Issuu

Sunday, June 19, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Issue No. 4750

SUNDAY June 19, 2011

GSU’s Vidal: Child Abuser?

Belize City, June 14, 2011 It is a horrible story. Surely, the scars and tears of this frail, seven year old girl will fill her nightmares many a night. So too is a helpless mother tortured by the soul wrenching thought that she may never get justice for her defenceless child, left with her father in trust. Child abuse is the most wicked of crimes. It beats on the most vulnerable of our society and exposes the raw terror of cruel and barbaric adult violence. Our investigations at BELIZE TIMES have uncovered documented, sworn statements dated the May 27, 2011 with all the corroborating evi-

dence from a teacher and doctor that are to be used as evidence. The strength of two eyewitnesses is that on May 25, 2011 a minor was jolted from her sleep by her father, who is no other than Mark Vidal Sr. If that name sounds familiar, it is because Vidal is the head of the violent GSU, the gang of officers who are known for their campaigns of violence, unchecked civil right abuses of the Belizeans and their Continued on page 28

DPP Cheryl-Lynn Vidal

GSU’s Marco Vidal

Barrow’s BEL take-over, scripted! Belize City, June 15, 2011 Belize Electricity Limited is facing financial collapse, and there is growing evidence that it is the poli-

BEL’s Board Chairman Rodwell Williams

Board Member Anthony Michael

PATTY ARCEO

FOR BELIZE RURAL SOUTH

Board Member Dylan Reneau

cies and regulatory practices of the Barrow Administration which led it down the slippery slope. Continued on page 4

Man Beaten to death in Corozal

PUP REJECTS DRACONIAN MEASURES See page 6

FLOUR PRICES INCREASE... Bread Price Next?

See page 11

See page 31

Mauricio Cawich Jr.

Corozal District, June 13, 2011 By Carmelita Perez Corozal Police have obtained the results of a post-mortem examination conducted on the lifeSee Insert 1

See page 15

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 19, 2011

From the ghetto streets

“We were Warned”

Intimidation Galore! Dear Editor, The level of intimidation that this government is applying in what it calls governance of this country is incredible! Everyone hears the Prime Minister admit today that he has no apology for the high-handed way his government handled the squatters of Chetumal Street Extension. In fact, when at last week’s press conference a Love FM reporter tried to ask him about the way his Minister of Works dealt with the situation, he tried to insult the journalist, saying that the media “played on” the incident. Belizeans are not fooled, not deterred by the images of last week, when those innocent children were dragged out of their beds, and later, in their mothers’ arms, assaulted when heavily armed police descended on the site and later during the protest. Cameras picked up children crying in their mothers’ arms as the police shoved them around on the BelCan

Bridge during the protest that followed. Those children could not attend school for days as their families try, even up to now, to put their lives back to some form of normalcy. What the Prime Minister said leaves a lot to be desired of his office. Trying to intimidate the media, as you did, Mr Barrow, will not solve the crisis that your government is in. And having your Minister of Works take destitute people, who you say are employees of the Ministry to the press conference, to cheer on your government while they should have been working for their pay, will not help your government. Or maybe that was what they got paid for? It is time for this government, and if not the government, Belizeans to wake up and see that there is a real crisis in our country, when poor Belizeans are targets for this government! Concerned voter

Dear Editor, First off, I apologize to my readers who were not informed that I would take a break for a research I went on last week but I’m here now with the full force. It seems like nothing will ever get better, only worse in this country with this UDP Government. The record shows from the time they got into office every living thing felt the bad vibes. Dean Barrow knew exactly what he had planned for the Belizean people when he gained power. Before the 2008 election we were warned about the danger and the hardest times Dean Barrow and his government would bring to the people and the country of Belize, but we didn’t want to listen so we had to learn the hard way. I ask you again Mr. Prime Minister, how do you sleep at night with all these problems in your hands? Barrow doesn’t care about what happens to this country because he sleeps like a King which he claims to be. He feels like he is on top of the world which he is not. Mr. Barrow, the country is too small and your head is too big for you to try and control everything you put your hands on. Like Social Security Board, the oil companies, Central Bank of Belize, Belize Telemedia Ltd. (B.T.L.), the law system and now Belize Electricity Ltd. (B.E.L.). This was a wake-up call to show us never to go into the red

danger zone ever again because it’s a death trap and we the people will always suffer every time. By the way look at the money hogs on Wave radio talking about they do not see anything wrong with what this high roller Prime Minister is doing to us, but we Belizeans got enough. “Yo gawn Dean, yo gawn.” Respect to the people, I am with you all the way. Till next week, Jah bless! Signed, Roberto Peyrefitte

The Party is nothing but the vanguard of the people, the active organ of the people, working at all times in the service of the people.” THE BELIZE TIMES EDITOR

Cane farmers will not meet the expected sugarcane quota

Shortfall in sugar, can it worsen industry’s crisis? Orange Walk District, June 14, 2011 By Carmelita Perez Up to Monday, June 13, the Belize Sugar Industries Limited had milled 811 thousand tons of cane producing 95,600 tons of sugar. At the beginning of the crop season it was estimated that 1.1 million tons of cane would be delivered to the factory producing 110 thousand tons of sugar. All indications are that this year the estimated amount in both cane and sugar won’t be met. This was confirmed by BSI. “Recent estimates to us coming out of the Sugar Cane Production Committee based on information received from the BSCFA is that there is only about 850,000 tons of cane that is available for delivery,” reported Damian Gough, BSI’s Marketing Director.

With the rainy season upon us and the crop season still not finished the effects are already being felt. Up to Sunday the ton of cane per ton of sugar stood at 8.34%. Yesterday that number changed drastically when the TCTS increased to 10.57%. “We have already started to see the impact of it the amount of filter cake that comes out had been averaging around 4.4 or 4.5 and it has increased now to 10.6 so we are seeing an impact in regards to the rain and the amount of mud coming in and yes that has an impact on quality. We are however still seeing good quality coming in where we are getting juice purity to 83 almost to 84%,” commented Gough. Having to harvest their cane during the rainy season spells trouble for

cane farmers and despite the fact that the BSCFA admits that they will fall short of the estimated 1.1 million tons of cane, they believe if it were not for the three weeks shutdown of BSI the crop season would have been closed already. BSI’s plan to remedy the situation is to mill some 70 to 80 thousand tons of cane that was harvested at the end of last year’s crop season. Both parties agree however, that despite the shortfall the 2010/2011 crop season is still going to be a successful one. Importantly, the shortfall is not expected to impact the second and third payments for cane farmers. The second bonus payment is estimated at $51.27 and the third payment at $57.14 based on TC/TS of 9.5% should be impacted very little, if at all. One issue which remains under dispute between BSI and the BSCFA is the date for the closure of the season. While the BSCFA would want the crop to be declared closed as of this Saturday because of the rainy season, BSI is asking for more time, at least until the 3rd week of July.

Alberto Vellos OFFICE MANAGER

Fay Castillo McKay PRINTING/PERSONNEL SUPERVISOR

Doreth Bevans

LAYOUT/GRAPHIC ARTIST

Chris Williams

MARKETING/ADVERTISING

Rafael Sosa

STAFF REPORTER

Carla Bradley TYPIST

Rachel Arana OFFICE ASSISTANT

Roberto Peyrefitte Printed & Published By The Belize Times Ltd.

#3 Queen Street P.O. BOX 506 Belize City, Belize Tel: 671-8385 Email: belizetimesad@yahoo.com editortimes@yahoo.com

Sunday, June 19, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Orange Walk Central home of the Party Leader Hon. John Briceno invites you to our endorsement

CONVENTION

TOGETHER

PUP

meet TEAM BELIZE

our 31candidates for the upcoming General Elections Sunday 26 June 2011 at 1:00pm Peopleâ€™s Stadium, Orange Walk Town

THE BELIZE TIMES

Barrow & Williams’ Oil Law Firm? Belize City, June 13, 2011 Having fattened its bank accounts (local and foreign) with legal fees paid for by Lord Ashcroft and his many companies for decades, the Prime Minister’s legal office, Barrow & Williams Law Firm, seems to now be basking in some oily wealth. Barrow & Williams will soon replace its office in poor Belize City on Albert Street with a larger than life, million-dollar sky-rise, which will become the new office of Prime Minister Dean Barrow once he returns to full law practice. It is known that attorneys in Belize make a good living, but there must be some remarkable connections for any law firm to afford the multiple-storey building such as the new Barrow & Williams office. Of recent, the Prime Minister’s law firm has been exposed for its involvement with a number of oil companies in Belize. From preparing certificates, to taking care of “vanilla exercises”, to appearing as partners and oil investors – the Barrows are certainly deep in the web of oil. This makes one wonder why the PM is hell bent with his “drill we will” attitude. Recently, Prime Minister Barrow came under fire from one of his party faithful and fellow attorney, Oceana Vice-President Audrey Matura-Shepherd, who ac-

Continued on Insert 1

Barrow’s

BEL take-over,

scripted!

Continued on page 1

A statement by Fortis Inc., who owns majority shares in BEL, has linked BEL’s demise directly to regulations imposed by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), which is headed by former El Guardian newspaper editor John Avery. The statement declares that a 2008 PUC rate order had “significant negative impact on the financial condition and operations of BEL”. Since then, said the Fortis release, BEL began to default on its financial obligations. BEL currently owes $20m between its electricity provider Mexican producer, Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE) and Belize Electric Company Limited (BECOL). A closer look at who has been running BEL since the UDP came into power will be an eye-opener to those looking for answers to the collapse of the utility company. BEL’s Board has been chaired by no other than the Prime Minister’s law firm partner, Rodwell Williams, and has Directors such as former UDP Deputy Mayor Anthony Michael, and Union-ally Dylan Reneau. The Board, who is in charge of the overall direction of the company, was well aware of the challenges faced, and the pressures caused by the almost personal conflict with PUC. Who will believe that Williams, Michael or Reneau didn’t once tip off the Prime Minister that the ship was about the sink? To believe, then, that the PM didn’t see BEL’s collapse is to believe a lie. Barrow’s looming take-over of BEL was scripted.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

UDP

gambles with tax payers’ dollars SSB approves $14.9m for failed investment

Barrow and Williams’ multi-million dollar law firm

Belize City, June 14, 2011 These are not the best times to gamble with even a single tax payer dollar, but the Barrow Administration is about to put at stake $14.9 million of hard-earned taxpayer’s money with very little care for what Belizeans think. Reports surfaced last week that the Social Security Investment Committee, headed by UDP-flunky

Continued on Insert 1

Sunday, June 19, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

You have led us into Darkness Mr. Barrow! We have never been amused by the Prime Minister’s antics and public displays. You see, Dean Barrow as politician, has mastered the art of deceit. Pretending to be some kind of Chavista, Barrow is moving towards the takeover of yet another utility company, but unlike real socialists, Mr. Barrow, the size of your bank accounts and glaring elite-lifestyle exposes you for who you really are. Barrow is at it again. Another privately-owned company will soon be “nationalised”, but the true story is at what cost to the nation and Belizean people. BTL’s litigation has cost and will continue to cost us millions of dollars, millions for Lois, of course, and then millions to the party claiming losses. It is therefore no one’s surprise that BTL has become Barrow’s ants’ nest which investors are hesitant to acquire. Now comes BEL, which will cost more hundreds of millions of dollars if acquired. Who do you think will foot this bill? Prime Minister Barrow? Every dollar spent to acquire, whether voluntarily or forcibly, will be borne by the future generations to come. But we can bet that those close to the Prime Minister will benefit now. More Belizeans are becoming convinced that these are the worst three years in the history of our country, maybe with the exception of the 84-89 period when the UDP took control of government, fo the first time in our post-Independence era. Like the “Dark Ages” that beset Europe for over 500 years, Belize is now going through a very dark period. We have been plunged into darkness due to the barbaric and inept leadership of Prime Minister Barrow. All sectors of our economy are in crisis. The health system is failing us as people continue to die due to negligence, while many can’t afford healthcare. Our young people have little hope of completing school whether it is for financial and academic reasons. It is even harder for them to find jobs when they do graduate. Crime and violence have reached epidemic proportions and yet the Prime Minister is content to state that they are winning the fight by having the Police Department publish bogus statistics. The economy has been stuck for a long time now with investments down by 90 percent, and an average unemployment rate of just over 23 percent. People have little or no opportunity to acquire land and the cost of living has “gone through the roof.” To compound this very grim reality, the Prime Minister and his government continue to tamper with our Constitution and continue to pass draconian laws that suppress our people. In an interview with one of the local newspapers regarding the impending BEL-takeover, the Prime Minister stated: “This country, under this government will not be plunged into darkness.” After a while of living in darkness one’s eyes begin to adjust and after time has passed you adjust to living without light. Prime Minister Barrow finds himself at home in the darkness he has created – that is until he is blinded by the light of the people!!

