Case Study – Dennis Jones

Introduction:

Belize is a relatively young country only gaining self-governance in 1964 and then its independence in 1981. The Belize Enterprise for Sustainable Technology (BEST) was founded shortly thereafter with the goal of promoting enterprises using appropriate technology.  Due to a withdrawal of American funding they were forced to refocus their efforts to micro-financing. They further specialized into two subsets: the Project and Credit staff.  These are indicative of the continual efforts to maintain relevance in Belize’s economy.  Dennis Jones, the Managing Director of BEST, gave us further insight into this organization.

Summary:

Currently BEST specializes in micro-loans with a range of $500-$2,500 given to small enterprises such as barbershops, farmers, and welding shops. They seek to identify families (especially single parents) within a rural environment who have children and who have a legitimate business idea.  The ultimate goal is to maintain these businesses in the long-term and these criteria have been established as the best route to that end. They also develop pay plans and savings plans in order to enhance the effectiveness of their loans. This approach to sustainability correlates with other sentiments across the board in that poverty is key issue in reaching sustainability. However, this journey is not without challenges; for example, Belize in largely undeveloped, has a high level of poverty, depends greatly in foreign investment, lacks a clear national vision, and is troubled by partisan politics.  Even further, BEST also faces its obstacles.  One of the more structural issues is BEST’s small size and high program implementation costs. Other challenges include poor human and financial resources mobilization, competition from other NGOs, and maintaining its relevance in the growing Belizean economy.

Analysis:

The group asked questions pertaining to the specifics of BEST’s operations.  One question addressed the problem of cooperation between the different NGOs, to which Mr. Jones emphasized that Belize’s issues aren’t about resource quantities but rather their allocation. His ultimate vision is for Belize to be a crucible in which better technology and approaches become a model for other nations. The group came to a consensus that Mr. Jones effectively strives to combat the problem and overall, enjoyed his lecture. Particularly poignant was his statement, “You would be amazed what a $1,000 loan and encouragement can do for a person.”