Belize Times April 14, 2013

14 APR SCAN HERE

2013

1

The Belize Times THE BELIZE TIMES

Established 1957

14 APR 2013

|

ISSUE NO: 4840

The Truth Shall Make You Free

www.belizetimes.bz

|

$1.00

Saldivar sues Plus TV City of Belmopan, April 11, 2013 UDP Belmopan Area Representative and National Security Minister John Saldivar has launched a legal attack on Plus TV’s Rise and Shine morning co-host Patrick Andrews for remarks made during the February 10th, 2013 morning show.

Saldivar is accusing Andrews of committing libel against him and has turned to the Court for rectification.

Saldivar’s attorney, Priscilla Banner of Courtenay Coye LLP Attorneys at Law, claimed in a notice letter dated 15th February, 2013 that Andrew’s words had “a deleterious effect” on Saldivar’s reputation, imputing “criminal activity”.

The letter further demanded a full retraction and apology as well as immunity from future similar criti-

Page 6

PLUS TV co-owner, Louis Wade, says it’s personal and political

Lisel

Alamilla:

Powerless or Sell Out? GOB ignores own moratorium to legitimise illegal Rosewood trade Page 4

PUP

denounces Guatemala’s offensive passport

Pg. 3

Major Street Upgrade in Orange Walk Pg. 6

FOLLOW US! on the social media

2 02

14 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

OPINION

UB President responds to BELIZE TIMES article

Public Transportation in a Mess

OUT

!

Dear Editor, The public transportation system in Belize is a national embarrassment.

Thirty plus years after independence the Government of Belize continues to preside over a public transportation system that is rudimentary, inefficient and unsafe. On a daily basis thousands of Belizeans are crammed like animals into retired US school buses and the Ministry of Transport seems lost and inept. This is not entirely the making of the current Minister responsible for transport but if he does not take the necessary corrective action (as difficult as they may be), he too, like his predecessors, will be condemned by history.

To be productive a society must be able to find a way to efficiently and safely move people for work recreation and daily living (school, shopping, health, etc). Labour needs to be able to flow to the parts of the country where it can be the most productive and for a great majority of the Belizean labour force that means taking a bus.

Public transportation, however, is more than just about economics; it’s also about the environment. When people can’t rely on the public transportation system they look to private means of transportation to fulfill their needs. More cars on our roadways places additional stress on an already dilapidated infrastructure but more importantly, it means greater stress on the environment. Ten buses carrying a total of 450 persons have a smaller carbon footprint than 225 private cars carrying 2 persons each. Those Belizeans who already use their own private vehicles will tell you how addictive it can be. When people get use to private transportation they are less

likely to go back to public transportation, so air pollution, traffic congestion and demand for expensive fuel imports will only increase in the face of the current system.

The single greatest impediment to an improved public transportation system in Belize is the outmoded and corruption prone process of granting road service permits. Belize must move away from this political based system to a market based one. The Ministry of Transport must clearly and transparently establish the standards to be achieved by service providers. These standards should include the types of buses, driver education and training, maintenance and safety, a balanced fare-setting framework and a robust commuter protection mechanism. With such a system in place, there would be no need for a Transport Board (a political institution that has been the basis of failure in the public transportation sector).

The Department of Transport should assume full and direct responsibility for licensing of service providers and for the monitoring and the enforcement of the standards; true competition and a level playing field would take care of the rest.

To protect the smaller operators the Government should provide access to cheap money in order to allow them to upgrade their fleet of buses. However such support must be conditional upon the smaller operators coming together and working in a cooperative like fashion in order to create efficiencies.

The public transportation system is critical to the development of Belize and the Minister responsible for transport has to demonstrate some measure of leadership if we are to see our way through this national crisis. He must resist the temptation to assign road transport permits to political cronies and he must not allow party hawks to compel him to punish those perceived to be of a different political hue.

The Belizean commuter also has a role to play in all this, it’s called civic action! Fi real!

Signed Major Lloyd Jones (Ret’d)

!

Dear Editor, I am writing with reference to the article – UB President slams GOB for lack of vision – which was published in the April 7, 2013 edition of your newspaper.

The article selectively quotes from a document that I presented to the Board of Trustees at the University of Belize on March 14, 2013 which presented an analysis of what I consider to be institutional weaknesses at the University of Belize and my recommendations arose from an audit that I commissioned and which was conducted by the firm Castillo, Sanchez and Burrell.

While I respect the freedom of the press as a universal right, I would also remind you that the press has a responsibility to engage in serious and informed reportage of matters that are published for public consumption. The article cites excerpts from the document but the headline and the tone of the article seem to suggest that I am engaged in an ad hominem attack on the government of the day and on the Board of the institution. I wish to make it clear that my analysis of the University was clinical and was designed to identify problems and to propose solutions based on the need to improve institutional performance.

As you will no doubt recall, the University of Belize was established in 2000 and the UB Act was enacted in the same year by the People’s United Party government. My recommendations about the UB Act, and my analysis of the performance of the University, speak to some of the weaknesses that were institutionalized within the University by the sins of commission and/or omission in the statute. Other weaknesses were identified as operational problems that needed to be ad-

weather

LOCAL 12 Apr

13 Apr

14 Apr

15 Apr

2013

2616 Mar Apr

27 Mar 6 17 Feb Apr

dressed.

I appreciate your effort to educate the public about issues at an institution of national importance but I would suggest that your coverage in this instance betrayed a lapse of professional standards and judgment. Perhaps, the search for political advantage in a highly polarized environment may have contributed to that lapse.

I came to Belize in 2011 as a 1976 graduate of the fledgling University of Guyana who remains deeply disturbed by the damage done to that institution since the 1974 decision to deny employment to Dr. Walter Rodney. Universities are precious commodities as institutions of learning and the incubators of the idea and practice of intellectual freedom. Caribbean and Central American societies have been the heirs to institutional heritages where freedom was the result of inter-generational struggles against slavery and other forms of bondage and the free press should exercise its right to safeguard that valuable privilege for the future development of these societies.

As a matter of professional courtesy, I would request that this letter should be published in as prominent position in your newspaper as was afforded to the original article.

Yours sincerely, Cary Fraser

SCAN HERE

The Belize Times

Established 1957

14 APR 2013

|

ISSUE NO: 4840

The Truth Shall Make You Free

www.belizetimes.bz

|

$1.00

serving Belize since 1957 as the longest continuous newspaper.

Founder: Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price, People’s United Party Leader Emeritus EDITOR

Alberto Vellos LAYOUT/GRAPHIC ARTIST

Chris Williams OFFICE ASSISTANT

Roberto Peyrefitte Printed and Published By The Belize Times Press Ltd. Tel: 671-8385 #3 Queen Street P.O. BOX 506 Belize City, Belize Email: belizetimesadvertisement@yahoo.com

editortimes@yahoo.com

Exchange rate of One Belize Dollar

United States Barbados Eastern Caribbean Mexican Peso Sterling Pound Guatemala Quetzal CANADIAN DOLLAR CHINESE YUAN Trinidadian (TTD) INDIAN RUPEE (USD): $ 0.4956 (BBD): $ 0.9902 (XCD):$ 1.3377 (MXN) : $ 5.9787 (GBP): $ 0.3218 (GTQ): $ 3.8622 (CAD): $ 0.5007 (CNY): $ 3.0692 : $ 3.1741 (INR): $ 26.941

14 APR

2013

THE BELIZE TIMES

PUP denounces Guatemala’s offensive passport Belize City, April 11, 2013 The Opposition People’s United Party announced on Tuesday April 9th that when it takes office the PUP Government will refuse and reject anyone carrying any Guatemalan passport, which shows Belize as part of their territory.

The Guatemalan Government recently announced that it would re-issue four million new passports to its citizens that would include an image of a map of Guatemala with Belize included as part of its territory. To this aggressive and invasive decision, there has been no official condemnation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs whose deafening silence is telling.

But the Opposition PUP, under whose leadership Belize’s Independence and territorial sovereignty was achieved in 1981, will not entertain such move. The PUP’s National Executive met on Tuesday and took the position that Guatemala’s new passport is an attack on our territorial integrity.

During the meeting, PUP officials were very concerned that the Government had not issued an official objection before the Organisation of American States.

The PUP also stated that “if Guatemala should persist with changing their passports to show Belize as part of Guatemala, then Belize should boycott the meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS) to be held in Guatemala later this year”.

The Opposition urged the Government to take a stand for Belize and to reach out to friendly countries, such as those in CARICOM, to boycott the meeting in solidarity with Belize.

ICJ Referendum on life support The PUP reiterated that Belize must remain steadfast in rejecting Guatemala’s unfounded claim and maintaining full support nationally and internationally for our territorial integrity.

This is in the face of the Guatemalan Government’s continued aggressing of Belize, including the demand that Belize must amend its Referendum Act and remove the 60% threshold.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Sedi Elrington has said publicly that he is prepared to accommodate Guatemala, but that assertion has been rejected by the PUP, NGOs such as COLA, and then put aside by a late Cabinet decision.

But Guatemala’s President Otto Perez Molina, who is facing accusations of war crimes, has repeated Guatemala’s demands, saying, “If Belize doesn’t accept, we will not hold a referendum and waste 260 million quetzals on something that we know we won’t win from the start”.

Guatemala’s Minister of Foreign Affairs travelled to Washington on Wednesday of this week, seeking the OAS’s intervention. Guatemala will ask the OAS’s permission to postpone the October 6th referendum. Guatemala has also suggested that Belize should hold its own referendum on October 6th, and if the majority vote is for a Yes, they will then hold their referendum.

The PUP has rejected Guatemala’s suggestions. On March 25th PUP Leader Hon. Francis Fonseca declared that “The PUP rejects any proposal which vio-

lates the spirit and letter of the Special Agreement signed by Belize and Guatemala in December 2008. Neither option proposed by Guatemala is acceptable.

Guatemala’s latest proposals raise serious concerns about its good faith in finding a just and definitive solution of this longstanding claim.

The PUP does not support the holding of any unilateral referendum on October 6, 2013, or on any other date.

We do not support the amendment of our national law to reduce our threshold participation in referenda, simply to accommodate Guatemala”.

BEL wants 17% rate hike unchanged Belize City, April 10, 2013 Belize’s so-called “pro-poor” Government wants to maintain the 17% hike in electricity rates it approved for itself back in December 2012.

Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) has submitted its Annual Review Proceeding (ARP) to the Public Utilities Commission in which, aside from a proposed 0.0093-cent decrease in Mean Electricity Rate per kilowatt hour, the cost of electricity for consumers will remain at the amount approved in December, when the PUC had allowed a 17% increase.

In December, rates for residential

03 3 customers went from 41.6 cents per kilowatt hour to 49 cents per kilowatt hour.

While customers were forced to pay more, the Government found a way to shirk its responsibility of paying a proposed 9-cent increase in the cost of streetlights by convincing the PUC to pass on the burden to consumers.

That matter is not being reviewed by BEL, and in fact, might be left untouched by the PUC unless consumers make an issue of it in their “comments” to the PUC, that can be submitted in the form of letters no later than April 19th.

The PUC will issue an initial decision no later than May 2nd, and if it attracts no objection, the decision will be adopted until the next annual review in 2014.

4 04

UDP mocks Union Leaders Belize City, April 8, 2013 Just three days after Prime Minister Dean Barrow gathered with Union leaders in Belmopan in a “respectful meeting”, the ruling United Democratic

14 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

Party launched personal attacks at various leaders of Unions.

