November 2017
Issue 1
Handmade glass jewelry Ale’s
Ale’s Beach Treasures Read more on page 5
Belada Established 2017 Caribbean E-Magazine Publisher: Belada Editor: Abdulmajeed K. Nunez Co-editor: Diafra Nunez Layout and Design - Diafra Nunez
Disclaimer Belada does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the quality, accuracy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information, product or service represented within our magazine or web site. The information provided is for educational or entertainment purposes only.
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04 Editor’s Page 05 World of Craft 06 Caribbean Politicsby - Abdulmajeed Nunez
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07 09 10
Poetry Corner
Who is Adele Ramos?
Religion in the Caribbean What is Ahmaddiyat?
Featured Book White Spice by David Ambrose
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Caribbean Emigration
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Caribbean Education in the 21st Century
Belizean Emigration to the United States & a Hostile Nation State of Belize Against Dual Citizenship! by Bilal Morris
Education in Belize by Kadijah Marin
Featuring - Alejandra Cho
Belize of Public Institutions and Related Politics in Belize by Aria Lightfoot
Caribbean Personalities
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Available Books for Children by Diafra Thomas Nunez
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Poem - by Norman Rodriguez
Women in the Marketplace by Michael N. Lindo
Agrepreneurship Breaking Down the Elements of Socio-Economic Warfare by - Emerson Guild
Caribbean Artistes Featuring - Big Bang
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It’s Our Business!
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Sports
Tourism Diversity - The Feinstein Group
Life Skills Through Judo
Let your voice be heard! Books Poetry, Sports, Art and Craft, Music, Agriculture, Political Views
EDITORIAL
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ELADA is a Belize and Grenada union and while this first issue presents articles from both countries and the Diaspora, we have invited full participation from the wider Caribbean. We feel our greater purpose is to bring together the region. This magazine is an attempt to foster a greater and close connection between the people of the Caribbean. In the 2017 spate of hurricanes, there are lessons Mother Nature is teaching, that we've strayed from our purpose and need to re focus. From Dominica decimations, Antigua and Barbuda, US and British Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico and Cuba's destruction, 2017 has proven to be a destructive season. The image of Rosevelt Skeritt crying in front of the world for his county will forever haunt my mind. We have to, as a people, share our resources such as land to foster better unions. We all have to learn from the Haitian revolution that we must formulate a regional plan for funding ourselves and not depend on the colonial institutions. This magazine seeks to celebrate the achievement of Afro descendants in the region. The Caribbean is, but one body with rich culture, heritage and tapestry and we all can celebrate a common ancestry. This was T. A Marshow, Marcus Garvey, Simion Bolivar and Fidel Castro's intentions, leading up to first the West Indies Federation to now the CARICOM institution. This has forged better trade and commerce within the region. We have for some reason forsaken our agricultural bases for free trade agreements with other developed nation that does not have the best of intentions for our region. We need to look past the Americans and tap into other regions, support ALBA and Petro Caribe and form the United States of the Caribbean. This magazine hopes to become someday the vehicle for the Central American Black Organization and other initiatives to cementing better collaboration within the region. We are one Caribbean community, individualism must never become a part of our vocabulary. Rather let us benefit ourselves from the forerunner of the Caribbean union and accept that we are not a minority with over 150 million Afro descendent in the region. We must celebrate each other and look for ways to better trade and celebrate our people, share agricultural best practices to feed our people and develop our security force to defend or people. Food security must become our first priority and while we have been brainwashed into believing we are poor we are richly blessed with innumerous resources. We need to utilize our Caribbean sea and our lands. Standing one for all and all for one is the solution to the problems in the Caribbean. I was honored to have been given this opportunity to write this editorial. I believe that in this decade of African descendent we have to finalize our countries plan and use the vehicles of the Central American Black Organization, CARICOM and the CSME to improve trade for the betterment for the entire region. We have countless examples of this collaboration in the Caribbean and the world. Cuba producing doctors, Caribbean intellects developing other nations, Marcus Garvey and Liberia, Kwame Nikruma, and Kwame Ture. We sit on the shoulders of giants and while we helped to develop other nations it is time for us to look at helping ourselves by using the blueprint of Cuba helping to liberate South Africa, Chechivara helping in Africa and Latin America. Therefore, it is time we improve our condition. We applaud Guyana for offering land to the people of Dominica. That requires a paradigm shift from being European subjects to acknowledging our African roots.
Abdulmajeed K. Nunez (Editorial)
M
y love of sea-glass became clear to me the day I realized I was obsessed. I first learnt about seaglass while working at a resort in Punta Gorda. During one of my lunch breaks, I decided to go down to the beach for a walk. It was one of those days that required an alone time and contemplate life. I went there to let the sea wash away my troubles.
Meet
Alejandra Cho
Almost unconsciously I picked up a shiny object in the sand that caught my attention, I put it in my pocket, and continued my way. Sometime later I felt the object in my pocket. I took it out and showed it to my boss. It turned out to be a piece of seaglass and not just a piece of sea-glass but a red sea-glass. He showed some of the jewelry from the gift shop and a book about sea-glass from the resort's library. I began paging through the book nonstop. I read from front to back and back to the front that evening. I was fascinated and soon began roaming the Belizean beaches hunting for sea glass.
Owner & Jewelry designer at Ale's Beach Treasures Living just one block away from the beach made it easy for me to go for a quick walk after work and soon I began spending hours, until my entire weekends ended up being sea-glass hunting. I was amazed at every piece of my finds, the size, shapes and the different shades of colors. I was surprised to learn that something insignificant as glass trash can become the most coveted gems in the sea glass world. But what really is sea-glass you might wonder? They are glass shards that have made their way into the ocean and over the years have become naturally tumbled. They come in a wide variety of colors and categorized as common, uncommon, rare and ultra-rare. There are two grades of sea glass; one is Jewelry Quality and the other is Craft Grade. Jewelry Quality is referred to pieces that are perfectly smooth and frosted; while Craft grade are pieces that still has bits of shiny edges, a tiny crack or just not yet fully tumbled. As I have learnt, for a piece of glass to become “sea-glass” it takes several years and even decades. The smoother and frostier the sea glass is the longer it has been in the ocean. The value of each piece is considered by the grade of the glass, the rarity of the color, the shape and the sizes.
