UNA SOCIEDAD TRANSFORMADA

Chapter 12
A Society Transformed
Some important changes began to occur in Belize once colonialism was seriously challenged in the 1950's. This chapter explains some of the changes that make the Belize of today different from the Belize we described in Chapter 9.
Land Distribution
In 1962, a new law was passed to give people rights over the land they lived on. But it only required the landlord to give one year's notice to throw the farmers off the land. To give farmers more control over their land, the government had to use an older law, the 1947 Land Acquisition Ordinance. Under this law, the government could buy land from big landlords and redistribute it to the people. The government could also accept land from big landowners, like the B.E.C., in exchange for land taxes they owed. This made it possible for the government to distribute some 200,000 acres to Belizean farmers between 1971 and 1975. From 1975 to 1982, a further 325,000 acres were redistributed.
We have already seen that in 1971 many foreigners owned land in Belize and did not use it. But an important step towards preserving Belize's land was the passing of the Alien Landholding Ordinance in 1973. This law regulated the right of foreigners to buy land, and introduced certain development conditions. Foreigners had to get a license from the Minister after showing how they would develop the land. This law helped to reduce the number of foreigners who bought land to re-sell it for profit. But there were still changes to be made, because even after independence, most of the best agricultural land was owned by foreigners.
Land Use
Perhaps the most important change in land use was the shift from an economy based on forestry to one based on agriculture. In the 1950's forestry finally became less important in Belize's economy.Forest products fell from 80 per cent of our export trade in the 1950's to only 1.9 per cent of our export trade in 1981. That year, the value of agricultural exports was $105.5 million, while the value of forestry exports was $2.6 million. Today, forestry's share of the export trade is 3.2 per cent.
Belize has about 5.7 million acres of land, but only 2.2 million acres are considered suitable for agricultural development. However, much of this land is not easy to reach. In 1981, 237,000 acres of land had permanent crops, and 20,000 acres of land were used for milpa farming.
Our forests are still a very important source of wealth to us, but we must be careful to conserve and use them properly. With the increase in tourism in the last few years, the preservation of our forests and marine resources is becoming more important. The creative use of the forest, in such ways as eco- tourism, herbal medicine and chicle production can provide many jobs without harming the environment.
Another important change has been the government's decision to set aside lands as protected areas, where the land is closely managed to avoid damage to the environment and our historical heritage. These protected areas provide homes for a wide variety of rare and endangered animals and plants. The protected areas include national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, forest, nature, marine and archaeological reserves.
The second most important crop is citrus. This industry is centered in the Stann Creek Valley. In 1994, the total value of citrus exports was 35.1 million dollars. Several other agricultural products for export are encouraged, notably rice, bananas, and beef.
There have been important improvements in the conditions of the small farmer. Attempts have been made to help farmers with credit, markets, land preparation, roads and technical assistance. In all these areas, however, there is rarely enough help to meet the growing demand.
There is also need for better planning and administration. The small farmer has many disadvantages, mostly the result of the lack of an agricultural tradition.
Since the 1970's, the fishing industry also became important. Many years ago, fishery resources were controlled by foreigners who bought the products cheaply from our fishermen. In the 1970's, fishermen joined into powerful, well organized co-operatives. Fishing villages became prosperous. In addition, the income from exporting fish went directly to the fishermen. In 1994, the value of our fish exports was $26.4 million, mostly from lobster sales. The importance of some fishing co-operatives has since declined. Today many fishermen work in the tourism industry, and have become tourist guides, diving instructors and hotel workers.
Trade
In the early days of colonialism, the settlement was only allowed to trade with Britain, its "mother country." This continued as Britain became the leading industrial nation in the 19th century. The U.S.A. has since become our major trading partner.
Most of our exports go to the developed countries.This makes our economy very dependent on the economic conditions in these countries. Our major exports are agricultural products. the majority of these products go out as raw materials, or only partly processed or packaged. Our imported goods, however, are chiefly manufactured and processed items. The cost of manufactured goods is higher and prices increase frequently. Therefore, the price of our imports usually rise while the prices of our exports often falls. Both the price of raw materials and manufactured goods are set by industrial countries.
The result is a widening of the "trade gap" - meaning that more and more, the value of what we buy is greater than the value of what we sell. For example, in 1975, the value of exports was $129.7 million, while the value of imports was $185.5 million. The gap was $55.8 million. In 1981 all our exports earned $238 million while our imports cost $323.9 million - a difference of $85.9 million. In 1994, the trade gap was 226.6 millions.
Unless Belize can reduce its import costs and increase the value of its exports, this problem will continue. As an agricultural country with a small population, we can produce more of the food we need. In order for this situation to change, Belize has to spend less money on imports and concentrate on growing its own food.
There have been some attempts to diversify our trade. In 1971, Belize joined the Caribbean Free Trade Association, which in 1974 became the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). This is a trading block made up of 13 Commonwealth Caribbean countries with about five million people. By trading with each other we encourage development in each of our countries. We also lessen our dependence on only one or two industrial countries. Increasingly, even the developed countries are forming trade blocks to protect their trade. For example, in 1994, Canada, the United States of America and Mexico formed the North American Free Trade Association (NAFTA) to regulate trade.
Infrastructure
These economic changes would not have been possible without great improvements in what is known as the country's "infrastructure" - including services such as roads, communications, electricity, and water. The development of a road network throughout the country has been one of the most important changes. The Belize City deep-water port is also an important development. The expanded international airport, the small domestic airport, and the modern telephone system established in the 1970's all aid communications. In the 1960's, the increased distribution of electricity country-wide helped our economic growth and greatly improved the quality of life for thousands of Belizeans. Finally, the establishment of the new capital city of Belmopan in the Cayo District created a new infrastructure and marked a new direction by developing the interior of Belize.


