sufficiency.

INTELLIGENCE DATA to date: SUGAR INDUSTRY

Humint intelligence - CLASSIFED SECRET ( In explanation of a SECRET classification, we refer to human sources of information whose identity must be protected.) The information is most probably in the public domain, but not easy to find for the lay person within Belize.

HUMINT: Sugar - Orange Walk town sugar factory, the only one operating is owned by sugar grower shareholders in a corporation called BSI. ( Belize Sugar Industries ) Foreign marketing arrangement are by assorted arrangement. UK the majority and the USA, plus three Caribbean island countries.

AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT: no inputs yet – bureaucrat not available until next week-

FOREIGN AFFAIRS DEPT. – no inputs yet

MEDIA SOURCES – no inputs yet ( considered to be OPEN sources )

INTERNET SOURCES: - no inputs yet ( considered to be OPEN sources )

SUGAR FACTORY BSI MARKETING OFFICER : About 110,000 tons of sugar are marketed. 12,000 tons are sold locally, while 98,000 tons are exported. Biggest buyer are Tate and Lyle, a UK company, who purchases sugar and all the molasses. The sugar for the USA is exported and sold through a bidding process by buyers. The rest is sold in the Caribbean. 2007 year crop was damaged by Hurricane and worth $108.4 million Belize currency. The USA sugar quota is 11,400 tons but the BSI factory was unable to fill the order this past year. Tate & Lyle the UK buyer handled 86,600 tons of sugar and as the biggest buyer, in the UK, is part of the European Union, and distributes their processed bagged sugar around Europe and the Commonwealth. The preferential tariff of the EU effects the price that Tate & Lyle pay BSI locally. Preferential tariffs of the EU effect the Tate & Lyle of the UK bottom line.

For the 2007 crop, the USA contributed $9.7 million Belizean currency, the Caribbean countries $2.3 million, local consumption around $10 million and $6.4 million in molasses to the UK.

HYDROPONIC RESEARCH IN VEGETABLES IN BELIZE

• BELIZE DEVELOPMENT TRUST ( NGO )

• VEGETABLE RESEARCH PROJECT

An NGO in Belize that has been doing volunteer work to improve the economy for the past 16 years. We have an electronic library on the internet, development issues subjects since 1992. This photo shows Ray Auxillou, with the third floor vegetable nursery, doing experimental research work in cooperation with the Government Central Farm Research Station. This year will be the third year for temperate zone tropical vegetable agriculture, using mainly temperate zone seeds. The first year was testing the hydroponic hand fed system in soil containers and the second year was doing trials in lettuce and tomatos to choose varieties suitable for the two major seasons by temperature in Belize. Four books have been published on the research and many new government policies and programs have been started utilizing the data found and collated.
Currently a new crop of lettuce and tomatos are being planted for winter season trials. It has been found that using water and nutrient feed, crops have no season in Belize and can be grown year round at any time. The only difference is two seasons based on night time temperatures, the summer and other, which do require different varieties. Planting times have been found and recorded for best success by months. Search for best working varieties is ongoing by both Central Farm Research Station and the Taiwanese Vegetable Mission to Belize.

Western Belize News Service

• SEPTEMBER THE MONTH OF THE RAIN GOD CHAC, IN BELIZE !

This is the month of rains and so far we are just getting mostly night time showers. Not too strong, or too much, but enough to make the corn grow well. Many flowers are bursting out in beauty now with the rains and it is a time of planting winter crop varieties and to put flower cuttings into pots for transplanting into the ground. With wet soil, plants grow well, thanks to the seasonal intervention of our Belizean Rain God, CHAC.

