SUMMIT FOR DEMOCRACY 2023

March 29, 2023

Mr. President,

I am pleased to join you and other leaders for this important meeting. All of us here share similar values and principles. All of us here share a deep love and appreciation for democracy. Excellencies,

This gathering affirms our desire to ensure that our people have the opportunity to exist in an environment where their human rights and fundamental freedoms are respected and protected. For freedom-loving people everywhere, freedom and democracy are intrinsic to human rights and fundamental freedoms. We are, therefore, duty-bound to respect and protect processes such as free and fair elections, freedom of expression, and we must agree to disagree.

Belize has always been characterized as a peaceful nation with its foundation built on solid democratic values where people can exercise and execute their rights without fear, regardless of ethnic background, culture or religious beliefs. We are proud to attest that Belize has consistently enjoyed peaceful democratic elections and more importantly a peaceful transition of power since our independence in 1981; We are proud of this.

This, however, does not mean that we do not have work to do. We live in an everchanging world and in everchanging times, so we have to adjust to the new realities. It is for this reason that we are presently engaged in constitutional reform. Our People’s Constitutional Commission continues its work of consultation to ensure that all Belizeans have a say in the governance of our nation. Our Constitution, although strong and functional, must ensure it protects all Belizeans. At the completion of their mandate, the PCC will make recommendations to ensure that Belizeans continue to enjoy a dignified life where their fundamental rights and freedoms are guaranteed.

We recognize that our youths, who make up 75 percent of our population, must bear their share of our civic responsibility, and share our love for democracy. Through the Ministries of Education and Youth, we are using technology as a tool to help teach our young people about nation building.

We also practice our democratic principles when we participate in the international community by voting on important global issues. Belize has always ensured that our vote is based on principles enshrined in the charter of the United Nations, such as the right to self-determination, peaceful settlement of disputes and non-interference in the internal affairs of others. Belize rejects the use of force and abides by international law.

In true democracies, the will of the people thrives. When government actions are done in a transparent manner, the people benefit. When the people express their concerns, we listen and find solutions. When the people are able to exercise their democratic and fundamental rights, the country will prosper. Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, our job as leaders must always be to ensure that we live in nations where our people can live free from fear, free from want, and free from injustice. This is our firm objective

I thank you.

Inspiring Women - Coffee & Conversations

Remarks by Special Envoy for the Development of Families and Children

H.E. Rossana Briceño

Host: Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry Women’s Month, March 29, 2023

Who Are WE?

Before I begin, I would like to thanks the Hon. Tracy Taegar-Panton for inspiring me this morning with the FB post. “Your story” – Everyone has a story to tell and they do not always end with…happily ever after. But nevertheless they are stories. We need to share our stories to inspire.

I want to thank you for inviting me to be a part of your conversation today. I also want to thank you for engaging in this conversation as we close out Women’s Month. To the men who are here with us today, I seek your indulgence as I speak directly to the women of the Chamber. The Chamber of Commerce is a Belizean institution that has earned the right to be a leading advocate for gender equality and for the development of women. Your actions, past and present, speak volumes. At present, you have a woman as your CEO.

A few years ago, you elected a woman as your president and she did an outstanding job. Women like Kay and Kim are part of a generation of Belizean women who have been, as they say, chipping away at the per-verbal glass ceiling.

As a young independent nation, not yet 50, it is important that all of us understand what we are we doing.

And what is that?

We are building a nation almost from scratch. What we do today will not just shape this generation, but will set the tone for generations to come. Please do not take for granted any of our achievements in our development. For this reason, I wish to take my time today examining the question: Who are we? Obviously we are a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, small Caribbean state in Central America blessed with great potential. This brings with it its own ambivalence, however we are much more than that, just as we are much more than the even split of women and men in our population who are supposed to be building a fairer and just Belize—together.

I believe we are a product of the past; and the past always come with its baggage. We are also the caretakers of the present as we are the hope for a better future. A better future which can only be shaped if we are, all of us, bold enough to imagine our children living much different lives do at than we present. The women who joined the independence movement with George Price and those who marched with Phillip Goldson could not have imagined grappling with some of the issues we as women of 2023 must grapple with. Imagine Madam Liz, as minister of Housing, in a poor country where most women never had the opportunity to go beyond elementary school having to navigate some of the challenges present day Belizean women face in science, engineering and the like.

Imagine Miss Jane at HRCU trying to convince a boardroom full of men to lend money to a young female high school or junior college graduate from a single parent household that she should be given a loan so she can attend UB or go abroad to pursue her studies.

