Wed. July 26, 2023 

Dear Editor,

In a few days, Belize for the third year will be celebrating Emancipation Day. I always wonder why was it that our forefathers never decided to acknowledge and/or honor this very important holiday in the Caribbean and Belize until now. Their indecision to not recognize this day may have been on point, especially here in Belize. The holiday recognizes the abolition of slavery in the western hemisphere starting in 1834. This pie in the sky came into effect in Belize around 1838. The condition of the descendants of slavery, who were for the most part of African ancestry, has not changed much since then.

The concept of slavery still exists today, the difference being that the transition was made from a physical and inhumane situation to now a mental condition. The indoctrination of the black population through education across the Americas and the Caribbean has proven to be a powerful tool utilized to continue manipulating and controlling the masses.

There are several factors that could indicate why we as a people are far from being emancipated. The idea that black people are free is just an illusion. When you take a closer look at the demography of the population of Belize, what percentage are elated for this public and bank holiday? The Mayas have always been resisting the presence of the Europeans here on their land. Their freedom was actually taken away by the colonizers. The mestizos are Hispanics who intermarried with the Mayas in northern Belize, who were fighting against the oppression that existed in southern Mexico during the Caste War. Were the Garifuna people ever enslaved? History has shown otherwise. The East Indians were brought to Belize after the abolition of slavery, so they were considered indentured servants.

It’s difficult to see or feel the excitement amongst the only group of people, the Creole, whom this holiday was designed for. Despite inheriting the public service from their slave masters after independence, the condition of the Creole people who suffered the most at the hands of slavery has not become much better. Instead of creating a holiday that has little or no significance to the majority of the population of Belize, our energy should be corralled into uniting and developing an authentic Belizean identity.

It’s impossible to be free if you devote your entire life for generations to emulate the lifestyle of the same colonizers who enslaved you. This is the new reality of oppressed people of all races across the globe. It is much easier to control a divided people. Today, you are first identified by your culture; this will dictate the quantity and quality of economic opportunity you’re afforded. The only time you are recognized as a Belizean is when you travel abroad using your passport. The people who have shed blood, sweat, and tears for this country over the years are still considered third-class citizens. We have all fallen victim to the mental enslavement imposed on us by the same oppressors who had us in shackles. Freedom is not given; it is taken.

Respectfully submitted,
J. Alvarez