• NATIONAL HOLIDAY IN BELIZE FOR THE BATTLE OF ST. GEORGES CAYE

Belize is a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic country these days. We have a National Holiday on the 10^th of September, in honor of the Baymen, in the battle of St. Georges Caye. This battle occurred out at St. Georges Caye about 9 miles from Belize City, behind the Great Barrier Reef. Several times the Spaniards from Mexico swept across this island and destroying the old capital here, capturing and forcing the inhabitants into slavery in Cuba, or marched up the Yucatan Peninsular in chains, to Merida, where they were tortured and eventually drawn and quartered. The Battle of St. Georges Caye is a National Celebration, because at the time of declaring the holiday, the government of the day, after Independence in the 1980’s was controlled by black people in the old colonial port of Belize City on the coast. Politicians of the time in the early 1980’s wanted unifying symbols and myths to unite people. According to the records, white Englishmen in a war sloop and Baymen, which meant pirates and logwood cutters that made up the settlement, all white Europeans; fought the Spanish, which were other white Europeans over the fairly empty land that was then Belize. The Maya and Mestizo residents of the time are believed not to have numbered more than 10,000 people in remote interior jungle farms and communities. Their ethnicity was not either BLACK, or WHITE. In the 1980’s though, all political power was handed over by the white man from England to the BLACK population along the coast. Allegedly, the slaves of these WHITE Europeans, also assisted their masters in repulsing the Spanish war fleet off St. Georges Caye, as the local community knew the small war fleet was coming. Due to the narrow reef entrance at the Caye, and the use of cannon and grapeshot on log rafts, the Spaniards were fought off, as they were unable to either maneuver in narrow sandy coral shallow channels inside the reef, or enter through the only reef entrance blocked by an English war sloop. There was fearful loss of life by the Spanish, who having lost the element of surprise were unable to land marines in row boats, or maneuver their ships in the ocean outside the Barrier Reef, to attack with their cannon. Since then, no other Spanish invasion has occurred in Belize. The British whites and their Black slaves, later emancipated, laid claim to the land. Borders were assigned by Empire building Europeans during their wars over there in Europe. The MAYA residents and MESTIZOS, then as today, ignored the white man and the black man along the coast. The subsequent government, even today is still black dominated and this battle is mainly a celebration of white European supremacy and that of the Black descendants along the coast of Belize.

If you check the history of Belize and you can find the illustrated books on the subject FREE on the internet. Try in GOOGLE, The “EARLY HISTORY OF BELIZE”, you can find the history of 500 years of continuous war by the indigenous Maya, against the invading conquistadors from Mexico. Through massacres, religious enslavement and European diseases, unfortunate locust plagues and droughts, the indigenous population of Belize was decimated, until at the time of INDEPENDENCE in the 1980’s only BLACKS and WHITES had any say in political power. This is almost true today in 2008, though more and more indigenous roots Maya and Mestizos are recently being allowed to work as government clerks in the government bureaucracy, formerly restricted to the BLACK population.

What we have now in WESTERN BELIZE RECREATIONAL AREA, Cayo District, is a population mostly of MAYA and MESTIZOS of Mayan mixed blood and about 30,000 white Mennonite farmers, that trace their travels from Russia, to Canada, to Mexico and now in Belize. These Mennonite white farmers arrived about 50 years ago, when there were only 5000 of them. Only in this last election, this year of 2008, did the second generation Mennonite immigrants actually enter politics with a couple of candidates.

This government holiday of September 10^th is accepted by all Belizeans of all ethnic cultures and races, but as far as parades and other holiday accoutrements, it continues to be mainly a BLACK holiday found down in the port towns along the coastline. The MAYA and MESTIZO population in Western Belize, accept the free government holiday with salary, but ignore the historical context of this battle, as it was just a skirmish between invading European WHITES, some with black slaves, over THEIR MAYAN LAND against a Spanish European group intent on conquest. The battle the holiday represents does not reflect the history of the Maya and Mestizo indigenous population of Belize. Nor does the BLACK designed official flag, which is the NATIONAL FLAG. Which has no reference to the indigenous inhabitants. Consequently while this September 10^th, is a BLACK and WHITE ethnic, GOVERNMENT HOLIDAY, it is not celebrated much in any of the interior districts like Western Belize, whose Maya and Mestizo population do not relate in any way, to this skirmish called the Battle of St. Georges Caye.

In the last three decades, demographics has replaced BLACKS as the major population group, though they still control and dominate the government civil service and political process. The interior MAYA and MESTIZOS now are in greater numbers, as the BLACKS tend to migrate to industrialized countries and live in the cities there. The MESTIZOS and MAYA still do not have much impact on the political power structure of the nation of Belize. Though that time is surely coming in the next few decades.

A holiday is a holiday and Belize has a lot of holidays, We live in the tropics and any excuse to have a party and not work is enjoyed to the maximum, by all cultural and ethnic racial groups. After all, we live in the tropics, why work so hard? We are trying to catch up to the French and the Italians for days off from work. Any excuse will do.

• BELIZE DEFENSE FORCE WILL NOT BE SENT TO HELP TURKS AND CAICOS

Hit by several hurricanes, Turks and Caicos islands apparently has received emergency help from several of it’s CARICOM neighbors. Not from Belize though. None of our Belize Defense Force members have gone to assist the multi-island country. We should be ashamed of ourselves? Maybe we could send a cheque, equal to the value of air transport, if we had sent 12 BDF members?

