Belize Times April 7, 2013

07 APR SCAN HERE

2013

1

The Belize Times THE BELIZE TIMES

Established 1957

07 APR 2013

|

ISSUE NO: 4839

The Truth Shall Make You Free

www.belizetimes.bz

|

$1.00

Unions threaten to walk out on PM

Pg. 6 Salary counter proposal must be included in Friday meeting’s agenda

Officer Down!

PC Ramirez killed in gun assault Roaring Creek Village, Cayo District, April 2nd 2013 36 year old Police Constable 380 Bertchel “Eyon” Ramirez was lured into a death trap on Tuesday night.

Ramirez had left his side job, as a private security at The Mall located along the Hummingbird Highway, around 11:00pm

Page 4

The Garland Stays Home!

Pg. 14

UB President slams GOB for lack of vision Pg. 10

FOLLOW US! on the social media

2 02

07 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

Left at the Altar…Again?

March 25, 2013 I don’t know about you, but there seems to be a real sense of deja-vu in the latest communication from the Guatemalan government regarding the longstanding territorial claim. Despite their previous bravado about being more than willing to take the issue to the International Court of Justice, it seems they are reverting—once more—to their previous pattern of stalling, postponing, and giving every excuse they can come up with to keep from participating in the agreed-to referendum in October. Yes, my friends, we have on our hands, once more, a runaway groom…

The most recent proposals from the Guatemalans shared with us by the Honorable Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs, have done little to improve my confidence in Guatemala’s good faith stance. As of this writing, their latest proposals ask Belize to change our referendum law to require a simple majority vote, and then they would agree to honor the agreement to hold the ref-

Village Councillor writes Minister Gaspar Vega over land issue April 3, 2013 Hon. Gaspar Vega Minister of Natural Resources Belmopan Dear Minister, I write to you expressing my concern with the last decision taking by your Ministry via letter from Ms. Ingrid Gillett, written on November 26, 2012, stating that my parcel of land with file reference 1107/1999 and situate on entry 14214 is no longer to let and that it has been given to one Aaron Quewell.

Firstly, let me inform you that such parcel of land was assigned to me in 1999 and permission to survey was granted on February 4, 2000. Since obtaining the permission to survey, I have occupied such land by cleaning and maintaining the lot. Due to lack of financing I could not have the survey done. However, my permission to survey was reissued and signed by the commissioner of Lands on the 19/01/2012. I then contracted Mr. Guido Chulin to perform the survey of such land. The survey was conducted on March 22, of 2012. Immediately after the concrete pillars (CP) were installed, Mr. Teofilo Quewell and other members of his family commenced uprooting the CPs. In the process, one Mr. Elder Landero, uncle of Aaron Quewell uprooted and broke one of the CPs (caught on video).

Shortly after, Aaron Quewell commenced construction on said ‘surveyed lot’. This was reported to the San Ignacio Police and a statement was taken by PC 101, Fermin Choco whereby I was granted a receipt of the statement URN: SIRI000004174 dated 13/04/2012.

After completion of the survey and presentation of the survey documents I applied for a lease on said lot on 11/July/2012 which was received by District Land Officer Mr. Juan Elias Serrano. The lease reference number given is 95174. On a very same copy of the lease application receipt, a note was written to Mr. Serrano after complaints to the lands office in Belmopan to inform Mr. Aaron Quewell that he was illegally occupying the survey parcel of land and that he should vacate the premises.

LOCAL 5 Apr

On July 27, 2012 a letter with file reference no. CY510/2012 was written to Aaron Quewell by Mr. Juan Elias Serrano, to cease and desist from further development on a lot in Santa Familia demarcated as Entry No 14214 reg. 14.

On October 11, 2012, deputy Commissioner of Lands, Ingrid Gillett sent an ‘Enforcement Notice’ to Aaron Quewell ‘ordering’ him to cease from a. Illegal occupation and b. Construction or development of or with respect to a lot situate in Santa Familia Village, Cayo District. The order further stated that all activities must stop by 5 p.m. at 2 November 2012 and vacate the property or face criminal charges pursuant to section 45 of the national Lands Act Chapter 91 of the Laws of Belize.

I want to know what transpired between October 11, 2012 and November 26, 2012 to make a complete turn- around of your Ministry’s decision. I have been following up on this land since 1999, have paid 1500.00 in Survey fees, made more than 20 trips to Belmopan and San Ignacio Lands department pursuing a solution to the problem of Quewell illegally occupying my designated lot, spent thousands of dollars clearing the land and maintaining it clean and in a liveable state. Yet by a mere stroke of your Deputy Commissioner’s pen, the lot is now given to Quewell who was severely cautioned and threatened by your own Ministry not on one but on several occasions.

Minister Vega, I write to you directly because upon approaching the Hon. Elvin Penner, he had no reservations in stating that he had nothing to do with my land being taken away when he personally gave me a recommendation but that it is a directive coming from your Ministry and without his knowledge or consent.

Sir, I request that justice be served and that the lot be returned to me as the duly deserving person who has gone through all the legal processes but yet find myself in a most undeserving position.

Yours respectfully, Mauricio Rivera Village Councillor Santa Familia Village Cayo District

Injustice at 7th Day Adventist College?

Dear Editor, My child attended the Seventh Day Adventist College in Corozal District and was one of nine students to pass the final test to graduate in January 2013.

Yet none of these young people have received their diploma.

Why? Because the class consisted of 35 students of which 29 did not pass the final test to enable them to graduate. So now these young people cannot go out and seek employment in their chosen field because they do yet have a diploma. In other words, they are being held back and punished for being the top of their class.

WHAT DOES THIS SAY ABOUT THE EDUCATION AT THE SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST COLLEGE IN COROZAL DISTRICT AND THE MINDSET OF THE ADMINISTRATION? Name withheld by request

weather 6 Apr

7 Apr

8 Apr

269Mar Apr

27 Mar 6 10 Feb Apr

erenda simultaneously. Their second proposal is that they would wait and see if our people vote “Yes,” then they would hold their referendum.

The first proposal seems to reveal a lack of confidence in Guatemalan voter turnout, despite the Guatemalan government’s portrayed of the referendum at the Organization of American States as an issue of national importance. The second, well, even a child could see that defeats the whole purpose of a simultaneous vote. Is the bride groom so nervous he has to have someone in the church waiting to see if the bride says, “I do,” before he will come inside himself?

In my opinion, this whole telenovela approach to the dispute shows a real lack of respect—and integrity— for what we had previously believed to be a real threat to our territorial integrity. But perhaps this pappy show gives a real glimpse into the difficulties facing the Guatemalan government right now.

It has me wondering about a number of things: 1. Is the Guatemalan government so financially strapped it is unable to afford to hold a referendum, or its accompanying educational campaign?

2. Is the Guatemalan government afraid the majority of Guatemalan citizens may in fact believe their country’s claim to Belize territory is so ludicrous they cannot be expected to turn out to vote on the issue of the ICJ in significant enough numbers?

3. Conversely, has the Guatemalan government done such a good job with their propaganda campaign Continued on page 30

THE BELIZE TIMES 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 (USD): $ 0.4953

Barbados Eastern Caribbean (BBD): $ 0.9909 (XCD):$ 1.3387

Euro(EUR) : $ 0.3857

Sterling Pound Guatemala Quetzal CANADIAN DOLLAR CHINESE YUAN Trinidadian (TTD) INDIAN RUPEE (GBP): $ 0.3274 (GTQ): $ 3.8499 (CAD): $ 0.5024 (CNY): $ 3.0721 : $ 3.1733 (INR): $ 26.979

07 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

Herman bex!

Will he be forced to step down for Mark Espat?

Belize City, April 3, 2013 United Democratic Party-whip Michael Finnegan stirred up an ants’ nest upon announcing that the UDP intends to have the Espat brothers as candidates in the next general election.

According to Finnegan, after polling most of his UDP colleagues, all were prepared “to open their arms” to welcome Mark Espat. He then said the UDP will also recruit the brother, Jorge Espat.

While the announcement had Finnegan excited, for others like Herman Longsworth, it was the sounding of alarm bells…as if he was hearing about the possible coming of the anti-Christ.

The BELIZE TIMES has learnt that since Finnegan’s announcement, the current UDP representative for the Albert Division has become a little unstable (not the Mark King –type instability) and has jumped into survival mode.

Longsworth, we are told, has started his own canvassing, fighting for his own preservation in case Es-

Will Herman Longsworth bow out?

Mark Espat will take his treachery to the UDP

pat does make a move to return.

Longsworth fears that the Albert Division would be Espat’s likely and logical choice for an electoral division, since Espat has won that division twice as a former PUP candidate. If Finnegan’s salivation over

an Espat return is any indication, it means the UDP would do anything to accommodate him.

Longsworth, who was assisted

by Espat tremendously in the last general election, is in no mood of returning the favour. But this could

03 3 already be a done deal and Longsworth’s short-lived political career is just a matter of time.

UDP insiders have shared with the BELIZE TIMES that Longsworth’s naming as a Director in the newly-formed Government hustling scheme, “Belize Investment Limited”, is no coincidence. Longsworth owns a construction company, known to have collected $2 million of Government money for a partial fence erected at the unfinished Marion Jones Sporting Complex. Longsworth may think his involvement is professional, but it’s really just politics.

Sources indicate that Longsworth will be enjoying whatever perks possible and will eventually have to decide whether to continue enjoying the perks and give up his seat, or be forced out with nothing and made to disappear into political oblivion. These chess moves are what the Espats are known for. Longsworth, a new comer and slow learner, is walking into a trap without realising it.

Strangely but not coincidentally politically-speaking, another Director in the company is no other than one of Mark Espat’s closest political allies, Paul Thompson.

The BELIZE TIMES will continue to watch the political gimmicks in the UDP closely and bring out the truth to Belizeans. The UDP, with all their power and greed, has undoubtedly cast itself as the Opposition in waiting.

4 04

THE BELIZE TIMES

Baby Ivy’s abduction

07 APR

2013

foiled in unusual manner

Corozal Town, April 3rd, 2013 A second suspect, 36 year old Bernabel Pena, has been charged for his alleged involvement in a bizarre abduction of one year old Baby Ivy child in Corozal Town. and 27 year old Freddy Gongora both of Fireburn Village in the Orange Walk District, were all released from police custody.

The kidnapping occurred on the night of Sunday March 24th, when masked persons driving separate motor vehicles blocked another vehicle driven at the time by Corozal mother, Mei Tang Chen. The masked persons exited their vehicle and forced the mother to give up her one year old baby. They then handed the mother a cellular phone and told her to expect a call, but not to alert the Police or the public.

By 11:00pm the mother received a phone call. The male voice on the side of the line instructed that if she wanted the baby back, they would have to be paid a ransom of $450,000 in US currency.

The mother, already terrified by

Officer Down!

Continued from page 1 and had arrived at his girlfriend’s house in the Another World Area of Roaring Creek, when he was baited into an ambush.

While Ramirez waited in his parked car outside the yard, he heard two gunshots targeted at him. His cop instincts made him go investigate where the shots came from, but when he did, he was attacked by a hail of bullets.

“Dem attack the poor boy and over fifteen shots or twelve shots more or less gone off at that moment,” related PC Ramirez’ father in law, Lazarus Valencia.

The assault was precise and deadly.

PC Ramirez received gunshot wounds to his leg, shoulder and head.

PC Ramirez was found slouched inside his his blue Toyota Camry car, bleeding profusely.

The suspects, at least four of them, were seen checking on Ramirez’ body and then walking away from the scene.

Two of those suspects were reportedly arrested shortly after. One of them has two children with PC Ramirez’s girlfriend. Two more are being sought.

The killing has left Belmopan Police Department shaken and the Police community concerned.

Officer in Charge of the Belmopan Police, Assistant Superintendent Sinquest Martinez said PC Ramirez was a good cop. “[He was] A very dedicated officer. He has been working here for the past six to seven years,” ASP Martinez said.

the incident, was even more frightened and contacted the Police for assistance.

The Police acted quickly, setting up checkpoints at all exit points of Corozal Town. But from all indications, the kidnappers had already left the area with the baby.

The incident turns a strange twist hereafter. 24 year old Angelica Noh, who is cousin to one of the suspect, 34 year old Thomas Elmer Villanueva, has reported to the Police that on

Bernabel Pena

Sunday night Villanueva and another male person arrived at their house in Fire Burn Village with a baby in their arms.

When the family asked who

Thomas Villanueva

the baby was, especially since the child is of Chinese descent, Villanueva responded that it was a child he had with a Chinese Continued on page 11

07 APR

2013

THE BELIZE TIMES

05 5

EDITORIAL Rich Belize, Poor Belize

B

What the Rich Countries teach their citizens about money That the poor and third world countries do not!

elize’s neo-political system is shamelessly designed for dependency because it is only where the conditions of dependency are ideal that exploitation and oppression can flourish.

The truth is that this little strip of coveted swamp and reef-curtained seas is in a volatile place. This is a world of multinational sharks who thrive on the realities of third world flaws.

Belize was part of the nation boom which exploded in the second half of the twentieth century. That generation of nations shifted the demographics of international politics and economics away from predetermined colonial restrictions to a truly global market.

The leveling factor is not the paper award of independence but rather the fact that technology has made it possible for nearly every newly minted country to participate in events in every part of the world in real time.

The un-factored weapon of third world countries is the quality of our people and the leaders we must produce. The story of all successful third world countries in the postcolonial era is punctuated by focused, revolutionary leaders. So stands in the ink of history Itamar Franco, Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez and Lee Kuan Yuew.

The critical point is that international geo-political economy is absolutely intolerant of the distracted. The political success of Belize as a nation state is singularly characterized by the unparalleled dedication of the Father of the Nation, Mr. George Price. He remains the immortalized standard for political vision. The PUP’s modern incarnation of his spirit, carries a mature economic vision which must rescue a competent deprived Government and revolutionize our economic appeal on the global stage.

The unforgiving reality is that countries whose political directorate are preoccupied with localized greed and subsistence corruption are sure to fall helplessly into the jaws of profit-obsessed corporations.

This brings us to the inadequacies, deficiencies and disappointments of the Budget for the FY2013/14. A budget is a “putting your money where your vision is” kind of action. The budget should have been a road map to a revolutionary entrance into the global economic market. It should have been honest yet equally poised to be bold. The budget should have outlined the framework to move Belize from third to first world status.