Social Changes
The most dramatic change in Belizean society has been the growth in population. In 1931 there were just over 50,000 people in Belize. In 1946, the population was still less than 60,000. But by 1970, the population had doubled to just under 120,000. In 1980, it was over 145,000 and by the 1991 census, 200,000 people lived in Belize. There has also been a steady decrease in urbanization and an increase in the rural population.

Educational opportunities in British Honduras were limited to primary and secondary school. Very few people had an opportunity to attend university. The few who studied abroad would return and become part of the Civil Service or enter private business or professional careers.

Self-government brought marginal relief to the working classes but in the late 1960's and 1970's the PUP and the local middle class elite found themselves challenged by a more radical element of Belizean society - a younger, more educated, more vocal group of students who had returned from studies at universities in the US, the West Indies and the UK. This group was called UBAD.(United Black Association for Development) PAC (People's Action Committee) and RAM.(Revolitical Action Movement). The most prominent of these groups was UBAD, which was formed in 1969 as a movement for black nationalism, but evolved in the 1970's as a political party, the UBAD Party for Freedom, Justice and Equality.
Another major change has been the increasing involvement of the population in the political, economic and social life of Belize. In the past, the majority of the population had no say, and the rights of many were ignored. Today that is changing.
Educational opportunities are part of this change. Under colonialism, very little was invested in education. In 1930, only 3.3 per cent of the country's budget was for education; in 1951 it was still only 8 per cent. In the 1990's about 17 per cent of the budget is used for education. The number of primary schools has grown as well. Every district now has at least one secondary school, and most have Sixth Forms. The University College of Belize (UCB) has replaced the former Belize College of Arts, Science and Technology (BELCAST). Adult education centres are being created, and centres for employment training and vocational centres are now found throughout the country.
Important advances have also been made in other social services such as health and housing. Although the government has begun to provide low-cost housing, the need is still great, especially in Belize City. The social security system, which began in 1981, provides an important service for workers by insuring them against hardships.
Voluntary Associations
An important development that also helped to bring many changes is the increase in the organization of people in unions and other types of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). A major change was the growth of the trade union movement. By uniting, members acquired a strength which the individual worker could never have. With this power they negotiated with their employers and gained many benefits, such as better wages and working conditions. Forming trade unions also helped the workers to stop some of the injustices in the economic system.
NGOs, on the other hand, provide social and humanitarian services and help government with their responsibilities in these areas.
Another form of organization is the co-operative movement. Producers combine their knowledge and finances to develop their industry successfully. We have seen how co-operatives made development and prosperity possible for fishermen. Farmers also rely on their co-operatives for technical assistance and marketing.
The growth of the credit union movement has also helped to provide loans and services for those with little money. Today there are 23 active credit unions in Belize with a membership of about 30,000 and total savings of over $14 million. In addition, there are other types of people's organizations, such as the associations of sugar, citrus, grain, and livestock producers, tourism and businesses.
These organizations give people the opportunity to participate more fully in the economic, social, and political life of the country.
Looking Forward
Much has been accomplished since the 1950's. Throughout our history, there were many social divisions in Belize - Today some of these divisions, along with economic differences, still keep many young people from the opportunities they have a right to. That many of our qualified people come from humble origins is a remarkable achievement.
Many colonial attitudes have changed, and since independence Belizeans have developed a new appreciation for their country and a better understanding of Belize's place in the modern world.