Belize is a country in Central America that shares coastal borders with Mexico and Guatamala. The capital of the country is called Belmopan. The official language is English. One can be considered poor if his daily expenditure exceeds daily income. Also when one lives on an income which is below a dollar per day, he may be considered poor. However, poverty can also be measured by the number of dependants that one has. Basing on the report about Belize, more than half the population is poor. This means that dependency ratio in this region is high. This trend keeps on increasing. According to UNDP, the region is likely to face challenges to come to the right track. Critically analyzing Belize economy, it wouldn’t be fair to group Belize under poor countries. This country has good climate, fishing ground wildlife and several islands. Compared to other countries in Central America, Belize is considerable wee off. It is a peaceful country that can plan and concentrate on development and economic stability. The cultural diversity in this country should be turned into economic activity through tourism. Belize is one the countries with small geographical area and small population. Such a tiny population with education and good economic planning can easily have the strongest economy in the world. Education that the government offers is free for children under the age of 14. This indicates that country can stand on its own
The good climate is a very important resource to any country. A lot of agricultural land has not been put into use (US Department of State, 2011). The country can also strengthen its tourism industry and promote export of marine products. Belizean government has made effort to bring the country’s economy to track. The county’s economy can be strong if the government reduces expenditure and invest more on the resources like tourism, agriculture and fishing. The country experience unequal distribution of income. The government of the day must promote equity. Social immoralities like robbery and fraud can be hindrance to development. It is only imperative for the government to stabilize macroeconomic and fiscal environment.
Natural disasters like hurricane and floods can be controlled with good planning by the government. Many people are affected by hurricane therefore the government should take pre caution to avoid the disaster affecting lots of people. Education planning of the country should be intensified. The number of pupils joining pre-school should not drop as they progress to secondary school.
In conclusion, the country should not be said to be poor. This is because the country is endorsed with resources that can be used to strengthen the economy of the country. Moreover, the government should reduce expenditure and invest more in development projects. Belize is blessed with talented artistes in the carving industry. The carvers in Western Belize are can be an economic prosperity in the government invests more in this area. Sports can also be an economic activity. Belize is blessed with sportsmen in different games. Cricket, softball and football are common. These examples indicate clearly that Belize is not poor because the country has a lot untapped resources that can turn it into one of the strongest economies of the world.
References
Education, M. o. (2007). Education Statistical Digest of Belize. Education Statistical Digest of
Belize , 1-93.
UNDP and UNESCO. (2007). Poverty in Belize. Poverty in Belize , 1-52.
Joshwa Samuel Brown and Mara Vorhees. ( 2010). Belize. New York: Lonely Planet.