As the Hon. Francis Fonseca constructively pointed out, there is no substance, vision or hope in that budget. Looking at the UDP Budget of FY2013/14 for direction and substance is tantamount to letting our children watch Sponge Bob for intellectual stimulation.

In a heated conversation with a well-respected political scientist from the region, he stingingly declared that the international global reality has made third world governments obsolete. The UDP do not need global reality to relegate them to paltriness and insignificance. In the face of such global reality, their incapacity leaves behind a much grimmer picture for Belize’s hopes to discard its consumerism addiction and enjoy some semblance of an economic boom. The truth is that we can only move from dependency if we were to transform Belize from a consuming nation to a producing nation.

Fast forward to Thursday when during a candidly critical conversation with a contingent of career educators, one of whom boasted a doctorate in curriculum development, the lights were turned on. Unabashedly the fault was shoveled on the continuing failure of the Minister of Education and his unilateral and misinformed policies. At first a radical element in the group lambasted the unsterilized import of “universal primary education”. This he argued was misconceived because in Belize it is executed as “social promotion” or “promotion based on seat time” determined by the age of the student rather than academic competence. Educational psychologists designed it around the belief that the student’s self esteem was of some academic importance. Under the old system of “grade retention”, if you were not ready, you stayed in that standard until you were competent. This freehanded change, he condemned, has made a mockery of the education system where university students sit in class unable to think critically or even spell.

These are the people in the Banks and the hospitals and in the courts

he said. But his views were diluted by the input of another educator who fingered the “stupid” policy of paying schools based on the number of substandard students attending the institution. Schools from the rawness of survival then take in any kind of student and launder them through their systems to bloat their subsidy from Government. It all ends in no substance.

They all agreed that in the present track that the current Belizean educational system is in, we will experience full, irreversible collapse in less than 10 years. This is frightening.

Education then is the key to the resurrection, if not inception, of our economic existence. They argued that we must move away from slavery inspired economies. How can we still be dependent on bananas, cane and modern plantations in 2013? Insulting as it may have sounded, they continued to administer heavy doses of hard truths by quickly attacking tourism or oil as any “Saviors”. Both, they argued, were propelled by the infection of prostitution and exploitation, not development.

They pointed instead to technology, math and science. First by saying that it is criminal to allow a student to get any kind of qualification at any level without science. Applied science they argued was the only means of teaching problem solving and comprehension. Currently, there is only one subject which is remotely teaching comprehension skills and it is more an grammar subject than problem solving.

The support for the elevation of science, math and technology was highlighted by a confounding but simple question: who propels an economy: businessmen or scientists? Before a guess could be offered, their rant swung into the fact that our business students are really robotic bookkeepers “farmed” to work at banks. The sciences, which include computer, engineering or other traditional sciences, create industries.

Before any resistance could be had to this proposition, the surprising policy statement of US President Barack Obama in his Inaugural Speech 2013 and his remarks on Comprehensive Immigration Reform on January 29, 2013 at Del Sol High School in Las Vegas, Nevada, were quickly cited.

Obama, they quoted as saying: “No single person can train all the math and science teachers, we’ll need to equip our children for the future, or build the roads and networks and research labs that will bring new jobs and businesses to our shores.”

So important was this technological revolution that he waived off the fact that many immigrant students studying these sciences had broken the immigration law. This it seems he would live with.

The words of his Remarks on Immigration should tell us much was their chorused refrain.

Barack said, almost speaking directly to Belize’s persistent brain drain: “Right now, there are brilliant students from all over the world sitting in classrooms at our top universities. They’re earning degrees in the fields of the future, like engineering and computer science. But once they finish school, once they earn that diploma, there’s a good chance they’ll have to leave our country. Think about that. Intel was started with the help of an immigrant who studied here and then stayed here. Instagram was started with the help of an immigrant who studied here and then stayed here. Right now in one of those classrooms, there’s a student wrestling with how to turn their big idea -- their Intel or Instagram -- into a big business. We’re giving them all the skills they need to figure that out, but then we’re going to turn around and tell them to start that business and create those jobs in China or India or Mexico or someplace else? That’s not how you grow new industries in America. That’s how you give new industries to our competitors.”

What is Belize doing? How are we moving from third world to first?

How much more failure will we tolerate. After being scolded and inspired by the corps of educators, we must realize that to turn things around we have to spend in the right places and on the right policies. The UDP have done neither. So as the teachers meet this week we thank God for their commitment and support their bid for a “raise” 100%. “Teaching after all”, as a Facebook ad reads, “creates all other professions.”

6 06

THE BELIZE TIMES

07 APR

2013

Unions threaten to walk out on PM Salary counter proposal must be included in Friday meeting’s agenda Belize City, April 2, 2013 When Prime Minister Dean Barrow and the leaders of the Unions meet inside the Cabinet room this Friday, April 5th there will be no singing or birthday cake cutting. The tone of the meeting will be entirely different from the last one held on February 1st. In fact, there might be no meeting at all, considering that the Prime Minister is refusing to discuss a salary adjustment counter proposal while the Unions have said that if the item is not on the agenda, they will walk out.

The Unions have no reason to be in a happy mood. Their suggestion to the Prime Minister that his Government considers a counter proposal which would see teachers and public officers getting a small pay increase this year was met with utter disdain.

The Prime Minister responded as if he was scolding school children. In his reply letter dated March 5th 2013, he expressed disappointment and ac-

cused the Union leaders of going back on their February 1st agreement. “…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,” wrote the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister then pulled a trick on the Unions.

They had requested a meeting before the Budget was presented, but the PM used every excuse possible including having to go on Easter vacation outside of Belize, to delay any meeting until April 5th; two weeks after the Budget had been tabled and debated.

The PM even played hardball, despite having the large number of teachers protesting in Belmopan fresh in his mind, instructing

Rebuking letter sent by the Prime Minister to the Unions on March 5th 2013

that he will not entertain any discussion that departs from “the formula” which he claims the Union leaders had accepted.

This formula touted by the PM is that any salary increase for teachers and public officers would wait until 2014 and would be entirely dependent on a surplus in Government revenue. This means that not only would the Government have to improve its revenue, but surpass expectations. For five years, the Barrow Administration has operated in a deficit.

That formula was soundly rejected by the members of the Unions. Not only was it unrealistic given the Barrow Administration’s record in office, but it was totally indifferent to the needs of the teachers and public officers who have had to endure the higher cost of living which has increased some 30% since the UDP came into office in 2008.

Teachers and public officers came up with a new proposal: that teachers get at the very least a 5% salary increase starting in July this year.

The Union leaders seem more unified and understanding of the urgency of the teachers’ plight this time around. That plus the terrible first-hand experience of negotiating with the Prime Minister can only help to bring about better results for the teachers.

Whether the Prime Minister will capitulate to their demands is left to be seen.

07 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

07 7

Budget Presentation by Hon. Francis W. Fonseca Leader of the Opposition March 21, 2013 Mr. Speaker, I rise to make my contribution to the debate on the General Revenue Appropriation Bill for fiscal year 2013/2014.

I am honored to do so on behalf of the People’s United Party and in particular the people of Freetown, who have given me the opportunity to serve in this Honourable house.

Mr. Speaker, each year the budget preparation and presentation provides our Government with a unique opportunity to engage the Belizean people in a national dialogue on the priorities, goals and objectives we wish to set for ourselves as a nation for the upcoming fiscal year.

Again this year, Mr. Speaker, it is deeply regrettable that we must record the absolute failure of the UDP Government to carry out any consultations in respect of this years’ budget.

This shameful failure is, ofcourse, consistent with the UDP’s total disregard and disrespect of the Government’s social and economic partners in development.

No consultation with the Unions! No consultation with the Council of Churches! No Consultation with the agro-productive sector! No Consultation with the Chamber of Commerce or the Belize Business Bureau! No Consultation with Youth and Student Government leaders! No Consultation with our artists and musicians!

No Consultation with the Belizean People!

Well, Mr. Speaker, once again this year I am proud to report that our Party has kept faith with its commitment to consultation. We fully recognize and appreciate that in 2013, consultation is no longer optional for the Government of Belize, it is a requirement for Development. We in the People’s United Party understand that no Government, present or future, will be able to meaningfully and sustainably address the very critical, structural social and economic challenges facing Belize, if there is not a “National buy-in” to the Government’s vision and work-plan for national development.

It is for this reason, Mr. Speaker, that our Party appointed a team headed by the Hon. Member for Orange Walk Central, to consult widely over the past few weeks.

Our contributions to this bud-

get are better informed and more meaningful as a result of these consultations, and we are grateful to all our social and economic partners who were gracious enough to participate in these consultations.

Mr. Speaker, it comes as no surprise therefore that the UDP Budget for fiscal year 2013/2014 reflects this absolute lack of consultation.

It is a budget disconnected and divorced from the Belizean reality.

This is a budget Mr. Speaker in which “full belly di tell empty belly – kip haat bredda”. “kip haat sista”!! Again this year, for the 6th budget in a row, the Belizean people are treated to a full menu of chest-thumping, whining and empty hollow rhetoric.

The bottom line, Mr. Speaker, is that this budget continues a 5 year pattern of excuses and cruel, empty rhetoric. Loud mouth, Dutty mouth and Sharp tongue is all we have gotten from the UDP for 5 years.

After 5 years of UDP administration, Mr. Speaker, all of our major social and economic indictors are headed in the wrong direction and this budget for fiscal year 2013/2014 does nothing to change course.

Unemployment and underemployment continue to devastate our Belizean families, wreaking particular destruction on the hopes and aspirations of our youth and women. Some 30,000 Belizeans actively seeking a job cannot find one. Loud mouth, Dutty mouth, Sharp tongue mouth don’t create jobs. Mr. PM where is your jobs plan?

Poverty too is on the rise and today in Belize under the UDP some 148,000 Belizeans are living on less than $5.50 per day for food. Loud mouth, Dutty mouth and Sharp tongue won’t lift our people out of poverty. Mr. PM where is your plan to reduce poverty?

Crime and Violence continue to eat away at our social fabric. Law abiding citizens live in fear. Investment and economic growth are negatively impacted. There is a growing distrust of the police and our system of justice. Loud mouth, Dutty mouth and Sharp tongue won’t bring down the cost of living. Mr. PM where is your plan to reduce the cost of living?

Fuel costs are at an all time high.

This is putting a hurt on our farmers, on our commuters, on our fishermen, on our taxi operators, tour operators, on our businesses. Loud mouth, Dutty mouth and Sharp tongue won’t bring down the cost of fuel. Mr. PM where is your plan to reduce the cost

of fuel?

Mr. Speaker, the Belizean people are sick and tired of the excuses and blame-game which have come to define this UDP administration. Our people need jobs and money in their pockets, not excuses and lies about the past.

Again in this year’s budget, Mr. Speaker, the PM continues to whine about the Superbond even as he claims to have tamed it. By taming it of course he means that he has extended the repayment period for 9 more years from 2029 to 2038.

Mr. Speaker, Public Debt is serious business. We welcome any relief realized to Belize as a result of the new 2038 Bonds.

The 2029 Bonds represented the PUP administration’s recognition in 2006 of the need to restructure Belize’s commercial debt to allow for significant cash flow benefits to the economy.

The Central Bank of Belize’s Annual Report for 2007 states: “payments during the first 9 years of the 2029 Bonds are projected to fall by an average of US $48 M per year or US $431M cumulative over that period.”

It further states: “This positive development should improve the Country’s general economic outlook, investment climate and credit rating.

The longer repayment period should also afford the Country the opportunity to expand its economic base so that higher debt servicing obligations that fall due in the later years will be less burdensome.”

Mr. Speaker, this was exactly the objective of the debt consolidation exercise carried out by the last PUP administration. To give the country space and time to breathe and grow.

And what of the composition of the debt? Again here it is politically convenient for the UDP and their apologists to ignore the facts and continue to perpetuate their false propaganda that we have nothing to show for the debt.

They conveniently ignore the fact that between 1998 and 2007, Belize was visited by hurricanes Mitch, Keith, Iris and Tropical storm Chantal which wreaked economic havoc on our agricultural and tourism sectors at a cost of hundreds of millions invested in education, health, infrastructure, rural water and electricity and housing.

Travel the country, Mr. PM, and take your ministers with you. The Real people in Real communities will

tell you that for the great majority of them, the last time there was any investment in their community it was under the PUP. Nothing, Nada, for five years under the UDP. You see, Mr. Speaker, the PUP is about job creation, investment and development. The UDP celebrates poverty and tell the Belizean people to catch the line for the food pantry and check wid Boots fu wah lee Boost!!

Mr. Speaker, if we are to have an honest debate about the Superbond then the UDP can be critical of the last PUP administration for pursuing an aggressive growth agenda that led to high levels of public debt, but they must also tell the Belizean people that it was that very same PUP Administration which recognized its own problem and fixed its own problem in2006, so much so that in fact the fiscal deficit had been reduced to less than 1% of GDP before the PUP left office in 2008.

This UDP administration was left with a full meal on the table.

Add to this the hundreds of millions in oil revenues collected over the past 5 years.

It is their incompetence and inability to grow the economy that has forced us into Superbond 2038.

Belize has stopped working under the UDP and that is why Belize can’t pay its bills under the UDP. That is the truth and the whole truth, Mr. Speaker, not the nonsense and half-truths offered by those who have nothing better to tell the Belizean people, those who can’t create jobs, those who can’t attract meaningful investment, those who can’t reduce the cost of living!!

And while on the issue of Public Debt, Mr. Speaker, not a word from the Minister of Finance in respect of the hundreds of millions of dollars owing for BTL and BEL. Continued on page 8

8 08

07 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

Presentation on Budget by Hon. Francis W. Fonseca Leader of the Opposition Continued from page 7

This is a real and existing liability.

What is the plan to resolve this matter?

According to the Central Bank of Belize, the economy is forecasted to grow by 2.7% in real terms in 2013, but they concede that even this low growth is subject to sizeable downside risks and is based on a very weak assumption of a gradual upturn in global growth to 3.5%.

Agriculture and Manufacturing which together have accounted for some 17% of all economic activity since 2000 will decline significantly to low single-digit growth. In fact it is expected that there will only be 1.8% real GDP growth in Agriculture in 2013 and in Manufacturing there will be negative growth (-2.4%).

Citrus is facing headwinds from lower international prices and a cyclical crop downturn.

Even tourism, is expected to decline to 4.5% growth in large part due to the weak economic situation in the US. Output of oil and electricity will continue to decline as the oil wells dry up and the low reservoir levels at the hydro dams will create further strains on BEL. The Belizean people have already been taxed with a 17% increase in electricity rates. We trust that 2013/2014 will not bring further increases. The people can bear no more.

