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The Belize Times
From the Desk of the Party Leader
Earth Day Message by the Hon. John Briceño Leader, People’s United Party 22 April 2010
This past Thursday was Earth Day. For some the day passed as just another day, for others it was a day to reflect on our relationship with our environment. In classrooms all across the country it was a time for our teachers to engage with their students about the wonders of nature and the marvels of our planet. By now most of us are convinced that our human survival is inextricably linked to the sustainability of our planet; as such our actions should reflect that sense of respect and real love for nature. As Belizeans we have done a lot to raise the level of consciousness when it comes to protecting our marine and aquatic life. We have also put in reserves large portions of our land in the hope that we can leave something for those who will come after us. These efforts are laudable, however more can be done; more should be done. We can work consciously to raise our awareness when it comes to protecting our environment by keeping our waters clean, our land fertile and our air free from pollution. On land we must continue to teach each other the importance of our green spaces. Trees provide so much that is important to our livelihood, from the oxygen we breathe to the shade from a broiling sunny day, yet we seem to always be cutting down our trees. We need to change this; instead of cutting we need to plant more trees. Likewise we need to protect our mangroves, they are an indispensible part of our ecosystem and we need to keep our green spaces clean and healthy and protect our forests so that animals can have the space to roam. Like air, water is life. We are lucky in Belize to have abundant water sources, but we must never waste water, we must keep our rivers clean, minimize pollution, punish those who dump toxic materials into the rivers and lagoons and we must
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always keep the banks of our rivers lush with vegetation. All this will help us to minimize air pollution and keep the air we breathe safe.
All of us can do our part; when we walk to the store instead of drive we are helping. When we use the wind and sunshine of a bright Belizean day to dry our laundry instead of using a dryer, we are contributing. When we sit under the shade of tree instead of using a fan, or open a window instead of running the air conditioner, we are doing our part and through these ordinary gestures our efforts yield extraordinary results. Now I know that at times we take for granted what nature has given to us. Why shouldn’t we; our rivers are still clean, we breath the fresh air on a daily basis, our fruit trees still yield some of the best produce in the world. But that is only on the surface. All the experts will tell you that more is at risk today. We must therefore work harder to minimize that risk, mitigate against further deterioration and build our capacity. Lately there has been a lot said about the benefits of green
Sunday, April 25, 2010 technology and of a more eco friendly existence. Utilizing technology to cut wastage while at the same time reduce pollution is a good practice. It can also help with efficiency and more meaningful productivity. By managing our resources in a sustainable manner, we will guarantee benefits today and tomorrow. Today more than ever our world is interconnected; our dependence upon each other cannot be overstated. The actions of those thousands of miles away from our shores can cause irreparable damage to our way of life. What we do here can have a similar effect on those far away. For this reason each of us must take responsibility for our actions and do our part to protect our planet. Let us learn what is right, do what is proper and help each other to make our planet safer and our country better and our lives purposeful. And let us always respect each other and protect our environment.
SPEEDNET COMMUNICATIONS LTD. Project Manager - CDMA Expansion Reports to: Director Network Services Period: May 2010 – December 2010 Location: Belize Summary Description of Project Management Consultancy: To manage, plan and implement Speednet’s network expansion under the guidance of the Director; represent Speednet in discussions with vendor from project layout and start up to successfully delivery and acceptance of equipment and systems in accordance with Contract; to provide regular report to the Director on the status of the project; effectively manage project timetables in a proactive manner; carry out hands on training for installation staff. 1. Manage and implement the rollout of the various components of the project (soft switch, MGW, BSC and Base Stations, site acquisition, tower purchases, foundation construction and erections etc) in close consultation with the Director to meet the schedules agreed to between Speednet and the vendor. 2. Evaluate and make recommendations, where appropriate, regarding the vendor’s cutover plans for the new network to ensure the minimum of service interruptions to customers. 3. Manage and rollout the Speednet components (site acquisitions, power installations, backhaul acquisition and installation, tower acquisitions and builds and related logistics). 4. Represent the Director at scheduled project management meetings with vendor to ensure that the quality of work and other deliverables are met in accordance with the vendor’s obligations under the contract. 5. Represent Speednet’s witnessing the acceptance testing to ensure full compliance with equipment specifications and contract obligations. 6. Provide regular reports on status and progress of the project in accordance with contractual timetables and attend Speednet Exec meetings to report on the project. 7. Be proactive in anticipating potential delays and work to avoid or minimize their negative effects. 8. Travel to the various sites to ensure installations and testing is being carried out according to industry standards and in accordance with the vendor’s contractual obligations. 9. Supervise those installations that Speednet is responsible for and ensure that they are carried out according to industry standards and Speednet’s obligations under the contract. 10. Carry out any other duties related to the project that may be assigned to him by the Director. 11. Be fluent in English. Qualifications: BSc Engineering with at least 5 years work experience Candidate must possess good project management skills Bilingual in English and Spanish would be an asset Interested persons should send a letter of application along with their Curriculum Vitae and letters of reference by May 7, 2010 to: The Chief Operations Officer Speednet Communications Limited Mile 2 ½ Northern Highway PO Box 1816 Belize City