Continued on page 12
World of Craft
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Breakdown of Public Institutions and Related Politics in Belize
Who is government? The tragic death of three teenagers in Belize, the “forgery” or likely illegal accommodation of identification cards from the institutions that hold our Belizean identity in trust; the death of thirteen babies in the public hospital; the failure of the police and judiciary to hold more than five percent of criminals accountable; the education system focused only on top performers – pick an issue or scandal and you will likely find several key elements creating problems. Some of those key elements undermining Belize’s governmental system are apathy among Public Officers; non-experts as key decision makers; lack of accountability; a system that discourages meritocracy and a deteriorating moral compass. In order for us to understand the role of government we must define the players. The major players in government are the public officers. Public
officers are duly elected representatives such as your elected area representatives from both parties; appointed citizens chosen by elected officials such as the Governor General, judges, magistrates, senators, CEOs and heads of departments; and general workers and service providers benefitting from public funding thru salaries or service contracts such as teachers, doctors, office workers and contractors. The job of public officers is to collectively govern the great nation of Belize. In an idealistic environment government has a social and legal contract for which they are remunerated with citizens’ taxes and are constitutionally mandated to uphold, legislate, adjudicate, maintain, uplift, review laws, policies and practices. Government’s responsibility is outlined within the legal framework of the Constitution of Belize. Government provides infrastructure, healthcare, security, education etc. and government maintains institutions, provides services and works for the public good. The public good is the services/commodities or benefits that is provided for the well-being of the society. A public good should be non-excludable, meaning that all should have access to it and it should be nonrivalrous. The use of public goods by one does not diminish the others use. Examples of public
goods are roads and schools. Why is government failing in Belize? Government is failing in Belize because there is a key misunderstanding of government’s role and responsibilities by Belizean society. Government in Belize has intentionally been r e d e fi n e d a s o n l y e n c o m p a s s i n g elected/appointed Cabinet members. Government is generally defined as the political party with the most elected seats. I suspect that the redefinition of government is done for two reasons. The elected cabinet uses it to showcase that they are in control of the money, careers and military. Additionally, it allows them to use public funds for political party business without causing outrage by the society. The Opposition uses the same definition to negate their responsibilities and to motivate supporters to fight for the “spoils” of electoral success and undermine the ruling party. Added to the misrepresentation of governmental role is leadership formed with close blood ties and marital relationships making it increasingly difficult to create a s y s t e m o f m e r i t o c r a c y. Additionally, the current system creates a barrier for ordinary citizens to advance to leadership positions. How can
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I’ve Outgrown My Neighbourhood by Norman Charles Rodriguez Sometimes by the things that happen to me I am forced to reect on my life And I question where these happenings originate For some cut deeper than a razor sharp knife But then often I would comprehend That not all the bad things that happen to me Are consequences of my own acts The Spirit of discernment makes me see But one thing I understand fully though Is that I am now at a place well understood And I hold no regrets for saying That I've outgrown this neighbourhood Too much envy exists here In those same faces that smile with me I can hear it in the wind whispered sometimes Through the many voices careless and carefree As I walk through the valley of death I can often feel the burn of their stares And I know that they've set traps But I've escaped all their snares And the talking is not all that happens They've sent death to my door too Stolen things that I work hard for And that is why I outgrew So I'm done with the bad minds Which is why I will unwind I will still treat them very kind But no more of their evil minds Continued on page 13
Norman Charles Rodriguez stands regal yet humbled, a devout son of the Almighty, a proud citizen of Belize. His life's journey began at Mile 7 in a quaint house in beautiful Stann Creek Valley, Stann Creek District, the th th 9 of ten children and 11 of 12 to parents, Porlio Rodriguez and Amy Lockwood, respectively. It is nothing short of poetic to listen to Norman reminisce about his childhood home and stomping grounds, Melinda Forest Station. The unfortunate loss of his sweet mother at age three makes the bond he had with his loving late father all the more treasured. Walks through the tall grass leading to the riverside behind library are colourfully punctuated with stories shared with his brothers and sisters.
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Breakdown of Public Institutions and Related Politics in Belize Continued from page 6
leaders realistically give key positions to the best of the best, when wives, siblings, cousins, children, in-laws have the same motivation? This plays out in political party leadership and in key appointments. Sadly , many times, it is not the best who are working key positions but rather the most connected. In a country as small as Belize, the lines are easily blurred between professionalism and nepotism. Another identifiable problem is the belief that all opinions are equal. In the professional world, opinions are measured through learning and practice. In the TV, radio, newspaper and social media world, opinions of the loudest advocates, not necessarily from the most learned advocates, gets addressed. There is no systematic and engineered process to finding solutions and people who are completely clueless about the mechanics of the system offer strong suggestions that many times override professional opinions and it has caused the trained public servants to operate in apathetic robotic mode; public servants are often the sacrificial lamb to the whims of electorate opinions and winds of change. How do we solve this? Today a doctor posted a meme that said “Your google search cannot replace my medical degree”. It is a profound
statement. In today’s information age, there are people who jump on google to engage in epic online battles. They offer opinions backed up by twenty minutes of Google research but they lack the expertise in the subject matter to determine if the information should be treated as credible. They lack the expertise to find credible solutions but they possess the confidence to make suggestions and the louder they speak, the more people attach to their ideas because it sounds right, even when it is completely wrong. The political system that is highly dependent on the voter therefore reacts to public opinion swiftly but moves slowly on expert opinions. Experts have flooded Belize with articles and researches on how to solve some of our pressing systematic problems but there are no evidence of implementation and reports are likely collecting dust on some non-expert shelf who may not understand how to implement solutions. Belize is in great need of project managers, engineers, and policy makers to help structure a working system, not just a system a system built on theory, not just a spoils system to reward loyalty but a system to govern legally, e ff e c t i v e l y a n d e ffi c i e n t l y. Unfortunately for Belizeans, the role of government cannot continue to function in its present state and it will eventually lead to a complete breakdown of the system. The cracks and leaks of the system are highlighted with
each scandal that breaks seemingly on a weekly basis. When one crack is sealed, it creates pressure in another area and it breaks somewhere else. The third term win for the Prime Minister Dean Barrow and the United Democratic Party will be their toughest term. They are facing a world that is growing weary of corrupted governments worldwide. The first world countries will hold countries like Belize accountable for the breakdown in the system because breakdown in developing countries exposes the first world to terrorism, cyber crime, drug trafficking and money laundering. The casual manner in how we govern makes Belize vulnerable and Belize must take a proactive approach to address this. Public servants must become a professional body built on meritocracy. The average citizen must know that the system works for the average man because they are becoming cynical with the process. Citizens must trust their government and recent
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AGREPRENEURSHIP Breaking Down the Elements of Socio-Economic Warfare
The Agrepreneure program that is the focus at the Urban Garden for Food Security and Peace is for those of us who have the need to share what we have learned about the importance of agriculture. Those of us who have the knowledge to teach the necessary skills to preserve our Humanity must do so! Selfpreservations is the first lesson of nature! Afro descendants in Belize have lost their understanding of how agriculture relates to economics and how economics relates to the social cultural and the environmental infrastructure for their survival! Understanding and developing the elements for improved SocioEconomics – We must own and use land to develop wealth! How people live and organize themselves to be productive contributor to their own survival and prosperity must be based on our production!