And more bad news, Mr. Speaker, construction activity, a leading economic indicator, is expected to decelerate according to the Central Bank. And in 2013/2014 inflation will rear its ugly head once again eating away at the purchasing power of all Belizeans.

This brings me Mr. Speaker back to Belize Infrastructure Co. Ltd. which the member for Queens Square described in his budget presentation as a “newly registered, wholly GOB owned, private company. The special-purpose vehicle that will create jobs, stimulate demand, purchase private sector material and supplies and generally raise that tide that will float all Belizean boats”.

We should all take note of BIL. I want to sound the alarm bells now. I expect this to be a UDPhustle vehicle that will seek to avoid the rules and regulations of

Government. Why is this private company necessary to carry out the work of Government? Will this company be competing with the private sector?

Who will it be purchasing materials and supplies from? Who will manage this company? Will the contractor general and the auditor general have oversight of this company? Will it be subject to the Finance and Audit Reform Act? Mr. Speaker, we must see Belize Infrastructure Ltd. for what it is, the latest in a long line of UDP political gimmicks.

For the UDP it is always about the show, the cutting of the ribbon, the ground opening, the big announcement. There is no follow thru, no vision, no plan, no work ethic, no development agenda. Just take a look at projects under the Capital II and III budgets, many of which are simply recycled year after year by this inept and incompetent UDP administration.

Mr. Speaker, the Belizean people have had enough of these gimmicks.

They want us in this National Assembly to talk about the future and about specific ways of making their lives better.

To maximize economic growth, we need to competently and efficiently use the resources and comparative advantages Belize has available.

Government must focus on its core function, the delivery of reliable, quality, affordable public services while reducing bureaucratic spending and enhancing its regulatory and enforcement capacity.

The Private Sector must be viewed as full partners in development and enabled to attract and undertake investments, grow businesses and create jobs. Mr. Speaker, Investment is market driven. In this interconnected world, the market for investment is broad and fiercely competitive.

Investment also requires certainty and our Party repeats its call for the enactment of a Foreign Investment Promotion Act to achieve this objective.

In pursuing investments, Mr. Speaker, it is all about creating good paying jobs for our people, jobs for our young graduates, jobs for women, jobs for our skilled workers, jobs in tourism, jobs in the information technology sector, jobs in the financial sector, jobs in agro-processing and manufacturing.

At the same time, Mr. Speaker, we recognize that our economics must have an ethical dimension grounded in our belief that economic growth must be accompanied by opportunity and humane treatment for the poor and disadvantaged, and that growth is not real progress if, in spite of it, many people, especially children are still go-

ing hungry and are unable to attend school.

And Mr. Speaker, as we seek to grow and reform the economy, so too, must we seek to reform the way we are governed. Again this year, we call on the UDP Government to support the proposals for reform our Party has advanced.

1. Let us together enshrine in the Constitution a requirement for a Referendum on any proposed amendment which in any way undercuts or degrades the fundamental rights and freedoms of the Belizean people.

2. Let us work together to set a fixed date for elections and review the term of office for future governments.

3. Let us put in place an elected senate. Let us heed the cries of the people and put an end once and for all to the hustling and cronyism that have completely overtaken the Lands Department.

4. Let us review the structure and composition of the Elections and Boundaries Commission.

5. Let us review the structure, composition and powers of the Public Accounts Committee.

6. Let us pass a Freedom of the Press Law to guarantee free speech and protect whistle-blowers who expose abuse, acts of corruption and waste of resources.

7. Let us work together to appoint an Independent Commission to review immigration policy and laws and implement its recommendations.

Mr. Speaker, we need to move away from the politics based approach to governing which has come to define this UDP Government, and toward a solutions based approach to development.

And, Mr. Speaker, it is time for Government to deliver the salary increase our teachers, nurses, doctors, police officers, BDF soldiers, and other public officers have been demanding and deserve.

The UDP can find millions for election spending, millions for contract officers and special Advisors, millions for Mark Espat, millions for fuel and allowances, millions for their foreign travel and friends and family sitting in Diplomatic Missions, and millions for fancy SUV’s, but they can’t find the money for our teachers and public officers.

Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the house join with our teachers and public officers in demanding that the Government delivers, at a minimum a 5% salary increase this fiscal year.

They need it. They deserve it. Not

next year or two years from now.

Mr. Speaker, the budget for fiscal year 2013/2014 presented by the Member for Queens Square does nothing to offer our people hope and inspire them to become engaged in the work of building our Beloved Belize.

The Belizean reality today is thousands of lost jobs, businesses closed, homes auctioned or re-possessed, loans defaulted on, children out of school, families unable to keep the lights on, the stove burning and increasingly often unable to put food on the table.

The Belizean economy and people are struggling and no amount of chest thumping, self-congratulation and trumpeting of pseudo – nationalism will change this harsh, sober reality.

Where are the 5,000 new jobs promised 5 years ago?

Where is the reduced GST, Where are the lower utility rates, lower cost of living, shares in a National Oil Company, 6% annual growth, lower fuel costs.

5 years of UDP nothing!

5 years of UDP waste!

5 years of UDP corruption!

5 years of growing unemployment!

5 years of increasing crime!

5 years of higher prices!

5 tears of petty, arrogant leadership!

But, Hope is awakening in our people, Mr. Speaker.

The Belizean people know the UDP is the past and the PUP is the future.

There is much to do, Mr. Speaker, but our Party is committed to the hard work that lies ahead. If Belize is to grow and develop, all of us must be committed to a strong Belizean economy and society grounded in credible, practical plans and solutions to the social and economic challenges we face.

We are visiting with our people in every corner of this beautiful country, listening to them, learning from them how we can better serve them and sharing with them our vision and message of hope for a better Belize.

Mr. Speaker, I pray God’s blessings on our country and people and humbly ask for his guidance over us in this honourable house as we do the nations work.

07 APR

2013

THE BELIZE TIMES

09 9

Rising

concerns about BIL Belize City, April 3, 2013 Various individuals and organisations have raised concern over the start of a strange private company called Belize Infrastructure Limited that will be directed by certain Ministers to do public work.

The company, according to the Prime Minister Dean Barrow, will act as a “special vehicle” which will manage an initial $60 million for unknown projects.

The company has as its shareholders Joseph Waight, the Financial Secretary, and former UDP Secretary General Audrey Wallace, who is now the Chief Executive Officer in the Prime Minister’s Office and a Board whose chairman is the incompetent Minister of Works, Rene Montero, followed by co-Chair, Minister of State Herman Longsworth, and Directors Joseph Waight, Audrey Wallace, Lennox Bradley, Allan Sharp and Paul Thompson.

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Budget Debate, March 21, 2013) “I want to sound the alarm bells now. I expect this to be a UDP- hustle vehicle that will seek to avoid the rules and regulations of Government. Why is this private company necessary to carry out the work of Government? Will this company be competing with the private sector? Who will it be purchasing materials and supplies from? Who will manage this company? Will the contractor general and the auditor general have oversight of this company? Will it be subject to the Finance and Audit Reform Act? We must see Belize Infrastructure Ltd. for what it is, the latest in a long line of UDP political gimmicks.”

Hon. Mark Lizarraga, Senator, Private Sector (Channel 5, March 28, 2013) “Why do we need a vehicle to do what the private sector can do? I understand them to say that the private sector will be doing the jobs; that they will be procuring services from the private sector. I don’t think we’ve heard an explanation that we really buy; I don’t think anyone is really understanding. We are very cautious about this type of structure because we think that any monies that government spends on behalf of the people; and especially monies that are going to be repaid from taxpayers; that these monies should be open to full public scrutiny. And I am not sure if that would be possible in this vehicle.”

Lisa Shoman, P.U.P. Senator (Channel 5, March 27, 2013) “Is it because there is such a problem with corruption within the government that the IDB, IMF or whoever it is demanding the formation of a private company? And how will the directors and shareholders be responsible to the taxpayers of Belize? Is the vehicle going to be used to get around the fiscal regulations of the country? That can’t be. And we really have to be careful that this isn’t the Trojan horse to allow for corruption to occur or to allow for government to be in direct competition with the private sector.”

Dylan Reneau, President, N.T.U.C.B. (Open Your Eyes Morning Show, March 25, 2013) “Why is it that we need to do these special purpose vehicles which in essence they will circumvent a lot.. if it’s done through the Public Service, they will have to follow stringent rules and regulations. When it’s done through this quasi-public/private institution they would be able to circumvent some of the institutions. That is initially an alarm bell for us. That may

well be one of those vehicles that could lead to some level of corruption. So we are concerned about that.”

Kay Menzies, President of Belize Chamber of Commerce, March 18, 2013 letter to Prime Minister “Another major concern is the $60 million infrastructure package financed and implemented through the Belize Infrastructure

limited, the wholly GOB-owned, private company which promises to “raise that tide that will float all Belizean boats.” This newly registered company raises concerns. Will it replace the Ministry of Works?

How will it stimulate private sector growth? How many new jobs will be created and in what sectors is this anticipated? The BCCI feels that this requires more consultation to better understand the objectives of GOB.”

PM exits Belize for Easter Weekend

Belize City, March 31st, 2013 While thousands of Belizeans flocked to the Cayes and coastal beaches in Belize for the Easter Weekend to enjoy time with their families and friends, Prime Minister Dean Barrow left on an expensive junket outside of Belize.

Many Belizeans chose to stay in Belize over outside vacation spots. Cancun and Merida are always luring options, so is spending the time in Chetumal, but this year they chose Belize. For most Belizeans, there isn’t much of an option – they just stay at home. The exacerbated price of fuel at the pumps has made trav-

Christmas last year. Is Belize not good enough for the PM? Most disappointing about the PM not staying in Belize for Easter is that while Belizeans stayed home to perform every ritual needed for a Belizean to win the Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Claselling and public transportation sic and then witness history in the makmore expensive in the country. ing when 24 year old Darnell Barrow rode Just a drive between Belize City across the finish line, the Prime Minister and Placencia would cost over was not even interested to stick around.

While the PM disrespected the coun$300 in fuel alone, and that’s a try by choosing to vacation elsewhere, he conservative amount. Tourism is further dissed Belizeans by leaving “not too expensive for Belizeans. The normal” Gaspar Vega in charge as Acting cost of staying in hotels, paying Prime Minister. for food and going on tours is too prohibitive, considering the high cost of living.

While Belizeans did keep their dollars at home, the PM took his to Miami. A March 27th release from the Office of the Prime Minister informed Reliance Store located that he “departed the country today on personal leave” and on West Canal, Belize that the PM would return on City, has vacancies for Monday, April 1st.

This was the Prime Min2 workers. Preferably ister’s second trip to Miami Males, between ages in just a month. Why did he choose to leave instead of va25-30 years old. Concationing at one of the countact telephone numtry’s top tourist spots? He had also exited the country for ber 227-0406.

Garifuna Settlement Day and

Vacancy

10

07 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

UB President slams GOB for lack of vision Belmopan, April 3, 2013 The Guyanese President of the University of Belize, Dr. Cary Fraser, has walked the political plank by criticizing the government’s education policies for the University of Belize.

In a confidential document sent to the Minister of Education by the UB President, and which was leaked to us at the BELIZE TIMES, a positive spin was put on a negative Payroll Audit Report by the firm of Castillo, Sanchez and Burrell. The European Union had commissioned this audit to get an assessment of millions of dollars in grant aid to the University under a special agreement to assist in education. This audit raised serious questions about internal controls within the University’s financial system and “the ways in which the centralization of the operation of the financial system had failed to ensure effective management processes at a variety of levels”.

What this in effect means is that there is too much political interference and that the politically-appointed Board of Management within the University has been doing what they want with disregard for rules and regulations.

This was the reason for a Valentine Day protest by the faculty and staff of the University when they demonstrated against corruption and mismanagement by the Board of Management of the UB.

It was a protest that Dr. Fraser declined to comment on at the time. He said that he was awaiting the auditors’ report.

In a scathing but craftily worded criticism which underscored the auditors’ report, the University’s President, in this leaked memo, calls for a drastic overhaul of the University of Belize Act. He says “the role and responsibilities of the Board of Management and the relationship of the Management to the Board all need to be re-drafted”.

This indicates that the President is frustrated over a Board Chairman who tends to assert herself at will, in the management and administration of the university.

“There is a lack of a long term vision for the university’s institutional development”, declared the University’s President, in his report to the Minister of Education. This is a major body blow to the Minister. We await the fallout from this statement of fact by the UB President.

But Dr. Fraser did not stop there.

He stepped up his offensive and his in-direct criticism of the lack of any clearly defined government vision for tertiary education.

Hitting straight at the heart of the University’s inability to obtain international accreditation, the UB President’s confidential report notes that there is a

need for a policy for Tenure and Promotions. He said that the present level of operation is unacceptable and the governance procedures should be in place “to signal that the recruitment and retention of faculty within the university should be driven by professional and international evaluation of the University’s personnel and its programmes - not by the preferences of the Board and senior management”.

Dr. Fraser hammered home this point without mincing words saying “these are important policies that need to be clearly articulated to ensure that the University is seen as functioning according to international standards”.

This is yet another smashing indictment on the Ministry of Education and its complete lack of direction and vision for education at all levels and the government’s overall disrespect for the teaching profession.

Venting his frustration over political interference and over mismanagement by the University’s Board of Management, Dr. Fraser says that the “importance of the creation of a Manual of Governance Procedures for the Board of Management cannot be overstated given the weakness of internal management that have shaped (poor) institutional performance and

(a negative) public perception of the University”.

Reacting to the damning audit report, the President of the University of Belize says the UB needs to commission an external review of its administrative structure with the support of an external agency such as the Caribbean Development Bank.

The governance and the administration of UB has to be restructured to lift performance not only in administrative but as well as in academic terms, Dr. Fraser advises.

Fraser says that UB has to be operated as an “integrated institution with a common identity and mission”.

Unless steps are made to accelerate institutional reform, the University is moving further and further away from qualifying for international accreditation.

If this is an indication of anything, it is the miserable failure or absence of a meaningful policy on education. It puts on display institutional mismanagement at all levels, including this government’s inability to stimulate interest in technical and vocational education in which the PUP had invested millions of dollars.

The slow erosion of academic standards at the University of Belize is becoming a national and international embarrassment as well as a disservice to parents and students.