This morning on the UDP talk show, “Wus Tin Da Morning”, which airs on Wave Radio, the Prime Minister’s pri-

Lisel Alamilla:

vately-owned radio station, the hosts attacked the Union leaders for their continued lobby for salary increases for teachers and public officers.

One of the hosts said the Unions were pursuing “foolishness”, while the other accused them of being greedy.

They both insisted that the Unions should use the “millions” they collected as dividends in Belize Telemedia Limited to pay the teachers the raise they are asking for.

“Weh the money deh,” they said,

2013

referring the question to former Union general George Frazier.

The name calling and public sneering was disrespectful, unnecessary and out of order, especially since the UDP Government is engaged in formal discussions with the same Union leaders over a matter of importance to thousands of Belizeans affected by the rising cost of living.

To make matters worse, the special guest on the show was Minister of Continued on page 31

Powerless or Sell Out? Belize City, April 10, 2013 The Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development has made a controversial decision to allow the export of Rosewood for certain special interest businesspersons to profit, despite a standing Moratorium and public outcry against what has become an exploited industry.

The announcement of this contentious policy was done under highly suspicious circumstances. On Monday, April 8th, Plus TV News of Belmopan exposed on their evening news that large quantities of Rosewood kept within the Ministry of Forestry compound were suddenly being removed.

The Rosewood was placed inside privately-owned trucks and taken away.

No official was available to explain what was happening.

The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development Lisel Alamilla-Pennel, under whose watch the Moratorium was enacted on March 16 2012, is not in the country.

Her Chief Executive Officer Windell Parham is also not in the country.

The report triggered uproar among the public, and only after this, word came out from the Press Office about what was taking place. An ambiguous press release issued on Wednesday afternoon declared that “the Ministry has decided to allow the sale/export of already harvested rosewood over the period 8th – 26th April, 2013 to avoid the complete loss of value”.

Apartment For Rent Medium-sized furnished one-bedroom apartment. It includes free internet, free cable, free water and light, private bath with hot and cold shower. Double bed mattress.

Closet. Mini kitchen with stove, fridge, glass table and sofa chairs. Private parking.

Located on Vernon Street, Belize City. Only $500 monthly.

For viewing call 601-7915.

There was no further information.

No indication about who made the decision since the Minister Alamilla-Penil is out of the country. No indication about how much Rosewood fell under this special permission. No indication which exporters would benefit. In fact, the Press Release ended saying that for more information, the media should contact the CEO, but he isn’t in the country either. Could this be the working of former Minister of Forestry, Gaspar Vega, under whose previous administration dubious export licenses were awarded?

What is most suspicious about this special Gaspar Vega-like arrangement is that by allowing the export of Rosewood, the Ministry is legitimizing an illegal trade. Any Rosewood harvested since the moratorium was enacted, was done so as a criminal offence. Anyone who harvested Rosewood is guilty of the offence. So why is the Ministry allowing and facilitating these persons in the completion of their offence?

In the Press Release, the Ministry reminds the public that “the moratorium is still in effect and that it is illegal to harvest, transport, and trade in rosewood. Anyone found to be involved in the new harvesting of rosewood will be met with the full force of the law”. But who will take this warning serious when the very same Ministry shows it is willing to bend its own rules to curry favour with private interests?

Continued on page 11

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF BELIZE AD 2013 (CRIMINAL JURISDICTION) NORTHERN SITTING COMMENCING ON THE 8TH DAY OF APRIL 2013 LIST OF CASES TO BE HELD

NO. NAME OF ACCUSED OFFENCES DISTRICT 1.

EDGAR GERMO, RUDY HERRERA MURDER ORANGE WALK 2.

ABIMAEL POTT MURDER ORANGE WALK 3.

OSMAR SABIDO MURDER ORANGE WALK 4.

ELIJAH MILLER MURDER ORANGE WALK 5.

CARLOS KEME MURDER ORANGE WALK 6.

HOMER BANNER ABETMENT TO MURDER ORANGE WALK 7.

ROBERTO CAWICH DANGROUS HARM ORANGE WALK 8.

RAUL TOLOZA MANSLAUGHTER BY NEGLIGENCE ORANGE WALK 9.

ISAAC CHAN RAPE ORANGE WALK CHERYL-LYNN VIDAL DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS

14 APR

2013

THE BELIZE TIMES

05 5

EDITORIAL

T

Sticks and Stones

here is a parable about an unpopular politician and a Judeo Christian talk show host. The talk show host prophetically offered his personal opinion on an issue of corruption. The talk show host was then sued by the politician for slander after he refused to abandon his personal opinion.

So finds Patrick Jason Andrews, a firebrand talk show host and an affiliate of a well-respected Christian training base called Youth With a Mission or “YWAM”.

According to the website of that organization, Andrews who boasts his own leadership pedigree, as the son of Joseph Andrews - a founding member of the UDP - is the “base director”. YWAM is a formidable and credible Christian network and its membership is impressively large, energetic and young.

This organization, which is based in Roaring Creek, across the winding Belize River and over a narrowly strung hammock bridge, is a farming system for Belizean missionaries and Pentecostal Christians who are resolved to deepen their faith through discipleship.

For the purposes of religious mapping, Roaring Creek is fed from the very strong religious belt of devout Christians who reside in Belmopan City and its satellite communities. The youth reserve of YWAM, as we said, are active and “mobilizable” as evidenced in the massive contingent of adolescents who flock outdoor concerts featuring Christian International artists. In the Pop Christian subculture of Belmopan, events like YC Belize and Legacy, easily rival Konshens and Christopher Martin Concerts.

That association base of Christians is surely antithetical to the hedonistic greed and perennial corruption of Belizean politics as an institution. Consequently, Christianity’s commission and the unfortunately ambitious, politically desperate personality of John Saldivar have been on a collision course long before either side realized it.

John Saldivar has been an intra party political failure in the UDP. He has publicly displayed both a stinging measure of intolerance as well as an unbearable and unsupportable superiority complex. Yet, despite throwing himself at very many posts within the UDP, he is repeatedly humiliated to occupy the nosebleed seats and garbage jobs of Dean Barrow. Surely, Saldivar who is arrogantly ambitious and proportionately politically unappealing is on the lower half of Barrow’s affection pole. Saldivar tries hard, and realizes that remaining politically relevant is transient. Pure form Machavelian politics, no matter how crudely executed by Saldivar, is imperative.

In the contrast, it would not be remotely an overstatement to characterize “Belmopanees” as particularly conservative and deeply religious.

This appellation has it social and historic anthropology in the financially stable public servants who are predominantly middle class, the highly concentrated influence of diplomatic/foreign consulate offices, and the conversely poor immigrant populations of communities like Salvapan, Maya Mopan and Las Flores.

The predestined clash of morals versus political bulldozing met its head when Saldivar made a delayed attack on Andrews and by extension the Belmopan Christian community in this slander suit.

For context “slander” is a term which is shoved around more in jokes and street side exchanges than in the Courts. In reality “slander” which is the legal twin of “libel” together make up what is called “defamation”.

In researching a bit of trivial legal history, we learnt that these law suits make up less than 0.06% of all matters brought before our courts.

One text explains that “pre and post independence periods in Commonwealth Caribbean countries have been characterized by vigorous political activity supported by an articulate and free press…journalists play their part in the rough and tumble of politics in this part of the world’ and they ‘add spice to the interplay of politics’…and most of the leading cases in def-

amation in the region have a political background.”

We have found no cases in Belize that did not have a political backdrop.

Defamation dates back to the codified Praetorian Edict of circa 130 A.D. It exists now as the noxious exhaust fumes of a Victorian time when gentlemen, high society and classist wealth were the norm. A time, here no more, when a man’s word, pedigree and his reputation had an impact on his station in life.

You lived, prospered or struggled where you were. There were no 747’s, conference calls and public opinion was fickle to the point of gullibility. A recklessly placed statement could cast a citizen into the dungeons of a social outcast or an over night bankrupt. Words and oaths had meaning. No more the case.

That Dickensian measuring stick may comfort many royal blooded locals whose wealth and egos require the buffer but for the modern society which has upgraded to the 4G benefits of free speech and microwavably cynical opinions, it matters none.

Stiff pinky fingers and curtsies are expired in the pubescent Facebook generation of twitter and mobile phones. Painfully true statements against public figures flare up with regularity on the social media or “fuss thing da mawning”.

For the seasoned politicos, criticisms and expositions of their institutionalized and personal corruption roll off the back. So why all the commotion and why antagonize an otherwise non-political target?

Obviously, John and Plus TV are competing for the same congregation of followers. John is narrowly interested in the political value of Belmopan residents while Plus TV is naively focused on bringing truth and a “Christian world view” to the same sheep. Politics is an all or nothing game. There is no room for gambling, spoilers or risks. The UDP have said officially that the purpose of their political party is only to win elections.

In a hedonistic way, they see citizens only in the currency of votes.

Plus TV on the other hand are born again to the idea that if it is right it will thrive. It is a moral stance which is loathed within UDP circles.

In fact, truth be told the current Government had hoodwinked Plus TV affiliates to believing that they were about integrity, transparency and reform. That the UDP by sheer deduction was the embodiment of those virtues, these after all sound very Christian.

It was a great sales pitch but the devilish truth seeped in after the UDP won. Sadly, Wade was blind-sided. The point must be made that not only has the UDP become more openly corrupt but their history of attacks and fights with the church and media since 2008 are glaring. Honestly, blindeyed Josey could have warned them.

Check the records where Faber assaulted the integrity of Catholic Management in the school system, Boots Martinez was in a dispute over Church land at the St. John’s Vianney Compound and Dean Barrow scolded the church leaders for ninth amendment objections.

Those slaps to the church were during a period when the assaults on the free media were frenzied. There has been gagging of Channel 5, attacks on our production of this paper, threats from Government Ministers against reporters, the PM himself attacking Jose Sanchez and a lurking cabinet “white paper” in which the UDP are proposing to control the media by a new corporation.

This was a collision course. Corruption to the UDP is a way of life.

Corruption to Plus TV affiliates is a sin.

As a long-standing media institution, we at BELIZE TIMES support free speech and free media. We know that this has nothing to do with defamation. It is about control, corruption, immorality, hypocrisy, bullies, arrogant power and fear. It is about all the things we have been preaching against from these pages in regard to this UDP government but most of all it is about sin.

6 06

THE BELIZE TIMES

14 APR

2013

Major Street Upgrade in Orange Walk Orange Walk Town, April 8 2013 A major infrastructure project is on-going in Orange Walk Town, with the much-needed paving of streets and construction of proper drains.

The Orange Walk Town Council led by Mayor Kevin Bernard is spear-

heading the infrastructure works that currently includes the paving of five streets in the municipality. These streets are Barbados Street, Cemetery Street, Gravel Lane, Staines Alley and Baeza Alley.

Saldivar sues Plus TV

Continued from page 1 cisms, indemnification and compensation of an unknown amount before Friday February 22nd, but that request was not met.

Saldivar then instructed his attorney to file Claim 175 of 2013 against first Defendants Plus TV, owned by Louis Wade and his wife, and second defendant, Patrick Andrews.

Plus TV has reacted to the legal threat. On his Facebook page, Wade posted that the legal claim is really a vicious attack on the media.

“This case will be about the media’s right to know. It is about what constitutes fair comment on a public figure in the spending of public moneys. It is about freedom of speech in a broken democracy. It is about political organs of the ruling party that have the freedom to use obsenity on air, to malign and libel anyone they deem as opposition while trying to silence free media. It is about shutting up or shutting down…[sic],” said Wade’s post.

On Wednesday April 10th, while hosting the morning show, Wade ratcheted up his station’s defence, revealing that Saldivar’s ‘beef’ with Andrews seems personal and perhaps even political.

