Who is a belizean?

The myriad peoples of Belize, many citizens but others legal and illegal immigrants from the US, Quatemala, El Salvador and other near by countries, lead a visitor to wonder who is a Belizean and who is not.
Sunday we visited Arenal where a soccer pitch divides twin cities. But Quatelmalan residents were much disadvanted compared to their Belizean neighbors--in schools, housing and opportunties. One woman whose brother is a "mayor" of the Quatelmalan section of town married a Belizian and her children cross the border each day to clean and challenging school where instruction is in English. At age 9 she was fluently bilingual. No other child had such skills. Her father made her a Belizean citizen; while living in Quatemala she could be from both countries. Monday we stopped in Los Tambos, a village north of Spanish Lookout. The mayor was born in El Salvador, but is now a full Belizean after living here for 20 years.
Some villages such as Santa Marta has swung from a Creole to Mestizo dominated area with many tensions over public good provision. National government resources such as the Police and Schools are fine, but the local part [now closed] and many businesses are in conflict as milpa farmers invade orange groves with their crops. People who moved from Honduras and El Salvador have children who are Belizean citizens, but whose only language is Spanish and drop out of English instruction schools. Any project in the country, therefore, must consider the context of local residents and their attitudes toward one another--same or separate schools [as are all Mennonite schools]; inclusive or exclusive rules for social life and marriage. Most Creole and Mestizo readily accept each other as fellow national compatriots, but some are excluded as being Belizean irrespective of their citizenship. Sharon, the American who founded and runs the National Zoo is considered Belizean by many different groups, while most other Europeans are not. 20 years residence and contribution toward Belize well-being without evidence of prejudice on color or racial lines is a key.
In our visits to Yalbac today, and in conversations with people of many complexions we find that Belize is amazingly tolerant and welcoming. People of any historical nationality can become Belizean--from very black Garifuna to white Creoles and Americans.
What has this to do with living water? Two things at least. First no project will work in a community where trust is low across "ethnic" lines, and, second, shared benefits of common pool resources can benefit peoples broadly, and by the necessity for a sustainable social structure to manage pure water resources enhance creating the bridging social capital crucial to allowing democracy and peace to continue. Belize began in 1981 with much promise of ending tyranny or racism and exploitation. While this is far from realized, so far the feelings among the disparate groups of Chinese, Lebanese, Mestizo [Hispanic], Mennonite [German], American/European, Creole and others making up the official citizenship, has allowed for free elections of competitive parties and rotation of power among them. At each locale where Living Waters might improve the health and safety of beneficiaries of an installation, much extra benefits can be achieved if the work of sustaining the operation of the installation brings together communities of different legacies. Increasingly, however, potential for conflict across these divisions grows with economic growth and uneven distribution of wealth, as in the new oil fields revenues or government resources allocated to party faithful.
A strange blog? Blame Chuck. My role as a Rotarian financing partner with your church and LWW is mostly the 104 course not yet designed--macro political impacts of a project. Our Swarthmore Presbyterian church, where I have served as an elder for three terms [far apart], has mostly worked through proving a nearby home for retired mission partners and sponsoring pastors/doctors/social workers in Malawi, Philippines, Japan, Nicaragua and most recently C0ngo [droc]. Our Nicaragua teams last week included students from Swarthmore college. So while a Yale Divinity drop out and teacher of politics, I wear in Belize a Rotarian "hat". Tomorrow with members of the Oak Ridge team we will visit the Cornerstone Foundation, the Octavia Waight Centre for elderly in need, San Antonio town pre-school now being organized. All may have needs for clean, more reliable water, at least periodically. But are core focus will be on school and elder hot lunch programs, the care of the elderly, literacy for 3-4 year olds and women's associations who can advance the income and rights of women in male dominant societies [all 7-9 groups]. The issue of literacy and pre-school is a next major concern for Rotary, as we have supplied funding for the new resources for the school feeding program already this month. Returning to the question of who is a Belizean--it can be said it must be someone who speaks English [only some adult Mayan and Chinese and more remote Hispanic/Mestizo people do not. Our trip on Tuesday to San Antonio we hope our explorations will yield evidence of whether we can help this 2500 person town. In SA , all speak Mayan or Spanish at home and those with no English sent their children to schools where English is the only legal language of instruction. Such children if they learn enough English before starting school will not only to do better in school but also integrate better with the country as a whole. While Spanish is taught as a foreign or second language, we hope to help youngsters to be prepares when they enter school at age 4 to know the language of their county. English is both required for official business and is the common lingua franca. So safe, well run, food secure, and healthy schools [some thanks to clean water] from pre-school at age 2 to A level "college" work is vital to making Belize one nation.
Hope these stream of consciousness thoughts give some other views about what is going on among this group of hard working Presbyterian [6] and Catholic [1], and our two Anglican Rotary colleagues--Sheree and Aki.

e presto, Ray Hopkins, Swarthmore Rotary and Swarthmore Presbyterian Church.

PS: Like with improved safe water, my hope is that all these initiatives will strenghten Belizean unity.
was