UB is becoming a petri dish for ignorance and discontent. But like his boss, the Prime Minister and his colleagues in this corrupt government, the Minister of Education is living in a bubble. They are far removed from the reality of the fomenting cesspool of ignorance and discontent.

Dangriga Mayor formalises sister city relations with La Ceiba, Honduras La Ceiba, Honduras, April 2, 2013 On Thursday April 4th, Dangriga Mayor Major (Ret’d) Gilbert Swaso will sign an agreement to formalise sister city relations with La Ceiba, Honduras.

Through this agreement, the leaders of both municipalities will work together to find areas of cooperation and assistance. The Mayor of La Ceiba is His Worship Carlos Aguilar.

Mayor Swaso is currently in La Ceiba, as a specially-invited guest, attending the inaugural celebration of African Heritage Month in that municipality.

Mayor Major (Ret’d) Gilbert Swaso (4th from left) attending special activities in La Ceiba, Honduras

07 APR

2013

THE BELIZE TIMES

11

2nd Ariel Rosado Annual Bike Ride to be held April 20th Belize City, April 2, 2013 The Ariel Rosado Memorial Education Foundation in partnership with Galen University, Memorial University of Canada and the Bowen and Bowen Group of Companies proudly announces the Second Ariel Rosado Annual Bike Ride.

The ride starts at Galen University Campus at Mile 62.5 on the George Price Highway at 6:00 am on Saturday April 20th and finishes at Hour Bar and Grill at Newtown Barracks in Belize City about noon. Come out to witness the finish of the ride and participate in a Family Fun Day - Live Music, Sailing Displays, BBQ, giveaways

Baby Ivy’s abduction

foiled in unusual manner Continued from page 4 woman.

The baby spent the night at the house until the next day when Villanueva reportedly asked his cousin and her husband 27 year old Freddy Gongora to drive him to Corozal Town. In Corozal, the Villanueva told them to drive to a house where he remained while another male person got into the vehicle with the baby. In a series of strange events, Noh said the male person told them to drive by the seaside where he then hopped out of the vehicle suddenly, leaving the child with them. She said they grew suspicious and took the child to the Police Station, where the officers were already on high alert for the case of abduction.

The Police found out the location of the house Villanueva was and conducted a raid. 34 year old Villanueva, a resident of 11 South End Street, Corozal Town was then charged and arraigned last week Thursday in the Orange Walk Magistrate Court. Pena was charged on Tuesday, April 2nd.

Pena has told the he had nothing to do with the kidnapping. According to sources, Pena stated that he was offered $10,000 to keep baby Ivy in hiding, but he refused the offer.

Both men will return to Court on April 30th.

and other fun activities. Proceeds will be used to continue the 10 scholarships currently being funded by the Foundation and to provide additional scholarships and sporting activities for deserving Belizean youths.

Within 6 months of its birth the Foundation has raised funds to provide the following (1) Nine (9) High School Scholarships covering the cost of all Fees and books (see list attached) (2) One (1) University Scholarship covering the cost of Tuition and Fees (see list attached) (3) Five (5) scholarships

for primary school students to learn to sail with the Belize Sailing Association (4) Funding for the 2012 Third World Summer Camp held St. Martin De Porres Football Field (5) Sponsorship of the 2012 “Ariel Rosado Memorial Belmopan Classic” Cycling Race Registration and Pledge Forms are available at Ordonez Bike Shop on Pelican Street in Belize City. For further information contact the Foundation at email ariel. memorial@gmail.com or call 223-5674 or 600-6665.

Ariel Rosado was one of Belize’s most promising cyclists

12

THE BELIZE TIMES

07 APR

2013

07 APR APR 07

THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES THE BELIZE

2013

TOPMODEL 13

ENTERTAINMENT

NEWS

Super Furia

releases “Belize da fu we”

In the face of threats from neighbouring Guatemala, Belizean nationalism is flourishing in our country.

One group that has taken their pride for country to a higher level is the Super Furia band hailing from Orange Walk Town.

The Alcoser family band, which won the Battle of the Bands last year, has released a music video for its single track titled “Belize da fu we”.

Lead singer Roxanna Alcoser recently explained in an interview on CTV-3 News that while the song will make us dance, it will also elevate our patriotism.

“This song is inspired with basically the issues that surround us right now with Guatemala and Belize and we want to send a message to Guatemala that please respect our borderlines and understand that Belize is for Belizeans,” said Roxanna.

A highlight of the video is that it features various parts of the country to put Belize’s diversity on display.

Annlyn

• • • •

Height: 5’ 6” Career Plan: English Teacher/ TV Personality Sign: Gemini Favourite Food: Pasta

•

• •

TOP MODEL Clothing and Accessories provided by CATWALK FASHIONS

Likes: Modeling, Writing poems, Going to the gym, Dancing Lives in Belize City Fav. Quote: “This is my constant wish for myself: that I fulfilled the potential of my being, that I achieve what the creator intended of me” - Oprah

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

07 APR

2013

The Garland Stays Home!

Darnell Barrow wins 85th Holy Saturday Cross Country Classic Belize City, March 30, 2013 Team Santino’s Darnell Barrow outsprinted Team Benny’s Megabytes’ Mexican import Juan Pablo Magallanes and Team Veloshine’s John Delong of the USA to win the 85th annual Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling classic on the George Price Highway.

Darnell almost set a new record, clocking 5:46:49 on the 140 mile ride from at Leslie’s Imports in Belize City to the Coronation Park in San Ignacio and back to the finish

Darnell Barrow wins

Darnell Barrow wins rides across finish line in ecstasy

Rigo Vellos

wins 2013 Mr. Physique Competition

John DeLong won 3rd place

Belize City, March 31st, 2013 Mr. Belize, Rigo Vellos, easily defended his 2012 title as Mr. Physique when the 13th Annual Tipsy Tuna Easter Fest got going on Sunday afternoon in Placencia.

The event, which is sanctioned by the Belize Body Building and Fitness Federation, saw the participation of six competitors that also included former Mr. Belize Deon Danderson. After posing for the official judges and getting the crowd excited with some on-stage competitive poses, the judges shortlisted to two competitors, the current and former Mr. Belize.

The final call Continued on page 15

Belmopan Bandits regain Premier League lead San Ignacio, March 31, 2013 The defending champions, the Belmopan Bandits have regained the lead in the Premier League of Belize closing season tournament with 20 points as they enjoyed back to back wins; 3-0 over FC San Felipe Barcelona at the People’s Stadium in Orange Walk on Sunday and 3-1 over Verdes at the Marshalleck Stadium in Benque Viejo last Wednesday night, March 27.

Belize’s national team top striker Deon Macaulay scored 2 goals for the Bandits and Jerome “Jaro” James added a 3rd goal in the Bandits’ 3-1 win over Verdes. Only Julian Maldonado scored a consolation goal for the Benque squad.

The Belize Defence Force has stepped back to the second position in the league with 19 points after a 1-1 draw with the Placencia Assassins in Placencia last Saturday night.

FC Belize is following close behind at No. 3 with 16 points from back to back wins: 2-0 over FC San Felipe Barcelona in Orange Walk on Thursday night and 3-0 over the Police United at the MCC garden on Saturday night. The Police won 1-0 over Placencia at the MCC garden on Thursday night.

line in front of the Hour Bar & Grill on Newtown Barracks to win a $5,000 1st prize from United Insurance, the winner’s garland from Florasol and 6 trophies.

Darnell also won a Samsung Galaxy phone package and the champion’s jersey from Digicel 4G, a 2-night stay at Beya Suites in the Snake Cayes, dinner for 2 at the Barrier Reef Resort in Caye Caulker and an overnight stay at Banana Beach Resort in San Pedro. Additionally, he won a $2,500 prize which United Insurance offered for the first Belizean, and a 1,000lb bull.

Magallanes had dominated much of the race, winning 14 station prizes including the $1,000 prize at Mount Hope on the outbound leg as he and Team C-Ray’s Luis Pulido Naranjo ran away from the main peloton all the way to San Ignacio.

Pulido Naranjo won 15 station prizes on the outbound leg, including the big prize at the half-way point and 4 more on the way back. Magallanes claimed the $3,000 2nd prize and the trophy from Belize Electricity Ltd, as well as an overnight stay at Magic Island Resort the Altreith Smith Memorial plaque, and a trophy from Glen and Laurie Young.

John Delong won the $2,000 3rd prize and a trophy from Belize Bank, an overnight stay at Barefoot Caribe Resort in Caye Caulker, and a trophy from Glen and Laurie Young.

Team Santino’s top rider Marlon Castillo was tipped to win this year’s Cross Country; and he did win a $50 prize at Mile 47 going to Cayo, but his race ended when he broke his shoulder and arm when he went down in a group spill near Belmopan.

Other finishers: 4th place – Belize Linkup Justin Williams 5th place –Telemedia’s Gregory Lovell 6th place – Team Veloshine’s Scottie Weiss 7th place – Team Belikin Western Spirits’ Roger Troyer 8th place – Team Santino’s Leroy Cassasola 9th place – Team C-Ray’s Brandon Morgan 10th place – Belikin Western Spirits’ Shane Vasquez (2006 Cross Country Champ) 11th place – Team C-Ray’s Brandon Cattouse 12th place – Team Benny’s Megabytes’ Mexican import Carlos Lopez 13th place – Team Belikin Western Spirits’ Ron Vasquez 14th place – Unattached Kenroy “Smokes” Gladden 15th place – Unattached Henry Moriera 16th place – Team Santino’s Luis Santizo 17th place – Team C-Ray’s Florencio Ramon Torres 18th place – Luis Naranjo Pulido 19th place – Team Belikin Western Spirits’ Geovanni Choto (2012 Champ) 20th place – Team Santino’s Alejandro Padilla

07 APR APR 07

2013

SPORTS 15

THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES THE BELIZE

San Ignacio United holds down Verdes 3-2 San Ignacio, March 31, 2013 It was win some, lose some for 4th place team, San Ignacio United, as they enjoyed a 3-2 win against Verdes at the Norman Broaster Stadium in San Ignacio on Sunday; after a 3-0 loss to the Belize Defense Force last Wednesday night.

Seannon Deour led the San Ignacio attack, delighting the home fans with the 1st goal in the 16th minute; when he recovered a deflected ball from Verdes’ goalie Ryan Serazia, who could not hold on to a shot from Eric Guzman.

Verdes luck did not improve when they found themselves down to 10 men after central referee Gerald Henry ejected Everald Trapp for protesting the referee’s call and then angrily kicking away the ball.

Leonard Valdez headed in San Ignacio’s 2nd goal in the 28th minute when he connected to a pass to center from midfielder Everald “Tarry” Gabourel as the

Julio Ayala takes on Felix Miranda

Garret Bermudez wins header

National Sports Council enters softball playoffs

Tuff E Nuff’s Shanique Myles

Tuff E Nuff’s Caryl Meighan

Belize City, March 27, 2013 The National Sports Council is the No. 1 seed entering the 2013 Belize City interoffice softball playoffs after an 18-14 win against the Belize Bank at the Rogers’ Stadium last Wednesday.

The Sports Council led 12-2 after 4 innings with Brian “Yellowman” Audinett leading the attack by scoring 4 runs. Pitcher Joel Wade and shortstop Shane Williams scored 3 runs each, while Charlie Slusher, Reginald Flowers, and Rodney Lord scored 2 runs each, and Sharett Jones and Claricia Gladden came home once.

Godsden Fergu-

home squad led 2-0 at the half time break.

Verdes’ Najib Guerra pulled one back for the visitors in the 46th minute right after the break. Gilroy “Bredda” Thurton coming off the Verdes’ bench had a chance for the equalizer when he received a pass from Emmanuel Martinez in front of the goal, but he let San Ignacio’s goalie Gerardo Vanegas off the hook by sending the ball over the crossbar.

Garret Bermudez came off San Ignacio’s bench to score a 3rd goal when he headed in a pass to center from a corner kick executed by Carlos Vasquez in the 60th minute.

Emmanuel Martinez scored Verdes’ 2nd goal when he picked up a pass to center from Javier Habet and blasted the ball past Vanegas in injury time, but the home defenders Eric Guzman, Felix Miranda, Gilberto Carillo and Anthony Morgan locked out Verdes in the remaining time to secure the 3-2 win.

son led the bankers with 3 runs, while Evan Lamb, Shane Pollard, Edwin Courtenay, and Mushae McDonald scored 2 runs each, and Norman Middleton, Sasha Brown and Enid Dakers each scored a run.

Other games: BWS vs. Telemedia – 9-8 Tuff e’Nuff vs. Belize Bank – 17-7

Rigo Vellos Continued from page 14 placed Rigo at the top.

The next official body building federation event is the Strong Man contest followed by the Mr. Belize competition.

The BELIZE TIMES has learnt that Mr. Belize is preparing for an international body building competition, the 2013 Hercules Olympia to be held at the United Kingdom in May. Rigo is currently seeking financial support to be able to participate in the event. Anyone interested in supporting can contact the Federation at 622-8023.

16

THE BELIZE TIMES

07 APR

2013

07 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

Scales of JUSTICE

By Anthony Sylvestre Jr.

KILL BIL! Quentin Torentino’s two part extreme action thriller titled “Kill Bill” chronicles a woman’s quest to kill a strange, elusive, mysterious and dangerous character called “Bill.”

The movie viewer does not get to meet Bill for a sustained period until near the end of the second film. Bill is an enigma. Exactly what is Bill’s purpose? The viewers are left at the end wondering.

Dean Barrow seems to have borrowed Quentin Torentino’s idea with his latest brainchild which is called BIL, the Belize Infrastructure Limited (and which too is pronounced Bill). Like the character Bill in the movie “Kill Bill”, Barrow’s BIL is strange, elusive and mysterious.

And it is dangerous too. And like Bill in Torentino’s movie too, Barrow’s BIL has everyone wondering what really is its purpose anyway.

Barrow says that it is a “special purpose vehicle” that will facilitate the spending of $60 million dollars of taxpayers’ money. A more appropriate name for BIL then, should be “KITT” from the 1980’s television series “Nightrider” starring David Hasselhoff; for Barrow’s BIL has the make and design (not to mention interior work) of a special vehicle that will break all the traffic rules, without detection. KITT, you may recall, was a super car that could go almost anywhere undetected because of the speed at which it could travel.

Leader of the Opposition Hon. Francis Fonseca in his reply to Barrow’s budget expressed it plainly: “I expect this to be a UDP hustle vehicle that will seek to avoid the rules and regulations of Government.”

