Belize Times August 18, 2013

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The Belize Times

Established 1957

18 AUGUST 2013 | ISSUE NO: 4858

The Truth Shall Make You Free

www.belizetimes.bz

|

$1.00

WOMAN HATERS

Pg. 3

FINNEGAN MUST RESIGN

JOE BRADLEY & WAVE RADIO ATTACK ANOTHER WOMAN Pg. 31

National Football Hero:

Victim of “Mr. Quitar” Pg. 6

Pg. 6

BREAD “GONE UP”: Why food in Belize becomes much more expensive?

Pg. 7

2 02

OPINION OUT

16 Aug

APOLOGY REJECTED

!

Dear Editor, We, the women of Belize Rural Central reject Finnegan’s reluctant, half-baked apology on the grounds that we believe it is not genuine.

What Finnegan has been getting as backlash for his stupid action is “woman fum fum”. This is the only reason he is now trying to hide behind an apology.

Every woman in the Belize were hurt and angry at what he has done.

The words that are used are bloody nasty, foul mouth, vulgar, sketel, and water front bembe. What Finnegan has done is a crime against women.

Finnegan, one UDP pointed out, is the type of man that gets women to say “man dah dog”. We think they should change the name of his post from “party whip” to “chauvinistic hog”.

But truth be told we have been there, done that, with this “old dog” and as the saying goes: “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”. This morning he apologizes and by evening he will be saying even worse things.

So we from Belize Rural Central not only take this white washed, politically calculated and staged apology with a bucket of salt, we also reject it because as far as we are concerned when it comes to Finnegan, “he no have no change fu change”.

Barrow excess ego zero substance

!

Dear Editor, This letter is concerning the recent showdown in the House of Representatives between Mr. Finnegan and Dolores Balderamos that has undermined the egos of Belizean Women everywhere!

I speak not by political affiliation on this matter, but on behalf of my fellow women guided by like sentiments. It is truly saddening to witness what the game of “Politics” has transitioned to be in Belize.

“This is a man’s world!” sang James Brown but I guess Mr. Finnegan took those lyrics too literally this week.

Plenty of men have stooped to levels of disgrace in the House but this is by far the lowest!

What Michael Finnegan did in the House recently will either be the biggest blunder of his political career or just the affirmation of an ignorant machismo attitude due to his lack of respect and display of ignorance. I have lost all my respect for his title in the House. The title “Honorable” has been worn by too many men that lack the dignity for me to address it with any importance.

Belizean women have come a long way and for us to be ridiculed and belittled in public or in private is unacceptable. Gone are the days when men were the sole breadwinners in the house.

Gone are the days when women were ashamed or looked down upon for being single mothers. Look in our classrooms the ratio of females to males is strikingly obvious. Ladies, we need to find a platform to make a change. We need to stand with strength in our spots, in what is rightfully a woman’s nation.

If the House of Representatives is a reflection of our nation, we are ultimately doomed!

I can only dream to live to see the day we will be able to make cohesive

!

Orange Walk District 12 August, 2013

“He that keep his mouth keep his life; but he that open his lips shall have destruction.” Proverbs 13:3 Dear Editor, I watched with utter dismay last week’s sitting of the House of Representatives when Prime Minister Dean Barrow attempted to exalt himself with the title of “Father of the House” (House of Representatives).

Such self-imposed honor by our highest Leader of Government aired live on national media amounts to a high degree of egotism often displayed by our UDP leaders during and out of House sittings.

Prime Minister Barrow’s declaration in our House of Parliament to the Opposition People’s United Party that he is “Father of the House” is indeed laughable and chronicles exactly what his Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega had declared when he was being interviewed about the land grab scandal that, “My family (Vega’s family) are not ordinary Belizeans . . .” And let’s not discuss the arrogance and disrespect of Hon. Michael Finnegan towards Hon. Dolores Balderamos Garcia, the Continued on page 24

decisions in the House of Representatives rather than tearing down each other with personal attacks.

The war of the parties needs to be put to a stop because there are far more pressing issues happening in Belize that are of paramount concern.

Kudos to the Right Honorable Dolores Balderamos, the longstanding Woman in

Signed, Rural Central posse

the House.

In the words of Maya Angelou “you make me proud to spell my name: W-OM-A-N!” Finnegan stated “It’s a big man’s game in parliament”. So my question to Belizean Women is, “where do we stand among these “Big Men”?!”

Sincerely, A Woman EMPOWERED!

weather 17 Aug

18 Aug

19 Aug

2013

OUT

OUT

Kudos to Hon. D. Balderamos

LOCAL

18 AUG

THE BELIZE TIMES

2620Mar Aug

27 Mar Aug 6 21 Feb

GLOBAL FOOD

PRICES FALL NO BENEFIT TO BELIZE

Belize City, August 15, 2013 According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) global food prices fell for a third month in July to their lowest level in a year.

The food price index of the FAO, a measure of the monthly change in international prices of a basket of food commodities, averaged 205.9 points in July, nearly 2 percent below its June value The drop was primarily driven by lower international prices for grains, soy and palm oil. Sugar, meat and dairy quotations were also down in July.

Food prices are forecast by the FAO to decline further this year owing to higher-than-anContinued on page 24

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The Belize Times

Established 1957

14 APR 2013

|

ISSUE NO: 4840

The Truth Shall Make You Free

www.belizetimes.bz

|

$1.00

serving Belize since 1957 as the longest continuous newspaper.

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

Kevin Arthurs

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): $ 0.50

Barbados (BBD): $ 1.01

Eastern Caribbean (XCD):$ 1.36

Euro (EUR) : $ 0.38

Sterling Pound Guatemala Quetzal CANADIAN DOLLAR (GBP): $ 0.32 (GTQ): $ 3.94 (CAD): $ 0.52

CHINESE YUAN Trinidadian (TTD) (CNY): $ 3.10 : $ 3.23

INDIAN RUPEE (INR): $ 30.71

18 AUG

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

WOMAN HATERS FINNEGAN MUST RESIGN Belize City, August 15, 2013 It was the most disgraceful and outrageous behavior by a politician, in both words and deeds, ever to occur in the House of Representatives.

At last Wednesday’s 7th August meeting of the House, the dishonorable Michael Finnegan succeeded in outdoing his disgraceful self.

He told the Speaker that if Honorable Dolores Balderamos Garcia had seen “Yellowman” urinating in public she should prove it by saying what was the size of his penis, Finnegan demonstrated the size of Yellowman’s private part by holding up his two fingers in a gesture.

The UDP members of the House burst out in sustained laughter.

Television cameras showed them grinning and laughing, including the Prime Minister and his Deputy in the front row.

The camera did not show if the Speaker was giggling at the indecent remarks, but he certainly did nothing about the worst and lowest behavior ever to occur in the House.

His failure to immediately sanction Finnegan manifested his complicity.

The Prime Minister and Leader of Government Business in the House not only failed to call off his attack robot, he also joined in the attempt to prevent Hon. Dolores from speaking. He told Hon. Dolores she should have made a complaint in private to the Speaker about the behavior of Yellowman.

Yellowman whose name is Bryan Audinett is a convicted criminal.

He was convicted for the offence of assaulting a woman in 2006.

Yet, the Prime Minister, appointed him as the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House. One of his duties is to preserve law and order in the House and the precinct of the House. He has the authority to direct any Police Officers doing duties at House meetings to arrest and to remove anyone from the House and its surroundings.

But Yellowman was a few weeks ago arrested and charged for beating a former UDP supporter, Phillip “Fawda” Henry and beating a Police Officer who attempted to assist Fawda.

Yellowman was arrested and charged for this latest criminal offence and is awaiting trial.

As such, it is an outrage that the Prime Minister and the Speaker allowed the brutish and violent Yellowman to still attend House meetings. Any Police, BDF, Nurse, teacher or Public Officer who is charged for any minor criminal offence must be suspended from work, given half pay and put on interdiction until the trial is completed.

This is an insult to every Police Officer and every law abiding citizen of this country. It is disrespectful for the Prime Minister to have allowed Yellowman to be in the House meeting and to be receiving his full salary.

It is equally disrespectful for the Speaker of the House, who is in charge of the House employees, to admit that he knew Yellowman was recently charged in a court of law for a criminal offense but did nothing.

Why did he not suspend Yellowman?

Instead he allowed him to attend the House meeting while facing a court charge of beating a Police Officer.

Only in Belize under Prime Minister Dean Barrow can such a gross irregularity and violation of ethics and morals occur.

It is also crude and improper, in the face of photographic and eye witness evidence of Yellowman urinating in public and drinking alcohol in public. How in any situation of basic decency can he be employed as the Sergeant-at-Arms and Mace Bearer of the House of Representatives?

What examples and what messages are being sent to the students and young people and every decent citizen? The message is that Dean Barrow has no respect for the laws of the country and the rules governing the National Assembly.

But it was Finnegan who out-did Yellowman’s, sordid behavior by descending into the dirtiest gutter of indecency and vulgarity. His behavior sent shock waves across Belize and reached deep into the Belizean community overseas. It went viral on the internet. The condemnations on

Facebook were fast and furious.

Amandala’s weekend edition was silent on the boorish behavior of Finnegan, who is a weekly sports columnist of the newspaper. The very Finnegan, who on behalf of Dean Barrow, for years, had conducted the most vulgar and scurrilous personal attacks on Evan Hyde, his wife and family until the UDP became government in 2008.

On Monday, August 12th, the United Women’s Group of the opposition PUP called a press conference at Independence Hall to denounce Michael Finnegan’s behavior and call for his resignation. In any Parliament where there is a modicum of decency and respect for such an important institution, Finnegan would be left with no alternative but to tender his resignation. But not in Belize under Barrow.

Following Monday’s press conference, the media sought out Finnegan for his response. He was unrepentant. He was puffed up with bombast.

He sought to make himself a champion. He was defending poor, helpless, Yellowman. It was all Dolores’s fault.

Then his dirty mouth, the product of a sick mind exposed him again. He became self-righteous; he said he has no children out of wedlock. Had he really said that? His Prime Minister, for whom he had been a notorious lackey and flunky of the worst sort, had fathered a child with his sister. Had Finnegan not known of Kim Simplis before she became a Barrow?

The statement set off a second wave of condemnations. By Tuesday morning Prime Minister Barrow had a

03 3 full-fledged crisis on his hand. Finnegan was instructed to eat humble pie.

Early Tuesday morning, seeking refuge in a safe harbor, Finnegan called Kremandala. Not Wave, Channel 7 or even the accommodating Love FM. It is not clear if it was a pre-arranged call. Finnegan spoke directly to Mose Hyde, whose mother and father had to live with worse personal attacks than those thrown at Hon. Dolores in the House.

“Mose boy, you know I always look up to you and your advice… I does back you from when you were small. If you think I should apologize I will do the unthinkable. I apologize to my side of the house and the other side and to the Speaker.”

Mose had little to say. The silence said it all.

It was very different at Plus TV. Host Luis Wade said he needed no scripture to know that Finnegan was wrong. He said every person knows right from wrong.

He said Finnegan’s half-hearted, back-handed apology on Krem was unacceptable. Nothing less than an outright apology to Dolores Balderamos Garcia was required.

Michael Finnegan has disgraced our nation. He has insulted every woman with his vulgar remarks. He has brought the National Assembly into utter disrepute and confirmed that he is the most foul-mouthed, dirty minded and worthless politician in the land. After what he has done, an apology is not enough. He should resign.

The Speaker should also resign.

But we have no illusions. Dean Barrow, as a Prime Minister has brought this country as low as Finnegan has brought the House. Except for the vulgar language Dean Barrow is equally as low and dirty as Finnegan.

It is time for the Belizean people to get rid of all of them.

4 04

on the

PUP WOMEN

By Francis W. Fonseca The women of the People’s United Party have always been central to the Party’s electoral success.

Women form the majority on PUP Constituency executives across the country and easily account for some 60% of the Party’s Campaign Team in any given election.

The women of the PUP are smart, strong, and deeply loyal to their Party.

PUP women have contributed greatly to our Party and Country.

18 AUG

THE BELIZE TIMES

It is the PUP that appointed the first woman as a standard bearer in a General Election. It is the PUP that appointed the first woman Cabinet Minister. It is the PUP that appointed the first woman as Speaker of the House and President of the Senate. It is the PUP that appointed the first woman as Governor-General. It is the PUP that appointed the first woman as a Su-

preme Court Judge.

It is the PUP that appointed the first woman as Minister of Defense and as Minister of Foreign Affairs. And the list goes on…

In each and every case these were women who were eminently qualified for the post to which they were appointed and they carried out their

2013

duties with honor and distinction.

I am confident that Belize’s first female DPM and PM will be a PUP woman.

Today in the House of Representatives only one woman sits among the 31 Representatives.