Wade revealed that since the beginning of the year, Saldivar has approached him on several occasions, requesting and even demanding at one point, that Plus TV removes Andrews from the morning show.

Wade disclosed that at times he felt he was being “bribed” by Saldivar, who urged him to “stick” with him, because he [Saldivar] was “going places”.

Wade said he does not believe Andrews committed any wrong. He described the claim as outrageous and false.

Andrews also responded, saying he feels his life is being threatened by a “rogue Minister” who has power. Andrews said he has gathered information that his personal safety is at risk. He called on Prime Minister Dean Barrow to intervene.

The following days, on Thursday morning, Saldivar had some of his say too. He accused Wade and Andrews of blowing the law suit out of proportion and said that it is something media houses should be accustomed to.

Saldivar also claimed Wade had lied about him, rejecting the accusation that he had “asked” and “demanded” Andrews removal.

“I at no point asked them or demanded them to fire Patrick Andrews,” said Saldivar.

He explained that he had approached Wade, but it was to offer “free advice” that Andrews was “bad” for his television and “caution him whether you [Wade] want to keep that man on the show”.

Andrews has become a firebrand and outspoken Belmopan resident who is very vocal on issues on the Plus TV Rise and Shine morning show. He is the son of Joseph Andrews, who is considered a forefather in the United Democratic Party.

L to R: Patrick Andrews, Louis Wade & COLA President Geovanni Brackett on Plus TV’s Rise and Shine morning show

For several weeks, the Council’s equipment and works department employees had been busy, carrying out the ripping, filling, grading, wetting and compacting of the roads, in preparation for paving.

Councillor in charge of Civil Works and Street Maintenance, Urban Infrastructure and Planning, and Project Management, Josue Carballo, explained to the BELIZE TIMES that the project will actually upgrade fourteen streets, at an initial cost of $152,000 for the first coat of asphalt.

Councillor Carballo said the Town Council believes improving the town’s infrastructure is a critical component of their mandate. Of importance too is that the Council is carrying out the works with its own resources.

Orange Walk Town residents have reacted positively to the upgrading of streets. They say they it will complement the other projects to beautify and maintain the town clean.

The Council has had to battle through a period of tough financial constraints. A dried bank account, bloated contracts, and overstaffing was inherited from the previous UDP Town Council. Mayor Bernard has focused on getting the Council’s finances in order as a matter of priority.

14 APR

2013

THE BELIZE TIMES

07 7

8 08

THE BELIZE TIMES

14 APR

2013

14 APR

2013

THE BELIZE TIMES

Mayor Kevin Bernard walking through construction zones

09 9

PUP Orange Walk Town Council

Councillor Ladrick Shepard inspects paving of street

Working for a better town

10

14 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

How did you spend your EASTER BREAK? Irene It was good. I went to Dangriga with a church member and sister.

ACC

2013

FACES & OPINIONS

michael My Easter went great. I went to Cancun with my family. Spent some time at the beach & hung out with my friends SADIE VERNON

by kelsey Hemsley

SERGIO Well, I basically help my aunt in her restaurant and hung out with friends.

MAUD WILLIAMS

Michelle

SANTOS

TYRICK

It was fun. I went to San Pedro with my family and had a great time. I went swimming and on a jet ski.

Well I had fun, spent time with friends. It went good.

GAYLORD STORE

I spent my Easter at the cayes. I am 19 years old and a paddler at the La Ruta Maya River Challenge

valerie

IRENE

SILAS

It was very exciting even though I stayed at home with my family. Isn’t that what holidays are about, spending time with family and friends.

I went to Caye Caulker with my kids. We had fun. It was really great that I spent time with them.

I went swimming in the river and I went partying with some friends.

ACC

ACC

INTRODUCING THE PICKSTOCK JAGUARS See them in action on Sunday April 22nd, 2013 at the St. Martin De Porres Football Field starting at 11AM

Team sponsor Dr. Francis Smith

14 APR

2013

THE BELIZE TIMES

11

12

THE BELIZE TIMES

14 APR

2013

14 APR APR 14

THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES THE BELIZE

2013

TOPMODEL 13

ENTERTAINMENT

NEWS

Jazmine

Skeen wins Miss Tourism Belize

LOCATION: CHATEAU CARIBBEAN

Jazmine Skeen, of Belize City, won Miss Tourism Belize 2013/14 held on March 30th 2013 at the JNC Mall in San Ignacio.

There were nine (9) contestants. Miss Ivoree Mendez, the former Miss Corozal Queen of the Bay, Miss Olivette Ramos representing Dangriga, Miss Jonelle Tillette from Belize City, Miss Amanda Taylor, Belize City, Miss Wendy Neal, Belize City, Miss Jazmine Skeen Belize City, Miss Vicky Canul representing Belmopan, Miss Adriana Haylock, from San Pedro and Miss Nancy Vellos from San Ignacio.

2nd Runner up went to Miss Olivette Ramos while 1st Runner Up was Miss Amanda Taylor.

Miss Ivoree Mendez won Miss Amity while Miss Jazmine Skeen won Miss Bikini and Miss Amanda Taylor won Miss Photogenic.

Lauren

• • • • Amanda Taylor, 1st Runner Up

•

Height: 5’ 7” Career Plan: Work in Tourism • Industry • Sign: Leo Favourite Foods: Rice & Beans.

Chicken and Salad & Conch Soup

TOP MODEL Clothing and Accessories provided by Likes: Spending time with family and friends, meeting new people, modeling Lives in Belize City Fav. Quote: “The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do”

CATWALK FASHIONS

visit us at www.belizetimes.bz or Facebook/ Belize Times

Cor. North Front Steet & Queen Street Belize City

Follow us on facebook

14 SPORTS

THE BELIZE THE BELIZE TIMES TIMES

14 APR

2013

Camalote United wins Cayo softball marathon Esperanza Village, April 7, 2013 Camalote United softball ladies remained undefeated, winning 3 games to dominate the Cayo Softball Association’s 2-day marathon to kick off their 2013 competition at the Joan Garbutt Stadium over the weekend.

Camalote United defeated the Ontario Rebels 8-1 in the championship finals on Sunday morning.

The Camalote ladies were on a winning streak. They had defeated the Ontario Rebels in their first encounter 8-0.

Nadine Coye led the attack scoring in the 1st through the 4th innings. Frances Coye also scored in the 1st and 2nd, and Molly Coye, Brigette Fuller, Jenieve Salazar and Rhea Gutierrez added four more runs in the 2nd inning.

Camalote had tasted success from Saturday when they won against the Esperanza girls 9-2 by mercy rule. Esperanza’s catcher Patricia Spain

came home in the 1st inning, but Camalote led 6-1 when Nadine Coye, Molly Coye, Bridgette Fuller, pitcher Francine Salazar, Sherlett Gamboa and Shadine Salazar came home in the bottom of the 1st.

Nadine came home in the 2nd, and Shandy Casey and Rhea Gutierrez came home in the fourth to lead 9-1. Only Stevens scored for Esperanza in the 4th.

The Ontario Rebels had eliminated the Esperanza girls 4-0 to advance to the finals against Camalote.

Other matches: Esperanza vs. Las Flores girls – 32-0!

Ontario Rebels vs. Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy – 4-0 Ontario Rebels vs. Belmopan United – 16-0 Esperanza vs. Las Flores girls – 19-1 Roaring Creek vs. Belmopan United – 20-1 Esperanza vs. Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy – 1-0

Conway Young hits a Double Century in cricket competition Bermudian Landing, April 6, 2013 Belize’s national team captain Conway Young, batting for team Berlan, scored the first double centuries in the 2013 SMART Harrison Parks national cricket competition when the Berlan Cricket Club hosted Brave Union of Burrell Boom in Bermudian Landing out on Saturday, April 6.

Young batted 200 runs to remain not out. Berlan declared after scoring 323 runs, even though they had not batted their entire innings.

The Berlan bowlers Kevin “Uzi” Flowers and Hubert Banner then scorched the visiting batsmen with the heat of their bowling, as each took 3 wickets to retire the visitors for 72 runs. Brian Cassasola and Claudius Rhaburn each scored 13 runs for Brave Union while Bernard Sutherland took 2 wickets.

The competition continues this weekend with the Police hosting the Strugglers at the Governor General’s field in Belmopan on Sunday, April 14. Meanwhile Brilliant will visit Berlan in Bermudian Landing on Saturday, April 13. Bright Star

Camalote team

Ontario Rebels team

FFB shares new vision at 6th Congress

Belize National Team needs $500,000 for Gold Cup

plays at home against Brave Union, Western Eagles will host Easy Does It in Rancho Dolores, Sunrise visits Excellence in Double Head Cabbage, and Isabella Uprising hosts Wicked Eleven in Isabella Bank.

Other matches: Easy Does It of Lemonal vs. Lords Bank Sunrise – 124-89 Wicked Eleven vs. Surprise – 270-105 Excellence of Double Head Cabbage vs. Western Eagles of Rancho Dolores – 267-119 Brilliant vs. Bright Star of Sand Hill – 280-55 Police vs. Alfred Dawson Cricket Club - Police win by Default

FFB President Ruperto Vicente Belize, April 6, 2013 The new Football Federation of Belize executive led by president Ruperto Vicente took over from president Dr. Bertie Chimilio last March, and his executive had much to report on their activities to develop football in Belize over the past year, as well as their plan of action and budget for 2013.

Vicente announced that they have successfully lobbied with the world governing body, the Federation of International FootContinued on page 15

Belize City, April 9, 2013 The Belize National Football Team qualified to the CONCACAF Gold Cup football tournament when they finished in the top 5 in the UNCAF games in Costa Rica, but that doesn’t mean they will go. The Football Federation of Belize, has reported that they need $500,000 to make it to the games which will be played in the U.S.A. So far has earned $5,000 from the international friendly against Trinidad’s Soca Warriors, according to a financial statement the FFB released last week.

FFB President said that to raise more money, the team will play more international friendlies against El Salvador and Guatemala.

Additionally, the FFB has organised a telethon on April 27th.

Belize faces stiff competition in our group of the United States and Costa Rica, who are both competing to also secure their berth in the 2014 World Cup Brazil, as well as Cuba.

14 APR APR 14

SPORTS 15

THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES THE BELIZE

2013

Belmopan Bandits

still No. 1 in PLB football Belmopan, April 6, 2013 Defending champions Belmopan Bandits have virtually assured their berth in the upcoming UNCAF Champion of Champions competition as they have topped the Premier League of Belize rankings with 26 points from 8 wins and 2 draws, enjoying sweet revenge 2-1 against the Belize Defence Force, the only team to have defeated them so far this season, at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium on Saturday night.

Ryan Simpson squandered the chance to give the BDF a 1-0 in the opening minutes of the ball game when he intercepted a pass from the Bandits’ defense. Denmark Casey Jr. made no such mistake when he picked up a forward pass from Deon McCauley. Casey’s right-away right foot shot at close range beat BDF goalie Frank Lopez to give the Bandits a 1-zip lead in the 30th minute.

The BDF got another break

to equalize when the Bandits’ defender Jacinto Bermudez goofed into giving up a penalty by taking down Ryan Simpson inside the 18yard box, but Vallan Symns’ shot hit the crossbar when he tried to convert. Byron Usher also tried but his rocket of a shot was just over the crossbar.

BDF’s Harrison Tasher finally delivered the equalizer when his free kick deflected off a defender beat Bandits’ goalie Woodrow West in the 78th minute.

