"Belice Es Guatemala": for any Belizean with even an inkling of patriotism that declaration is as repulsive as it is provoking. And while that kind of blustering patriotism may pain the soul of patriots - for many residents of Melchor and Benque Viejo the political divide between Belize and Guatemala exists only on paper; in real life residents of both communities freely intermingle. It may sound strange but as Alfonso Noble found out - this free ranging cross border fraternity shows that Belize and Guatemala can peacefully co-exist - in a situation that's not confidence building, it's community building.
Alfonso Noble Reporting,
It's 7 o'clock here at the border with Belize and Melchor de Mencos and believe it or not most persons coming across into Belize are doing so for the better opportunities offered here- schooling and employment.
Alfonso Noble,
Where are you going?
Student #1,
"Benque."
Alfonso,
For what? School? Where? What Form
Student #1,
"Yes. I go to Mount Carmel High School and I am in fourth form."
Alfonso,
Where are you coming from, what school do you go to and in what form.
Student #2,
"I am coming from Melchor. I go to school at Sacred Heart in Cayo and I am in first form."
Alfonso Noble,
How about you? Where are you from? Where are you going?
Student #3,
"I am from Melchor also, I go to Mount Carmel High School and I am in first form."
That's right, Guatemalan students making their way into Belize to benefit from our educational system. According to the Immigration Department there are 300 primary and 100 secondary school students who migrate into Belizean soil daily to get their education in Belize. But who is paying for it.
Yolanda Gongora, Director of general school services at Ministry of Education
"In primary school we do not charge. We do not have tuitition. There is probably only a registration fee or an annual fee the that school charges but we are responsible for providing the teachers of different schools and if the school has accepted the number of Belizeans in the school and there are additional spaces then they can accept the children in school. But directly we are not paying for the children. We are paying for the staff members."
"In secondary school there is the free tuition policy but it only is for Belizean students. Non-Belizean students must pay tuition. Whether you are from Guatemala, Taiwan, and Mexico or from the U.S. we do not pay for non-Belizean students. Our policy is to give first preference to our Belizean students. The preference is having access to pre-school, primary, and secondary school."
Alfonso Noble,
Gongora says that while 400 persons coming into the school system from Guatemala may seem like a large number, in reality it's not. In fact by getting their education here in Belize many residents of Guatemala play everyday diplomats between Belize and Guatemala.
Also of interest is the number of persons who come into Belize to work. According to immigration numbers there are some 100 persons who commute into Belize. The Immigration Department notes that most Melchor residents coming into Belize hold permanent residence cards.