58 DAYS TO BARROW’S CRUEL PREVENTATIVE DETENTION

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 19, 2011

PUP rejects Barrow’s anti-crime measures says safety & liberty must be preserved (Amendment) Bill 2011 and the Juries (Amendment) Bill 2011. As to the way forward, the Hon. Francis Fonseca shared that the PUP intends to participate fully and actively in the hearings and public consultations of the Constitution & Foreign Affairs House Committee. Furthermore, the PUP will seek to educate its membership about its official position on the proposed legislations and to extend that process to the wider pubL to R: Attorney Anthony Sylvestre, Hon. Francis Fonseca & Senator Lisa Shoman

Belize City, June 15, 2011 On May 13, 2011, the Prime Minister of Belize, Hon. Dean Barrow introduced a string of legislation in the House of Representatives which he has touted as his Government’s “anti-crime initiatives”. This string of legislation includes: the Crime Control & Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2011, the Belize Constitution (Eight Amendment) Bill 2011, the Indictable Procedure (Amendment) Bill 2011, the Juries (Amendment) Bill 2011 and the Supreme Court of Judicature (Amendment) Bill 2011. Immediately following Barrow’s tabling of the proposed legislations, the People’s United Party (PUP) assembled a legal think-tank led by Senior Deputy Leader, Hon. Francis Fonseca. The primary objective of this legal think-tank was to review the proposed legislations, to consider their implications for the ordinary Belizean man, woman and child and to formulate the Party’s official position. Well, today, June 15, 2011, that official position was conveyed to the Belizean people by way of a press briefing held at the PUP Headquarters chaired by Senior Deputy Leader Hon. Francis Fonseca and supported by Legal Advisor, Anthony Sylvestre and Senator Lisa Shoman. In his opening remarks, the Hon. Francis Fonseca proceeded to outline the position paper of the PUP in respect of the proposed legislations. The Senior Deputy Leader stated, “The People’s United Party recognizes and appreciates that our nation, Belize is faced with a crisis of Crime & Violence which deserves and demands our collective attention, commitment and sense of responsibility … It is a fundamental responsibility of a government to ensure the safety & personal security of its citizens but repression cannot and

should not be justified on a false sense of security”. In addressing the “Trial without a Jury” legislation, the Hon. Francis Fonseca emphasized that the proposed measure calls for ALL criminal cases to be tried with a jury. On the matter of acquittals, Hon. Fonseca shared that the Director of Public Prosecutions would have the right to appeal the acquittal of a defendant. For his part, Legal Advisor Anthony Sylvestre set out to clarify the notion that conducting trials without a jury would result in an increase in the conviction rate which currently stands at an alarming and dismal 7%. Sylvestre explained that this low conviction rate is as a direct consequence of the weak and ineffective prosecutorial arm of the Judiciary. In speaking about Preventative Detention, Senator Shoman informed that Belizeans and foreign visitors alike would fall victim to this draconian measure and that only those persons who enjoy diplomatic immunity would be spared the ignominy of being locked up for a period of up to fifty-two days. Senator Shoman went on to underscore the fact that in just three years, Barrow and the UDP have effected three constitutional amendments. This, she compared to the time when Belize achieved Independence in 1981 to 2006, a period spanning twenty-five years, when there was a total of five constitutional amendments only. In his conclusion, the Hon. Francis Fonseca categorically stated that while the PUP supports the Supreme Court of Judicature (Amendment) Bill 2011, it cannot and does not support the remaining four legislations, namely the Crime Control & Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2011, the Belize Constitution (Eight Amendment) Bill 2011, Indictable Procedure

lic. Senator Shoman added that the PUP stands ready and prepared to debate the merits and demerits of the proposed anticrime legislations. Perhaps, the entire debate about Preventative Detention and Trial without a Jury could best be explained by the words of Benjamin Franklin – “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety”.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

FROM THE DESK OF THE

PARTY LEADER

Lead and Stop Quarrelling This week the Prime Minister made the media rounds hoping to do damage control after what has been a disastrous couple of weeks for his failing administration. If the Prime Minister expected to be greeted with the usual cosiness, reminiscent of his first couple of years in office, the opposite was true. What is also true is that Belizeans are no longer interested in his fancy words or sorry excuses, they are now demanding results. Who can blame them? Today the Barrow Administration is moving from one crisis to another, each one more costly to Belizeans. With no solution to the many ills affecting the nation, the at-

titude from the UDP seems to indicate that they have no desire to fix any of the problems destroying Belize. In the north it was the crisis in the Sugar Industry, the issues that caused that problem remain and trouble continues to plague the industry. Down South, in the Citrus industry, the dispute between the Citrus Growers and the management of Citrus Products of Belize Limited continues. Again this is becoming a serious threat to the survival of a critical industry to the south and the country on a whole. Two years after taking over Belize Telemedia and almost a year after putting shares of the Company up for sale, a significant investor is nowhere in sight and the Government is caught up in litigation

in two different continents. Two weeks ago the Transportation Industry brought the country to a standstill when disgruntled bus operators blocked the major highways leading to Belize City. Thousands of workers and students were stranded. In his usual grandstanding style, the Prime Minister hastened to call a press conference and announced that he had brokered a deal, only to sit at his own press conference and watch the very same people he said he had cut a deal with, say â€œno deal.â€? Before the nation could exhale from the chaos and confusion of the bus industry imbroglio, the Prime Minister once again found himself on the defensive as Belizeans watched as government personnel broke down the homes of poor Belizeans. Later the Police and BDF would turn on the homeless, terrifying innocent children and beating up on women and young boys. Realizing that he was going from crisis to crisis, the Prime Minister called for yet another press conference where he brought the media to a three ringed circus, full with UDP cronies and a series of ministers whose incompetence is so obvious, their only function was to act as props. While the prime minister disrespected members of the media, his rented crowd hurled insults, and taunted members of the media, a sure sign of disrespect. Even now as the Prime Minister

7 makes his rounds trying to do damage control, he must confront a media still bruised from his last press conference; calls from angry Belizeans are now demanding answers for the many problems plaguing the nation. By now Belizeans are convinced that he is in crisis management mode and hoping that Belizeans will forget that more than 1,000 days ago the Kendall Bridge was washed away; or that unemployment is at 23 per cent and that in six months more than 60 murders have been committed in Belize. Of course no one can forget. In times of crisis, leaders are tested and the ones who prevail are those who manage the crisis and lead a nation to prosperity through hard work and determination. What Belizeans need is a leader who can provide the assurances that those things will get better. They want a leader who can offer a plan, one who is decisive, yet not quick to be confrontational and quarrelsome. We need a Prime Minister who is the chief cheer leader for Belize in the international community and at home we need someone who can convince investors to invest in Belize. More than anything else, in a time of crisis, we need a leader with compassion and understanding. Of these desired characteristics, Mr. Barrow appears very lacking, what he seems to have in great abundance however are those qualities best found in lawyers.

THE BELIZE TIMES

Another Nolle

Prosequi in Murder case

Mervin Bradley BELIZE CITY, Wed. June 15, 2011 By Roy Davis Mervin Bradley, 24, who was charged with the murder of Christino Madrill Jr., 26, was freed of the charge yesterday in the court of Justice Adolph Lucas when a nolle prosequi was entered, indicating the prosecution does not wish to proceed. Crown Counsel Thalia Megan Francis who represented the prosecution, entered the nolle prosequi because the main witnesses refused to testify. Madrill, a boat captain who resided at 15 Frederick Street, was shot and killed on the night of April 26, 2008. Madrill was sitting on the trunk of his car eating a plate of food at the corner of castle Street and Lancaster Street when a lone gunman approached him and shot him several times. Madrill was pronounced dead on arrival at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Bradley was represented by attorney Kareem Musa.

Security Guard charged with stealing 5lbs of Fonto Leaves BELIZE CITY, Wed. June 15, 2011 By Roy Davis Security guard Michael Sabal, 28, a resident of Antelope Street Extension Michael Sabal who allegedly stole 5 pounds of tobacco leaves, a.k.a. “Fonto” was charged with theft when he appeared today in the #5 Magistrate’s Court. After Sabal pleaded not guilty to the charge, Magistrate Albert Hoare offered him a bail of $4,000 and adjourned his case until July 28. The incident occurred on Saturday, June 11. Shopkeeper Jia Wei Xio, whose place of business is located on Antelope Street Extension, reported to the police that she was told that Sabal was seen throwing the fonto leaves over a fence next to her shop. She said Sabal gained access to the fonto because he used to come to her shop and help out from time to time. The police reported that when they detained Sabal he told them that he found the fonto leaves by a fence and he took them and sold them. The value of the fonto leaves is $120.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Man accused of paying for Pizzas with counterfeit BELIZE CITY, Wed. June 15, 2011 By Roy Davis J e r m y Hendericks, 30, a laborer of mile 19 on the Northern Jermy Hendericks Highway who allegedly paid for pizzas with a $100 counterfeit note Belize currency, was charged with obtaining property by deception and possession of counterfeit currency when he appeared in the #6 Magistrate’s Court on Monday, June 13. Hendricks pleaded not guilty to the charges. He was released on a bail of $2,000 and his case was adjourned until July 13. The incident occurred on March 25 but Hendricks was not detained until Friday, June 10. Keith Anderson, the delivery man for Peppers Pizza, located on St. Thomas Street, reported to the police that $58.25 worth of pizzas were ordered under the name of Marlon Phillips and when he took the pizzas to an address on Lovely lane he was paid with a $100 Belize currency note. Anderson said he gave $41.75 to the person who ordered the pizzas. The money was later detected to be counterfeit.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Fight erupts on Magistrate’s Court verandah BELIZE CITY, Wed. June 15, 2011 By Roy Davis Leroy Gomez, 24, who has beaten four rape cases, got into an altercation with the Police on the verandah of the Magistrate’s Court building on Monday, June 13, while he and five other persons were being escorted from the #1 Court room to the holding cell. According to the allegation, Gomez, who was not handcuffed, attempted to escape and he was subdued. This was after Gomez and 5 others, three

women and two men, were charged with burglary and several counts of handling stolen goods. The others included Benua Andrews, 21, an unemployed of 25 Fern Lane; Taletha Cruickshank, 27, an unemployed of 1235 Vista Del Mar, Ladyville; Ernest Staine, 21, an unemployed of 25 Fern Lane; Kenisha McCauley, 20, a domestic worker of 4012 Berry Street; and Julia Welch, Gomez girl friend. The charges were in connection with a series of burglaries and the re-

Woman

brutally attacked in OW home invasion Orange Walk District, June 13, 2011 By Carmelita Perez 52 year old Maria Elena Baeza, who was found with several chop wounds to her head and face on a feeder road off Yo Creek Road in the Orange Walk District, remains in a critical condition at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in Belize City. Baeza was found with chop wounds on the head, two on the face and one on the back. Her body was discovered a few feet away from her black Ford Ranger Pickup truck. According to Baeza’s brother,

covery of a number of stolen items. The prosecution objected to bail on the grounds that the investigation is still ongoing and that the offences have become prevalent. Chief Magistrate Margaret McKenzie upheld the objection and remanded them into custody until July 13. The burglaries occurred at the residencies of Kim Burgess, Marisol Martinez, Dominga Martinez and Andrew Young.