The infrastructure we develop for production exchange and distribution of goods and services for our own wealth development using: 1. Land use and all-natural resources on it 2. Creating a trained man power 3. Using all available Capital, natural and man made 4. Developing markets and Enterprise 5. Connecting Labor, land, capital and enterprise 6. Education and training man power is improving our human c a p a c i t y, e x e r c i s i n g o u r intellect is work, enhancing our intellect is a part of labor. 7. Anything we used to work and improve the production process is capital Factories, tools and machinery. Enterprise- is the businesses and the commercial activities that we engage in to render goods and services to the potential customer.
Breaking down the elements of Socio-Economic WarfarePeople in poverty resisting the politics and mechanisms of capitalism as it attempt to dominate ,exploit or destroy their independent productive capacity for example through : 1. Non-relevant education 2. Unfair socio-economic playing field. 3. Lack of adequate markets and distribution of goods and services. As Agrepreneures and programs such as the UGFSP we are changing the paradigm it is natural for a people to want to survive, so it should be natural that we should own and control the organizing mechanism for our survival. As an Afrodescendant people we must do for our self for our survival and prosperity in the case of poverty where a foreign agent is actively seeking to deny us, using poverty as its tool.
Continued on page 23
Breakdown of Public Institutions and Related Politics in Belize Continued from Page 8
scandals have highlighted a strong distrust and cynicism from electorate. The opposition will need to agitate because they want a better governing system and they must move away from petty, distracted politics. They must rebuild into a party that advocates transparency and accountability by examining their own internal leaks and cracks. Belize must turn to experts to address this crisis. The citizens will grow more dissatisfied as these breakdowns continue. The United Democratic Party will be judged now by their merits. There will be no one to blame anymore, so they MUST identify key people to assist with this rebuilding of Belize’s integrity and trust. The rise of the communication age, people will be able to disseminate and organize and agitate…Democracy is alive and kicking, but we need government- all parties to work!
g n i r u t ea
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Story on page 10
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ABOUT BIG BANG
t u o
b A
Continued on Page 16
World of Craft Cont’d In 2014, I made my first pieces of jewelry. I was invited to one of my friends' birthday party and I was having trouble finding something special for her present. The time was nearing and I still haven't found anything at the store that I felt would be unique in her collection. That's when Naud, my beloved partner had the brilliant idea of making a sea glass jewelry for her present. My friend absolutely loved her necklace. Soon after I made an earring set for another friend's birthday and when realize my friends and their friends began asking me for an earring set or a bracelet and so the people of my town began ordering and even coming to my house to choose their special pieces. The excitement of watching a smile break unto someone's face, my love of sea glass, the opportunity of creating something new and different, and people's positive reviews of my products had encouraged me to now sell my jewelry to all Belizeans, tourists and travelers. Each and every piece of my jewelry is handmade by me. I spend hours at the beach collecting and then some more hours sorting and matching pieces for earrings or matching sets. I carefully select each glass for its unique shape, size and color. All my jewelries are made using .925 Sterling Silver, stainless or surgical steel, and leather with designs that compliments the uniqueness of each glass. Every piece of glass is 100% percent authentic, genuine, unaltered Belizean Seaglass.
Ale’s Beach Treasures You can find them on my Facebook Page, 'Ales Beach Treasures -the home of all my sea glass jewelry. And if you happen to be in the West, come see me at the San Ignacio Farmers Market every Saturday. Someday I will have a shop with all my handcrafts but until that time you are also welcome to stop by at home and chose your special pieces.
Belada Marketplace - Page 22
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Poetry Corner Cont’d I've Outgrown My Neighbourhood Cont’d from page 7 I have worked very hard for My achievements to date And I'll not live amongst those Who are lled with such hate I'm not scared of their evil In fact I pity those souls who Live in minds that are too small To even understand the burn of my shoe I am thankful for one thing though I have a Spiritual protection Because I surrendered long ago To God, The Almighty One Some who've gone way ahead Often have advised me to move on But I had hope that these hypocrites here Would somehow be reborn But it has been too long now And I've come to realize If I'm to nd complete peace I must quickly mobilize I was once like those who hang around Some who're beggars and free loaders But I developed an ambition To seek greener pastures Time and tide waits for no man So I stepped from amongst these 'envions' Planned and worked that plan Focused on my ambitions Once again I'll move out and away This time to a new neighbourhood With an earnest hope for Neighbours with wishes good So I give thanks to my Heavenly Father That I am now at a place well understood And I hold no regrets for saying That I've outgrown my neighbourhood ~~~~
he dove in to wrestle with a sh he had just speared. The road seem to still bear the foot prints of a bare-footed boy who trod the almost three-quarter mile to school to get the educational foundation which prepared him for today, a life on the legal highway which, it seems, was his destiny from his emergence into this world. The picado seem to have captured the sound of running feet as he tried to keep up with his father, never wanting to be left behind, never wanting to miss a hunting trip. The old abandoned Hope Creek School seem waiting expectantly for him to sing its praises of a student who succeeded. Amidst all this reverie, the man, Norman Charles Rodriguez, stands but never alone. His love for the family which nurtured him has been proclaimed through the pride in which each is embraced in the story of his life. He was born with a natural intelligence, no doubt, and then molded lovingly by his father whose mastery of many trades afforded him the opportunity to learn to hunt, to sh, to build, to think, to x, to reason, and to survive. His love for nature and quiet village life was abruptly cut short, perhaps interrupted, by his pursuit of education in Belize City. Brother Mario, who still remains a mentor and condant, ensured that he was enrolled into one of the best high schools the City had to offer, Belize Junior Secondary High School Number 1, Sec 1 as it was favouritely called. He went on to Belize Technical College to complete his secondary education. Never one to falter, Norman took on his studies with an enthusiasm competing
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Caribbean Personalities
Adele Ramos has spent over a decade working in the Belize media. She is also a poet and creative writer. Her works appear twice a week in the Amandala Newspaper, Belize's leading newspaper. Adele has published a series of works, her first coming in 2001: Thomas Vincent Ramos, The Man and His Writings. She followed with her debut poetry anthology of love poems – PHASES. Adele led the poetic renaissance in Belize (2005-2006) as the funding president of the Belizean Poets Society (renamed the Belizean Writers and Poets Society). She also organized the Belizean Poets contest and the Belizean Poets Exhibit, as well as several poetry shows. She is also a painter, fashion designer and seamstress.
