British Royals Embark On Caribbean Tour Amid Protests In Belize

BELIZE, March 19 – Britain’s Prince William and his wife Kate arrived in Belize on Saturday for a week-long Caribbean tour that was overshadowed by local protests before they even began amid growing scrutiny of the British Empire’s colonial ties to the region .

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s arrival coincides with Queen Elizabeth’s 70th birthday celebrations and comes almost four months after Barbados voted to become a republic, severing ties to the monarchy but remaining part of the British-led Commonwealth. Nations.

The Queen’s grandson and his wife are to spend the first three days in Belize, formerly British Honduras. But on the eve of their departure, the Sunday event was canceled when several dozen villagers staged a protest.

Residents of Indian Creek, a Mayan indigenous village in southern Belize, told Reuters they were upset that the royal couple’s helicopter was allowed to land on the local football field without prior consultation. More

The village is in a land dispute with Fauna & Flora International (FFI), a conservation group backed by the royal family, causing resentment over colonial-era territorial settlements still contested by indigenous groups.

Instead, a visit to another site is planned, the Belizean government said. In a statement, Kensington Palace confirmed that the schedule would be changed due to “sensitive issues” with the Indian Creek community and said more details would be provided in due course.

The FFI said in a statement that it purchased land from nearby Boden Creek from private owners in December 2021 and will conserve and protect the area’s wildlife while supporting the livelihoods and traditional rights of the local population.

Without directly addressing the dispute, FFI said it bought the land in the interest of the ecological integrity of the area, local residents and Belize as a whole, and committed to maintaining an “open and ongoing dialogue” with the local community.

After Belize, the Duke and Duchess are to move to Jamaica and the Bahamas. Meetings and various events with the participation of politicians and a number of public figures are planned.

Dickey Arbiter, Queen Elizabeth’s press secretary from 1988 to 2000, described the tour as a goodwill visit that should at least temporarily boost the family’s popularity.

According to him, today many people consider the monarchy an anachronism that should be abandoned. But he expected little to change as long as Elizabeth remained on the throne.

“The royal family is pragmatic,” he said. “He knows that he cannot look at these countries as states for eternity and one day.”

POPULAR OPINION

The debate over colonial-era oppression, including possible reparations for the descendants of slaves in Jamaica, could spur other countries to emulate Barbados’ recent move. More

Carolyn Cooper, professor emeritus at the University of the West Indies, said the royal couple’s visit was unlikely to deter Jamaica from choosing republican status.

“I think there is a wave of public opinion against the monarchy,” she said.

Some in Belize, which only gained independence from Britain in 1981, speak warmly of staying in the womb.

“I think this is a great opportunity for them to appreciate the country’s multiculturalism, natural attractions and enjoy our culinary practices,” said Jocelin Ramirez, manager in the Cayo region of Belize West.

But others are less enthusiastic.

Alan McCoy, a mechanic from Belize, said he “doesn’t care” about the royal family.

“They are no better than any of us,” he said.

Reporting by Jose Sanchez in Belize City. Additional reporting by Dave Graham and Kate Chappell. Editing by David Elier Garcia, Edmund Clamann, Francis Kerry, Diane Kraft and Jonathan Oatis.

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