Deon McCauley now leads the PLB with 8 goals after he killed a pass from Ian Gaynair on his chest, and with his trademark pivot, put it into the net with a rebound off the far upright in the 85th minute for the 2-1 win.

Other matches:

Bandits vs. Police – 4-0 Goals by James (1), Macaulay (3) BDF vs. FC Belize – 1-1 Goals by Leon “Lem” Jones, Marlon Meza FC Belize vs. Verdes FC – 1-2

FFB shares new vision at 6th Congress Continued from page 14 ball Associations (FIFA) for a further expansion of the FIFA Goal project in the Belmopan, which is the FFB Football Institute.

Two more practice fields are to be added, and the lighting is to be further upgraded to meet exacting Central American standards for the upcoming Champions of Champions league competition, which the defending PLB champions, the Belmopan Bandits will be representing Belize.

FIFA’s largesse also includes 7 five-a-side football stadiums to be built throughout Belize, some of which will have artificial turf, Vicente said.

Vicente explained that the FFB continues its house-cleaning. They plan to gather and document evidence to take some of the past executive members to court to recover some alleged misappropriated funds. When the new executive took office last year the previous administration had already spent a portion of the 2012 subvention from FIFA which had been already disbursed. This had left the FFB in debt. The old executive had also signed contracts with employees who are now taking the new FFB to court to recover what they claim to be outstanding salaries; but the position of Vicente’s executive committee is that those contracts were signed illegally.

Alberto Vasquez challenges Trevor Lennon

Goals by Gilroy “Bredda” Thurton (2), Christobal Gilharry (1) Verdes vs. Placencia Assassins 2-0 Goals by Humberto Requena, Rodney Torres Police United vs. San Ignacio United – 4-1 Goals by Amin “Tacos” August, Lennox “Criminal” Castillo, Orlando “Lichy” Jimenez, Ryan Seravia, Garrett Bermudez San Ignacio United vs. FC San Felipe Barcelona – 1-1

Goal by Rosni Martinez and Clifton West Upcoming matches FC Belize vs. Bandits, Isidoro Beaton Stadium, Saturday night Police United vs. Verdes, MCC Garden, Sunday San Ignacio United vs. Placencia Assassins, Norman Broaster Stadium FC San Felipe Barcelona vs. BDF, Peoples’ Stadium

Easter Sunday

Horse Race Results

By Ladrick “Bull” Shepard F Class 3 Furlong 1st place – “Missile” of Che Stables, Jockey: Erick Martinez 2nd place – “Two to one” of Muddy Stables, Jockey; Emory Baptist 3rd place – “Yankee Dalla” of Che Stables, Jockey: Enrique Ramirez 4 Furlongs 1st place – “Twilight Night” of August Stables, Jockey: Manuel Rodriguez 2nd place – “Soniadora” of Cayo Stables, Jockey: Erick Martinez 3rd place – “Jah Blessed” of Corozal Stables, Jockey: Enrique Ramirez 5 Furlongs 1st place – “Buster” of Stuart Stables, Jockey: Carlos Rodriguez 2nd place – “Blind Lucky” of Micky Stables, Jockey: Earl Buddy 5 Furlongs 1st place – “Lady V” of Eiley Stables 2nd place – “Eclipse” of Rodriguez Stables 6 Furlongs 1st place – “Freaky Cat” of Britanny Stables, Jockey, Erick Martinez 2nd place – “Diabla” of Britanny Stables, Jockey: Earl Budd 3rd place – “Chispa” of Bradley Stables, Jockey: Anthony Barkley 6 Furlongs 1st place – “Kane” of Hugo Stables, Jockey: Enrique Ramirez 2nd place – “Lady Anna” of Eiley Stable, Jockey: Carlos Rodriguez 3rd place – “Cherry’s Bomb” of Esquiliano Stable, Jockey: Anthony Barkley 8 Furlongs 1st place – “Perfect Storm” of Canton Stables, Jockey: Emory Baptist 2nd place – “Foxy Ruler” of Britanny’s Stables, Jockey: Earl Budd

KHMH team

KHMH wins Interoffice Softball Championship Belize City, March 27, 2013 The Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital won the 2013 Belize City interoffice softball championship: 14-13 against the Belize Water Services limited at the Rogers’ Stadium last Saturday, April 6.

KHMH held onto the 14-13 win after giving up a 12-5 lead and a 14-9 lead at the end of the 6th inning. Flowers and Willacey each scored 3 runs.

Only BWS’ Bennett and Noralez came home in the 1st inning, and KHMH soon led 11-2 when Hermoso, Martinez, Briceño, Pauline Bradley and Kathleen Thomas came home in the 2nd inning.

Pitcher Arlette Castillo gave up only 2 runs in the 3rd inning. BWS’ Sharea Pandy scored in the 4th, and Fiona Rivero and William Stephens came home in the 5th.

BWS’ Kareem Thompson and Stephens scored in the sixth, and their last ditch effort in the seventh fell short of tying the score.

16

THE BELIZE TIMES

14 APR

2013

14 APR

2013

THE BELIZE TIMES

17

18

THE BELIZE TIMES

14 APR

2013

14 APR

2013

Unions are empty handed again No counter-proposal, No salary increase…just another “IF” Belize City, April 5, 2013 The large membership of three principal Unions in the country, the Belize National Teachers Union, the Association of Public Service Senior Managers and the Public Service Union, must be questioning the negotiating skills of their leaders.

For the second time in a row, on Friday April 5th, the Unions held an important meeting with Prime Minister Dean Barrow inside the Cabinet room in Belmopan, to discuss the overdue salary increase for teachers and public officers, but they left empty-handed.

For the second time also, the Prime Minister has gotten his way, deferring the all-important issue of a salary raise to a future date and imposing promises anchored on the operative word “IF”.

This time the Prime Minister has promised that “IF” the oil find in the Orange Walk District by the company, Maranco Limited, proves to be of commercial levels, and IF there are any revenues that lead to a surplus in Government revenues NEXT YEAR, teachers and public officers MAY get a salary increase.

This song and dance seemed good enough for the Union leaders who then wrapped up the meeting in agreement with another meeting in three months’ time, when they would review the status of the oil discovery in Orange Walk.

The Union leaders seemed so mesmerized with the Prime Minister’s proposal that they couldn’t snap back into reality. That reality is that any revenues from an oil find would take years to materialise, because in its initial stages the oil company spends heavily on exploration, and Government receives a

trickle. The Prime Minister knows this, but he chose to dangle the news of a possible oil find like a carrot stick before the Union leaders. The last time it was birthday candles and cake.

The Prime Minister also successfully derailed the Unions’ plan to make a salary adjustment counter proposal the centre of the discussion at Friday’s meeting. The Unions had written the Prime Minister in March proposing that Government pays a minimum 5% salary increase this year, notwithstanding Government’s revenue performance.

To that, the Prime Minister wrote back, ““…I am at a loss to understand, and must wholly reject, your position now for Government to pay, regardless of revenue performance, minimum 5% annual salary increases starting July of this year”.

The PM also insisted that any salary adjustment for teachers and public officers will only be “guaranteed” by the slim to none chances of increased revenues for the Government.

Union leaders have refused to make a public statement about the meeting.

The last time it got them in trouble.

They propose to return to their members and consult first. This will take several weeks.

The Union leaders who attended the meeting were the Presidents of the PSU and BNTU, Mervin Blades and Luke Palacio, and Past president of the APSSM, George Myvette. Representing the Government were the Prime Minister, Education Ministers Patrick Faber, Minister of Local Government Godwin Hulse, Minister of Public Service Charles Gibson and UDP Ambassador Mark Espat.

Guatemala President accused of war crimes

Guatemala City, April 5, 2013 Guatemala’s President, Otto Perez Molina, a former general in Guatemala’s armed forces, was accused of civil war atrocities on Thursday, April 4th, at the genocide trial of ex-Guatemala dictator Efrain Rios Montt.

According to the testimony of Hugo Reyes, who was an army engineer under Rios Montt’s 1982-1983 violent rule, Perez had commanded soldiers who burned down homes and shot and killed civilians during the civil war.

Reyes told the Court via a video

19

THE BELIZE TIMES

Makoabi R

x:

Relationships, Love Tips & Advice…

HOW TO GET BACK WITH YOUR EX… So, Miss Carter has a new song and we aren’t talking Mrs. Carter who was in Cuba with hussie Jay-Z. We’re talking the voluptuous Tanya Carter with her new hit single ‘Ex-Boyfriend’.

Tanya’s lyrics are sure to start a quarrel as the song goes, “although mi new man ah treat mi right, I want back my ex-boyfriend.” So, in this week’s Macobi files we thought what better way to start our 9 weeks syndicated column than to explore the question: How To Get Back With Your Ex…

Go Slow: It’s hard to go slowly when you’re making up for lost time, not to mention enjoying being so familiar with each other. But admit it or not, you’ve both changed and need to take time to get reacquainted.

1

Think About Why You Want To Be Together: While you might be dying to fast-forward to holding hands at sunset on Marine Parade it’s important to stop and think about why you want to be together.

2

Make Sure It’s Not Just a Quick Fix: Be honest with yourself: If the idea of going to another party alone makes you cringe, you’re more likely craving a quick fix for loneliness, not your ex. Because sooner or later, you’ll be saying “Bwai we need fi talk.” But if you can picture him still being in your life next summer and he can too— your heart is probably in the right place.

3

Touch On The Past: You split for a reason…even if it’s hard to remember now. But you and your ex need to face what went wrong the first time if you’re going to move forward.

4

Make Some Changes: If he couldn’t stand your complaining make a point to be more understanding. If the thing that bothered you the most was not getting a text when he was out late, call him out if he trips up again.

5

Keep Some Things on the Downlow: As for what (or whom) you did during your split, it’s best not to go into excruciating details. Instead, focus on the great time you’re having together now…not then. link from an undisclosed location that he witnessed the killing of farmers on an army base near the village of Nebaj Continued on page 31

6

Drop us a message in our inbox on our Facebook page: Belize Times Press.

20

THE BELIZE TIMES

Recipe of the week

Bring the almond milk, 1 3/4 cups water, the diced bananas, almond and vanilla extracts and pinch of salt to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat.

Stir in the oats, cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon of the honey and reduce the heat to medium.

Cook, stirring frequently, until the oats are fully cooked to desired consistency, 6 to 7 minutes.

Transfer to 4 bowls, top with the sliced bananas, walnuts, the remaining 1 tablespoon honey, cinnamon and chocolate chips and serve.

Per Serving: Calories: 382; Total Fat: 12 grams; Saturated Fat: 1.5 grams; Protein: 11 grams; Total carbohydrates: 61 grams; Sugar: 24 grams; Fiber: 7.5 grams; Cholesterol: 0 milligrams; Sodium: 135 milligrams

“Hot Chocolate” Banana-Nut Oatmeal Ingredients 2 cups plain almond milk 2 fully-ripened large bananas (1 1/2 diced and 1/2 thinly sliced crosswise) 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Salt 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar 1/3 cup toasted and chopped walnuts Pinch ground cinnamon 2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips

Sean Eldon Thompson, 26, to Bertha Patricia Hasbun, 25, both of Belmopan Taylor Jay Pool, 26, to Kasey Nichole Rogner, 27, both of Dallas, Texas, U.S.A. Benjamin Graham Raak, 33, to Ashley Ann Becker, 28, both of Golden Valley, Minnesota, U.S.A. Alexander Charles Hoeller, 57, to Elizabeth Fern Henderson, 47, both of Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada Eugene Angelo Sorgi, 54, to Lori Lynn Johnson, 53, both of Springport, Michigan, U.S.A. John Lazarus Lambey, 22, to Jameria Tunn, 23, both of San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye Mathew Langton, 27, to Lauren Curry, 25, both of Bridgewater, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Darrell Stephen Schuster, 44, to Miranda Riane See, 24, both of Belton, Missouri, U.S.A.