Maria Elena Baeza

on Sunday morning when he visited his sister’s house located on Unity Street he saw a bicycle in the pan of her pickup truck. He became suspicious and started calling out for her but there was no answer. Several knocks on the door also proved futile so he left thinking that his sister was not at home. Baeza has told her family that she was at home and heard her brother calling out her name. She said she was unable to respond, because at that time a man who had entered her home was holding a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her if she made any noise. Baeza told her family that the man took her to a feeder road where he assaulted and chopped her several times before leaving her for dead. Police are now looking for one man, Orlando Sanchez, from San Lazaro Village who they believe can assist them in their investigations.

THE BELIZE TIMES

UTC’s office on Central American Boulevard

Belize Unit Trust

Corporation shuts down

Belize City, June 14, 2011 The economic climate in Belize today is not a healthy one for businesses, which is why on an almost daily basis we witness businesses shutting down or going into receivership. This week, the Unit Trust Corporation (Belize), a mutual fund established by regional investors on January 28th 2003, announced that they could no longer sustain operations under the economic conditions, and would therefore close business. UTC’s Chief Executive Office, Letitia Murillo, told the BELIZE TIMES that the decision to close business was taken at the Board level based on the fact that the fund has not grown as was expected over the last eight years. UTC relied on 2% management fees derived from the investment, but at the growth rate, it did not prove sustainable. “It has a lot to do with the economic climate…as a business we don’t want to be floundering. You just need

to know when to call it quits,” Eck remarked. Over eight years, the fund attracted over 3,600 members and at June 2011 held $75m in its account. But all of that is going back into the hands of depositors, because as part of the Fund’s shut down plan, all its investors will get back their monies plus more. Eck informed that instead of the 4% interest designated, the Fund will pay back 4 ½% to its investors when they are paid during the course of this week. To ensure smooth repayment, UTC has advertised a scheduled based on alphabetical order of names. But more than just another business closing its doors, what this also means is that more Belizeans will be losing jobs. BUTC hired a small staff of five who as of the end of July will enter the depressing world of the unemployed. The Unit Trust Corporation (Belize) was a subsidiary of the Unit Trust Corporation Trinidad and Tobago.

A ‘LEAK’ at BWS

springs tales of abuse & intimidation Belize City, June 13, 2011 Ever since the UDP took office in February of 2008, public sector departments and agencies have been gripped by fear and intimidation. Every day, the workers of those departments and agencies are forced to walk a tight rope as their tyrannical bosses and supervisors rule with an iron fist. For the workers of the Operations Section of Belize Water Services (BWS), this harsh reality haunts them each and every day. The UDP Government replaced a capable Board of Directors with a bunch of bedfellows headed by the current Chairman, Herman Longworth. Lest anyone forgets who is Herman Longworth is, he’s the favored UDP contractor who was awarded the lu-

crative contract to construct the Belize Sports Complex. Anyone who passes by the Marion Jones Sporting Complex, almost three years after works started on the site, would see that all Longsworth has to show for the millions he’s collected to date is a high-rise fence Continued on page 27

Sunday, June 19, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Patty Arceo for

Belize Rural South Baldemar Graniel Sr., new PUP Belize Rural South Standard Bearer Patty Arceo & Ramon Reyes Jr. will work in unity to restore prosperity for their constituents

PUP Secretary General Rachel Montejo officiates Patty Arceo’s swearing in after Sunday’s convention

Over 1,400 PUP supporters flocked to Sunday’s convention to cast their votes

Patty is greeted by a supporter

Patty & her supporters

PUP supporters awaiting the results of the convention to be announced

THE BELIZE TIMES

BELIZE'S #1 SPORTS PAGE

Superleague playoffs tied up at 3 points

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Alex Peters scored Freedom Fighers’ 1st goal

Other playoff game: Orange Walk United vs. Placencia Assassins

Orange Walk

Placencia

Punta Gorda, June 12, 2011 The Belize Bank Superleague football playoffs has shattered all predictions because all the teams, Paradise Freedom Fighters, Placencia Assassins, Raymond Gentle City Boys and Orange Walk United, are tied with three points each. The Paradise Freedom Fighters upset the City Boys 1-0 at the Toledo Union field on Sunday afternoon, June 12. A single strike by the Freedom Fighters’ Alex Peters in the 64th minute ended the City Boys’ victory roll. The City Boys tried for a comeback but got no mercy from the tenacious Freedom Fighters defense to post a 1-0 win. Upcoming games: City Boys vs. OW United, M.C.C. Garden, Sunday Placencia Assassins vs. Freedom Fighters, Punta Gorda, Sunday

Muslim Community & St Mary’s win city football finals

St. John’s Anglican girls take control of the ball

Kremandala creams Smart 85-65

Belize City, June 13, 2011 The primary school football Belize City competition finals winners took their place this week when they defeated their competition. In the female competition St. John’s Anglican Primary School took on the Muslim Community School girls, while St. Mary’s challenged Wesley Upper School boys. The Muslim Community girls defeated St. John’s Anglican 2-0, while St. Mary’s trampled on Wesley Upper 2-0 with goals by Dominique Mangal and Naim Wilson. Muslim and St. John’s Anglican now advance to the Belize District finals where the 1st place will play the rural champs’ 2nd palce, and their 1st place will play the city 2nd place finishers – St. John’s Anglican and Wesley.

Holy Redeemer

Muslim

Queen Square

St. Mary’s vs. St. John’s Primary School

St. John’s

Ebenezer

Smart’s Dennis Brown scored 34 points

OW Running

GAME 2: Smart vs. Orange Walk Running Rebels

Muslim Community vs. Queen Square Anglican

109 101

OW Running

St. John’s

Wesley

GAME 1: Smart vs. Orange Walk Running Rebels

Smart

Wesley Upper vs. Ebenezer Methodist

Playoff games:

St. John’s Anglican girls vs. Holy Redeemer RC

St. Mary’s

Belize City, June 13, 2011 Kremandala toppled Smart 8565 in Game 1 of the Belize Telemedia “Digicel Ballin for Life” under-20 basketball championship finals at the Belize City Center on Monday night, June 13. Raheem Staine led Smart with 16 points and 13 rebounds as while Elvis Olivera led the Kremandala counterattack with 25 points and 14 rebounds.

Smart

How they advanced:

KREM’s Akeem Trapp at the free-throw line Oyinkro Akpobodor goes for the basket

Sunday, June 19, 2011 Belize City, June 13, 2011 The San Pedro Tigersharks won 85-74 over the University of Belize Jaguars in Game 1 of the Belize Telemedia “Digicel Ballin for Life” under-20 basketball championship finals at the Belize City Center on Monday night, June 13. UB led 20-18 in the 1st quarter buoyed up by Winston Pratt’s 30 points, 13 rebounds while Alex Carcamo led the Tigersharks with 29 points, 11 rebounds.

THE BELIZE TIMES

Tigersharks clamps UB Jaguars in finals GM 1

BELIZE'S #1 SPORTS PAGE

Playoff games: GAME 1: UB Jaguars vs. Black Mambas

78 UB Jaguar

Black Mambas

GAME 2: UB Jaguars vs. Black Mambas

87 UB Smart

Black Mambas

Jarrel Velasquez goes for the basket

UB’s Daniel Nolberto controls the ball

Oceana Pros swats Team 313 in men’s softball Belize City, June 10, 2011 The Oceana Pros spanked Team 313 by a score of 14-10 in the Belize City men’s softball competition at the home of softball at the Rogers Stadium last Friday night. Shaquile Moody hit an out of the park homer in the 1st inning and Shane Williams and Carlyon Flores came home to lead 3-0 in the top of the 1st. Pierce Coleman and Moody scored two more runs for a 5-0 lead in the top of the 2nd until Team 313’s Densmore Edwards and Elton Gentle came home in the bottom of the 2nd. Patrick Rowland took over from Team 313’s starting pitcher Oscar Arnold on the mound, but the Oceana Pros’ Moody, Williams, Flores, Glenford Flowers, Karique Marin and Coleman walloped his pitching for 6 more runs and an 11-2 lead in the top of the 3rd inning. Milton Flores replaced from Rowland on the mound and gave up no more runs in the next 2 innings, but it looked like it might be a mercy rule win, until Densmore Edwards, Godsden Ferguson and David Vasquez gave Team 313 new life with 3 more runs as Vasquez homered in the bottom of the 5th. Milton Flores walloped a Samuel Nicholson’s pitch for a 2 run homer in the bottom of the 7th, but Oceana held on to win 14-10.

Oceana Pros team

Carlyon Flores slides home

Other games: Team 313 vs. Dantos

Team 313

Dantos

Oscar Arnold pitches

Samuel Nicholson

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 19, 2011

BELIZE'S #1 SPORTS PAGE

Stann Creek wins 31medals

Almira Augustine won the Long Jump

at track & field competition Belize City, June 10, 2011 The Stann Creek district won the most gold medals – 31, when the National Sports council held the annual national primary schools track & field championships at the Peoples Stadium in Orange Walk on Friday, June 10. Stann Creek district won 9 golds, 12 silver and 10 bronze, while the Belize

RESULTS Junior B girls: 1st place – Kaylin Mejia of Holy Ghost School 2nd place – Abigail Lopez of Sacred Heart School 3rd place – Kishawn Cutkelvin Junior B girls: 1,200m Walk 1st place – Consuelo Lazaro of Stann Creek 2nd place –Terecita Caal of Toledo 3rd place - Michaela Nembhard of Stann Creek Junior B boys: 60m 1st place – Monrelle Noralez of Stann Creek 2nd place – Davis Marshall of Stann Creek 3rd place – Denis Paulino of Toledo Junior B boys: 1,000m 1st place – Davis Marshall of Stann Creek 2nd place – Monrelle Noralez 3rd place – Raymond Tablada of Belize 4x60m Relay 1st place - Monell Noralez, Tevan Castillo, Karimi Lambert, Davis Marshall Juniors: B 1,600m walk 1st place – Tyrone Flores for Stann Creek 2nd place – Edward Lamb of Belize City 3rd place – Alexander Pavon of Stann Creek Junior A girls: 13 yrs. and under, 80m 1st place – Claudia Guity for Stann Creek 2nd place – Shemika Estrada of Hattieville 3rd place – Jasmine Myvette of Pancotto School Baseball throw: 1st place – Bryton Nunez for Stann Creek 2nd place – Travis Swift of Pancotto School 3rd place – Wilhelm Nunez of Stann Creek

district won 27 medals: 10 golds, 8 silver and 9 bronze. Toledo ranked 3rd with 4

golds, 9 silver and 5 bronze, while Cayo won 4 golds and 4 bronze.

