Belize Times January 12, 2014

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The Belize Times

Established 1957

12 JANUARY 2014 | ISSUE NO: 4877

The Truth Shall Make You Free

www.belizetimes.bz | $1.00

SABOTAGE … UDP GOVERNMENT protects Penner AGAIN

The will of the people of Cayo North East has been denied by the Elections and Boundaries Department. Photo shows Chief Elections Officer Josephine Tamai in center. Flanked by Francisco Zuniga & George Myvette

Pg. 3

EXCLUSIVE

PUP rejects RECALL PETITION Sabotage

FACEY

HUSTLER!!!

Pg.8

FUEL PRICES INCREASE AGAIN Pg. 31

Pg. 4

KIDNAPPING IN CAYO

ARREST PENNER NOW!

Pg. 31

2 02

BNTU National Presidential Address December 31, 2013

By Mr. Luke Palacio, President, Belize National Teachers’ Union The Belize National Teachers’ Union greets the nation of Belize in this festive season and at a time when our nation is at a crossroads of change.

Let it be known that the BNTU acknowledges the hard work of all stakeholders in the nation; namely its valuable membership, educators at all levels, parents country wide, and of course, the management of schools and the Ministry of Education.

We are all partners in education and when our synergy is right, all of us stand to gain and the nation is better off for it. It is the constant aim of the BNTU; to always keep a robust mix of national issues at the forefront. The Belize National Teachers Union remains engaged as it plays a key role in advancing the development

12 JAN

THE BELIZE TIMES

BNTU National President Luke Palacio of the country.

The Belize National Teachers’ Union, alongside the Public Service Union and the Association of Public Service Senior Managers, at this time, is in negotiations with the Government of Belize; for a Collective Bargaining Agreement of which a salary adjustment is a key compo-

nent. This process has seen an evolution that has resulted in the unions taking a number of stands in an effort to get the long overdue salary adjustment we deserve.

We wish for this nation to understand that this salary adjustment; is one that we have already worked tirelessly for. It is also one which would close the economic gap; created by the contraction of our spending power, brought on as a consequence of inflation and the high cost of living. Our salary adjustment, once obtained, would benefit all. When the workers of Belize have increased spending power, the nation enjoys an economic boost. The BNTU therefore demands an opportunity to inject this boost into our economy.

Fellow citizens, the BNTU invites you to join us in our call on the Government of Belize to live up to its obligations to our esteemed educators of this land. Our educators touch the lives of all of us and impact every career as we mold the minds of our people. We must be respected and paid our fair share from our nation’s coffers.

Undoubtedly, this is a time that will see many changes globally, regionally and nationally! The BNTU is poised to embrace these changes as well as to prepare the citizens of this nation to do the same. We will continue to ensure that all are contribut-

2014

ing to the advancement of education and we will push our teachers to give only their best. This nation needs and depends on all doing their part! Come join the BNTU ...

TEECHAZ GAT YUH BAK!

SCAN HERE

The Belize Times

Established 1957

14 APR 2013

|

ISSUE NO: 4840

The Truth Shall Make You Free

www.belizetimes.bz

|

$1.00

serving Belize since 1957 as the longest continuous newspaper.

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

Alberto Vellos LAYOUT/GRAPHIC ARTIST

Chris Williams

OFFICE ASSISTANT

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

Email: belizetimesadvertisement@yahoo.com

editortimes@yahoo.com

12 JAN

THE BELIZE TIMES

2014

UDP Shoots Down Recall … Elections & Boundaries

Department protects Elvin Penner

The PUP had presented 2,002 signatures, surpassing the required 30% Belize City, January 9, 2014 Chief Elections Officer Josephine Tamai had a very hard time defending and explaining the Elections and Boundaries Department’s unpopular decision to disqualify the Recall process triggered by the people of Cayo North East against disgraced UDP politician Elvin Penner.

Considering the political consequence of a successful recall petition against Elvin Penner and how it would have threatened Dean Barrow’s power and control of the House of Representatives, many are not surprised by the Elections and Boundaries Department decision. Yet, it is unacceptable.

Tamai claimed that despite the 2,002 petition signatures garnered in support of Penner’s recall, which met and surpassed the amount required to trigger a Recall under the Recall of Elected Representatives Act (2010), the Elections and Boundaries Department disqualified the process because after they eliminated 337 petitions for various reasons, the remaining amount found to be valid did not meet the required amount.

Of the 337 petitions invalidated, 158 were found by the Elections and Boundaries Department to be duplicates traced to 79 valid petitions. 52 petitioners were supposedly not registered in the area, another 52 were of persons who were not registered at all, another

ly review the petitions that carried signatures. The result was that 52 signatures were not matched with the Department’s record and struck out.

There is no strange occurrence with one person having slightly different signatures, and if you ask anyone, he or she will tell you that their signatures have changed over time. As to why the Department did not do the proper and due verification of petitions with signatures, based on Tamai’s response, the BELIZE TIMES has deduced it outright laziness.

Tamai literally said the work is too much for her Department. “…if we would

52 were nullified due to the Elections and Boundaries’ inability to verify signatures or thumb prints used to authenticate petitions, while 12 petitions were found to be triplicates traced to 4 valid petitions.

The number of valid petitions, according to Tamai, was 1,665, making it 79 signatures short of the 1,744 needed. Coincidentally, 79 is also the number of petitions classified as duplicates, which Tamai said her office decided to disqualify.

Tamai’s explanations did not cut it, not to the media present at the press conference held on Wednesday by the Elections and Boundaries Department, and much less in the public sphere.

All week long the radio morning shows have buzzed with angry callers who cannot believe that Penner will not face some kind of justice after he was caught as a major player in a grave immigration scandal last year.

Tamai tried but choked in her attempt to address the criticisms and concerns. She admitted that her Department carried out an unusual investigation with the petitions that carried thumb prints by involving Ms. Genoveva Marin as the Forensic Analyst and even the Police’s Criminal Investigation Branch who did person to person visits, but chose to haphazard-

The UDP had begun to sabotage the Recall process from the start

go to do those 52, then another question would come up to say, ‘well why not do the other ones, and why not do the other ones?’ So we have to, while conducting the exercise, determine at each level where we go from there,” she said sheepishly.

Tamai’s handling of the 158 petitions found to be duplicates is also highly questionable and merits heavy scrutiny. The Department chose to invalidate all, even though there was nothing invalid or fraudulent in them. The duplicates, likely the result of anxious Cayo North East voters making sure that their names were unmistakably recorded in the petition process, were all

03 3 valid. If the duplicates were accepted as single petitions, the required number of petitions would have been met. Instead, Tamai and the Elections and Boundaries Department, very aware of the political pressure, chose to invalidate the petitions.

But the icing on the cake was Tamai’s revelation that her office was pursuing the criminal prosecution of petitioners, including those who were among the duplicates and triplicates.

She informed that a file was being prepared and would be submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice on how to proceed with a criminal investigation. How outrageous!! Penner is the one who should be prosecuted by the DPP, not the folks who are trying to get rid of him. It is only under a UDP Government where not only is democracy under constantly under attack, but also those who commit serious offences against our laws get away scotch free, while those who seek justice end up persecuted.

While the Elections and Boundaries Department chooses to dance to the Barrow Administration’s tunes, the real problem, Elvin Penner, continues to exist in our society like a decayed tooth.

4 04

THE BELIZE TIMES

PUP rejects RECALL PETITION Sabotage Belize City, January 9, 2014 Opposition Leader Hon. Francis Fonseca has rejected the Elections and Boundaries Department’s decision to invalidate the Recall Petition against Elvin Penner and has warned that the People’s United Party will challenge the move in Court.

In addressing the media at a press conference on Thursday Hon. Fonseca, along with Party Officials including Secretary General Myrtle Palacio, Deputy Leader Julius Espat, Senator Lisa Shoman and PUP member on

the Elections and Boundaries Commission and Standard Bearer in Cayo North East Orlando Habet, declared that the Opposition deemed the decision by the Elections officials as “sabotage”.

Hon. Fonseca added that there is glaring evidence of political interference in the Department’s verification process, citing that at every opportunity which the Chief Elections Officer Josephine Tamai had to use her discretion, she chose to do so in favor of the UDP Government.

What the Department and the UDP Government have done is overturn the will of the people of Cayo North East, indicated Hon. Fonseca, and the PUP will not stand on the side and watch it happen.

The People’s United Party announc“The PUP will es the Endorsement Convention for Cayo mount a strong, se-

PUP NOTICE

Cayo North East Standard Bearer Endorsement Convention North East Standard Bearer to be held on Sunday, January 12th 2014.

PUP NOTICE Port Loyola Standard Bearer Endorsement Convention The People’s United Party announces the Convention Date for Port Loyola Standard Bearer as Sunday, January 19th 2014.

PUP NOTICE Corozal Bay Standard Bearer Convention The People’s United Party Standard Bearer Convention for the Corozal Bay Electoral Division is scheduled for Sunday, March 30, 2014.

Application are available from the Committee Chairman Mr. Roberto Pasos or the PUP Secretariat, Independence Hall, #3 Queen Street, Belize City.

Completed applications must be filled and returned to Mr. Roberto Pasos 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 Wednesday January 15, 2014.

Pedro Tun, George Manzanero & Flor Moro were wrongfully and illegally denied by Elections Officials rious legal challenge to this decision, and on the ground we will mobilise politically in Cayo North East and across the country calling on all Belizeans who love this country and who wish to preserve our longstanding democratic traditions to join us,” said the Leader of the Opposition.

Party Secretary General Myrtle Palacio, who is a trained researcher

12 JAN

2014

and also a former Chief Elections Officer, provided a sharp analysis of the Department’s mishandling of the Recall verification process. Mrs. Palacio punched holes through the methodology of verification used by the Department and said that the result of the process and statements made by Tamai indicates that the Department was focused on disenfranchising voters instead of respecting their will.

Mrs. Palacio presented specific cases where the Department had erred in disqualifying petitioners such as the case of Alvan Gentle Jr. who is registered to vote in Cayo North East, but was not accepted because the Department claimed he is not registered.

There is also the case of Pedro Tun and Flor Moro who were not accepted because the Department claimed there were no matches for their signatures on their petition forms. Both Tun and Moro were present at today’s press conference, as evidence that they signed the petition and support the recall.

Present was also George Miguel Manzanero who had his voter’s ID to prove he is eligible and who was also there to dispel the Department’s claims that his mother, 85 year old Continued on page 31

12 JAN

2014

THE BELIZE TIMES

05 5

EDITORIAL THE YEAR OF HOPE 2013 was a depressing year for most Belizeans. It was a year of hardship, disappointment, tribulation, and downright sufferation.

To add insult to injury, Belizeans also had to bear witness to the unending saga of corruption and incompetence from a government led by a ruthless dictator hell-bent on holding onto power no matter what.

Week in and week out UDP Ministers were caught red-handed with their hands in the cookie jar, raping our natural resources and treating our government departments as their own personal piggy banks, while governing our country and the interest of the Belizean people took a back seat.

Dean was not here for half of the year but when he did visit Belize, it was only to appoint his children to boards and high positions, dole out handsome legal contracts to his brother and ex-wife and to defend his Ministers that were robbing the nation blind.

2013 was the year that being a Belizean meant you had to hang your head in shame when you visited foreign countries. A Belizean passport was illegally sold to a Korean fugitive and bucket loads of Belizean visas were sold to Chinese nationals by none other than Ministers and cronies of the Dean Barrow Government. No one was punished. On the contrary, the disgraced Elvin Penner was rewarded. He now gets paid to do nothing. Imagine the possibilities!!!

Barrow’s image was so rotten by the end of 2013 that he tried to revamp it by growing a most unsightly white beard, comparable only to the Grinch that stole Christmas. But Dean did not steal Christmas. He stole our dignity, our pride and the whole year that was 2013.

