Established 30 years ago as an independent free nation, Belize has many of the freedoms that are common among democratic societies. However, just this week, it has become apparent to me that not all things are free--at least not in the same sense as to which we view our liberties in the U.S. Take for instance, the concept of parental authority & consent. Our 3 daughters, all in primary school, came home last Monday to report that they had been given doses of medication & vitamins by nurses. Apparently hookworms are such a problem in this area that the children, all children, are medicated biannually for them. Alongside this, the kids were administered doses of vitamin A (to which I've still yet to know fully the need). There was no parental consent, no real notification that this would occur on Monday (they mentioned something at Mass about "deworming" but my husband & I had no idea that this would include mandatory medication of our children). To make matters even more uneasy for us, the medication was administered by a nurse who, while wearing the same pair of glove, placed a pill inside the mouth of every student (it's no wonder two of our girls were ill with a fever & a cough by the end of the week). Our second grader said that one boy in her class cried about swallowing the pill and the teacher then literally put her hand into his mouth and shoved the pill down his throat. I'm still surprised by this, as I cannot imagine my children getting as much as a cough drop at their school in the states without prior consent, let alone actual medication.
About half a week prior, our 12 year old daughter came home stating "the boys got blood drawn in the morning so I think the girls are getting blood drawn in the afternoon." In utter shock, I asked if she knew what this was for to which she replied, "I have no idea but all the boys left and came back some time later saying that they had blood taken." In a country whose HIV population is recorded at about 1 in 50 (though some experts believe it may be even as high as 1 in 10), and does not likely adhere to the same sanitation practices as to which we've known in the states, I was downright nervous. I told my daughter that under no circumstances may she have anyone poke a needle into her unless one of her parents is present. Fortunately, no blood was drawn from any more students that afternoon, or in the days following. Though I still have no idea why any students were subjected to a blood draw, I've made sure several times since that our children understand "no needles unless mom or dad is present." I cannot even fathom something like this happening in the U.S. without parents being first notified yet this is something that obviously occurs in other countries that are considered to be "free".
About half a week prior, our 12 year old daughter came home stating "the boys got blood drawn in the morning so I think the girls are getting blood drawn in the afternoon." In utter shock, I asked if she knew what this was for to which she replied, "I have no idea but all the boys left and came back some time later saying that they had blood taken." In a country whose HIV population is recorded at about 1 in 50 (though some experts believe it may be even as high as 1 in 10), and does not likely adhere to the same sanitation practices as to which we've known in the states, I was downright nervous. I told my daughter that under no circumstances may she have anyone poke a needle into her unless one of her parents is present. Fortunately, no blood was drawn from any more students that afternoon, or in the days following. Though I still have no idea why any students were subjected to a blood draw, I've made sure several times since that our children understand "no needles unless mom or dad is present." I cannot even fathom something like this happening in the U.S. without parents being first notified yet this is something that obviously occurs in other countries that are considered to be "free".
Just thinking in terms of communication, and I can quickly see that U.S. residents have certain liberties that are not present here. Take for instance free reign over the Internet. BTL (Belize Telemedia Limited), is the main Internet/phone service provider in the country and it just so happens to be owned by the government. In an attempt to keep residents paying for phone service, applications such as Skype & Google voice have been blocked on the Internet. In other words, we cannot use all Internet functions here that we wish and our ability to video communicate with family at home is blocked by the goverment--though in the realm of the world wide web, there's always a way around it.
Even the cell service here has taken a few of it's own "liberties." The government of Belize subscribes to an "eavesdropping service." In other words, they have the ability to record any text messages, voice mail, and phone calls made within the country. Now I certainly do not have any phone calls that would be considered 'worth listening to' but it still bothers me a bit to know that I do not have a choice in the matter.
So the next time you hug your kids, make a phone call, or use the Internet from inside the U.S., be very glad that you live in a country that allows you to do so freely, with few strings attached.
Amazing.... : \ And yet there are many up here in the USA that complain and are actually whining about the U.S.; claiming that we're 'evil' and need to be deconstructed/transformed.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless you all for your work down there and continued good luck and blessings!