Non-Fiction

This is the first economic history of Belize covering the period from the 17th century to post-independence. The book begins with the myth of Peter Wallace, who was widely believed to have been the first British settler, however this is shown to be false. It then explores the economic system established by the first settlers in the late 17th century that was almost exclusively centred on the export of logwood. This logwood economy operated outside the British imperial system until the Treaty of Paris in 1763, when Belize became a British settlement. In the next century the economy became more diversified through both the export of mahogany as well as the entrepot trade with Central America. When Belize became a British colony in 1862, it coincided with the decline of the entrepot trade and a crisis in the world mahogany industry. This led to an attempt by the British authorities to introduce agricultural exports. The Belize Botanic Station was founded in 1892 to promote economic diversification and agricultural exports, which tried various ways to end the colony’s total dependence on forestry. However, these efforts were insufficient and the economy went into serious decline before devaluation at the end of 1949. By the time of independence in 1981, the economy had become much more diversified, but Belize's position still compared unfavourably with the rest of the Caribbean. The performance of the economy since independence has been very volatile with periods of boom followed by slumps leading to high unemployment and a deterioration in income distribution. The reasons for this are examined in detail, while the authors conclude with a series of policy recommendations designed to improve Belize's long-run economic performance.

This overview of the state of Garifuna Studies at the beginning of the 21st century is an impressive collection of essays written by Garifuna and non-Garifuna scholars from throughout the region, with a foreword contributed by renowned social anthropologist, Nigel Bolland., the book covers both historic and contemporary issues including oral history, the origins of the Garinagu, accounts by 16th century French colonizers, spirituality, gender relations, cultural identity, aesthetics, musical traditions and the background leading to UNESCO's 2001 Proclamation of Garifuna Language, dance and music as a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity. This is the first comprehensive collection of essays on the history and culture of the Garinagu.

In this collection of essays, distinguished economists, conservationists, lawyers, sociologists, and other scholars - all longtime observers of Belize and its people - take stock. In most cases they present, for the first time ever, essays that focus on Belize, a country that is once deceptively uncomplicated yet surprisingly complex. The essays, which reflect on what brought Belize to this point, are eminently readable but provocative and challenging. The authors analyse and evaluate data, politics, laws, and practices from the economic, environmental, societal, and cultural sectors. The essays are a bid for independence -independent thinking, analysis, and evaluation.

This lively collection of Karla Heusner's weekly newspaper columns highlights issues and events from 2000 to 2003. She uses humour and passion in sharing her personal opinions on social, economic, political and community issues. Her columns spark debate on the streets as she forces us to confront ourselves with our contradictions.

Colonel James Lawrie was one of the most significant mahogany and logwood cutters in Belize during the last quarter of the 19th century. The Journal upon which this book is based forms part of a private collection of Lawrie Papers held at the Scottish Record Office in Edinburgh. As far as we know, it is one of the only day to day accounts of the activities of timber slaves involved in the extraction of mahogany and logwood in Belize during a logging season, that has survived and as such, is a valuable insight into the nature of slavery in a colony that remained on the periphery of the sugar plantation economies of the British West Indies until well after emancipation in 1834.

This revised collection of essays focuses on topics of importance to the history and people of Belize, during three centuries of colonialism. It examines the early British settlement, the nature of slavery in Belize and the development of Creole culture, as well as relations between the Maya and the British in the 19th century and systems of labour control after Emancipation, ending with contemporary issues of ethnicity and politics.