Competition between the two service providers for mobile telephone coverage may also be regarded as an achievement. Rates have been effectively lowered through frequent promotional campaigns by the Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) and Smart. This has resulted in a vast expansion in ownership of mobile phone devices (cell phones). Noted however, is that Belize internet and telephone costs are still among the highest in the region.
CHALLENGES This MDG differs from the others because it largely focuses on how the developed countries provide assistance to developing countries in achieving the Goals. There were no targets set and the indicators are descriptive rather than prescriptive. The developed countries have made a commitment to provide 0.7% of their Gross National Income (GNI) by 2015 to ODA. This commitment has gone unfulfilled and with the 2008 world financial crisis and the multiplying fall out, developed countries are less likely to attain this commitment goal. Their efforts towards ODA is often geared towards the least develop countries. Least developed country status is in part categorised through income levels. One of the obvious challenges in this regard occurs because of the middle income country status conferred upon Belize, which means a shifting of donor focus even though there are substantial development related issues that can only be addressed through donor assistance. Under the CARICOM single market requirements, the Ministry of Education, Youths and Sports (MOEYS) is responsible to establish the national authority for accreditation. That ministry is reviewing its internal organisation structure and hence there has been no movement with respect to the establishment of the national authority for the accreditation of free movement of skilled nationals outside of the creation of the Act. The ministry has indicated that it wants to ensure that all university graduates (from any recognised university) can take advantage of the accreditation process. The national authority is of great importance as it would ensure that Belizean nationals can trade their services with greater ease within CARICOM. The definition for ‘skilled nationals’ is wider than only university graduates, it also includes artists, musicians etc. and implementation has stalled on the entire process because only the MOEYS has the implementation responsibility. A challenge to the Canada/CARICOM agreement is that for CARICOM member partners there are mixed reactions to the proposed agreement. The MDCs of CARICOM (Trinidad, Barbados and Jamaica) have substantial interests in the agreement and the LDCs (which include Belize) do not have much economic interactions with Canada. How do the countries bridge the divide to ensure that all can benefit. The challenge for the proposed agreement with the US is that it has not expressed any interest in pursuing any trade agreement with CARICOM; it is content with simply extending the CBI.
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