Luis Soler Alcaraz, 32, to Etel Marcela Meyer, 33, both of Alicante, Spain Juan Jose Serrano, 38, of Santa Cruz, Stann Creek District, to Juanita Maria Acosta, 16, of Bella Vista, Toledo District Edwin Lincoln Henderson, 31, to Rieshel Aurora Orosco, 25, both of Corozal Town, Corozal District Thomas Jason Hamilton, 38, to Brandi Nicole Harrison, 32, both of Houston, Texas, U.S.A. Jimmy Palacio, 30, to Cristina Coc, 27, both of Ladyville, Belize District Keith John Hills, 57, to Tracey Hills, 47, both of Hampton, Middlesex, England, U.K. Andrew Ronald Knutson, 27, to Andray Lynn Job, 30, both of Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.A. Randolph Ivan Young, 41, of Belmopan, to Nuria Yanette Castellanos, 34, of Corozal Town,

2013

Directions

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day; but, we often skip it when we are dieting or in a hurry. Here’s a quick and easy recipe for a “dessert delicious” morning treat.

MARRIAGES

14 APR

Corozal District Gabriel Garcia, 24, to Rubyceli Jimenez, 21, both of Guinea Grass, Orange Walk District Jean Pratt, 60, to Emilia Zul, 62, both of Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District Antonio Naim Turcios, 27, to Judith Patricia Escalante, 26, both of Bella Vista, Toledo District Darwin Eli Perez, 22, of Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District, to Delmi Sarai Galdames, 21, of El Progreso (Seven Miles), Cayo District Jorge Flores, 39, to Maria Argentina Rivera, 25, both of Bladen, Toledo District Cladio Cesar Azueta, 29, to Yenny Aracely Castro Diaz, 26, both of San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye Jacinto Pop, 39, to Isabella Bull, 38, both of Carmelita, Orange Walk District Cruz Eleazar Rivera, 27, to Ena Claudia Patt, 19, both of San Narciso, Corozal District Tesifonsie Rene Lopez, 42, to Maria Luisa Ancona, 34, both of San Andres, Corozal District

Pedro Cac, Jr., 21, to Anna Noemia Caal, 19, both of San Pablo, Orange Walk District Wil Omar Claros, 37, to Deybi Lissette, 33, both of Bomba, Belize District Lyjon Paul John Franklin, 30, to Kimberly Sheree Vernon, 26, both of Belize City James Mezilien, 33, to Mellesa Karena Carthy, 33, both of Belize City Roy Williams, 33, of Calcutta, Corozal District, to Jovana Leonora Rancharan, 30, of Ranchito, Corozal District Hugo Howe Corado, 20, to Joselyn Leticia Vasquez, 19, both of Teakettle, Cayo District Elmer Torres, 33, to Angelica Beatriz Sibian, 23, both of Teakettle, Cayo District Medardo Ismael Rivero, 23, to Ismeri Merere Patt, 19, both of Chunox, Corozal District Noe Exisael Oroman, 21, to Flor Idalia Rodriguez, 24, both of Teakettle, Cayo District Jervis Steeling, 52, to Yvonne Williams, 56, both of San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye

BIRTHS Born to William Woodye and Irma Victoria Woodye nee Cardenas, a girl, Lynnll Llecy Born to Patrick Benedict Aldana and Tanya Aloma Aldana nee Mendez, a girl, Michaelie Minellie Born to Ignacio Andy Belisle and Dalila Belisle nee Hoare, a boy, Rohan Andy Born to Elias Choc and Florina Choc nee Bo, a boy, Andrew Henry

DEATHS Shing Chi Lee, 69 Fermin Martinez Hernandez, 23 Oswald Osmund Tillett, 86 Dean Edwardo Vasquez, 47 Enrique Rodolfo Thompson, 49 Gerald A. Dawson, 34 Rosita Fernandez, 65 Hortense Kerrihapo Leslie, 84 Maria Teresa Torres, 62 Ann Lopez, 88 Vidal Melva Martinez, 54

14 APR

2013

THE BELIZE TIMES

Reid Absolute corruption

By G. Michael Reid At some point, Belizeans will have to get very serious about this fight against corruption. It matters not who is doing it, how much we like the ones doing it or what they have done for us personally. Corruption is wrong and must be stopped.

Each government that is voted into office comes in with grandeur promises of transparency, accountability and better governance than the government before them. Yet, hardly a few months into office and the rumors start flying and scandals start surfacing. This current United Democratic Party government has got to be as classic an example of that as it gets.

The people of Belize had high hopes for this government but they have been disappointed on every front. One area where the disappointment has been huge is in the area of land management and distribution. Before elections, Dean Barrow boasted that he would stop all corruption in the Lands Department and that he would “quitar” any land that was ill gotten. What he didn’t say was that while he would stop what was happening, he would diligently promote new and worse abuses. In recent months, there have been several accusations levied against the Lands Department and the Minister responsible for that department. Evidence reveals that he has been issuing huge tracts of land to his immediate relatives and friends. All this while ordinary Belizeans stand in line and are frustrated to no end in their attempt to acquire small parcels of land.

Belize has a total of 8,887 square miles of prime land mass.

This translates to over five million acres of land. Each acre translates into 43,560 sq. feet; easily producing three or four large size housing lots. With a population of about

21

todes?

There is a media house in Belmopan that has been doing an excellent job of highlighting many of the wrongs happening under this government. Plus TV is neither red, blue nor any other color. The hosts are actually religious based and have been hitting out right left and center. For a while, I was even convinced that they were doing the bidding of the United Democrat350,000 people, there is no good reaic Party. One of the hosts, Patrick son why each citizen cannot own at Andrews is in fact, son of Joseph least one house lot. Yet it seems that Andrews, a dyed in the wool UDP all the land goes to just family and supporter. The fact is that there is a friends of the Lands Minister and a lot wrong with the way this governfew select cronies. ment has been running this country.

In a recent interview when One would have to be blindly loyal Minister of Lands Gaspar Vega was to not recognize that and obviously, asked about giving out lands to his Patrick Andrew’s loyalty is not blind. immediate family, he responded that He has been speaking out against his family was not like “normal” Becorruption. lizeans. Fact is that none of these John Saldivar has now decided politicians think that they are like that he will take Patrick Andrews to “normal” Belizeans. Unfortunately, court for suggesting that he, John we the “normal” Belizeans are the Saldivar, is corrupt. Folks, this has very ones who have given to these got to be the biggest joke of the elected officials this status of “demiyear. Everybody knows that John gods”.

Saldivar is corrupt. How could he afRecently, another scandal was ford to build that massive mansion exposed of lands in Placencia that in Belmopan and how did he achad been given out to relatives and quire the property on which it sits? friends of the Minister. When it Wasn’t that land allocated as the was found out that the land was in site for a cemetery?

It is interesting that any UDP should accuse anyone of being libelous. Their Dean Barrow boasted that he would stop all radio station, Wave radio, corruption in the Lands Department and that he on a consistent basis diswould “quitar” any land that was ill gotten. What respects, disparages and lies on people. Every he didn’t say was that while he would stop tell Wednesday John Saldivar what was happening, he would diligently himself is on there and joins right in with that vitpromote new and worse abuses. riolic. I guess that ole Kriol saying is oh so true, “duh so nuh like duh suh!” fact designated as a reserve, the government was forced to reverse the transactions. This is where it gets interesting and it is a practice that seems to have become all too common. Instead of reimbursing the monies that was initially paid, which turned out to be a mere pittance compared to what the land is really worth, government actually gave these land hogs market value. This means that some got two and three hundred times the amount they had initially paid for the land. Something is terribly wrong here!

In February, it was revealed in the House of Representatives about a piece of land that was given to one Derek Gillett, a close UDP confidant in Orange Walk. Turns out that land actually belonged to one Silvio Correo. Instead of just reacquiring the land and giving it back to the original owner, the government paid to Gillett, one hundred and forty eight thousand dollars of taxpayers’ money and apologized for any inconvenience caused. Any of us would be so lucky to have such an inconvenience caused.

There are many such stories

and it seems a deliberate scheme to transfer taxpayers’ money to relatives and select cronies of these government ministers. Of course, as usual, the excuse of the apologists is that this has been happening for a long time. That does not make it right. At some point, there will have to be a change in the way things are usually done. That was the promise of the UDP. Instead, things have grown progressively worse.

The system, under which we are governed, while not perfect, does have mechanisms in place to check corruption. There is an Integrity Commission, an Auditor General and a Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

If functional, they would be able to ensure that elected officials are held accountable in the spending of the people’s money. All elected officials, including Members of Parliament, Mayors, Councilors and even members of Town Boards must declare assets and liabilities on a yearly basis. The Commission is then tasked to evaluate and prevent unlawful enrichment by the misuse tax dollars.

Problem is that not only are few filing but for the past five years, there is not even an Integrity Commission.

The Auditor General has no information to work with and the PAC lies dormant. Quis custodiet ipsos cus-

22

THE BELIZE TIMES

14 APR

2013

14 APR

23

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

WOMAN IN THE HOUSE

By Dolores Balderamos Garcia

Conduct

Unbecoming When he said it I knew immediately that he intended to disparage and insult me for the position I had taken in speaking on the appointment of the Ombudsman.

A few months ago the motion for the appointment of the Ombudsman came before the House of Representatives. Hon. John Briceño and I had attended the House Committee meeting several days earlier, and on that occasion I raised my concerns that a competent, skilled and experienced individual should occupy the post of Ombudsman.

When we read the Ombudsman Act we can see that the Ombudsman occupies a very important quasi-judicial function. He/she must be a person whose abilities and independence are unassailable, a person who is entirely free from the influence of the Executive branch of Government, and a person who can carry out the duties of investigating wrongdoing or excesses by Government bodies and departments without fear or favour.

I feel strongly that the person who is Ombudsman must have discernible knowledge and experience in the area of human rights because it is the defence of citizens’ fundamental rights and freedoms that he/she must at all times attend to.

In my contribution in the House, and after Opposition Leader Francis Fonseca had questioned whether the nominee had the requisite qualifications to occupy this important position, I mentioned my concerns and stated that in my view the Ombudsman does not necessarily have to be an attorney, but that being an attorney can stand the Ombudsman in good stead. Attorneys, due to the training that they must undergo, will have some knowledge and experience relating to the Constitution and will have been exposed to the need for a serious approach to respecting Belizeans’ human rights.

I believe that the Prime Minister well knew that the Government side were on the defensive in this regard. Instead of recognizing and showing some mature appreciation for the legitimate concerns that Opposition Mem-

bers were raising, he launched into a personal attack against me. He said that being a lawyer had not stood me in good stead, whatever he meant by that. The put-down was clear, it was unnecessary, it was uncalled for, and it was downright nasty and mean-spirited.

I let him know quite loudly what I thought of his remark, and I know that he was condemned afterwards by many for his arrogant and vicious behavior. In his wrap-up on the day in question the Prime Minister tried to lessen the effect of his remarks by saying that in debating he gives no quarter and takes no quarter (whatever that means), but that no one should take it personally.

Give me a break! I have sat in House meeting after House meeting, and the behavior of the Hon. Member for Queens Square has been ungentlemanly, personal, petty, insulting and disparaging.

