THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES ARE SO CREATED BY CHOICE OF THE POLITICAL CONSTITUTION THEY HAVE?

By Ray Auxillou, Trustee of the internet based Non-government Organization, THE BELIZE DEVELOPMENT TRUST

March 23rd, 2005

It has been pointed out by political observers around the world, that THIRD WORLD countries remain so by choice! Or perhaps lack of choice in the political system that they use, might be more appropriate? The buzz words of academic people at the World Bank and other International Organizations talking about GDP jargon, notwithstanding.
In Belize, the population continues to be held prisoner to two political parties, called the UDP and the PUP in a POLITICAL CONSTITUTION which is a relic of exploitation from British Empire days. Both parties are committed to the autocratic department control of political ministers, allowing micro-management of the economy for personal gain and corruption. The UDP in it's last term in office under the then party leader Manuel Esquivel, stated publicly he had no wish for democracy and wanted the strong man autocratic model of government, similar to those around Africa. The PUP for the last seven years under the party leadership of Said Musa has given much bombast and rhetoric about political reform, but bascially maintained against all cries for change; the autocratic ministerial method of government, in which politicians control individual government departments in a micro-management style that has led to widespread allegations of endemic and systematic corruption. An experiment in the Fall of 2004 by the PUP in the Swiss Collegial style governing method met with resounding success. But was cancelled by the party leader rather abruptly; when the process clearly threatened his personal control of any events that might lead to justice and fair play type of development. Or threatend big business on the larger scale through more fair taxation, resisted vehemently by the new oligarchy and robber barons being created; using monopolies, or systems of micro-managment pseudo monopolies based on political controlled licenses and permits. The competitive nature of business and economic development is denied in larger things by political departmental control, based on greed and corruption for self interest.
At heart; the problem seems to be the Political Constitution of the country of Belize? It is a one party model, based on England or old Roman days, that uses individual political control of each government department. This methodology always creates opportunities for corruption and bribery. And so it has been proven through the years in Belize.
Despite the numerous shortcomings of the Belize Political Constitution, there has been no effort to delete the Ministerial control method of government departments, due to widespread allegations of greed, power hunger and endemic corruption within the party system under this Constitution. None of the leaders of either of the major political parties in Belize want to change this greed based, power hungry, corrupt opportunity for self enrichment model. The country and citizens of Belize therefore subsequently finds themselves locked into a THIRD WORLD COUNTRY status of feudal serfs, by a system of political parties backed by a self enrichment setup, of a growing powerful business oligarchy, tied to the reins of political party power, through mutual financial self interest.

BELIZE REMAINS A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY, because they are slaves to political parties and a new oligarchy; using an exploitive Constitution. Belize is not a third world country because of outside world events, or GDP ratios and economic studies. It is the denial of the competitive aspects of capitalism on a level and fair playing field that make Belize remain a THIRD WORLD COUNTRY.

Dated material: March 23 rd., 2005.