U.S. certifies Belize

If anyone was looking worried we certainly didn’t detect it but Friday Belize got its latest test results from Uncle Sam — and the grade was a passing one. U.S. Ambassador Carolyn Curiel announced that Belize was certified by President Clinton as a reliable partner in the war on drugs during 1998. Belize was not so fortunate in 1996 when the government was castigated and decertified for a failure of both enthusiasm and accomplishment. The certification process, mandated by U.S. law, has been severely criticized by regional leaders as arrogant and counterproductive. Joining Belize on the year’s honor roll are the major drug exporting nations of Mexico and Colombia.