Even in his winding up of the Budget debate on March 22, 2013, and even after the Speaker at the start of the Budget debate had specifically asked all Members for better behavior, since on the previous occasion the conduct of Members on the Government side had sunk to a new low, the Prime Minister just could not resist becoming mean and personal. Time and time again the Prime Minister has wallowed in the mud, throwing big words that are meant to insult and then telling us to go and look it up, as opposed to trying to keep the discussion and the people’s business on a steady and mature level of debate on the issues and with respect for all House Members, whether Government or Opposition.

At the winding up of the Budget debate I witnessed the Prime Minister launch into his accustomed Ad Hominem attacks on the Leader of the Opposition, the Rt. Hon. Said Musa and others, not at all heeding the admonition of the Speaker, who had asked all of us to conduct ourselves in a manner that could make all Belizeans and especially students feel proud.

I do not believe that the Prime Minister has any change to change when it comes to his behavior in the House and his propensity for repugnant and mean rhetoric. This is a great pity because in my view it is conduct unbecoming of the Leader of Government and the Leader of our country. Belizeans deserve better.

For Sale

By Order of the Mortgagee

Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a Company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Mortgage made the 9th day of March, 2011, between AMOS VELASQUEZ of the one part, and the said SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD. of the other part , and recorded in Deeds Book Volume 6 of 2011 at folios 591 - 652; and the said SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the Schedule hereto.

All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD. THE SCHEDULE ABOVE REFERRED TO ALL THAT piece and parcel of land situate in San Roman Village, Stann Creek District, Belize, and being Lot No. 66 comprising 1137.57 Square Yards bounded and described as shown on Plan No. 356 of 2003 TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon.

DATED this 10th day of April, 2013.

MUSA & BALDERAMOS 91 North Front Street, Belize City Attorneys-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.

24

THE BELIZE TIMES

Home Economics Honey Bee Industry in Belize money from grants from Taiwan, PACT, European Union and Government of Belize....they went to the farmers and gave them free packaging materials, made labels for them, gave them free training in marketing, etc. The farmers were thus being converted to packagers and distributors of their own honey...and refused to sell me honey in bulk. I saw this coming long before... and diversified my business into processing of other food products.

The result is that there has been NO increase in production of honey in Belize.....the retail price of honey has almost doubled....and more honey is being imported into Belize from Guatemala and Mexico.

Belize has the climate (most of the time) and flowering conditions to produce two honey crops per year. Large citrus acreages....which currently produce an average of 1.5 boxes of citrus per tree....can benefit greatly from pollination services. In Florida, where honey bee pollination services are a routine for citrus farming...the average production of citrus is 5 boxes per tree. “Citrus Honey” is highly valued in the developed markets and fetches a high price relative to ordinary honey. A flower needs to be pollinated in order to produce fruit....bees are the most efficient pollinators...and productivity of many crops in Belize can improve by simply making pollination services available...which serves as added income to bee-keepers. In Florida, 35% of bee-keepers revenues come from pollination services.

Jungle Mixed-Flower Honey... especially if it meets ORGANIC criteria....is also a highly valued honey in the developed markets. Belize is blessed with large tracts of “protected areas” that are rich with cohune and other palms....which render high quality amber honey.

There are also large acreages of sugarcane....which renders a dark honey rich in minerals....which is of much higher nutritional value than amber alfalfa honey...so it can be marketed for its nutritional value....as opposed to the light-amber colored honey that now leads in the developed markets.

Together we must build Belize.... to the best of our abilities. Thank you for supporting Verena’s and Danai products!

This article was written by Richard Harrison, a local businessman and investor in the manufacturing and service industries. Mr. Harrison holds a Masters in Business Administration degree from Lancaster University, United Kingdom. Send comments to harrisonbz@yahoo.com

2013

The Importance of Time Management

A way forward!

By Richard Harrison (written in 2011) There is significant potential for a multi-million dollar honey bee industry in Belize.

Bees are successful when there are lots of flowers....most places in the world only see one flowering season....Belize usually has two flowering seasons (one as a result of the hot dry period...and one as a result of the chilly period). Bees feed on the nectar of flowers, which they process into honey....they also harvest the pollen, which is of very high economic and nutritional value.

An attempt was made at organizing honey production in the Cayo and Orange Walk districts in the 1970’s.

These efforts were accordingly frustrated by the spraying of paraquat in anti-drug efforts in the early 1980’s.

A few farmers still kept producing honey in San Antonio, Succotz, Santa Familia and Springfield areas of the Cayo district...and also in Orange Walk. However, production remained small but stable at an estimated 3000 gallons per annum up until today.

The demand for honey in Belize is an estimated 10,000 gallons per annum...a retail value of about $560,000.

The shortfall is being supplied from neighboring Guatemala and Mexico.

I started Verena Foods in November 2002, processing and packaging cleaned natural honey...in professional squeeze bottle with safety seals and flip-caps with my brand VERENA’s.... and selling, marketing and distributing it in stores countrywide. At the time...honey could only be purchased in fresh produce markets, bottled in reused beer and rum bottles...and demand for such a product was low... given the health concerns for such rudimentary packaging and positioning.

Needless to say....demand shot up and we grew rapidly and profitably.

Farmers were all too ready to sell us the honey at $500 per drum, because there was little market clearance for their product. As demand grew, I started paying the farmers more and more....until in 2006, we were paying them $1,300 per drum. I paid them spot cash for their product and picked it up from their farm-gate....and in many cases offered them purchasing contracts which could be used as collateral to obtain financing for production expansion.

The eyes of the Ministry of Agriculture and Beltraide at the time got red....and they suddenly started to be interested in honeybee market.... instead of working with the farmers to grow their production to meet my demand....they found a lot of “free”

14 APR

By Dr. Angela Banner Joseph “You get to decide where your time goes. You can either spend it moving forward, or you can spend it putting out fires. You decide. And if you don’t decide, others will decide for you.” - Tony Morgan How do you spend your time? Do you set goals? How do you prioritize your day? Are you an organized person or are you a procrastinator? Time management is learning how to manage your time effectively so you can assign a specific time for getting things done.

It is not about doing more things, but instead about developing good skills to make the best use of your time.

During my tenure in academia, I learned the importance of time management and its impact on living a balanced lifestyle. I learned that effective time management allowed me to control my daily schedule. I learned I had no one to blame for my failures or lack of achievements if I did not plan my time well. I was accountable to myself and I could not blame anyone else for not reaching my goals. I set my own goals, so it was up to me to fulfil them. I sometimes had to get advice from others on how to achieve them, but the bottom line was that I had to organize myself to complete the assignment.

What type of person are you? Are you the type of person who can’t say no and who allows others to control your time? Do you socialize too much and run out of time?

Are you always running late because you procrastinated, or are you a perfectionist who worries about having everything perfect? Do you some-

times end up accomplishing nothing? How do you organize your time and what are your immediate, short-term, or longterm goals?

I found out the hard way that procrastination could be a major downfall. People often procrastinate out of fear. It was important for me to develop a plan of action to best organize myself to accomplish my goals.

I used time management tools to allow myself to take advantage of my time to maximize my efficiency. Stephen Richards wrote, in Overcoming Procrastination, “How often do you find yourself saying, ‘In a minute,’ ‘I’ll get to it,’ or ‘Tomorrow’s good enough,’ and every other possible excuse in the book?

Compare it with how often you decide, ‘It’s got to be done, so let’s get on and do it!’ That should tell you just how serious your procrastinating problem really is.”

At present, my work schedule, family obligations, and community projects are busier than ever. But I have become an exceptional organizer to work on what’s important to me. I do not allow people to waste my time. I have learned that preparing a daily schedule allows me to control my time to do the things that I want to achieve for myself. Like most people today, we all have hectic schedules, whether they are for work, home, school, or sporting events.

Being organized and using time management tools simply allows me to stay in control. Our daily schedules may be different, but the way you manage your time is up to you.

Find what works best for you.

As Michelle Passoff asserted, “To have more peace, as well as more time, start by letting go of the notion that time can be manipulated. Then, let go of the idea that it confines you. Instead, set out to use the time that is there for its true and best purpose–as the space within which you can live your life to the fullest.”

Dr. Angela Banner Joseph holds a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership and Change from the Fielding Graduate University

14 APR

2013

JUST FOR FUN… CONNECT THE DOTS

25

THE BELIZE TIMES

JUST FOR FUN… COLOUR BY NUMBER

FRUITS WORD SEARCH

26

14 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

VACANCY NOTICE UNICEF is seeking qualified Belizean Nationals for the position of Receptionist/Typist in the Belize Country Office (GS-3 level).

2013

BRAIN

TEASER

SUDOKU PUZZLE #12/2013

Within the delegated authority and under the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be assigned the primarily, shared, or contributory accountabilities for all or part of the major duties.

Under the supervision of the Operations Assistant: Duties & Responsibilities: 1. Creates and maintains office manuals, administrative and general files and records. Files all correspondences, documents and other materials. Maintain and upkeep the resource library.

2. Answers telephone, directs calls and responds to routine inquiries.

3. Receives and assists visitors to office.

4. Dispatches outgoing communication, including pouches and faxes. Logs and routes all incoming correspondence and documents.

5. Prepares correspondence, presentations, minor documents and statistical tables. Reviews and edits documents.

6. Supports production and distribution of reports; photocopying, collating, etc.

7. Makes logistical arrangements for meetings, workshops and special events.

8. Provides administrative support for programme and operations as needed.

9. Prepares minutes /summaries of meetings as required.

10. Assist in making travel arrangements – local and international.

11. Assumes the role as Agency Security Focal Point.

12. Assumes roles in the Virtual Integrated System of Information 13. Performs other duties as required.

Qualifications and Work Experience: • Completion of secondary school. An Associate Degree in the Social Sciences would be an advantage.

• Two years of relevant professional work experience in the secretarial, administrative or clerical field.

• Fluency in English; Strong communication skills, written and oral. Knowledge of Spanish would be an asset.

• Proven and accurate typing ability.

• Thorough knowledge of modern office administrative and record-keeping procedures.

• Fully computer literate. Competent in Word Processing, Power Point & Excel.

See answers NEXT WEEK

Values and Competencies: Commitment, Maturity, Initiative, Attentive, Integrity, Efficient Time Management and Confidentiality.

Other Skills and Attributes: Ability to work in an international, multicultural & team-based working environment.

Closing date of submitting applications is 30 April, 2013. Late applications will not be considered and regret letter will only be sent to short-listed candidates.

Please visit our website http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_apply.html to access the Personal History (P11) Form to be sent by e-mail with a detailed résumé to belize@unicef.org, attention: Operations Assistant.

UNICEF OPERATES IN A SMOKE-FREE ENVIRONMENT & IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER & A HIV RESPECTING WORKPLACE

Answers for last week’s puzzle SUDOKU PUZZLE SOLUTION #11/2013

Answers for last week’s puzzle

See answers NEXT WEEK

14 APR

27

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

BELIZE TIMES WEEKLY

SCIENCE & TECH R

E

V

I

E

W

Selected By Chris Williams

What can North Korean missiles hit?

Can we stop them?

As Pyongyang’s warlike rhetoric continues, South Korean government sources have suggested that North Korea’s next moves may include a ballistic missile test, which could take place as soon as 10 April. New Scientist assesses the threat from North Korea’s arsenal of rockets.

9 April 2013 by Peter Aldhous If North Korea does conduct a missile test this week, what is likely to be involved?

Most speculation surrounds a missile known as the Musudan. This is based on the Soviet R-27, designed in the 1960s to be launched from submarines. The North Korean variant, displayed at a military parade in Pyongyang in October 2010, would be deployed from a large truck.

The Musudan would be an important advance over North Korea’s workhorse ballistic missile, the No-dong, which has a range of up to 1300 kilometres. No-dongs are fuelled by kerosene, but the Soviet missile on which the Musudan is based used a more potent fuel: unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine.

If the North Koreans have perfected the technology to use this fuel, the Musudan could have a range of 2500 to 4000 kilometres, which might just put the US Pacific territory of Guam in its sights. Testfired from North Korea’s east coast, a missile with this range would fly high over Japan and out into the Pacific Ocean.

Has the Musudan flown before?

Some reports have suggested that the Musudan, also known as the No-dong B, was tested from Iran in 2006, but most security experts regard this as speculation.

It seems unlikely that Pyongyang would use an untested missile for a pre-emptive military strike. “It could blow up on the launch pad,” says David Wright of the Union of Concerned Scientists in Cambridge, Massachusetts. So a test flight seems like the obvious next step.

Does North Korea have any other missiles up its sleeve?

The engines North Korea used in this satellite launch in December 2012 were not as advanced as some thought the country could muster (Image: KCNA/Reuters)

In April 2012, six new missiles, dubbed the KN-08, were displayed at a parade in Pyongyang. At first glance, these looked like multi-stage intercontinental ballistic missiles, with a range of up to 10,000 km – which would put many US cities in range.

However, two rocket engineers, Markus Schiller and Robert Schmucker of the consulting firm Schmucker Technologie in Munich, Germany, scrutinised images of the parade and concluded from subtle variations between the missiles that they were probably mock-ups. The KN-08, the consultants said, was a “dog and pony show” intended to confuse foreign analysts.

North Korea recently put a satellite into orbit. Doesn’t that suggest it can build an intercontinental ballistic missile?

If anything, the successful launch of a satellite into low-Earth orbit in December 2012 on its Unha3 rocket indicates that Pyongyang may be further from building an ICBM than was previously thought.

South Korea recovered pieces

from the rocket’s first stage, which showed it to be powered by a cluster of four No-dong engines. The Unha3 might still be an ICBM in civilian space clothing, if its second stage was based on the Musudan, as had been thought. But its performance suggests that it relied on a Scudclass engine, smaller than those used on the No-dong.

That’s fine for lofting a small satellite, but of no use for sending a warhead across the Pacific. “The configuration they flew was not what you’d expect to see for a ballistic missile,” says Wright.

But even No-dongs could reach cities in South Korea and Japan.

Could one of those be fitted with a nuclear warhead?

Some security experts believe that North Korea probably could put a nuclear weapon on a No-dong.That would help explain the low explosive yields of its 2006 and 2009 nuclear tests: rather than indicating faltering progress in building a large Manhattan Project-style bomb, Pyongyang may have been trying from the start to build a device small enough to put

on a missile.

So could the US and its allies shoot down a No-dong?

US officials seem confident that they can. The main line of defence would the Aegis antimissile system, deployed on both US and Japanese ships, which sends an interceptor to destroy an incoming missile while it is still above the atmosphere.

According to the US Missile Defense Agency, in tests Aegis has eliminated a target missile in 24 of 30 attempts. It was also used in February 2008 to destroy a failed US spy satellite that was slowly falling back to Earth and so posed a small threat to Pacific islanders.

That sounds reassuring. But do the tests prove that the system would work in the event of a real attack?

We don’t know for sure.

“These tests are designed to succeed,” says George Lewis of the Judith Reppy Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Shooting down a target you’ve launched yourself under controlled conditions is quite different from responding to a surprise attack, he points out.

According to Ted Postol of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, North Korea probably won’t deploy sophisticated antimissile countermeasures, such as decoy warheads. But he says that it wouldn’t be hard for North Korean engineers to cause the spent missile body to break into a series of pieces. It remains unclear from the tests conducted so far whether the Aegis system could then identify and target a warhead from the multiple objects falling back to Earth.

“There are so many unknowns,” Postol says.

28

THE BELIZE TIMES

14 APR

2013

For the past four years I’ve been plunged into a space of uncertainty with the rapid rise of the book as an electronic reality. In the closing years of the 20th century I had fallen deeply in love with the book as an object. In the first 13 years of the 21st century the book as something physical has undergone radical changes. I’ve been forced to keep up. So now I read ½ physical and ½ electronic.

As each day passes the concept of the book keeps growing. I look at certain books as art objects now. On a recent visit to my dear friend Meg Craig she told me how much she loved reading Colin B. Hyde’s recently released book “Growing Up In Old Belize.” She said, “I enjoyed every page of it because it is our history.” I left her home and went straight to my brother’s bookstore and bought it. I read it on Holy Saturday. It is indeed an amazing read. Colin writes with ease and calm. I am inspired by his humble temperament, peppy curiosity and zeal for the humanist life. We get a live action view into his growing up in “old” Belize. It is a must read for all.

Reading Colin’s book made me appreciate more how easily history is erased and how flexible and nimble our understanding of things can morph. There are many books about Belize that have been out of print for years, even decades. I want to outline what I consider a few examples of interesting and significant books about Belize. There are many more and this is by no means my final list.

I wanted to start by outlining some key books hopefully serving as reference to the current generation. They need to understand that the responsibility of keeping books at the forefront of our consciousness is a struggle, but for any society to progress, the publishing and preservation of books are key veins that supply blood to the nation’s heart and mind.

The reason for my putting down these thoughts is that we need to find a way to bring our printed history and book legacy into the electronic age so that our children can have easy access to knowledge that remains hidden and inaccessible. This is a challenge for the next decade - to digitalize as much of our out of print books and documented materials and promote it as our digital heritage for all to use.

14 APR

2013

THE BELIZE TIMES

Dance Hall In Heaven In the manual, 2 Samuel 6:14, I read about a King dancing.

He was so happy that God was back among the people that he danced with all his might. To make it worse, he was almost fully naked! This was unfit behavior and attire for a king! In verse 16, Saul’s daughter looked on David with disgust, making mention of it in verse 20. Because of this God operated on her fallopian tube to prevent her from having kids ever again until she died!

What got her so upset was seeing a king, who was to be much more ‘royal’ in behavior and dress code than a mere peasant, behaving as a mere man! I cannot imagine it a pretty sight to see a man dancing with all his might! In fact, his wife told him he was behaving as a drunkard! As I have mentioned in previous articles, most churches today would have put David out of their establishment, and they might have problems with him while in heaven for a long time!

So, I have a question for you. If David is in heaven dancing to music, which music do you think he would prefer to dance to if he were dancing with all his might? Would he prefer ‘Amazing Grace’ funeral songs or would he prefer Papa San dance hall?

In fact, allow me to sweeten the pot or maybe for some it will become sourer. As I know, there are some who believe any music other than solemn church style is ‘devilish’! Check this out. I told a student about a week ago that I would play the guitar in heaven and would learn to play the drums! He was around twelve years old and refused to believe me, so I pulled out the Manual. I asked him what material the drums and guitar were made of, and he correctly mentioned wood. I then showed him the last book of the constitution called ‘Revelation’ chapters 21 and 22, proving to him that this place will have gold and pearls and this place will have trees! If I may yet ask you another question, how many products are made today and have been made from trees?

See my drum will be made from trees and its metal lining will be made from gold taken off the street! The book says that even water will flow in the middle of the streets and you can drink it, and it gives life!

See many people believe heaven will be boring and even if not heaven they believe that wherever we go after we die will be boring! Well, in Revelation, the new earth or (Jerusalem) mentioned in 21:1, speaks about trees and water and precious materials in as much proportion or even greater proportions as earth. That last book also promises that unlike earth today, where we have to live among wickedness in peoples’ heart where they will steal from you, rape, kill, curse you, God promises that no one who practices adultery, or who have sexual intercourse without being married, or who is a drunkard, or a thief will be able to enter this city!

Imagine a place where no one will steal from you and no one you love will ever die! I’ll close by saying one more thing. Many sincerely misled ‘Christians’ believe that we will live in heaven in front of God like the angels and just sing hallelujah for eternity!

Well, first off let me say that I am personally not interested in doing it that way. If God wanted us to be like that he would not have put us on earth and given us work to do!

I’ll stop here for this week, and maybe next week, I’ll continue to look at the place called heaven in more detail and make some distinction between the New Jerusalem, heaven, and the place called hell that many do not believe in and therefore live on this earth as they please!

Until next week God Bless!

29

TOO MUCH GAS!!

The complaint of ‘too much gas” is one of the leading problems

By Dr. Mark Musa brought to doctors specializing in digestive health. Many individuals may worry that there is a serious underlying problem but this is seldom the case. The main consequence of excess gas is usually embarrassment and social isolation, particularly if you emit an offensive odour or sound in a public setting.

What causes gas?

Gas in the digestive tract is usually caused by swallowing air and by the breakdown of certain foods in the large intestine by bacteria. Everyone swallows a small amount of air when eating and drinking. The amount of air swallowed increases when people eat or drink too fast, smoke, chew gum, drink carbonated soft drinks, and wear loose-fitting dentures. Also, the stomach and small intestine do not fully digest some carbohydrates—sugars, starches, and fiber found in many foods. This undigested food passes through the small intestine to the large intestine. Once there, undigested carbohydrates are broken down by bacteria in the large intestine to produce gas.

Which foods cause Gas? Most foods that contain carbohydrates can cause gas.

In contrast, fats and proteins cause little gas. Some foods that may cause gas include beans, vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, onions, cauliflower; fruits such as apples and pears, whole grain such as oats, wheat and bran; soft drinks; dairy products milk, cheese and ice cream; and sugar-free candies and gums that contain sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, and xylitol.

What are the symptoms of gas?

The most common symptoms of gas are burping, passing gas, bloating, and abdominal pain or discomfort.

Burping, or belching, once in a while, especially during and after meals, is normal. Some people who burp frequently may have an upper GI disorder, such as acid reflux/ gastroesophageal reflux disease. In terms of Passing Gas, it may be normal to pass gas up to 20X a day. You may feel that Gas that escapes from below has no status in any respectable society. In fact, in Ancient Rome, passing gas in public was illegal. But, whether we like it or not, gas is part of the human condition.

What can I do to relieve excessive Gas? Reducing the above foods that produce a lot of gas is important. Lactose intolerance is extremely common therefore changing the milk to Soy or Lactose-free milk will help. Try to limit air swallowing by chewing the food well and eating slowly. Avoid drinking soft-drinks, beer, chewing gum and smoking. Over the counter-remedies that contain simethicone and digestive enzymes such as GasX, Beano, and Espasmo digestomen can help relieve gas and bloating. Also, trying Probiotics which is the good bacteria can improve the balance of good and bad bacteria in the colon and help with digestive health.

30

THINK ABOUT IT POLICE ABUSE Last week Thursday, a man was beaten brutally by Police. This happened in the San Ignacio Police Station. This is not an isolated incident.

The Police beat the man until he agreed to sign a confession that he was involved in a robbery. The Police at San Ignacio Police Station have been conducting beatings, torture and inhumane treatment against suspects for a long, long time.

They do so with impunity.

Thirteen months ago a trial, of three men for robbery and murder inside the Belize Bank in San Ignacio, came crashing down. The brutality inflected on them resulted in broken ribs for one and a broken foot for another. The Police had repeatedly lashed one of his feet with a rifle, breaking it in three places. Fortunately when they were sent to court to be charged, Magistrate Albert Hoare, on being told of the horrendous beatings ordered they be taken to hospital immediately.