That woman is the Member for BRC, Hon. Dolores Balderamos Garcia.

Hon. Dolores is a true PUP woman in the likes of Madam Liz, Ma Jane, and Hon. Sylvia.

She is bright, strong, sincere, dynamic and deeply committed to her Party and Country.

Dolores represents what is good

about Party politics in Belize, a woman of integrity committed to justice and equality.

Our Party needs more women like Dolores.

PUP women need a louder voice in our Party and a greater role and responsibility in leading the work of the Party forward.

As the son of a great PUP woman, Molly Fonseca, I am deeply committed to the women of our Party and Country.

PUP women, we are proud of you! We respect you! We love you!

God Bless the women of the People’s United Party!

18 AUG

2013

THE BELIZE TIMES

05 5

EDITORIAL WHAT AN APOLOGY MUST DO

W

hat Finnegan did was not an apology. To us at the BELIZE TIMES Finnegan is not a leader and he sure as hell is not an example for anyone in Belize.

We will go further to say that he does not represent Belizean men, or Belize.

We also insist that from his actions and words, neither should women expect and suffer this kind of behaviour from men in Mesopotamia.

Belizean men have a Central American chivalry. We are holding hands, love letters and roses kind of men.

That is the social expectation and prevailing culture.

Don’t disrespect our mothers. Hon. Dolores Balderamos Garcia is a mother. God forbid what, I, as a son or daughter of this dignified lady would be thinking as a knee jerk reaction to Finnegan’s putrid attack on my mother.

This is hard to ever forget.

What makes it worse is that Finnegan refuses to apologize. He did fling a few words together but that was no apology. Even UDP’s Jules Vasquez had to point it out, before he put his usual inoculated political spin on it.

This is what Finnegan said: “Some people said that I had gone too far. Thursday after the debate, the leader of my party said to me that he felt I went a little too far with her. I’m inclined to accept the unacceptable and I want to stand and be magnanimous. If the public feels and it is the view of the public that I went too far then first of all I would like to apologize and say sorry to the public and the citizens of Belize. If I disrespected the House that the Speaker’s chair - I want to secondly apologize to the Speaker of the House.”

That is no apology it is the pretense of an apology.

It is not cute. Imagine that the world saw and heard what he did. So, since Finnegan is from under a rock and still has caveman manners we at BELIZE TIMES thought we would teach him some decorum. Here is a lesson in manners as to what a real apology looks like.

There are up to four parts to an effective apology, though not every apology requires all four parts. They are as follows.

1. A valid acknowledgment of the offense that makes clear who the offender is and who is the offended. The offender must clearly and completely acknowledge the offense.

2. An effective explanation, which shows an offense was

neither intentional nor personal, and is unlikely to recur.

3. Expressions of remorse, shame and humility, which show that the offender recognizes the suffering of the offended.

4. A reparation of some kind, in the form of a real or symbolic compensation for the offender’s transgression.

An effective apology must also satisfy at least one of seven psychological needs of an offended person.

1. The restoration of dignity in the offended person.

2. The affirmation that both parties have shared values and agree that the harm committed was wrong.

3. Validation that the victim was not responsible for the offense.

4. The assurance that the offended party is safe from a repeat offense.

5. Reparative justice, which occurs when the offended sees the offending party suffer through some type of punishment.

6. Reparation, when the victim receives some form of compensation for his pain.

7. A dialogue that allows the offended parties to express their feelings toward the offenders and even grieve over their losses.

Now, Finnegan will do none of these.

Yes, Jules Vasquez, UDP spin doctor, the PUP ain’t accepting that as no apology.

None of these things listed will be done by Finnegan.

That is how the UDP do it. They hate women. They are misogynists. They hate single mothers. They want their women to “know their place”. The only way he could talk that way and still not apologize, is because he and the UDP believe that women are inferior and entitled to abuse. We say this, because Channel 7, calls Finnegan the UDP party whip. He then speaks for the whole UDP. That is how UDP men see our women.

Belizean men, we love and respect our women. Men, if you ever have a moment of indiscretion and need to make amends, please remember the must have elements of an apology. Do not follow Finnegan who is verbally abusive to women in public then still expects women to vote for him. Do not take our women lightly.

A well-known creole proverb is in order here: “Every fowl have their Sunday.”

6 06

THE BELIZE TIMES

National Football Hero:

Victim of “Mr. Quitar”

Belize City, August 12, 2013 No Belizean will ever forget what they were doing and where they were the moment Belize’s very own Ian “Yellow” Gaynair, scored that spectacular header against the mighty American team. He will no doubt go down in history as Belize’s first goal-scorer on such a huge international stage.

Belizeans at home and abroad are still coming down off the incredible high and sense of pride that Yellow has bestowed upon us.

But just in case we were having trouble coming off that high, the UDP surely know how to body slam a brother down to the ground, John Cena style.

News just coming in to the BELIZE TIMES is troubling, incredible and downright outrageous. It seems that our superstar goal-scorer Gaynair has just learnt that he is the latest victim of Dean Barrow’s “I wah quitar yo land” policy.

As an up and coming southside youth, Gaynair was the proud owner

of a piece of land in the Lake Independence area. He received the land in 2006 from the PUP government, who acknowledged Gaynair’s drive, potential and ability to take Belize to the world stage.

Since then, Gaynair has made substantial investment in his land only to learn this week that Barrow and the UDP took away his land and gave it to one of their cronies. The news is disturbing. It is facey. It is UDP and we have got to do something about this NOW!!!!!!

The UDP are hypocrites. The international world just honored Gaynair. But what is the UDP response? What do they do? Rather than reward the gentleman with a piece of land, they take his land away! That is how the UDP do it. Look at what the government has to him after all he has done for this country.

This is ridiculous.

BELIZE TIMES demands that the Government compensate Gaynair or give him another piece of land.

18 AUG

2013

JOE BRADLEY & WAVE RADIO ATTACK ANOTHER WOMAN

San Ignacio, Cayo, August 14, 2013 While Michael Finnegan was taking the public for stock on Krem’s WUB Morning Vibes on Tuesday, “apologizing”, Joe Bradley was hard at work trying to out-do the nasty UDP attack on Belizean women in the House of Representatives last week.

After a long boring down time in the “Fuss Ting Dah Mawning” show, the two UDP mascots - who speak for and on behalf of the UDP - began to talk about the up-coming carnival season. Alfonso Noble asked Joe about a Bar in Belmopan.

In response, Joe Bradley then launches a wicked and malicious insult. Bradley then said: They [the bar] still di put Belikin beer inna the green witch’s bucket? Everyone knows that the green bucket he was referring to is Heineken beer, which is imported by Karl H. Menzies, which is headed by a woman.

What kind of man picks on women? What kind of political party thrives on abusing and disrespecting women?

Kay Menzies is an upright, respectable and productive member of Belizean society, yet, the UDP and their vile party organs maintain a sustained abuse on women.

BELIZE TIMES asks the question as to what Bowen and Bowen, whose beer logo is plastered all over the Wave radio studio, will do? Will they continue to endorse and sponsor this show that has been attacking women? Does the continued advertisement with this talk show that is verbally abusing women mean that they share and endorse these wild and unjustifiable attacks on Belizean women?

BELIZE TIMES calls on Joe Bradley to apologize and to stop his sexist and hate inspired attacks on Belizean women. We call on Bowen and Bowen to denounce and distance itself from this obscene, unprovoked attack on a Belizean woman.

BELIZE TIMES has come to the conclusion and bitter realization that being abusive to women is a UDP policy. The public needs no more examples or proof of this.

18 AUG

2013

JAILING BELIZE:

How Belize imprisons its population Belmopan City, Belize, August 15, 2013 Belize is ranked at 15th on the list of countries that with the highest incarcerated prisoners. The research which was finalized in February, 2013, ranks countries by calculating the number of prisoners per 100,000 of the national population. It has the United States as the worst.

At 716 per 100,000 people, according to the International Centre for Prison Studies, the U.S. tops every other nation in the world.

But our little Belize has fallen to be ranked at 15th in the World and that is not a good thing. The list of countries totals 223 and San Marino has 6 prisoners per Continued on page 10

BREAD “GONE UP”:

Why food in Belize becomes much more expensive?

Belize City, August 13, 2013 While Dean Barrow was trying to show himself in the House and using all those big words and Finnegan was using all those dirty words, another word was the reality. The word is “expensive”.

Dean Barrow said: “We’ve taken imported flour off the restricted list and so there’s no longer a need for permit to import for but we are taking up the duty, in order to protect the local flour industry.”

Lots of words and he made it sound like a good thing.

The truth is that what all those words mean is simply that the cost of a loaf of bread or “pack bread” is going to increase. If you did not understand what he was saying then you will understand it when you go to the local chinese grocery store or supermarket.

As BELIZE TIMES understands it, flour is being imported from Mexico and Guatemala. It is being done on paper by the Marketing Board.

There is a devil in the details. Marketing Board and Flour would fall under the portfolio of guess who? Gasper “Sell my Mother” Vega ! Yes Gapi is the Minister with responsibility for Agriculture.

Everyone looked at the importation of Mexican and Guatemalan flour as government legitimizing contraband.

As a side note the brand of flour is “Bola Roja” which translates to “red bag”. Oh, the hilarious coincidence.

Imagine that the price of bread is going up and more business houses are in danger of closing, all because the UDP are dumb when it comes to the economy. They get rich. They use words but we pay the price after they speak.

THE BELIZE TIMES

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18 AUG

THE BELIZE TIMES

WOMAN IN THE HOUSE

By Dolores Balderamos Garcia

A NEW LOW I am still pretty disgusted at the whole sorry episode, but I thought that it is best to write about it now that the events are fresh, since they occurred only five days ago.

Of course I am talking about the new low in the House of Representatives with the despicable conduct of the member for Mesopotamia and his blatant disrespect and threats to me and my husband. No wonder the Belizean people are so turned off.

Many people have recently said to me that they have stopped listening to House of Representatives meetings altogether.

The events unfolded on Wednesday afternoon August 8, 2013. On the adjournment after Hon. Mike Espat had spoken and the Prime Minister had responded, I got up to raise my concern about the conduct of the Sergeant at Arms and its implications for the respect and dignity of the House. I referred to Standing Orders 6 and 8, quoting that the Mace is the symbol of the authority and dignity of the House and that the Sergeant at Arms is the person who, under the Speaker’s direction, is responsible for all the Police men and women on duty in the House.

I knew and anticipated that objection might have been raised if I said that the Sergeant at Arms has assault and wounding charges (including an assault on a police officer!), pending against him, as the matter is before the court. I therefore referred to his conduct. In 2006 he was convicted of harm to a woman and fined $150.00. I also said that I had personally seen him inebriated in the precincts of the House. I paused, and then said that he had drunk a bottle of Belikin right outside the House and had urinated in public, as was reported widely and is common knowledge. For the record, I did not say that I had seen him in these activities.

Several members of the Government side including the member for Mesop, who had been in the mem-

bers’ room, rushed back into the chamber to come to their Sergeant at Arms’ defence, and that is when the member for Mesop unleashed his vicious, nasty, insulting and personal attack. I need not repeat here all that was said. It is in the records of the House and was shown on Channel 5 on their Thursday evening news.

Suffice it to say that it was the most repugnant display of reckless and roguish behavior that I have ever experienced. I and many others can take our licks in the hurly burly of politics. That is not the point. The point is that the Government side proved the point I was making(!) - that gross misbehavior only brings the House and the National Assembly further and further into disrepute. No wonder the Sergeant at Arms believes he can get away with anything. Look at his bosses.

I am not taking this personal, ad hominem attack on me and my husband lightly. It was issued with hatred and malice, and a clear threat was made. In addition all Belizeans have witnessed the new low that proceedings of the House of Representatives have now descended to.

Despite my initial hurt and deep disgust at what transpired, I am determined that I will be strong and stand with my colleagues in first, resisting the atrocious rogue misbehavior of this Government and secondly, in continuing to represent the people of Belize Rural Central. Also, the total disrespect of women by the member for Mesop, which has been shown before, has once more been laid completely bare. He is no honourable man, and I will never again refer to him as such. I see him as nothing but a vulgar misogynist.

Finally, what a crying shame it is – the new low that he and his set have brought proceedings of the House to. When will the Belizean people’s business be attended to with dignity, decorum, decency and respect?

PUP NOTICE

Belize Rural South Constituency Committee The People’s United Party is accepting applications for members of the Belize Rural South Constituency Committee.

Application forms are available at the San Pedro PUP office or the PUP Secretariat, Independence Hall, #3 Queen Street, Belize City.

Application must be filled and returned to the Secretariat, addressed to the Secretary General by Friday August 30, 2013.

2013

PUBLIC AUCTION SALE

BY ORDER OF THE MORTGAGEE HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED, a Licensed Public Auctioneer will sell on site the following property at the time as listed.

