Made in the USA and sold in Belize
The United States is Belize’s largest trading partner. We sell most of our products to the US and buy much more from them. Earlier today, representatives from various US businesses displayed their products at the annual Made in the US Commercial Expo. News Five Isani Cayetano sampled the goodies at the Radisson and has this report.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
Belize’s local economy relies as heavily on the global financial market as it does on its various export commodities. Among the many countries it trades with is the United States of America, considered universally among the largest economies. The U.S. Embassy in Belize has for the past several years spearheaded a commercial expo highlighting not only the products that are manufactured in its homeland but also goods that it imports from Belize. Kay Menzies the newly elected president of the Belize Chamber of Commerce says the inclusion of local businesses in the expo gives them a platform to market local produce.
Kay Menzies, President, Belize Chamber of Commerce & Industry
kay menzies
“The notion of coming into the Made In U.S.A. exhibition is quite simple. There needs to be a bit of contact with the U.S. at some point so if you are not, for example, ok you are an importer from the U.S. that’s quite obvious; however, if you are exporting to the U.S. or you get inputs from the U.S. that’s still a relationship with the United States so it gives you an opportunity to be in here. A lot of our producers, the U.S. is a major market they use some sort of input from the U.S. so it’s always a good opportunity for them to come in.”
Among the many display booths was something for everyone, from clothing to food sampling to information on distance learning.
sheryl terry
Sheryl Terry, Operations Officer, Education for Advancement
“We’re happy to display Education for Advancement. It’s an additional option for Belizeans to get their education. We’re a distance or online program. We partner with two universities, the University of Lester in the UK and Ashworth College in the U.S. and we are offering to the Belizean public a degree program. They can do their master, their bachelors, their associates online or they can, we also have career development programs such as bridal consultancy, hotel and restaurant management and the works.”
For those looking to sample American food products merchandisers such as James Brodie & Company Ltd. and Santiago Castillo Ltd were on hand to showcase the various brands that are being imported into the country.
Emilson Rivera, Merchandiser, San Cas
“Santiago has been participating in the U.S. expo ever since it opened and for example today we have the Kraft products and Conagra and V8 Campbell. It didn’t take much planning because we already knew what we wanted to display today and we basically bring stuff like American. We just wanted to bring out the American stuff that we’re importing. So that’s why we picked Kraft, Conagra and V8 Campbell.”
Besides the many food, automotive cleaners and computer stalls were businesses that cater to a public that has to battle summer heat on a daily basis. One display booth in particular promoted Lasko fans.
Proprietor, Femina’s Store
“I deal in Lasko fans and that’s what I’m promoting right now and I have ladies blouses made in the U.S.A also. So we’re promoting these items here at the show. High quality stuff at low prices so you can come on out and have a look and take advantage of the offer for today and tomorrow only.”
Isani Cayetano
“Is this the first Made In USA expo you’ve attended or have you been a previous attendant of this particular activity?”
Proprietor, Femina’s Store
“No, no this is not my first I’ve been attending every year.”
Among those in attendance this year was U.S. Ambassador Vinai Thummalapally who made his rounds sampling the different food items and learning more about the products that are being offered on the local market. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.
what is the us embassador doing for belize nothing this guy has no foreign experience whatsover he was just a business man from colorado who donated money to obamas political career what has he done since he has been in belize ill tell you nothing useless in fact the us is to blame for all the murders going on in belize for sending back all the gang members from the us and they pay this pm to take them back he has been selling out belize the us has not provided anything to curb this crime wave that they have created ,i say lets get help from venezuela ,or russia or iran at least they dont expect nothing in return just like russia gave nicaragua 50 buses for the poor people to have transportation and expected nothin in return this us embassador has dont nothing for belize nothing. he is as useless as this pm.
rod…… You make sense……. but BELIZE HAS TO ASK, if it wants anything. WE’D BE SURPRISED at how much we would get……. BUT……………… WE HAVE TO ASK FOR WHAT WE WANT.
I agree with the PM part but please be aware that EVERYTHING has a price…nothing is for free and i guess you would be surprised with what goes on in these “arrangements”.
Rod: It’s comments like yours that deter foreign investment/help from Belize. Though I can understand your frustration with the recent crime wave, it is ignorant to blame our internal problems on another country. The USA doesn’t “owe” us anything, we need to stand up and take responsibility for our own, and have our beautiful and safe country attract foreign funding in the form of buisness and tourism.
Well said Amy
amy you sound so innocent dont you know that its because of the us belize is the way it is the belize people the gov all watching tv and crap the us has to offer and as far as foreign investment its this gov and this pm fault lowest in the history of belize and it is the us fault sending back all the gang members from the us and paying this gov and the pm to take them back belize cannot handle these hardened gang members the us cant even handle them thats why they send them back to belize open your eyes amy and yes the us does owe us alot if it wasnt for this useless and worthless gov we have now always trying to please the us thats why they dont want to bring back the hanging penalty because this pm is worried about what is hero might say his hero obama well i say belizeans we are as smart as the hondurans lets send this pm and his gov packing to miami or la or chicago permanently since they do not wish to hear the cries of the mothers and fathers brothers and sisters of all the dead in belize. this pm and this gov. education in the drain,economy in the drain,tourism in the drain,crime way wayyyyyyyyyy out of control ,foreign investment in the drain, and where is the pm in the us as usual spends half his time on the tax payers money vacationing while the belizean people keep getting killed . By the way amy no one wants to come to belize just to get robbed or raped or killed so your dreaming.
you are right earl grey but this pm is never around long enough to ask for anything he is always vacationing in the us while the belizeans are being killed everyday plus he doesnt have the brain to ask for anything he is a disconnect from the belizean people and the nation just like what he proposed for the ministers if they dont do their jobs to get rid of them i say same thing goes for pm if he is not doing his job get rid of him also since this pm in power over 300deaths from murder rape most there has ever been robbery out of control econnomy in the drain tourism in the drain education in the drain crime way wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy out of control exports in the drain investments in the drain need i say more earl grey just look around you if you live in belize and all you see is death and destruction since this guy has been in power worse pm in the history of belize get ridddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd of him.
We have to TEST THE RE-CALL LAW……