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VIII GENERAL POINTS OF INTEREST
By BrettBum | August 27, 2001
A. Location and Accessibility
Belize is slightly smaller than Wales in the United Kingdom or the US state of Massachusetts. It shares borders with Mexico to the North, Guatemala to the West and South and the Caribbean Sea on the East.
Belize has an above average telecommunications system even though it is one of the best in the region. It boasts a modern fiber-optics network plus fax, paging, cellular and email capabilities. Internet access is two to three times the US rate in cost. The country code (501) can be direct dialed around the world.
Direct Daily flights are available from several U.S. airports (Miami, New Orleans, or Houston) to Philip Goldson International Airport located at Belize City, the commercial capital (2 hours by air from U.S.).[1]
B. Time Zone
It is approximately 23,000 km and is in time zone GMT –6 or the US Central time (Chicago).
C. Climate
It has a subtropical climate with a tropical rain forest in the South. The average temperature is 79 degrees Fahrenheit. Belize does experience a severe hurricane season from September to December. The country does have one of the longest barrier reefs in the Western Hemisphere.[2]
D. Language
English is the official language. Spanish, Mayan, Creole and Garifuna are widely spoken in addition to English.
E. Currency
The official currency is the Belize Dollar, abbreviated BZD. US dollars can generally be readily exchanged. The Belizean dollar is pegged to the US dollar at the rate of 2:1 or 2.000 BZD per US dollar fixed.
F. Confidentiality
(1.) Offshore Banking Act, 1996[3]
There are no specific secrecy laws for most companies. However, the Offshore Banking Act does provide a covenant under Part VII Section 34 stipulating that no information shall be disclosed of a licensee or a customer of a licensee unless lawfully requested or allowed by the courts of Belize. The act does allow for the Central Bank of Belize to share this information with their foreign counterparts.[4] However, this level of sharing would probably have to be negotiated with each group where treaty does not already provide more guidance. Offenders of this section can face a $5000 fine, six months in prison, or both.
G. GOVERNMENT
(1.) Overview
Belize, formerly known British Honduras, is a country slightly smaller than Wales in the United Kingdom or the US state of Massachusetts. It is approximately 23,000 km and is in time zone GMT –6 or the US Central time (Chicago). As one can see from the previous map, it shares borders with Mexico to the North, Guatemala to the West and South and the Caribbean Sea on the East.
Belize gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1981, after delays from an on-going territorial dispute with its westerly neighbor Guatemala, which did not recognize Belize until 1992. It has a subtropical climate with a tropical rain forest in the South. The average temperature is 79 degrees Fahrenheit. Belize does experience a severe hurricane season from September to December. The country does have one of the longest barrier reefs in the Western Hemisphere.[5]
H. History
(1.) Early
The peopled history of the Americas are in a constant state of flux, however in general it is thought that people came to the Americas between 10-50,000 years ago. Among some of the more famous civilizations, the Maya, could be found in Central America, including Mexico, Honduras, Belize and El Salvador. According to A History of Belize: Nation in the Making, “The peak of the Maya civilization was between 250 A.D. and 900 A.D. But it took thousands of years to develop.” In fact this source goes on to cite that in the Orange Walk district of Northern Belize located on the map above, can boast the earliest known Mayan settlement dating back to 2000 B.C.[6]
(2.) Colonialism
Despite many potential legitimate claims to the contrary, Spain is generally credited with (re)discovering the new world. Through warfare, enslavement and primarily the spread of foreign disease, the Spanish were able to defeat great swaths of Native American civilizations. The remains of the Mayan population at the time of the Spanish invasion was not easily defeated by the Spanish.
The Spaniards tried to control the Maya of Chetumal. Chetumal was then the capital of a large Maya area, and was located just west of present-day Corozal Town, possibly at Santa Rita. In answer to a demand to submit to Spain, Chetumal’s chief, Nachankan, replied that his only tribute would be “turkeys in the shape of spears and corn in the shape of arrows. The Maya defeated the Spanish and old Chetumal in Belize became a place of refuge for Maya fleeing the Spanish rule. — A History of Belize: Nation in the Making[7]
During the 1700s, a group of British pirates actually settled on the shores that would later be known as Belize. The area was heavily contested for the rich Longwood and mahogany timber during this period. The Spanish contested, British sovereignty over the area and even expelled the British inhabitants on occasion. However as the century ended the British inhabitants were able to successfully defend against Spanish attacks. As in many of the American and Caribbean countries, the British utilized slaves and ensuing revolts and poor relations were the norm until emancipation in 1838. However, minorities such as emancipated slaves and Mayans were not allowed to own land during the 1800’s due to beliefs that this would reduce the available wage earning workforce.
As the area was settled, the British began to imported slaves to work the land. There was no record of British contact with the native Mayans until the 1800s. As the British moved westward, they began to encounter the Mayan’s and strong conflicts resulted. In fact the Mayans often were victorious and held back the British for the first half of the century. However, eventually attrition from warfare and disease had its tolls and the Mayans last major attack was in 1872. To encourage more settlers to move to a region that was notorious for fierce Mayan opposition, the British government even encouraged disenfranchised Confederate soldiers to move to the area in the late 1860s.[8]
(3.) Dependency
As a colony of the British Empire, Belize was subject to the whims of international markets. Logging being one of the primary forms of industry, ownership of land was essential to wealth. The early settlers had monopolized this ownership in the 18th and 19th century. What they did not own the Crown claimed for itself and kept until the 1960s. To encourage British citizens and disenfranchised confederates to buy land in Belize a law was drafted to allow for the sale of untitled land in the mid-1800s. This sale of land was primarily controlled one company, who’s founder had drafted the law. This company, originally known as the British Honduras Company and later the Belize Estate & Produce Company (BEC) owned one-fifth of the countries land and was played a huge role in the countries history until sold in 1970 to an American company.[9]
To state that the colony relied on logging is an understatement. Diversification into other industries including farming and sugar cane production was highly discouraged. Even after the slave trade ended the British Empire brought indentured servants from East India to work the land as late as 1917. With the advent of the Great Depression in the United States, the value of timber dropped drastically. Furthermore, no infrastructure investments had taken place as the forests were harvested. Subsequently, loggers had to venture further inland on poor roads. This lack of infrastructure later proved even more devastating when attempts were made to diversify.
