Belize at the quarter century mark; that was last year, but it's still an important milestone because so much has changed since 1981. And now, a comprehensive new book by Cubola Productions offers that quarter century stocktaking that wasn't available last year. 13 eminent academics and researchers have contributed to the 330 page volume called: taking stock Belize at 25 years of independence. Joseph Palacio is one of the editors and he told us why it's important.
Dr. Joe Palacio,
"Each author was given a free rein. What we were looking for is you are the expert in coastal communities, on the health of the reef, on the environment, on the economy - look at what has happened in the past 25 years and give us your perspective. That makes it a scholarly effort all around.
The whole area of academic freedom, in fact as an academic myself within a developing society like Belize, should be permitted to express what I think is the fact of the case. We in Belize don't get this opportunity enough and so this book has provided that opportunity for us to look at ourselves, examine ourselves, and say this is it and to provide opportunity for others to say you were wrong and then the debate continues."
Among those contributing essays are Dr. Jaime Awe, attorney Antonette Moore, and environmentalist Candy Gonzalez.