The insatiable appetites of his Ministers even transcended to bodies that were once considered respectable organizations. Take SIF for example, where cronies and close friends of Minister Santi Castillo took bribes while the funds for the Dangriga market were squandered by a UDP aspirant for Corozal.

This government is so sick in its head that in December of 2013, the KHMH had the nerve to give an award to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for being the most outstanding unit of 2013. This, after they 13 babies died in March and April due to intolerable neglect and bad administration under the incompetent hands of Health Minister Pablo Marin. The UDP do not care who they offend. They do not care about whose feelings they hurt. They have been and will always be about themselves.

Indeed the year 2013 is one that many Belizeans will never forget.

The year 2014 however, will be different. Not because of Dean Barrow, but because of the will of the people. Our people may have lost a lot in 2013, but what they did not lose was hope.

As the future Prime Minister, the Honorable Francis Fonseca said in his New Year’s address, “Belize can do better and will be better.” The PUP will also be better in 2014.

2014 will go down in history as the year that Hope conquered a Dictator. Let us continue to keep hope alive, knowing that the PUP will serve the people.

6 06

THE BELIZE TIMES

Belize is difficult for business, says World Bank study Belize City, January 8, 2014 Belize is the third most difficult place to do business in the Caribbean, according to a World Bank study that reviewed how much time it takes to start a

Saint Expedite, you lay in rest.

I come to you and ask that This wish be granted.

(State your request) Expedite now what I ask of you.

Expedite now what I want of you, This very second.

Don’t waste another day.

Give me what I ask for.

I know your power, I know you because of your work.

I know you can do it.

Do this for me and I’ll spread your name with love and honour and cause your name to be invoked.

Expedite this wish with speed, love, honour, and goodness.

Glory to you, Saint Expedite!

S.M.A.

In loving and eternal memory of a beloved son, brother and uncle,

Wayne William Wagner who departed this life on December 24th, 2010.

May God grant Wayne peace and eternal rest. May perpetual light shine on his soul.

business.

Belize ranked at third to last place, just above Haiti and Suriname who ranked the worst.

The World Bank study found that it would take 44 days to start a business in Belize, compared to 20 days in Guyana who ranked 7th to last place and 6 days in Jamaica who ranked at 1st place.

The World Bank data considered the time required to start a business as “the number of calendar days needed to complete the procedures to legally operate a business. If a procedure can be speeded up at additional cost, the fastest procedure, independent of cost, is chosen.”

12 JAN

2014

07 7 It’s time for a National UPRISING

12 JAN

2014

By Norris Hall The time is ripe to mobilize all Belizeans across the political spectrum, religious persuasions, the Trade Unions, businesses, farmers, students and all Belizeans at home and abroad who have a stake in this nation, in a national protest against the abuse of power, incompetence and in-your-face corruption by Belize’s power drunk Prime Minister and his den of thieves and scoundrels.

Recent unconfirmed reports allege three incidents of pedophilia by members of the Cabinet and of corruption in the Belize Airport Authority. The latter was reported by this newspaper and will continue to be exposed over the next few weeks.

The Prime Minister’s persistent attempts at covering up the mounting scandals within his government, continue to backfire. With more and more exposed by the media, it is obvious that he and his government have lost the moral authority to govern. Worse, given his slim majority in the Legislature, he has no control over his Cabinet. He has been paralyzed by his own loss of credibility and his reckless disregard for the basic principles of governance and Constitutional authority.

THE SALE OF OUR IDENTITY It has now become obvious that he acted unconstitutionally in awarding heavy authority on Elvin Penner who was appointed as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Immigration. Mr. Pen-

THE BELIZE TIMES

ner became the poster boy for an ever mushrooming immigration scandal which has led to a massive racket involving at least eight ministers in this government. As a former member of the Mennonite community in Belize, Penner has become an embarrassment. Worse, this man who remains far removed from the mainstream cultures of Belizeans and their political struggles and aspirations, has sold our patrimony and brought ill-repute to our international identity and to this nation.

Yet, while for only reasons of optics, the Prime Minister removed or appeared to have shoved this runaway maggot under the bus, Penner is still enjoying a “sabbatical” with his full ministerial benefits and perks. He has become untouchable. It is without a doubt that the Prime Minister had a hand in rejecting the recall petition against Penner which was mounted by the Opposition.

The Prime Minister miscalculated his invocation of Ali Baba and the forty thieves in his initial spins and lies and cover-ups in this massive scandal and as the floodgate swung open with scandal after scandal.

A KLEPTOCRACY This government now well qualifies with supporting credentials, as a kleptocracy - or a government of thieves. So who is Ali Baba? Who is the chief kleptocrat?

It is now obvious that the Prime Minister has morphed from a decep-

tive, pretentious arrogant politician into a full- fledged megalomaniac who is far removed from the diminishing returns of his administration from the collapse of everything he has been entrusted with, by the people and for people. This includes the collapsing roads, streets and bridges, the crumbling health service, the failure of the educational system (a recent Inter-American Bank report), the uneasy truce between the church and state on moral issues and the educational partnership, a total disregard for the rights of individuals and people, a disregard for or the manipulation of environmental laws and the flat lining of the national economy. This list is never ending.

The crisis in the sugar industry has only exacerbated the government’s incompetence in meeting its first Constitutional responsibility in our democracy of government by the people and for the people.

A STAGNANT ECONOMY With the ongoing dispute between cane farmers and millers, it is now predictable that for the first time since the country attained its independence in 1981, the sugar industry faces a major crisis.The longer it takes to reach a resolution the more this dispute will further negatively affect the nation’s already stagnant economy. The only bright spot, for now, is the self- propelling, tourism industry. Even so there is too much flight of the Belizean dollar to foreign banks by investors in this industry. But

the ill-advised Norwegian Cruise Line investment will undoubtedly have a negative long term impact on the industry and the Barrier Reef, perhaps not immediately but certainly before Barrow goes into oblivion.

Given the rampant corruption and the greedy and insatiable appetite of the Prime Minister and his Cabinet, they continue unabashedly, to feed and fatten themselves like swine in a public trough. Common decency and etiquette demands his resignation and that of his government.

RUTHLESS AND LAWLESS The longer this government remains in power, the more ruthless and lawless it will become. It must be recalled that Prime Minister Dean Barrow did not come to power through the peaceful democratic process. Unlike his post-independent predecessors, Barrow said in a public forum some years ago, that his life ambition was to become Prime Minister. But after two bruising defeats by the People’s United Party under the leadership of Said Musa, Mr. Barrow‘s super ego was terribly deflated. He offered his resignation. However his Lieutenants managed to massage his ego to the inflated point of arrogance that has had him floating with his feet off the ground like a balloon in a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.

AN EMPTY AGENGA ROOTED IN GREED AND VIOLENCE Continued on page 31

FLORENCIO MARIN JR.

Ready in COROZAL SOUTH EAST

0 88

12 JAN

THE BELIZE TIMES

2014

FACEY

HUSTLER!!!

Belize City, January 7, 2014 In the year-ending issue of the BELIZE TIMES, we promised to deliver yet another bombshell of a hustle involving none other than the already-embattled Edmund “Clear the Checks” Castro. Well, it is with deep regret that we begin the new year with a follow-up report that the hustle is actually a lot bigger and a lot worse and must be exposed.

It has now been confirmed that thousands of dollars were issued to Minister Castro by “the Board” of the Belize Airport Authority which is headed by two well-known UDP cronies, Kenworth Tillett as General Manager and Barbara Miller as Chairwoman.

To make matters worse, Tillett has given an interview to Channel 7 News in which he confirmed the questionable practice, but claimed that the first evidence of the hustle which was exposed by the BELIZE TIMES with the publication of a copy of cheque #004951 for $4,000 written out to Minister Castro, was actually funds approved and paid supposedly to assist with the funeral expenses for

Liquor License NOTICES Notice is hereby given that ANNA *** is applying for a Restaurant and Bar Liquor License to be operated at “Anna’s Lunch Box”, situate at #90 North Front Street, Belize City under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that JARRETH ALFARO is applying for a Malt & Cider Liquor License to be operated at “Alfaro’s Place”, situate at 9 ½ Miles Phillip Goldson Highway, Ladyville, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that WEI QUAN ZHENG is applying for a Convenience Store Liquor License to be operated at “Caye Caulker Shopping Mart”, situate at #17 Front Street, Caye Caulker Village, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

his mother. But why would a Minister of State who barely does anything, yet gets a huge salary and perks, need to get that kind of measly assistance?

Not only did Tillett go on record to confirm that it was his signature on the check along with the General Manager, but in typical Dean Barrow fashion, he had the audacity to proclaim that his office did nothing wrong and that it could withstand the public scrutiny and was ready for the backlash that such a scandal would bring.

Well, little did Kenworth Tillett know that the BELIZE TIMES also has in its possession another check issued to Coye’s Funeral Home in the sum of $3,337.50 to cover funeral expenses for Castro’s mother. So then Mr. Tillett, how do you explain the $4,000.00 check issued to your Minister Castro?

And, can Tillett or Miller explain cheque #005064, also issued by the Belize Airport Authority to Edmund Castro, for a whopping $5156.55? This cheque was issued only weeks after the one for $4,000 in the month of May 2013. Was it also approved by the Board, and what is the excuse for this money going into the Minister’s hands?

These two cheques which sound off alarm bells are not the only ones in our possession. There are many more, even some issued to one of Minister Castro’s children who the Minister seemed to have forced into a Government department. He tried at the Port Authority but was resisted, but found willing accomplices at the Belize Airport Authority.

Reliable sources inside the Belize Airport Authority say that the hustle has been going on for quite some time now and when questioned about the irregular practice, the Board’s response was simple: “we had to create a budget for the Minister because he wasn’t doing too good (financially)”.

Imagine that Belizeans! The same Minister who it is alleged received $2,000 per visa recommendation for Chinese nationals was doing so bad that a government department had to be converted into his personal piggy bank. The audacity of this UDP government!

And where is Dean Oliver Barrow in all of this? He continues to preside over the most corrupt, incompetent, heartless and now downright facey government Belize has ever had.

The fact that a Minister can dip his hand into the public coffers so freely, with consent of the administrators and without public knowledge is indeed a scary thought and one can only imagine the depth and magnitude of this latest hustle by Edmund Castro and the Belize Airport Authority.

It is once again time for you to defend the indefensible Dean Barrow.

Defend UDP corruption Mr. PM. Your silence is deafening.

OAPN PAKI wishes all advertisers, viewers and supporters a very Happy New Year!!

May you all have a healthy and prosperous year, 2014.

We thank you for supporting the Oapn Paki show these 14 years.

Rosalie T. Staines Host, OAPN PAKI Remember to tune in to OAPN PAKI show on Sunday on BBN at 10:15 - 12:15

12 JAN

09 9

THE BELIZE TIMES

2014

Elvin Penner’s Sins, UDP Crimes

Belize City, January 9, 2014 A Recall in Cayo North East would make Dean Barrow look bad as he is the chief architect of the making of disgraced UDP area representative Elvin Penner.

Penner was caught on national television in 2012 hustling nationalities for non-Belizeans in order to make them vote for the UDP in the elections. Penner ended up winning his seat in Cayo North East by only 17 votes. It was this same Penner,

having gotten away with that fiasco, who was then rewarded by the Prime Minister with an appointment as Minister of State with powers beyond his position – to validate nationality certificates and passports.

This illegal power was given to him by the Prime Minister, who felt sorry that Penner felt he was powerless.

It appears that what Penner was doing, was facilitating a Cabinet quota system whereby Ministers would be afforded an amount of visas and passports with lucrative kickbacks on the other end of that system. As scandalous as it was to know that Penner had issued Belizean nationality and a passport to a South Korean fugitive who was in a Taiwan prison, the truth is that Penner and the UDP have done much worst and it is yet to be fully exposed.