At Guadalupe Street, Sarteneja Village, Corozal District on Saturday, 10th August 2013 at 2:00 pm ALL THAT piece or parcel or lot of land situate at Guadalupe Street in the Village of Sarteneja, Corozal District, Belize, being Lot No. 151B (now Parcel 454, Block 3, Sarteneja Registration Section) comprising 490.373 square metres as shown and described on a Plan drawn by Licensed Surveyor L.S. Tingling dated the 12th day of June 2000 and being lodged and recorded at the Lands & Surveys Department in Belmopan in Register No. 15 Entry No. 5129 TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon, the freehold property of MINERVA CANUL FLORES DATED this 31st day of July 2013 All sales are strictly cash and deemed final. For more information contact: HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED 1 HYDE’S LANE, BELIZE CITY, BELIZE Phone: (501) 224-5644 Fax: (501) 223-0738

PUP NOTICE

Pickstock Standard Bearer Convention The People’s United Party Standard Bearer Convention for the Pickstock Electoral Division is scheduled for October 16, 2013 at the Independence Hall.

Applications can be picked up from the Secretariat or Mr. Ricardo Castillo, Chairman for Pickstock Committee.

Completed applications are to be submitted to Mr. Ricardo Castillo and the Secretary General. The non-refundable fee is to be submitted to the Secretariat along with the necessary documentation to complete the application package.

Deadline for submission is September 16, 2013.

PUP NOTICE

Pickstock Constituency Committee

The People’s United Party is accepting applications for members of the Pickstock Constituency Committee.

Application forms are available at the PUP Secretariat, Independence Hall, #3 Queen Street, Belize City.

Application must be filled and returned to the Secretariat, ad-

dressed to the Secretary General by Friday August 23, 2013.

18 AUG

09 9

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

For Sale

By Order of the Mortgagee Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a Company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Mortgage made the 25th day of July, 2008, between JAVIER CASTELLANOS of the one part, and the said SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD. of the other part , and recorded at the Land Titles Unit in Deeds Book Volume 27 of 2008 at folios 329 – 396. The said SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the Schedule hereto.

All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD. THE SCHEDULE ABOVE REFERRED TO

ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being a portion of Grant No. 396 of 1993 and containing approximately 2.391 acres of land, situate in the Arenal Agricultural Layout, Cayo District, Belize. The said 2.391 acres is shown in Plan 396 of 1993 dated 13 September, 1993 TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon.

DATED this 15th day of August, 2013.

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

For Sale

By Order of the Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Mortgage made the 29th day of December, 2009, between PASTOR REYES (also known as JUSTO PASTOR REYES) of Sarawee Village, Stann Creek District, Belize of the one part, and Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., of the other part, and recorded at the Land Titles Unit in the Deeds Book Vol. 1 of 2010 at Folios 263–292, the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the schedule hereto.

All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.

SCHEDULE ALL THOSE pieces or parcels of land being Lots Nos. 163 and 164 comprising 404.550 S.M. each situate in Sarawee Village, Stann Creek District, bounded and described as shown by Plan No. 24 of 1995 dated 23rd day of March, 1995 attached to Minister’s Fiat Grant No. 24 of 1995 TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon.

DATED this 5th day of August, 2013.

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

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THE BELIZE TIMES

FINDING

Pablo

18 AUG

FACES & OPINIONS

2013

by Micah Vernon

What do you think about Hon. Michael Finnegan’s behavior towards Hon. Dolores Balderamos Garcia in the House of Representatives?

Zane

He was extremely disrespectful towards Hon. Balderamos Garcia.

Pablo Marin in Beach Park Illinois when he should be in the House of Representatives August 16, 2013 The biggest and most scandalous issue in healthcare in Belize’s history have all been under Pablo Marin. The House of Representatives met on August 7, 2013 for the first time in over three and a half months. Yet, there was no Pablo Marin.

Where was Pablo?

An annoyed mother who lost her baby because of the failure of the health system emailed us a copy of this picture where we not that while the House was meeting and the PUP were working, Pablo was in the United States of America having fun not worried about explaining why his Ministry murdered thirteen babies and counting.

The mother asked us, “what is it with the UDP spending Belizean dollars to party abroad when there are so many beautiful places in Belize. How can we promote

tourism when the Barrow and the UDP act like Belize di cuss dem? Why can’t they be a tourist in their own country?”

We at BELIZE TIMES ask why can’t the Ministers work in their own country. Pablo, you were absent from work. Even when you are here, it is like no one is at the helm but at least out of manners pretend to be there, at least physically there.

House meetings are not everyday under Barrow so you could have at least showed up and give an account of yourself and justify why you have failed to resign.

Why are you gallivanting on facebook when you should be at work?

What are you doing on vacation in Beach Park Illinois, when children are dying right here in Punta Gorda Town?

Belize cannot take both things from you: absenteeism and incompetence.

JAILING BELIZE: How Belize imprisons its population

Continued from page 7 100,000. Belize at 15 is marked as having a percentage of 407 per 100,000.

Despite this damning information, there is not a single effort to curb this. This is a nasty black eye for the UDP government. Where are the policies to help our citizens stay out of jail.

In the US, the Americans have began sweeping changes to fix this embarrassment.

Earlier in the week, the US Attorney General Eric Holder announced extensive plans designed to address the issue through drug-sentencing reform.

Holder’s blueprint included plans to divert low-level drug offenders to treatment and community service programs and implement an expanded prison program to allow for the release of some elderly, non-violent offenders.

“We need to ensure that incarceration is used to punish, deter and rehabilitate - not merely to convict, warehouse and forget,”

Holder said in remarks to the American Bar Association in San Francisco. “Although incarceration has a role to play in our justice system, widespread incarceration at the federal, state and local levels is both ineffective and unsustainable. ... It imposes a significant economic burden -- totaling $80 billion in 2010 alone -- and it comes with human and moral costs that are impossible to calculate.”

Belize should take notice and the UDP should stop defending criminals and disrespecting women and instead fix the choking social quicksand that the country is battling.

BELIZE TIMES calls for a response to this statistic by the political flunkies John Saldivar who is the Minister of National Security, under whose portfolio the Prisons falls and the Attorney General Wilfred “Artificial” Elrington.

Melonie

He could have gone about it a bit more professionally. Being a Minister, he should have been a bit more respectable.

Jerry

It was totally uncalled for. If it was Hon. Balderamos Garcia speaking to him like that he would have taken it as disrespectful and as a deeper level of belittling.

Katie

Firstly, it is degrading to speak to a human being like that. I think it shows his complete disregard for women and human dignity. The Belizean people should demand a public apology.

Froyla

This kind of vulgar sexism damages our political debate and our democracy and ultimately hurts how our women and young girls see themselves in our society.

Roberto

I think the behavior towards Hon. Dolores Balderamos Garcia was unprofessional. It’s amazing that the Minister of Housing is in the House and has no house training.

Delbert

It was inappropriate and uncalled for in the House of Representatives. It goes to show that if he doesn’t have respect for a woman, who does he have respect for?

Sheryl

As a woman, I think it was disrespectful and totally out of order. If you have a personal problem with someone you shouldn’t take it to the House of Representatives. As far as I can see, Hon. Finnegan has a personal problem with Hon. Balderamos Garcia.

18 AUG

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THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

Greedy Barrows at it again Belize City, August 12, 2013 This is becoming Executive committee made up of two people.

Just two. Guess who are the two?

Net Vasquez, UDP crony and father of Channel 7’s Jules Vasquez and [drum roll] Anwar Barrow, gluttonous political businessman who is the son of Dean Oliver Barrow.

More nepotism?

The resolution puts Anwar in charge “of the daily operations” of BTL. Wow. He has been given a big office space inside St Thomas

Street and surely he is heavily paid.

Look at the organizational chart and the company resolution (courtesy of Belize Times Press Facebook page) which has Anwar Barrow and Net Vasquez as super bosses.

We Belizeans need nothing more as proof. Only the Barrows get rich. For them the rest of Belize could starve and die.

This is just disgusting now.

BTL Company resolution

BTL Organizational Chart

WHY “WIN BELIZE” LOSES Belize City, Belize, August 14, 2013 Women’s Issues Network or WIN BELIZE sent out a wishy washy release dated August 13, 2012. It is a screaming disappointment.

For background WIN Belize was established in 1993 when several Belizean organizations came together as a steering committee with the goal of speaking with a common voice on women’s issues, and improving the situation of women in Belize.

Now, for this Organization which should be a primary protector of women, to fail so terribly at its mandate is almost unforgivable and its failure runs the risk of taking attention away from the abusive, vile and degenerate behavior of Michael Finnegan in the House of Representatives.

These are the reasons why the release is a failure.

First, the obscene assault of Finnegan happened on August 7, 2013, yet it took a full week for WIN Belize to issue this press release not of condemnation but of “disturbance”. BELIZE TIMES notes that this only happened after Kim Simplis Barrow issued her notice of “regret”. Why so long and why only after the UDP said it is ok to speak?

Secondly, the BELIZE TIMES is critical of the fact that the press release reads like a UDP ad, by in our view

quoting UDP political history of a “Deputy Chairman for the party [UDP]” and completely ignoring the quality of work that the PUP stands on. Like the female Deputy Party Leader of the PUP, female Secretary General, 60% female senators and our commitment to 30% of women in PUP leadership positions within the Party structure. This is backed up in the very Constitution of the PUP. Trust us, we can go on and on. There was not a single unbiased acknowledgement of the real landscape of women in politics in Belize.

We would have thought more of the release had it chronicled the real history of the UDP and Finnegan. Finnegan being a repeat offender of abusive behavior towards women in politics and those who visit his office. We at BELIZE TIMES wish that WIN Belize would have investigated the accounts of women who go to Finnegan’s office to ask for assistance.

Thirdly, we note that WIN Belize produces an article on several occasions that appears no where else but in the Guardian newspaper. In Continued on page 18

12

THE BELIZE TIMES

Ms. Molly (Mom) AUGUST 16TH WE LOVE YOU! WE MISS YOU! FROM: FRANCIS AND THE PUP FAMILY

18 AUG

2013

18 AUG AUG 18

THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES THE BELIZE

2013

TOPMODEL 13

ENTERTAINMENT

NEWS

MUSICAL

Looking at the firestorm recognition and success of Belize’s international Superstar, Tanya Carter, swung E-news down memory lane.

It brought us to remember, Trish Lovell A.K.A Sweet Tea. Sweat Tea was a Belizean female pioneer.

We all remember her hit cover of Toni Braxton’s “Breathe Again” which was dubbed a straight away hit by VP Records and featured the toasting of Reggae Icon Bajja Jedd and a video which became a BET (Black Entertainment Television) Classic.

That song opened doors for her to perform with many Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Hip Hop artists including MC Lyte, The Wu Tang Klan, and Hot 97’s Bobby Konders, Jabba and Funk Master Flex. Sweet Tea is a Reggae/Pop Artist with a mixture of greats such as, Bob Marley, Sister Carol, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight and Whitney Houston, creating a unique yet so familiar vibe.

If you feel the nostalgia too check out Sweet Tea’s, Breathe Again video on Youtube at http://www. youtube.com/watch?v=jBxjsN2r3Vo or link her on facebook at https://www. facebook.com/pages/ SWEET-TEA .

Location: Old Belize Adventure, Marina and Museum

THROWBACK

Jezelle • • • • •

Height: 5’ 6” Career Plan: Professional Model/English Teacher Sign: Aquarius Favourite Food: Pizza Likes: Singing, Dancing, Photography, Meeting

TOP MODEL Clothing and Accessories provided by CATWALK FASHIONS

• •

Cor. North Front Steet & Queen Street Belize City

New People, Exploring Culinary Delights Lives in Sana Elena, Cayo District Fav. Quote: “Never settle for less than your Best.”

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

Follow us on facebook

14 SPORTS

Bombers team

win in Belize City men’s softball ters and walked 2 batters. The Belikin batters got no hits off Bombers’ Milton Flores, who also struck out 10 batters, though he walked 5, while the Bombers’ diamond made only one error and forced Belikin to leave 6 runners on base.

Bombers’ Carlyon Flores scored 2 runs, while Shaquille Moody and Alex Flores each hit a home run. Milton Flores, Michael “Shilling” Middleton and Shane Williams made the most of

Ladyville Jaguars win thru to Atlantic Bank women’s football finals

Dangriga, August 11, 2013 The Ladyville Jaguars made the Atlantic Bank women’s football championship finals by a 2-1 win against the Dangriga Pumas in Game 2 of the semifinals at the Carl Ramos Stadium in Dangriga on Sunday.