2,000m walk 1st place – Diana Vega of Stann Creek 2nd place – Rosemary Pensamiento of Stann Creek 3rd place – Lenisha Moody of Pancotto School

Long Jump 1st place – Ashonti Carr 2nd place – Stariette Requena of Stann Creek 3rd place – Ashanti Carr

3,000m walk 1st place – Leston Garcia for Stann Creek 2nd place – Denel Arzu of Stann Creek 3rd place – Karl Bodden of the Belize District Junior B 60m, 11 yrs. and under 1st place – Almira Augustine of Buttonwood Bay Nazarene 2nd place – Jodelee Myvette of Pancotto School 3rd place – Maciaela Swazo of Stann Creek Junior B Long Jump 1st place – Almira Augustine for Belize district 2nd place – Jodelee Myvette for Belize district 3rd place – Melanie Palacio of Cayo district Junior B baseball throw 1st place – Almira Augustine of Belize district 2nd place – Eddiesha Fernandez of of Stann Creek 3rd place – Daris Valentine of Stann Creek High Jump 1st place – Jaleeza Roberts for Cayo district 2nd place – Alane Moriera for Toledo district 3rd place –Justine Trapp of Toledo 4x60m relay 1st place - St Ignatius RC School, Shevonne Crawford, Stephanie Augustine, Trinelle Enriquez, Armanie Bradley Junior B boys’ Long Jump 1st place – Raymond Tablada of Hattieville 2nd place – Arik Nicholas for Toledo district 3rd place – Wilhelm Nunez for Stann Creek High Jump 1st place – Jaylen Smith for Toledo district 2nd place – Arik Nicholas for Toledo 3rd place – Wilhem Nunez for Stann Creek Junior A Girls’ 1,000m 1st place – Ashonti Carr of Unity Presbyterian School, Belize City 2nd place – Ashanti Carr of Stann Creek 3rd place – Rosemary Pensamiento of Stann Creek

3kg Shot Put 1st place – Michelle Thiessen of the Belize Christian Academy, Belmopan 2nd place – Marbeya Palacio of Stann Creek 3rd place – Ashanti Carr High Jump 1st place – Ashonti Carr 2nd place – Ashanti Carr 3rd place – Michelle Thiessen Junior A girls’ 4x80m relay 1st place – Jasmine Myvett, Lakeema Harris, Kevia Benardez, Shamika Estrada 2nd place – Erleen Lambey, Trennel Ramirez, Shareth Duncan, Shanda Williams 3rd place – Claudia Guity, Rosemary Pensamiento, Alisha Carr, Dorsy Busano Junior A boys’ 80m 1st place – James Bregal of St Peter Claver RC School, Toledo 2nd place – Delvin Sentino of St Peter Claver RC School, Toledo 3rd place – Amir Bermudez of Stann Creek 1,200m 1st place – Ashton Cleland of Pancotto, Belize 2nd place – Leston Garcia of Stann Creek 3rd place – Alfonso Chi of Toledo Long Jump 1st place – Steve Kim for Cayo 2nd place – Jaryn Lino of St Peter Claver 3rd place – Diroune Sampson of Belize Christian Academy 3kg shotput 1st place – James Bregal of St Peter Claver, Toledo 2nd place – Voshaun Castillo 3rd place – Charles James of Hattieville, Belize District

BCA’s Michelle Thiessen won bronze

Mountain Bike

Race set for July 3rd June 15, 2011 A Mountain Bike race will take place on Sunday, July 3, 2011 starting at 10:00 a.m. The race will start from in front of Leslie’s Imports on the Western Highway, go through the Boom Circuit and end at mile 24 ¼ on the Northern Highway. Who will challenge Edward Camal, the winner of the last Mountain bike race? Registration will be at Ordonez Bike Shop.

Old Master Over-35

Basketball Tournament By Ladrick “Mad Bull” Shepard Here are the results of the Over-35 playoff standings in Orange Walk Town. Old Master vs. People’s Store – 57-33 Top scorers: Harris Pattern 20; Floyd Sutherland 14; Bernard King, 11 Caribbean Old School vs. M&A Magics – 51-49 Top scorers: Charles Slusher, 36; Oliver Hendricks, 31; Ronald Sutherland, 14 Ricks Blocks and Tiles vs. Dickerson’s/Sunny’s Store – 34-26 Top scorers: Orlando Trejo 14; Elvis Ferguson 12; Alberto Garbutt, 11 Playoff Standings: First 2 teams with the most points get a bye. Next schedule: #3 will play #6, and #4 will play #5.

High Jump 1st place – Diroune Sampson for Cayo 2nd place – Jaryn Lino 3rd place – Charles James

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Old Master 1st Caribbean Old School 2nd M&A Magics 3rd Ricks Blocks and Tiles 4th Dickersons & 5th Sunny Store People’s Store 6th

4x80m relay 1st place – James Bregal, Delvin Sentino, Jaryn Lino, Voshaun Castillo 2nd place – Donald Brown, Latrell Middleton, William Bernardez, Amir Bermudez 3rd place – Michael Brown, Juan Cruz, Diroune Sampson, Steve Jungwoo

Schedule: Wednesday GAME 1: Ricks Blocks and Tiles vs. Dickerson/Sunny’s Store Game 2: M&A Magics VS People’s Store Thursday M&A Magics vs. People’s Store Rick’s Blocks and Tiles vs. Dickersons

Sunday, June 19, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

This Week’s

BELIZETIMES SUNDAY JUNE 19, 201115

see full color at www.belizetimes.bz or Facebook/ Belize Times

TOP MODEL

CATWALK FASHIONS

E-NEWS SUPAG

Visit www.Facebook/ Supag Martinez

AZIATIC

CD RELEASE PARTY

Time: Saturday, June 25 at 9:00pm June 26 at 3:00am Location: CASA HONDURAS 9131 S. VERMONT AVE, Los Angeles CA

Visit www.Facebook/ Roy Da Drumma

Shaggy’s new album

Reggae star Shaggy will release a new album called “Summer in Kingston” next month. The CD will go on sale July 19. Shaggy also has been booked to headline the One Love Peace Festival at Wembley Arena in London, on July 31, alongside Busta Rhymes, Sean Paul and Gyptian. The recording star has sold more than 20 million albums. His hits include “Boombastic,” “In The Summertime,” “Angel,” “It Wasn’t Me,’ “Church Heathen” and “Bonafide Girl.”

Kendra

• • • • •

Graduate of E.P. Yorke Career Plan: Small Business Owner Sign: Leo Likes: modeling, hanging out with friends, Shopping Lives in Belize City

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 19, 2011

PEOPLE’S UNITED PARTY

POSITION PAPER ON PROPOSED LEGISLATION A. INTRODUCTION: On 13th May, 2011 the Prime Minister, Hon. Dean Barrow, introduced in the House by way of first reading, the following Legislation which he described as being “anti-crime initiatives”.: 1. CRIME CONTROL AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2011. 2. BELIZE CONSTITUTION (EIGHT AMENDMENT) BILL, 2011 3. INDICTABLE PROCEDURE (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2011 4. JURIES (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2011 5. SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2011. The People’s United Party recognizes and appreciates that our nation, Belize, is faced with a crisis of crime and violence which deserves and demands our collective attention, commitment, and sense of responsibility. Our position on the proposed crime legislation is grounded in this understanding and in our duty to Belizeans and our Nation to ensure the protection and preservation of their fundamental rights and freedoms. It is a fundamental responsibility of a Government to ensure the safety and personal security of its citizens but repression cannot and should not be justified on a false promise of security. It is the intention of the People’s United Party to participate fully and actively in the hearings and public consultations of the Constitution and Foreign Affairs House Committee of the House of Representatives, and to engage our own members in a dialogue and discussion on these Bills. We intend to take a robust stand in the National Assembly, House and Senate in the debates which will be held on these laws B. REVIEW OF BILLS: 1. Crime Control and Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill, 2011 At the first meeting of the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives (PUP Representatives present were. Hon. John Briceno and Hon. Francis Fonseca) held on Monday June 6, 2011 the Chairman (Hon. Patrick Faber) announced that Cabinet had taken a decision to withdraw this Bill from further consideration at this time. 2. Belize Constitution (Eight Amendment) Bill, 2011 This Bill proposes to amend Sections 5, 6, 7, and 8 of the Belize Constitution. Each section of the proposed bill is examined in turn. a. SECTION 5 -PREVENTIVE DETENTION Section 5 of the Constitution safeguards the right of all Belizean Citizens to personal liberty. Preventive Detention is the locking up of a citizen, resident or any other person in Belize, legally or illegally for the time being, for an indefinite period. Under the proposed amendment it will be for a period of up to 52 days in the first instance; 21 days and a further 30 days on an ex-parte application to Supreme Court. Under the proposed amendment, nothing prevents any detainees from being detained for more than one consecutive 21 day period. Such preventive detention may be done without informing the detainee of the reasons for such detention and without laying any formal charges against that person. During that period of detention, the detainee will be denied all of those personal liberty rights customarily associated with being detained - or even on remand - such as access to a lawyer, access to family members especially in the case of minors, access to a phone call, access to medical treatment and care, access to a Justice of the Peace and access to the Supreme Court (habeas corpus). The PUP cannot and will not support this proposed amendment to the Constitution of Belize which will allow for the detention of any Belizean citizen or person being within Belize, including minors and children, for a period of up to 52 days (or more since there is no prohibition against repeated detention) on the basis of mere suspicion, not even “reasonable” suspicion., This provision seeks to deny long standing fundamental rights and freedoms to citizens and non-nationals alike. These freedoms and rights are the basis of any vibrant democracy which is committed to the rule of law. Our Constitution’s very preamble states that Belize is a nation which recognizes that men and institutions remain free when such freedom is founded on the rule of law. Article 1 states that Belize “shall be a sovereign democratic State”. b. SECTION 6 -ANONYMOUS AND FEARFUL WITNESSES Section 6 of the Constitution provides for equal protection of the law to all Belizeans. The proposed amendment to clause 3 of s.6 states that it shall not be a contravention of the right of an accused person to know the identity of a witness who has given a statement in evidence against him or her. This amendment therefore allows for a law to be enacted to provide for anonymity of witnesses in criminal trials, as well as admission of witness statements into evidence in place of oral evidence; and testimony of witnesses by video link and other means in order to secure the safety of the witness. The PUP is painfully aware that intimidation and, in some tragic cases, the wanton murder of witnesses in criminal trials has become far too commonplace in Belize. Such homicide as intimidation and strikes at the heart of our system of justice and shall not be tolerated. The fundamental, long-standing common law and natural justice right enshrined in our Constitution, of every accused person to know his or her accuser, to face that accuser, and to challenge the veracity of that accuser thru cross-examination, should not be so readily sacrificed even on the altar of crisis, much less in a spirit of desperation. The very preamble of our supreme law states that “the People of Belize affirm that the Nation of Belize shall be founded on principles which acknowledge the supremacy of God and faith in human rights and fundamental freedoms.” Any derogation from those human rights and fundamental freedoms is by necessity fraught with peril for the citizen and non-national alike. What makes this amendment particularly egregious is that the enabling provision which will be written into our Constitution will allow the passage of laws which not only provides for the anonymity of witnesses to protect the safety of the witnesses or another person; but also “to prevent any damage to property”. Threats of Damage to property should never outweigh the right of an accused to know who the accuser is. Likewise, the provision that will allow for laws to be passed which provides for the admission of witness statements into evidence where a witness is unwilling to give or to continue to give oral evidence through fear of death or bodily injury to him or to a member of his family, “or damage to his property” is equally problematic. The right of an accused to test the veracity of a witness by cross-examination should not be based on a fear of damage to property, and should only give way in carefully prescribed circumstances with all adequate safeguards to preserve fairness, in the case of fear of death or bodily injury to a witness or his/her family.