Who is Adele Ramos?
As a young person coming up, I did not consider journalism or media as a career option. I was a science major, but my dad always instilled in us a love for writing. As a teenager, I had my first exposure to writing for public consumption through Myrtle Palacio. Some years later, I pursued a temporary job as a reporter at Amandala. While there, Glen Tillett, the then editor and Amandala publisher, Evan X Hyde had positive
influence on my professional together to ensure fair, fearless growth and development. and balanced news reports that would empower more people. I My first stint in media was in 1995. I would like to see a vibrant thriving worked with Amandala as a first-class media landscape in temporary reporter. After leaving, I Belize that put the people's need went to work I the public sector, but and right to know at the center of was invited back to head KREM's what they do. newsroom. I do not think that women in Belize's media face any major Belize has untapped potential in obstacles due to gender. I have media and it is my hope that been able to position myself as a talented media personalities work leading media personality through Continued on page 19
About the Poet
cont’d
Norman Rodriguez He doled out smiles, laughter, and big warm hugs, never revealing any sign of stress or struggle. His pursuit of higher education saw him through the Belize Technical College, the University College of Belize (Bachelor's in Business Administration), University of Guyana (Reading for a Bachelor's Degree in Law), and most recently, the successful reading for the Legal Education Certicate at the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica. The ever-versatile Norman Rodriguez, a father of three handsome young men, and his little girl Queen Amie, has also served as a teacher, a writer for various newspapers, a published poet, Chairman of Belize's National Anti-Crime Association, Administrative Assistant and Protocol Ofcer to Belize City Mayor, Zenaida Moya, and Prosecutor/Legal Assistant at the Municipal Court in Belize City. In almost everything he does, he celebrates his little princess, his little queen, and as he says in that resolved and quiet voice, “she is my source of energy and I love her because she gives me such pure genuine love”
loving late father all the more treasured. Walks through the tall grass leading to the riverside behind library are colourfully punctuated with stories shared with his brothers and sisters. As he stares dreamily across the river, one can almost hear the rocks skip over the surface of the water or the splash as vigorously, but not with others, with himself in his strife for perfection in whatever he undertook, carving out a path of excellence as he went.
Today we see Norman Rodriguez, Attorney-atLaw, serving as a Magistrate at the Magistracy in Belize City, and yet another role in this kaleidoscope in which he shines. We meet Norman Charles Rodriguez, poet of this remarkable publication, Soul Poetry. His words ow from a heart and soul which lives in the essence of a God fearing man. These poems ow forth from a never ending well—there are more to come, for he is—a Prolic Poet. Emily Ramirez
c i
16 How I ended up knowing I wanted to be a Rapper
s u M
Big Bang
Belizean Hip Hop Artist
Continued from Page 11
Since early childhood, I went to a party at about 10 to 12 years old and they were throwing CDs and I caught one.When I got home I played it on my lil disc player with the head phones. It was Biggie Smalls Ready to Die album, my favorite song was Juicy. From then I knew I wanted to be a Rapper. You know a big guy, smooth living, the life - I was like this is what wanted to do. First o I had to get my English right then I went into trying to get better. I was messing with rap and hip hop all through elementary school and high school. I met up with bro Kevin he was in a group but we use to make music every day after a wile i worked my way up and my music got better and I got in the group. After a while Kevin started making beats and ended up getting signed as an artist and producer to an Independent label called Head Concussion records owned by Rvssian. All that just inspired me that I can really push and take it to a next level. The ďŹ rst step I did was to promote myself. I took one of the many songs I had worked on, with Kevin, my producer, better known as King Kosa now. Using my own funds and put it into my art. I worked with one of the best people that does videos in Belize called Ignite Production, very professional people with quality equipment and their work is always spectacular. They loved the song I chose to do the video because it was controversial. The name of the single is Cocaine. I talked about some of the characteristics of the drug in the song and how it is in Belize. But for me the name and the idea is a metaphor cause I came up with it saying my music is cocaine if you hear it you need to hear more. So I put together the script and the director Carlo Habet and the team at Ignite made it come alive.
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Religion in the Caribbean INTRODUCTION TO AHMADIYYAT The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a dynamic, fast growing international revival movement within Islam. Founded in 1889, it spans over 206 countries with membership exceeding tens of millions. Its current headquarters are in the United Kingdom. Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the only Islamic organization to believe that the long-awaited Messiah has come in the person of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as)(1835-1908) of Qadian. Ahmad(as) claimed to be the metaphorical second coming of Jesus(as) of Nazareth and the divine guide, whose advent was foretold by the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad(sa). Ahmadiyya Muslim Community believes that God sent Ahmad(as), like Jesus(as), to end religious wars, condemn bloodshed and reinstitute morality, justice and peace. Ahmad’s(as) advent has brought about an unprecedented era of Islamic revival. Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the leading Islamic organization to categorically reject terrorism in any form. Over a century ago, Ahmad(as) emphatically declared that an aggressive “jihad by the sword” has no place in Islam. In its place, he taught his followers to wage a bloodless, intellectual “jihad of the pen” to defend Islam.
“LOVE FOR ALL, HATRED FOR NONE”
What is Ahmadiyyat? To this end, Ahmad(as) penned over 90 books and tens of thousands of letters, delivered hundreds of lectures, and engaged in scores of public debates. As part of its effort to revive Islam, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community continues to spread Ahmad’s(as) teachings of moderation and restraint in the face of bitter opposition from parts of the Muslim world. Today, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community continues to be an advocate for universal human rights and protections for religious and other minorities. It champions the empowerment and education of women. Its members are among the most law-abiding, educated, and engaged Muslims in the world. Similarly, it is the only Islamic organization to endorse a separation of mosque and state. Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the foremost Islamic organization with a central spiritual leader. Over a century ago, Ahmad(as) reminded his followers of God’s promise to safeguard the message of Islam through khilafat (the spiritual institution of successorship to prophethood). It believes that only spiritual successorship can uphold the true values of Islam and unite humanity. Five spiritual leaders have succeeded Ahmad(as) since his demise in 1908. Its fifth and current spiritual head, Mirza Masroor Ahmad, resides in the United Kingdom. Under the leadership of its spiritual successors, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has now built over 15,000 mosques, over 500 schools, and over 30 hospitals. It has translated the Holy Quran into over 70 languages.