Eleven months ago another murder trial collapsed because of the horrific torture of a suspect who was acccused of robbery and murder at Scotia Bank in Spanish Lookout. The suspect was detained in Guatemala and handed over to San Ignacio Police. He was transported to the Belmopan Police Training Academy where he was beaten, and reapeatedly shocked in his chest, abdomen and genitals with a small electronic device. By 11:20 p.m. he was a broken human and crying and begging and eager to confess.

At the Ladyville Police Station, beatings and abuse are so common place that the school children know about it.

A former Police Minister visited the Belmopan Police Station and entered the torture room upstairs where a “victim” had his hand handcuffed behind a chair.

He turned around and saw the Minister whom he recognized from the carnivals.

His complaints went unheeded. He was being investigated as part of a wild and crazy allegation that he and others found in Lord’s Bank with firearms were seeking to kill Minister Faber.

Belmopan Police Station has become a regional hotspot for taking suspects to be “interrogated”.

The headquarters of torture are at the Queen Station where horrendous beatings and abuses are routine.

But why spew forth a litany of recent abuses when the G.S.U. has consolidated it all around their name. Within two years this small unit has earned quite a reputation and exposed how utterly devoid of checks and balances, oversight and accountability Police abuses have become.

At ungodly hours they invade the homes of citizens in the most disrecpectful way.

Carting whole families, levying charges in the face of innocence and accused of planting evidence and talking lies, accused of commiting murder in Ladyville and accused without evidence of the brutal stabbings on George Street.

HON. ATTORNEY GENERAL Hon. Attorney General you may wish to consider informing the Police Minister and Police Officers that there is no statute of limitations on crime. That all abusers and law breakers in official places, like former President Rios Montt and present President Otto Perez Molina of Guatemala, face

14 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

a day of Justice and reckoning no matter how long it takes.

What Magistrate Albert Hoare did in sending victims of Police abuse for medical treatment used to be the norm under Chief Justice George Brown and the great Abdulia Conteh. Those days are gone.

Magistrates are increasingly being eyed askance by the marginal and victimized, who has no one to stand up for them against abusers. Magistrates are increasingly remanding citizens for petty reasons and in some cases for no reasons. In violation of the Inferior Courts Act they are increasingly ordering poor people to “pay now” or go to jail. The Courts are no longer a place of justice. What is happening to us? These things are happening on your watch.

I am no longer a cynical poet singing a song that the country is getting worse and nothing will change, except for the worse. I believe one person can make a difference. I believe you can still be one of those persons.

You and I went to the same college.

We have the same background. Where is your Methodist upbringing, you can turn a blind eye and be silent in the face of ongoing injustice to our poor brethren and sisthren?

You are still one of my heroes. We shall still be friends long after you have demitted high office.

Until then help our people. Police beatings, torture, unlawful detentions, wrongful arrests and abuses are unacceptable.

Your Government stands inidcted for the callous disregard of what is being done to Belizeans.

You, dear brother, busy with the British, the O.A.S. and their I.C.J. “jackie lantern”, I regard as unblemished in the chance and ill treatment mated out to our people.

If it will help, in any way may I quote Martin Luther King Jr. “There comes a time when silence is betrayal.”

AND WHAT CAN BE DONE Magistrates must enter on the Court record any complaint of abuse and violation of accused fundamental rights. Such reports to be forwarded to Human Rights Commission and Public Complaints Board for follow-up.

Where an accused is remanded to prison, an official record of the complaint and evidence of bruises and injuries are kept.

Justice of the Peace must routinely visit police cell blocks and speak in private to detainees and make a report to the Justice of the Peace Association of any breaches of citizens’ rights and record any complaint of brutality.

Justice of the Peace must frequently visit the prison, as the law requires, and are free to visit cells and hear complaints of abuse and report these to Human Rights Commission and Justice of the Peace Association.

In all Police and Sub-Stations there must be posted in conspicuous places in bold letters, the law and constitutional rights of detained and arrested persons. This was so up until 2008 when such posters were removed.

Family members of detained and arrested persons must be allowed to visit the Police Station and speak in the presence of a Police to their families to ensure they are not being abused, kept beyond 48 hours

and have access to an attorney if they wish.

Senior officers in charge of Police Station and Sub-Stations are to be held responsible and be disciplined for any violations of the rights of citizens in detention.

Appoint an independent Police Oversight Committee of serious mature citizens not affiliated to the political parties or Government who can record complaints and forward to D.P.P. and Commissioner and Human Rights Commission for follow-up action.

GUATEMALAN PRESIDENT ACCUSED OF MURDERS All across God’s good earth, human rights activists rejoice and are greatly encouraged by what is unfolding in Guatemala. Former President Efrian Rios Montt is undergoing trial for genocide and human rights atrocities during 1982-1983 when he became President of Guatemala. Guatemala experienced the longest civil war in the region, from 1966 to 1996, during which over 200,000 Guatemalans were killed.

Many were victims of whole scale massacres by the military.

That Rios Montt has finally been arrested and is on trial is a miracle. He was a general in the army and took power in a coup.

One of the military Commanders who served under Rios Montt was Otto Perez Molina, the current President.

Last week during the trial of Rios Montt, an eyewitness who was present at several atrocities testified that Molina had personally presided over rapes, murder and other atrocities, especially against the Ixil Mayans.

One eyewitness, a former military engineer testified that “soldiers tortured and executed the Ixil, believed to be guerrellas”. He said that women, children and the elderly were among the excuted. He claimed that sometimes the soldiers would throw the victims babies alive into the mass graves and bury them along with their dead mothers”.

A United Nations Truth Commission which investigated the thousands of deaths during the civil war has reported that ninety percent were caused by the Guatemalan military. It is time for Molina and other senior military officials to face justice for their crimes against humanity.

GOVERNMENT BUDGET The Government budget for 2013 was passed last month and takes effect this month up to March 2014.

Ninety eight percent of Belizeans do not know what is in the budget. How much the Government will spend for the year?

How much revenues the Government will collect from customs duties, income tax, G.S.T., land taxes, etc.?

How much will be spent on the Police, army, medical, foreign affairs, etc.? How much the politicians are spending on themselves?

No one knows.

INTERNET TOO EXPENSIVE Internet services and text messages for B.T.L. customers are too expensive for Belizeans. It is a rip off, and is price gouging by a service that “belongs to the people of Belize”.

STOP EAT IMPORTED The French National Agency for Health, Food, Environment and Work Safety has put up its long awaited four years research and study.

2013

Its conclusion is the “BPA, found in bottles, boxes and dental fillings is linked to breast cancer and bahavioral problems.

This chemical found in food packaging can harm even unborn babies.”

The report is alarming. It confirms the harmful effects of the toxic chemicals which are used in the packaging of food.

The cancerous effects of chemicals used in fertilizers and in food being processed and preserved in various containers have been increasingly exposed by the scientific community.

In Belize, which consumes milions of dollars of imported foods and junk food items and drinks, Belizeans continue to poison themselves while ignoring their local, healthy home grown foods.

When will the Government undertake a massive “Buy Belize” – “Eat what we grow and grow what we eat” campaign?

It will save lives, some foreign exchange, make farmers and producers prosperous and make Belize financially healthy.

The Government was willing to waste millions of dollars on an I.C.J. campaign that was going nowhere.

Spend money on our farmers, micro producers and the health of the population.

And close that fruitless I.C.J. office.

WHAT MUSIC CAN DO Money wise the biggest Hip-Hop and rap music artist is currently P. Daddy. He earned U.S. $580 million last year. Mainly from endorsement of products and shrewed investments, second was Jay-Z, he pulled in U.S. $475 million last year alone.

Third was Dr. Dre with $350 million. Fifty Cents and Bird Man were fourth and fifth.

IT DON’T LOOK GOOD In a country with forty eight percent poverty and twenty four percent unemployment, along with other dismal statistics of a nation in decline, guess what?

Two southside, Belize City Area Representatives are weekly fixtures in Princess Casino. Weekly.

They, like their other U.D.P. Belize City Ministerial collagues have no programs, projects or initives to help the suffering people in their area but can be seen living the lives of Rap artists at the gambling den.

If only their voters and the wider public could get a glimpse into how lost, misguided politicians are conducting themselves.

In the midst of poverty and suffering and a bleak future for our young people, this type of behaviour jut doesn’t look good.

MAXWELL He was an impressive and outstanding career police officer. He rose to the ranks of Commissionor of Police. He reinvented himself and was three times elected as an area representative for the Belize District.

He became a member of the National Assembly and a Minister of Government.

He retired to Burrell Boom Village with his lovely wife who has helped to make him what he is.

He has an impressive farm and is still a fitness buff and is a neat and disciplined Belizean.

And no wonder. He is a graduate of the same college that produced Governor General Sir Colville Young, former Central Bank Governor Keith Arnold, two-term Prime Minister Said Musa, Foreign Affairs Minister Sedi Elrington, current Prime Minister Dean Barrow and many other outstanding citizens of our country. St Michael’s College Respect Maxwell Samuels.

14 APR

Cement Potholes Belize City, April 10, 2013 The cement streets in Belize City are breaking apart and showing pot holes. This is an expensive discovery and if we did not have the pictures to prove it, there would be some doubting.

Alarmed taxi men have supplied us with the accompanying photo, which was taken on Orange Street in Belize City, about twenty feet away from the Salvation Army Primary School.

It has been less than a year since the sand and gravel has hardened into concrete.

The concreting the UDP said would last twenty years. A picture they say tells a thousand words but in this case we hear this picture saying two words to the UDP CitCo: “You Liad”.

They said it was a worthy investment. That is what they said. It is a notch of accomplishment they say. Many of us bought it as skeptical as it is. So much that there is an expensive commercial boasting about 60 streets being paved, lots of them in the middle of nowhere.

But that is one side, the other side is truth. We at BELIZE TIMES want to see progress and where the Devil deserves due, by God he will get it. However, we have written about the financial quicksand that is the Municipal Bond and the geological realities of Belize City.

And before time could give the cement roads a chance, we get this picture of a huge cement pothole in the very first street they did. We are also told that similar pot holes were on Freetown Road and other streets.

When the streets are dug up for all sorts of reasons, the same

Orange Street has a large pothole despite cement paving a year ago

thickness or strength of cement is not put back in its place.

CitCo also wants to dig up streets that have no holes at all, like Coney Drive and have a 20 million dollar piece of this same kind of road to Haulover Bridge.

Want to bet that in a few months these streets will have cement potholes?

We surely cannot afford to waste money on paving streets that in

Guatemala President accused of war crimes

Continued from page 19 in northwestern Guatemala by soldiers under the command of Perez and another officer.

Perez, who was referred to in Reyes’ testimony as major Tito Arias, his alias during the civil war, has denied the allegations.

When Reyes was asked by a lawyer if he feared he had put his life in danger by testifying, he said he was afraid of retribution from Perez and his former military comrades.

UDP mocks Union Leaders

31

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

Continued from page 4 Education Patrick Faber, who is part of the negotiation team with the Unions.

Instead of cautioning the UDP attack mascots and asking that they put an end to their behaviour, Faber joined them.

Faber referred to the Unions’ pleas for a salary adjustment as “ridiculous”.

This is not the first time the UDP radio stations launches such a virulent attack on the Unions. In fact, any outspoken Belizean who opposes the UDP Government is dealt with viciously. Destruction is in the UDP’s DNA. It’s interesting how the private companies sponsoring the show react to Wave Radio’s callous personality attacks. Do they endorse it? At least one of Belize’s largest private sector businesses can be seen prominently advertising on the show.

CARTOON

less than five months will be dug up for more repair. Beware Belize.

32

THE BELIZE TIMES

14 APR

2013