REPORT #219 April 2000
THE EFFECTS OF THE CULTURE LIST AND DEVELOPMENT ISSUE REPORTS ON BELIZE


Produced by the Belize Development Trust

Glad you like the entertainment. For all the talk about Belize changing, everytime I am home and the daily stuff from my four girls, three of whom are now single mothers with kids and not into the more than normal adventures, the more we talk about change, the less I see has changed. Except physical construction.

There are more services of a government nature in the outdistricts today. But still not enough. The country seems to be still run by the same crowd, some who are idealistic, but most opportunistic from the port town mostly. That has not changed. The social mores are still the same, based mostly on human nature I guess.

The reports on the Belize Development Issues are not meant to be exactly factual and I have stressed this many, many times over the years. They are intended to create a dialogue, debate and challenge presumptions. To make people think, hopefully create some patriotism. The students of the next generation, I hope will debate the subjects raised and come to their own conclusions. My own view is of course biased. Sometimes I do not even agree with what I am writing. But it does create a debate. Makes people think, even if to disagree. That is the whole point. During my time in ancient days, the political persecution from the party in office under George Price was so drastic and severe, I vowed a personal vendetta to open up the Belizean society and remove as much as possible in a one party run government despotism, the FEAR complex that did not allow people to discuss anything other than the "OFFICIAL party line". This seems to have progressed well. The education establishment during early days of this discussion group really got their noses put out of joint, but today, they are moving ahead pragmatically with so many new ideas and ventures I find it hard to keep up. The atmosphere in education has completely changed in the last three or four years in Belize, for the better. There is more thinking, more innovation and less restrictions to what can be discussed on the open table. The townie politicians still try to keep the lid on things, but that too is changing. Mostly, because Belizeans from outside in this new internet format can tell them to "go to hell" and make them accountable. They are changing slower than education, but they are changing.

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