Sunday, September 15, 2024 at 12:44 AM
“Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious summer by this sun of York; And all the clouds that lour’d upon our house, in the deep bosom of the ocean buried.” — Richard III by William Shakespeare.
I know that this might not be the right way to start celebrating our 43rd Independence Day, at least not by quoting one of England’s most reviled kings. In these musings to himself, he was plotting his bloody way to the throne of England. Alas for poor Richard, his reign would be short and violent; but violence begets violence, I suppose.
As we approach our Independence Day, we must reflect on the last 43 years and decide if we are on the right or wrong track. There’s much to celebrate. We have progressed in many ways: we have not fallen into an economic depression, although inflation has wrapped her gnarled fingers about our throats and bellies! We have been very mindful of our ecology, for the most part. We are on good terms with our neighbors, even with the ones that want to deprive us of our sovereignty! The economy is chugging along; not strong, but not weak either. We have become a magnet for tourists from all over the world, enjoying the beauty and the wonder of our beloved Jewel!
We are still more democratic than any of our Central American neighbors; we still enjoy freedom of movement and freedom of the press. Democracy is such a delicate idea, that can vanish in a flash if we are not ever vigilant in protecting and nourishing the ideals of democracy. We must never rest on our laurels and hope for the best. We have to fight for it, earn it, cherish it, and never accept anything else!
We are good people, we Belizeans! Even though we are not rich, we share our good fortunes with our neighbors when they need help. We are a very forgiving people; our politics reflect that. We give our politicians a wide berth in which to govern, that is, until they overstep the limits of our tolerance for corruption and maladministration!
But that cloud that Richard mused about hangs about our little nation like “a flung cast net,” quoting Raymond Barrow. The ICJ has been given the task to decide our boundaries and borders and future, and that in itself is a troubling proposition, in my opinion. What if they have a “head tek,” and decide to give some pieces of our birthright to the Guats? What then? The way Guatemala already abuses our sovereignty—our citizens, inside our own territory — should alarm us, make us feel insecure about our future and our independence.
What is even more troubling is that their claim on our territory is based on the flimsiest of evidence; no, not evidence, envy is a better word. I have always believed that Mexico could have a greater claim on parts of our land than the Guats ever could. Not that Mexico would ever entertain the thought; but you know, they could!
We are so naked; we cannot protect ourselves, and we have no protection, no allies to protect us. We can always hope that if we were ever invaded, the Brits would feel that they owe us something for the centuries of colonization they heaped upon us! We can hope that America could temper the Guats’ enthusiasm and lust for our pristine forests and shorelines and cayes. We could hope; but hope is just a word, not a solution!
I should be in a celebratory mood! We should be proud of how far we’ve come, be optimistic about our future, but that winter of our discontent lingers. We can feel it in our bones, those of us paying attention! We need our democracy to flourish; we need a viable and stable opposition! We need to take care of our less fortunate, our children, our elders, and all those who need protection. We need a strong judiciary, one that cannot be cowered or be bought. We need a police force that serves the interests of the citizens! We need a civil service that is not marginalized by those in power. We need better health and educational services! We need, we need, we need!
We are on our own! As we celebrate our Independence, let us swear an oath, to quote the poet, to live in a land where our dreams can come true! Where we are the masters of our fate! Where religion is optional, and not mandatory! Where power is not based in the hands of a few, but in the collective hands of we, the people! Where we can prosper and feed our children, and own our own blessed little plot. Where the air and water are clean. Where our forests and rivers and sea are protected, not polluted!
It is almost Independence Day, so let us lift our hearts and minds up, filled with optimism, expecting that the Court will guarantee our sovereignty; that our government will always put us first, second and third. That we will thrive and make our little paradise a real haven, not just a cheap imitation!
“Land of the gods by the Carib Sea!”
Glen