The jaguars had settled for a 2-2 draw when they hosted the Pumas in Ladyville the week before, so it was winner takes all. The Pumas seemed not to want to win since they started with only 11 players and no bench even though it was their home game.

The Jaguars drew first blood in the 17th minute

when Shameika Franklin outran the Pumas defense of Patricia Marin, Jackeline Arzu, and Bernadine Gonzalez to blast the ball past the Pumas’ goalie Shereen Vasquez. Pumas’ Shayamah Quniah Caliz and Tyra Hernandez counterattacked furiously with the help of midfielders Naomi Gamboa, Ireini Lopez,Ilkiei Swazo and Cindy Flores, but the Jaguars’ defenders Alma Alarcon, Sara Arzu, Shinelle Gentle and Mercedes Choc shut them down to hold them scoreless for 70 minutes.

Jaguars’ Kara Kisling embarrassed Vasquez with a 2nd goal, ricocheting a

2013

Oceana team

Oceana Strikers & Bombers Belize City, August 9, 2013 The Bombers and Oceana Strikers posted wins when in the Belize City softball competition kicked off at the home of softball at the Rogers Stadium in Belize City on Friday night.

In Game 1, the Bombers got 9 hits off Roy Briceno pitching for the Belikin Stout team to win 7-0 by mercy rule in 5 innings, even though Briceno struck out 5 bat-

18 AUG

THE BELIZE THE BELIZE TIMES TIMES

Belikin’s 6 errors to also come home.

The fifth for the 8-0 win. The Bombers left 6 runners on base. Milton Flores also led the Bombers to a 12-3 win over the Ocean Striker son Monday night.

In Game 2, Oceana Strikers spanked the Princess Dantos 8-7 as they got 6 hits off Dantos’ pitcher Jason Belisle, who struck out 5 batters and walked 12 batters while the rest of the Dantos’ diamond made 4 errors Strikers’ when Calbert Jefferies

scored 2 runs, while Oscar Rios, Orefra Myvette, Brandon Bood, Floyd Flowers Jr, Marconi Leal and Alex Roache came home once.

The Strikers left seven runners on base. The Dantos got 6 hits off Strikers’ starting pitcher Konrad Gonzalez who Konrad struck out 9 batters, and walked 7 before he got help from Brandon Bood in the 6th inning. Belisle scored Dantos’ 1st run and he hit a home run in the 5th inning, Harold Nava also scored 2 runs for Dantos, while Kevin Flores, Harold Nava Sr and Ronald Jui came home once. The Strikers’ made only 2 errors, and the Dantos left 8 runners on base.

Weekend Warriors cyclists win 2nd in Vuelta de Merida Merida, Yucatan August 11, 2013 David Madrid of team Santinos won 2nd place overall in the Masters E-class for riders 60 years and over when Belize’s Weekend Carriors cycling club sent a 9-man contingent to compete in the Vuelta a Merida Masters over the weekend Madrid was 2nd in the first race won by Pablo Lopez of Campeche’s Massago team and in the second race he was only half a bicycle wheel behind Lopez.

Ryan Willoughby of team BCB/F.T. Williams finished 7th in first race for in the A-Class riders of -32-38yeasrs, and he took 5th in the second race to place 5th overall. George Abraham of BCB/F.T. Williams was 3rd in the second race and placed 4th overall among the B-class riders of 39-45 years of age, just one second behind Freddy Ramos of Chetumal’s Team Depredadores Isaiah Willacey of team Digicel4G was 7th in the first race for C-class riders of 46-52 years of age and he placed 5th in the second race .

shot off the far gol post into the net in the 35th minute of play to take a 2-0 lead into the half time break. In the 2nd half Anigi Welch and Celine Saravia entered the ball game for the Pumas, and Jackeline Arzu went on the attack,

finally getting a consolation goal for the Griga Dang girls in the 70th minute. Encouraged by this success Quniah Caliz and Naomi Gamboa pressed for the equalizer to take the game into overtime, but it was not to be.

The Jaguars’ defense got

David Madrid in Merida

fresh legs in the form of Britney Nunez, Noemi Saavedra and Mertell Bailey; and goalie Claudia Martinez handled all other challenges to secure the win.

The Jaguars take on the undefeated Belmopan Triple B’s in the finals at the FFB Stadium in Belmopan on Saturday, August 31.

18 AUG AUG 18

2013

SPORTS 15

THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES THE BELIZE

Rose Ogaldez makes a header

Belmopan Triple B’s win thru to Atlantic Bank women’s football finals San Ignacio, August 10, 2013 The undefeated Belmopan Triple B’s made the Atlantic Bank women’s football championship finals by a 4-1 win against the DFC Gentle Touch of Esperanza in Game 2 of their semifinal series at the Norman Broaster Stadium in San Ignacio on Saturday. Ranza’s Kimberly “Brazilian” Perez outran the Triple B defenders Shirley Codd Beatrice Alfaro, Wendy Vernon and Roslyn “Chu-Chu” Cadle to blast off a left foot shot that just missed the goal.

Down at the other end, Triple B’s took a 1-0 lead when Miriam Villamil floated in the ball from long distance and Gentle Touch goalie Myrenie Drysdale could not stop it from finding the back of the net in the 9th minute.

Ranza’s Abby Halliday counterattacked furiously with the help of midfielders Cindy Fuentes, Ethlene Gentle and Marsha “Ninja” Stevens, but her shot from long distance failed to tie the ballgame as Triple B’s Idania Ramirez collected it coolly. Belize’s 100 meters sprint star Kaina Martinez made it 2-0 in the 31st minute

when she outran the Gentle Touch defenders Cynthia Salazar, Shamera Wade, Eden Gentle and Shannone Gentle to blast in a shot, but Martinez had no brakes. She crashed into Drysdale who did not come back on the field in the 2nd half.

In the 2nd half, Eden Gentle replaced Drysdale, who went to the hospital instead, where x-rays showed she had broken both claivicles. The visitors looked to increase their lead when Triple B’s Jennisha

Scott found Iris Centeno with a forward pass, but Centeno’s header hit the goal post. Kaina Martinez pounced on the rebound but goalie Gentle beat her to the ball.

Gentle continued to live dangerously as she failed to grab Kaya Cattouse’s shot from outside the box, Iris Centeno recovered the loose ball, but her left foot shot hit the near post.

Kaya Cattouse made up for past sins when she eluded Shannon Gentle blast a 3rd goal past Eden Gentle in the 68th minute, the

Belize Bank & Atlantic Bank

win 3 back to back in Firms basketball Belize City, August 10, 2013 Belize Bank Bulldogs, Atlantic Bank and Ports Belize Ltd remain undefeated in the Belize District firms’ basketball competition which continued at Bird’s Isle in Belize City over the weekend, the Bulldogs and Atlantic each have 3 back to back to back wins, while Ports are 2 and 0.

In Game 1 on Friday, BWS posted their first win: 55-42 against the Heritage Bank Heatz; Karim Thompson leading with 18 pts. Jamir Enriquez and Lindbergh “Prince” Graham added 11pts each scored 11pts, Charles Armstrong Jr was good for 6pts and Godwin Bowen – 4pts.

Heatz’ Kurt “Chengo” Burgess and Felix Martinez had 13 pts each, and Devon Defour added

10pts.

In Game 2 Atlantic Bank ran over 71-58 over Readycall 71-58;Evan Rene leading with 20 pts. Dave Apolonio and Ervin “Poty” Orozco and each scored 13pts each, while Keith Sutherland added 6pts and Brandon Castillo – 5pts. Readycall’s Josiah Brown had 13pts, Hubert Baptist scored 10 pts, andGeorge Smith added 8pts.

In Game 3, COURTS Belize posted their 2nd win: 66-49 against winless Bowen & Bowen Sprite. Tyron Myvett scored 22 pts, Delroy Caliz added 15pts and Fidel Blair tossed in13 pts, while Leroy Gentle had 10pts, and Rennan Pandy – 6pts. Sprite’s Deon Symns had 18 pts, Michael Staine added 14pts, and Troy Williams scored 12 pts.

visitors now lead 3-0. Gentle made no effort to stop Kaya’s next shot from just outside the 18-yard boys when Cattouse put the finish on a pass headed by Jennisha Scott.

The Ranza girls finally got a consolation goal when Cindy Fuentes fired a left foot shot past Ramirez, it hit the far post and rebounded into the back of the net in the 85th minute. The Triple B’s moved on to the finals by a 7-2 goal aggregate where they will meet the Ladyville Jaguars at the FFB Stadium in Belmopan on Saturday, August 31.

Team Belize are 0-5 in VIII Pan Am women’s softball championships

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A +C

THE BELIZE TIMES

17 notes + ideas by yasser musa

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THE BELIZE TIMES

18 AUG

2013

FAREWELL MRS. GERTRUDE

WHY “WIN BELIZE” LOSES Continued from page 11 the pages of the same Guardian newspaper that has repeatedly disrespected brilliant women like Kay Menzies, Audrey Matura, Lisa Shoman and Jacqueline Marshalleck. We checked our records and these articles are never shared with the 50% of the population that are PUP and the independent right minded people who read the BELIZE TIMES. Fourthly, the release fails to mention the name of the Hon. Dolores Balderamos Garcia. She is not mentioned. Not even once. Nor is there a word of support for the only woman in the House. Why is that?

Finally, all of us heard Finnegan “apologize” after being forced to say something because of pressure from the PUP women who rang the battle call immediately on Facebook and other social media. If you listen carefully, he apologizes to everyone but Hon. Dolores. It was not even on an equivalent national level as he made the attack. He spoke on a private radio station and on a single talk show while most people were at work.

What he said, sounds just like what men who are violently and sexually abusive to their spouse say when caught by the police. They say “I beat her or raped her but she deserved it”.

Well the memo from the PUP women and women of Belize is “we are taking no more of this”. It is clear that the UDP hate women. They try hard not to show it but it pops up. Like a pedophile who relapses.

We are tempted to speculate as to why this organization is not living up to its responsibility in an unbiased and fully committed way but we will restrain ourselves.

We at BELIZE TIMES like WIN Belize on paper and in principle but when you fall short, we have to call you out.

We were disappointed in you but hope you turn it around. After all we cannot be too hard on you because we are yet to hear from the Women’s Department, the Churches or the Unions.

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(L - R) Mark Fonseca, Andrea Cox, Ralph Fonseca, Mrs. Gertrude Fonseca, Lillian Burgos and David Fonseca

18 AUG

2013

19

THE BELIZE TIMES

A New Low for Belize?

By Senator Lisa Shoman “One of the pillars of the work of UN Women is women’s political participation, a fundamental prerequisite for gender equality and genuine democracy.” UN Women website.

Belize has the dubious distinction of having the lowest percentage of women’s political participation of any country in the Americas. To be precise, Belize’s low hovers among the very lowest in the entire world for what is a “fundamental prerequisite for… genuine democracy”. How low? To put this in perspective, Latin America averages 21% on the political participation of women. The Caribbean hovers at about 15%. Belize? 3%.

I am a part of the three percent.

There are currently only 4 women in the upper chamber of the National Assembly, the Senate. We are all appointed. There is only one woman who has been elected to the Legislature of Belize, the House of Representatives. One. She is the Honorable Dolores Balderamos Garcia.

In December of 2012, the UNDP and the Women’s Commission of Belize released a report entitled “TOWARD EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR EQUALITY OF RESULTS - A SITUATION ANALYSIS OF GENDER AND POLITICS IN BELIZE”.

In that report, researcher Debra Lewis makes the point that the Caribbean lags behind other parts of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region and behind the world average in the percentage of women elected to national parliaments.

While the percentage of women in politics has reached about 20% globally and over 21% in LAC, that percentage in the English – speaking countries of the Caribbean remains under 15%. Guyana is the only exception at 31%.

The Anglophone Caribbean is really more comparable to Arab states (9%), than to non-English speaking states like Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Jamaica is at 13%, Barbados at 10 % and Belize sits the VERY lowest level, at, yes, 3%.

In her work, Lewis makes the point that Caribbean societies are described as “resiliently patriarchal” – and they therefore tend to have lower than average rates of women’s political representation. She posits that “Traditional assumptions about women may also lead women to believe that in order to succeed in the political realm, they must adopt masculine traits… this not only sus-

tains the notion of politics as “a man’s world”, it can also come at considerable cost to the woman herself.” Lewis concludes that “Women in politics, then, must either apologize for being women or pretend that being a woman has nothing to do with her role as a politician.”

“Man, Jules, this politics is a big man game” - Michael Finnegan, Member of Parliament for Mesopotamia On Wednesday, August 7th, 2013, during a Special Sitting of the House of Representatives, the Honorable Dolores Balderamos Garcia, Member for Belize Rural Central and the sole woman Parliamentarian there, rose to make a point of urgent public importance.

