Is the high unemployment hampering the country’s economic recovery?
One of the most startling findings of the 2010 Population Census was that the unemployment rate has peaked to twenty-three percent. That prompted our last poll question, which asked viewers if they feel that the high unemployment will hamper the country’s economic recovery. While seventeen percent don’t share that concern, the majority of the voters—eighty-three percent—said yes. Some viewers also shared the opinion that industries, including agriculture and oil have potential to improve both the economy and the employment rate. Another blogger commented that “There has to be a rethinking of our policies regarding progress. There is no magic wand that can be waved and everything gets better.”
diversify, diversify, diversify, that is the only thing that will save Belize, we have tons of land space, due to our low density population, we have tons of untapped resources, we seriously need to diversify. Our GOB needs to think outside the box, and i mean way outside, we have to realize that we, unfortunately, can’t have our cake and eat it too, we have to make some serious compromises. As Obama contemplated in the US, Belize need to do one huge infrastructural investment, just go for it, one massive project to get our infrastructure up to date, this will give a whole lot of people jobs and when they are done will be left with valuable skills.
We need to block of a commercial zone of this country, maybe one down south, central and north, where we have to attract manufacturing companies, like we did we Dickies, get car companies and computer parts making companies to come in and whatever else we can get in, for example: Costa Rica has positioned itself as a key destination for operations of multinational companies in a variety of industries, such as Advanced Manufacturing, Medical Devices and Services. Over 200 global companies have chosen Costa Rica as an establishment location. Come on GOB, we managed to run Dickies off, what are we doing? This will create jobs and will leave people with valuable skills, come on GOB, this is also keeping India afloat and now a booming economy, same as China, which is now world power soon to take over the USA, we have a great advantage; compared to other countries in this area, we speak English, we have low crime compared to most (Belize City is the crime zone, so lets not confuse things) and we have lots and lots of underutilized land. GOB needs to establish a serious economic think tank and am certain they will come up with great ideas and how they can work with minimal cons.
Also, why don’t we stop effing around and legalize marijuana, this will open doors to a whole new type of investors and as well as a new sub-category to our booming tourism industry, Amsterdam has been doing it forever.
There will be no magic wand that will fix everything where everyone will be able to walk around holding hands singing cumbaya, but thinking outside the box, and coming up and activating radical ideas will help, we need to diversify, or we will perish.
We have a serious defeatist attitude in this country; someone comes up with a good idea of how to benefit the nation, it will be ridiculed and a 100 excuses will come up stating how it will not work.
this crowd can’t even get the census right, the miniscule information that was released was serioulsly flawed according to their own “analyst” Manuel Heredia.
what happen to the 2 hour interview asking how many TVs in the house and how many times you use a condom, what was that information for. I think the unemployment rate is around 30%, just look around and see all the businesses closing down! will this crowd get any thing right.?
Great suggestions, “I have Awaken.” Legalizing marijuana, however, is not really that simple. Mexico came under a lot of heat in 2010 when they decriminalized possession a small amounts of marijuana. The ball’s not always in our cout. We are entagled in a complex web of international relations that make seemingly simple solutions very, very difficult … unfortunately.
See: “U.N. smacks Mexico, Latin America for decriminalizing drugs” http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/022410_drugs/un-smacks-mexico-latin-america-decriminalizing-drugs/
The people getting in the way for legalizing marijuana: International Narcotics Control Board, an independent body that monitors the implementation of U.N. drug control conventions.
U.N. conventions require that the possession, purchase or cultivation of narcotic drugs be classified as a criminal offense.
Violate UN conventions and things get messy.
Mr Awaken is so right about Costa Rica and the other countries and their development. But you didn’t factor into your equation that Belizeans don’t like to see other Belizeans get ahead. And do you know why? Hint :n—–itis. If belizeans can overcome this national character flaw , then maybe, we stand a chance to compete. Otherwise you are given to mental m—–bation and I don’t mean aberration.
With due respect, your question, does high unemployment impact economic development adversely indicates you don’t know anything about economics. For every 1% unemployment there is in any country, there is an equivalent 3% decrease in the Gross Domestic Product. Ergo, if Belize has 33% unemployment(not the 12% or 17% disseminated by GOB), then the productive private sector of GDP could have doubled (99% increased) This is a stupenduous impact.Why? because all those human resources are wasted ,year after year. You have to know ECONOMICS to appreciate the degrading of the vibrant human spirit and the manifestation of poverty when man is unemployed.