Seven years ago Belize imported three hundred and sixty two million dollars in goods from the USA. Today that number has increased by one hundred million. So it goes without saying that the US is one of our biggest trading partners. And as part of the commercial outreach that underpins empire, the US Embassy holds an annual exhibition called “Made in the USA” to encourage Belizean importers to buy more. Jacqueline Godwin visited today.

Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
The products that the US has to offer were showcased in the seventh “Made in the USA” exhibition.

Robert Dieter, US Ambassador to Belize
“The event showcases American products, services, and investments in Belize. It also offers an opportunity for the Belizean consumers and business community to sample American made products and provides a forum for making contact in establishing potential business partnerships. In 2007 the United States accounted for 33% of Belizean imports and 27% of exports. These included mainly agricultural products and tourism services. As further evidence of the strong ties between the two countries, US citizens account for over 90% of the tourist arrivals.”

A total of nineteen businesses are represented in this year’s show. According to the Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Alexis Rosado, while they plan to strengthen ties between Belize and the United States there is an equal effort being made to expand working trade relationships closer to home.

Alexis Rosado, CEO – Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade
“We have a partial scope agreement with Guatemala that is still pending, waiting for ratification on the Guatemalan side. The Central Americans are eager for us to coordinate a free trade agreement between CARICOM and Central America, something that Belize is being looked at to lead and we are poised to do so under this new administration. We just initialled an economic partnership agreement with the European Union that is yet to be ratified but I think the date now is in September.”

But there are challenges that must be overcome. US Ambassador to Belize Robert Dieter says while the US strives to maintain positive ties with Belize there is still much work to be done.

Robert Dieter,
“Belize should continue to strengthen its institutional capabilities and competitiveness. This includes respecting international law that comes with participating in a world economy such as enforcing intellectual property rights. However in previous years the perception of corruption has reduced the nation’s performance indicators. This is something that must change if Belize is to move forward in a meaningful way with its own economic development.”

Presentations such as the current counterfeit trends affecting Belize should be of interest since it is a particular challenge for businesses that sell American made products.

Rochelle Flowers, Marketing Supervisor –Brodies
“We have been having this problem for quite some time now. It is very hard to get rid of, we wish we can but the truth is there are other products like our own that are out there. I think what consumers need to do is to start to inform themselves of the product they purchase. This will be able to help them to make better purchases of products which will help them more than affect them later on.”

The American Chamber of Commerce of Belize does what it can to protect US businesses in Belize and attract investments.

Bill Mackenzie, President - US Chamber of Commerce Belize
“One of the biggest concerns I think is just information. They contact government agencies or they contact certain groups and they are not getting a lot of feedback and then they obviously do resort to using their own government, the US government through the Embassy, and then the Embassy forwards them to us. But I think one of the biggest drawbacks is just the communication. If we are able to have a better flow of information so they could find out more information, they can find about business, they can find about the various things in Belize.”

If you could not make it out to the exhibition today, it continues tomorrow….. Jacqueline Godwin for 7NEWS.