Her subject was the Mace-Bearer, or Sergeant at Arms, whose function and importance are set out in the Standing Orders, which includes having charge of all Police orderlies in the National Assembly. Among the concerns raised by her, were allegations that the current office holder was seen publicly drinking on the grounds of the Assembly building and of public urination.

Michael Finnegan, Member for Mesopotamia, rose to interrupt her, ostensibly on a “point of order” and by words and gesture directed a barrage of crude verbal and explicitly sexual innuendo at Mrs. Balderamos Garcia. In his intervention, Finnegan made a clear reference to the Mace Bearer’s penis, saying “If she see the sergeant of arms urinate, dah weh size?” He went on to attempt to justify his repugnant remarks by uttering the words, “She is asking for it”. To add injury to his insult, Finnegan finished the personal attack by issuing a repugnant threat to reveal what he “knows”, about the husband of Mrs. Balderamos Garcia.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives who is supposed to control the conduct of Members on the floor of the House, distinguished himself on the occasion by complete failure, and did not exercise his responsibility to curb, or even address the scandalous personal attack nor did he even deal with the use by Finnegan of unparliamentary language. For their part, the colleague members on Finnegan’s side of the House distinguished themselves by their open laughter at the abusive words and shameful conduct of Michael Finnegan.

That the incident occurred at all, and that it even passed the Speaker of the House without any form of rebuke is unconscionable and a matter of public disgrace. There is no doubt that Mr. Finnegan’s ugly words on the floor of the House were a misogynistic assault on the human dignity of Mrs. Balderamos Garcia, but taken as a whole, the words and conduct are in actuality, much more.

The proof that it is much more is contained in the very excuse given by Mr. Finnegan in an interview on the Monday following the incident, when it

became clear that he was facing public condemnation for the attack. Finnegan tried to justify his misconduct by saying that politics is a “big man game”. The clear implication is that if Mrs. Balderamos Garcia does not accept –or mirror - his vulgar crudity, she is not ready for “the game”.

Since 2008, the Women’s Department of Belize has run a “Women in Politics” program aimed at encouraging and increasing the active participation of Belizean women in politics, national and local. Despite their efforts at empowering women to contest elections, the fact is that such political participation remains depressingly dismal in Belize. As is clear from the UNDP report, women in our nation view politics as nasty, dirty and brutal, and it is one of the real barriers to participation that women are clearly reluctant to confront.

On Wednesday last, on the floor of the House, Michael Finnegan gave Belizean women a vivid display of the kind of shameful treatment that they DO NOT wish to have directed at them; and it is a clear example of the kind of behavioral male political norm that they reject and justly refuse to exhibit or conduct themselves by.

Since 1981, only five women in Belize have been elected to the House of Representatives –, Jane Usher, Faith Babb, Ana Patricia Arceo, Sylvia Flores and Dolores Balderamos Garcia – five women in more than 30 years. There is no doubt that the serious overall absence of women in the National Assembly affects our democracy. It reduces the likelihood that those issues such health, employment, education and human security, which are of critical importance to women and to their families, are raised and addressed in any systematic manner.

While women ARE being encouraged to enter the political life of our nation, unfortunately, when these very same women see the kind of behavior in the National Assembly which cements their perception of politics as nasty and “a big man game”, they want no part of any such game. While such behavior is neither censured nor even discouraged, Belize will never move to any kind of sensible political parity for women in our nation.

I am therefore adopting some of the very same language that was used in the House of Representatives last week in “asking for it”. I am asking for civility. I am asking for a minimum standard of public parliamentary decency in the Government of our nation. I am asking for recognition that the women of this country have a right not to be humiliated, not to be abused, not to have un-Parliamentary language addressed to them.

The incident of last week has stirred intense public debate and has been loudly and vigorously condemned on social media, radio and

television morning shows and on other media by Belizeans across the political spectrum. It is clear that Belizeans do reject the manner in which the sole female Representative in the House of Representatives was addressed. They believe that the brazen conduct displayed by Finnegan in the House (and in the aftermath) is unbecoming, un-Parliamentary, undignified, un-Belizean and unacceptable.

The matter goes to the very heart of the governance of our nation. If we cannot conduct ourselves in a manner befitting and becoming the highest offices in the land, then we have no business being there. Nothing less than a call to the collective conscience of the Members of the National Assembly is required. I make that call. I make it loudly and clearly.

The women of Belize deserve every respect, every manner of human dignity as persons and as political representatives. We are not asking for any class of special rights. If the political system of Belize cannot give women those rights that their male counterparts take for granted, then we cannot claim to have a functional democracy.

What women want to be assured of is that we are valued political partners, whose vital contribution to our democratic ideal is respected and protected. We want to be a part of a system in which politicians are elected to deal with the challenges that face our young nation and the business of the day.

We expressly do not want to be a part of any “big man game in which any political party’s elected representatives are expected to behave, treat and act towards each other as political rivals in a way that is not fitting for the House of Representatives, for the Senate, for the Cabinet. We reject the notion of political representation as being a game in which the worst excesses of vulgar conduct are accepted and can be excused because it is a “big man game”.

The repugnant incident, which occurred during the Special Sitting of House of Representatives on August 7th 2013, signals nothing less than a new low in our national public life and political discourse; and we must not allow it.

Let us ensure that abusive behavior of this type stops now - and that instead we all work as citizens and political representatives to make certain that women in Belize will WANT to participate in our nation’s political life – and that they are able to do so as valued partners, and in significant numbers.

Our very democracy depends on it.

20

THE BELIZE TIMES

18 AUG

2013

18 AUG

2013

THE BELIZE TIMES

Reid Dabbling in Dirt

By G. Michael Reid Belizeans last Wednesday were once again subjected to an agonizing display of indecorum and disrespect.

This now, coming from a supposedly Honorable House comprised of supposedly Honorable Members. Did anyone at some point change the meaning of honorable?

This supposedly Honorable House is governed by a strict and specific set of guidelines known as the Standing Orders; their own version of the Robert’s Rules of Order. The Standing Orders is couched in a very small pamphlet but has a very large authority. If we listened to the House last Wednesday, one would believe that these standing orders are sacrosanct and inviolable; strictly adhered to and to the detailed letter of every word.

In fact, it was the very reason why the member from Cayo South could not get his proposed motion to repair the Public Accounts Committee tabled. If a proposal is put forward, regardless of how plausible and progressive, if they do not strictly adhere to these Standing Orders then they fall to the floor; straight like that; no if’s ands or buts….

Last Wednesday, after much babbling and rehashing of a matter older than Medusa, Julius Espat rose to propose a motion aimed at amending one of the standing committees of the House of Representatives. The Committee in question is supposed to provide oversight on government spending and ensure that whatever money is allocated in the budget is used for the purpose that it is approved. It is a very commonsense committee but one that has been serving no purpose. The committee has so far been made up of four members from the government side and two members from the Opposition; albeit that one of those opposition members happens to be the Chairman; that is, Julius Espat.

Since 1981 when this Committee

21

wedlock. Finnegan once admitted that he took medicine to calm himself down. Once has to wonder if it might not be time for him to switch to a higher dose.

There are several other sections of these “sacred” Standing Orders that are constantly violated.

Section 37:6 clearly states that “A Member shall not refer to another Member by name, but by the name of the electoral area for which he came into being along with the House, has been elected.” How often have the Constitution and of course the new we not heard members referred to nation of Belize, the Committee has by not only name but by derogatory been moribund. They rarely ever meet labels such as fool or ass or thief or and even when they do, there is very worse? Section 42 (b) states that little to discuss or do. They are supa member – “shall maintain silence posed to review the Auditor General’s while another member is speakreport and report back to House with ing, and shall not interrupt, except their findings. However, even when the in accordance with these Standing Auditor General finds wrongdoings or Orders”. When has this ever hapas is the case with the last report, canpened! Finnegan himself is often not get enough information to form an heard interrupting when members opinion, the very ones that the report is from the other side are speaking. condemning are the ones sitting on the Section 35 (1) states that “A MemCommittee. Not only is it difficult to bell ber desiring to speak shall rise in this cat, it is actually the cat that is being his place and if called upon shall adasked to bell itself. dress his observations to the Speaker or Chairman”. Someone ought to remind these individuals when they start going at it across the aisle.

Finnegan referred to Dolores as being a Oh yes, that would be the “crude woman” and wondered out loud if Speaker’s job, wouldn’t it?

The point that I am tryshe had seen the size of Yellowman’s ing to make here, is that if penis; demonstrating with his hands these Standing Orders are what size he Finnegan believed that it broken so often for such trivial reasons, then certainmight be. ly they can be bent a little to accommodate this very worthwhile motion. The Julius has decided to rock the people are demanding better ac“It shall be out of order to use ofboat. He is asking that the Committee countability and transparency. Dean fensive or insulting language about be amended to reflect equal represenBarrow lost an excellent opportunity Members of either Chamber of the tation from both sides of the House last Wednesday to show Belizeans Legislature”. Finnegan’s language while giving majority to members from that he was not just mouthing off was clearly insulting and offensive Civil Society. Julius wants to add one when he promised the same during to the Honorable Dolores Garcia. member from the Council of Churches, the last two elections. As they say Finnegan compounded the injury one member from the Unions and one of course, a promise is a comfort to even more in an interview on Monmember from the Chamber of Coma fool. Is there any doubt what they day evening when he laid into all the merce. All three groups are representpoliticians take us for? women who have children out of ed in the Senate so it should not be a problem. All members of the Committee must come from Parliament. This idea makes a whole lot of sense and even if this motion cannot be tabled under this government, it is hopeful that sometime in the future, under some future government, this motion will see the light of day and help to illuminate the way to better accountability.

As heated as that exchange was, things really reached a boiling point when the member from Belize Rural rose and made a call for discipline of the Sergeant of Arms. Chester “Yellowman” Audinett is currently facing criminal charges for assaulting a civilian and a Police Officer. Dolores Garcia-Balderamos is not only the representative from Belize Rural Central, she is also the only woman in the House. Hardly had she begun speaking than first Boots Martinez, then Michael Finnegan and even the Prime Minister himself, rose to object. As is usually the case, they had no concern about what offense Yellowman was accused or guilty of but rather the fact that the Standing Orders were not being adhered to. The Member from Rural Central brought to the House’s attention that Mr. Audinett not only had a criminal record and was in court for another set of serious offenses but that the same person was also guilty of improper behavior, to wit, urinating in public and drinking in public.

Rising to Audinett’s defense, Finnegan referred to Dolores as being a “crude woman” and wondered out loud if she had seen the size of Yellowman’s penis; demonstrating with his hands what size he Finnegan believed that it might be. After all said Finnegan, he “knew that Yellowman was a man of many ladies and he himself had wondered”. He also threatened Dolores that if she continued to speak out against Yellowman that he Finnegan, would expose things about Dolores and her husband.

Now folks, the Standing Orders are indeed quite specific as what members can say and how they can say it. If they were really serious about the sanctity of this document, none of what happened in the House on Wednesday would have happened.

The Standing Orders are quite specific: Section 37:4 clearly states that

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18 AUG

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

For Sale

By Order of the Mortgagee

PUP Women Lead Charge Against Chauvinist Finnegan On Monday the 12th of August, 2013, four vibrant, outstanding and Honorable PUP women stood firm and resolute in their challenge to the despicable behavior of Michael Finnegan at last Wednesday’s House Meeting.

Former Speaker of the House and two time PUP area representative from Dangriga, the Hon. Sylvia Flores; two time PUP area representative and current area representative for Belize Rural Central, the Hon. Dolores Balderamos Garcia; the Secretary General of the great People’s United Party, Mrs. Myrtle Palacio; and President of the United Women’s Group, Mrs. Wendy Castillo, delivered a powerful message to Michael Finnegan on behalf of all Belizean women: Apologize and Resign Now!!!!

This demand came on the heels of Finnegan’s inexplicable outburst at Wednesday’s House Meeting in which the dishonorable gentleman unleashed an abusive, vitriolic and chauvinistic attack on the Honorable Dolores Balderamos Garcia.

Honorable Sylvia Flores, in addressing the gathering, gave a heartfelt personal acknowledgement to Honorable Dolores when she said, “I must say to you Honorable Dolores that it is with great respect and appreciation for your service to our

country and people that I am here this evening. What took place on Wednesday last was more than an assault on the integrity of honorable Dolores Balderamos Garcia. It was an assault on the integrity and sanctity of the House of Representatives.”

And, unlike the women of the UDP who fall prey to their leaders’ disrespectful behavior, the Honorable Dolores Balderamos Garcia ended her presentation with a steadfast and inspiring message, “Upon seeing the strength of the women of our party and the women of our country and our men who stand behind us, I say today that I am more than ever determined to represent.”