Continued on next page

Sunday, June 19, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

c. SECTION 7 - DEATH PENALTY Section 7 of the Constitution provides for protection from inhuman treatment. The proposed amendment seeks to put beyond any challenge the imposition of a mandatory death sentence or the execution of such a sentence as being “inhuman or degrading punishment”. The proposed amendment is written in an attempt to evade a particular ruling of the Courts and is not being placed in the Constitution in pursuance of any empirical evidence that it is either necessary or desirable. This proposed amendment will only serve to projects a false sense of security and hope in the face of a sobering, dismal and unacceptable 7% conviction rate and the equally unacceptable rate of Nolle Prosequi cases by the Office of the DPP. It is not the system to impose capital punishment that is broken; it is the liability of those who are tasked with the implementation of the system that is in question. d. SECTION 8 - FORCED LABOUR Section 8 of the Constitution protects our citizens from slavery and forced labor. The proposed amendment to clause 5 of s.8 of the Constitution provides that any community service required of a person of or above the age of 16 years shall not be deemed to be “forced labor”. The PUP does not support a Constitutional Amendment broadening the definition of “forced labor”. In recognition of the serious challenges faced by our security forces and the justice system in dealing with youth offenders, we support a review and strengthening of the Penal System Reform (Alternative Sentences) Act No. 41 of 2001 to provide for more effective and stringent Community Service Orders. e. SECTION 6 (10) (b) -TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY While the Constitution of Belize does not specifically provide for trial by jury, it is well established that the right of a man or woman to be tried by a jury of his or her peers (in cases of serious crimes) is a longstanding, valued and cherished right. The proposed amendment to s.6 (10) (b) of the Constitution provides for trial without a jury in certain criminal cases to forestall any argument that jury trial is an essential ingredient of a “fair trial” guaranteed by the Constitution. The PUP firmly believes that the right to a trial by jury is the cornerstone of any fair trial, and a hallmark of our democracy which is founded upon the rule of law. In many jurisdictions where this has been passed, it is not an amendment of the Constitution only applies to cases dealing with terrorist acts and is of limited application to the Citizen. Consequently, we do not support the proposed amendment, which is sufficiently permissive along with the proposed amendments to the Indictable Procedure Act and the Juries Act, to allow for all criminal cases in the Supreme Court to be tried without a jury. Further, Belizeans and non-nationals in Belize will not be allowed to appeal the decision of a judge to try a case without a jury and where a person is acquitted by a judge, the prosecution has a right of appeal against that acquittal. 3. THE INDICTABLE PROCEDURE (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2011 As discussed above, provides for trial without a jury in certain criminal cases in the Supreme Court. The PUP does not support an amendment to the law providing for “mandatory” trial without a jury particularly one, as pointed out above, grounded in a Constitutional Amendment. In the new proposed 65 B, the prosecution may apply to the judge for the trial to be conducted without a jury on any one or more of those grounds which are set out in subsection (2) which include “(d) that the complexity of the trial or the length of the trial (or both) is likely to make the trial so burdensome to the jury that the interests of justice require that the trial should be conducted without a jury”. This last is clearly intended as an omnibus provision to catch any and all cases – and offers only vague guidelines as to “complexity” and “length” and offers too much room for subjectivity as to what would be “burdensome” to any given jury; and as what do “the interests of justice” require. Even worse is the provision to be enacted as Section 65B (6) - “(6) No appeal shall lie against the order of the judge granting or refusing the application for the trial to be conducted without a jury”. This would effectively oust the jurisdiction of any appellate court of Belize to review the exercise of the Trial Judge’s discretion and forestall any inquiry as to whether that discretion was properly exercised.” We can support reviewing the Indictable Procedure Act with a view to strengthening that Act and providing for particular cases in which there is a discretion given to State via an application to a Judge of the Supreme Court, , but only if that discretion may be appealed, to order a trial without a jury. 4. THE JURIES (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2011 This Bill complements the Indictable Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2011 and makes consequential amendments to the Juries Act to provide for trial without a jury in certain criminal cases. 5. THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2011This Bill provides that an appeal against the decision of a magistrate shall NOT operate as an automatic stay of execution of the Magistrate’s decision as presently provided for under s.112 of the Act, subject to certain exceptions. This section of the Act is being abused and unfortunately, some Magistrates are taking an unduly long time to give reasons for their decisions. The Bill provides that a stay of execution of a decision is not automatic but has to be applied for and states further that the Magistrate must give the reasons for his or her decision within 7 days. The Bill does not affect the right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail pending appeal. The PUP does support this amendment. C THE WAY FORWARD: The PUP is committed to a meaningful and serious collaboration with the Government and all Belizeans on all issues of crime, violence and human security. In this spirit, we have over the last three years offered meaningful proposals to the relevant authorities which we believe can assist in the fight against crime and violence. Overall strategic action in combating crime and violence requires a properly resourced, properly trained and motivated Police Department that commands respect and respects the fundamental rights and freedoms of our Belizean Citizens. We have called on the Government to: 1. Develop and share with all stakeholders its National Plan to win the war on crime, drugs, gangs, and violence. 2. Recognize the established link between the conditions of growing poverty and lessening opportunities on the one hand, and surging crime and violence on the other, and as such propose a comprehensive National Plan for generating economic growth, restoring confidence of the business community, securing increased private and public sector investment, meeting job creation targets and implementing measurable social interventions. 3. Seek immediate technical assistance to address the new threat of urban terrorism by way of grenade attacks. 4. Significantly increase the annual Police recruit Intake. 5. Significantly increase the number of police officers on patrol in Belize City. 6. Re-open and Re-activate all the Police Booths and Sub-Stations that have been closed over the past three years. 7. Re-activate and adequately resource the Community Policing and Neighborhood Watch Programs. 8. Adequately resource and train the investigative branch of the Belize Police Department including the Forensic Unit. 9. Adequately staff and resource the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Prosecution Branch of the Police department. 10. Act on the findings of the Crooks Report.

“Serve the People”

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Chendo “El Lapiador” gone South The millionaire’s club forms in OW

Orange Walk District, June 8, 2011 Chendo has literally gone south, some may even venture to say that Chendo ‘tek bush’. Afraid for another defeat in OW Central, this ex-PUP teacher turned UDP businessman/ political aspirant is now seeking his elusive dream in the rich sugar lands of Orange Walk South. The underfinanced and politically-negligible OW South area representative, Mark Pech, never stood a remote chance against the millionaire’s club. With love and hard work, Pech managed to capture 991 votes against Rosendo “Chendo” Urbina’s 1,150 votes, a measly 61 vote win margin. Ricardo Fabro of Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital bloated pharmaceutical prices infamy managed to get 141 votes, the difference that cost Pech his victory. Mark Pech and OW South voters

had to face the formidable wrath of the national UDP machinery headed by Dean Barrow and Gapi Vega. After realizing that Chendo was behind around midday, the UDP strategists reverted to steal away the aspirations of the poor loyal UDP supporters. Rapid political dominance was achieved with overwhelming financial power. This paralyzed Mark Pech and destroyed his will to fight. OW South UDP residents were denied a victory as the flamboyant millionaire, an ambassador with a highlypaid government salary and unlimited

financing and resources, bought a victory that for all practical purposes should have blown away his opponents. Mark gave them a run for their money and only showed how vulnerable Chendo is. With all the money flowing, with all the support from the UDP Cabinet, with all the advantages available to him, Chendo almost lost and barely won this convention to a weakened and unimposing area representative. The record shows that Chendo has never won a political election. When he ran with the PUP for Town Council he came in last. He lost as a UDP candidate

in the General Election in OW Central in 2008 and we are sure he will keep this impeccable record with his new political venture in the South. Chendo completes the circle of the millionaire’s club here in Orange Walk who wants total control, Gapy Vega in the North, Landy Burns in the East, and Chendo in the South, all of them are clearly afraid of OW Central. Many prospective UDP political aspirants have miserably withdrawn from OW Central because Gapi’s promised monetary rewards have never materialized. Now it seems they have found a sacrificial lamb to close their OW circle.

InsultedSSBemployee says: June 15, 2011 at 11:38 am

How can the SSB Board invest $14.9M when the staff is in mediation process for a salary increase? SSB management is doing all it can to avoid giving the staff a raise which was due from 2008. What about investing in the staff that work hard to ensure the successful running and safeguarding of the funds? SSB officers, WAKE UP!”

Mr,Minister says: June 13, 2011 at 9:48 am

carlos says: June 13, 2011 at 11:42 am

come on people how can we forget wat Barrow did when he headed the protest he then as how Cardona says his dream of becoming the first black PM, his dreams came true and he forgot who put him deh he now use us as his foot stools wake up Belizeans run Barrow and his dictators.”

So many companies going broke but what is the real problem? Look at a larger picture for example that of the BEL. The company cannot survive because of expenses and no company would , a business is a business. What the government should be doing is improve the economy, more jobs , more money in circulation, and then people will have more to pay their bills and these companies will be able to survive. But if there is no jobs, no money, people cannot meet their bills and many other businesses will go the same direction. By the way there are hundreds of businesses that have closed already. This means more unemployment.”

Posts are from www.belizetimes.bz, Belize Times Facebook Account and www.channel5belize.com

Sunday, June 19, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Strictly Personal Barrow is bogus

The more things change, the more they’ve remained the same Trodding Thru Armageddon (Essay first published in this column in the Belize Times of November 13th, 2009) Perhaps it is my fanciful imagination but with each passing day it seems the wheels of our economy grind just a little slower. Each week brings news of another business closing under the threat of foreclosure or bankruptcy, and certainly each weekend some newspaper editions are replete with a fresh batch of housing foreclosures. It is heartbreaking for me at least, to read the names of the soon-to-be ex-property owners because it seems I am seeing more and more some familiar names. In some cases the properties are places people have called home for decades. Why is it, I wonder, can’t we recognize that this is a crisis and we need collective action to alleviate the suffering? There is little research and therefore little by way of analysis being done on this issue. At first, a couple years ago, the fallout from the bankruptcy of the Development Finance Corporation was that the real estate market was being flooded with properties; mostly land it seems to me, and second, homes that had been bought as an investment during the boom years when money, namely financing was very available.

The signs of sufferation are all around us. I could hardly bear to watch a family being evicted from their former home this week. They had to take refuge in a smaller much more dilapidated dwelling with broken plumbing and no electricity.” A lot of the properties back then were in the new housing projects, or so it seems, and most were being done by the DFC. These days it seems to me that most of the auctions are by the commercial banks, I’m even seeing auctions by the credit unions, and like I said some of them are for properties I know people have lived on and in for decades. By the same token it is also fairly obvious that new home construction is way, way down. In fact it would seem that construction overall is way, way down. What will happen if these two trends continue? Imagine they’re two lines on the same graph, what happens when the sinking new construction line intersects the rising foreclosure line? Are we there yet? Would that mean we’re in a recession? Or a depression? I don’t want to hear that the Government, the political executive, can’t do

anything. We elected them to lead - they cannot abdicate their responsibility even if they think that there isn’t anything they can do. Maybe it is just me but it seems to me the number of auctions of all kinds are increasing. It’s ok, if you are so partisan that you wish to dispute this, go ahead. I can’t prove it ‘cause I haven’t been counting and I don’t have the time or the energy to go back and count, and no one else seems to want to do it either. The signs of sufferation are all around us. I could hardly bear to watch a family being evicted from their former home this week. They had to take refuge in a smaller much more dilapidated dwelling with broken plumbing and no electricity, at least for a few days. They went from property owners to tenants in what seems in a blink. One day they were in their own yard, complete with backyard, front yard, driveway and enough rooms so they could sleep separately. In less than twenty four hours this family of six was trying to bunk together in two small bedrooms, hunkering down from the elements and hoping it wouldn’t rain because they have two windows that can’t close. What happens when one out of every five able bodied person can’t find work? You can see the trend as you drive through the villages that line our highways. There are lot more young men hanging out on verandahs these days. It’s easy to holler that they could go plant but plant what, weed? Sure you can plant enough to feed yourself and your family but what are you going to do for clothes, transportation, school fees, light, telephone, toilet paper, medicine, and so on? Somebody is going to set up some place where you can go barter? According to Mr. Barrow we have money in the bank called our foreign reserves, though he didn’t say why or what they’re reserved for. Are they being held in case of a crisis or some catastrophe? Belize is in the midst of a worsening economic crisis. The four horsemen of the apocalypse are stalking the land. I am not being apocalyptic when I say that these are the end of days because I sense that we are seeing the end of an era, a time in our lives when those of us who survive will be able to look back and understand that our lives are being irrevocably changed. We are passing through a storm Belize, and none of us know where the other side is. I write these things because I think that it is important that we know that we who are not Barrow and/or UDP are suffering alike. We need to stand together as we face this Armageddon.

