Thank you for sharing your perspective on Belize. As someone who has lived here full-time for over 5 years now I thought I might share my perspective as well on the things you brought up.
I'll be the first to agree that if you have a serious health issue that requires access to specialty doctors and specific, expensive medications then Belize is probably not a great option for you. However, if you're generally healthy, Belize may be a great choice for you regardless of your age. Where I live in Plancencia, there is a growing, thriving community of older, retired expats that call Belize their full-time home.
Belize is not the cheapest place to live in Central America, but it is amongst the cheapest Caribbean nations to live in. Learning how to get the biggest bang for your buck makes living here cheaper for me than where I came from (Atlanta, GA). Add to that the fixed exchange rate and English being the primary language and you can see why so many are choosing to settle here in Belize.
Drugs are a problem pretty much everywhere in the world. Belize is no different. From my perspective, I really only noticed that marijuana usage seemed higher here, and was more openly used. Where your personal bias falls in the marijuana debate will probably influence how you feel about its usage here in Belize.
Finally, the bugs. Yes, Belize has its fair share of bugs. Being a hot, humid, tropical destination makes this no surprise. We've learned strategies for co-existing with the bugs, and what products work and don't work here. Yes, they still drive us crazy at times (especially during rainy season) but it is a small price to pay for other benefits that living in Belize provides.
Shane Kenny
IL Belize Correspondent