Following Wednesday’s united show of strength, will and determination by four remarkable PUP women, WIN Belize and the Special Envoy for Women and Children, Mrs. Kim Simpliss Barrow, followed suit and chastised the UDP representative for the Mesopotamia division for his attack on the women of Belize, in particular women who have children out of wedlock.

For his part, Finnegan refuses to change his chauvinistic ways and to date, has not apologized to the Honorable Dolores Balderamos Garcia. The UDP has a long and documented history of disrespecting the women of Belize. Their days are truly numbered.

Lady Diana The Queen of Pain

Last Friday Love FM reported that the President of NICH Lady Diana Haylock had received a check from the Taiwan Ambassador for $40,000 to assist with the September Celebrations. While this occurred some nine leaders of Belize City’s popular Carnival Mass bands were being bitten by mosquitos outside the famed Government House waiting for an audience with the Lady.

After several hours of waiting the Lady granted the Carnival crowd an audience. All they wanted was some start up money to help with the pile of expenses for Carnival.

And in usual form she told them NO. They were asking for was $1500 per band, a sum way under what it really takes to run a Mass Band in Belize. The Lady said NO. What upset the Carnival Band leaders most was that she had in her hand the $40K from the Taiwanese. And to add insult to injury it is now being revealed that mostly UDPs are benefiting from that money.

At last weekend’s song competition all the MC’s were low level, washed up UDP co-

Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a Company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Mortgage made the 25th day of January, 2011, between Priscilla Graham & Dennis Moore of the one part, and the said SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD. of the other part , and recorded in Deeds Book Volume 2 of 2011 at folios 1473 – 1538. The said SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the Schedule hereto.

All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD. THE SCHEDULE ABOVE REFERRED TO ALL THAT block piece or parcel of land containing fifty (50) acres of lands (Block No. 11) situate on the North Side of the Punta Gorda/San Antonio Road near the Rice Reserve, Toledo District and bounded:-On the North by Crown Lands (Swamp); On the South by Block No. 10 lands of Allistair King; On the East by Block Nos. 14 & 15 lands of C. Williams & Allistair King; On the West by Block Nos. 6, 7 & 8 lands of S. Coleman & Zadock Moore measuring 1650 feet x 1320 feet as shown on Plan No. 906 by H.C. Fairweather at the Survey Department TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon.

DATED this 31st day of July, 2013.

medians and MC’s.

Reliable information reaching BELIZE TIMES is that Joe Bradley was even an MC. What a shame.

Our information is that some of these MC’s are getting a whopping $1,000 per event. Incredible.

Lady Diana is one more cold, chancy and incompetent UDP. That is why she is known as the Queen of Pain.

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

18 AUG

23

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

For Sale

By Order of the

PAPA DOC BARROW “I am your father” –

Dean Barrow, House of Representatives 7th August, 2013

What is happening to Dean Barrow? It is easy to say he is arrogant and full of himself, but that is so recognized that many of his faithful supporters have come to accept that their leader has become like the former Haitian dictator Papa Doc. Point blank, Belize’s Prime Minister is a textbook megalomaniac.

A couple months ago he told the Belizean people that “there is no force on earth” that will make him withdraw his gender policy. Barrow’s words became so inflammatory that the Bishop of the Catholic Church had to seek the support of the most high when he publicly stated: “We ask the Lord to form the minds and hearts of our leaders so they will change their minds, even though it’s been said that nothing on the Earth will change their minds.

Lord, we know that you can do it and we ask you to change their minds.”

Dean Barrow dragged the nation deep into a pit of despair when he stood firm with his Minister of Health Pablo Marin who refused to speak or even offer an apology to the people about the killing of 13 babies at the national hospital. Barrow said Marin had no apologies to make.

Like Papa Doc of Haiti, Dean

Barrow has given extraordinary powers and privileges to his family. Baby Doc Anwar who Barrow calls his eyes and ears sits on two of the most powerful Boards in Belize, Social Security and Belize Telemedia. Baby’s mom Lois sits as Ambassador to the United Nations. And Brother Doc Dennys sits on a mountain of cash getting high paying legal jobs from the Papa’s government.

Like Papa Doc, Dean Barrow has the media apparatus under his control.

His Ministry of Finance in collaboration with Telemedia and other State entities spends tens of thousands in media bribes each month to special media houses that protect his interests. The people of Belize will never know how much is given of their tax dollars to these electronic guardians of “truth.”

However, the greatest comparison between Papa Doc and Papa Barrow is that Dean has abandoned his post for a mystical belief that he is above the forces of earth, and removed from the realities of 2013 Belize.

Papa Barrow’s reign of incompetence, corruption and economic failure took less that five years to hit the reef.

Dean Barrow is naked.

The Belizean people see nothing.

Perhaps Finnegan could tell us what he sees.

Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Mortgage made the 4th day of May, 2010, between MONICA MARCELLO of Pescador Drive, San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, Belize District, Belize of the one part, and Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., of the other part, and recorded at the Land Titles Unit in the Deeds Book Vol. 14 of 2010 at Folios 803–830, the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the schedule hereto.

All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.

SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece or parcel of land the subject of Minister’s Fiat Grant No. 874 of 1999 dates 11th October, 1999, being Block No. 3 comprising of 10 acres of land situate in the Ten Acre Holdings, Stann Creek District, Belize, bounded and described as shown on Plan No. 874 of 1999 attached to the said Grant.

DATED this 5th day of August, 2013.

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

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THE BELIZE TIMES

18 AUG

2013

Recipe of the week An easy recipe for sugar cookies from scratch that kids will like to decorate (and eat!)

Sugar Cookies INGREDIENTS • 1 lb (4 sticks) butter, room temperature • 2 1/4 cups sugar • 3 large eggs • 5 cups flour • 1 tsp. salt • 3 tsps. baking powder DIRECTIONS • Adult: Cream butter and sugar with mixer. Add eggs one at a time. Add the dry ingredients and mix with a big spatula before

MARRIAGES Yusef Brett Usher, 24, to Nellie Dayanny Waite, 31, both of Western Paradise (Western Pines), Belize District Carlos Clifton Crawford, 28, to Angaragtuya Erdenebayer, 26, both of Belize City Delon Keron Castro, 27, of Maskall, Belize District, to Darrellle Derina Wallace, 26, of Crooked Tree, Belize District Luis Humberto Uk, 26, to Ledis Paola Aquino, 19, both of Calla Creek, Cayo District Jamir Kareem Castillo, 32, of Ladyville, Belize District, to Candice Genitty, 30, of Belize City Misael George Tun, 19, to Janely Yaniry Osorio, 16, both of Chunox, Corozal District Cesar Ross, 48, of Belmopan, to Marleny Jeannette Cajbon, 22, of Maya Mopan, Stann Creek District Jerry Jones, Jr., 21, to Liona Te, 28, both of Valley of Peace, Cayo District Paul Henry Bradley, III, 19, of Belmopan, to Janel Jamela Pelayo, 20, of Roaring Creek, Cayo District Reyes Jesus Chi, 28, to Giseli Gloricela Chan, 23, both of Cristo Rey, Cayo District Jorge Orestes Diaz Cueto, 52, to Anita VictoriA Diaz, 36, both of San Ignacio Town, Cayo District Johnny Steford Ye, 23, to Esmeralda Sindie Sosa, 20, oth of Santa Familia, Cayo District Rafael Antonio Gamez, 42, to Jeoana Mirary Hernandez, 18, both of Santa Elena Town, Cayo District Levi Chevo Slusher, 29, to Fiona Phylizia Young, 26, both of San Ignacio Town, Cayo District Francisco Emmanuel Concha, 31, to Ada Raquel Moralez, 26, both of San Ignacio Town, Cayo District Humphrey Robert Armstrong, 50, to Florence Rebecca Crawford, 53, both of Crooked Tree, Belize District

mixing the dough with the mixer. Refrigerate the dough for at least three days in advance.

• Adult: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Flatten dough and roll out dough on area covered with flour. Dough should be about 1/8 inch think. Cut with cookie cutter. Place on parchment-lined cookie sheet. (You’ll want to make sure that your baking sheets are cool when placing the uncooked cookies on them.)

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.

• Together: Frost with royal icing.

Use some beet juice or raspberry puree to add natural color to the icing.

Dwayne Evan Gardiner, 38, to Shurny Tanisha Trapp, 28, both of Mahogany Heights, Belize District Wilfredo Zetina, 34, to Ingrid Rodriguez, 24, both of San Ignacio Town, Cayo District Alvin Kerwin Belezaire, 27, of Libertad, Corozal District, to Ericka Julissa Novelo, 23, of Calcutta, Corozal District Frank Jose Robinson, 18, to Jennifer Michelle Dominguez, 19, both of Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District Miles Victor Armstrong, 23, to Luci-Jane Shaedah Perez, 22, both of Belize City Crlos Mauricio Tejada, 34, to Maria de los Angeles Garcia Sipaque, 21, both of Belize City Jasinto Salinas, 28, to Aracela Mercedes Soto, 22, both of Franks’ Eddy, Cayo District Lawrence Gonzalez, 32, to Marsha Therese Patnett, 34, both of Belize City Raef Clarence Steven, 67, to Agnella Augusteo Budd, 73, both of Burrell Boom, Belize District Michael Tanner Balzer, 31, to Lindsay Elizabeth Hall, 25, both of Morrison, Colorado, U.S.A. Parker Wicks, 32, to Leslie Byers, 29, both of Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A. Seth Frerich, 24, to Laura Meyer, 24, both of Bracketville, Texas, U.S.A.

BIRTHS Born to Dario Amir Canul and Marina Isabel Canul nee Lopez, a girl, Mary Elizabeth

DEATHS Winfield Andrew Arnold, 73 Mary Elizabeth Canul, 6 days

OUT

GLOBAL FOOD

PRICES FALL Barrow excess ego zero substance Continued from page 2 only female parliamentarian in the House.

Any Belizean with a knowledge of the history of politics in Belize can tell you that the Father of the Nation is the late Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price and the Father of Belizean Nationalism is the late Hon. Phillip Wilberforce Goldson. Assuredly, the Father of Mankind is God, and no mere mortal or politician.

Lets no forget, too, that the Hon. Florencio Marin Sr. was the longest serving member in the House of Representative up to 2008 having won seven consecutive general elections. Mr. Marin entered electoral politics long before Prime Minister Barrow who sought and won his first electoral seat in the National Assembly until December 1984.

Like the Rt. Hon. Said Musa, who served two consecutive terms in office as Prime Minster, maybe Prime Minister Barrow should be acclaimed as “Right Honorable.” Or, even more so, perhaps PM Barrow should be anointed one day, like his former UDP Leader Manuel Esquivel, with the grand title of “Right Honorable Doctor Admiral Sir”.

By gloating in our National Assembly that he is the “Father of the House”, PM Barrow has spewed great disrespect to long-standing elected parliamentarians, past and present. Mr. Barrow’s pronouncements can best be described as tainted with self-delusion and political grandstanding, not characteristic of modern democratic leaders.

Respectfully, Signed: Apolinar A. Tzul, M.Ed

NO BENEFIT TO BELIZE

Continued from page 2 ticipated agricultural production the world over.

When will this decline be reflected in the grocery stores in Belize?

We would also like to know, why is it that the cost of products made from grains, such as bread is going up?

BELIZE TIMES

The fastest selling newspaper in Belize

Liquor License NOTICES Notice is hereby given that LAURA LYNN THOMPSON is applying for a Restaurant Liquor License to be operated at “The Bearded Clam Sports Bar & Grill”, situate at Terminal 1 Annex, Tourism Village, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that JIABI WANG & JIYAN HU is applying for a Shop Liquor License to be operated at “Panda Groceries”, situate at 3738 Kraal Road, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

18 AUG

2013

25

THE BELIZE TIMES

Articles a and an

Write the answer for each sum. Then, colour using the key at the bottom Write the time shown on each clock. Write it the “regular way” and the “smart

CONNECT THE DOTS!

ANSWERS

way.” The first one has been done for you.

1.

I bought a orange shirt today.

I bought an orange shirt today.

2.

We saw an alligator at the zoo.

correct 3.

Cara sent an text message to Robert.

Cara sent a text message to Robert.

4.

May I have a ice cube for my drink?

May I have an ice cube for my drink?

5.

Martin saw a white owl in the tree. correct 6.

Grandma took a airplane to Arizona.

Grandma took an airplane to Arizona.

7.

My sister unwrapped a birthday gift. correct

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18 AUG

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

VOTER BRAIN TEASER TRANSFERS: SUDOKU PUZZLE #30/2013 THE BELMOPAN CASE

Contributed by: Patrick Jason Andrews 13 August 2013 Yearly, July and August are the only two months allowed by law to transfer your vote from one electoral division to another. The process is simple to follow: visit the Elections and Boundaries Office closest to you, present a valid ID and fill out the appropriate forms.