Imagine if Taiwan’s Police were not as alert as they were. Criminal fugitive, Kim Won Hong, would have possibly escaped

justice and, brandishing false and fraudulent Belizean citizenship and a Belizean passport, could have been anywhere in the world hiding from authorities. This is just one dangerous scenario created by UDP greed and corruption.

Imagine how many others have obtained Belizean nationality and/or passports from the UDP in this manner. Now, imagine our passports falling in the wrong hands, like it did in with Hezbollah-connected suspect, Rafic Labboun, who was busted with a false Belizean passport, social security card and driver’s license.

How many times in 2013 did we learn of reports of suspicious visas and passports surfacing and strange arrivals of Chinese, Sri Lankan, Nigerian and Somali nationals to Belize, suspected of being part of an organized human trafficking ring? Do we really believe that Dean Barrow and the UDP have no idea what is going on?

Liquor License NOTICES Notice is hereby given that LAWRENCE IBBOTSON is applying for a Publican Special Liquor License to be operated at “Studio 54”, situate at Carmelita Village, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that JORDAN C. RAMCLAM is applying for a Night Club Liquor License to be operated at “Traveller’s Barrel Bar”, situate at 2 ½ Miles Phillip Goldson Highway, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

MIKE ESPAT & OSCAR REQUENA TOLEDO EAST & TOLEDO WEST ENDORSEMENT

10

THE BELIZE TIMES

WOMAN IN THE HOUSE

By Dolores Balderamos Garcia

On the Community Vote & Christmas Program I would like first of all to wish all Belizeans a Peaceful and Constructive New Year 2014. May we all find the patience, resilience and fighting spirit that are so needed in facing the challenges of life today! I also wish all residents of Belize Rural Central all the very best for this year.

In starting off 2014 I wished to reflect on the two issues mentioned above. In the statements made by the Prime Minister in the House of Representatives on December 12th last year, again he didn’t miss an opportunity to take a low swipe at Members of the

Opposition side. He isn’t the first Government Member to say it. I think it was first said by the Hon. Member for Collet, when he talked about the Community Vote that is received by all House Members.

He accused all Opposition Members of pocketing the Community Vote that we receive. I recall rising immediately to take exception to that lie, reminding him that it is against the Standing Orders to be imputing improper motives on any Member or Members.

On December 12th the Prime Minister churlishly repeated this scurrilous allegation, again saying

that we pocket the money. I am certain that this is not so. As Opposition Members we always discuss the many challenges of trying to stretch the modest Community Vote and doing our best to assist our constituents. I know that every copper of the funds that go into the Community Account are spent on Belize Rural Central.

Belize Rural Central now has approximately six thousand two hundred voters and nine villages, ranging in size from the smallest - Freetown Sibun with forty-one voters, to the largest - Ladyville and Lord’s Bank combined with four thousand and eleven voters. Every month I assist in every way possible, from helping schools with turkey dinner fundraisers to providing flood and fire relief and funeral assistance, and giving a modest helping hand to residents for health, education and the other needs of so many as expressed to me almost daily. With the funds received monthly I would hardly be able to provide one dollar a month for each registered voter. But I and my colleagues keep up the struggle.

In relation to the Christmas Program, of the monies received for “Christmas Cheer,” I have to confess that when I heard of the huge discrepancy in the large sums received

12 JAN

2014

by UDP Representatives as opposed to the small sums provided to PUP Representatives, my initial reaction was that in principle we should not accept the money. Vision Inspired by the People let it be known that they disapproved of taxpayers’ money being spent in this way. My thoughts, on further reflection on the issue, were that many times in a political party and in the harsh reality of life in Belize for so many, we cannot afford the luxury of thinking in absolutes.

We were not able to assist so very many of our people, but I can attest that so many of those who received a ham or turkey or a $70 grocery basket were extremely grateful. There must not, as our Party Leader said, be any scrooges or grinches at Christmas time, and I am gratified that some assistance was possible.

Let us keep up the good fight in 2014!! The unions are billing this year as a year of decision. Our Party is seeing it as a year of consolidating our manifesto positions and rolling out our reform agenda, as we continue the political work in all constituencies, and as we further prepare ourselves to form the next Government of Belize.

Happy 2014, Belize!!

12 JAN

2014

11

THE BELIZE TIMES

The PM’s Disconnected New Year’s Message Belize City, January 8, 2014 In his short and empty New Year’s message filled with platitudes, the Prime Minister, put on a display of his hypocrisy and disconnectedness. After being adamantly opposed, when in Opposition, to the development of hydro-electricity, he finally acknowledged the vision of the government of the People’s United Party, for providing hydro-electricity “as a cheap source of electricity”.

POLITICAL DESPERATION The Prime Minister also, gloatingly announced that he will finally be rolling out the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHI) in the Northern region of the country. This was always the intention of the previous government of Said Musa; to roll out the NHI nationally within a short time-frame.

Barrow, when he first took office, delayed any further roll out of the NHI for five years. This was because he decided to use the $50 million from the Social Security Board which was earmarked for NHI to assist in the ill-advised expropriation of Belize Telemedia from private investors. But the Prime Minister is so far removed from facts and reality that he totally disregarded the priority for rolling out NHI to the

rest of the country. He let poor people suffer instead.

His decision to roll out the NHI in the North at this time appears to be based on nothing else but political expediency. In fact, this has been the modus operandi of this administration - political expediency. This government has never presented a blue print for development. A recent example is the misuse of the Petro-Caribe funds which is being diverted from the productive sector, where the agreement stipulates it should be spent, to boost the Prime Minister’s political fortunes in the least productive area of the country - Belize City.

This move to introduce NHI in the North is no doubt an appeasement to the Constituencies in the North after the government has, so far, failed to look after the best interests of the people, the cane farmers, in their dispute with Belize Sugar Industries over payment for bagasse, the trash from sugar cane which is used in the co-generation of electricity.

INCOMPETENT IN SAFE-GUARDING THE INTEREST OF CANE FARMERS The government has been incompetent and incapable of safeguarding the interest of the cane farmers (its first responsibility) or in safeguarding the interest of the investors in a mutually negotiated settlement. That may just open another can of worms on the quid pro quo after the government sold the sugar mill from under the feet of cane farmers who were denied the first option to purchase.

The government’s total neglect of sugar feeder roads, by diverting European Union Funds specifically for that purpose, will further delay this year’s cane harvest, due to incessant rains in the past two months. But that is only if the impasse between farmers and millers ends soon and the sugar mills

IVAN RAMOS

are working.

A STATE OF APATHY There is a general state of apathy that has overtaken this country. It appears to be residual slave mentality.

Many generations ago, the fathers of our fathers’ fathers, were tied to stakes and flogged many times for minor indiscretions against their Masters who also sexually abused their wives and daughters.

Back then, after being punished by flogging, our slave forefathers retired to their huts and shacks, waiting for deliverance to the heavens with the help of the white man’s clergy and with solace from slave songs such as “Crossing the river Jordan,” “Steal Away”, ”Deep River” and “We Shall Overcome“ which is the Anthem of the American Civil Rights Movement and also of the Belize National Teachers’ Union which they sang while their leaders negotiated a pie-in-the-sky promise of a pay hike and literally eat a birthday cake with the Prime Minister. It was a mockery of the integrity of teachers in a political carrot and stick manipulation. Nonetheless, George, the Union’s Secretary, was lost for words from the PM’s flattery. The teachers are still looking for the pie-inthe sky. Just in case, the PM took out the carrot on stick in his New Year’s message. But again, he lied, much to the chagrin of teachers and their Union leaders. It is up to the teachers to let him feel for his deceit. Belize must stand up to the despot we have as Prime Minister.

for DANGRIGA

12

THE BELIZE TIMES

12 JAN

2014

12 JAN JAN 12

THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES THE BELIZE

2014

TOPMODEL 13

ENTERTAINMENT

NEWS

Eljai in New York’s

Belizean reggae artist Eljai El-jay Royal has been listed at #7 on The New York Foundation Radio Network Top 100 Reggae Songs of 2013!

Eljai single “For You” has been a hit for 2013, keeping very popular some of the reggae greats of last year.

The New York Foundation Radio Network Chart is among the most recognised.

Eljai was born Lloyd Carlton Mcfarlane Jr. in Belize City, Belize. At the age of five, ELAJI’s family moved back to Belize City where he attended the Ebenezer Primary School.

In the late 1980’s Eljai moved to Los Angeles, California where he was introduced to the DOMINATORS, a local band and was asked to become the lead singer.

During this time, his love for singing and music grew tremendously and he started to also develop an interest in songwriting. In 1989, ELJAI released the single “Give your Loving To Me”, in Belize.

Location: Riverside Tavern

Top 10 Charts

Kadejah • • • • • •

Height: 5’ 4” Career Plan: Stewardess Sign: Scorpio Favourite Food: Italian and Chinese Food Likes: Family Time Lives in: Belize City

•

TOP MODEL Clothing and Accessories provided by CATWALK FASHIONS

Fav. Quote: “Desire is the key to motivation but its determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek.” - Mario Adretti

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Cor. North Front Steet & Queen Street Belize City

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14 SPORTS

12 JAN

THE BELIZE TIMES TIMES THE BELIZE

2014

Brown Bombers are

SMART Mundialito Champs

Belize City, December 22, 2013 The Brown Bombers won the 2013 SMART Mundialito football championship held at the MCC Garden in Belize City on Sunday, December 22.

The Bombers bombed the defending champs, Hattieville United Youth Sporting Club, 1-0 with Tyreek “Pippin” Muschamp scoring the winning goal from a free kick in the 2nd half.

The Ladyville Rising Stars won 3rd place against the City Boys Jrs. 4-2. Cam-

Brown Bombers team

Tyreek Muschamp scored Bombers 1st goal

AWARDS: Best Coach Shinelle Gentle (Brown Bombers) Best Goalkeeper Elan White (Rising Stars) Best Defence - City Boys Best Midfielder Mario Rivera (Hattieville) Lyndon Flowers Ladyville Jaguars (Best Forward) Sherwin Requena Most Goals (11 goals) Tyreek Muschamp Most Valuable Player award Michael Bouloy Ian Gaynair award for good sportsmanship

ryn Lozano scored the 1st and 2nd goals in the 1st half, while Denroy Lopez scored for the City Boys, who trailed 1-2 at the half.

In the 2nd half, Andres Velasquez added a 3rd goal and Hakeem Smith executed a free kick for a 4th goal, while Akeem Sutherland converted penalty for the City boys in their 4-2 loss.

Smart’s marketing manager Anthony Mahler presented the team trophies and individual awards to the champs, 2nd and 3rd place winners.

Byron Pope wins KREM New Year’s Elite Cycling Race Belize City, January 1, 2014 Team Benny’s Megabytes dominated the KREM New Year’s Day cycling classic elite race, with Byron Pope winning the race and Mexican import Carlos Lopez taking 2nd.

Pope clocked 3:48:11 to win the $2,000 1st prize, a Smart cellphone, a round trip ticket to the USA from American Airlines and a trophy.

The annual race is in its 24th year. It is a 90 miles ride from the Corozal Free Zone along the Philip Goldson Highway to the finish line on Central American Boulevard at the Mahogany St. junction in Belize City.