Featured Book
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White Spice Summary The American government is putting pressure on Grenada to stop the transshipment of drugs through its territory and waters from South America to the United States. The government of Grenada has declared war on drug trafficking, specifically cocaine trafficking. The Drug Interdiction Agency has unleashed the elite men and women of Drug Squad One to take the fight to the drug barons across the length and breadth of the island. Inspector Andrews fearlessly leads his team in the battle to curb the flow of “White Spice” through his beloved land.
Brief Bio of David E. Ambrose
David E. Ambrose is a Communication Studies lecturer a t t h e T. A . M a r r y s h o w Community College, Grenada. He began his career in Education in 1994 after graduating from Principia College, USA, with a Bachelor's degree in Foreign Languages. He taught Spanish and Mathematics at his alma mater, the Grenada Boys' Secondary School, from 1994 – 1998. He joined the team of the newly established Meridian School of Grenada in 1998, becoming Head of school in 2003. He moved to the T.A. Marryshow Community College in 2008.
Ambrose encourages young people to read more, and advocates using West Indian literature to help our people learn more about our culture, lifestyle a n d h i s t o r y. W h i t e S p i c e , published in 2015, is his first
novel. ~~~
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Who is Adele Ramos? continued from page 14
hard work and dedication and the support of Kremandala. As a mother of four, my biggest challenge has been balancing work and parenting. I have been blessed to have bosses who understand the importance of family and who have provided me with the freedom I need to do for my children. Late nights spent at work to produce two weekly issues of the newspaper has meant that I sometimes spend long hours away from my children, but as their breadwinner, I must do so to ensure their material needs are met. That has been for me as a woman and mother. Over the past 16 years, I have written thousands of articles on a range of topics. I believe that on a topical basis, the writings people will most remember are those that address conflicts between Belize and Guatemala, which has consistently been my beat for as long as I have been a journalist. I was present in Washington on December 2008 for the signing of the “Compremis” or Special Agreement between Belize and Guatemala. After the signing I started a series known as ICJ Stats aimed at building understanding on how the ICJ works and the outcome of some of the cases that have gone before it. Many readers expressed their appreciation for those writings.
Caribbean Emigration BELIZEAN EMIGRATION TO THE UNITED STATES & A HOSTILE NATION STATE OF BELIZE AGAINST DUAL CITIZENSHIP! by Bilal Morris
According to the renowned African-American politician and congresswoman, Karen Bass, black Belizeans are the largest black immigrant group in Los Angeles, California. But whether this presents any formidable impact on the changing demographics in Belize where black Belizean Creoles were once the predominant population of Belize at one time; it speaks volumes about the challenge which lies ahead for the Belizean diaspora as a whole which includes Creoles, Mestizos, Garifuna, and other ethnic Belizean groups. Belizeans, particularly Belizean black people have been going to America long before the devastation of the 1961 Hurricane Haiti of Belize City that forced many to emigrate as economic refugees seeking a way to better the lives of their families left behind in struggle in Belize. As a matter of fact, the United States government made it a part of an aid package of a storm-torn Belize by issuing a considerable amount of visas to Belizeans to go to the U.S. primarily as economic refugees. The majority, if not all, of these Belizeans were Belizeans of Creole or African descent. However, black Belizeans have been migrating out of Belize long before that in 1920s, 30s, 40s and 50s, but not at the rate that saw this massive flight from Belize after the devastation by Hurricane Haitti. This mass emigration created a brain drain and a vacuum for other peoples across the Central American republics, who had been eyeing Belize, formerly known as British Honduras, for a while as a place of prosperity, enormous natural resources and rich arable land for agricultural cultivation. Continued on page 23
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“Education in Belize”
by Kadijah Marin “Education plus Character, that is THE foal of true education.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
E
ver heard of a melting pot of cultures? Belize has been built on the miscegenation of its people. This is evident in every area of life from politics to religion. A major area where this can be seen is in our classrooms. In a typical Belizean classroom you will children from most of the ethnic groups depending on which area of the country you live in. Take for example if you were to visit a classroom in the heart of San Ignacio in the Cayo District, the classroom student could bepredominantly Hispanic or Mestizo because Spanish is spoken in that area to large degree. The same
would be expected in the Northern Districts, compared to the Southern districts where one might find mostly Garifunas and Mayas in a classroom. Belize City, now is where real evidence of the melting pot can be seen. Hence, the composition depends on where you are. Now that we've established the ethnic background of education in Belize, we can now focus on the education system. Based on the old British Westminster Education System, Belize's system consists of four major levels with rigorous curriculums. Preschool (Kindergarten) where they learn the basic functions of socialization, alphabet and numbers. Primary school is the second level. It consists of eight years of learning basic skills culminating with the Primary School Examinations (called Common Entrance in most Caribbean Countries). Then there is High School, which is four years using an advanced curriculum that caters to special area exposure in varying subject areas. It is set up such that students can seek employment directly after completing there four years. Passing in varying subject areas of the Caribbean Secondary Examinations count as significant achievement for students. Then for tertiary Education, students can choose from a variety of Junior Colleges (there is at least one in each district) or one of the two universities to complete an
Associate's Degree. Higher degrees can be earned from the University of Belize, University of the West Indies and Galen University. Many students travel abroad on scholarships to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees. Moreover, is the education system in Belize perfect? No, there are several things to work on. The first and foremost would be making all levels of Education affordable to every Belizean child. While we have made significant strides in this area over past decade through the efforts of the Ministry of Education Youth and Sports, there are still cases where the cost of going to high school is too expensive for some families. That is an injustice that cannot continue. Further, another point that requires attention the fact that only 50-60% of primary pass the PSE. This absolutely and completely absurd. Maybe it is the standardized testing or it may be the teaching methods. Regardless of what the issue is, we must evaluate and put the stress where the problem is and solve it. This continues to be an embarrassment not only to Primary school teachers, but also for the entire nation. This must be addressed appropriately. Another area that needs improvement is the curriculum. It nerds urgent restructuring or revamping to be more apt to the society's needs by creating more innovative fields.