THE BELIZE TIMES

In my perspective… Egypt Had It Right

By Rayford Young “Belize Times, Sunday June 5, 2011 edition: Opposition Leader Hon. John Briceño has written to Prime Minister Dean Barrow, lashing out at his Administration for the terror carried out by security forces against a group of Belizeans living in a remote area of Lake Independence early this morning. In a pre-dawn raid, almost similar to the gang-style ambush of a Belmopan businessman’s house 12 days ago, security forces which included heavilyarmed Police Officers, Belize Defense Force soldiers, and the Prime Minister’s notorious Gang Suppression Unit, callously ambushed residents’ homes and coldly threw men, women, and their children out on the streets. This was followed by the sudden appearance of thug-like workers of the Ministry of Works, who were armed with sledge hammers and dangerous tools, who proceeded to destroy the small homes that were erected. In this case, Barrow’s security minions were persecuting Hispanic and Creole Belizeans, because they had squatted on the land, which Government claims it had allotted for the construction of a terminal and bridge in the future.” As I read about this terrible incident I reflected on the peaceful demonstrations that brought down the regime of President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt. For weeks demonstrators gathered in Cairo’s Tahrir square for peaceful demonstrations demanding freedom and jobs. The military did not intervene. They were on the scene with their tanks and military hardware but allowed the demonstrations to go on. The military decided they would not gun down their own people even though they were pressured from Mubarak to crush the demonstrators. This was the right thing to do. On the other hand, in Libya demonstrations have been going on for months demanding freedom and the end of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime, but the Gaddafi government did gun down his own people in cold blood. He said he would not surrender, that he will fight to the end. Many of his supporters sided with him and murdered many of the demonstrators in cold blood in the streets. This is the same situation in Syria. In Daraa, Syria, on Friday, April 15 tens of thousands of people chanting ‘Freedom!’ held protests in several Syrian cities demanding far greater reforms than the limited concessions

offered by President Bashar Assad over the past four weeks. Many Syrians were gunned down in the streets in several cities. How does a man decide to murder his own people in cold blood and go home to sleep at night? What kind of a human being could do this? I understand these dictators wanting to hold on to power. They love power, and the money they steal from their people and country. What I don’t understand is why officers of the military and security forces who swore to serve and protect their people would murder their own people. These are their own country men, women and children. These are the people they know and grew up with. What goes through their minds when they decide to shoot their own people? Is money and privilege that important that one would do these heinous crimes? This is what is so puzzling in the Lake Independence pre-dawn raid of the squatters a few weeks ago. Why would our Belize Arm forces officers and security guards stoop so low to throw their own Belizean people in the streets - including women and children. I hope we are not becoming like the Syrians and Libyan soldiers. It starts just like this incident and it becomes easier and easier. We should not let these officers off the hook. We should place their pictures in the news papers and on television to remind us who these officers are and what they did to the people of Lake Independence so they know there are consequences for these actions and we will not stand for it. The fact that these officers followed their leader tells me that they are willing to go along with what to most reasonable thinking people would consider over-reacting and heavy handed. This is the first round and if we do not deal with this kind of government over reach and intrusion, the next time will be even greater. As we all know, most of our police, military and security officers are law abiding, respectable, professional hard working officers. But there are always a few that don’t mind going the ‘extra mile’, cracking a few skulls. These are people that pretend to be very patriotic, very strict, and that they are fighting crime for us. You can count on them to go up to Lake Independence and do the job. Those are the people we have to be careful of. Dictators love these kinds of crime fighters. You deal with conflicts at the negotiation table. You meet and meet till you have a solution. You don’t show up at people’s homes at four in the morning with guns and sledge hammers. Egypt’s military understood this and what a good solution came from not being overly intrusive. The poor people of Lake Independence deserve the same respect and courtesy from its government. Rayford Young is a Belizean-American, who currently lives in Michigan, USA.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

The Next Revolution…

One Belize

By Carolyn Trench-Sandiford – Deputy Leader People’s United Party - Belize

PREAMBLE The first revolution was designed to create a New Belize, which was to bring to all Belizeans a better life and a just share of the national wealth. Independence from England was a step in this journey. However, 30 years have passed, and while Belize has undergone many changes, and can boast of many achievements and successes, the stark reality is that Belize is in crisis. While this is rooted in the colonial history of rape and exploitation, and the continuation of the same political, economic and social systems established for this purpose, perhaps unknowingly in some ways institutionalized and perpetuated post-independence, the other ingredients of mismanagement, greed and corruption has also been major components, especially in the last three years. Consequently, despite being blessed with, and the continued discovery of, natural resources which are yielding immeasurable wealth, Belize has the highest poverty rate in the Caribbean, unprecedented unemployment, is now a murder capital of the world, is mortgaged to regional and international financial institutions, has adjacency zones instead of borders, and the people from all walks of life are crying out for justice. The situation is of such monumental proportions that evolutionary changes alone will not reverse this. If change is to be meaningful, it will require fundamental transformation of mind and systems that will not only address today’s problems, but also prepare for those that are emerging. Thus the purpose of the Next Revolution is to create One Belize, Prosperous, United and Free, which will bring to all Belizeans a better life and a just share of the national wealth. The Next Revolution calls for a New Political, Economic, Social and Environmental Order that is indigenous to Belize and its people. THE NEW POLITICAL ORDERPART I Knowledge is Power A Constitution is a living, breathing document that should at all times reflect the values, principles and aspirations of the people, and the way we are governed should be in tandem to this. Thus a people without knowledge of its Constitution are a people who do not know their fundamental rights and freedoms, how they are governed and the implications of this to their daily lives, and as important, from ‘whence

they came and where they are going’. Knowledge is power, and a people without knowledge will forever be in bondage. The Next Revolution calls for: 1. Establish a Constitution Reform Commission as a strong independent watchdog entity mandated to educate the people of Belize as to the provisions of the Constitution, to defend the Constitution of the people, and empowered to conduct a decennial review of the Constitution to facilitate continued change and reform as demanded by the people over time. 2. The Constitutional Reform Commission shall have the first call on the budget of Belize. Leadership for all Belizeans 1. The Prime Minister of Belize shall have no Constituency, and be directly elected by the people. The Deputy Prime Minister shall be selected by the Prime Minister, from the House of Representatives. 2. To eliminate the potential for gridlock if a Prime Minister is from a political party that does not have the majority in the House, a mechanism shall be introduced so they shall have the right to introduce bills in the house which shall pass if approved by twothirds of the Senate in the event the House has refused to approve it. 3. Ultimate responsibility for the Executive Branch of government shall lie with the Prime Minister and not the Cabinet. 4. The Prime Minister shall have the authority to select their cabinet from outside parliament if necessary, in consideration of policy balancing skills, regional representation, and political mandate. Effective and True Representation and the Separation of Powers The House of Representatives 1. The House of Representatives shall have a calendar of fixed dates for monthly sittings inclusive of dates for debate on national issues with specific sessions for questions to the Prime Minister and Ministers of government. 2. Institutional support shall be provided to enhance the legislative and oversight role of members of the house for effective participation in debate. 3. The Housing and Population Census shall be utilized as the basis of defining and redefining electoral boundaries decennially to represent all people, not voters. 4. Members of the House shall be limited to five terms and shall be required to submit constituency development plans with measurable targets for inclusion, discussion and reporting in the budget debate. 6. The date for the general elections shall be fixed. The Senate 1. The Senate shall comprise of 10 elected and 4 appointed members representing political parties and particular interest groups, the former elected by districts and proportionate to the last decennial census population. Next week - the New Political Order Part II For comments email carolyntrench@gmail.com

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Reid Last Wednesday, the Prime Minister presided over what he advertised as a press conference but what just about everyone else saw as little more than a “political pep rally”. The event was carried live on national radio and anyone listening who didn’t know better, might have well been duped into thinking that this Prime Minister enjoys massive support. Anyone in tune with the true current state of affairs will know that nothing could be further from the truth. A press conference is generally defined as “a media event in which newsmakers invite journalists to hear them speak and, most often, ask questions”. The reason it is called a press conference is because it is

Mr. Barrow seems to be preparing for the day when, as the former Prime Minister warned, “his bitterness will come back to haunt him.” staged to accommodate the “press” and to allow journalists access to information that can qualify and clarify issues of interest to their respective audiences. In the case of politicians, Press Briefings and Press Conferences are convenient ways of reaching out to the populace, via the media, and apprising them of current issues. Wednesday’s fiasco was billed as the Prime Minister’s Second Quarterly Press Conference which was supposed to serve as some sort of state of the union address. The Prime Minister, instead of paying attention to matters of the state however, used the occasion to flex his muscles and answer a question that many people have been asking. Why does Dean Barrow hold Boots Martinez in such high esteem? The man cannot talk, has a dismal track record of accomplishments, is known to associate with shady characters and has a history of making huge cash deposits to his bank ac-

count. Then there are of course, the other rumors, but who’s listening! Any serious and responsible leader would want to distance themselves from such a personality; so why then is Boots Martinez so valuable to Dean Barrow? The question was answered last Wednesday when Martinez packed the River Hall at the Best Western Biltmore with literally hundreds of unruly, rough looking street characters. While space is usually reserved for media people up front at such events, this time, members of the media were placed smack dab in the middle of the very hostile horde. What exactly was Mr. Barrow’s intention? For the past year or so, Boots Martinez has been receiving monies hand over fist for so-called projects on the crime ridden south side of Belize City. To date, very little can be identified as having been accomplished in terms of tangible and visible projects. After Hurricane Richard, almost limitless funds were funneled through his “Program for the Poor” with very little accountability obviously required. Many believe that what Boots Martinez has actually been doing, is the recruiting bodies for the UDP’s street army. This army was recently deployed to demolish the houses of squatters on Chetumal Street and was previously used to intimidate voters at the PUP Port Loyola Convention. Last Wednesday, the ground troops apparently assembled for inspection by the maximum ruler. Heil Barrow, mein Führer!! Mr. Barrow realizes that he himself has set the precedent for what at this point, seems virtually inevitable if not imminent. The natives are getting restless and with every subsequent ignominy, new voices are added to the chorus of discontent. In 2005, as Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Barrow nudged the Belizean people to “sustained civil disobedience”, a condition that seems persisting to this day. Mr. Barrow seems to be preparing for the day when, as the former Prime Minister warned, “his bitterness will come back to haunt him.” Apart from the inspecting of the troops, Mr. Barrow took the opportunity to admonish the media, validate his Minister’s cronyism and prompt us to the impending appropriation of Belize Electricity Limited. Mr. Barrow played up to his audience with his pseudo-machismo while exacting revenge on bus owners and the media alike for the previous week’s humiliation. Concerning BEL, Mr. Barrow outright lied when he asserted that the UDP “were always against privatization.” The fact is that the UDP were very ones who introduced privatization with the sale of BTL in 1987. Few people will be able to resist the concept of cheaper electricity rates and uninterrupted power supply. Think back however, to the days when this company was under the control of government. Think back to the days of regular blackouts and lackadaisical service. Think back to our experience with BTL; expensive litigation, no lower rates and definitely no VOIP. Imagine the possibilities folks and then wake up to reality. We have indubitably been duped.

