4 months ago
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On his recent visit to Jamaica, rapper-turned-politician, Moses Michael Levi Barrow, provided insights into the political landscape of Belize. Currently serving as the country’s Leader of Opposition, Barrow believes that the role of the state is to improve on poverty and eliminate perpetual dependency, allowing citizens the freedom to take care of themselves using the resources provided by the country’s leaders.
“He remains optimistic about the opportunities for Belize’s growth as a hotspot for international investment and collaboration,” a press release about the former rapper, who used the moniker Shyne, stated.
Listing construction, energy and tourism as key areas of opportunities, Barrow zoomed in on tourism, explaining that the sector remains one of Belize’s most vibrant industries, with a significant emphasis on eco-tourism boasting one of the best barrier reefs in Central America. With a one and a half hour flight time from Miami, and a two-hour flight time from Houston, Belize records most of its tourists from North American states.
“I began travelling more frequently to the US in 2021, where I’ve been able to meet with renowned figures in urban America, such as Jay Z and DJ Khaled. I’ve also been privileged to meet with numerous congressmen and senators, engaging in mind-stimulating conversations on leadership and economics. These trips have also provided me with a better understanding of where the largest Belizean diaspora in the US resides – Los Angeles, New York and Chicago,” Barrow shared.
During his visit, Barrow took the opportunity to celebrate the cultural ties between Belize and Jamaica, mentioning a recently held festival organised by their government that featured a performance by Jamaican artiste, Shenseea.
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“The festival was a great idea, however, it needs significant improvements. I am willing to support the continued investment, with the provision of data from the last event. For a country of 400,000 people, we recorded approximately 10,000 patrons flying into Belize for the festival, inclusive of Belizean-Americans and regular tourists, it isn’t far-fetched that (with onboarding a Jamaican partner like Dream Entertainment Limited) we can significantly increase that number,” Barrow stated.
Just like every other country, Belize has its own share of crime problems. Though not as extensive compared to other Central American countries, he believes that there are solutions that can and should be implemented to mitigate the level of criminality currently being faced.
“The Belizean population is relatively small, and we’re thankful not to have any organised crime problems, but I believe that economic development is the solution to tackling crime, locally and internationally. Adding to that, we need a stronger judiciary and a better trained police force to adequately combat these issues.”
He also hinted that the Government needs to put in place proper housing, education and healthcare facilities for the security forces, which will allow them to be better equipped in fighting the crime plague.
Similar to the Jamaican landscape, Belize has a very active agriculture sector where historically, the country’s main produce includes sugar and citrus. Despite its citrus production declining, Barrow believes there is a chance that recovery is possible once they eradicate the diseases affecting the citrus crops. Notwithstanding that, sugar and banana production remains strong.
“Similar to Jamaica, the use of marijuana has been legalised in the House of Representatives and the Senate. Unfortunately, our governor general has not brought the legislation into effect which has stunted the progress hoped for. Under my leadership, I would absolutely prioritise gaining full legalisation for both recreational and medicinal purposes, which will in turn further enhance our tourism market,” concluded Barrow.
During his time in Jamaica, Barrow met with the Prime Minister Andrew Holness; Minister of National Security, Horace Chang; Leader of the Opposition, Mark Golding; the Chinese Ambassador to Jamaica’ Chen Daojiang; Michael Lee Chin; Lisa Hanna; Vybz Kartel; and Dream Entertainment’s Group Managing Director, Scott Dunn, hinting at a possible Dream Wknd X Belize festival.
English (US) ·