Abstract

The tiny British colony of Belize on the Caribbean coast of Central America is the subject of a century-old dispute between Britain and the Central American republic of Guatemala. Guatemala claims that Belize is an integral part of her territory. In the face of continued threats of invasion by Guatemala, Britain has stationed troops and RAF Harrier jets in Belize at considerable cost and inconvenience. The Belizean internal government wants complete independence but also demands a defence gurantee to protect her against Guatemala's belligerent and repressive regime. The Belize Issue looks at the historical background and current state of the dispute as well as the Belizean people and economy. It argues that the British government should make greater efforts to ensure a rapid settlement is reached so that Belize can become independent in the future without sacrificing her territorial integrity.