Bilateral Relations
As a Commonwealth Realm, Belize shares the same language as the United Kingdom. Its political institutions (such as bicameral legislature) are rooted in the UK practice. Education and health systems are established along British lines. There is a similar tradition of non-governmental organisations and respect for human rights. Development and Defence relations with the UK are particularly strong.
The UK supports Belize’ policies aimed at improving the quality of life for its people, and bringing about a sustainable environment. The UK continues to support Belize’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and its efforts to find a peaceful resolution to its territorial dispute with Guatemala.
Bilateral Programme Budget Scheme 2008-9
As part of our ongoing commitment to Belize, the British High Commission is now inviting project proposals for high impact projects as part of the UK's bilateral programme with Belize. This programme support’s the British Government’s objectives in Belize and further enhances the already strong and warm relations between both countries.
We are inviting bids for projects in any of the areas listed below ranging from BZ$5,000 to a maximum of Bz$20,000.
Promote a low carbon, high growth, global economy –
i) Projects addressing climate change including projects focusing on mitigation, adaptation or strategic planning.
ii) Projects concerning energy security e.g. renewable and low carbon energy.
iii) Projects related to promoting an open global economy and good economic.
Prevent and resolve conflict -
i) Projects looking specifically to build confidence between local communities in the Adjacency Zone between Belize and Guatemala.
ii) Projects that deliver better early warning and early action to prevent conflict.
We would also be happy to consider project bids from National & Municipal Government offices and NGO’s relating to the above topics, including capacity building.
All Project proposals must demonstrate that –
· That it meets the High Commission objectives in the priority areas listed above;
· A clear idea of what the project objective and outcomes should be and how they will be measured;
· That you have identified who the main beneficiaries will be and that they agree with your ideas; and
· Any evidence of counterpart funding or support from any other organisation/institution.
You will also be expected to:
· Demonstrate that the project is value for money;
· Provide quarterly monitoring and evaluation reports; and
· Account in a transparent and timely manner for funding approved by the High Commission.
Applications for funding must be submitted on the form below to Paul.Lane@fco.gov.uk copied to brithicom@btl.net. Guidance notes are also provided below to help you complete the project application form.
Project Bidding Form: Guidance Notes
2006-7 Projects funded by the Bilateral Programme Budget
In 2006-7 the High Commission funded 7 projects for a total cost of just over BZ$100,000:
1. Support for the Police Department's Community Internet Café for Youth.
The High Commission supplied to the Internet café, which are available 6 days a week from 11 - 7pm. Over several hundred youths have visited the police's community centre and received training on internet and research skills from police officers. Statistically this is an area of Belize where most of the murders, gun and drug crimes occur. The Internet Café is being used by the police to develop a better relationship with the community and the young men in particular. It is hoped that this increased interaction between community and police will lead to law enforcement with the communities consent and participation, combating crime through human intelligence.
2. Skills Development for the Women’s Prisoner Group
This project was designed to help female prisoners develop skills that l enable them to find employment when release. It involved running workshops to provide training on arts and crafts, cooking, sewing, reading and writing to give them economic and personal skills to improve their rehabilitation and empowerment when they are released. It has helped the Women's department of the Ministry of Human Development, who are the project deliverers, to maintain a presence in the prison and a dialogue with the prison authorities about the treatment of women in prison. It has contributed towards maintaining prison discipline; giving the women regular activities to undertake and helps reduce tensions. Income gained from the sale of the crafts has provided prison comforts and financial assistance towards the inmate’s children's school fees.
3. Conch Fisheries Project
This project was designed to bring officials from Belizean and Guatemalan Fishery Ministries together and tackle the problem of over fishing in Belizean waters, particularly by Guatemalan fishermen who often fish illegally. This has led to Guatemala agreeing to work on legislation to bring in, for the first time, a closed season for conch fishing. This will coincide with the Belizean closed season. Meeting have been held with Guatemalan fishermen and a positive dialogue has been established with them. This has led to both countries starting on working up a bi-national conch nursery and education project.
4. Capacity building in the Director of Public Prosecutor’s Office
Following a request from the Director of Public Prosecution, the High Commission presented 20 copies of Archbold - Criminal Pleading, Evidence and Practice. With this contribution, there are now sufficient copies for all the prosecutors’ offices in Belize.
The book and the CD's have been allocated to the Crown prosecutors, based in Belize City and civilian and police prosecutors dispersed throughout the country. With this contribution, there are now sufficient copies for all the prosecutors’ offices in Belize. The books are used on a daily basis to help ensure that prosecutors are properly prepared to fight criminal casesare essential for Criminal Court practice. They include detailed coverage of the law and procedure in the Criminal Courts. Archbold contains everything a lawyer needs to know about the requirements for preparing for and during a trial, from indictment to appeal.
This legal reference manual compliments the judgements, practice directions, legal textbooks and procedural material of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal of Belize. These funds have been used to assist Belize in the areas of the Environment, Economic Governance, Justice and Home Affairs and Crime.
5. Assistant Commissioner Jefferies to the see Community Policing in the UK
The Assistant Commissioner of Police visited the UK to see how UK police forces undertake Community policing, restorative justice and public order processes similar to those in Belize. The Assistant Commissioner spent two days shadowing the Newham police force. Since his return he has had several meetings with police legal advisors and the DPP using the knowledge and documents gained to solidify the relationship between the two offices. He has been practising the intervention techniques he saw in the UK to combat youth crime on the streets in Belize. At the same time he has been working on setting up a youth crime taskforce similar to the one he saw operating in Newham.
6. The VOICE of Older Persons Project
The British High Commission provided funds to assist the National Council for Ageing to enable Senior citizens to establish and strengthen their own organization. The aim was to create a recognized representative body that can reflect the needs and concerns of all senior citizens in the country and lobby for basic needs and acceptance of their human rights. To fund the training and meeting of an advocacy group to support and monitor delivery of the Government’s National Policy for Older people.
The project was set out in three phases and the High Commission co-funded phase three of the project. This phase was the strengthening of the new representative organization - the VOICE of Older Persons - and was aimed at capacity building and developing the necessary management and training skills for the individuals bearing the responsibility, commitment and desire for developing the organization.
The formation of the representative organization has the potential to have a tremendous impact on the lives of senior citizens in Belize. The representatives who have participated in the various training workshops identified the major areas of potential benefit where the group may be active including:
-Greater financial security and a fair and equitable system of social security benefit payments.
- The need to provide appropriate healthcare services since there is no trained geriatrician or geriatric nurses in Belize. Nor is training available in geriatric care at the Belize School of Nursing.
- A specific legislation that would provide senior citizens with the protection they need against abuse and exploitation.
7. Youth Business Trust Young Entrepreneurs Scheme
The High Commission co-funded the Young Entrepreneurs Scheme who aim is to facilitate the creation of viable youth enterprises that will provide new opportunities, foster self-confidence and contribute to sustainable economic development in Belize. The scheme would target young entrepreneurs and provide them with the necessary guidance and mentoring. The scheme will:
- help young people develop the self-confidence needed to set up their own business
- form strong private sector links and relationships and promote corporate social responsibility
- create networking opportunities for young entrepreneurs
- compliment existing youth enterprise and youth development initiatives
- produce strategic recommendations for youth enterprise development
Between 2007-9 the scheme aims to:
- Establish 100 youth enterprises
- Create more than 170 jobs
- Have over 70% of these young people still trading in their 2nd year
- Establish 90 mentoring relationships
The scheme was formally launched in early 2007