And, as has been said, Barrow’s BIL has the make and design of a “hussle” vehicle.

Firstly, BIL, is a private company which has as its primary objective to “act as a public sector agency of the Government of Belize to undertake the design, construction and management of capital projects in Belize…” So says Article 3(1) of the Memorandum of Association (Memo) of BIL. The Memo of a company, it is recalled, is like the constitution of an organization. It sets out

You see, Barrow’s BIL is not even a statutory regulated government or quasi government entity like Social Security Board of DFC. There has been no legislation which has been enacted which set out rules and regulations of the workings and operations of BIL’s spending of public monies.

How will BIL be regulated is what everyone is asking? Who will BIL be accountable to?

Thing is, BIL’s Articles of Association (internal rules and regulations for the running of the company) does not require it to be accountable to the public. The directors of BIL are only required to account to themselves; not the Account General, nor Auditor General nor Senate although it is public monies that will

and charts the projected goals of the company. But here is the thing: BIL is a private company doing the work of Government. This is where things begin to look sticky Wasn’t this the grouse of Godwin or fishy or just doesn’t Hulse and Lois Young and the Assoadd up. To ciation of Concerned Belizeans (ACB) continue back in the days; that is, that the vehicle public monies could not be m e t a p h o rit’s like puthandled in any way and that ting a large there must be accountabilitractor enty to the public at all times? gine into a Where are they now? little buggy.

You have to wonder if something is wrong with be spent. Which is why BIL is such the manufacturer. an enigma, a mystery, strange, Similarly, it is unheard of for a elusive and downright dangerous. private company to have such a her- BIL can spend public monies (and culean undertaking: spend $60 mil- spend, it will) and there is no legal lion of tax payers’ money? obligation for it to account to the

17 public.

BIL essentially will decide how $60 million dollars of taxpayers’ monies will be spent, which project will be financed, when, and how. This is the super power that is given to the directors of BIL. And at the same time, there is no legal oversight in place on BIL and its directors from the Senate, for instance, to instruct BIL to halt or stop a project that is underway and wasting public monies.

Wasn’t this the grouse of Godwin Hulse and Lois Young and the Association of Concerned Belizeans (ACB) back in the days; that is, that public monies could not be handled in any way and that there must be accountability to the public at all times? Where are they now?

Even the Chamber of Commerce of Belize, which is a traditionally conservative group, has too expressed its concern about the possible dangerous character of BIL. As they ask, why do we even need BIL? For me, BIL has to suffer the same fate that the character in the movie “Kill Bill” did. This can only be done with public agitation and public dissent of this brazen attempt by this UDP government to take $60 million dollars and treat it like a cash cow. If this government’s history of running companies like BTL and BEL are any indicators, BIL is bad news for Belize.

Kill BIL.

18

THE BELIZE TIMES

07 APR

2013

07 APR

2013

Of this and that…

The Pandy Show The Pandy Show is big in Cayo.

It is done by Kent Pandy. He is a star.

The show started in 1992.

Pandy is the camera man. He is the reporter. He is the editor.

He is the writer. He is the producer.

The show is for kids. Hard back adults watch it. Don’t ask why. It is personality driven.

Pandy is Belize’s Pee Wee Herman. He covers entertainment for Santa Elena and San Ignacio.

He has giveaways. Lots of them. Small things like pizza.

Five dollar phone cards. Nothing big. He has guests. Lots of guests. Children especially. They sing. They dance. It is mindless.

We like it.

It is quirky. It is basic. It has a theme song and all.

It is proof. Proof that you can do anything. You do not have to be rich. You do not need millionaire money. Just love and a dream.

Big up, the Pandy Show.

Ms. Obese Belize I love Belizeans. We are unique. Lots of Belizeans are over weight. Body image affects self-esteem. Some say fatness is genetic. Some say it is laziness. Bad diet. Hard living. Pickney and Stress.

There is a pageant in Belize.

It is on April 27. It is Ms. Plus Belize 2013.

It is a celebration of women.

That is what it should be about.

It should be about loving oneself.

Excuse me. Do not let me buss the bubble. But someone needs to be honest.

This is a bad thing. The show is not about plus size women. It is about morbidly obese women.

Being over weight is not to be celebrated. It is a health hazard.

It is unhealthy. Check any doctor.

Nutritionist. Old people. Anyone.

It increases the likelihood of heart attacks. Diabetes. High Cholesterol. You name it.

It comes with self-esteem issues.

Killing them fatly Why are we having a pageant to celebrate the unhealthiest?

Don’t compare it. The rule of nature is survival of the fittest.

19

THE BELIZE TIMES

Not survival of the fattest and most likely to die.

Should we have a Mr. Smoker. A Mr. Crackhead. A Mr. UDP. A Mr. Assassin. A Ms. Anemic?

Look here.

What we should have is something else. We should have “Belize’s Biggest Loser”. A show promoting healthiness. Healthy living. Encouraging people to uplift themselves. Encouraging healthy bodies and minds.

This is a big fat joke.

We should not promote mawga-niss. But we need to talk the truth. Encourage the right things. Promote the right things.

Bad is bad. No matter the size.

Healing. Truth.

discipline. They need to first fear God. This is where wisdom starts.

Easter is fake There is another side to Good Friday.

Businesses suffer. Everyday selling counts. The economy is bad. Second. Good Friday is part of a week long holiday. No one works “Holy Thursday”. Even if they say “half day”. Then Friday to Monday.

This is laziness.

Laziness because Belizeans ain’t that religious, Jack. It is a time of excess. Like Xmas with lot less money. But lot more time.

It is Xmas with fish instead of ham. Easter baskets rather than Xmas trees. Bunnies instead of elves and Santa. It is a commercial rip off.

It was designed to sell things.

This is the unholy middle ground.

Christians Facey

By the Pound There is an airline in Samoa.

It is called Samoa Air. It charges fares. The fares are done calculated based on the passenger’s weight. Yes, weight.

Fat people pay more. Children and skinny people pay less.

It has been doing this since November 2012. They say it is fair. You pay for what you take on the plane. People chap up. We blame the greedy business men.

We say they are insensitive.

Wait a minute. A full plane uses more gas than an empty plane. Fact.

This will encourage Samoans to be healthier. They have a large over weight population. Just like Belize.

We need to pay attention.

Look at what we eat. It impacts the health care system. It impacts the quality of our life.

There is a cost to gluttony.

There is a cost to everything.

There is also a benefit.

Happier. Healthier. Longer.

More affordable lives.

Bad Good Friday Good Friday is the most boring holiday. It is part of the Judeo-Christian celebration. It is part of Easter.

All shops must be closed in Belize. That is for Good Friday. That is until 6pm. No one drinks. We eat bun and fish.

The streets are empty. There is no killing. Rebellious teens stay home. They do not roam the streets. That is the power of religion.

It shows Belizeans can have

Easter is about religion. It is about Christians forcing the ungodly to pretend. Pretend to care.

There should be a poll. The poll should be about what people do on Easter. Not about abolishing the holiday. People would lie if you ask that. They will feel they would go to hell.

No one does anything religious on that day. We travel. We vacation. We drink. We party. That is not Easter. That is pagan.

Christians are facey. If people want to drink on Good Friday. Let them. What foolishiness about after six? If doing it will send them to hell. Let them go. Your job is to preach to them. Convince them to do otherwise.

Not force them to pretend.

Stop Paying the G.G. al?

Who pays the Governor Gener-

Looks like Belize does. But why do we?

The GG is the representative of the Crown. The Queen. That is what crown means. So why do we pay if the GG works for Her Majesty?

This makes no sense to me. If Britain wants to show herself in Belize, they should pay. Not us.

We need to stop paying the G.G. Cruffy vs. Rednecks There are ways to know you are a cruffy.

One way is if you have foil paper covering your stovetop. This is so it is easier to clean.

Belizeans have the most ghet-

to ideas. Lela is wrong.

Creoles have more culture than rednecks.

Cellphone Disease Belizeans cannot live without cellphones. Everyone has one.

From the garbage men to Ashcroft’s attorneys.

Cell phones are like acne. Everyone has it. Some way or the other. Some people have two.

They can call themselves and hang up.

Four year olds have cell phones.

Preschoolers.

Highschoolers. Bus drivers while driving.

Every one has a phone. No one has credit.

It is ridiculous.

We are supposed to own BTL. Smart is better.

Happy Birthday Mobile Phone The first cell phone call was April 3, 1973. That means it became 40 on Wednesday week gone. Amazing. It is hard to remember the world without it. Or imagine the world after it.

Toilet vs. The Cell Phone United Nations did a study.

They found out serious things.

More people have access to cell phones than toilets.

7 billion people have cell phones. Only 4.5 billion have access to proper sanitation.

We have our priorities down the toilet.

Bruk ups Darios is in Belize City. It sells meat pies.

Poor people cannot afford it.

Meat pies are a delicacy to the poor. It used to be fifty cents each. Now it is eighty-five cents.

That is if you go to New Road.

The men on cart sell for a buck each.

Poor people know how to survive.

We buy “bruk ups”. These are the pies that have defects. Broken. Burnt. This is what we eat.

This is high-end food for poor people. Especially our children.

Bruk ups are three for a dollar.

Nothing should waste.

Put this in your pipe And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 (KJV)

20

THE BELIZE TIMES

HOT CROSS BUNS Ingredients 1 cup yellow lentils 4 cups water 1 teaspoon salt, divided 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 tablespoon canola oil 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 medium onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 mangoes, peeled and diced 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

N.B. In this recipe yellow lentils (toor dal) and mango are cooked in a traditionally Southern India style—more souplike. Both ripe and underripe mango will work: less-ripe mango imparts a tart flavor and holds its shape, while riper mango breaks down more during cooking and gives the dish a sweeter taste.

Directions • Place lentils in a colander and rinse until the water runs clear.

• Combine lentils, 4 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and turmeric in a large saucepan.

Bring to a boil.

• Reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

Edwardo Yaxcal, 27, to Santa Dominga Choco, 26, both of Bella Vista, Toledo District Lauriel Armando Medina, 25, to Norvea Teresita Solis, 21, both of August Pine Ridge, Orange Walk District Ruben Aglimar Leiva, 29, to Marisa Jasminy Rancharan, 31, both of Paraiso, Corozal District Roberto Armando Gutierrez, 22, of Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District, to Ivy Socorro Munoz, 20, of San Estevan, Orange Walk District Gilberto Efrain Reyes, 21, to Monica Aiesha Cal, 21, both

of Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District Vinod Lalwani, 27, to Lorena Margarita Guiterrez, 21, both of Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District Omar Antonio Deras, 29, to Rosa Delia Martinez, 26, both of St. Margaret’s, Cayo District Larry Kenneth McGregor, 62, to Christina Deane Boyd, 64, both of White Rock, British Columbia, Canada Carlos Akal, 28, to Carmelita Choc, 23, both of Belize City Ralf Clarence Steven, 67, to Agnella Auguster Budd, 73, both of Burrell

2013

• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and cook until fragrant and starting to brown, about 30 seconds. Add onion; cook, stirring, until soft and beginning to brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, coriander, cayenne and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more.

• Stir the garlic mixture and mangoes into the lentils. Return to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are falling apart, 10 to 15 minutes more. Stir in cilantro.

• Serve over basmati rice or other rice of your choice.

Recipe of the week

MARRIAGES

07 APR

Boom, Belize District Carlton Garrett Pakeman, 24, to Ashanti Vanessa Scott, 24, both of Belize City Raul Wilfrido Canton, 21, to Jessica Sarai Perez, 18, both of San Jose Palmar, Orange Walk District Gregorio Padilla, 42, to Ruth Noemi Aguilar, 22, both of Blackman Eddy, Cayo District William Raul Galdamez, 27, to Elida Cecilia Martinez, 25, both of Belmopan Herminio Hob, 26, to Vicky Yamily Chan, 22, both of Bullet Tree Falls, Cayo District Pedro de Jesus Albeno, 26, to Ingris Griselda Alvarez Aspirez, 22, both of Benque Viejo del Carmen, Cayo Dis-

trict Angel Ivan Callejas, 35, to Adela Martinez Galdamez, 47, both of Belmopan Paul DeHaan, 57, to Ivan Tanada, 20, both of Belmopan Rudy Endy Gomez, 23, to Estela de Jesus Mazariegos, 28, both of San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye Michael Paul Furnstahl, 59, to Maureen Rae Ingerson, 44, both of Mound, Minnesota, U.S.A. Leo Gaspar Cansino, 29, of Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District, to Senaida Elisa Rejon, 27, of Yo Creek, Orange Walk District Roberto Tamai, Jr., 26, of San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, to Leah Debroah Evans, 34, of Lancaster, Ohio, U.S.A.

BIRTHS Born to Elwin Edward Simpson and Concepciona Simpson nee Rash, a girl, Jessica Ophelia Marie Born to Luis Oswaldo Quijano and Ruth Adelina Quijano nee Guillen, a girl, Saige Elaine Born to Robert Joseph Snyder and Leny Yadira Snyder nee Flores, a girl, Lena Gabriela Born to Andrew Gilbert Hoare and Sharima Marie Hoare nee Price, a boy, Nathan David Frank Born to Ting Ching Cheng and Xuehua Cheng nee Huang, a girl, Hailey

DEATHS Tomasa Elisa Lizama, 95 Frank Leroy Neal, 36 Gerhard Michael Budaker, 53

07 APR

2013

THE BELIZE TIMES

Reid Bringing home the Garland

By G. Michael Reid The 85th annual running of the Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic is history and for the second year in a row, Belizeans were sent to enjoy the rest of their Easter holidays comforted with the knowledge that the garland remains at home. Since 1971 when Mexican Pablo Calderon became the first foreign rider to take away the garland, foreign riders have continuously been a threat.

Each year Belizeans dread that some foreign rider might come in and leave us heartbroken.

This year saw its usual influx of foreigners lining up to compete but for the second year in a row, a local boy crossed the tape first.

Anyone who was listening to race live or even who was watching the race was taken by complete surprise. Coming into Belize City, not once did the announcers mention the name Darnell Barrow as all eyes and hopes were on names like Choto, Vasquez or Cattouse.

In fact, until the last couple of seconds, many were sure that Mexican Juan Pablo Magellanes, riding for the Benny’s Megabytes team, would have taken the coveted garland across the border.

Thanks and congrats to Darnell Barrow who put his all into making sure that Belizeans were not left disappointed.

