'We are growing Belize': modernisation and organisational change in the Mennonite settlement of Spanish Lookout, Belize

This article addresses the entrepreneurial and organisational activities of a specific Mennonite group in Belize called the Kleine Gemeinde community of Spanish Lookout. Building upon Christian beliefs, agricultural skills and a strong working ethos, this group was able to build up a stable, local economic network. The authors suggest that their collective resistance against other social groups and their day-to-day strictness lead to processes of 'selective modernity'. As we make clear in this chapter, the Kleine Gemeinde Mennonites identity contains elements of ethnicity and partial exclusion based upon religious motives. The relative successful economic progression of this group is a sign of both their working ethos inspired by their religious background, and their will to progress and expand. Copyright © 2011 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd

The overseas Taiwanese in Belize: An exploration of a south-south development project in a Belizean context

Purpose – The paper aims to give an account to describe the way the South-South development programme is realized between Taiwan and Belize. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is the result of ethnographic fieldwork research combined with a literature study. Findings – The development of the newly industrialized country Taiwan can be characterized by a drastic transformation from an impoverished agrarian society towards an affluent industrial economy. Now, Taiwan is aiming to help other developing countries to walk the same path by drawing lessons from their so-called “Taiwan experience”. In order to transfer their experience, Taiwan has established an overseas development organization, the International Cooperation and Development Fund. This organization offers development assistance to countries of which Taiwan receives political recognition. Central and South America are the regions where most of Taiwan's diplomatic ties exist. One of the recipients of Taiwanese assistance in this area is Belize, a small English speaking, Central American country in the Caribbean Sea, with a multi-ethnic, densely populated, relatively poor population. Research limitations/implications – Future research might examine the ways in which these Taiwanese farmers have integrated in Belize and how their entrepreneurial activities contribute in this process. Practical implications – After visiting Taiwan's project sites in Belize and interviewing government officials, Taiwanese-Belizeans, Belizean farmers, and non-farmers, it was found that much of what the Taiwanese brought was indeed considered beneficial, although incomplete. The links between the Taiwanese development organization and the wider society, Belize, were not clearly developed at the time, not least because of the problems in communicating with the Taiwanese development workers(for instance due to language issues). It would be wrong to suggest, however, that Taiwan's development project was only perceived as raising problems for it did have a positive impact. Originality/value – Although the first Taiwanese project in Belize was launched in 1989 it has until recently received little attention. This paper explores the social impact of this development project from the Taiwanese in Belize. © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limite

Working ladies: Mennonite women in the enterprise of Spanish Lookout, Belize

This article addresses the role of women in the labour system of the Mennonite entrepreneurs in a community in Belize, Central America. The labour system of the Mennonite enterprises is mainly organised independently of the general Belizean labour system. Mennonite women have gained a pivotal position in this independent system over the past years. Traditionally, Mennonite women stay at home to work in the domestic sphere. In recent years, however, their role has changed and they have increasingly started to work outside of the home. This has had major implications for the position of women in the community. In this article a description of the position of women in the Mennonite labour system will be provided using literature on the Mennonite women, combined with empirical data from the Mennonite community of Spanish Lookout, Belize. © 2008, Inderscience Publishers

Self-employment and the chicle trade: the case of the Lebanese minority in the Cayo district of Belize

Belize iss a relative small country in Central America, which is enclosed by Mexico in the north and by Guatemala in the west and south. The country has a multi-ethnic population consisting of, amongst others, Mestizos, Creoles, Garinagu, Maya's, Mennonites, Chinese and East Indian. One of the ethnic minorities, which has a strong economic position in Belize, is the Lebanese community. When the Lebanese first arrived in Belize in the early 1900s Belize was a prosperous British colony. Lebanese came to Belize because they wanted to improve their economic situation. The word had reached them that Belize was a good and calm country where they could succeed and readily engage in business. The first immigrants came through Mexico which had a large Lebanese community. The focus of this article is on the Lebanese migration to Belize and how the Lebanese used self-employment to become successful entrepreneurs in Belize. Copyright © 2012 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd