After almost 50 years in Belize, Williamson Industries closed its factory doors today. Country manager Larry MaClaren would not comment, only to say that, "it is a sad day." And, we'll add that it's downright devastating for the hundreds of Belizean households - many of them led by single mothers - who are no longer earning that paycheck.
Williamson, the manufacturer of Dickies clothing, opened its Belize operation in 1960. Up to a year ago, the company employed 700 employees, but it has been steadily making layoffs for the past 9 months and at closing today MaClaren said only a few were left. The shutdown is forced by the immense global competition for textile production and the fact that the cost of doing business in Belize is high, higher than it is in Asia and Latin America.
