Heads up – Embassy 16 – April 2009

Building bridges

Kamela Palma is the embodiment of Belize – with her mixed Caribbean and Central American parentage, she is the perfect blend of the two cultures and she comes to London on a mission: to build bridges between the two regions.

"We both face similar challenges," she says, "from extreme weather events and climate change, to trade and security issues."

London is one of the few diplomatic capitals where all the countries are represented and the High Commissioner hopes to foster more cooperation between the CARICOM and SICA missions.

"It is interesting sitting in both camps – there aren't enough bridges so I am really pushing for us to work together, even on a social level," she says. A combined rum-tasting evening might even be on the cards.

Such cooperation would have been almost unthinkable a decade ago, when relations between Belize and Guatemala were strained over an ongoing territorial dispute (Guatemala still claims the southern half of Belize, giving it access to the Atlantic), but the High Commissioner - who served as Deputy Ambassador to Guatemala in 2004 - says the atmosphere has greatly improved. Belize will be looking to Britain, one of the so-called 'Group of Friends', to help the process along.

In December, the two countries signed a treaty which would transfer the dispute to the International Court of Justice, pending a 'yes' vote in referenda in both countries.

"It is no longer an emotional issue; it is now a legal issue. This is a huge step. Belize and Guatemala have a good diplomatic relationship after a long period of confidence-building," she says.

But there is much more on the bilateral agenda, adds Palma. "London for Belize is a crucial capital. As a former British colony, which only gained independence in 1981, there are still very close ties in the world of trade, politics and agriculture and we need the support and assistance of Britain," she says, particularly as the new government will have to cope with the effects of the financial crisis.

Having served as CEO at the Ministry of Human Development, and still an active member of a string of NGOs, Palma hopes Britain will be able to offer technical assistance to promote sustainable development in Belize. After unprecedented floods last year, the country is in need of assistance to rebuild infrastructure.

The country is blessed with the longest barrier reef in the western hemisphere, as well as offshore oil deposits, and a balance needs to be struck between economic development and conservation, she says.

Defence ties with Britain need to be reinvigorated and the High Commissioner hopes more officers will be able to train at Sandhurst and the Royal College of Defence Studies. In turn, British soldiers now do their jungle training in Belize.

On the multilateral level, working with the Commonwealth Secretariat will also be a priority, she adds. Since 32 out of the 53 Commonwealth countries are small states, the organisation is very helpful in raising awareness about the vulnerability of these nations to external shocks such as the financial crisis or extreme weather events.

The High Commissioner also plans to devote time to the Belizean community, which she believes is a valuable asset. While remittances remain a vital source of foreign exchange, combating the brain drain is also important and she wants to help the community restore links with their country of origin, as well as engage them in technical cooperation and trade and tourism promotion.