10,000 Sacks of White Rice Gifted to Belize from Taiwan

Belize produces rice, but today, a donation of ten thousand bags of rice was made to the Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation through the Taiwan Rice Donation for Humanitarian Relief project.  Five shipping containers filled with twenty-two pound bags of grain were presented to Minister Anthony ‘Boots’ Martinez at the Port of Belize by Ambassador Charles Liu.  The generous donation comes from the plentiful harvest of rice in Taiwan and the Taiwanese government has decided to share with Belize.

Charles Liu

Charles Liu, Taiwanese Ambassador

“We want to share with you, we have a surplus and when we are able to we want to be with you, we want to be here with you.  So this is the reason, this is the first time we have one hundred metric tons of rice, that is ten thousand bags of rice.  Each bag is ten kilos, so that means one hundred thousand kilos of rice is here.  I know that the rice cannot feed all the people in Belize, but at least we can feed some people in need.  I want to say, “Ya da fu we Belize!” You da my breddas, you da my sistas.  We da one.  Thank you.”

Anthony ‘Boots’ Martinez

Anthony ‘Boots’ Martinez, Minister of Human Development

“Rice is a daily, integral part of the Belizean diet and as we all know, it plays a key role in our beloved national dish of rice and beans, chicken and salad.  And so why it is the Ministry of Human Development that is accepting this donation, it is the people of Belize that will benefit from Taiwan’s generosity.  The shipment totaling five containers filled with twenty-two pound sacks will be distributed to the ministry’s most vulnerable clients and most government and non-governmental partners and agency.  I am so happy that Mr. Robinson is here, Dara.  I think that you are doing a good job and I think that it is well deserved that you be one of our [recipients] here today.  After this ceremony, these containers will be making their way countrywide.  Two will remain in Belize District while one each will be sent to the north, west and south.”

The donation of rice is valued at one hundred and twenty-five thousand U.S. dollars.