Protests In Paradise: Understanding Civil Unrest In Belize

There have been several protests in Belize over the years, notably in 2005 when civil unrest broke out in the capital city of Belmopan due to a new national budget with significant tax increases. More recently, in 2022, Prince William and his wife Kate's visit to Belize was marred by protests from residents of Indian Creek, an indigenous Maya village in southern Belize, who were upset that the royal couple's helicopter had been granted permission to land on a local soccer field without prior consultation.

Protests against the ruling People's United Party in 2005

Protests against the ruling People's United Party (PUP) in Belize in 2005 were sparked by the release of the 2005-2006 national budget, which included significant tax increases. The budget was announced by the administration of Prime Minister Said Musa on January 14, 2005.

The new budget included an 11% increase in the real estate sales tax, a 5% tax increase for financial institutions, an 8% tax increase on tobacco products, and a 100% tax increase on rum. These tax hikes sparked outrage among the Belizean people, who had long been frustrated with the PUP's alleged financial mismanagement and corruption. The main opposition parties, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize and the Belize Chamber of Commerce, led the protests, which began on January 14 outside the National Assembly building in the capital city of Belmopan.

The protests continued throughout the following week, with demonstrators calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Musa. On January 20, the business community and labour unions called for a two-day nationwide strike, which shut down much of the country's water service. The following day, a major demonstration took place outside the National Assembly building, with protesters throwing rocks at police, who responded with rubber bullets and riot gas. Several protesters were arrested, and riot police were eventually called in to disperse the crowd.

The protests in January 2005 were followed by a prolonged strike by the Belize National Teachers' Union, which left most schools closed and caused shortages of water and electricity. Negotiations between the government and the unions continued throughout February, with the two sides reaching a tentative agreement on February 11. However, the unrest continued into March and April, with the opposition calling for early elections and further strikes and demonstrations taking place.

The 2005 protests in Belize highlighted long-standing accusations of corruption and financial mismanagement against the PUP, which had dominated the country's political landscape for much of its history since its formation in 1950. The party suffered a decisive defeat in the 2008 elections, winning only six out of 31 seats, and remained in opposition for several years thereafter.

Protests against Prince William and Duchess Kate's visit in 2022

In March 2022, Prince William and his wife, Duchess Kate, embarked on a week-long Caribbean tour to three Commonwealth countries: Belize, Jamaica, and the Bahamas. This visit was intended to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee and was the couple's first major overseas tour since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, their arrival in Belize was met with protests from local residents, forcing them to cancel their first scheduled engagement.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had planned to visit the Akte'il Ha cacao farm in the village of Indian Creek in Belize. However, protests broke out as villagers objected to the royal couple's helicopter landing on their local football pitch without prior consultation. The landing site was particularly contentious as it involved a dispute over communal land rights and ancestral land with Flora and Fauna International (FFI), a conservation charity of which Prince William is a patron.

Indian Creek village chairman, Sebastian Shol, stated, "We don't want them to land on our land; that's the message that we want to send. They could land anywhere, but not on our land." Protesters held signs reading, "Not your land, not your decision" and "Prince William leave our land." Local broadcaster Channel 7 described the tensions as reflecting the "meaning of consent in the context of communal land rights, rights to lands that were expunged in the colonial period by the British."

In response to the protests, Kensington Palace released a statement, saying, "We can confirm that due to sensitive issues involving the community in Indian Creek, the visit has been moved to a different location. Further details will be provided in due course." The Belize government also issued a statement, noting that Indian Creek was one of several potential sites and that they had activated their contingency plan by selecting an alternative venue to showcase Maya family entrepreneurship in the cacao industry.

The protests in Belize against Prince William and Duchess Kate's visit highlighted ongoing tensions surrounding communal land rights and colonial-era injustices. These protests, along with subsequent demonstrations in Jamaica calling for reparations for slavery, prompted Prince William to acknowledge the controversies surrounding the tour and emphasize that the decision to maintain or sever ties with the British monarchy rests with the people of each country.

2005 protests against tax increases

On January 14, 2005, the Belizean government, led by Prime Minister Said Musa, announced its budget for 2005-2006, which included significant tax increases on various businesses and commodities. This sparked widespread anger and condemnation, particularly as it followed years of alleged financial mismanagement and corruption by the ruling People's United Party (PUP). The budget proposed an 11% increase in real estate sales tax, a 5% increase for financial institutions, an 8% increase on tobacco, and a 100% increase on rum.