Overall Results: 2nd - Carlos Lopez - Benny’s Megabytes - $1,500 prize and a trophy 3rd - Giovanni Lovell - Belize Telemedia - $1,000 prize and trophy 4th - Mexican Juan Yapur – Unattached - $500 prize & 1st Masters 5th - Herman Requena – Team

Byron Pope wins Elite race

Smart - 3:48:39 - $350 prize 6th - David Henderson Jr. - Benny’s Megabytes - 3:52:42 $275 prize 7th - Jose Anguiano Gonzalez - Benny’s Megabytes 3:52:47 - $200 prize 8th - Manuel Ayala Balam – Team Depredadores of Chetum-

Top 3 Masters

al - $175 9th - Darnell Barrow - Team Smart 3:53:09 - $150 prize 10th - Gregory Lovell - Belize Telemedia - $100 prize 11th - Raniel Sanchez - Bel-Cal team $75 prize, 2nd Masters 12th - Giovanni “Froggy” Leslie Team Smart - $75 prize 13th - Philip Leslie - Unattached - $50 prize 14th - Deezan Spence - Team Western Spirit - $50 prize 15th - Dwight Lopez - Bel-Cal - $50 prize 16th - Dean Middleton – unattached$25 prize 17th - Brandon Morgan - Benny’s Megabytes- $25 prize 18th - Henry Moreira – Unattached$25 prize 19th - Roger Troyer – Team Western Spirits- $25 prize 20th - Christian Lopez - Team Smart$25 prize

Top 3 Females

Top 3 Jrs.

12 12 JAN JAN

THE BELIZE THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES

2014 2014

SPORTS 15

Police United blasts FC Belize 2-0 Belize City, January 5, 2013 Defending champions, Police United FC, are still in the hunt for a spot in the 2013-2014 Belikin Cup football playoffs as they dumped FC Belize 2-0 for their 2nd win in Week 13 of tournament at the MCC Garden on Sunday.

Clifton West recovered the rebound after FC Belize goalie Glenford Chimilio stopped his shot at goal, and booted the ball into the net to lead 1-0 in the 37th minute.

Jarret Davis and Germaine Foster led FC Belize’s counterattack with help from midfielders Ryan Gill, Jorge Alexman, Mark “Kelo” Leslie and Jason “Paxon” Young, but they made no impression on the Police defenders Trevor “Burger” Lennon, Kishane Pech, Chris Gilharry and Byron Usher who shut them down.

In the 2nd half, West and

Danny Jimenez played give and go for West to score a 2nd goal in 64th minute. The Police need to win their two remaining matches to finish the season with 17 points and win them a playoff slot.

Other match: Verdes FC vs. San Ignacio United - 2-2 Goals by Joel Guzman, Carl Vasquez, Marlon Meza, Richard “Cheety” Jimenez

Police’s Andres Makin attacks

Clifton West scored Police 2 goals

Police’s Kafu Roches controls the ball

Shalini Zabaneh defends KREM New Year’s Cycling title Belize City, January 1, 2014 Team Sagitun’s Shalini Zabaneh defended her title as women’s champion, clocking 2:35:17 to win the 24th annual KREM New Year’s Day women’s cycling classic.

Shalini even beat all the junior male cyclists to win the $1,000 1st prize, a Smart cellphone, a round trip ticket to the USA from American Airlines and a trophy.

Keirah Eiley won five cases of Belikin Beer at the Bowen & Bowen roundabout. Patricia Chavarria won a $250 prize offered by Cuello’s distillery at the Tower Hill Bridge and Gabrielle Lovell won $170 at the Crooked Tree junction.

Eiley won $200 in prizes from Brothers Habet at mile 20 at the junction with old Northern Highway.

Gabrielle won over $50 in prizes at the Burrell Boom cut-off. Shalini swept the next 10 station prizes on her solo ride to the city to win over $650.

Overall results: 2nd - Gabrielle Lovell – Belize Telemedia team - 2:36:39 - $300 prize 3rd - Alicia Thompson - Belize Bank Swoosh team - $200 prize 4th - Keirah Eiley – unattached 5th - Marinette Flowers – unattached - 2:42:54 6th - Patricia Chavarria – Team BECOL - 2:42:58

Tarique Flowers wins 1st Jr

Benny’s Megabytes’ Tarique Flowers is KREM Junior Cycling Classic Champ

Shalini is champ

Belize City, January, 2014 Tarique Flowers returned as the 2013 KREM New Year’s Day cycling classic junior race champion, beating Zahir Figueroa. Delawn Abraham placed 3rd.

Flowers won a $1,000 cash prize, a Smart cellphone, a round trip ticket to the USA from American airlines and a trophy.

Devin Azueta won 5 cases of Belikin Beer at the Bowen & Bowen roundabout. Delon Gentle won a $200 prize from Cuello’s distillery at the Tower Hill Bridge and Azueta regained the lead to win over $50 in prizes at the Crooked Tree junction and $100 in prizes at the old Northern Highway junction.

Tarique Flowers won a $50 prize at the Maxboro junction, then Zahir Figueroa led to win a $100 in prizes at the Burrell Boom and airport junctions. Tarique Flowers swept the last 5 prizes from the Haulover Bridge to the finish line to win over $150.

Results: 2nd - Zahir Figueroa - BECOL Uprising team - $300 prize and a trophy.

3rd - Delawn Abraham - Bennys’ Megabytes - 2:48:57 - $200 prize and a trophy.

4th - Delon Gentle - BECOL Uprising 5th - Adrian Aleman - BECOL Uprising 6th - Keion Robateau - BECOL Uprising 7th - Philip Mencias - Mando’s team 8th - Michael Grajalez 9th - Devin Azueta - Team Cayo High Road

16

THE BELIZE TIMES

12 JAN

2014

12 JAN

2014

LeRoy Banner called to the Bar Belize River Valley’s First Attorney

By Roy Davis On December 13th, in a brief and quiet ceremony at the Court of the Chief Justice, Hon. Kenneth Benjamin, Crown Counsel Leroy Banner, 31, became a member of the bar association.

To support his application, banner received affidavits from the Director of Public Prosecution, Mrs.Cheryl Lyn Vidal and Dr. Dean lindo, Senior Counsel. Derek Courtenay, Senior Counsel, made the application in Council on Banner’s behalf.

Banner, a jovial and humble person, said that although he can now practice law privately, he plans to continue working as a Crown Counsel at the office of the DPP. “I must admit that getting called for the Bar has fulfilled one of my life long dreams,” he said. Banner also revealed that his long term goal is to become a justice of the Supreme Court.

“I want to thank my parents, Ephraim and Olive Banner, for the support they gave me and I also want to thank my other family members and friends, the lecturers and everyone else who assisted me. Additionally, I want to thank the PUP leader Francis Fonseca, who was the minister of education at the time, and the Musa government for giving me the scholarship which allowed me to study abroad,” said Banner.

Banner grew up in the little village of Lemonal where he attended St. Luke Anglican Primary School and moved on to Belize Rural High School in Double Head Cabbage, from where he graduated in 1997.

Ambitious and hardworking, Banner enrolled at Belize Technical High School and also began work as a clerical assistant at the Post Office in Belize City. After 3 years of study he graduated from Belize Technical High School. He was transferred from the Post Office to the Treasury Department and was promoted to the post of second class clerk. While working at the Treasury Department he enrolled at the University of Belize, where he did para legal studies and at the University of the West Indies extra mural department, where he did “A” levels in law, Economics and English Literature.

Banner obtained a para legal certificate from UB and A levels in law and economics. He was accepted at the University of Guyana to study law but was unable

17

THE BELIZE TIMES 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 5th day of April, 2000 between PEDRO GUERRA and VICTOR GUERRA both of 25 Miles Stann Creek Valley Road, Belize District, Belize of the one part, and THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA (Belize) LTD., of the other part, and recorded in Deeds Book Vol. 18 of 2000 at Folios 27 - 52 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 LEASEHOLD INTEREST IN ALL THAT piece and parcel of land being Lot No. 53 situate in Hummingbird Community Village, Stann Creek District, Belize and bounded as follows: On the Northeast for 62.397 metres by a street; On the Southwest for 47.851 metres by Lot No. 54 and Lot No. 55; On the West for 5.833 metres by portion of Lot No. 52; and On the Northwest for 33.571 metres by portion of Lot No. 52 containing 1191.04 square yards of Land as shown on Entry 3713 Register 12 at the office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon.

DATED this 6th day of January, 2014.

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

For Sale

By Order of the

to take up the offer due to financial constraints.

In April 2003 he was offered a job to teach at St. Ignatius Primary School, an offer that he accepted. He taught for 4 years and during that time he got the scholarship.

After 3 years of study at the University of Guyana, Banner obtained his law degree and graduated with honours.

He then enrolled at Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica where he obtained a Certificate of Legal Education.

At the graduation in 2012 he was presented with an award for Trail Advocacy and Preparation.

Apart from his work at the office of the DPP, Banner is a lecturer at Wesley Junior College.

Banner is the President of the Belize Cricket Association and he is the General Manager of the “Easy does it” Cricket Team of Lemonal.

Banner is single and has no children.

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 Charge made the 11th day of February, 2008, between ROLAND TUN and Sara Palma both of Cattle Landing Village, Toledo District, Belize of the one part, and Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., of the other part, registered as LRS-201107304, and the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of three months from the date hereof sell the property described in the schedule.

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

REGISTRATION SECTION CEL

BLOCK

PUNTA GORDA 42 Area: 770.127 S.M.

PAR1925

DATED this 3rd day of January, 2014.

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

18

12 JAN

THE BELIZE TIMES

2014

As BIG as you think you are...

Building on Kut Avenue

Building in Belama Ph. 1

Building on Western Avenue

Building on Euphrates Avenue

Building on Fabers Road

Building on Fabers Road Boots Martinez

Building on C.A. Boulevard

you’re living in a small world

12 JAN

19

THE BELIZE TIMES

2014

Liquor License NOTICES Notice is hereby given that NEELAM ISSRANI is applying for a Beer Liquor License to be operated at “Sony Store”, situate at #44 San Antonio Road, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that ROBERTO CASTILLO is applying for a Shop Liquor License to be operated at “Luisa’s Grocery”, situate at Yo Creek Village, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that HUGO MORENO is

applying for a Publican Special Liquor License to be operated at “Jefe de Jefes”, situate at Baker’s Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that INDER KUMAR ASWANI is applying for a Beer Liquor License to be operated at “Kwality Store”, situate at #44 Baker’s Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that DUSTIN BOWEN is applying for a Restaurant Liquor License to be operated at “Riverside Tavern”, situate at #2 Mapp Street, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that

RAJESH CHAWLA is applying for a Publican General Liquor License to be operated at “R.C. Imports”, situate at 9 ½ Miles Phillip Goldson Highway, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that GISELLE MADERA is applying for a Malt and Cider Liquor License to be operated at “Somewhere It’s 5 O’Clock”, situate at #44 Baker’s Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that XIAING ZHANG is applying for a Restaurant Liquor License to be operated at “Jim’s Restaurant”, situate at Guinea Grass Village, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that GREGORIO RODRIGUEZ ZHANG is applying for a Restaurant Liquor License to be operated at “Camino Mayan”, situate at Indian Church Village, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that ADAN CHULIN is applying for a Shop Liquor License to be operated at “J&S Shop”, situate at Tower Hill Village, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that ADAN CHULIN is applying for a Shop Liquor License to be operated at “J&S Shop”, situate at Tower Hill Village, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Look like only Barrow fu eat!

NEPOTISM = CORRUPTION

Lois Young Barrow (Ex-Wife)

Anwar Barrow (Son)

Shyne Barrow (Son)

Kimano Barrow (Nephew) PUC Board Member/Granted Oil Exploration Licence

Naima Barrow (Niece) Appointed to Election and Boundaries Commission

Liesje Barrow (Niece) Appointed to Belize Advisory Council

United Nations Ambassador

Appointed to BTL Board

Cultural Ambassador

Denys Barrow (Brother)

Appointed to Court of Appeal/Private Attorney for GOB

Cheryl Krusen (formerly Barrow) Appointed to Solicitor General

DEAN BARROW IS BELIZE’S BIGGEST PROBLEM!!!