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Literary Book Shop
Work from Children’s Author Diafra Thomas Nunez
A Look at Women in the Workforce A Contribution from Michael N. Lindo As women in Belize migrate further into the workforce it is important to not only provide positive support, but to also assist with information on what is being done in the United States. The below statistics provides interesting information and can guide women in the workforce in evaluating their contributions and aligning it with their leadership roles. We also included a study from Gartner – Accounting & Reporting Leadership on How to Advance and Retain Women in Finance Leadership. Women Are More than Half the United States Population · In 2014, there were 161,966,955 women, representing 50.8% of the 318,857,056 people in the United States.1 2. Education · Women Earn More Degrees Than Men For the class 2013-
2014, women earned more than half of bachelor's degrees (57.1%), master's degrees (59.9%), and doctorate degrees (51.8%).16 For the class of 2013–2014, women earned almost half (49.1%) of all professional degrees, including:17 47.6% of degrees in medicine 61.0% of degrees in pharmacy 47.5% of degrees in dentistry 79.0% of degrees in veterinary medicine 46.8% of degrees in law · And They Have Earned More Degrees Than Men for Some Time Women have earned more bachelor's degrees than men since 1982.18 Women have earned more master's degrees than men since 1987.19
Women have earned more doctorate degrees than men since 2006.20 ·
Labor Force Women Are Nearly Half the Labor Force In 2015, there were 73,510,000 women aged 16 and over in the labor force, representing 46.8% of the total labor force.21 The majority of women are either working or looking for work.22 · 56.7% of women participate in the labor force, compared to 69.1% of men.23· Leadership More Than Half of Management Occupations Are Held by Women In 2015, women held con nued on page 33
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Belada Marketplace
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BELIZEAN EMIGRATION TO THE UNITED STATES & A HOSTILE NATION STATE OF BELIZE AGAINST DUAL CITIZENSHIP! Continued from Page 19
A mass exodus of these Central American refugees became a reality in 1980 through the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) who forced the Price government at that time to accept 40,000 Central American refugees, mostly Salvadorans and Guatemalans fleeing from the war torn republics of Salvador and Guatemalan rocked by decades of brutal and violent civil wars.
Whether the black Belizean population has lost all hopes to reclaim its citizenship rights in full measure once again through repatriation back to Belize, or the reinstatement of its natural born Belizean rights that was constitutionally hijacked by past and present Belizean governments; their power as a people who had built the two political parties of Belize in its proud proBritish parliamentary democracy, appears not to be there anymore. This game of Belize's political musical chairs so to speak, that persecutes any of its people who left a struggling country, economy and people to fend for itself
It has become a common phenomenon particularly in the Caribbean that has devised a new kind of foreign policy for its emigrants in the diaspora that punishes abandonment of country as an unpatriotic betrayal. This unkind philosophy of emigration in Belize has become the nations', "war against its diaspora". It has become a cold blooded message of "you can go but you can't come back", enforced by a constitutional amendment in Belize called the "Seventh Amendment" that has taken away the rights of those natural born Belizeans, who had emigrated to the U.S. and holds its citizenship, to hold political office. In hindsight, it appears that the war that has been launched against Belizeans abroad by their own nation has become worse than the war of racism and prejudice that the black Belizean population face in a white supremacist America that appears to be honoring its glorious pass through the election of an anti-immigration President like Donald Trump. Ironically, it is interesting to look back and realize that the same United States that opened up the emigration valve for black Belizeans after Hurricane Hatti to go to America has become the same U.S. that can force them back into the hands of a hostile Belizean nation state.
A Caribbean e-Magazine
Today, generations of these Central American refugees have seen Belize as their new home, and have began to exert themselves gobbling up the abandoned treasures of land and opportunity that black "Creole" Belizeans had risked for the so-called "pie in the sky" of the greener pastures of America.
through very difficult times, has built up an hostile resentment against them by both natural born and naturalized Belizeans alike, through decades of changing political climates in Belize.
Belada
Caribbean Emigration
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AGREPRENEURSHIP Breaking Down the Elements of Socio-Economic Warfare Continued from page 9
Poverty is a case where an entity “International Political Economic System” (IPES) seeks to deny a people the right to their own welfare and survival. In this case poverty is proactive, as such war has been declared on the entity suffering poverty. Like Africa, Belize is intentionally under developed Afrodescendants in Belize do not control their productive capacity. We are taught to labor in the interest of the IPES which is in the interest of the oppressors, as such we are enslaved! We do not own our labor, or the intellect we use to execute the work/job. If our intellectual capacity is invested in the interest of an entity that is designed to control, oppress and degrade us then we don’t own that intellectual capacity, even your own Labor you do not control in as far as its contribution to the survival of your family, community and diaspora family. Capitalism and privatization in Belize has it been good or bad? Capitalism and its methods of privatization as structural adjustments Is an economic system and ideology based on private /individual ownership of the means of production, by a corporation or small minority, who exploits the labor of the masses for profit has not worked for Belize. Its objective is capital accumulation, the placing of natural and unnatural wealth in the hands of a few (the Elite) to the detriment of many! Capitalism and privatization
has proven that it is not just an economic system it is a political and social system used to control the masses it is used to dominate the world that we live in today. The IPES is based on private individual ownership this translate to Poverty (21st Century Slavery) and gives the capitalist and their agents ownership of everything you, your children and grandchildren. The question is are you accepting and complying with this program or opposed? If the answer is that you are opposed this oppressive system let’s get busy it is… Liberation Time! As children we always had backyard gardens so gardening is not a new concept to many of us. The Urban Garden for Food Security and Peace is a Belize Action Community project that has been going for some years now and has some very good
results that should be encouraged on a greater scale. In its efforts, it seeks to grow the capacity of both people and trees to mitigate poverty since “MONEY GROWS ON TREES”. This idea was extended to the Government and other organizations and individuals in 2006 when Garveyites in Belize began holding Mutual improvement alliance meetings at the liberty H a l l i n B e l i z e C i t y. T h e government through the ministry of Agriculture and its ministry of education along with many old and young people have participated but some more meaningful support is vital to make this the national success that it can be. So, we continue to look for Government and more organizations and people to step up to this task at hand so that we can remain constant example of socio-economic corporativism. In 2015 at the CABO regional Youth Continued on page 25
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AGREPRENEURSHIP Breaking Down the Elements of Socio-Economic Warfare Continued from page 24
Summit we presented the UGFSP Initiative to young adult youth leaders from 5 Central American Countries. One of the resolutions of the UBUNTU Youth Summit was that, Agriculture would be our vehicle to reduce/eliminate POVERTY in the communities of Central American region we represent. Several passionate young Afro Belizean adults who attended the Youth Summit volunteered to do the necessary work at our Urban Gardens for Food Security and Peace to support the initiative to grow food and medicinal plants for one year. They were all energized and ready to work after the CABO Regional Youth Summit which was a huge success because of the support of Ministry of Education and the ministry of Agriculture. the young Belizean adults saw the possibilities in this cooperative effort UGFSP, GOB, and the Afro Belizean community. They saw that this initiative could positively influence their social, economic and environmental ambitions for themselves and Belize. We need some real financial support to make the model become a house hold name, at this particular time when food security and peace is of vital importance. All over the world and in Belize we are experiencing many diseases at alarming rates because of the food we eat that is harming the human body and therefore reducing social and economic productivity.