• TURKS AND CAICOS RECEIVES GOVERNMENT INSURANCE DAMAGE

It was reported on Caribbean News that the Turks and Caicos government had insured their infra-structure and loss of government tax revenues, while re-building from being hit by hurricanes. This year they got hit by two hurricanes so far and have received a hefty insurance company cheque for the Government of the Turks and Caicos. Sounds like something our government could do also, as currently a hurricane hit averages a loss of $150 million dollars on average to infra-structure damage and tax revenue loss while re-building goes on in Belize. It also sounds like we should make legislation for our banana and sugar industries, to make it mandatory that these industries insure their crops for hurricane damage?

• HEADS OF CARICOM GOVERNMENTS POSTPONE EPA SIGNING AGAIN!

On the tenth of September, Caribbean News reports that Heads of Caribbean governments meeting in Barbados on the subject of the European Union, Economic Partnership Contract being shoved down our throats, in a shift from military colonialism, to economic colonialism methods, has been unable to agree. GUYANA outright refuses to sign the EPA. Guyana has two crops like Belize, one is rice and the other is sugar. Our two crops at risk are sugar and bananas. The new Imperial Empire power is now the European Union. Though the USA are expected next year after their election, to start competing for the Caribbean with the European Union.

Our Belizean Prime Minister has announced he will submit and sign the EPA, to protect the jobs offered by our sugar and banana industries. Prime Minister Dean Barrow is basically going to take Belize back to colonial days with his decision. This is WAR, an economic war. Why will our Prime Minister not fight? I wonder how the CABINET decision went in UDP votes? We are not going to be ruled by a British Governor, or even a EU governor, but basically our future is going to be cancelled and it certainly looks like the last 11 years of progress in the nation of Belize to self sustainable, fiscal and economic independence are to be thrown away as we sign into a new indentured type economic slavery contract. The sad thing is; there are no guarantees of a preferential tariff, or continued markets, or even an escape clause in the EPA, that allows Belize to change our mind and withdraw from the EPA, should the economic circumstances change. Perhaps by WTO lawsuits from other countries, or the forked tongue white European tendency to double cross, third world countries. Sounds like lousy lawyer work to me! At least have a withdrawal clause if the darned thing doesn’t suit us. What kind of foolishness is that?

One can only compare the character and principles of the much admired strength of the leader of Guyana compared to our own Prime Minister in Belize. What a difference when it comes to independence. In puzzling over the differences, one can guess that it is because of two different political systems that are practiced in each country. Plus in our own country, the new government party this year, have seemingly lost control of the bureaucratic control process and been poorly served by BELTRAIDE and the FOREIGN AFFAIRS Department. There is no one to blame but the CABINET, who continue to be embroiled in replacing all the skilled people in government over the last eleven years, with party people, like done in Zimbabwe, if the opposition newspaper political organ the Belize Times is to be half way believed? Eight months and we still wait for leadership to the future independence and self sustainable capabilities of Belize. There are some good people in the new government, but for some reason the rest can’t seem to get organized. The bright sparks in the new Cabinet seem to be Edmund Castro, Rene Montero, and Patrick Faber. The Prime Minister’s rating of governance is somewhere below 40% in a Western poll. We don’t count in rural areas, it is the warped cheating port, Belize City politicians, that control national public policy. Sad to say, they seem to have done a disastrous job in the past eight months. There have been a few bright moments. Grants from TAIWAN are the biggest UDP success. Taiwan provides more foreign aid to Belize, than the USA, the European Union, the United Kingdom and Venezuela combined.

Photo of Xununtanich Mayan Ruin pyramid

You can see the size by the group of tourists in the bottom left hand corner of the photo. I first climbed this Mayan temple ruin back in 1962 and it still had jungle trees growing on it. We had to pull ourselves up by bushes and tree roots to get to the top. This is a classic area pyramind. The Mayan people still live in San Jose Sucttoz across the Mopan river and a few miles away also in Benque Viejo Town.

PHOTO FROM TOP OF XUNUNTANICH TO GUATEMALA

That ridge in the background is across the border in Guatemala. The photo is taken from the top of Xununtanich Mayan pyramid, on the top of a big hill, on the Belize side. The Maya still live here, in two towns. One is called San Jose Succotz at the bottom of the hill and across on a barge like ferry, hand cranked across the Mopan River that drains the Peten in Guatemala. The pyramid is for the last two thousand years, for the second Mayan Empire called the Classic period.