20

THE BELIZE TIMES

12 JAN

2014

12 JAN

2014

THE BELIZE TIMES

Reid New Year, Same Rules

By G. Michael Reid The year 2013 will have to be considered one of the worse years of corruption ever in Belize. Belizeans hardly had the time to digest one scandal before another one was sitting on the plate. It is comforting to hear the unions declare 2014 as a year of activism and warn that they will go full force against corruption. A good place to start would be to demand that Elvin Penner be brought to justice. After blatantly misusing the public’s trust and being caught red-handed, Penner still collects over a hundred thousand dollars a year of taxpayers’ money and still enjoys all the perks of his office. It seems that in Belize, corruption is rewarded not punished.

In September of last year, amid all the patriotic celebrations, it was revealed that the first Mennonite ever elected to office, in collaboration with the first Chinese ever elected, was involved in some kind of serious hanky panky involving Belizean passports. Penner was caught when Honduran officials in Taiwan became aware of a Korean fugitive obtaining a Belizean passport while imprisoned in Taiwan. The Prime Minister quickly called a press conference and announced that as a consequence, he was firing Penner from his Cabinet. The joke here was that Elvin Penner was never a member of Cabinet. Penner was a Minister of State and according to our Constitution, Ministers of State cannot be a part of Cabinet.

The opposition then declared that they would begin the process to recall Penner. PM Barrow then led a contingent of his senior ministers to Penner’s constituency in Cayo Northeast and promised the people there “millions and millions of dollars” if they would reject the call for a recall.

One week later, that same Prime Minister was sitting in a press conference, telling the Belizean people that they had found more compelling evidence against Penner. To this day, we still have not been told what that “more compelling evidence” is.

charges against Grijalva. Even then, it was minor charges and to this point, nothing else has been heard about the incident. In fact, Denny Grijalva was recently awarded some very lucrative contracts to do roadwork in Orange Walk.

How is that for discouraging corruption!

And who can forget Rosewood and the don of corruption, Deputy Prime Minster Gaspar Vega. The DPM’s Ministry of Natural Resources reportedly gave permission for his brother to exploit this very valuable resource. Following much public outrage, the government finally called an end to the ravaging and declared a moratorium. They then seized all the illegally cut Rosewood and handed it over to the very man who cut them in the first place.

He was then allowed to sell them and give a percentage to the government.

Who said crime doesn’t pay?

Again, when it comes to corruption, our Deputy Prime Minister takes the cake…or should I say... the land! As Minister in charge of our terra firma, Vega was quite free in dishing out land to his family and even friends of his family. He then informed the Belizean people that his family weren’t “normal Belizeans”

21

sands of taxpayers’ money.

One article would hardly be enough to list the decadence and degeneracy of the past year. Of course, it was a very good year to be politically connected for it made one virtually untouchable. Mark King was caught on video tape causing quite a ruckus and even assaulting a Police Officer at the Princess Casino in Corozal. Yellowman went one step Apparently though, that evidence was further by pulverizing Faada Henry damning enough to warrant calling off and rendering a Policeman unconthe campaign against the recall. scious. Neither men faced any seriOpposition Senator Lisa Shoous consequences for their actions. man then put forth a motion calling On Saturday December 21st, for a Senate Inquiry into the obvious Belmopan Resident Anwar Zetina corrupt practices at the Immigration was observed doing reckless high Department. Leader of Government speed stunts in a car around BelBusiness in the Upper House Senator mopan. Zetina not only didn’t have a Godwin Hulse then exposed himself valid driver’s permit but neither was as a full-fledged hypocrite by vehethe vehicle licensed. Zetina was mently opposing the call. This very charged with reckless driving, drivsame Godwin Hulse, just a couple ing without a valid driver’s license, years before, was a major proponent drove an unlicensed motor vehicle, in a similar call into an even less egreand using insulting words. For a gious scandal at Social Security. Oh “normal” Belizean, those would be what a difference doth a Senatorial serious charges and would most appointment makes. likely mean Christmas behind bars.

A call was made to high places however, and not only were the charges withdrawn Again, when it comes to corruption, our Deputy but Zetina was allowed to Prime Minister takes the cake…or should I say... the drive home his unlicensed vehicle. Such is life for the land! As Minister in charge of our terra firma, Vega connected in Belize. was quite free in dishing out land to his This New Year began family and even friends of his family. He then pretty much the way the old one ended when aninformed the Belizean people that his family other politically connected weren’t “normal Belizeans” and apparently was charged with a firearm deserved more. offence. It seems said individual, who has a lengthy track record of firearm ofand apparently deserved more. In March Then there was the Noh Mul incifenses was found with a firearm in of last year, it was revealed that the dent which saw a sacred centuries old his yard. Again a call was made and Deputy Prime Minister had given prime Mayan temple grazed to the ground we learned of a difference between real estate in Placencia to “his son’s to provide material for road-fill. This “actual possession” and “construcgirlfriend, Dominique Gomez and other one drew international condemnation tive possession”. You know, kinda UDP friends in the Vega orbit”. When it but because the perpetrator was a like “factual guilt” and “criminal was discovered that the area had been UDP crony, every effort was made to guilt”.Yes folks, 2013 was a “hell” of designated as a reserve and villagers simply sweep it under the rug. After a year, in the literal sense. From the began making a fuss, Vega’s Ministry months of media exposure and public look of things, 2014 is shaping up to took back the land, but compensated outrage, it took foreign intervention to be much of the same. May Heaven Vega’s family and friends with thoufinally force the government to bring help us all!

22

12 JAN

THE BELIZE TIMES

Ending Childhood Hunger

2014

For Sale

By Order of the

By Dr. Angela Banner Joseph “When people were hungry, Jesus didn’t say, ‘Now, is that political or social?’ He said, ‘I feed you.’ Because the good news to a hungry person is bread.” - Desmond Tutu As we enter a new year, we must remember to address the impact of childhood hunger in our community. Today, more than 300 million hungry children suffer from undernourishment in the world, and some of those children live in our country. Childhood hunger is a cancer in our community, and like the illness, hunger can kill.

To understand the magnitude of childhood hunger, we need to take a serious look at how many of our neighbors go hungry on any given day. How many children go to school and then to bed without having eaten at least one meal? What a disgrace! The widening economic gap between rich and poor has created a growing problem with childhood hunger in our country.

We live in a country where many young children do not receive healthy meals on a consistent basis, which affects them in school every day. Many children who are malnourished have developmental issues because of the lack of proper nutrients. Children who are not fed properly

encounter problems in school such as low academic performance, behavioral problems, impeded cognitive development, low levels of energy, increased tardiness, attendance problems, and higher dropout rates. At a time when the Ministry of Education makes plans to improve our children’s learning, studies have shown that being well fed is important to that goal.

I am concerned about children and families who have no food to eat, and I am upset at the injustice each time I see a child who suffers from lack of food. Providing resources to address the growing problem is critical. We need to bring national attention to childhood hunger to help our government recognize the seriousness of the problem and bring about positive solutions and remedies. When we provide food to children, we help sustain them and give them the confidence they need to succeed in their student learning.

In the new year, let us not forget to address the issue of childhood hunger and take a stand to reduce or eliminate it.

Spanish poet Frederico Garcia Lorca best expressed my views on the topic of hunger: “The day that hunger is eradicated from the earth, there will be the greatest spiritual explosion the world has ever known. Humanity cannot imagine the joy that will burst into the world on the day of that great revolution.”

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

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 Assignment of Mortgage made the 2nd day of September, 2009, recorded in Deeds Book Vol. 22 of 2009 at Folios 313 – 328, between THE BELIZE BANK LIMITED (the Assignor) SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD., and LEONARDO OBANDO, JR., which said property was mortgaged by the said LEONARDO OBANDO, JR. to the said BELIZE BANK LIMITED on the 21st day of June, 2003 and recorded in Deeds Book Volume 22 of 2003 at Folios 647 – 696 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 properties must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.

THE SCHEDULE ALL THOSE LEASEHOLD INTEREST IN ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being “A Lot” situate in Santa Familia Village, Cayo District and bounded as follows: On the North for a 30.419 metres by Lot No. 22; On the South for 29.990 metres by a portion of Lot No. 20; On the East for 29.309 metres by portion of Lot No. 20; and on the West for 29.337 metres by a street, containing 883.39 square metres of land as shown on Entry No. 6568, Register No. 14 at the Office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon.

DATED this 17th day of December, 2013.

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

STATUTORY NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE ESTATE of WESLEY MONROE CALLAWAY JR. Deceased of #4400 Island Avenue, Austin, Texas, U.S.A. NOTICE is hereby given pursuant to Section 36 of the Administration of Estates Act, Chapter 197 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, that all creditors having any claims or demands upon or against the Estate of WESLEY MONROE CALLAWAY JR., deceased, late of #4400 Island Avenue, Austin, Texas, U.S.A., who died on the 31st day of July, 2012, and in whose estate Grant of Administration With The Will Annexed has been granted to MELISSA BALDERAMOS MAHLER, should lodge such claims or demands with the said MELISSA BALDERAMOS MAHLER c/o MUSA & BALDERAMOS, Attorneys-at-Law of No. 91 North Front Street, Belize City, on or before the expiration of three months from the first publication hereof AND NOTICE IS ALSO HEREBY GIVEN that at the expiration of the said three months the said MELISSA BALDERAMOS MAHLER shall proceed to distribute the assets of the said WESLEY MONROE CALLAWAY JR., deceased amongst the beneficiaries entitled thereto, having regard only to claims and demands of which they shall then have had notice.

DATED this 6th day of January, 2014.

MUSA & BALDERAMOS Attorneys-at-Law for MELISSA BALDERAMOS MAHLER Administratix in the Estate of Wesley Monroe Callaway Jr.

12 JAN

23

THE BELIZE TIMES

2014

Home Economics

The rains & why

industrialization is so important

By Richard Harrison Belize generates income from petroleum, tourism, primary agriculture (banana, papaya, shrimps, corn, beans, beef) and secondary agriculture (sugar and by-products, citrus concentrate, juices and drinks), and off-shore financial services.

Notice I did not say profits or wealth...these only result when income exceeds expenses.

Petroleum became the new kid on the block in 2005 and rose to its peak in 2009....from there it has been on a steady decline.

Roadways, hospitals and schools have deteriorated faster than our moral values.

Tourism has been growing steadily for over 30 years with reported growth of 10% last year and will probably reach 15% growth this year. Tourism is heavily dependent on imported goods and services, and no one has dared to do a cost-benefit analysis of this industry to Belize...inclusive of economic, environmental, social and cultural costs. The cash flow and impact on livelihood from the highly volatile seasonality of this industry also causes a lot of costly distortions. Unemployment has grown to over 20% and poverty to over 40%....and there is no sign of changing fortunes.

Primary and secondary agriculture has seen various booms and busts....they are so heavily dependent on inputs from foreign sources...and on foreign market conditions....that no one has dared to do a cost-benefit analysis of the big three (sugar, citrus and banana)....nor the new stars (shrimps, papaya, corn/beans) to Belize....perhaps for fear that they will find out that it costs us more to keep these industries than what we make from them as a country. Not only that...but they are very vulnerable to unpredictable weather....as is currently being witnessed.

What we know is that non-petroleum exports in aggregate fell significantly during the period 2000-2010. This petroleum find blew the gasket off our collective minds.

Belize needs to establish manufacturing industries that value-add more of its existing raw materials and natural resources and transform imported raw materials into finished long-shelf-life products for the local and/or ex-

port markets. BUT....this will not happen if the fiscal adjustments that are required to make manufacturing in Belize sustainably profitable by improving Belize’s competitiveness and productivity continue to be avoided by the people in general (especially the Unions)....and specifically by the special interest groups and Governments who are locked at the hips.

ALL of the existing production and manufacturing concerns in Belize are dependent on either: (1) discretionary subsidies in the form of development concessions, EPZ’s, IBC’s, etc., which are required to be renewed periodically by political directorate (2) tariff or non-tariff protection that can be removed at the stroke of a politician’s pen (3) preferential market arrangements that are eroding even as this cursor crawls over this page (many of them “depend” on ALL THREE OF THESE and are laughing all the way to the bank), BUT they will not invest any deeper nor wider than they need to because they know that as political winds change....so can their fortunes.

