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Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
OP Offline
from a friend
a topic on one of the morning shows this a.m. was Belizeans moaning about no jobs or opportunities in Belize.

One of the panelists retorted that the fact is that so many Belizeans
decamp for Babylon and make way for pioneers to come in and fill the
vacuum. He said it is sad that most of the brethren are cleaning
homes, working as petty bureaucrats, flipping burgers or peddling
drugs.

He reminisced about the days when Albert and Queen Streets were full
of Belizean owned shops and other businesses. Now it's all Hindu and
Chinese owned. But you cannot blame them for that - these guys just
picked up what the sons of the soil abandoned. I think on downtown
Belize City only Brodies and Hofius are still Belizean owned and maybe
Mark Lizarraga at the extreme Albert Street West qualifies as a
holdout with his meat market.

I vaguely recall as a child walking those streets with my dad and it
was all Belizean except for Simon Quan who has been here like for 60
years I think. I distinctly recall the Cattouse shop on Queen Street
that sold all types of dry goods, including a large assortment of fine
hats (including Panama and bowler hats), umbrellas, walking canes,
trousers and shirts imported from England. I imagined wearing a bowler
hat when I was big ;o)

The face of Belize is changing as locals move out and others move in........

Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
OP Offline
response from a friend in Xaibe

That is all correct -- it is painful to witness. Disenfranchising of an
entire people.

I certainly remember when Corozal was all local merchants -- with but a
minor exception or to.

And yes -- done it to themselves -- ergo my comments about we should just
get 250,000 green cards and get this over with one time!!

By the way -- still not one Chinese or other than local owned shop in Xaibe
Village!!

The sons of Canul and all ---

But still -- plenty of Xaibe Villagers made it to Babylon --

It is hard for me to believe the changes here since 1991 -- not a single
milpa now -- not one!!

The faces are still pure Mayan -- but the culture no longer is ---

All the old ways forgotten now --

Corozal has many Chinese and Hindu owned shops -- bars --
restaurants going up. Mostly Chinese though.

Locals still own auto parts -- hardware -- and some clothing/general goods
stores.

Land is turning foreign owned rapidly as well. Especially anything on the
coast line. I can't think of any land owned by a Belziean now from Corozal
to Consejo -- as example.

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,046
B
Offline
B
Let me start by saying I know nothing about this topic. Is it really true that so many Belizeans are moving to the US? Or are they just selling their businesses with prices skyrocketing on real estate in Belize? And now prices are too high for new locals to get in?

This is information/discussion above is interesting.

P
pedro2
pedro2
P
I know of a lot of land that was owned by locals and sold when rising prices made that attractive. In many cases prices continued to rise and maybe the people would have done better to hang on, but that's always a risk for anyone. People who've benefited by rising prices can't really later complain that prices have risen.

My main concern is that the rising property prices and rapid turnover of land haven't prompted much of a move towards industrialisation, which really would improve the lot of everyone.

Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 8,868
S
Offline
S
Lets leave the industrialisation to the Brits. Look how nicely it has affected them.

P
pedro2
pedro2
P
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