Belize

(Guest post FE)

One of my best friends is currently on his travels and I always find what he has to say extremely worthwhile. He recently sent me in something about Belize where he has had the pleasure of living for a short while. Unfortunately his post confirms some of his expectations about Belize. I love to post things other people have written for me and it is great to hear about places we consider foreign. Their problems are as much our problems and we must all stick up for one another. One world, one population.

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Belize

My travels in central america so far have confirmed what I feared most yet unfortunately expected. Unbelievably colourful land, vibrant wildlife and blue oceans along with such beautiful and kind people. The people however, live in such poverty and injustice. 

Belize is a prime example. It is a country where its people suffer directly at the hands of corrupt politicians and greedy capitalists in this world where money is power. It has become an investors dream and a millionaires play park due to its Caribbean island culture alerting the wealthy from all over the globe... Especially near by in the states. They come barging in, brush the locals out of their lovely wooden homes and ping them further up the hills in the name of profit. And governments turn a blind eye. Morals are forgotten.

In a country that receives over 1.5 million tourists each year, all of whom pay a 50 dollar exit fee when leaving the country, somehow has some of the worst poverty on this planet. That's an annual income of 75 million used in a country whose population is just over 300,000. Someone's profiting and its not the people who watch the villas appear next door to them.

Everything in Belize seems to be up for sale. Islands, beaches, farms and villas are all up for grabs if you have close to a million. The average wage of a Belizian worker is £9 a day for a 12 hour shift (Words from a local labourer in Placencia, although he states this is a good earning). Local people will never be able to buy a house or a plot of land in their own country. The best life a Belizian is offered is to be a slave to somebody else's dream. What a life. And Its accepted.

Leonardo Di Caprio recently bought a 104 acre island off the north of Belize for £1.75 million and turned it into an ultra luxury resort for millionaires and friends. The privatisation of this once 'open' local island just highlights the freedom some people have in this world while others can only help build it for them and dream of it for themselves. Banning local people who cannot afford a 1200 dollar/night room or a 300 dollar meal is not a morally positive move despite Di Caprio's claims it is. All those like Di Caprio tear the heart out of local villages and communities in order to rent or sell their property and investments. The prices of these homes are just astounding. Who are these for? Who is this good for? People are having to relocate to make way for empty houses and no one is there to listen or give the poor working class a helping hand. Its simply not right. The gap widens.

There is now talk of Canadian and American corporations introducing marijuana farming in Belize as the labour would be cheap. Basically, someone wants to make a bigger profit as they can pay workers the minimum wage (which doesn't actually exist in Belize) and the government are allowing it. Yup, more exploitation. Governments and corporations working together in the sole interest of themselves and not the workers. Once again, an ex-pat tells me "but it will create jobs". Yes, it will create a few jobs but It will also make a few men at the other end incredibly rich. Its not solving 'the poverty gap'. Corporations could easily house and feed all Belizians with the money that's coming to them, but that's not going to happen, is it!

The saddest moment was when we left Placencia and the local taxi driver asked us where we were from. "Scotland" we replied. "Ah, I have family from Scotland. My great great granddad was Scottish". "You should come over and visit one day" I said. "I wish I could. I would love to travel the world and see how different people live, but unlike you, I cant".

GUEST POST BY FE