EPA WILL DAMAGE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN BELIZE

WHAT DOES THE ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT REQUIRED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION DO TO OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT?

by Ray Auxillou, Sept,.9, 2008

There has been no comparative studies done by either the Education Department, or the Agriculture Department, Beltraide, or the Foreign Affairs Department on the effect the EU, Economic Partnership Agreement required by the European Union on January 1^st, 2009 by Belize.

Unlike the rest of the Caribbean, the Belize Education Ministry has spent a couple of hundred million dollars the past few years on diversifying our education capabilities toward SELF SUFFICIENCY. We now have two Universities in Belize. One private and one government, the University of Belize the government system has a number of campuses. There is also a fledgling Community College system training youngsters in the necessary skills of vocational trades and soon license requirements. We are making software engineers and software programmers, and the newspapers are full of employment requirements for jobs within Belize, that once were the sole hiring of UK foreigners, or by foreign Commonwealth citizens. The employment curve due to better education programs and organization has blossomed in Belize and the Belize student nowadays have a whole lot of career paths to choose from, or businesses they can start up as independents. The thing is nobody anymore has to go abroad to get either a College skill, or a University Degree. This was not the story 15 years ago. Back then we exported our young people for education and export to industrialized countries like most CARICOM countries still do. In education and self sufficiency as a nation, we have diverged from most of the Caribbean countries.

With education certifications and degrees within Belize, the entrepreneur business building skills are expanding in steady small increments yearly. With the internet we have access to both knowledge and competitive markets. The snag in all this has been our small population. There are still not enough trained people to satisfy either the existing companies needs for trained people, but neither are there enough trained people available to exploit the myriad tens of thousands of business opportunities to export products to the world markets. It is our population size, that is the bottleneck.

87% of our success in changing the way Belize operates has come from new immigrants, with outside skills and knowledge and the drive that is incumbent upon a new immigrant to survive and make a living. Unlike extended family Belizeans, of a by-gone era, with support systems from family and relatives, our story in Belize is just like New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the USA. Our economic engine and the government tax revenues have been based on an incoming immigrant flow.

Different government department bureaucrats have from time to time, told me of opportunities for export opportunities. The bottleneck has been the lack of young trained people with the ambition and drive to take advantage of them. I am continuously looking and testing young people to mentor. The thing is; character, drive and honesty are my requirements, not so much skills which can be taught if necessary. This is the problem of every business person in Belize.

To export, and build our economy, and create jobs we NEED customs tariffs, that can be adjusted by the Cabinet ( the legislature doesn’t work in Belize ). The EPA desired by the European Union is to protect THEIR export industries and their jobs for their young people. The goals are diametrically opposed. Their gain will be our loss.

For example we have both materials and the knowledge to make chocolates for export in a niche gourmet market. We grow cacao and we have milk ( not enough ) and lots of sugar and molasses. Some cottage industries already produce these. We do lack young people who are entrepreneurs. Immigration should solve that. ( It takes about 15 years to do this, as one needs the second generation young people. ) What though, is the sense of starting a chocolate candy export business in competition with the rest of the world, and particularly the European Union, if we cannot compete? This story is endless, the opportunities I know of today are so many, I would have to lose 60 years off my age and start over. The revitalized Development Finance Corporation should assist in these entrepreneurial fields.

You have to consider ECONOMIES OF SCALE! Bigger markets like the EU, or CANADA, or the USA can produce chocolates, as in this example by the millions per day. Why bother in Belize, if the signing of the EPA will DEFEAT the protectionism offered by our customs tariffs?

Let me illustrate by a personal experience. 40 years ago, I wanted to make cement blocks like they did in Chetumal, Mexico on our frontier. I wrote to the Agency of International Development for advice in the USA. I wrote the Peace Corps, I wrote the Tropical Products Institute of the Department of Natural Resources in London, England. This was not the time of telephones and internet, but a time when correspondence to get answers took about two years to get any kind of answers in Belize. All the information, flyers, brochures and recommendations were for factories that would produce about 2 million cement blocks a day. Useless to me in Belize. About 15 years later I noted in San Ignacio, a very small town in Western Belize that local construction was being served by a two man operated welded up cement block machine producing 300 cement building blocks per day. I enquired where they got it? The entrepreneur told me he bought it in Guatemala for $1500 Belizean. Lately those same sized cement block machines are still being used in Belize, though they have improved somewhat by using a ¼ hp electric washing machine motor.