Should anyone, under these circumstances, be expected to invest for the long term in Belize.... any significant sums....to build export-competitive scaled production/manufacturing businesses?

Production manufacturing INDUSTRIALIZATION is the ONLY way to bring some semblance of balance and somewhat predictable steadiness to the real growth of the economy... and the kind of jobs that our people are suited for.

However...Belice is looking everywhere else.

We are a people who seem to not want…or do not feel like we deserve success...we are afraid of ourselves…and achieving our full potential scares us.

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

BELIZE TIMES

The fastest selling newspaper in Belize

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 Charge made the 18th day of July, 2008, between SOLOMON PARHAM of Cattle Landing Village, Toledo District, Belize of the one part, and Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., of the other part, registered as LRS No. 200806015, and the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of three months from the date hereof sell the property described in the schedule.

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 REGISTRATION SECTION

BLOCK

PUNTA GORDA 42 Area: - 640.0 S.Y.

PARCEL

569

DATED this 30th day of December, 2013 MUSA & BALDERAMOS 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorney-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 Charge made the 16th day of July, 1999, between WILLIAM ROMERO of # 2 Peacock Street, San Ignacio Town, Cayo District, Belize of the one part, and Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., of the other part, registered as Instrument No. 4172/99, and the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of three months from the date hereof sell the property described in the schedule.

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 REGISTRATION SECTION

BLOCK

PARCEL

SANTA ELENA/CAYO Area: - 555.56 Square Yards

23

1027/1

DATED this 30th day of December, 2013.

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

24

12 JAN

THE BELIZE TIMES

2014

Recipe of the week

Green Drink (Makes 3-4 servings (about 28-30 oz)) Ingredients 2 cups spinach 1/2 cucumber 1/4 head of celery 1/2 bunch parsley 1 bunch mint 3 carrots 2 apples 1/4 orange 1/4 lime 1/4 lemon 1/4 pineapple Directions Combine all ingredients in a blender. Serve and enjoy!

BY ORDER OF MORTGAGEE NOTICE OF INTENTION TO SELL

BY ORDER OF CHARGEE NOTICE OF INTENTION TO SELL

HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED a statutory body formed and registered under the Credit Union Act, Chapter 314 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, and whose registered office is situated at No. 1 Hyde’s Lane, Belize City, Belize District hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under and by virtue of a Deed of Mortgage registered at the Land Titles Unit between BRODWICK NEAL and LUIS SOSA of the first part, LUIS SOSA of the second part and HRCU of the third part.

HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED a statutory body formed and registered under the Credit Union Act, Chapter 314 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, and whose registered office is situated at No. 1 Hyde’s Lane, Belize City, Belize District hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Chargee under and by virtue of a Charge registered at the Land Registry between Trevor Jeffries and the said Holy Redeemer Credit Union Limited.

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

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

ALL offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing to Holy Redeemer Credit Union Limited from whom full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained.

SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece or parcel or block of land being Block No. 65 consisting of 5.80 Acres situate along the George Price Highway near Mile 8.5, Belize District being such land comprised in MINISTER’S FIAT GRANT No. 524 of 2002 dated 5th July 2002 and more particularly shown and delineated on a Plan of Survey No. 524 of 2002 by G.E. Gill, Licensed Land Surveyor, recorded at the Office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys, Belmopan, Cayo District as Plan No. 1347B TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon, the freehold property of LUIS SOSA

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

SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece or parcel of land containing 717.468 square yards being Block 16, Parcel 1024/1 Caribbean Shores/Belize Registration Section situate at No. 1024 Graduate Crescent, Belize City, Belize District, the leasehold property of TREVOR JEFFRIES DATED the 10th day of December 2013

DATED this 10th day of January 2014 HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED 1 HYDE’S LANE, BELIZE CITY, BELIZE Phone: (501) 224-5644 Fax: (501) 223-0738

HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED 1 HYDE’S LANE, BELIZE CITY, BELIZE Phone: (501) 224-5644 Fax: (501) 223-0738

12 JAN

2014

THE BELIZE TIMES

Colour Mary & Joseph who are on their way to Bethlehem.

25

26

Liquor License NOTICE Notice is hereby given that MARIA DEL CARMEN DE LA FUENTE is applying for a Malt and Cider Liquor License to be operated at “Hotel De La Fuente”, situate at #14 Main Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that MARIA DEL CARMEN DE LA FUENTE is applying for a Restaurant Liquor License to be operated at “Maracas Bar and Grill”, situate at Naranjal Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that JAIME BRICENO is applying for a Convenience Store Liquor License to be operated at “Shell 1 Stop”, situate at #50 Central American Boulevard, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that EFRAIN CAMPOS is applying for a Restaurant Liquor License to be operated at “Maya Restaurant”, situate at #45 Mamey Street, Trial Farm Village, Orange Walk District the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that XIAO ZHONG ZHANG is applying for a Shop Liquor License to be operated at “Ming Happy Store”, situate at Lords Bank, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

BRAIN

TEASER

SUDOKU PUZZLE #48/2013

Notice is hereby given that MAURA MEJIA is applying for a Night Club Liquor License to be operated at “La Catracha Bar”, 1756 Coney Drive, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that ROSAMOND PEREZ is applying for a Bar Liquor License to be operated at “E&R Tumble Bar”, situate at Rancho Dolores Village, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that ARMENIA DURAN is applying for a Beer Liquor License to be operated at “D Store”, situate at #53 Stadium Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that LINDFORD ROSADO is applying for a Restaurant and Bar Liquor License to be operated at “Thirsty Thursdays”, situate at 164 Newtown Barracks, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that CHAO GUI CAO is applying for a Publican Special Liquor License to be operated at “Everyday Supermarket”, situate at 15 ¾ miles, Hattieville Village, Belize District, under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that CAN ZHU XU is applying for a Publican Special Liquor License to be operated at “Sunshine Restaurant”, situate at Orange Street, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that EARL NICHOLSON is applying for a Malt & Cider Liquor License to be operated at “Jacana Inn”, situate at Crooked Tree Village, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

SUDOKU PUZZLE SOLUTION #47/2013

2014

Notice is hereby given that ABDUL WALI, RAJAUL ISLAM, KOMOR UDDIN FOYSOL, ABDUL QUDDUS is applying for a Beer Liquor License to be operated at “Yesin Store”, situate at Corner of Cemetery Road/West Collet Canal, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that GIOVANNI SMITH is applying for a Publican Special Liquor License to be operated at “Future Vision Investment Company Ltd./Bacab Eco Park”, situate at ½ Mile Burrell Boom Road, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Answers for last week’s puzzle

12 JAN

THE BELIZE TIMES

See answers NEXT WEEK

Answers for last week’s puzzle

See answers NEXT WEEK

12 JAN

27

THE BELIZE TIMES

2014

BELIZE TIMES WEEKLY

SCIENCE & TECH R

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V

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High-fibre diet may protect against allergic asthma 06 January 2014 by Nic Fleming Eating a high-fibre diet could trigger changes in the immune system that protect against allergic asthma.

Research in mice has shown for the first time that levels of dietary fibre, found in fruit and vegetables, can influence the balance of microbes in the gut in ways that make the airways more or less prone to the inflammation seen in allergic airway diseases.

Asthma is caused by inflammation of the bronchi, the small tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs. The inflammation can be triggered by exercise, cold air or smoke, for example, or it can be caused by allergies to things such as house dust mites or pollen.

The 1980s and 1990s saw large increases in the incidence of allergy-triggered asthma in many developed countries. Many researchers have linked this to marked changes in diet, including a decrease in the amount

of fibre eaten. To investigate this link, Benjamin Marsland at the University Hospital of Lausanne in Switzerland and colleagues looked at how the immune and inflammatory responses of mice varied with the fibre in their diet.

Fibre reduction They found that when the mice were exposed to an extract of house dust mites, those whose feed contained less than 0.3 per cent fibre had double the number of a specific type of immune cell associated with asthmatic inflammation in their airways, compared with those on a standard diet containing 4 per cent fibre.

Mice given additional fibre supplements on top of a standard diet showed a reduction in these immune cells – but only if the supplement was easily fermentable in

Could an increase in dietary fibre reduce the symptoms of asthma? (Image: Africa Media Online/Alamy)

the gut. This suggested that the protective effect can be traced back to the bacteria in the animals’ guts. To check on this, the researchers sequenced the DNA in the mice’s faeces, which allowed them to deduce the

Hydrogen fuel cell is new charger for mobile gadgets 7 January 2014 by Jack Millner While smartphones continue to improve markedly every year, a key component seemingly left in the dust is their battery, leading some companies to build portable batteries that can hold multiple charges for smartphones. In a twist, a charger based on a hydrogen fuel cell, originally designed for use in parts of Africa without mains electricity, is to go on sale in the US. The news was announced yesterday at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

The Upp charger is made by Intelligent Energy, based in Loughborough, UK. Unlike lithium-ion battery devices, it is powered by

removable hydrogen fuel canisters.

It can provide five full charges for most smartphones, its makers claim, through a USB port.

Upp is not technically a battery – it combines hydrogen and air to produce energy, with water vapour as a by-product. As a result it does not

need to recharge, but is instead reloaded with a fresh hydrogen canister. The detachable canisters are refillable and connected to the fuel cell with powerful magnets.

The device has an accompanying app that can organise delivery of canisters so you don’t run out of juice, as well as provide usage data. Intelligent Energy is partnering with US electronics retailer Brookstone for the release.

Upp is expected to cost $199 and will go on sale early this year.

Hydrogen fuel cells are also making their way onto the market in much bigger products. At CES, Toyota showed off its upcoming hydrogen-powered car, which will go on sale in 2015.

gut microbe populations.

This sequencing revealed that the mice given the fermentable fibre supplements had increased levels of bacteria that convert fibre into metabolites called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). They also had elevated levels of SCFAs in their blood.

When Marsland added the two SCFAs whose levels increased the most to the drinking water of a new set of mice, sure enough, their allergic lung inflammation in response to house dust mite extract was reduced, suggesting that it is the action of these metabolites that is triggering the effect.

Chain reaction Further tests showed that the immune cells generated in the bone marrow of mice given one of these SCFAs were less able to trigger inflammatory responses in the airways. “We have shown that changing dietary fibre intake affects the development of immune-cell precursors in the bone marrow, which then go on to have effects in the lung,” says Marsland.

“We know that bacteria in the gut have an effect on allergic airway disease in the lung, however nobody has really explained why,” says Christian Taube at Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands. “This work provides a mechanism for this link. It may also help to partially explain the asthma epidemic we have seen in the Western world.”

“Obviously more work would be needed,” says Marsland, “but I don’t think it’s such a huge step to consider using purified SCFA in supplements for respiratory inflammatory diseases,” says Marsland. “From a simple dietary intervention perspective, when we think about what the components of a balanced and healthy diet are, having higher amounts of fermentable fibre could be important.”

28

THE BELIZE TIMES

Book Covers… which is yours?

“

Man is not what he thinks he is; he is what he hides.” French novelist, André Malraux captures the essence of man’s ability to deceive in this one profound quote. How often have we all heard the age-old proverb, “don’t judge a book by its cover”? Sometimes, what you see on the outside is really what you get. But those instances are as rare as finding conch fritters out of season. Deceit is no distinguisher of persons; the child who won’t admit to eating the cookie up to the politician who sells protected areas for a pocketed profit possesses this dishonest skill. As inherent as genes, deception spans time, gender, cultures, languages, religions, and nations.

