Poor show by host to the royals

EvEn if it had the hallmarks of a throwback to colonial times, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s tour had the potential to be of enormous benefit to Caribbean tourism. Sadly, it was a wasted opportunity as the couple’s highlighting of the splendid scuba diving in Belize’s barrier reef, Bob Marley’s birthplace and the local handmade chocolate industry was marred by a somewhat sullen atmosphere and a palpable sense of resentment from officialdom. Clearly, emotions are running high about the grim legacy of colonialism and the hideous blot of slavery, which is fair enough. It’s no excuse however for Jamaican officials treating their invited guests as if they were something the cat dragged in.