Why is this UGFSP not getting the required attention for its continued success? One God One Aim One Destiny!!!!
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It’s Our Business! Tourism Diversity
The Feinstein family is a very private and small family with iron clad work ethics and discipline. Their recent victory with their States Bank project has propelled them in the lime light once again. They are local home grown investors who have everything invested in the soil and injecting in the people and economy of Belize. Their businesses form a unique blend; from hotel and overnight tourism to, cruise tourism, aquaculture, security, citrus to real estate. Their reputation precedes them as credible business persons whose credibility spans boarders and the hemisphere. All they have done speaks for itself and they do it with their passion for Belize at heart. Investors seek them out due to their integrity and credibility. Their father was from Romania and came to Belize during the war there and married a Belizean woman. They had three sons Michael, Ralph and Nelson. Even, though they left to study abroad they returned and went into business. Mrs. Milita and Michael Feinstein were two of the
pioneers that started the tourism industry in Belize some thirty years ago. Their intention was to share Belize with the world knowing it had everything to attract worldwide travellers and bring employment. Everything was not easy as it seems now compared to when they started off thirty years ago. Mrs. Feinstein remembers it like it was yesterday evening thought it has surpassed what they envisioned years ago. When she and her husband just got married, they started off with a resort down south with one of the atolls on Glover's reef. They had a plot of land on the Island and decided to develop the acreage. They started with 1 cabaña then six cabanas then went up to sixteen cabanas and this is how they transitioned into other things. Their first resort was named 'Manta' resort, well known to divers throughout the region and the western hemisphere. There are many trends in this industry, more world travellers prefer Belize's ambiance of 2050 rooms hotels. They prefer the cabana's intimacy and privacy. That has its own niche and is
one of their big selling points in Belize. That plays a big role in the market worldwide as Belize is just beginning to get known internationally. This is one of their biggest attractions and an added plus is that they have both inland and island attractions. Mrs. Feinstein's said, that without being biased, if she had to recommend her favourite attraction it would be Black Bird Caye on Turneff atoll. It has a lot of pros, it's closest to the blue hole, 40 minutes away from Belize City, easy to get to, closest to San Pedro and from there you could pretty much dive all the atolls. It has a light house and Glover's Reef; it's a private secluded island that's ecofriendly. It also has its own private airstrip ten minutes by air or one hour by boat and the snorkelling is great. The competition in tourism for them is not so much in Belize, but rather other countries such as Honduras, Antony Caye, Nassau, Cozumel and other diving areas. Continued on page 29
Continued from page 27 Belize is pretty much pristine. The marketing and resources is greater and are not spent on stake holders the way we spend it in Belize. So occupancy should be much higher and the inflow of tourists coming to Belize should be greater by now. The marketing she believes is not done well, most of the resorts do their own marketing. The Feinsteins have had to do their marketing to survive. Had they not done that they'd be out of business.
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It’s Our Business!
Tourism Diversity
The trend has definitely taken a toll on Belize in a different way because there are deals out there. Everyone is looking for a deal because of the trend of how the market is now. Coming back to the State Bank project, they were the pioneers of the Cruise industry in Belize. They started the first tourism docking area in the fourth street area called the Fort Street Tourism Village. They were the ones who brewed the tourism industry and brought it to Belize and at that time they built the tourism village it worked then. They did however, know they would grow out of proportion because the ships would get bigger and larger. They knew this from when they ventured into that, they knew it would mushroom. State Bank was in their vision from then 15 years ago, so they acquired the island and they took on that village knowing that at some point they'd have to grow to a different level and that is why they sold the village to have one of cruise lines come in and cement them into Belize. Over that the past five years they sold the village and have since moved on. Politics has played a heavy role in their years of waiting.
It's a huge project for Belize with employment opportunities that will impact the economy of the country. It was a long awaited process and all the Feinstein family want to do is get on with it. It'll take all their time and energy to complete a project of this magnitude for the next three to four years. Most of their endeavours some 70% is done leaving 30%. The plan it to take Belize to the next level, since acquiring the island 15 years ago and held on to the tourism village up until five years ago. They knew they would have to find a suitable spot for the size of the ships with the depth of water to match. There was no other place in the country with that dept of water in the immediate vicinity to make it viable. Cruise Tourism will boom in Belize but we need to have a sustainability plan when you are moving mass people through your country. She loves her country and utmost for her is to protect the country's assets for generations to come. Mrs. Feinstein emphasised that they have all their assets in Belize and have nowhere to run.
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Sports LIFE SKILLS THROUGH JUDO by Abdulmajeed K. Nunez
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Sports LIFE SKILLS THROUGH JUDO by Abdulmajeed K. Nunez One Saturday 28th October 2017 I, along with my mentor Emerson Guild, attended the International Judo display at the Gateway youth Center. After the opening ceremony I spoke to Mr. Carlton Myvett president of the Judo association who explained that International Judo day is celebrated annually in honour of it founder Cano Jigoro the world over. It is to celebrate his birthday in a manner that is respectful and to bring awareness. They held an
event that morning in the Orange Walk District and in the afternoon they held another at the Gateway Youth Center in Belize City. The purpose of the event is to bring together children of all ages to learn some judo. One of the purposes is to get together, learn rapport and a sport which is also a martial art. One of the things they will learn is respect which is very important. A person that respects himself will more likely respect others. They learn
courage which is not the absence of fear, but the overcoming of fear by facing their fears. The organizer of the day of Healing, Perry Smith, aka Sticks, explained that the Judo initiative is one that Rennick James approached him about and they spoke about Judo and Martial arts. Sticks said, “I have always respected how this young man carries himself, being a product of the Southside. Holding himself in such highs standard and
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LIFE SKILLS THROUGH JUDO Continued from page 30
regards because of the discipline he learnt through Judo.” It has been long in planning to host an initiative for the youth on the Southside, but they could not afford it so it had to be tailored to be free of charge. Just prior to the International Judo Day from the 12th September to the 20th October, a short course was done in Collaboration with the Feinstein group of Companies the Judo Association and the G a t e w a y Yo u t h C e n t e r. A n initiative that Gateway youth Center hopes to continue seeing the transformation of some of it’s at risk youths. The Southside is ripe for this discipline, as institutions such as Gateway are more than willing to continue collaborating and to make it a permanent part of their curriculum with the Ministry’s permission. “The respect you learn in the class
from an individual you have never met before, because this individual will be you partner. Your partner will help you so you cannot hurt him or her and vice versa. They are there for each other.” He emphasized that their partner is there for the betterment of each other and gives them structure. Some of the children have both parents, but many are from broken homes. The broken home syndrome on the south side is not being addressed. Rennick James Belize’s 2016 Olympiad and resident of the Southside is a product of Belize Judo Association. He believes Judo will help Southside youth with discipline, anger issues, learn brotherly love and comradery that the city needs. I recalled being told by a woman once, “I can only instruct my daughter to become a woman, but
me being a woman I cannot instruct my son to be a man.” The sense in the Judo Dujo becomes their father figure and mentor and the buddy buddy system they form helps them to develop physically, spiritually, socially and erotically. The Judo Association has recently received a 4th Degree Dan from Japan to help them to for the next two years to push the level of Judo in Belize. The hope of the Judo Association is to collaborate with the Ministry of Education and the out of school youths to make Judo a part of the curriculum starting from preschool. This we believe will foster children with discipline, values such as respect and forgiveness and a better understanding of each other.