My family recently informally adopted a stray dog. The animal appeared on our verandah one day, and my wife and children immediately sympathized with the pathetic, halfdead looking creature. We fed him for a few weeks until he was back on his feet and I thought he would be ready to go on his merry way. But by the time I turned around, my children had given the dog a name and a permanent place on our verandah. Since we now have a permanent pup, a few other lady dogs have been sniffing around. As often as I chased them away, I realized these lady friends kept returning. I soon found out that our dog was pretending to be hungry, but when we fed him, he would save his food for the ‘girls’. When he got caught, I cut back on his feeding schedule and he whined and whined his apologies. I couldn’t help but see the resemblance between the dog’s behavior and human ones.

I noticed the resemblance a couple years ago when a boyfriend who had been cheating on his girl suddenly expressed his remorse by tattooing her name on his chest. I saw it when my teenage daughter cried after we took away her phone when she was caught using it at inappropriate hours of the night. I thought of it when the immigration scam surfaced last year and caused havoc in the political environment. Beautiful tattoos, crocodile tears, and extravagant political speeches do not make a truly repentant heart.

“The manual tells us that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it? (Jer 17:9).

Humans have a limited view of a person’s heart, but God sees and He knows that we are all in desperate need of a good soul scrubbing. Simply believing in God or going to church won’t guarantee holy behavior. For this reason, God gave us His Word full of principles to follow and the Holy Spirit to guide us as we make decisions. Although we cannot judge the heart, we can judge actions. And not shallow ‘one-day’ acts of repentance either, but sincere long term behavioral changes. I encourage you to put your trust only in God because no person is perfect and we harbor deceit.

But God is not like man that he should lie. His Word is true and unfailing.

Until next week, God bless.

By Dr. Victor Rosado M.D., M.P.H.

12 JAN

2014

Hand Foot and Mouth Disease

This disease has resurfaced in the last two weeks.

It has a weird name and is often confused with hoof and mouth disease that appears in cattle, but this is an entirely different virus.

What is it?

Hand foot and mouth disease is a viral rash that commonly affects children under five years old, but can occasionally affect adults. It is caused by a virus from the enterovirus group, these include coxsackie virus, polio virus and echovirus.

Symptoms The illness usually starts with one or two days of low grade fever, malaise and sore throat. This is usually followed by the appearance of a vesicular rash that is predominantly on soles of hand, arms, legs, soles of feet and around lips and inside the mouth.

Blisters are mostly filled with clear fluid and itch moderately. The lesions in the mouth are mostly painful and can become secondarily infected.

A person can transmit this virus easily during the first days of the illness. Transmission is by coughing, sneezing, touching of blisters and other body fluids. Children should stay home from school and daycare until all skin lesions have crusted, five to seven days.

Complications are few, and include dehydration in young children who refuse to drink due to blisters in the mouth, few cases of meningitis due to this virus have been documented.

This illness can easily be confused with chicken pox, scabies or insect bites, if your child has any suspicious lesions visit your doctor or your health center.

Treatment Treatment is symptomatic, that is: acetaminophen for fever and an antihistamine for the itching if present. Keep lesions as clean as possible to avoid secondary bacterial infection. Most patients fully recover after one week.

12 12 JAN JAN

2014

THE BELIZE THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES

REGIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

NEWS

29

Canada records first H5N1 bird flu death Canadian health authorities say the first avian flu death in North America, in the western plains province of Alberta, of a patient who had just returned from China.

“I confirm North America’s first human case of H5N1, also known as avian flu,” Canada Health Minister Rona Ambrose said on Wednesday.

Officials said the victim, whose identity was withheld to protect the family’s privacy,

had recently returned from a trip to Beijing. The victim died in the western Canadian province of Alberta on January 3.

Officials warned Canadians to avoid coming into contact with birds in China.

Gregory Taylor, Canada’s deputy chief public health officer, said the death was an isolated case.

The Alberta health ministry said in a statement that in 2013, there were 38 world-wide cases of H5N1 avian influenza reported to the World Health Organization and 24 deaths.

Zambia arrests politician over potato jibe Opposition politician Frank Bwalya arrested and charged with defamation after he compared the president to a potato.

Petrojam decreases gas, diesel prices KINGSTON, Jamaica — Petrojam has announced a decrease in the ex-refinery prices of all categories of fuel effective Thursday, January 9.

87 and 90-octane gasoline will be sold for $113.75 and $115.41 per litre, respective-

ly, down by $1.96 each.

Automotive diesel fuel will be sold for $123.62 per litre, after a decrease of 74 cents while ultra-low sulphur diesel is down by 88 cents and will be sold for $128.81 per litre.

Meanwhile, kerosene oil was decreased in price by 37 cents and will be sold for $124.80 per litre.

Propane liquid petroleum will be sold for $56.51 per litre after a decrease of $0.74, while butane liquid petroleum will be sold for $60.89 per litre after a decrease of 10 cents.

Marketing companies and retailers will add their respective mark up.

Gonsalves:

Deadly floods have created two St Vincent and the Grenadines KINGSTOWN, St Vincent (CMC) — Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves says the Christmas Eve extreme weather event has created two St Vincent and the Grenadines.

“It is a difficult time, and people are suffering. So we have two St Vincent and the Grenadines — one which is normal, and the other one which is anguished and pained,” Gonsalves told the handing ceremony of the terminal building at the multi-million dollar Argyle International Airport to the International Airport Development Company.

“Across this country, people have lost their beds, their furnishings, their cooking utensils, their stoves, their fridges; laptops given by the state are destroyed; books, clothing, shoes, everything is lost; every single things,” he said.

Gonsalves said that the disaster, which has also damaged public infrastructure extensively, was the worst in living memory. At least nine people have been confirmed dead, four missing.

The Government said that the cost to repair the damage caused by the low level trough that also affected neighbouring islands of St Lucia and Dominica, was estimated at “hundreds of millions of dollars”.

Zambian police have arrested and charged an opposition leader with defamation, after he compared the president to a potato.

Frank Bwalya, head of the Alliance for a Better Zambia, allegedly referred to president Michael Sata as “Chumbu Mushololwa” during a live radio broadcast on Monday.

The Bemba term refers to a sweet potato that breaks when it is bent and is used to describe someone who does not heed advice.

“The police decided to arrest and charge him with defamation of the president,” Eric Chanda, the secretary general of Alliance told AFP news agency.

If convicted, Bwalya faces a maximum jail term of five years.

Thousands of US flights cancelled due to cold Brunt of the 4,400 cancelations felt in areas such as Chicago, Minneapolis and Cleveland.

Airlines cancelled more than 4,400 flights as extreme cold in the US Midwest and Northeast froze fuel lines to airplanes and posed exposure hazards for employees working on the tarmac.

JetBlue Airways took the most drastic step of any airline by suspending all flights at New York and Boston airports on Monday, with plans to gradually resume

them on Tuesday.

The brunt of the 4,400 cancellations was felt in areas such as Chicago, Minneapolis and Cleveland, according to the cancelled.com tracking service.

More than 1,600 flights were halted at Chicago cancelled, an airport that typically has 2,400 daily flights, according to city officials.

“The problem we - and other carriers - faced very early is the fueling pumper trucks wouldn’t

work,” said American spokeswoman Mary Frances Fagan.

“Parts were frozen. Fuel nozzles were also frozen and had to be taken to a hangar to thaw out. It’s slow going.”

Southwest Airlines suspended flights at Chicago Midway airport on Monday, also citing fueling problems.

United Continental Holdings canceled 460 flights at O’Hare, including 380 on regional carriers.

30

THINK ABOUT IT

ELECTIONS OFFICE IS WRONG The decision of the Elections office, and by extension the Government, to reject the recall petition is wrong. Very wrong. Legally as well.

The Government sent CIB (Criminal Investigation Branch) to check on whether or not some persons who could not sign their names and placed their fingerprint or placed an X as the law allows.

Yet the office failed to check with persons who they claimed had signed two times and therefore disenfranchised 52 petitioners. An additional 79 petitioners were deducted out of the recall petition because of the lame excuse that they signed twice.

The elections officials on political instructions deducted 158 votes from the petition, disenfranchising another 79 petitions.

Never mind the so called errors with some other petitioners. The important thing is that 52 plus 79 genuine petitioners did sign the recall petition. A total of 131 voters, which is more than the amount needed to reach the required 30%.

This recall petition is about democracy.

It is about trying to deal with a despicable character named Penner who disrespected everyone and everything decent under the Constitution, the laws, our democracy and moral conduct.

BAD THINGS HAPPENING Four bad things have happened to our democracy lately. Make it five. Actually there are several, about a dozen or so, serious matters that should concern the thinking people of Belize. But let us focus on five.

The first and latest is the rejection of the Opposition’s Petition for the recall of Honorable Elvin Penner, the disgraced “special” Minister of Immigration with special (and unlawful) authority to sign citizenship documents and passport approvals.

Coming after a series of bad vibes by the government, this latest decision is a form of attack on our democracy as well as spitting in the face of the opposition and by extension the social sector which supported the calls for the removal of Penner.

Remember Oceana in Belize had conducted in 2012 a petition for a referendum to be held on the issue of oil drilling in our reef waters. Astonishingly, thousands of Belizeans took time out to go to designated booths countrywide to sign the petition.

Even more astonishingly was government’s rejection of the signatures on the bogus grounds that thousands of the signatures did not match the outdated ones at the Elections office.

What the government did to the citizens left a bone in the throats of Belizeans.

A second assault on our democracy came in the form of a court case that never got off the ground. Minister Mark King was captured on video behaving inappropriately, unruly, and aggressive at a public place in Corozal. He was accused of being under the influence and was criminally charged for assaulting a Police Officer. Minister King was suspended by the Prime Minister pending the outcome of the court case.

To no one’s surprise the court case did not get off the ground. The Police who was assaulted is reported as being uncooperative with the Prosecution and could not remember the Minister. In any other trial this would not be a reason to drop the case, because the law is that he should have been confronted with his statement and the statement would have become evidence.

No such thing happened.

Strange, isn’t it?

Never mind the court case and its scandalous non-outcome.

The video images and the several eye-

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witnesses to Mr. King’s behavior are sufficient for any Minister in any democracy to step down from office. This is also the requirement under the ethics of Parliament and our democracy. There is a Code of Conduct written into the Constitution that makes it clear that Ministers cannot behave as Minister King did. He neither resigned or was forced to resign and functions today as if nothing happened.

A third assault on our democracy came when Minister Elvin Penner disgraced himself, his high office and our nation by signing passport and citizenship documents for an accused criminal in a Taiwan Jail. He was asked to resign his Ministerial position. He refused to resign as a member of the National Assembly and remains a proud member of the United Democratic Party.

All calls from all sectors of the society for “Honorable” Penner to be investigated have been rebuffed by government which is doing its own carefully manipulated “investigation” into Penner’s illegal action and possible other such “signing”.

The Prime Minister has refused to allow the Police to charge Hon. Penner for falsifying a passport document and likewise for the citizenship Certificate of the accused foreign criminal. Penner even lied publicly by claiming the foreigner appeared personally in front of him to apply when the dude never set foot in Belize and was in jail at the date of Penner’s signing of the documents.

Both Penner and the Prime Minister have violated an even more important law indeed, the highest law of the land – the nation’s Supreme law called the Constitution.

Section 46 of the Constitution is clear that none of these two men – Minister Penner and Prime Minister Barrow can take up the duties of their office unless they have swore the oath of allegiance and office as Minister or Prime Minister.

Section 71 is even more specific. It states they cannot sit or vote in the National Assembly or be entitled to any salary until they have sworn the oath of allegiance and office.

