2007 Speeches

American Chamber of Commerce San Pedro - July 13, 2007

Good morning, and thank you for allowing me, my wife Gwynneth, and members of the Embassy staff to attend this meeting of the San Pedro chapter of the American Chamber of Commerce.  With me from the Embassy are Stacie Hankins, our political officer, and Kim Valdes-Dapena from the consular section.

The U.S. is fortunate to enjoy strong ties with Belize and our goal is to continue to strengthen those ties.   Let me briefly broadly outline my goals for the Embassy – promoting economic ties, strengthening diplomatic relations and increasing opportunities for educational exchanges.

ECONOMY

The United States is Belize’s number one trading partner, providing 38% of Belizean imports and accounting for 55% of Belize’s exports.  Our new embassy in Belmopan, a US$50 million investment, is a major contribution to the local economy in the capital.  This construction project has created many new jobs, provided opportunities for workers to acquire new construction skills, and is in addition to the over 80 local hires the embassy already employs. 

I know that as residents of and business people operating in San Pedro, you are particularly aware that Belize’s natural attractions are one of the nation’s most powerful economic forces.  Over 800,000 tourists visit Belize annually – with some 90% of them coming from the U.S.  Tourism continues to be Belize’s single largest foreign exchange earner:  BZ$349 million in 2005.  According to the Central Statistics Office survey, from 2004 to 2005, the tourist industry was the fastest growing segment of the labor force – increasing year to year at over 16% and now stands as the third largest labor segment after wholesale and retail trade and personal services activities.

However, while the country remains a holiday destination for literally hundreds of thousands of Americans, Belize must make – if it wishes to remain competitive – the investment in infrastructure and services necessary to ensure a safe, secure and enjoyable experience for its visitors.  At the same time, Belize must take steps to preserve and protect its natural beauty.  If the tourism sector is to remain strong, sufficient resources must be devoted to creating and maintaining effective regulatory safeguards – for residents, tourists, and the environment.  In short, the experience must match the marketing. 

In this respect, the paramount duty of the Embassy is ensuring the safety of American citizens in Belize – those who visit as well as those who live in this country.  Those of you who serve as U.S. Embassy wardens help us do this critical task.  Whether you are providing routine information, such as hours of operation for the consular section, or disseminating urgent messages, such as hurricane warnings, you perform an invaluable service to the Americans in Belize, and I want to thank you for volunteering to do so.

DIPLOMACY

Our two democracies enjoy close and strong ties.  Nearly 70,000 Belizeans live in the United States.  As noted, some 650,000 Americans visit Belize each year.

In recognition of our close ties, the people of the United States, through the Embassy mission in Belize, invest nearly US$2.5 million annually in direct assistance to Belize. This is direct assistance, not loans, and funds projects such as: New Horizons which constructs and renovates schools and youth hostels, construction of the NEMO warehouse that strengthens Belize’s defenses against natural disasters, the Soccer-in-the-Streets drug reduction program, and the MEDRETE team which recently provided free medical treatment to some 5,000 residents in the Orange Walk District.   We often hear that the US is only interested in drug interdiction and I am here to tell you that that is simply not true.  Our funding supports important exchanges, training opportunities and humanitarian initiatives that have nothing to do with drug interdiction efforts.

And let us not overlook what is not included in that figure.  U.S. support for the Global Fund to combat HIV/AIDS, U.S. support for OAS special programs, and U.S support for UN initiatives, to name a few.   And the United States Peace Corps whose volunteers now number 70 in Belize.  These outstanding individuals represent the spirit of volunteerism and public service that permeates the American character and, as a parent to a former Peace Corps volunteer, I am particular proud to note their contribution.  2007 will mark the 45th Anniversary of the Peace Corps in Belize. 

We must also recognize the quiet contributions of the many U.S. exchanges, corporate and private groups, and faith-based organizations that do so much good work in Belize and around the world.   A recent study notes that in 2004 Americans – through schools, religious institutions, companies, foundations and families – gave at least three to four times as much to the developing world than the amount of foreign aid dispensed by our government.  People often overlook the enormous contributions made on a people-to-people basis, without involvement by government.

EDUCATION 

Educational interchange has also been a key element of our democracies and a significant focus of the Embassy.  Many Belizeans continue to be educated in the United States.  The Embassy’s consular section approves an average of 220 student visas annually for Belizeans to attend U.S. colleges and universities.  Numerous colleges and universities throughout the United States provide direct scholarship and tuition grant assistance to these students, again without government involvement. 

This fall, seven Belizeans will be attending the U.S. military service academies.  This is especially noteworthy because, despite a population of less than 300,000, Belize’s total number of candidates in U.S. service academies is more than any other country in the Western Hemisphere, except the U.S. itself.  The value of these scholarships is estimated at US$250,000 per student, totaling some US$1.75 million – again, a figure not included in the direct assistance I mentioned earlier.

In addition, two more Belizeans are pursuing graduate studies at top U.S. universities as Fulbright scholars. 

And American students are, increasingly, pursuing education opportunities in Belize.  Students at the University of Louisville, University of Indianapolis, Mt. Sinai Medical School, and Galen University are but a few examples that come to mind.  These exchanges have helped our respective citizens gain a better understanding of the democratic traditions Belize and the U.S. share.  It is my hope that we can create even more opportunities for educational exchanges between our students. 

CONCLUSION

Let me conclude by observing that building from our common traditions, the United States, Belize and the nations of the Caribbean should work together as like-minded democratic nations to promote democracy and human rights in the region and beyond.

I would like to reiterate that the Embassy appreciates your invitation to be here to today.  We hope that events such as this will continue to foster even closer ties between the Embassy community and the American community in Belize.  Thank you.

Thank you.