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A Look at Women in the Workforce
Continued from page 22
51.5% of all management, professional, and related occupations and 43.6% of the subcategory management, business, and financial operations occupations.24 · In S&P 500 Companies, Women Are Less Represented the Higher Up They Go25 (Graph on page 34 - Women in S&P 500 Companies)
Accounting & Reporting Leadership Council How to Advance and Retain Women in Finance Leadership The need to increase gender diversity in leadership roles is clear. Companies led by women deliver better financial results than companies led by men. Additionally, firms with more women on their Boards enjoy stronger returns on sales and higher returns on equity than Boards with few women. There are more than enough qualified women in the workforce t o d a y. M o r e w o m e n a r e graduating from colleges and universities than ever before, and women have made significant inroads into management, now filling one in every two managerial roles. The foundation for leadership is there. Today, women comprise 47% of the total U.S. labor force At 61% of the workforce, Finance boasts the second highest proportion of women across all functions.
Although Finance departments are succeeding in hiring women for entry-level positions, they are failing to advance, retain, and recruit them into leadership roles.
A recent CEB survey shows that while women are more than 1.5 times more likely than men to work in Finance, men are 1.5 times more likely to lead Finance departments. Industry statistics reflect these findings: across the Fortune 500, women comprise less than 12% of CFOs. While conventional wisdom blames the “Glass Ceiling” (the idea that mid-career women can see higher levels of leadership but cannot attain them) for the lack of women in leadership, attrition actually occurs throughout the entire career ladder. (Graph on page 34 Breakdown of women and men of the Financial Function)
How do we advance and retain talented women for positions in Finance leadership? 1 . To b o o s t r e t e n t i o n , understand the reasons why women in Finance leadership change jobs While both male and female leaders are likely to switch jobs for a significantly higher compensation package, women tend to factor in other considerations such as, comprehensive benefits, greater respect from others, and a friendlier work environment in their decision more than men. Specifically addressing these considerations is one potential
way to advance and retain women in leadership roles.
(Graph on page 37- Top Ten Reasons Women in Financial Leaderships are Likely to Switch jobs)
It is not enough to focus retention efforts on women in leadership roles. Finance should focus specifically on women in mid to senior manager positions and make a concerted effort to advance them into leadership roles. One way of doing this is by boos ng reten on of potential leaders. To ease the transition back into the labor force for women who have voluntarily taken time off for family reasons, some companies create “ onramps” to rapidly re-train women for leadership positions. Women leaders who are satisfied with their workplace flexibility are 30% more likely to remain; companies should consider flexible work schedules as a way to encourage them to stay. Strategy&'s approach to boosting retention CEB recently profiled the steps that Strategy& (formerly Booz & Company) takes to address retention issues before they arise and increase the representation of women in leadership positions. Instead of employing broad-based policies, Strategy& focuses on minor issues that could develop into significant problems. Specifically, they: · Encourage regional leaders to regularly engage with senior women to help them feel valued
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A Look at Women in the Workforce · Adopt a system of temporary rotations in family-friendly roles to ease the transition from maternity leave · Source and hire qualified, experienced women to improve the visibility of female role models · Engage female associates in career discussions to fill the growing need for career planning.
Continued from page 33 are attracted to similar factors, such as better work-life balance and compensation. However, in addition to these factors, women place higher emphasis on respect and health benefits than men. Finance departments should take these unique needs into consideration when devising recruitment strategies for women.
(Graph on page 37- Top Ten Job Attraction Drivers for Women in Financial Leadership, Compared to Men)
Two progressive tactics to recruit and prepare talented women for leadership While companies typically focus on finding, promoting, and encouraging female leaders, progressive organizations advocate these additional tactics: · Embedding inclusion into the recruiting process by making the high-potential employee selection processes gender-blind to reduce biases in talent identification.
The company starts its interventions at the beginning of women's careers. It continues the programs throughout women's tenure and strives to foster open communication about perceived taboos such as family planning and taking time off. Strategy&'s experience demonstrates the importance of targeting interventions to women at all rungs of the career ladder. This is especially important as women rise to key second roles, where the number of women nearly equals the number of men.
· Preparing top talent to become potential leaders by pairing them with seasoned executives who can show them non-traditional ways to structure their careers and ascend into leadership.
2. To improve recruitment, align attraction efforts with women's unique preferences Potential candidates of both genders
Attracting talented women leaders begins at recruitment. Although many companies have taken steps to reduce bias in executive recruiting, CEB
research shows that female leaders still get fewer interviews and only 39% women report that the recruiting process for their current job felt fair. To mitigate this bias, some companies like BBVA employ a gender-blind recruiting process. Female emerging leaders are nine percent less likely than their male peers to feel prepared to rise in their current organization. To combat this, Sodexo targets and prepares high-potential current staff for advancement. They first use a leadership development program to identify high quality talent and empower their executive recruiters to counsel program graduates and help them plan their careers. The company then pairs the recruiters and graduates to help prepare future leaders for non-traditional career paths. Conclusion The glass ceiling and companies' struggle to recruit and develop female leaders both contribute to the gender imbalance in Finance leadership. Although the causes of this imbalance are systemic, the solutions are targeted and specific. Women leaders value respect, want more comprehensive health benefits, and thrive in a friendlier work environment. Progressive companies make a conscious effort to take these factors into consideration when recruiting, retaining, and developing women leaders both in Finance and throughout the business.
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