From what was considered a mere expedition in 1928, this annual classic has evolved into and remains the single most prominent sporting event in the country. Wikipedia describes the cross country as such: “The Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic, usually shortened to the Cross Country Cycling Classic or “Cross Country” for short, is a

to article 6 of the ICI statutes which states “The federations must manage their internal affairs and ensure that no third party interferes in their operations. They must remain autonomous and resist all political, religious and financial pressure which may infringe their commitment to abide by the constitution of the UCI.” The letter goes on to remind the minister that “…under no condition should the government interfere with the strategy or the operations of the federation.” The letter closes with the assertion that, “We take this opportunity to confirm once again that our international federation and our continental confederation recognize Mr. Emil Moreno as the legitimate president of the Belize Cycling Association.” How this one will play out and if Moreno will be able to hold on to his presidency is anybody’s guess. One thing is for sure, Moreno can claim that under his watch, local riders were once again winning the Cross Country.

Controversy is not new to the cycling body of Belize and it is a wonder that it has been able to endure all these years.

One incident that gnaws at my

21

occurred way back in 1961. At that time, the races would finish near the pound yard bridge and as a child; I distinctly remember watching this one particular race. We had made the annual trek past the burial ground as usual to watch the riders depart. At the finish line, there was one rider, Edward Miguel ahead of everyone-day amateur cycling race held one else. Duncan Vernon and in Belize every year during the EasEdward’s brother Arthur were ter holidays. It is Belize’s biggest close behind. Realizing that cycling event and has begun to be he had won, Edward threw up recognized internationally.” The last his hands in victory. Unfortusentence is significant. The annual nately, unbeknown to most incross country race is indeed gaindividuals and riders even, the ing international recognition and association of the time had many believe that it might be time implemented a rule that stated to add this event to the Internathat no one should take their tional Cycling Calendar. That would hands off their handlebars. It mean inviting professional riders was a most asinine and stupid which would mean that our own rule. Fortunately, it has long locals would have to step up their been removed from the book. game considerably.

Many believe at that time It might also be high time that that the decision was in symwe start viewing this event in the pathy for Duncan Vernon. The light of a Tour de France. This would man known as the “Veteran” mean that we stop demanding that had continuously run into misa local rider win but start looking fortune and was considered at this race from the perspective the most unlucky cyclists of of economic benefits. The Tour de all time. Whatever the reason, France is the world’s most promiit was dumb and that decision should be reversed. It is too late for What also has to happen is for cycling to keep Edward for he is already deceased, but for the the dirty embrace of politics from around it. Resake of the association cently we have seen a move by government to and cycling fans of Beremove the legally elected president and lize, that decision should be reversed and Edward replace him with a politically-connected Miguel should be given individual like they has attempted with his championship, albeit post-humously. This football. is important because it would move Edward into the elite rank of four-time craw and which I will continue nent and popular cycling race and Cross Country champions. He to write about until someone has lengthened its reach to extend deserves no less! takes notice, is an incident that around the globe. Riders from as many as 33 countries compete and the last Frenchman to win the tour was Bernard Hinault. This happened way back in 1985. Yet the French are not concerned since the Tour pours millions into the French economy every year.

What also has to happen is for cycling to keep the dirty embrace of politics from around it. Recently we have seen a move by government to remove the legally elected president and replace him with a politically-connected individual like they has attempted with football.

As with football, the international governing body of cycling association has protested. In a recent exchange between Minister of Sports Herman Longsworth and the International Cycling Union (UCI), Longsworth’s attempt to dismantle the current association was met with a stern warning. UCI oversees all international competitive cycling events.

In a letter to the Minister Longsworth, the UCI refers Longsworth

22

07 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

Four Days in the Chiquibul Godfrey Smith

Flashpoint

March 15, 2013 To arrive at Caracol just before dusk when that fallen Mayan city lies in desolate splendor emptied of tourists, ascend 136 feet to the apex of the imposing Caana pyramid and behold the sunset over the forest canopy is one of the unique natural wonders of the Chiquibul National Park.

It is stirring to ponder upon the Ozymandian ruins below, which were once, 1,500 years ago, a sprawling, thriving, conquering metropolis of 65 square miles inhabited by 120,000 people.

But now ‘round the decay of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare’ the forest has silently reclaimed its territory, swallowing up the abandoned temples and plazas. Out across the canopy the sight of a raging fire in the distance intrudes upon that reverie. All is not well in the Chiquibul: agricultural expansion is encroaching upon the frontiers of the park.

As dusk descends, birds that dominated the songscape concede the night to the crepuscular choir of crickets. It takes a while to adjust to the sounds of jungle nightlife; sleep is slow in coming; only patches of starlight are visible through the forest canopy like glinting terrestrial oases. Somewhere nearby an animal - perhaps a gibnut - crashes through the understory as noisily and clumsily as a human.

Even before it is light, the diminuendo of the chirping, signals the breaking of dawn. The laws of the jungle are at work. When birds emerge, insects retreat mutely into the shadows. The troik troik troik of the keel-billed toucan is uncannily froglike. But even from the distance of the canopy there is no mistaking the exaggerated bill and the retracting of its wings as it glides. The guttural growls of invisible troupes of howler monkeys echo through the trees. The hysterical, scandal-mongering piam-piam gives away our presence on the forest floor, but not before a pair of sleek-bodied scarlet macaws cruises into view.

At Tapir Camp, we transfer gear from the pickup to Danto, a 30-year-old British army land rover equipped with a luggage rack and a 10,000 pound winch for the journey to Actun Kabal. There is no traffic; nothing to disturb the tranquility of the forest except the droning of Danto. We stop from time to time: a massive Ceiba tree is bedecked with about twenty intricately woven Oropendola nests hanging high up on the edge of the branches to make them predator-proof.

A few miles before Millionario Camp we take a right, detouring into the bush. There is no road here. Derric Chan, at the wheel of the formidable Danto, takes us deftly through yawning mud pits, crunching over fallen limbs and up rough, hilly terrain, all the while overhanging, tangled branches and limbs claw desperately at Danto as we bounce and jerk along at 45 degree angles. Derric Chan wears three hats: fearless ranger, Chiquibul National Park manager and tour guide par excellence of Ecoquest which customizes extreme adventure tours.

As we come around a curve, three collared peccaries leap from a mud bath in the middle of the roughly hewn trail and dart into the bush. A pointed, spearlike undergrowth rips up through the floorboard; the metal sheet is stamped back into place.

To reach Actun Kabal, the-National Geographic-renowned cave system, involves trekking several miles through the jungle. Time goes by quickly observing Chiquibul trees with their telltale, machete-inflicted, serpentine slashes; drinking from water vines, examining the Prickly Yellow tree studded with miniature The Chiquibul Cave System horns to dissuade

The natural arch over the Chiquibul River itchy tapirs from inadvertently pushing them down while get a back scratch.

The buzzing of cicadas in the sun is suddenly drowned out by the amplified buzzing of chainsaws like a swarm of approaching bees. Guatemalans are illegally logging mahogany and cedar. Through the trees in the distance, orange sawdust sprayed widely across the surrounding forest cling to the leaves like blood from a hacked victim.

We cautiously continue trekking, picking up the Infladitos de Maiz and Mirinda wrappers littering the trail. The noise of the chainsaws is unsettling; it evokes a feeling of shame. While an impassioned public discourse is ongoing about taking the Belize-Guatemala border dispute to the International Court of Justice, sovereignty is being ceded tree by fallen tree, milpa by encroaching milpa, everyday in these forests, threatening the biodiversity of one of our primary natural treasures.

It is ironic that Belizeans should emphatically proclaim that “not one square inch, not a blade of grass” shall be ceded to Guatemala, when valuable plants and hardwood are being harvested every day, and fauna hunted

by Guatemalans - with impunity. It is one thing to read about it or see it on the evening news. It is in fact quite jarring to hear the chainsaws at work, knowing that Belize’s natural resources are being raped, pillaged and sold by Guatemalans, making a mockery of sovereignty.

As we begin the descent to the entrance of the Chiquibul Chamber, the ethereal song of a bird is heard across the canyon. Derric identifies it is a solitaire, one of the most accomplished singers among all world’s songbirds. The expectation is to discover a beautifully colored bird. It is curiosity of nature that such a drab, slate-colored little creature can sing so enchantingly and unforgettably.

The Chiquibul chamber opens to a cave system that forms a subterranean link between Belize and Guatemala; within lies a network of passages, the Belize Chamber -the largest known cave chamber in the entire Western Hemisphere - and the Great Sand Passage.

We trek back single file through the jungle, freezing in our tracks as the voice of Diaz, a 19 year-old ranger scouting ahead of the team, is heard confronting someone. Half a minute later, Diaz comes running and reports to Derric who motions us to keep moving. Diaz, coming face to face with one of the Guatemalan loggers, had ordered him to halt. The logger had turned and fled.

Had civilians not been around, Derric explained, they would have attempted to lawfully arrest the loggers as rangers of the Friends of Conservation and Development (FCD), a membership, non-for-profit, non-government organization responsible for the on-ground management of the Chiquibul National Park, the single largest protected area of Belize.

FCD is the vision and creation of Rafael Manzero. Its primary goal is to motivate the public to protect the environment through conservation awareness while enhancing the development of the human resource. According to Manzanero, since the start of the year, 400 acres of the reserve has been lost to milpa encroachments. Unless awareness is raised exponentially, the battle to preserve the Chiquibul may be lost.

The article is reproduced from www.flashpointbelize.

Rafael Manzanero com

ahead of his time

07 APR

Home Economics

Economy of El Cayo Then and Now

By Richard Harrison El Cayo now....is much different from El Cayo in the 1970’s and 80’s.

The economy then was centered around small-scale, mostly milpa-farming agriculture and timber production...and the British Army.... with a periphery of tourism and commerce.....dotted with a number of bustling small-manufacturing industries that dominated the country’s supply of furniture, dairy, processed meats, juices, etc. There was a stable, yearround and growing economy through those years.

The economy now....is centered

around tourism....dotted with the small-scale secondary manufacturing industries of furniture, processed meats, juices, foam, etc., struggling to stay afloat, having lost their dominance in the national landscape, to new competitors that have popped up in the other districts.

The small-scale milpa-farming has mostly disappeared, with agricultural production having become commercialized and controlled by Spanish Lookout. The money moved from the communities around El Cayo, over to Spanish Lookout...which is better organized and financed....and

Dr. Oliver Ottley writes on Belize-Guatemala affair

By Dr. Oliver Ottley, District Superintendent Emeritus, Church of the Nazarene Some of us make history; some write history; some read history; and some interpret history. Sad to say, some of us distort history. Although a macro and micro comparison, America and Belize are contemporaries of the early 1920’s. According to Byron Foster, “the date of the settlement was given as 1638.” However, it is said, purportedly, that Sir Walter Raleigh and Peter Wallace visited Belize before 1620. Whether the beginning of a relationship is the engagement or the wedding may be arguable, considering the engagement as a relationship that is prospective of the wedding. A long settlement, a territorial victory on September 10, 1798 and British colonial status in 1862 preceded a long struggle leading to our Independence in 1981.

The most regrettable consequence of British colonialism to Belize is the legacy of the long and lingering territorial dispute; the unfounded claim

by Guatemala, despite our having become an independent and sovereign nation. Now the very controversial prospect of simultaneous referenda in conjunction with Guatemala to decide whether or not to send the matter to the International Court of Justice faces us as a country. Interestingly, the most recent development is that Guatemala is now requesting a postponement of the bilaterally agreed upon date for the referenda. However, should the matter go to the ICJ and the decision is for any transference of, or interference with the Belize we have known, our territorial integrity, repeatedly reaffirmed by the slogan, “not one square

23

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

centimetre”, and our much loved patriotic song, “God’s Goodness Gave this Land to Me” will be history; unless God intervenes and defends us. And will He not? He has done it before!

There are a few controversial aspects in the history of Belize. One of them is the veracity of the visit of Sir Walter Raleigh and Peter Wallace before 1620. Another is the frequent bone of contention regarding The Battle of St. George’s Caye. Distortions and negations of unwelcomed history by nations, even to the point of rewriting history, are not new. A classic example is in an interview by satellite in 1977 when Walter Cronkite questioned Anwar Sadat about the Israelites in Egyptian bondage. His response was, “There is no record in our history that Jews were held slaves in Egypt.” That is a most audacious national statement in the face of scriptural and oral history.

As humans we make mistakes, but when we do it is good to admit them, and correct them. I made a glaring mistake recently. It was not in ignorance but in inadvertence. In my Easter Message 2013, I was making a point on terminology and quoted the sentence, “What’s in a name?” Those words belong to Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” My inadvertent error was to make the reference to “Julius Caesar” which was a different play

by Shakespeare. The mistake dawned on me after the Easter Message was published. Speaking for the nation of Egypt, Sadat’s statement could hardly have been a mistake, but to the Jews and the Christian world, it is a resounding historical dishonesty. Nor should our own history of Belize be distorted, negated or neglected by any historical publication that is flawed.

able to benefit from large subsidies from government policy....which the small-scale farmers are not able to benefit from.

Timber production has all but disappeared...with most of the pine lumber being imported from abroad these days. A handful of small-operators scalp the forest with chain saws, producing a small amount of hard wood and mahogany timber, mostly from young trees that yield inferior quality timber...and thus furniture.

The British Army, which used to host around 500 men at Central Farm adding an estimated $12 million per year to the economy...is no longer there.

The Government of Belize, since Independence, have pursued policies that weaken the manufacturing sector in general...but especially the secondary-manufacturing sector.... mostly to benefit the importing commercial interests that compete with them.

The economy of El Cayo thus now follows the seasonal character of the tourism industry.....with highs between December and May...and lows between June and November.

For the most part....life in El Cayo is no longer the vibrant and happy

place that it used to be.....there is a lot of poverty here today, which was never seen here before.

It used to be that El Cayo was the place to go for Easter holidays.... highlighted by the largest event in the country....the Holy Saturday Horse Race. Horse racing has since moved to Burrell Boom....with local vacationers now flocking to the more developed islands and Placencia.

It used to be that El Cayo had a great football team...the Avengers.... that filled up the Norman Broaster Stadium, hotels and restaurants, with visitors from all over the country. El Cayo no longer attracts large amounts of football fans.

Most of the commercial interests in El Cayo were local family-owned enterprises. Today, so-called foreign investors have completely taken over this sector, sending millions away to their families and financiers each year.

El Cayo needs to reinvent itself.

