By: Omar Silva

Editor/Publisher: National Perspective Bz – Digital 2025

www.nationalperspectivebz.com

Belize City: Friday, 31st January 2025

Belize achieved its political independence on September 21, 1981, following a prolonged and arduous struggle against British colonial rule. British historians assert that the first European settlement in what is now Belize City was established by shipwrecked British buccaneers in 1638. Two hundred and twenty-six years later, in 1864, the British formally recognized this settlement as a protectorate, naming it British Honduras. It would take another 117 years before Belize attained full political independence, a milestone achieved largely through the tireless efforts of the People’s United Party (PUP) under the leadership of George Cadle Price. For 31 years, Price spearheaded a relentless campaign against colonial rule, ultimately securing self-governance for Belize.

Now, 43 years after independence, Belize remains ensnared in a political system reminiscent of its colonial past, devoid of meaningful economic transformation. The absence of a robust industrial or manufacturing base, coupled with the lack of an intellectual revolution aimed at fostering economic development, raises critical questions: What has been the long-term vision of Belize’s two major political parties, the People’s United Party (PUP) and the United Democratic Party (UDP)? Where is the roadmap to achieving a definitive transformation that positions Belize as an export-driven nation with true economic sovereignty?

A Political System Designed for Exploitation

The ruling political class has failed to establish a national framework that promotes stability, economic progress, and an improved standard of living for all Belizeans. Instead, what has emerged is a system that systematically enriches an entrenched elite—a ruling cabal that wields political power for personal gain while the majority of Belizeans endure the consequences of unfulfilled promises and shattered aspirations.

This brings us to the grand deception known as Plan Belize. Marketed to the Belizean people as a comprehensive blueprint for national development, Plan Belize has proven to be little more than a political mirage—an elaborate illusion crafted to secure electoral victories. A closer examination of its purported initiatives in housing, education, health, rural development, agriculture, energy, and food security reveals an undeniable truth: there was never a coherent plan.

Consider, for instance, the housing sector under Plan Belize. Unlike the Musa-Fonseca administration (1998-2008), which secured funding and designated specific areas for housing projects, the current administration has failed to present a structured or actionable approach. Instead, Belizeans have been subjected to symbolic gestures and superficial policies that fail to address the underlying challenges.

This pattern of empty promises extends across other critical sectors. Lofty commitments in education, health, agriculture, and energy have been reduced to hollow rhetoric, with minimal execution or tangible outcomes. Plan Belize was never a plan—it was a strategic campaign slogan designed to manipulate the electorate and perpetuate the status quo.

The Puppet Masters: Political Financiers and Their Grip on Power

The extractive political class does not operate in isolation. Behind them stand powerful financiers—business elites who bankroll political campaigns in exchange for lucrative government contracts and favorable policies. One glaring example is Mike Feinstein, who contributed over $700,000 to the campaigns of lower-tier political candidates in the lead-up to the 2020 general elections. The extent of his financial support to the upper echelons of the ruling party remains undisclosed but is undoubtedly substantial. Ironically, Feinstein himself was betrayed by the very administration he helped install, as evidenced by the controversial Stake Bank Tourism Project debacle.

This is the true nature of Belizean politics—a system where power is brokered behind closed doors, where political financiers dictate policy, and where the needs of the people are perpetually subordinated to the interests of a privileged few.

The Call to Action: Dismantling the Extractive Political System

As Belize approaches the 2025 general elections, its citizens must confront a harsh reality: the current system does not serve their interests. The extractive political class, in collusion with its wealthy backers, has enriched itself at the expense of the nation, perpetuating a cycle of dependency, economic stagnation, and broken promises.

The time has come to reject the status quo and dismantle the entrenched elite that has hijacked Belize’s democracy. Drawing inspiration from Newton’s Third Law—for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction—the Belizean people must become the immovable force that dismantles this corrupt political machinery. In its place, we must establish a governance structure that is transparent, accountable, and committed to genuine economic transformation.

Belize deserves true leadership, not another cycle of exploitation. The time to act is now.