Social Violence Anthropologist says leadership needed in Belize
Gayle did not stop with the police, the judiciary, or even the education system. He also knocked the government, which over decades had allowed people to squat, to expand in areas that have no infrastructure. The government essentially needs proper leadership.
Dr. Herbert Gayle
“What is the problem with the political and administrative power and its efficacy? It’s the fact that Belize has been developing accidentally. That is where the problem is. The country has been doing tremendously well expanding into morass areas. Let’s begin from there, where literally we have done so much work and I tell you this, I have crossed more London bridges than all my years, almost a decade living in England, where people literally create their own bridge into a morass, then use human waste—and I don’t mean faeces, don’t get it wrong—but then use domestic waste, dump into it, create a mulch where you can literally smell the acid coming from it as you walk, where you can stay so long and no longer to get away so you can sneeze before it begins to rip your sinuses apart. This is where close to one percent of your population lives. That, I find really, really funny; not the kind of funny that makes you smile, but the kind of funny that says that governance needs to have arm and teeth. This cannot continue you are going to end up with dengue, you are going to end up with interesting tropical diseases, which are already controlling other countries if you are creating all this mush-mash where people actually live. So that’s one of the crisis that we see in governance. It’s been running for a long, long time, just on and on and one and when you say to people how do you do this? They say but you know Belize City sits on a delta. The people of old have been doing this, so we’re learning the technique and we’re creating another space. So we’re expanding Belize City for you in the Collet area, Mahogany Extension. You see I’m beginning to know the place right. All of these places, people are just extending it for the government. We’re saying there has to be a central political authority that says these are the boundaries and thanks for the creativity but we lead and you kind of follow.”
Do you really need social violence anthrowhatever to tell you this? Geez I guess I can be qualified as one of those! Belize lacks leadership is a no brainer..how about parenting?
He Made some great points,……………………………
OK maybe they will believe you since you have a PhD & they commissioned the study. What will be done about it?. Mahogany extension should set off red flags, even less educated folks have expressed concern about the potential for the spread of disease, no one is listening. I guess you missed the settlement on top of the dump on Ambergris Caye,
Maybe it is good to have an expert point this out. But any Belizean could have pointed out that Belize “has been developing accidentally.” In some cases, f it weren’t for family abroad helping out, many Belizeans would have gone under ages ago. They simply take what is available for them to survive–in some cases, the so-called “mush-mash.” If only gov’t would listen and do something about it now. And it’s not just this administration. This trend has been going on for decades.
No news my friends, this what we the POOR has been enduring under both political partys regime. We heard about funds that was allocated and distributed to a Contractor (Political Figure) to build homes in an area for the POOR people of Belize City that supposedly disappeared. They claimed that the Contractor was in hiding and when he finally reappeared and answered to this allegation, he claimed that the funds were adequately spent. I can only assume that everything was shrugged under rug after the Contractor’s statement like everything else.
Let’s go back to “Land Corruptions” within the government. Former and present politicians as well as Government Officials are financially benefiting from prime properties through out our country, while the POOR are fighting to survive and go through political red tape to squat or maybe even get a parcel of land that was promised to us by GOB during their election campaign. Espats, Belize Building Society acquired a large portion of lease land, (No Purchase Price or Title from GOB). They have built approximately 6 homes and is selling these homes to those that can afford a deposit and monthly mortgage payment in the Hopeville area of Toledo. All this was done during the P.U.P era and this said land was supposedly promised to those (POOR) that needed a parcel of land to build atleast a “Knock & Stand-up”. Dangriga “Jetty Pier” was also conveyed to Espat during this same period by P.U.P., knowing fully well that it would affect the southern peoples economy in a very negative way. As I said before, our country is being ran by the Political First Familys and their friends. They don’t give 2 Coconut Husk about the people of Belize. Like the late Bob-Steele from Dangriga once said, “Da true mi friend, wrote it down”.!!!!
It is with regret that I read all the violence, accidents, diseases, poor living conditions AND HAVE NOT HEARD IN MINISTER IN GOVERNMENT ADDRESSING THE ISSUES. To them these are all natural and will take care of themselves, now you Belizens should ask yourselves, if they are not doing anything thing why do we vote them in. There needs to be people that really want the country to prosper. Maybe you should set-up NONPROFIT agency ask for money internationally and run your own business instead of waiting for government to DO SOMETHING.
I always wonder how people can live in these areas where there is so much water and mosquitos….its a shame on the government. There are so many rich land owners that have thousands of acres of land and owe so much in taxes….government should take those lands and issue to people from these areas like mahogany ext and other areas spoken of here.
You see that picture up there? That’s what you’ll see next to the Lord Ridge Cemetery behind the bushes.
Relocate the squatters who are living next to the cemetery in those horrendous conditions to a more sanitary area.
You can even expand the growing cemetery towards the mosquito infested swamp.
I say have more respect for the living than the dead.
Bulba…….. I dont think that I know you, and quite likely you dont know me but i like you because first and foremost you say it like it is, and you shoot from the hip, and second; you from GRIGA !!!!
For those who dont know, the legendary Bob Steele was a Grigalizean who also did not minse his word irrespective of who was in the audience. In fact the words: ” Matters a …. your honor… wrote it down” !!, were issued while testifying in court in his defense.
My kinna people…….. seh weh yuh gah fi seh, my Gyal.
BELIZE GOVERNMENT…….Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Louisville Ky, the only thing we have left to defend and protect is our dignity. I am grateful for Channel 5-News to give us the opportunity to share our views with our Belizean brothers and sisters with the little demorcacy that we have left. Being from GRIGA, I know what political abandonment and abuse is all about. I am from Gumagarugu and I remember the days that we use to go to school on a raft or a dory from Lizicana until we the citizens of Gumagarugu and Lizicana Pen were able to fill up most of our neighborhood on our own. I can also remember when labourers from Public Works were paraded through Dangriga, were arrested and charged for missing building materials from Public Works Bodega, while “Tropic Zone” went up and was sold to Eugene Zabaneh by a late Area Representative. Nothing has changed within the Political Arena my friend, instead, it has gotten worse through out the entire Country and is very transparent. My heart goes out to all of us Belizeans, even though we in the south are being and have been neglected and abused by both Political Partys since Colonialism. “I call it how I see it, who feels it know’s it”. If you da from Griga, I definetely know you if I see you, trust me. It is unfortunate that our brothers and sisters in Belize City is plagued with violence and still has to go through this nonsense from ruthless Politicians and Government Officials. We are very tough people and God will take over soon, we just have to all pray and ask him for deliverance.!!!
WHEN THE LEADERS HAVE NO VISION………………THE PEOPLE WILL PERISH!!!