www.belizeandiaries.com

RULES FOR BEING

HUMAN – Rules #5 & 6

et me start off this week by apologizing for the absence of my article in last week’s paper. I did get a few calls asking about it and unfortunately I was unable to meet last week’s deadline. Nonetheless we are onto the other two rules for being human. For those just catching on – these rules are taken out of a book by Cherie Carter Scott who is a corporate trainer and consultant from New Jersey, USA. The book is entitled, ‘The Ten Rules for Being Human’ and has become one of the best books I have read and have been inspired by. This week we are covering rules five and six. According to the author, there are no mistakes in life, only lessons that are repeated. It is a book written with the belief that wisdom is an innate trait and that if these rules are followed then a more fulfilling life can be had. In the past two columns we have gone over the first four rules: (1) You Will Receive a Body (2) You will be presented with lessons (3) There are no mistakes, only lessons. (4) Lessons are repeated until they are learned. Here is Rule #5: LEARNING DOES NOT END – you will find as you go through life that it is filled with ironies and that is simply because in this life the lessons put before us never end until we are dead. For instance we may spend years struggling with low self esteem and as we reach the point where we have built up our esteem and have mastered that lesson – we may be faced with the lesson of humility. We may also spend years trying hard to learn the lesson of good parenting and by the time we excel in that lesson our children are getting ready to leave home and we have to embrace the lesson of letting go. This rule is clear cut – the lessons will never end, we will spend our entire lives learning and adjusting and evolving. It is impossible to have full control of our lives because life will present us with new lessons on a daily basis – it is up to us to embrace and learn. We will never master this life and trying to do so will only lead us to frustration but in order to avoid that we must accept this rule and by accepting, it means that you need to give in to the idea that you actually don’t know

everything that you need to, and you never will. You need to convince your ego that being a student does not make you inferior but rather it exposes you to world of possibilities that are invisible to those who are unwilling to embrace this rule. “Learn to be flexible; it makes the curves in your life path much easier to maneuver.” Rule #6: THERE IS NO BETTER THAN HERE – this is one rule that I always break but as I continue my journey thru life I am learning to embrace it. This rule is similar to the saying, ‘the grass looks greener on the other side’. For many people, they go about life with a list of goals thinking that once they have achieved those goals their lives would be better, more fulfilling and happier. So we work hard at moving to “there” from “here” but more often than not once we have made it to “there” we end up finding out that we are still dissatisfied so we end up moving the goal post from “there” to another point in the future. When we find ourselves always looking for the next best thing and struggling to get “there” from “here” we are never really appreciating what we already have “here”. Do a little exercise and think of a past situation when you thought or said, “I will be happy when.....” and then go ahead and ask yourself, “was I really happier when I actually arrived “there”? Maybe for one brief moment you were but sooner rather than later the longing resurfaces and forces you to set off on yet another quest. The challenge to this rule is to live in the present! In this modern age we are surrounded by the visions of a greater life, fame and fortune and while there is nothing wrong with wanting to improve your circumstances we must be able to balance the present while still holding on to the intention of your future goals. As Scott says in her book, “the secret to this rule is to dance on the fine line between living in the here and now while holding in your heart the fondest dreams and aspirations for the future. By learning the lessons of gratitude, unattachment, abundance and peace we can bring ourselves closer to fulfilling the challenge of living in the present” As you go about trying to incorporate these rules in your life, always bear in mind, the words of the Swiss psychiatrist and influential thinker, Carl Gustav Jung, ‘there is no coming into consciousness without pain’.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Write to us at: editortimes@yahoo.com

Symphony of Destruction

By Lucia Moguel

s the years pass by in this life, every day we encounter a new obstacle that obstructs our path to victory. We have to live with and learn to face the many demons that haunt our daily lives; among these demons are the myriad events that happen in our society. In these times of catastrophe, we need more than our government to protect the people. We have witnessed the tremendous increase in crime that has been occurring for the past few years; crime which has not only been concentrated in Belize City, but also throughout the country. Not too long ago we heard about the barbaric attack on Dr. Enrique Guerra reportedly committed by 5 young men; he was robbed for a couple of dollars and a few material goods which could have easily been obtained if these men had a job. We also heard about the morbid murder of Christie Carrasco; she was killed by her common-law, once again, another young man. What is happening to our youth? Moreover, where are the people that are supposed to be protecting us? Police officers should be constantly patrolling our streets, especially at sunset. We the people need to feel protected; we can no longer live in fear, behind bars, criminals should be the ones behind bars. We have witnessed the increase in unemployment; which is now at 23%. Maybe this is the reason why our crime rate is so high. Even if people do not resort to crime, what can they do while they are unemployed? This situation presents us with a very complicated scenario for graduates like me; we are bound to remain up to a year without getting a job after graduating. This utterly decreases the productivity of the nation as a whole. We have less revenue to fix our facilities and infrastructure. But the important question here is: what are people supposed to do while they are unemployed? How are they supposed to make a living? And when people finally obtain a job and a house and make a living out of the little things they are given, the government decides to demolish everything they know for squatting on swampy lands that nobody wants. They even tried to justify their actions by disowning their own people and claiming that these people are not Belizeans. We then saw the truth revealed on the news that these people are in fact nationals; they all held their passports and identifications for the world to see. I personally doubt that anyone would have had enough time to forge these documents. The government has proven that it can no longer protect the people. The true solution now rests upon our hands. We have to protect and defend each other in this treacherous world of ours. The solution lies within change; a change that can only be brought upon by the people of this nation, by people that are truly loyal to their country. It is sad to witness the slow obliteration of a nation subjected to the negligence of those who govern it, they clearly do not love it. It is sad to witness the many ails that our people have to suffer everyday due to a ruthless administration when they could all be rejoicing, when they could all exist in harmony. Have we been forsaken?

Jeffers Jesse- Valedictorian

Eric Baptist - Salutatorian

Graduation Season…

Promise & Potential (Part 2) By: Alton Humes BELIZE CITY, Wednesday, June 8th, 2011 Once again, Belizeans, we bring another installment in the series of articles focusing on our young people, freshly removed from the dimensions of high school and about to embark on their respective new lives and newer challenges and triumphs they will undoubtedly face. We start at Nazarene High School on Princess Margaret Drive where 68 students graduated on Friday, June 3rd, compared to a mere 40 students in 2010. Of those, 62 students are currently taking the CSEC / CXC exams. We were informed that none of the students are striving to take 8 or more, because of a lack of “offerings” within their current curriculum. We move to Canaan Seventh-Day Adventist on Coney Drive where 28 of their students graduated on Saturday,

June 4th, 2011, as opposed to 40 students last year. In the previous year, the school was running an Adult Education which has been discontinued. Of the 28, 20 are taking the CSEC/ CXC exams, including, according to the sources, a very ambitious and brave 3rd form student who is testing the exams earlier than expected. (We wish him or her good luck.) A Canaan, two of the 20 are taking at least 8 or more CXC subjects. In terms of the Valedictorian & Salutatorian news: For Nazarene, the Valedictorian was Mr. Jared Williams of Class 4-Academic with a grade average of 82.9% while the Salutatorian was Ms. Brittany Bahadour of 4-Business with grade average of 78.4%. At Canaan, the Valedictorian was Mr. Jeffers Jesse of Class 4A with a GPA of 3.81 and the Salutatorian was Mr. Eric Baptist, also of Class 4A, with a GPA of 3.36.

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 19, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

To Honor or Not to Honor? The word father is a very big word. It is often misunderstood, misinterpreted, misused, and worse of all, misrepresented! To be a father means to be the first of something, the creator or source of something! I remember being shocked when I learnt that a hen’s egg is a dead egg unless the father, or rooster, adds life to it. We may eat the eggs if we like but as far as it coming to life, without that critical input from the rooster, it is only good for boil-up. It is the same for humans. Unless the father gives an input the eggs are basically dead and are discarded forthwith on a monthly basis. The word ‘father’, then, is more a description or an adjective describing a function rather than a person. It says in the scripture Exodus 20:12: Honor your father and mother so that you’ll live a long time in the land that God, your God, is giving you. Firstly, this makes it clear, that the responsibility of fatherhood is laid upon the male, and that of motherhood on the female! In the scripture there is no space for Adam and Steve, or Eve and Eva! Secondly, wherever the word honor is used there has to be an authority somewhere attached. If we enter a court room we give honor to the judge not because ‘he was nice to my mom when they spoke this morning’ but because he has the backing of the law in that courtroom! This is a very hard instruction from God! He is telling us to honor someone who may have been abusive, neglectful, absent, he may be a drunkard, wife beater, Casanova and the list of possibilities goes on! Yet He didn’t say honor him if you feel like it or if he doesn’t fall under one of these categories! Now this gets tricky here as the responsibility ‘fatherhood’ only begins by the creating of something. See God created the world but He still has to keep spinning it with His finger. The work of a father is never done as you will be a father till you die. Whether you will be a father only by name, that is simply providing a seed but being an absentee, or a father by function, this responsibility is left up to your personal conviction! The greatest and most important responsibility of a father is to provide for and take care of his family! This includes financially, emotionally, spiritually and any other type of ally you can think about. Fathers I must say this again “your first responsibility is to your family”! You know if each father was taking proper care of his many children, our society would not be experiencing even half of the crimes of dysfunction we are currently faced with! One of the things that hurts me the most is the thought of men running around making children sometimes with little under aged girls and simply moving on to the next woman. The child is then left to grow up without a father and the little girl has to now find a job to take care of her family. This is happening in our society today as we speak! People like this are not fathers but rather sperm donors! Time Magazine in a study came to some conclusions: “More than virtually any other factor, a biological father’s presence in a family will determine a child’s success”. A second research result also said “the absence of fathers is linked to most social nightmares from boys with guns to girls with babies.” Dr. Blankenhorn in his research book “Fatherless America” says that based on his studies the most urgent social problem is fatherlessness! He quotes “Fatherlessness is the most destructive trend of our generation”! He could have said the most destructive trend is drinking, or drug abuse, domestic violence but instead his research found fatherlessness to be the most destructive practice! See a true father is not only a sperm donor, but is actually a source. Yes, this is the first thing he donated or sourced to be a biological father but that is only the beginning and is not even necessarily a requirement to function in the office of a father. For example, as I looked on the news the other day I listened to a young man from a high school who was sharing his success story, saying that if it wasn’t for a policeman who took him in and didn’t lock him up, but rather went to his house and helped him to go through school, that he didn’t know where he would be right now! This is fathering. Being a source, an encouragement, providing, protecting, training, guiding, overseeing and this can happen even if the person is not your biological offspring! Note as well that fathers are different from mothers. Having a day to celebrate fathers is good but will never have the same effect as celebrating mothers. This is all because of the way we are wired. While a mom is emotional and all gooey over flowers and this type of recognition, men generally function on a different frequency. A life of honor and respect means more to a father than celebrating a day! Yes you may tickle our interest purchasing some tool, sporting gear, or electronic candy but nothing replaces honor. So To Honor or Not To Honor? Choose to honor whether you believe your father deserves it or not. As you do, you also honor your ultimate Father who has issued the decree! Until next week, God bless!