The point is; how can you compare an EU small factory producing 2 million blocks a day, to a two man operation and machine producing 300 blocks a day, which serves our market size locally? Most newer entrepreneurial industries in Belize are at the tip over stage, based on population size. All niche gourmet foreign markets will have to be entered by Belizeans for the foreseeable future in small quantities. They must start first as cottage industries in the local population and as skills and knowledge develop, you expand. This is a process taking years. The customs duties of Belize encourage and protect this. If the Prime Minister signs the EPA as it currently stands, we forfeit FUTURE DEVELOPMENT of the economy. We cannot compete without customs tariffs for the outside world products. We don’t have the SIZE. We can capture a niche market and develop same, which produces local taxes, foreign exchange and provides jobs for family members at least. It is the small family business that is the backbone of every successful nation in the world, including in the EU and the USA.

There are many other examples, but the point is; signing the EPA means sacrificing our future development and we might as well go back to the brain drain and train students for export. Reduce the population by exporting them and teach our government to live on reduced tax revenues. Going back to colonial days size and status. Make no mistake about it, this EPA is a momentous decision for Belize.

The argument offered on television by the Prime Minister is; that he cannot choose the EPA signing, predicated on the longer, or mid term future economy of Belize, but must only deal with what is NOW. He must sign the EPA to protect the sugar and banana incomes. No evidence has been presented to prove that statement, that we would lose our commodity exports. It is obvious that we would lose a preferential tariff, but how much is that and what would be the effects in dollars and cents? Who would benefit, or lose benefits? Sugar growers, banana growers, or the companies that own the product and export and distribute same? What is our net loss and how does that compare to the future of a building population and economy?

It is true, we are in a tip over phase of development. We do not yet have enough exports and the future is somewhat uncertain. Certainly all departments, both in Agriculture, business and education have been and are still doing their best to make available trained people to let us expand economically. The Prime Minister is right in a certain sense, that he must protect the NOW of $132 million of commodity exports. Is this EPA the only solution, is what I ask?

BELIZE SECOND GUESSES EUROPEAN UNION PARTNERSHIP ASSOCIATION

BELIZE FOREIGN AFFAIRS DEPT. DID A SHODDY JOB ON EPA INFORMATION CONFERENCE

There were more questions left unanswered by the Foreign Affairs Conference held down in Belize City last week on the European Union EPA contract.

What was missing by the experts was the presence of Empirical data, comparative studies, profit and loss comparisons versus preferential tariffs. No statistics, prices, profits and losses, alternative choices, data, or other scientific method of marketing studies.
Some questions come to mind:

1) The only FACT given was the exports of banana and sugar are worth $132 million to the economy.

2) It was stated as FACT that we would lose our market for sugar and bananas if we do not sign the EPA. This sounds like pure scare tactics and nonsense of a bureaucracy that have not done their homework. Far as I can see, the ONLY thing we can lose is the preferential tariff? The market would still be there for our commodities unless they know something they haven't told us?

3) No attempt was made to quantify the amount between preferential and non-preferential sales prices. What would that be?

4) Look for the motivation behind this stampede to sign an obviously bad contract. Who profits? Far as I have been told, UK investors own the majority of profits for both sugar and bananas. So if THEY lost their preferential tariff profits, how much would THEY in the UK lose? $5 million, $10 million? How much from their profit and loss statement or balance sheet?

5) What is world price and the differential if we do not get a preferential tariff?

6) Would we really lose the EU market? Explain why and how? What is the basis for this conclusion?

7) How much will our government lose in dollars for duty free EU imported goods?

8) If the WTO insists and ALL other countries demand the same customs treatment, we could lose ALL our customs duties for every other country in the world, according to WTO RULES we have been told. How much from customs duties goes to pay for our $476 million government cost? What would the amount of lost revenues be to our government? More or less than losses on the existing preferential tariff as a part of $132 million in our exports to the EU?

9) Explain what options and alternatives for these two crops our BELTRAIDE and Foreign Affairs department have sought and possibly found for sugar and bananas out of Belize? Who did the marketing studies and can we hear about them?

10) Why should our government and people accept a bad contract to protect UK investors profit margins?

11) Why would our foreign affairs department go to the trouble of disinformation with scare tactics on wages for Ecuadorian banana producers? Stating they got paid $2 a day? Last I read, a grower sub contractor got $2000 USA per acre of bananas, gross, before deductions for fertilizers and spraying. Did anybody in Foreign Affairs actually do the research on this EPA? Doesn't really seem like it.