Officials of the Elections and Boundaries enter your data into the appropriate system, report to headquarters, a report is made to all concerned, a small time frame is opened for any challenges in court, and the final inclusion of such person in the Voters List of such constituency is made. It must be noted that officials of the Elections and Boundaries are supposed to visit the new address provided by the Voter to verify if indeed such person lives at such address.

The 2012 general elections in the City of Belmopan saw the closest margin for the Hon. John Saldivar. He won by merely 200 votes. In 2008, such margin was 900 votes. What is interesting to note is the amount of transfers made to Belmopan

Answers for last week’s puzzle SUDOKU PUZZLE SOLUTION #29/2013

from Cayo South, estimated to be 500 voters, prior to the 2012 elections. Figures from the Elections and Boundaries Office suggest that for the period July 1st – 30th, 2013, the Hon. John Saldivar transferred 40 voters from Cayo South. If this trend continues, in two months for this year, and considering four more years for elections, he will be able to transfer over 600 voters. The vast majority of these transfers were motivated by the Hon. John Saldivar by the offer of incentives: part-time jobs as security, cleaners, garbage collectors, manual workers at the bus terminal, etc. These are obviously hard core UDP’s who are expected to boost his voter turnout in the general elections. As expected, these voters reside in the villages in Cayo South, send their children to their respective schools in the villages, BUT they register at fake addresses in Belmopan. There is evidence to suggest that these “safe-houses” are provided by likewise hard-core UDP homeowners. In some instances six families live in a two-bedroom house.

The Hon. John Saldivar knows very well that the City of Belmopan rejected him and his evil tactics. He knows that without the thousand and change voters from other constituencies, he has absolutely no chance of winning Belmopan. The question is: what are we going to do about it? You the residents of Belmopan should determine who your Area Representative should be. Do not allow someone else living outside of your City to determine your future. We will certainly do our share in addressing this issue.

More to come!

See answers NEXT WEEK

Answers for last week’s puzzle

See answers NEXT WEEK

18 AUG

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

Barrow’s GSU vs.

Barrow-Sponsored GSG (Round 4) Belize City, August 13, 2013 Brandon Tillett (a.k.a. BET) is a wellknown street figure and according to the GSU, he is a reputed member of the George Street Gang.

The George Street Gang is one of the most notorious gangs operating within the country of Belize and sits in the heart of Dean Barrow’s Queen Square constituency.

The GSG enjoys the full support of the Prime Minister who provides heavy financial backing to the gang using taxpayer dollars.

Battered Brandon Tillett

Ironically, in mid-October, 2010, Barrow formed a Gang Suppression Unit to combat gang violence and to target the very same gangs that he enables.

This militant arm of the police department answers to no one except Dean Oliver Barrow.

Since its inception, the GSU and the GSG have had four life-threatening encounters.

On the 14th of August, 2011, the GSU executed a premeditated attack on the GSG following the funeral of one of their soldiers, Charles Woodeye. The attack was incredible and according to the Amandala newspaper, the GSU had gone berserk. Broken ribs, fractured skulls, the works. Over thirty individuals were harmed in the incident and are now suing the government for damages.

Less than a year later in February of 2012, the GSU barged into the apartment of Leonard “Ghost” Myers on Dean Street and put another senior packing on the occupants of the apartment.

On the 8th of January, 2013, four residents of George Street, including the same Leonard “Ghost” Myers, were gruesomely and professionally murdered with stealth and precision. There has been no commission of inquiry. The investigation was a “non-starter” as Dean would say; and while the residents of George Street blame the GSU for the killings, it is unknown whether they were the perpetrators of this heinous crime.

Fast-forward now to Brandon “BET” Tillett and Jermaine Ottley. On Wednesday of this week, the GSU entered the home of Ottley, beat him with his own fan, loaded and cranked a firearm and placed it to his head and threatened to kill him.

On their “doctor’s visit”, the GSU also brutalized Brandon Tillett in the process. Tillett received a gushing wound

to the forehead and cuts and bruises all over the body.

Residents of the George Street area have been up in arms over the unjustifiable attacks of their friends and loved ones.

They no longer cry for justice. It is not coming their way. Not today and not as long as Barrow’s GSU has a chokehold on their everyday lives.

Dean Barrow does not know the suffering that is taking place in Queen Square. He only sees it on the nightly news and sends a check the following day.

Barrow boasts that he holds the record as the longest serving politician in the House. He wants us to call him daddy. What he should do is ask Marco Vidal to call him daddy because sooner, rather than later, his own people will be sending him a message loud and clear.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Kissing Pavement

D

riving. It is the initiation process so important to most teens living in the city. It is the ticket to freedom and the visible representation of trust and maturity. Although, admittedly, this does not apply to all youths, many look forward to the day when they hold their own drivers licence.

I, myself, am no exception. Before the rewards of independent driving can be achieved, however, the art of the road must be learnt. Easier said than done.

Recently, I was being taught to drive up a ramp into the garage underneath a house. As the vehicle I was practicing in was a standard, I had to play with the clutch in order to crawl forward. Unfortunately, this task was exhausting in the heat of the afternoon. I soon became frustrated which resulted in a minute lapse of control. The vehicle suddenly jumped to life and hopped forward with gusto … straight into the wall. Both the bumper of the vehicle and the house proudly bear marks from the encounter.

I can’t help but see the resemblance between my little run in with the wall and the result of a hefty amount of relationships in today’s day and age. Children have begun seeking boyfriends and girlfriends from the primary school age. Today, dating has become a game where faithfulness is not expected and relationships only last as long as the fun continues. It has come to the point where women, especially young ones, feel destitute and incomplete if they don’t have a ‘man’. To keep the cycle alive, they rush into relationships, not considering much and prefering to ‘live in the moment’.

‘Living in the moment’ can be very adrenaline rushing.

Its like shooting forward without any boundaries or impediments. But I learned something about pressing the gas without having a good grip on the clutch … you start crashing into things. Sooner or later, the novelty of doing what you want because it feels good wears off because nothing ‘feels’ good forever. If you find yourself in just such a situation, the Manual recommends replacing youthful passions with faith, love, righteousness and peace (2 Timothy 2:22).

Trust me, it’s very hard to pursue faith, love, righteousness.

They arent nearly as exciting as doing what you want. But God’s advice won’t fizzle and dry out like a relationship gone bad.

If your shaking your head and insisting that a relationship is really what you want, I encourage you to check out 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Write down the verses in bullet points and then use it as a checklist. Test your partner and yourself. Now, if just looking at those verses exhaust you, imagine the work a healthy relationship entails. Are you still sure that you are ready for one?

This issue is an important one as most women who find their identity in relationships are the ones who fall into single parenthood and flirt with the poverty line. These are the men who make children without a sense of responsibility.

Before rushing into a relationship, slow down a bit, press the clutch and avoid the kissing pavement.

Until next week, God bless.

By Dr. Mark Musa

18 AUG

2013

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) Infection

Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that causes chronic inflammation of the inner lining of the stomach referred to as Gastritis. It is directly linked as the cause of 80% of stomach ulcers and 90% of duodenal ulcers.

H. pylori infection is contracted by ingesting contaminated food and water, and through person to person contact. The infection is more common in crowded living conditions with poor sanitation. Approximately 50% of the world’s population is infected by H. pylori, and in developing countries like Belize the infection rate in the adult population is likely above 80%.

What are the symptoms of H. pylori infection?

Most individuals infected with H. pylori have few or no symptoms.

They may experience nonspecific symptoms of belching, bloating, nausea and upper abdominal discomfort. More prolong serious infection can lead to ulcer formation with worsening upper abdominal pain and the d eve l o p m e n t of dark-tarry stool as a complication of a bleeding ulcer. A feeling of becoming full easily, decreasing appetite, weight loss and persistent vomiting and pain should alert the patient to seek urgent medical attention. Chronic H. pylori infection causing damage to the lining of the stomach increases an individual’s risk of developing stomach cancer.

The other risk factors for stomach cancer include a genetic risk/family history and a diet high in nitrate compounds such as processed/cured meats, and consuming excessive smoked, salted or pickled foods.

How is H. pylori infection diagnosed?

Simple tests such as a blood antibody test, a stool antigen test, and a breath test can detect H. pylori infection. At the time of endoscopy (camera test of the stomach) a biopsy can also be taken to test for this infection. The limitation of the blood test is that it tests for antibodies which shows previous exposure but can remain positive for years after successful antibiotic treatment of the infection. It is important that when doing these tests that the person has been off antibiotics and the acid-blocker such as omeprazole for at least 2 weeks.

How is H. Pylori infection treated?

H. pylori is difficult to eradicate from the stomach because it is capable of developing resistance to commonly used antibiotics. Therefore, the treatment usually involves 2 antibiotics along with the acid-blocker such as omeprazole for 10 to 14 days. These combinations of antibiotics can be expected to cure 70-90% of H. Pylori infections. To determine if the first line treatment was effective, then repeating the H. pylori stool test rather than the blood test is the more accurate method to determine eradication of the infection.

Can H. Pylori be prevented?

With no vaccine available at present, avoiding exposure to these bacteria is difficult. Ensuring proper personal and family hygiene including effective hand washing, proper cleaning of fruits, vegetables and meats and ensuring a safe clean water supply is important in limiting its transmission. Avoiding or limiting the following can help limit or reduce the risk of developing stomach ulcers: stop smoking, reducing alcohol intake, using acetaminophen (Tylenol) rather than aspirin or anti-inflammatory medications for minor aches and pain, avoiding caffeine in coffee and energy drinks, and trying to reduce and control stress are important in reducing the risk and complications of stomach ulcers.

18AUG AUG 18

2013 2013

THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES THE BELIZE

REGIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

NEWS

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Egypt: State of Emergency Wednesday, August 14, 2013 Approximately, two hundred and forty-eight people were killed (including two journalists and a prominent politician’s daughter) and one thousand four hundred persons were wounded as Egyptian security powers forcefully cleared two Muslim Brotherhood protest camps occupied by pro-Mohammed Morsi supporters.

The government has now declared a month long state of emergency. (Sources: Huffington Post; BBC News (FaceBook))

India: Unveiled homebuilt aircraft carrier Monday, August 12, 2013 India unveiled its first home-built aircraft carrier the I-N-S Vikrant.

“It is a milestone in India’s technological capabilities. The ship, weighing almost 40,000 tonnes will undergo extensive trials before officially joining the country’s naval fleet in 2018.” ~ BBC News (FB)

JUSTICE REFORM:

JAMAICA

Wednesday, August 14, 2013 The Government of Jamaica is to strengthen its criminal case management system as it seeks to reduce the backlog of cases within the justice system. ‘…There are approximately 30,000 pending criminal cases in the Resident Magistrate (RM) Court, of which approximately 8,700 have been in the system for more than two years, based on an audit done in 2012…and in the Gun Court division of the Supreme Court, there are roughly 2,000 pending cases, of which 404 cases have been in the system for more than two years.

Justice Minister Senator Mark Golding, explained that, criminal case management is “an administrative hearing to resolve whatever issues there are, to identify what are the issues in the case, what is not an issue, and ensure that everything is ready before the matter is set down for trial.”’ ~ Jamaica Observer

Eurozone: Recession Fading?

Wednesday, August 14, 2013 The Eurozone, which went into recession at the end of 2011, is now slowly gaining momentum towards economic recovery.

It has emerged from recession after a record 18 months of economic contraction.

“The bloc’s GDP grew by 0.3% in the second quarter of 2013, slightly ahead of forecasts...The growth was widely expected after the German economy rose 0.7% between April and June. However, the overall figure masks the mixed economic fortunes among the countries that make up the 17-country Eurozone area… Spain, which had to seek outside support for its struggling banking sector, saw its economic output fall by 0.1% on the quarter. Italy and the Netherlands both saw output drop by 0.2%...” ~ BBC News

Caricom: Food import bill crosses US$2b yearly Wednesday, August 14, 2013 More than US$2 billion is spent on the annual food import bill by Caricom countries, which have a combined population of only six million people.

Dr Richard Cox, capacity building officer of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, shared the statistic on Tuesday.

“A place that has such great soil is importing $2 billion and more of food every year. What sort of food security are you talking about when you have such an import bill and the English-speaking Caribbean is about six million people?” Cox said this was significant and stakeholders must get involved in proper sustainable land management and finding solutions.’ –Guardian (Trinidad & Tobgao)

Jamaica to undertake Education

Reform: Mathematics

Wednesday, August 14, 2013 Jamaica’s Ministry of Education will be reforming the way Mathematics is taught in schools starting next month.

Education Minister Ronald Thwaites stated, that, in order to address the low pass rate in Mathematics, come September the ministry will be rolling out an intensified Mathematics programme in all schools across the island.

