Belize Radio

The government reciprocally issues amateur radio licenses upon presentation of a U.S. license. The Belize Amateur Radio Society offers code and technical courses. In addition to high frequency operations, there is widespread two-meter activity across the country, with the assistance of active repeaters. Touring and Outdoor ActivitiesLast Updated:  11/28/2003 2:45 PM  ... [Read More]

Belize

There were 10 privately owned commercial radio stations and 1 British military station that broadcast news directly from London and other Caribbean nations. Popular radio call-in programs were lively and featured open criticism of, and comments on, government and political matters. ...

On January 29, the HRCB criticized the police following the arrest of one of its members, Antoinette Moore, and her husband, Michael Flores, on drug trafficking charges. Moore and Flores lived in Hopkins but owned a farm several miles from their residence where the drugs were found. The HRCB stated the charges were intended solely to silence opponents of police brutality in Dangriga. Flores, a talk radio host, spoke repeatedly about worsening brutality on his radio program and had been warned by police to stop his commentary prior to the arrest. Moore was well known as an attorney and for her involvement with the HRCB. The case was scheduled for trial in March 2004. ... [Read More]

Belize

There were lengthy trial backlogs in the judicial system. Routine cases without a defense attorney were disposed of within 1 month, but cases involving a serious crime or where there was a defense attorney took up to 1 year. The Government briefly implemented a "fast track" trial court to cut the backlog, but the new Director of Public Prosecutions discontinued this process as unconstitutional. Despite an increase in serious crimes, poor case management, lack of attorney discipline, unreliable witnesses, and several cases that had been ongoing for years, the backlog of cases was shrinking.There were no reports of political prisoners. f. Arbitrary Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or CorrespondenceThe Constitution prohibits such practices, government authorities generally respected these prohibitions, and violators were subject to legal action. However, disputes regarding ... [Read More]

Marketing U.S. Products and Services

Advertising in Belize is done mainly through radio, newspapers, magazines, and television. The Economic and Commercial Section of the U.S. Embassy in Belize puts out a quarterly newsletter titled "Commercial Opportunities." American companies are welcome to place advertisements in this publication free of charge. Also, the U.S. Embassy generally participates in two national trade events: the National Agriculture and Trade Show, normally held in May, and EXPO Belize, held in September as part of the countryís independence day celebration. American firms are also welcome to join the U.S. Embassyís pavilion at these two trade shows. The following is a list of the major local newspapers, magazine, and television stations: ... [Read More]

Political Environment

The United States contributed $2.6 million in various bilateral economic and military aid programs to Belize in 2001. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) closed its Belize office in August 1996 after a 13-year stint during which USAID provided $110 million worth of development assistance to Belize. Although not physically present in Belize, USAID continues to assist the GOB in various regional projects in the fields of labor, trade, environment, and health from its offices in Guatemala. In addition, during the past 40 years, over 1600 Peace Corps volunteers have served in Belize. The Peace Corps currently has 59 volunteers posted across the country. In Punta Gorda, Voice of America has operated a medium-wave radio relay station that broadcast to the neighboring countries of Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, but the station will close before the end of 2002. The U.S. military has a diverse assistance program in Belize, which includes providing training and eq ... [Read More]

Background Notes

The United States and Belize traditionally have had close and cordial relations. The United States is Belize's principal trading partner and major source of investment funds and also is home to the largest Belizean community outside Belize, estimated to be 70,000 strong. Because Belize's economic growth and accompanying democratic political stability are important U.S. objectives in a region successfully emerging from a prolonged period of civil strife, Belize benefits from the U.S.-Caribbean Basin Initiative. International crime issues dominate the agenda of bilateral relations between the U.S. and Belize. The U.S. is working closely with the Government of Belize to fight illicit narcotic trafficking. In October 1996, the U.S. and Belize signed a Stolen Vehic ... [Read More]

Hurricane Preparedness

Via telephone: call 225-2011, the National Meteorological Office at the Phillip S. W. Goldson International Airport.1Via radio: Belize Communication & Security, Ltd. (BCSL) is located in Belmopan. When an ALERT is issued or the US Embassy announces emergency conditions, BCSL initiates its hurricane or emergency plan which includes monitoring of all frequencies and responding to all call signs. These call signs include any appointed U.S. Embassy Warden. Each Warden may program his VHF radio to the following frequency for country-wide communication services during emergencies - at no charge. The primary frequency is: Receive-149.800 Transmit-150.400 Tone: 100Hz. Any warden may call BCSL at 822-2149 for further information. The President of BCSL is Rick Simpson - also a U.S. Embassy Warden.1 ... [Read More]

Belize (08/04)

The United States is the largest provider of economic assistance to Belize, contributing about $2.89 million in various bilateral economic and military aid programs to Belize in FY 2002. Of this amount, nearly $2.3 million was provided by the U.S. Military Liaison Office. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) closed its Belize office in August 1996 after a 13-year program during which USAID provided $110 million worth of development assistance to Belize. Belize still benefits from USAID regional programs. In addition, during the past 42 years, almost 2,000 Peace Corps volunteers have served in Belize. As of May 2004, the Peace Corps had 52 volunteers working in Belize. Until the end of 2002, Voice of America operated a medium-wave radio relay station in Punta Gorda that broadcast to the neighboring countries of Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. The U.S. military has a diverse and growing assistance program in Belize that included the construction of seven schools an ... [Read More]

V. Country Narratives -- Countries A through G

Equatorial Guinea is a transit and destination country for women and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation, involuntary domestic servitude, and other forced labor. Women and children are trafficked to Equatorial Guinea from West and Central Africa, principally Cameroon, Nigeria, and Benin. Women are trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation in Malabo, where demand is high due to the booming oil sector. Cameroonian and Beninese children are trafficked to Malabo for exploitation as street and market hawkers; Nigerian boys are trafficked to Rio Muni (the mainland) for exploitation as agricultural workers. The Government of Equatorial Guinea does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. Over the past year the government has made a number of efforts that attest ... [Read More]