The oath is listed in Schedule 3 of the Constitution:“I, (Elvin Penner) or (Dean O. Barrow) do swear THAT I WILL BEAR True Faith AND ALLEGIANCE TO BELIZE, AND WILL UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION AND THE LAW, AND THAT I WILL CONSCIENTIOUSLY, IMPARTIALLY AND TO THLE BEST OF MY ABILITY DISCHARGE MY DUTIES AS (MINISTER) or (PRIME MINISTER) AND DO RIGHT TO ALL MANNER OF PEOPLE WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOUR, AFFECTION OR ILL-WILL. SO HELP ME GOD” Wow! What an oath. What a wonderful requirement of the Supreme Law of the nation that all its elected officials must swear before the Supreme Being to uphold the Constitution and the law, and to do right to all the people.

And yet, these elected servants of the people have lied and publicly violated their sacred oath.

Penner and Barrow and Godwin Hulse too, each raised their right hand in front of the Governor General, placed their left hand on the Holy Bible and swore an oath to Almighty God and then turn around and lie and violate the sacred oath. With impunity.

Penner has committed a criminal offence under the Passport law. He confessed to doing so in his dishonest email to the media trying to explain why he signed the passport and citizenship document. The Prime Minister has a sworn duty to see that the Police charge Penner. And yet nothing has been done. They are not upholding the law.

This is a sorry state of affairs for our country.

No one who knew Dean Barrow expected any great things from him as Prime Minister, and he has not disappointed them.

But for him to come to this, is quite a revelation. Political bossom buddies with a pariah like Penner and another one named Castro, whose name can’t seem to drag itself out of the muck and the mud and the widening cesspool of unethical and scandalous activities.

It is against this back-drop in a country of rising poverty and unemployment, in which decent families are transformed in to beggars, that the government’s rejection of a recall petition against Penner should sound alarm bells in Belize.

There is a saying that all that is needed for bad people to succeed, is for good people to do nothing.

JOHN CROW John Crow de circle Belize City; yes Jank Crow, the vultures Belize City is a rat infested, overgrown abandoned yards, clogged up drains and broken streets. Hungry dogs attack garbage drums and the mentally ill and discarded elderly and poor sleep on the sidewalks.

Begging and poverty is rampant.

And in the first five days of the New Year two persons are victims to murder.

But it is the hundreds of broken, really broken streets that have been angering an already frustrated population.

It’s a traffic crisis. The worst ever in Belize City.

CIGARETTE World War I from 1814 to 1819 killed some 8 to 16 million people including civilians World War II from 1939 to 1945 killed between 40 million to 72 million people.

Tobacco smoking up to the end of 2000 had killed over 100 million people, according to statistics released by the World Health Organization.

In the U.S.A. just under half a million person die each year from tobacco related illness.

That is what cigarettes are doing to human beings while the cigarette companies continue to promote their deadly products with slick commercials.

2 MILLION TOURISTS At the end of December 2013, Jamaica celebrated the arrival of the 2 millionth tourist to the country. These are overnight visitors – not cruise ships. Most popular destinations were Montego Bay and Ocho Rios.

2 MILLION FOR LIBRARY Bill Gates and his wife Melinda were lobbied by the Jamaican library officials who have received good news that the multi-billionaire computer guru has donated two million US dollars from their charitable foundation.

WHAT’S GOING ON? The Belize Ambassador in London sends out official invitations inviting certain persons to a Christmas function for LGBT at the official residence of Her Excellency in London.

Excuse me, is this at taxpayers’ expense?

Is this the policy of the government?

How could our Ambassador be flirting like this in London?

Barrow is wrecking Sedi Elrington’s reputation, the way he did Godwin Hulse’s.

Finally, was the homosexual law passed at the last sitting of the National Assembly, among many amendments to the Criminal Code?

Is Pastor Louis Wade and the Evangelical Churches in Belize aware of this latest actions by a high emissary of the Government?

2014

GOV’T ATTACKS PASTOR WADE Those who know Pastor Louis Wade, knows that he has tried to be a good Christian; from his young days when he led the bare-foot music campaigns for Jesus. His father is also a deeply religious man.

Pastor Wade and his wonderful wife and a small group of Christians have been producing and promoting Christian shows on Plus TV aired out of Belmopan. Over the years Belmopan and surrounding areas residents have made Plus TV their number one morning listening show. So too have large sections of Cayo and Belize City residents.

The reason: Pastor Wade’s morning shows are like David standing up to Goliath.

As Prime Minister Barrow and his Government Ministers increasingly veer out of control, the once UDP sympathizer Pastor has sought to do like John the Baptist – tackle an evil King Herod.

UDP Ministers including Patrick Faber and Belmopan Area representative John Saldivar were frequent guests and specialized in calling the show. As Pastor Wade and his co-host started discussing government abuses, the government resorted to intimidation.

John Saldivar sued, then because of the massive people support for Pastor Wade, he settled the matter and dropped his lawsuit.

Now the government is in full attack, their dirty mouth and evil hosts on the UDP station has resorted to Barrow’s favorite strategy – engage in personal attacks and slimy character assassination.

That has not worked and Pastor Wade remained steadfast to his conscience.

The government’s latest move was the withdrawal of all government advertisements and commercials in an effort to financially cripple Plus TV. It has not worked. The excellent morning shows continue with facts and figures.

Pastor Wade is a trained teacher and brilliant soldier for Christ and the truth.

God be praised.

KATHLEEN LEWIS Mr. Kathleen Lewis graduated from the University of the West Indies with a law degree and from the required two years training at the Norman Manley law School in June 2012 She returned home and continued to work as a Magistrate when late last year she received a letter to proceed on retirement.

Mrs. Lewis situation is weird. Taxpayers’ money funded the greater part of her university studies, so how can she be sent home one year after finally achieving her dream to become a qualified Magistrate?

Can’t be just because she has reached retirement age because the Prime Minister is surrounded, not like John F. Kennedy by a host of bright, young, dynamic University graduates, but aging person past the retirement age, several in the highest positions of the public service.

There is another angle. The government has been “importing” foreigners as prosecutors and Magistrates, even as it retires qualified Belizeans with long years of irreplaceable experience. When the government imports a foreign magistrate the cost is astronomical. Plane tickets every year, a rented house or housing allowances, telephone allowances, travelling or vehicle allowances, 20 percent additional gratuity every year and other perks – none of which the Belizean Magistrates get. Two of the imported Magistrate in San Ignacio and Benque are unmitigated disasters.

It is stupid.

No wonder Pastor Wade and many, many good Belizeans have turned against the government.

Mrs. Kathleen Lewis, Belizean, career public officer, former Prosecutor, Magistrate for more than fifteen years, trained attorney, years of invaluable experience – wasted. 6 January, 2014. Only in Belize.

2014

It’s time for a National UPRISING Continued from page 7 Not wanting to be humiliated again, Mr. Barrow led his party into the 2008 general elections with his intention of winning by any means necessary. He resorted to violence and civil disobedience to win his first election with an empty agenda but for power. His Party Chairman, in a television interview shortly after that and in an attempt to cover his Party’s ill- preparedness to govern, said: “The role of the political party is to win elections”.

Since then the Barrow Administration has evolved from an adhocracy to a government of thieves to become the most corrupt and dictatorial government in a post independent Belize. It has no regard for law and order, it manipulates the Police, which have become a State Apparatus, and it intends to entrench its power by any means necessary.

It is time for a national protest, a general shut down of the nation through strikes and other means leading to a general uprising, however the populace chooses.

The PUP is not a party of violence but much could be achieved, much more, as King and Gandhi and Mandela did without the futility of the slave songs.

Mr. Barrow’s ambition was to be a king and not a servant of the Belizean people. He rules. He does not know how to govern. Despots must flee. This “King” must abdicate.

A NATIONAL PROTEST OR UPRISING The time is ripe for the people of this country to mobilize a national uprising as a protest against the Barrow administration to save the economy from further collapse, to arrest the downward spiral of poverty, unemployment, crime and the loss of hope.

We are witnessing the subtle dismantling of our human rights and principles and our right to freedom of expression as enshrined in the Belize Constitution.

The Prime Minister has created a gentry of politicians who have become rich through corruption and the manipulation of a once credible judicial system. He has loaded the Courts with intimidated magistrates and handpicked Judges. Justice in this country has, as a result, become tainted and more so with the Prime Minister’s removal of the security of tenure for those who serve on the bench.

The Prime Minister, with his Anglo-Saxon accent is so far removed from the rest of us, and with a pretentious gilded tongue, has lost all credibility. His voice has no resonance. He speaks with a forked tongue that has created a feeling of cynicism among some of his staunchest supporters.

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KIDNAPPING IN CAYO Cayo District, January 9, 2014 Two businesspersons were victims of a kidnapping in the Cayo District.

The Police are reporting that on Thursday January 09th, they received a report of a kidnapping at a resort in Bullet Tree Village. They went to the Chaa Creek Office located on Burns Avenue, San Ignacio Town, were they met 43 year old Theo Cocchi, owner of Parrot Nest Hotel in Bullet Tree Village.

Cocchi reported that around 8am she left the resort on her white KIA Sportage SUV along with two guests, identified as 18 year old Kathen Kotay and 22 year old Manisha Kotay, both American Indian students of Saint Paul Virginia, USA, when exiting her drive way she was approached by two Hispanic male persons armed with what appeared to be handguns.

The men boarded the vehicle and drove off and stopped near the cemetery area where they met with two other Hispanic descent male persons. They then drove off in the direction of Paslow Falls Road in Bullet Tree Village. While on the Paslow Falls Road they ordered everyone out of the vehicle.

They told Cocchi that she needs to get $75,000 US in two hours and that they

FUEL PRICES INCREASE AGAIN

will hold Manisha and Kathen until she gets the money. They then took away her smart cellphone and ordered her to drive away on her vehicle to go and get the money and when she returns to give them a call. They told her that she must not inform the Police or else they would kill her family. Before she left they took away her two gold rings one valued $350 and the other $100 and they told her to get more jewellery at her house.

Theo Cocchi then drove off towards Bullet Tree and then visited the Chaa Creek Office where she called the Police. Police responded swiftly and rescue Manisha and Kathen, who were found in good health.

Police searched the entire area of Paslow Falls road, Santa Rosa Road and Calla Creek but did not find the suspects, who were sighted by residents fleeing to the border. The Police believe the culprits Guatemalans.

Police found a blue knap sack with wet clothes including an orange sweater and wet blue sweater believed to be the clothes that the suspects were wearing at the time. The white Sportage SUV was also recovered.

Belize City, January 8, 2014 ‘Magga’ season in January got much more difficult for commuters who were smacked with yet an increase in fuel prices by the Barrow Administration.

The BELIZE TIMES has confirmed that on Monday January 6th, the price of fuel increased with no warning or notice whatsoever to the Belizean public.

It’s like the Government stealing in the middle of night while we believe we are safe asleep.

Regular fuel increased by 33 cents and the new price is $10.99 per gallon.

Premium fuel increased by 16 cents and the new price is $11.39 per gallon. The

PUP rejects RECALL PETITION Sabotage Continued from page 4 Ninfa Manzanero had reported that she didn’t sign the petition. Mrs. Manzanero was one of the petitioners who were intimidated at the sight of Police Officers barging into her home, asking if she had signed a petition.

Senator Lisa Shoman, who forms part of the PUP’s legal team, declared that the PUP has a solid case against the Elections and Boundaries Department, who she said had no legal basis to reject petitioners on the basis that they did.

She cited that there are about 140 signatures which they have found to be valid, but were deemed invalid by the Department. Shoman said the Party will do its due diligence and prepare a strong case in asking for judicial review before the Supreme Court.

price of Diesel did not change.

The inability to regulate the high fuel prices over the past five years has been a huge failure for the Prime Minister Dean Barrow who entered office with promises that his Government will reduce the cost of living “no matter what” and that fuel will not increase above $8.00.

Barrow proposed a fuel tax but vowed to nip it if the price of fuel rose beyond $8.00. Now, the price has shot up constantly, at times going beyond $12.00, yet the Government continues to cream tax monies from financially beleaguered commuters.

CARTOON

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