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

BY ORDER OF MORTGAGEE NOTICE OF INTENTION TO SELL HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED a statutory body formed and registered under the Credit Union Act, Chapter 314 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, and whose registered office is situated at No. 1 Hyde’s Lane, Belize City, Belize District hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under and by virtue of a Deed of Mortgage registered at the Land Titles Unit between KAY USHER of the one part and HRCU of the other part.

HRCU will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the Schedule below.

ALL offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing to HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED from whom full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained.

SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece of parcel of land situate on Bougainvilla Street, Ladyville Village, Belize District, being the Lot No. 80 and more particularly delineated and described as shown on Plan No. 1651 in the Lands and Survey Department, Belmopan, recorded at the General Registry in Crown Lands Book (Plans) TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon, the freehold property of KAY USHER DATED the 25th day of February 2013 HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED 1 HYDE’S LANE, BELIZE CITY, BELIZE Phone: (501) 224-5644 Fax: (501) 223-0738

24

THE BELIZE TIMES

In my perspective

Too Many Takers!

By Rayford Young (rayfordyoung@ comcast.net) A major reason Mitt Romney, the Republican candidate for President of the United Stated of America, lost the election in 2012 was because of a statement he made at a private $50,000-a-plate dinner at a hotel in Florida where he said 47% will vote for Obama because they are “takers”. Romney said those “takers” depend on the government to give them stuff like health care, food, free education and the like. Well I have news for Mr. Romney. He should visit my little country of Belize and he would see what takers are really like. For a country this poor and so small, about three hundred and fifty thousand people, the taking is alive and well BUT from the people that should be caretakers of the country’s wealth and resources. A handful of government officials are the biggest takers and it seems they have no intention of stopping. The pickings are ripe and we will harvest for as long as we can.

On this Easter weekend once again I saw the Prime minister left the country for Miami. I believe this is the second trip this month alone. Don’t get me wrong, Miami is a great place, the beaches are some of the finest in the world but after you’ve been there a few times as I have I don’t know what would be the reason for me returning this often as does the Prime Minister. Maybe it’s the heat – but the climate is much like Belize.

What caught my attention is not so much the many trips Mr. Barrow makes to Miami but who he leaves in charge of the government when he is away.

We have all heard the rumors and allegations leveled at the Honorable Gasper Vega, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of lands and surveys. Just recently I read of his latest scheme and it’s a dandy. Here is how it works. The lands department sells a parcel of land to an individual for a very low price and they know it is already owned. When the real owner of the land in question finds out that their property has been re-sold they report it to the lands department that there’s a mistake, “this piece of land is mine!” So the land department apologizes to the wrong “owner” of the land and promises to reimburse them market price for this terrible unfortunate mistake. The tax payers of this country are now holding the bag for this mistake and will have to pay to this family thousands and thousands of dollars for this mistake. Here’s the catch. All of these people who end up being “reimbursed” seem to be connected to Mr. Vega. So his family members end up with a huge profit at tax payers’ expense. This is the man the Prime minister leaves in charge of this country when he’s away.

I wonder, what is the role of a deputy PM when the PM is away? What does

he do? Does he move into the PM office? Does he hang out at the Ministry of Finance office? Does he have authority to approve payments to anyone? Can he authorize a check to himself or his family members or other government ministers? These are questions the media should be asking knowing this man’s character.

I think this speaks to the contempt and total disrespect Mr. Barrow has for his country and its people. The corruption and the total arrogance shown by this PM and many of his cabinet members are sickening and troubling indeed.

No accountability or openness is allowed in this government. All the accusations of stealing and corruption against his ministers are ignored or laughed at. It seems these men are determined to raid this government and the people of this country to no end.

The reason these officials are involved in so much corruption and so openly is because there’s no judicial system or investigative bodies in the government with the power to investigate and prosecute these crooks. The courts are just as corrupt as their jobs depend on the PM’s will. So the powers to be can do as they wish with no fear as there’s no judgment day coming, not under this administration.

When a Country elects an individual to become the PM or President, it’s the highest honor and privilege bestowed on an individual. So many people depend on your wisdom and judgment to do the right thing for them and the Country. You are asked to serve the people to make the government efficient and transparent and responsible to the people; to protect the country to lessen the bureaucracy and make it easy for companies to invest and provide jobs for the people. But too often once these men get in office the appetite for power and money seem to take over. They become different people. They don’t listen anymore. They know it all and don’t need advice because they have all the answers. They blame everyone else for their ineptness but not themselves for the mess we are in. Soon in office their character begins to show and Mr. Barrow has shown us time and time again he’s not a man of good character, but a poor executive, bombastic, loud mouth and cannot seem to tell the truth. A man of fancy words. A man that rewards his family with lucrative government contracts, appoints his kids and family members to boards they know nothing about. He appointed his son, a convicted felon, as the musical ambassador of Belize. I can go on and on. Just another failed politician and all the slick words cannot cover up who you really are. So many put so much hope and trust in this man and within a few years we’ve seen who he really is. Just another taker - what a shame.

07 APR

2013

Mentoring the Next Generation

By Dr. Angela Banner Joseph “Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.” John C. Crosby Our nation’s children deserve to be mentored.

Through mentorship, the next generation can strengthen their self-worth and self-confidence to become tenacious and empowered young people who will excel to their best potential. Becoming a mentor to a young person is essentially important to his or her mental, emotional, and physical development, and mentoring plays an important role in the child’s life as you provide support and guidance.

Mentoring is defined as a partnership between two people: one person shares knowledge, skills, and information to enhance another person’s individual growth. A mentor is a person who fosters personal growth in another person by imparting knowledge that he or she has learned in his or her lifetime. A mentor is also known as a coach, teacher, or motivator who shares knowledge, experiences, and choices by offering encouragement and support during a specific time frame.

We need to implement safe, secure, one-on- one mentoring relationships for our children. I enjoy being a mentor now as well as having been mentored when I was younger. Being a mentor has allowed me the opportunity to share with a younger member in our community in a wonderful way. By sharing your time, you will motivate and inspire a young person to achieve maximum potential. One day, your protégée will be able to prepare the next generation as they mature into adulthood.

I would love to see schools

across our country develop and implement a professionally supervised, school-based mentoring program supported by community volunteers who would meet with students on a weekly or monthly basis. Students could meet for one or two hours weekly or monthly, depending on the school’s academic program. Mentoring is a sure way to invest in our future and to help the next generation of leaders.

Members of our nation, let’s change the lives of a child by becoming a role model for the next generation. Research studies have shown that children who have been mentored grow up to be more confident and more empowered to achieve great things in society. Mentored students have shown improved academic performance and a reduction in behavioral issues, both at home and at school.

Mentors can provide meaningful relationships and friendships with a young person who may need encouragement and support to succeed. Mentors can help young people prepare for the future, set career goals, participate in professional experiences, and absorb the knowledge of experience. Mentors can help improve self-esteem and provide guidance for everyday challenges. Mentors change lives for the good.

So, make an impact in a young person’s life by becoming a mentor. I have extended the invitation for you to see the benefits of mentoring a child by experiencing the wonderful power of mentoring. Mentoring may not save every child, but will help empower you to prepare the next generation to save our nation. As you begin your mentor relationship, remember this quotation: “Wealth isn’t always measured in dollar signs. We each have time, talent, and creativity, all of which can be powerful forces for positive change. Share your blessings in whatever form they come and to whatever level you have been blessed.” - Jon M. Huntsman, Sr., Winners Never Cheat: Everyday Values We Learned as Children But May Have Forgotten. (2005, Prentice Hall).

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

07 APR

2013

25

THE BELIZE TIMES

CONNECT THE DOTS Can you help Dora find her favourite toy?

This month is Autism Awareness Month.

Autism (aw-tih-zum), happens when the brain develops differently and has trouble with an important job: making sense of the world.

Every day, our brains understand the things we see, smell, hear, taste, touch, and experience. When someone’s brain has trouble understanding these things, it can make it hard to talk, listen, understand, play, and learn.

Autism is different for every child-some children get upset by too many noises or sounds that are too loud but others are ok with loud noises. Some might need only a little bit of help. But others might need a lot of help with learning and doing everyday stuff.

This month, let’s support all children with autism, see things through their eyes, it is a different but still awesome view.

COLOURIFIC! It’s Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet and Eeyore here for you to have fun colouring!

26

07 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

BRAIN

TEASER

SUDOKU PUZZLE #11/2013

School officials of the new Peninsula International Academy meet with parents

New school

in Placencia Placencia, Stann Creek District PENINSULA INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY (PIA) is a new school in development north of the Airport. PIA is expected to open in September of 2013. Programs will include: Preschool, Infant I & II, Standards 1 – 4 and an After-school Program.

Peninsula International Academy (PIA) has a blended curriculum and uses multiple approaches to address the needs of it students. Its academic focus is on literacy, math and science. In addition to providing an international curriculum, PIA infuses technology as part of the students’ educational experience.

PIA’s mission is to develop the unique capabilities of each student. PIA works to guide children on their natural course of discovery, to encourage deep thinking, problem solving and compassion for others.

Students are expected to make learning their first priority in an environment that values differences, fosters respect and encourages the joy of learning. PIA’s multi-cultural environment and multilingual curriculums are designed to teach children to thrive in a global environment.

BELIZE TIMES

The fastest selling newspaper in Belize

“I am delighted to be a part of the sustainable development of the peninsula while providing a service that I am passionate aboutEducation,” said Founder/Director Selena Lucas.

Parents interested in enrolling their child at Peninsula International Academy should visit their website at: www.peninsulaacademy.org.

(Press Release)

See answers NEXT WEEK

Answers for last week’s puzzle SUDOKU PUZZLE SOLUTION #10/2013

Answers for last week’s puzzle

See answers NEXT WEEK

07 APR

27

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

BELIZE TIMES WEEKLY

SCIENCE & TECH R

E

V

I

E

W

Selected By Chris Williams

Huge online attack exposes internet’s vulnerability 29 March 2013 by Hal Hodson It was the largest online attack ever reported. Over the course of the past week, servers belonging to an international non-profit company called The Spamhaus Project, which fights email spammers, were inundated with up to 38 gigabytes of traffic each second. That’s about 10 DVDs’ worth of data. The company ground to a halt, and another firm that tried to come to Spamhaus’s online aid was also drawn into the battle.

News reports suggested the onslaught was so big that the internet itself slowed down during the worst of it. Such accounts may have been overblown, but in the aftermath it has become clear that the attackers can exploit vulnerabilities in just about anything – from software to the infrastructure of the internet itself – to devastat-

ing effect.

In the case of the Spamhaus ambush, the attackers exploited open domain name server (DNS) resolvers, the address books of the internet. The majority of internet users only ever ask these internet address books to handle simple requests like, “Take me to www.google.com”. But a lot of DNS software comes with default settings that call for it to answer many other questions, like making sure that a website is what it says it is. Such requests can massively boost the amount of traffic that the DNS resolver returns. “If you make a request for DNS security labels or extensions, the response is very large,” says Jared Mauch of NTT America, who is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan .

The attackers query DNS resolvers en masse. In the process,

they fake their own IP addresses, replacing them with the address of the target. This technique, called IP spoofing, results in a torrent of the DNS responses all flooding into the target at once.

Next big thing There are fixes, but networks have been slow to adopt them.

One initiative, the Open DNS Resolver Project is set up to encourage people to make the adjustments: simply changing the settings on software and equipment is enough. But even if operators do shore up DNS resolvers, there are signs that attackers are already moving on to the next big exploit.

Mike Smith, director of the customer security internet response team at Akamai in Cambridge, Massachusetts, says he has been dealing with a hole in

web-based content-management systems like Wordpress and Joomla which lets attackers use other companies’ hosting platforms to launch their attacks.

“These content-management systems are basically not managed,” Smith says. “People often have Wordpress and Joomla installed on their servers, and they don’t even know that they have it. Attackers are taking over these applications.”

Because company servers have faster internet connections than home computers, the infected software – which forms a network known as the BroBot – can be taken over and made to launch highly powerful attacks.

“Those servers have 100 megabits of internet capacity each.

They can send a lot of traffic very quickly,” he says.

Smell-o-vision screens let you really smell the coffee 29 March 2013 by Hal Hodson THAT fried chicken advert is about to get even more tempting.

Soon it might be pumping out the mouth-watering smell of the stuff too. Tough luck if you’re a veggie.

The “smelling screen”, invented by Haruka Matsukura at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology in Japan and colleagues, makes smells appear to come from the exact spot on any LCD screen that is displaying the image of a cup of coffee, for example.

It works by continuously feeding odours from vaporising gel pellets into four air streams, one in each corner of the screen. These air streams are blown out parallel

to the screen’s surface by fans, and varying the strength and direction of them manoeuvres the scent to any given spot on the screen.

The airflow is gentle enough that the team have been able to create the illusion that the smell is actually wafting from a digital object on-screen. The current system only pumps out one scent at a time, but Matsukura says the next stage is to incorporate a cartridge, like those for printers, which allows smells to be changed easily.

The screen was shown at the IEEE Virtual Reality conference in Orlando, Florida, last week. Matsukura suggests it could also be used to enhance advertising screensMovie Camera and museum exhibits.

28

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sarteneja stabbing fuelled by jealousy Sarteneja Village, Corozal District, April 2nd, 2013 Norma Peña, a resident of Sarteneja Village, is facing two serious criminal charges for the attack on two female residents of the same community.

The two victims are Wendy Aragon and Veronica Gonzalez. Gonzalez died following the attack, after sustaining a vicious assault on Easter Sunday.

Reports are that the sisters, Aragon and Gonzalez, were socializing at the community park before midnight when they were suddenly attacked by a knife-wielding Peña. Both women sustained multiple stab wounds, Aragon to her chest along with cuts to her hand while Gonzalez received the fatal wounds to her neck and stomach.

Norma Pena

Exactly what the motive for the attack was is not known by the Police as yet.

Peña has been arraigned for the charges of murder and attempted murder. In her next court appearance,

North Korea warns ‘moment of explosion’ nears CNN) -- North Korea stirred up fresh unease in Northeast Asia early Thursday, threatening attacks by a “smaller, lighter and diversified” nuclear force and warning, “The moment of explosion is approaching fast.”

The new threat came after the North Koreans locked South Korean workers out of a joint factory complex and announced plans to restart a nuclear reactor it shut down five years ago. Meanwhile, the United States announced it was sending ballistic missile defenses to Guam, a Pacific territory that’s home to U.S. naval and air bases.

