Concerns Raised Over Belize Readiness for Spanish-Language Regional Agriculture Talks

Recently installed Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and New Growth Industries, Rodwell Ferguson, who currently chairs the Comité Internacional Regional de Sanidad Agropecuaria (CIRSA), is expected to present Belize’s technical and financial reports at the upcoming regional meeting in Guatemala. His leadership role, however, has raised concerns over Belize’s capacity to navigate complex agricultural negotiations in predominantly Spanish-speaking forums. Some stakeholders have voiced concern that the minister’s limited Spanish proficiency could place Belize at a disadvantage, particularly as many of the region’s agricultural collaborations, and disease-response efforts, rely heavily on coordination with Mexico and Guatemala.  Balancing those concerns, former Agriculture Minister José Mai gave some assurance that despite his resignation, the ministry remains on strong footing under the stewardship of CEO Servulo Baeza, whose experience and technical command, he said, would ensure continuity in Belize’s regional commitments.

Jose Abelardo Mai, Former Minister of Agriculture: “Mai CEO Servulo Baizar is a seasoned individual, very technical very intelligent. He’s not an agronomist but he learns very quick. We have around him Hugh Obrien a very outstanding agronomist, we have Dr. Pasqual, we have a number of officers who are very good and for some reason or other I just fit into all the other groups and we had a good telepathy and we had compatibility thinking , so that helps the ministry a lot. I was fortunate to get one of the good ministries to be honest so we put it together and what we’ve done in six years in the ministry I think no other minster has done and not because of the minister it’s because the people that I have around me right now? And so that is very important because a minister by himself cannot do all these things. It is the people around him and if you want to be a good leader you surround yourself with good people. If you want to be mediocre you surround yourself with people who are only fanatics and not technical and you’ll find yourself in problems. So Rodwell is in good hands.”