The National Trade Union Congress of Belize and the Belize Chamber of Commerce were among the first to protest at the National Assembly building on the day of the announcement, with demonstrations continuing throughout the following week. On January 20, a nationwide strike was called, with employees absent from work and water services cut across much of Belize. The opposition planned a major public demonstration for the next day, January 21, in Belmopan, outside the National Assembly building. This protest turned violent, with protesters throwing rocks at police, who responded with rubber bullets and riot gas. Several protesters were arrested, and eventually, riot police were called in to disperse the crowd.

The protests were not solely against the tax increases but were also directed at the government, with calls for the resignation of Prime Minister Said Musa. The unrest was the culmination of years of frustration with the financial management of the country and the worsening fiscal condition under the PUP. The protests were successful in delaying the implementation of the tax increases, with the budget's tax provisions suspended until March 1, pending a review.

2005 protests against the government's handling of utility companies

Protests against the Belizean government's handling of utility companies occurred in 2005 as part of two separate but related incidents of civil unrest in the Central American nation. The first incident occurred in January 2005, sparked by the release of a new national budget with significant tax increases, including an 11% increase in real estate sales tax and a 100% tax increase on rum. The budget also included plans for increases in electricity and water rates. The new budget sparked condemnation from local interest groups, with the main protesters being the National Trade Union Congress of Belize and the Belize Chamber of Commerce. The protests culminated in a large demonstration outside the National Assembly building in the capital city of Belmopan on January 21, which ended in violence, with police using rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd.

The second incident of civil unrest occurred in April 2005 and was primarily driven by the ongoing conflict between the government and utility companies, specifically Belize Telecommunications Limited (BTL). The government had been locked in an investor war between Michael Ashcroft of England and Jeffrey Prosser of the United States, with Prosser being the majority shareholder at the time. On February 9, the government took control of BTL from Prosser, reclaiming 52% ownership after he defaulted on payment for shares. Prosser later sued the government in Miami. On April 14, BTL workers were asked to leave the compound, reportedly due to a bomb threat, and they called for 37.5% ownership of the company. On April 15, a nationwide telecommunications shutdown occurred, affecting phone and internet services. On April 18, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize, representing 15,000 workers, called on Prime Minister Said Musa to resign, citing the government's handling of the BTL situation and gross mismanagement of public finances as reasons for their loss of confidence.

The 2005 protests in Belize highlighted the dissatisfaction of citizens with the government's fiscal policies and their management of public funds, particularly in the utility sector. The protests resulted in violent clashes with police and disruptions to essential services, demonstrating the depth of anger and frustration felt by the Belizean people at the time.

2005 protests against the government's handling of Belize Telecommunications Limited

In 2005, Belize experienced two separate but related incidents of civil unrest. The first incident, in January 2005, was sparked by the release of a new national budget with significant tax increases. The budget included an 11% increase in real estate sales tax, a five per cent tax increase for financial institutions, an eight per cent tax increase on tobacco, and a 100% tax increase on rum. The second incident, in April 2005, was largely driven by the ongoing dispute over the government's handling of Belize Telecommunications Limited (BTL).

In March 2004, the Belizean government entered into a Master Agreement with Belize Telecom Ltd (BT) and its parent company, Innovative Communication Company LLC (ICC), for the privatisation of BTL. BT acquired the Special Rights Redeemable Preference Share, or "special share", from the government, as well as a majority of the issued share capital, including majorities of both B and C ordinary shares. This gave BT the right to appoint up to eight directors to the BTL board. However, within a year, BT defaulted on its obligations, and on 9 February 2005, the government seized back a substantial number of the ordinary shares. As a result, BT lost its right to appoint four C directors, leaving the board composition in dispute.

On 11 March, a judge in Miami restored the four C directors to the board, but this decision was reversed on appeal. On 31 March, the same judge found the Belizean government in contempt and fined it $50,000 per day. The government planned to comply but filed an appeal. On 13 April, disgruntled BTL workers left the compound, and the Communication Workers' Union expressed its dissatisfaction at the legal wrangling. On 18 April, the unions called for the prime minister's resignation, and the country's tertiary-level students came out in support of the unions and BTL workers. A large protest took place in Belize City, which ended in looting and property damage amounting to over a million dollars.

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