DUMB LUCK

Although 1880 sounds like the rake for the next jackpot draw on Sunday lottery, please be advised it is not. This number is far more important than that for the regional economy of the northern districts. 1880 is the number of people that are directly, fully, and permanently employed at the Corozal Free Zone also known locally as the Zone. As one of the major centers of employment in the North, the Corozal Free Zone packs a major economic impact in both the urban and rural areas. The financial power of salaries calculated at the current minimum wage stands at 21.7M per year and the economic spillover from indirect employment generated through the Corozal Free Zone extends well beyond this. To say then that 1880 is a lucky number is an understatement and does it no justice.

Under the UDP, the Corozal Free Zone had become a barren wasteland, having been picked clean by ravenous vultures. The neglect was evident in the dilapidated streets and the broken and non-functioning public lighting. The building of the management agency was in disrepair and an empty shell, and the investors were pulling out in droves. Visitors had slowed to a trickle and investor confidence was at an all-time low, and with much reason. The Corozal Free Zone was on autopilot and left to free fall without direction. For thirteen years there was only paving of one street, still, there was no access to potable water, and infrastructure was crumbling. The Zone looked tired and worn and empty. Then came Covid which dealt it a final blow.

The situation that the Government of Belize under the new administration found, after the elections in late 2020, was indeed grim. However, after a thorough assessment, the Corozal Free Zone under the new administration managed against all odds and Covid to open the gates at the Zone. They have not looked back since. The Zone has grown from strength to strength, after the initial assessment and partnership with the local Ministry of Health and Wellness authorities strict Covid protocols were established and enforced that allowed them to operate. Over the last two years, the Zone has changed, public areas are now illuminated, the employee cards have been digitized and a new database has been procured. In addition, there have been constant maintenance and street works to ensure that visitors have a better experience. Currently, the procurement process is ongoing on a project paid through a grant of 2M BZD that will see the pavement from the old bridge into the Corozal Free Zone and will result in the reopening of both lanes. The pilot project that will provide free internet to all visitors of the Zone is underway. Additionally, there will soon be potable water in the Corozal Free Zone as a result of a partnership with Belize Water Services and the Government of Belize. This extension of the water system will see the water lines reach rural households along the Phillip Goldson Highway from the Chan Chen Cut-off and serve the buildings that house the Border Management Agency Facilities. Water is a basic resource needed if the Corozal Free Zone hopes to expand its activities from commercial to include industrial and even entertainment industries.

True economic development that will create new employment at every level requires that basic infrastructure and utilities are put in place so that investment, both foreign and national, can materialize. Despite the criticism, the numbers cannot be denied. Visitors are coming back to the Corozal Free Zone, driven by an aggressive marketing strategy. New investments and companies are coming in and it is evident that investor confidence is back with a vengeance. Some of the usual nay-sayers, party faithful and detractors might say it is simply luck, but that is just their wishful thinking. Ralph Waldo Emerson believed more in hard work than dumb luck. He explained it thus, “Shallow people believe in luck and in circumstances; Strong people believe in cause and effect.”