by Nuri Muhammad

BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Aug. 24, 2023

(The following article was written in 2011, but is still relevant today.)

During childhood, most of the rapid growth of the physical, mental and emotional selves occur. We begin to experience ourselves and the world around us during childhood and the predominant aspects of our personalities are formed here. The events and persons that are impacted during childhood will strongly affect us throughout our lives and will largely define our responses to people and to life in general. (UNICEF)

It is known that if there are too many traumatic experiences in the early development of a child’s life that this will continue to affect that child psychologically until that trauma is reconciled; but if it is not reconciled, it continues to persist in new, sometimes distorted forms. What we see being acted out in the streets is a reflection of this trauma in its late stages, referred to by some psychologists as post-traumatic stress syndrome.

Numerous studies have proved the relationship between childhood experiences and adverse behavior in later life – school drop-out, discipline problems, early sexual initiation, teen pregnancy, substance abuse, violent and risk-taking behaviors are all said to be caused at least in part by dysfunctional family structure. (NHDAC Study)

To understand the nature of this problem we are dealing with in Belize City, we also have to ask ourselves what kind of influences have been impacting our youths during the last thirty (30) years of Independence! What has been the state of our culture and the institutions that support it?

Have we successfully extended to the Belizean youth a historical root to hold to as “his story”, to define himself? In a recent TV news interview, some youths were asked who was Philip Goldson, Leigh Richardson, Samuel Hynes, Cleopatra White, and most of them did not know the answer. Marcus Garvey said that a people without knowledge of their history are like a tree without roots.

During the mourning period for the Rt. Hon. George Price an avalanche of information on his history and vision for the advancement of Belize was repeated, ad infinitum, for public consumption. As a result of this media exposure, many learned aspects of Mr. Price’s life and history of Belize that they had not known before. It was clear from this experience that thirty (30) years after our Independence, and sixty-three (63) years after the nationalist movement began, there is still a disconnect of our national culture.

We have continued an argument over our history from the very beginning of the nationalist movement. When that movement should have been promoting our own unique brand of Belizean nationalism and patriotism, incorporating the uniqueness of our history and multi-cultures as a way of life and a stimulus for development, we were instead arguing about the myth or non-myth of the Battle of St. George’s Caye. Our failure to resolve that single difference in historical interpretation over the last sixty-three (63) years has remained a divisive wedge in our national consciousness up to today.

When we should have been stimulating a culture of our own uniqueness in our diversity as a people, using culture as an instrument of development, we were instead interpreting culture as art and dance exhibition, ethnic dishes, colonial architecture, mystical ruins, and unproductive idiosyncrasies. Today, the mental space that should have been filled with love for Belize and Belizean heroes has been influenced by television images of plastic heroes and inordinate love for consumer goods. As a result of our collective neglect, our young people have formed their own values from T.V. which, by the way, hitched a piggyback ride on our independence thirty (30) years ago, much like a master plan.

What were those images influencing our youth from popular media? How has media defined some of the modern-day conflicts? Take, as an example, the model of the “thug”. While the image of a thug may be repulsive to the average members of society, that image is an attraction to many youth, especially young males. In an increasingly hostile and violent environment that young males face today, the image becomes a badge of honor and respect to some young vulnerable males. It repels potential enemies who fear reprisals for disrespect, and is even an image that attracts young females who are drawn to its power and protection. It is not hard, therefore, to understand why young males adapt aspects of this personality type as they go through their rites of passage.

We also have to ask ourselves about the social structures that were to provide healthy stimuli for personal and social development of the individual, i.e. the family, the religious institutions, the schools, and the government. What has been the state of these in the last thirty (30) years? The first three have declined in importance and impact, while the latter has inherited a role it is unable to fulfill. We are expecting from the government what governments are incapable of fulfilling, given the nature of the institution. Responsibility for character development and implanting of values must go back to the first three (3) institutions, i.e., the family, religion and school. Government’s responsibility is to provide the enabling environment to support these three institutions.

Our approach to dealing with youths in Belize must be twofold. On the one hand, we must address the social and economic conditions that affect the ability of a young person to realize his/her fullest potential as a Belizean citizen. At the same time, we must build upon those initiatives that promote the character of citizenship, encouraging and insisting on productiveness and industry. Our young people need a healthy dose of patriotism, a sense of love and respect for Belize, which comes from a healthy love and respect for one’s self.

Clearly, we are experiencing the symptoms of a global social cancer that will not go away if our social intervention programs remain inactive. We must take the initiative and implement pro-active programs designed to attract these derailed youth back to a course of self-development and national movement. While this is a big job, it is entirely achievable. We are fortunate that we are experiencing a first-generation gang/crime problem which can be reversed if we are decisive.

Young people must become the center of decision-making processes on those issues that effect change among youth. Youth should provide the leadership and be facilitated by the institutional memory that comes from those elders who serve as their support. While some may take a position of gloom and doom in relation to our youth, in fact, the situation on the ground is quite different. Youth are engaged in addressing their issues and are ready to work in partnership, as long as their special contribution is given that which it is due. Youth are ready to play their part; it’s up to us to give them their respect.

Real and lasting change can only be effective if it is comprehensive enough to cover the whole subject and involves an attitude that the problems that our young face is not the government’s problem alone, but everybody’s problem. While, clearly, government has a major role to play, the onus for real change rests with us all, the people of Belize.