One in Three

A decade into the new Millennium and five years before the deadline on our promise to halve poverty, Belizeans must come to terms with the stark reality that 43 percent of our people are poor with another 16 percent marginally poor.  Too many Belizeans therefore are living a life less dignified than what is promised in the Constitution.   If this is not sobering enough, there is now scientific proof that the next generation will be just as bad or worse off since one out of every three school-aged Belizean is not in school and living a life of poverty, violence and ignorance.

According to the findings, revealed in the summary report on “Male Social Participation and Violence in Urban Belize,” spearheaded by Herbert Gayle, social anthropologist, “There is a big hole in urban Belize.” Indeed the Gayle report revealed what many who are involved in social work in Belize have been saying for years – there is a serious social problem in Belize and decision makers continue to bury their heads in the sand.

In the nation’s largest metropolis the situation is reaching the point of desperation and the problem seems to be related of geography.  We have always known that in Belize City the divide between those who live on the north side and those on the south side are markedly different.  It now seems clear that the divide is far greater than the distance across the Haulover Creek which splits the City in two.

Aware of this, the previous PUP administration instituted the South-Side project, identifying millions of dollars to aid in the renewal of the south side.  Whatever gains that may have come from the South Side Renewal Programme, today under the UDP those benefits are lost, since youths on the south side of Belize City are poorer, less educated, more prone to domestic violence and one in every three south side youth has been approached to become involved in some form of gang activity.

While these conditions have not remained localized, the area that requires the most immediate attention is the South Side of the City.  Ironically, every elected member of the Barrow Administration who represents a south side constituency is a member of his Cabinet, namely Boots Martinez, Michael Finnegan, Patrick Faber, Sedi Elrington and the Prime Minister himself.   Together these five men control more than a half of all of government spending, yet the relationship between elected officials and those in the most affected communities could not be worse.

Based on the findings from this report, political interference and corruption is playing a significant role in making the situation worse, instead of better.  In the summary report it states: “It is very clear that some politicians who have symbiotic links with gangs and grassroots criminals enjoy the weaknesses of the system. They use the system to let their illegal bodyguards get away and soon they feel that they are untouchable.”

With many of these gangs located on the south side of Belize City, the accusations of political interference are pointing its finger at some of these very same government ministers.

Another area of the country where violent behaviour is spreading fast in the young population is in the West of Belize, in the Cayo District.  Again all elected representatives in that district are members of the United Democratic Party.  In fact the minister of Sports is a representative from Cayo as well as the Minister of Agriculture, and until just recently, so was the minister of Youth.

Clearly the problems facing Belizean society today is one that is rooted in poverty, which did not happen overnight.  In fact in looking at the summary report, there is plenty of blame to go around and no one can walk away from this feeling exonerated.  Still the people elected Dean Barrow and the United Democratic Party to make their lives better.  No Belizean should be content with the knowledge that one in every three school-aged Belizean is living the harsh life on the streets instead of being in school. If nothing else, we all expect our government to do all possible to ensure that they too can live the spirit of the Constitution which promises liberty, opportunity and the pursuit of happiness.

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