These women who were the leaders of our parents’ generation had their own terrain of trouble to travers, yet they had a profound impact on there generation of women, our mothers, and these women set in motion a train of events that has brought Kim and Kay to the forefront and those other women in board rooms across this nation.

Well, now it’s our turn to influence the future of our daughters, nieces, and daughters in law, and we must ask ourselves: what kind of role models are we? Who are we to the next generation of Belizean women?

Nicki Minaj is famous for her music and for her curves, but she is also known for saying: “I just want women to always feel in control. Because we're capable, we're so capable.”

As simple as this may sound, it its profound, since so many of our daughters look at us and still see that with all we have been able to accomplish as professional women, we still have not been afforded the opportunity to show just how capable we are. And we are capable women.

So many women in this room and across this nation have proven that, indeed, we are able and qualified to successfully run civil and civic organizations. We have proven ourselves able and qualified to lead private businesses, educational institutions, government institutions, lending institutions, sports teams, and, many of us, are still proud to be running the most important institution of them all, that of mom. Yet, with all we have proven, it is safe to say that in Belize, women in leadership is severely lacking and we are lagging behind.

This is not right.

Now my husband tells me that part of the problem is that some people see power and leadership as homogenous and that no one who has power will just give it up, power has to be taken. For me, that simply means that the time has come for women to do more than just support initiatives that will promote equality, we must take the lead on these issues.

To do this we must commit to educating ourselves on the issues and we must actively participate in the process because we know that the barriers to women in leadership is more than shouting and fighting, which we can do if we must, for sure, I can if and when I must, but one of our greatest impediments is our own attitude and beliefs. We must believe we belong; we must make others, not only believe, but understand that we belong and that we are not going to allow ourselves to be pushed back or left behind any longer

Alice Walker that great feminist African American writer who wrote the novel ‘The Color Purple’, once said that the most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any. I believe that is a part of our problem as Belizean women, we don’t think we have power. If we did, more of us would run for political office. More of us would question leadership when we see one of our hardworking sisters get passed over for promotion for some guy who she is more qualified and more capable than. If we understood our strength, we would call out our bosses when they pay men 20 percent more than they pay us. For too long we have recognized these problems and for too long we have been affected by them. It is time for us to demand to be treated as equal partners in this 50/50 nation. It is no longer about equality. It is about equity! While equality is inspirational, equity is actionable.

Now some of you may be thinking but Rosanna your husband is the Prime Minister, how about your responsibility to the cause? That would be a fair question and I can assure you that I remind John daily of his responsibility to Belizeans, all Belizeans, women, men and our children. I took on the responsibility of Special Envoy because I wanted a platform from which I could not only influence, but have a bully pulpit from which to advocate.

I have read and I keep in my desk a copy of planBelize, I can tell you that on page 23 of planBelize is the Women’s Agenda. There are 8 pledges made by the PUP and those 8 pledges along with the pledges made in PlanBelize for Strong Families are the areas I revert to again and again. I ask John all the time about access to affordable healthcare for women and, even if it gets me in trouble with my pastor, I tell him that government has no business telling women what to do with their bodies. This is why I wrote to the entire Cabinet in support of removing taxes on sanitary products for women.

I may get into trouble here today, but I also believe the equal opportunity bill is long overdue and I have said to my husband, ‘every day you hold back that bill you are holding back progress in this nation’.

I support him and his government when I see that first on the list of those to qualify for the housing program are single mothers, and I have been keeping a record of who are the beneficiaries of these starter homes. I am pleased that more than 60 percent of those who have been given a home are women, mostly single mothers. And I am proud of John for ensuring that a half of the CEOs in government ministries are women and that of the two unelected ministers he appointed to his Cabinet, one is a woman. Today, in his government and in those statutory boards, women make up a half of those in the top leadership roles. But in the Parliament there is much work to be done by all of us. For my part, I am doing what I can to hold my husband and his government accountable for their promise to the women of Belize.

Again, we have a lot to do.

If we are to make progress at the pace that we secure a better future for our daughters then more women must step up, as Michelle Obama said, we must be the foundation for our dreams.

So who are we?

We are influencers, women who are change agents, we are partners in national development. Simply put, we are nation builders! Let me close with this, every day I go to work in the office of the Special Envoy I find reasons to feel honored to be in the position I am in. Every day I remind myself that I have a duty to do my best for Belize, especially for our Belizean families and for our women and children. Of course I know it is a partnership, and as such, I see Belizean men as our partners in development.

I expect no less from them but to see us women as equal partners and with equal responsibility for the future development of our nation.

Thanks again for the opportunity to be a part of this awesome engagement.