ABSTRACT
Private US business investments and economic assistance are suddenly increasing ostensibly to improve the economic situation in Belize and head off the development of a socialist form of government or political ties with Cuba. Caye Gaulker is an island situated 21 miles northeast of Belize City, 11 miles south of Ambergris Caye and one mile west of the barrier reef. The climate in Belize is subtropical with distinct wet and dry seasons. The development of Caye Caulker as an affluent enclave in a poor country can be attributed to several key features. Located on the geographic and cultural boundary of the Latin American mainland and the Caribbean, the people of Caye Caulker have developed a combination of cultural features drawn from both areas. The significance of Caye Caulker as a success story can be highlighted by looking at the development of parallel cases - kin-based fishing villages that have had to deal with changing technology and marketing opportunities.