The programme will seek to ensure that the most effective methods are used to engage students in a manner which is focused on developing

conceptual understanding, computational fluency and problem-solving skills.

The minister said that a number of teachers at the primary and secondary level were not fully equipped to teach the subject, thus contributing to the low performance of students.

“The central objective of the intensified Mathematics programme is to ensure that persons engaging our children in the teaching and learning of Mathematics have a sound knowledge of the content,” said National Mathematics Coordinator Dr Tamika Benjamin. – Jamaica Observer

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THINK ABOUT IT TANYA CARTER IS ON FIRE She is brown sugar. She is fresh Cayo honey. She is a work of art still in progress.

And she has done it again.

Fresh from a tour of Jah-Mek-Ya, where the inspiration is always at bubbling point in Kingston town, Tanya Carter has let off again.

While still riding the reggae charts in Jamaica and riding high on YouTube with “Ex-Boyfriend”, Tanya has outdone herself with another big hit-“Mr. DJ Boi”.

Tanya Carter is now Belize’s biggest singing star.

This girl is on fire.

She can go places.

She got it all- looks, body, beauty, sexiness, charm and talent. Loads of talent.

She seems to have a good producing and directing team as well.

Stardom beckons.

We really proud of this daughter of Belize. If she makes it. We all make it. And the young people, who know talent when they see it (after all they spend awesome time watching the world’s best- Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Rihanna , Adele etc.) know Tanya di come.

Last Tuesday night at the Bliss Culture Center, Tanya who was a judge on the “Be the Next Superstar”, was mobbed by the audience who wanted autographs and photo ops.

You going places, girl. Lots of hard work, lots of sacrifice, lots of gym workout and dance moves and voice lessons and lyrics for songs, but you can do it. Oh! Humility, always be humble and stay real.

Congratulations are in order Miss DJ Gyal.

ALSO Congratulations are also in order for the performers in the so-called national patriotic song contest.

We like the idea of some, if not most of the performers using the colours of the national flag as part of their costumes.

Some performers not only sang but danced as well. And danced well.

Nello Player is one cool brother and he can go places because he is so abundantly talented. He expressed surprise that he won first place because he was not at the vibes he could have been.

Which brings up Reecie Pollard. She should have been the first place winner and we feel her hurt, but my dear this happens in contests of this nature. If it is any consolation it is clear the crowd differed from the judges and you know you are a rising talent. You will be back and the crown will be yours as well as other awards.

Little Jael August won in the junior division and it is important for all events to cater to the next generation of talent.

FINNEGAN FIASCO

The Finnegan fiasco has rained on the Prime Minister’s parade.

So heavy has been the showers of public reaction that the purpose of the P.M. Wednesday’s special House Meeting has been washed away. Instead of Musa being an “international outlaw”, Finnegan became the Parliamentary outlaw, in the Caribbean, Central America and the Commonwealth.

After one of Barrow’s melodramatic acting performances and exaggerated lan-

18 AUG

THE BELIZE TIMES

guage the public has forgotten the words of condemnation. It is Finnegan’s words that are the talk of the town. A virtual flood of condemnation and outrage has been released.

To make matters worse, Finnegan gave a weird interview on Monday which reignited the firestorm. His foolish choice of words about him not having children out of wedlock has angered Belizean women, and presumably is the motivation behind Kim Simplis Barrow’s public release, decrying the Finnegan fiasco.

Kim had a child out of wedlock for the present Prime Minister. They later married.

The said Prime Minister has a child out of wedlock with Finnegan’s sister. The said child is the talented ex rap artist Jamal.

If Finnegan had been attending church he would have learnt that Mary had a child out of wedlock. The child was named Jesus.

Why in the world would Finnegan even raise the out of wedlock matter? It had no bearing on his guffaw in the House on Wednesday when he crossed the lines of decency in the Parliament.

THE SPEAKER LOOKED BAD The Finnegan misbehavior in the House has dragged down the already tarnished image of the Parliament. It also exposed the Speaker. He is doing a lousy job.

Ninety percent of the circus and disrespect that takes place in House meetings cannot happen if the Speaker performs his duty properly.

There was a former speaker of the House-Charles B. Hyde, he is remembered and honored for being an even handed Speaker who was fair but firm with members of both parties in the House meetings.

There was another Speaker-Bernard Quintin Augustus Pitts.

He is remembered for being as partisan and one sided as any Speaker could possibly be. He joined with the then UDP majority in berating and humiliating opposition members, in the House.

The current Speaker of the House may wish to consult the book Erskin May and watch C-SPAN television coverage of the British House of Representative to understand his serious responsibilities.

The House of Representatives meetings in Belize have become a national disgrace on the nation. The Standing Orders, which are rules to maintain dignity and decorum while conducting the business of the nation, are VIOLATED at every meeting.

At the low level that members are conducting themselves, better they put Yellowman in the Speaker’s chair, providing he agrees not to pee-pee in front of the cameras.

KIM SIMPLIS BARROW Kim Simplis Barrow was appointed by her husband, the Prime Minister, as Special Envoy for Women and Children. Like most of the Prime Minister’s appointees she has not done or accomplished much. The condition of women and children has worsened since her appointment.

Be that as it may, the Special Envoy has been silent on the scandalous deaths of babies at the hospital and the worsening economic condition of single mothers (one young woman out of desperation drowned

her children and tried to drown herself).

Yet, the Envoy thought it necessary to put out a press release following Finnegan’s gross misconduct in the House of Representatives against the sole woman representative.

The release completely exposed another Prime Minister appointee, the verbose Executive Director of the Women’s Commission, Ann Marie had publicly declined to comment on the Finnegan matter, telling Love FM news it was not a political matter, so it had nothing with the Women in Politics group.

Wow! CLIVE LINO Magistrate Clive Lino has been posted to the Belize City Magistrate Court.

A native Belizean from Stann Creek, Magistrate Lino has served his country in the government service before taking up the post of Magistrate. He served most of his judicial service at the Stann Creek post but for the past two or three years was posted in Corozal.

Magistrate Lino did the two years para-legal course and the three years Bachelor of Laws degree from the Guyana University. He is like Cool Hand Luke. One of the smoothest and coolest guys no matter how hot the fire.

He is also a proud Garifuna who cannot be pushed around.

We suspect that as a form of punishment, the system has brought Magistrate Lino to Belize City, uprooting his life from Corozal for no good reason.

Our country deserves to have a Belizean Chief Magistrate. There are dozens of qualified Belizeans. So why is the government disrespecting Belizean attorneys and public service Crown Counsels?

STEVEN BUCKLEY In April 2010, a Police inadvertently shot Steven Buckley in his head from close range through a vehicle windshield.

Buckley was left with eighteen shotgun pellets in his head. He lost most of his vision in his right eye. He can barely raise his right arm, his right side is partially paralyzed.

He can only slowly move his right foot and his speech is slurred. His face appears twisted and disfigured.

For three years this 37 year old, hard-working father of five and a husband has been unable to work. When the paltry support of friends trickled to a stop, Buckley had no choice but to sit on the sidewalk and beg.

In one of Bob Marley’s songs are the words, “So Jah sey, not one of my seeds shall sit on the sidewalk and beg bread.”

And when the people of Belize saw what monstrous injustice had befallen this innocent man and his family, they cried out with a loud cry.

And the hard hearted rulers in Belmopan who for three years had ignored this child of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, they scraped up fifty pieces of silver and sent it to the afflicted.

And they promised more would be forthcoming.

But it is prophesized that Buckley shall not receive his just rewards until a new ruler replaces the evil ones in Belmopan who continue to oppress Buckley and the thousands of poor who suffer daily under their unjust rule.

So shall it be written.

So shall it be done.

MARK LIZARRAGA President of the Chamber of Com-

2013

merce and Senator representing the Private Sector, the Honorable Mark Lizarraga is deserving of kudos.

He has been on record as calling for better oversight and control of public finances as part of improved accountability and transparency.

At Monday’s sitting of the Senate, Hon. Mark was true to his word. He spoke in support of the concept of improving the Public Accounts Committee.

He pointed out that the current membership in which the ruling party comprises the majority has not worked. Nor should it be expected to work. To ask politicians to review the spending habits of their party in government is asking too much.

Hon. Mark Lizarraga called for a new composition that can properly carry out the function of the Legislature to be the oversight body to monitor the spending by the cabinet.

Hon. Mark Lizarraga and the Chamber of Commerce’s public call for an improved and effective Public Accounts Committee has exposed the National Trade Union Congress and the Public Services Union as having betrayed the agenda of Reform and Good Governance.

A TALE OF TWO TVs Belize Broadcasting Network-BBN and Plus TV have only a few years on the scene. Yet the difference between the two could not be wider.

BBN is a poor excuse for a TV or cable provider. It is a waste of an important medium, especially in a backward, poor, and ill informed society. Except for “Health Your Greatest Wealth” with Dr. Irwin Gabourel and a few music videos, nothing of value is on the screen.

Ramon Vasquez and his protégé Wilson Grinage can do better than this.

By contrast Plus TV is fast becoming the most watched local television.

Their news cannot match Channel 5 or Channel 7 but their morning shows with Pastor Luis Wade is easily number one by leaps and bounds over Love and Krem. UDP’s Worthlessnes in the Morning doesn’t count Pastor Wade is a one man guerilla army attacking all issues in a balanced and fair manner (except for GMO’s and a few pet peeves). It is clear that government advertisements have not yet found a way to silence him.

AGE OF CONSENT In the USA and in Britain, up to 1861 the age of consent for sexual activity of females was 10 years. Because of the ongoing widespread prostitution of minors the age of consent was raised to thirteen years.

In 1885 a British journalist bought a thirteen year old virgin from a pimp. The matter was widely reported and caused national outrage.

As a result the law was changed to take up the age of consent for sexual activity to sixteen years for females.

U.B FEES Tuition fees at the University of Belize is said to have gone up.

If so this marks a tragedy for students and their families.

It could not have come at a worse time.

Belizeans are reeling from the economic blows of a country which is experiencing the hardest of times.

Life dread right now.

18 AUG

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

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DID YOU KNOW?

THIS MAY SPOIL YOUR WEEKEND Ladyville, Belize District, August 15, 2013 BELIZE TIMES notes that there is a severe storm formation, TS Fernand, in our region. As seen in the image it has a 70% chance of develop-

ing into more dangerous weather. The good news is that it is projected to head in a northwesterly direction.

There is also a new potential tropical storm formation in the Caribbe-

an making its way to the direction of Belize called TS Erin. We expect lots of rain.

Let us just keep it in mind and buy our umbrellas as Belize gets the consequential rains.

Baby Jaguars: International Winners is embedded in our national consciousness.

Boys, we are proud of you and this is a great

sign that Gold Cup appearances are going to a staple in Belize’s football future.

CARTOON

Belize City, August 15, 2013 The Belize National under-15 football team is blazing a trail. In their first match of the Concacaf Under 15 Championship taking place in the Cayman Islands, our Belizean boys beat St Lucia 1-0 on the opening day of competition.

Following a tightly contested first half that was well contested in the midfield, Alvin Sifontes struck from inside the 18-yard box with 14 minutes remaining in regulation time to give Belize the defiant 1-0 victory at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex in George Town, Cayman Islands.

The match was the first in competition history to pit sides from the Caribbean and Central America against each other.

BELIZE TIMES notes the woes of the Trinidad and Tobago national Under-15 footballers. They were unable to get a flight out of the country yesterday and did not play their opening match of the inaugural Concacaf Under-15 Championship.

Late yesterday, Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFA) general secretary Sheldon Phillip confirmed that the team did not leave their country as anticipated, following the very late release of funds by the Ministry of Sport.

The T&T team had originally planned to leave on Tuesday, but late release of Government sponsorship saw them without tickets and funds.

For our boys, we at BELIZE TIMES want to big up and send our support.

We also note that it is sad in this day and age, when any national team, in any sport travels abroad to represent the country and we cannot watch and follow it live or even pre-recorded on television or internet. This is the way we bond with our team and patriotism

Belize City, August 15, 2013 BELIZE TIMES has received reliable information that a major business deal has been made by a pack of UDP cronies.

Our information is that Belize Aggregates Ltd has been sold. This is huge because Belize Aggregates is the biggest stone, sand and gravel company in the country with control of almost all the quarries in Belize.

We all know that these materials like sand and gravel are used in all construction works from plastering a wall to concreting a street. We are advised that this company previously formed part of the Ashcroft group of companies.

Belize Aggregates a multi million dollar company has been bought by the Arguelles brothers, a Bounahra and the Singh brothers.

This is big news as the City Council is spending millions on cement streets but the real question is who is benefiting. When you look at curious acquisitions like this it makes you wonder. The UDP have no shame and are stepping up their desperation to try to have stash money for when the Government changes.

We must be aware and vigilant.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

18 AUG

2013