“The moment of explosion is approaching fast. No one can say a war will break out in Korea or not and whether it will break out today or tomorrow,” North Korea’s state news agency KCNA declared in its latest broadside. “The responsibility for this grave situation entirely rests with the U.S. administration and military warmongers keen to encroach upon the DPRK’s sovereignty and bring down its dignified social system with brigandish logic.”

DPRK is short for Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the official name for North Korea.

Veronica Gonzalez

she will have an opportunity to file a plea. Until then, she will remain at the Hattieville Prison.

The victims’ families believe that the attack was motivated by jealousy and rage.

Peña’s common-law husband is reportedly Gonzalez ex-boyfriend.

The victim’s family said Peña had just found that out and because she had been drinking during the annual Easter Sunday activities, she may have been motivated by anger.

07 APR

2013

PUP

stalwart passes

Belize City, April 3rd 2013 The People’s United Party expresses its deepest condolences to the family of a true soldier of the Party, Mrs. Adela Petillo Arzu from Belmopan.

Mrs. Adela served on several PUP executives and was a member of the Marshalls. She loved the PUP and Father of the Nation dearly. Her mother, Venancia Petillo served as a PUP Senator under Rt. Hon. George Price.

Mrs. Adela was laid to rest in peace on Wednesday April 3rd at Our Lady of Guadalupe Co-Cathedral in the City of Belmopan.

07 APR

2013

29

THE BELIZE TIMES

The Facts on Glaucoma

Stuck at Jesus Contributed by: NMA (16yr old Belizean)

A few years ago, movie fans became excited about a movie based on a book in C.S. Lewis’ collection called The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It was about four siblings finding refuge during a war in the old home of a taciturn professor. The mansion held secrets of magical proportions. The children became key participants in another world when they entered a wardrobe which gained them entrance to Narnia. The story went on to describe the kids’ adventures in Narnia, but I want to zoom in right at that wardrobe door.

‘I go to church at Easter and Christmas’. I’ve heard this term used a few times and it always gets to me. It’s a cousin to the old proverb of only stepping inside a church for funerals and weddings. I’ve got nothing against people with selective church attendance. In fact, in the case of some people who are seated in their ‘designated’ pew every single Sunday, it is just as though they had been attending for only Easter and Christmas services. But why do people feel the need to attend a service during Easter?

What compels an individual who doesn’t give a biscuit for 364 days of the year to show up on Easter Friday or Easter Sunday?

Is it misplaced guilt, social expectations, or simply a rigid family tradition that pushes people through church doors on that particular day?

Easter is the celebration of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection from the cross. Mel Gibson’s version of the Passion of the Christ is an especially gruesome picture of the events recorded in the Manual (Mat 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, and John 19). In the Christian religion, Jesus, the cross, and all symbols associated with them are a really big deal. In this religion, it is the foundation of every rule, of every principle and of every pillar. In the Kingdom of God, on the other hand, the cross is the receiver of much undue and unnecessary attention. Gasp. How dare I? Who am I to make such an outlandish claim, you ask? Ah, now I see I have your attention.

Jesus Christ came to this world to restore the government of the Kingdom of God in the colony of earth. He died to achieve this goal. He died to ensure our freedom and see us regain dominion of the earth as first issued by the King (God) to Adam in Genesis. This brings me back to The Chronicles of Narnia and that magical door. I’m sure the door was beautiful. It was probably made of the finest wood. It probably came from a special tree.

Peter, Susan, Edmund, or Lucy could have gone on and on about the wardrobe. Peter, as the eldest, could have stepped up and become a wardrobe theologian and trained his siblings to worship that wardrobe. It had seen Lucy to safety when she needed to hide from someone. Surely, the wardrobe deserved the highest praise, the deepest respect and reverence. See, it sounds crazy.

The idea isn’t rational. Sure, the wardrobe was the transportation for the kids into Narnia, but that’s not the big picture. What was more important: the fact that the wardrobe got the kids into Narnia or the beautiful world they discovered through the wardrobe?

In the same way, Jesus came to offer us a way back into the Kingdom of God. He gave us an opportunity to be ‘born again’ and become citizens of this Kingdom. But now that we’ve entered, there is an entire world of peace, hope, success and life to be found. We can’t get stuck on Jesus. It would be like getting stuck on the wardrobe. If you’ve accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then accept your passport into the Kingdom.

Welcome to Narnia.

God bless.

By Dr. David Hoy

Glaucoma is a type of progressive eye damage in which optic nerve cells are damaged by excess fluid pressure in the

eyeball.

The front of the eye is a D-shaped chamber in which the lens and iris (the coloured part) make up the straight wall, while the cornea (the surface of the eye) forms the curved wall.

In glaucoma, the liquid is produced normally but the trabecular meshwork can’t drain it due to clogging or some other reason.

Types of glaucoma are: 1. Primary open-angle glaucoma 2. Angle-closure glaucoma 3. Normal tension glaucoma 4. Pigmentary glaucoma 5. Traumatic glaucoma Symptoms and Complications of Glaucoma The biggest problem with glaucoma is the lack of symptoms, since you can’t feel the pressure in the eye. Only a few people get headaches, red eye, or blurred vision. If you don’t get your eyes tested regularly, the first noticeable symptom could be permanent “holes” in your vision. Lack of treatment of glaucoma often leads to blindness.

Treating and Preventing Glaucoma The most common operation is laser trabeculoplasty, a painless 15-minute outpatient procedure.

With early treatment, vision loss can be minimized or prevented. Because glaucoma isn’t obvious, it’s vital to get your eyes checked regularly, especially if you have any of these risk factors • family history of glaucoma • myopia (nearsightedness) • previous eye injury • high blood pressure • diabetes • long-term use of prednisone, cortisone, or other steroids If you are between the ages of 20 and 64 years, you should have your eyes checked every 1 or 2 years. From the age of 65 years onwards, you should have them checked every year. But if you have any of these risk factors, you should go as often as your eye care professional recommends.

30

07 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

Belizean sports at the crossroads

Contributed This week is an important one for Belizean sport.

On Holy Saturday, Darnell Barrow took advantage of a heavy pace and ideal conditions to prevail in the final sprint to end one of the more compelling Cross Country Classics in recent memory.

On Wednesday, there was a “consultation session” with the various sporting heads around the country organized by the Ministry of Sport, National Sports Council and a Trinidad agency called Caribbean Sport and Development for a National Sport Strategy.

The consultant hired to lead the meeting at the Biltmore plaza made the important point that even with a

try!

Three decades on from the Civic vs. Birds’ Isle debate in the early 1980s, it’s clear Birds’ Isle has won.

The Civic’s rotting husk is testimony to that. And the Government seems in no real rush to replace it or finish the Marion Jones Sporting Complex (end of this year was Minister Longsworth’s latest guestimate). Does the Prime Minister even remember he had promised a state of the art basketball facility, four years ago?

22 years on from 1991, has the semi-pro experiment failed? The Premier League in Belizean football is a hybrid of the old semi-pro league and the amateur upstart Super League and quality has not much improved by the eye test.

The devastating state of what was Belize City’s only public sporting facility

Left at the Altar…Again?

successful sport strategy, implementation is the key. Minister Herman Longsworth and NSC Chairman Allan Sharp made all the appropriate noises for change. But will there be follow through?

No strategy, however, will obscure the fact that Belizean sport is at a crossroads. Our football team stands ready to jump to the precipice of greatness at this summer’s Gold Cup after having for the most part resolved our in-house issues. National teams from cricket, judo and bodybuilding are going “out”, after struggling to raise funding basically on their own, waving the Belizean flag to varying degrees of success.

26 years after the first American cyclist walked away with our garland, the debate still rages as to whether they’re any good for our cycling competition. But with the consistent disarray of the Cycling Association which is now at odds with the Ministry of Sports, there has been no movement toward international participation, to the point where our riders can’t even finish Central American Games races.

And let’s not even talk about basketball. After all, nobody is, even though just four years ago our nation team came home with silver at the COCABA Championships and was an eyelash from qualifying for the FIBA Americas tournament. Today the sport is so disorganized nationally. There is no semi-pro basketball league; in fact no league at all anywhere in the coun-

Sport has become one of the great nationalist sticking points. More people recognize Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, World’s Fastest Man, than Portia Simpson-Miller, one of a handful of women leading nations. The National Anthem played before a sporting event is one of those crackling moments when the pride and dreams of a nation are on world display without apology.

Belize can get there, but we have to have it all together. Attitudes have to change. We have to think forward. This is a global society and provinciality no longer sells. So in cycling, the more foreign competition the better. You got it, bring it!

Basketball and football need to be run on a sustainable financial footing.

Where will the revenue come from – gate receipts? Uniform sales? Endorsements? Television and radio coverage?

Should we go full professional? These are all questions to be answered in the coming months.

One thing we are not short on is talent. Ask Darnell Barrow (cycling), Rigo Vellos (body building), Devin Daly (basketball), Deon McCauley (football), Kaya Cattouse (cycling/football), Lanisha Jones (softball), Kaina Martinez (track and field), Harim Ochaeta (table tennis) and many of the other young professionals whose lives depend on the decisions being made at the Biltmore and in Belmopan. It is they who will ultimately pay the price – or reap the benefits.

Continued from page 2 to convince their countrymen and women that Belize belongs to Guatemala that they are afraid their voters will say “Yes” to the ICJ, believing they actually have a legal case? If so, is the effort to postpone the referendum an attempt to head off the ultimate humiliation at the ICJ? Of course, there may be some behind-the-scenes rationale that we do not know about for the latest proposals, or should we say, “non-proposals,” so perhaps we cannot take them at face value. Then again…

Despite what many of them say, I don’t think many senior Guatemalan government officials want the claim resolved. As I have maintained before, I believe the un-resolved claim gives them some useful political rhetoric during elections that they require as a rallying point for their party faithful. The claim is part of their national mythology and history-making. So much so that their Ministry of Education is still producing textbooks that shows Belize as part of Guatemala. There is nothing new in this; it is just part of the old regime members clinging to the past.

But change is inevitable. It may already be upon us. Last week, Wellington Ramos wrote in the Star Newspaper, “The Guatemalans who have been saying for centuries that Belize belongs to them are beginning to believe that they will lose this case if it goes to the International Court of Justice.”

I am inclined to agree with that assessment.

I believe many Guatemalan leaders, perhaps with the assistance of their own and international legal experts, now recognize that the Guatemalan claim really is what Belizeans have always known it to be: a fiction.

This understanding, while welcome to Belize, traps Guatemala in a double-bind: how can it save face with its citizenry after decades of false propaganda, while at the same

time saving face with the international community? What will the fallout be-- both at home and abroad-- when the ICJ dismisses it’s long cherished fantasy of dominion over a country it never occupied, controlled, nor even influenced and which has been an independent nation since 1981?

Most of us can empathize with our own Ambassador Mendez and the rest of the Belizean delegation for being frustrated by this perpetual game of playing “hard to get.” But can you imagine the position the Guatemalan Ambassador and delegation are in? At least Belize has always acted with absolute integrity over its territorial and maritime areas integrity. Guatemala, the historical aggressor, is about to be revealed as a paper tiger.

I suspect many people in Guatemala, particularly in the business sector, are tired of the posturing and just want to get on with regional integration and trade with their neighbors. I believe they want what we want: peaceful and profitable relations, an end to the political strain and uncertainty caused by a seemingly unsolvable historical, geographical and political impasse.

The question now is, if the Guatemalans are not willing to hold a referendum, and are bent on postponing any approach to the ICJ, what is the next move for Belize? Just how do you deal with a neighbor who pretends to own half of your house but won’t go to court to prove their case, or listen to anyone who tries to tell them they were just imagining things?

To me, this is an even greater political and diplomatic challenge than going to the ICJ would ever be. Now is when we will see just how well the current leaders of Belize can handle their particular chapter of the historical record on Belize-Guatemala relations. Now is when we will see if we have mere diplomats, or true statesmen, who can break this cycle of endless rounds of negotiations with no resolution, and no referenda—on anything-- yet again.

Signed: Karla Heusner

07 APR

2013

31

THE BELIZE TIMES

Belize City, April 2, 2013 A neighbourhood disaster was averted on Tuesday afternoon when fire officials contained a fire that started within a two-storey wooden building on Freetown road.

According to fire officials, the blaze started sometime around 1pm inside the second floor of the building, which previously housed a Chinese-owned grocery store in the lower flat. The building was unoccupied and

abandoned.

The fire spread quickly on the upper flat and posed a threat to the area, which has residential homes, businesses and a primary school located nearby.

But rapid response from the Fire Department averted such disaster. Officials are now investigating what the cause of the fire was.

It is not known whether the building was insured.

Photo by Henry Mortis

Fire guts two-storey building on Freetown Road

Abandoned building engulfed in flames on Freetown Road, Belize City

20 yr. old kidnapped & raped by 2 men Woman says one of the men was dressed as cop

Father of 2 yr. old slain in shooting

Michael Heusner Belize City, April 2, 2013 A young Belizean father was skilled in a violent gun ambush that occurred on Holy Monday night in Belize City.

28 year old Michael Heusner was leaving Jianvin Shop, a store located at the corner of Mahogany and Mopan Streets, when he was ambushed by two armed men who took out their weapons and fired shots at him.

Heusner lived just a few lanes away, on Courtenay Crescent.

At least six shots were fired, one of which struck a fatal blow to Heusner’s head. Police recovered six 40 caliber Smith and Wesson expended shells from the scene.

Heusner leaves behind a two year old daughter and common-law wife.

The Police are yet to detain any suspects for this shooting.

Belize City, April 2nd 2013 A Belize City woman is recovering from a terrifying attack during which she was kidnapped and then raped by two unknown male individuals.

The 20 year old reported to the Police that she was waiting for a friend in front of a business place around three in the morning on Sunday March 31st, when a grey in co-

CARTOON

lour, four-door vehicle stopped in front of her. Inside the vehicle were two occupants, of which one, the driver, was dressed as a police officer, according to her. The woman says the men asked if was ok and she responded saying that she was concerned about her friend.

The men offered to help find her friend and she agreed to get into the vehicle.

But instead of serving and protecting, the men were on a prey. They

woman said she was driven up the Phillip Goldson Highway and unto a feeder road after the Haulover Bridge, where they threatened her and forced her to have sexual intercourse. The men then drove away, leaving her behind.

The woman was not able to identify any of the men.

A medical examination confirmed the woman was sexually abused and the Police are investigating.

32

THE BELIZE TIMES

07 APR

2013