In the stagnant and suffering economy that resulted the divisions between class and race were exacerbated. This was witnessed by race and labor riots through the end of the 19th and early half of the 20th century. The fight for more rights and universal suffrage and even independence often found itself pitted against the strongest organization in the country, the BEC. However, as colonialization was ending throughout the world progress was slowly made.
A study as late as 1971 showed that 3 per cent of the landowners held 95 per cent of the land, and 91 per cent of the landowners held only 1 per cent in small plots. This study also showed that over 90 per cent of the freehold land in the country was owned by foreigners, and most of the land was not being used.– A History of Belize: Nation in the Making[10]
Land redistribution policies and key legislative initiatives in the 60’s an 70’s worked to transform a society that was attempting to recover from a dependency on exporting natural resources like lumber. In the 1950s, Belize saw export trade drop from 80% to 1.9%.
I. Independence
A treaty dating back to the 1800s between Britain and Guatemala resulted in a dispute of Belize’s sovereignty. At the heart of the dispute was a Spanish treaty ceding independence to Guatemala and a subsequent treaty whereby Britain, already in possession of Belize for over one hundred years, and Guatemala agreed to resolve a land boundary dispute. Britain’s view was that they already possessed the land and were just staking out their claim in a treaty. Guatemala held the viewpoint that Belize, originally part of a larger Spanish claim, had been there’s to cede to Britain under conditions within the treaty. One of these conditions included a road from Guatemala to the Coast. When this road never materialized, Guatemala in essence claimed a breach and subsequently threatened to invade several times as late as 1977.[11]
While other British colonies received independence in the 1960s, the British government periodically had to increase the presence of troops in the area to thwart Guatemalan threats and hostilities. Throughout most of the 60’s and half of the 70’s secret negotiations between Guatemala and Great Britain took place. The U.S. sometimes acted as mediator, since Guatemala was calling on the U.S. to come to their aid due to U.S. obligations resulting from the Cuban Missile Crisis. The negotiations broke down when independence was offered at the expense of land. Belize took their case to the UN, the Caribbean nations and the world. They lobbied for support and eventually garnished it after a six year effort. Finally, the country was recognized by the United Nations, but Belize next had to establish that it was capable of securing its borders from the likes of Guatemala maybe others.[12]
Although Belize became a country on September 21, 1981, they failed to come to a successful negotiated conclusion with Guatemala. This was finally resolved in 1991.[13][14]
J. Constitutional Structure
Belize has a democratic, bi-cameral legislature elected by direct popular vote to serve a five year term with a Prime Minister appointed by the Governor-General, representative of Queen Elizabeth II. The leader of the majority party is given this appointment. Belize has a legal system based upon common law with a Supreme Court, whose chief justice is also appointed by the Governor-General receiving advice from the Prime Minister.
K. Legal System
The legal system of Belize is based on English common law as it was a colony at one time and only fully seceded within the last quarter century.
IX. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
There is no local legislation relating to intellectual property.
[1] Deloitte & Touche (Belize), supra note 5.
[2] Central Intelligence Agency-The World Factbook 2001, supra note 1.
[3] Belize Trade & Investment Development Service (Beltraide), Investment Guide: Legislation: OFFSHORE BANKING ACT 1996, available at http://www.belizeinvest.org.bz/act_banking.shtml (last visited on Oct. 3, 2002).
[4] Offshore Banking Act (Chapter 267), 2000 Revision.
[5] Central Intelligence Agency-The World Factbook 2001, supra note 1.
[6] A History of Belize, The First People of the Americas, Cubola & Naturallight Productions, available at http://www.belizenet.com/history/chap1.html (last visited on Oct. 1, 2002).
[7] A History of Belize, The Spanish and British in Belize, Cubola & Naturallight Productions, available at http://www.belizenet.com/history/chap3.html (last visited on Oct. 1, 2002).
[8] Id.
[9] A History of Belize, The Monopolization of Land, Cubola & Naturallight Productions., available at http://www.belizenet.com/history/chap7.html (last visited on Oct. 1, 2002).
[10] A History of Belize, How Colonialism Underdeveloped Belize, Cubola & Naturallight Productions, available at http://www.belizenet.com/history/chap9.html (last visited on Oct. 1, 2002).
[11] A History of Belize, Belize on the World Stage, Cubola & Naturallight Productions, available at http://www.belizenet.com/history/chap14.html (last visited on Oct. 1, 2002).
[12] Id.
[13] Id.
[14] For a historical timeline of Belize from “A History of Belize: Nation in the Making” please click on preceding hyperlink.
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Topics: Confidentiality, Constitutional Structure, History, Location and Accessibility, VIII GENERAL POINTS OF INTEREST |
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