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 19, 2011

BELIZE TIMES WEEKLY

SCIENCE & TECH R

Selected By Chris Williams

The internet gets an upgrade for World IPv6 Day

8 June 2011 Jacob Aron, technology reporter June 8 was World IPv6 Day, the 24-hour period in which web giants including Google and Facebook switch over to a new networking protocol. It’s hardly a riveting topic and if it all goes to

plan you shouldn’t notice a thing, so why should you care? Because the internet is running out of addresses - and that’s even before we start networking our fridges and hair-dryers. Here’s how it works at the moment: when you type a web address

like www.newscientist.com in to your browser it gets converted into an internet protocol (IP) address, which in our case is 146.101.117.95. This is an Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4) address, one of the 232 or 4,294,967,296 possible addresses. You might think 4.3 billion ad-

Facebook IPO: Shares + Likes = $100bn valuation

Report claims social networking firm will be pushed to go public in first quarter of 2012 If companies were valued by hype, then Facebook could certainly claim to be worth $100bn. But is it really worth that in cold, hard cash? A report from CNBC overnight claims the site is preparing for an initial public offering early next year at an eyewatering valuation of at least $100bn. A 2012 IPO has been expected for some time. CNBC said a the company would be obliged to go public in the first quarter of the year because it is likely to reach the 500-shareholder limit in October, and would then be required to release financial results to the US Securities and Exchange Commission every quarter. The first of these would be due in April, prompting speculation of a first quarter IPO just ahead of that. Further pressure may be coming from within, with some employees pushing for an IPO so that restrictions on cashing in on their stock will be lifted. We asked Facebook about the report and they declined to comment. But this follows various remarks from chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg last month when asked about Facebook’s IPO. In late May at the Reuters Global Technology Summit, Sandberg described the Facebook IPO as “a process that all companies go through. It’s an inevitable process for us, the next thing that happens. No one is

Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The social network is said to be planning a $100bn IPO. Photograph: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

buying us, we’re going public.” At the POLIS lecture, the Wall Street Journal’s Ben Rooney described her answer as non-committal, but she referred to “the IPO” rather than “an IPO”, which was seen as further confirmation. And though she joked she’d give out the date, she didn’t. Over the past six months, estimates of Facebook’s value have rocketed from $50bn when Goldman Sachs invested $1.5bn in the firm, to $85bn based on trading through private markets such as SecondMarket. One transaction in January, where

a trader bought Facebook shares at $55 each, put the site’s value at $124bn – that’s 62 times greater than Facebook’s estimated revenues of $2bn last year. If more concrete evidence emerges of a slowdown in Facebook’s growth that would confirm the company is peaking, it makes sense for the company to cash in soon. And it’s definitely in the air, with LinkedIn’s IPO at $4.3bn and Groupon recently filing for its IPO at a valuation of $750m.

dresses would be enough for anyone, but it quite literally isn’t, as it’s not even enough for the world’s population to have one each. So in 1998 the Internet Engineering Task Force laid out a new standard called IPv6, which uses much longer addresses such as 2001:0db8:85 a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334. This lengthier scheme can accommodate 2128 addresses, or 3.4 x 1038 (or even 340 trillion trillion trillion, if you prefer). The new addresses use the hexadecimal numbering system, in which the letters A to F represent the numbers 10 to 15, which has allowed some companies to have a little fun - Facebook can be reached at 2620:0:1c08:4000:face:b00c:0:1. Problem solved then? Unfortunately not, since online providers have been slow to adopt the new standard, and the vast majority of internet equipment still uses IPv4 addresses. That’s why the Internet Society has organised World IPv6 Day, allowing the big providers to test out their new IPv6 equipment and encourage others to make the switch. So far the event seems to have gone off without a hitch and internet services firm Akamai shows a strong rise in IPv6 usage. The internet society expects that 0.05 per cent of users may experience some connectivity problems, and you can test your readiness at sites like testipv6.com. Even if World IPv6 Day is a success, it’s not clear that we’ll be switching off IPv4 any time soon. That’s a shame, because IPv6 has the potential to enable the “internet of things”, in which every device from kitchen appliances to beauty products has its own network address. If you think the iPad is impressive, wait until you’re downloading apps for your oven..

Sunday, June 19, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

A ‘LEAK’ at BWS

springs tales of abuse & intimidation Continued from page 10 that is meant to conceal the neglected grounds of the Complex. Interestingly, Tom Morrison, the very man who accused Longsworth of “buying” votes to beat him out in the UDP Albert Standard Bearer Convention, sits on the Board of Directors also. Other members include the Chief Executive Officer of BWS, Alvan Haynes, Chairman of the Election & Boundaries Commission, Alberto August and Chief Executive of the Social Security Board (SSB), Merlene Bailey-Martinez. Longsworth also sits on BWS’ Audit Committee and is the Chairman of the Procurement Committee. Sounds more like a political octopus, right? While the composition of BWS’ Board of Directors is enough for anyone to shake his/her head, the management team of BWS is sure to give one the creeps. Led by the compulsive onearmed bandit user, Alvan Haynes, the management team of BWS continues to foster a working environment that instills trepidation and demoralization among the company’s workers. Aided and abetted by his henchman, Operations Officer Dave Pascacio (another contractor by profession), Haynes has systematically consolidated his dominion at the water company. The BELIZE TIMES has been reliably informed that the former Operations Officer of BWS was demoted to make way for Pascacio. A coldhearted plot was made alleging that a number of water meters had gone missing from the company’s inventory. Pascacio succeeded in convincing Haynes and the rest of the Board that seven employees from the Operations Section were behind the “purported theft”. Consequently, the group of seven was terminated forthwith without due process. And if that weren’t calculating enough, the BELIZE TIMES has learned that the entire case of the “missing meters” was totally fabricated. Notwithstanding, there are seven individuals who have now found themselves jobless, most of whom were the breadwinners of their families. For those seven former employees, the situation gets even sadder considering that their union, the BWS Union, has totally abandoned them. Some employees shared, “The President of the BWS Union, Lorelei Westby, is fully compromised and dares not challenge the authoritative decisions of the management and Board of Directors of BWS”. As the BELIZE TIMES understands, the recent election process for the BWS Union was so rigged that voting members are actually instructed to vote for specific individuals. One employee described it as, “The Board and Management have successfully hijacked the Union”. The situation at BWS is a truly sad story as the employees now feel that they have no one to turn to while their

fundamental rights as workers are being infringed upon. Having had their increments denied, refused appraisals, abandoned by their Union and, in the case of a 23-year veteran of the company, disrespected by being called “illiterate” by Operations Officer Pascacio, the employees of BWS are crying out for someone to address their concerns. While the collective cry of those employees falls on deaf ear, members of the Board and management team continue to award themselves lucrative contracts. The current Board of Directors and management team of BWS represent nothing more than a microcosm of Dean Barrow and the UDP whose modus operandi is to engender an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.

Robbers target OW Chinese store Orange Walk Town, June 14, 2011 By Carmelita Perez Shots rang out this afternoon on Belize/Corozal Road as New Hong Fua Supermarket was robbed by four men, one armed with a firearm. At the time of the incident one customer along with sales man Adar Awe were inside the store. According to the male customer, by the time he realized that the place was being robbed it was already too late and shots had already rung out. After shooting Awe on the right leg, the robbers escaped on foot with some $400 to $500 in cash, leaving behind broken sunglasses and a brown t-shirt. At the scene of the crime Police found two expended shells on the counter and one outside the business establishment.

But Police wasted no time and their quick response led to the detention of five men believed to have carried out the robbery. Two of the individuals were detained by Police as they were running inside an abandoned lot located close to the Palmar Government School. One of the suspected robbers was shot by Police on the right leg as he was trying to escape, while two others were detained by the Establo Restaurant while traveling on a bus heading to Chetumal. The men have been identified as 21 year old Gushanie Wagner, a fisherman of Sittee River Street in Orange Walk Town, 18 year old Patrick Jones, 19 year old Jay Flowers and 22 year old Jermaine Belgrave all from Belize City. Wagner has been identified as the suspected robber who was shot by Police while trying to escape.

THE BELIZE TIMES

GSU’s Vidal: Child Abuser?

Continued from page 1 “Scarface” approach to policing. To make this shocking story complete, it must be known that the stepmother of this little girl is none other than, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Cheryl-Lynn Vidal. This is what aggravates the already shameful report. The Director of Public Prosecutions has the highest power by the Constitution of Belize to prosecute all criminal actions. Yet, the evidence from one witness is that the DPP was heard by the brother of the seven year old victim “telling my father lies about my sister”. Apart from the alleged false report from Vidal to his father, he describes his experiences with his step mother, “I want to say that each time my father is not around and we would tell her evening, she never answers us but when my father is around she will answer.” On that night and in the early morning, the little girl recounts how she was ripped from her sleep by commands from her father, Mark Vidal Sr., to wake up. The child’s account is that father and step-mother Vidal, had barged into the room together with the father demanding to be told what happened. Before the young child could answer, and after Mrs. DPP had put fire to the situation, by saying something that the child could not understand, the DPP gave a “thick leather belt” to the muscular Vidal. He welted up the flesh of the little girl by beating her with more than twenty cuts. The child was given no medical attention after the flogging. In fact all the child got was a glass of water. It was not until at school the next day, the child could not sit properly in class and was being teased by her classmates, that teachers became alarmed. When she went home her mother lifted her uniform and saw the injuries. Even two days afterwards, a doctor examining the child still had to classify the attack as harm because of the array of “bruises and … lacerations on both legs and buttocks” which were quite fresh on her small frame. What could make a father do this to his baby daughter? According to the family that was present, it was a false report about a doll. A doll. A toy. A piece of plastic! Strict and violent discipline, some might say is common in Belize, but we know that none will condone child abuse. We would be remised if we were not to comment on the irony of this alleged crime. In less than sixty days Belize will be made into a child by the Preventative Detention laws of the UDP. We will be vulnerable and dependent on the thin benevolence of the GSU and the DPP’s Office. The very man who is to go col-

lect “criminals” was first connected to a group who committed acts that are telling signs of sociopaths. These criminal personalities are known to begin their dark futures by killing animals. The Menjivars can attest to the fact that more than five dogs were gunned down by the Vidal’s GSU. Who will investigate the Vidals for the alleged abuse and the suspected procurement/abetment of that child abuse? Is violence ingrained in PM Dean Barrow’s new crop of special force, the GSU? As is the norm, since it involves a child, the matter should have been forwarded to the Human Services Department, who all indications are, have concealed this matter to shame-

lessly protect the image of high profile individuals. The mother of the child has relentlessly tried to get the Police to act on the report given, but every time she visits, she walks away hopelessly. 12 days after the incident and almost two weeks after the Police’s inaction, the child’s school teacher also went to the Police Station to report that the student had bruises. This had no effect on the Police. The case, kept secret until now, has huge implications for the most vulnerable parties involved in this case. Nothing can be more paramount than the protection of the children. This is why it is shocking that despite the reports, the alleged child victim remains in the care of the accused perpetrators. The school administration has reported that they have witnessed a drastic change in the behaviour of the child. Meanwhile, the child lives in fear, and has reported in her statement that her father threatened that the next time he will “lash harder

Sunday, June 19, 2011 and more than how he lash me”. We at BELIZE TIMES call for the DPP to resign and seek God. We demand in the name of the rights of that child and her family, that a special prosecutor be appointed to this case. We demand that the head of the GSU be placed on Interdiction immediately and that those poor children be sent to the safety of their mother. This article may be the only justice that mother gets but we at BELIZE TIMES will speak for the voiceless and powerless. This is one matter that cannot be ignored and should not be disregarded. It requires the attention of all those who stand for the innocent and defenceless, whether it is NCFC, UNICEF, Belizeans for Justice or the special envoy for children.

Visit Us Online at: www.belizetimes.bz

Sunday, June 19, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Senior Citizens not so “Golden” anymore, GOB report says Belize City, June 13, 2011 The progressive safety net for senior citizens, established since the early period of the former PUP Government, has been slowly dismantled and overlooked by the cold and uncaring Barrow Administration. A recently released report titled “Situational Analysis of Older Persons in Belize” uncovers how neglected persons aged 60 and over are today in our country, with little security provided by the Government. The research was conducted by the National Council on Ageing, a statutory body formed under the former administration to represent and lobby on behalf of senior citizens. The report consists of analyses from a survey conducted with 492 older persons from across the districts in 2010, and highlights the state of senior citizens in four main areas: healthcare, financial security, family and social support, and housing and safe environment. In the area of healthcare, according to the report, less than 20% of the elderly consider themselves to be in good health. The remaining 80% rate their health condition as fair to poor. This large group also said that they suffer from some medical problem and have to take medication regularly. Most disturbing was the cost of medical care borne by senior citizens. 61% of those surveyed said they had to pay for the medication themselves, with the cost ranging from $1.00 up to $1,500. In some cases, medication had to be purchased in nearby Melchor, Guatemala, or Chetumal, Mexico, which introduces the increasing cost of travel. Perhaps it is because of the same high cost of healthcare that senior citizens choose, according to the report, to endure medical problems than seek regular check-ups. 22.5% of those surveyed said they would visit a doctor every six months, while 43.1% said they only do so when it becomes urgent. The statistics are a serious indictment on the Barrow Administration and a clear indication that the UDP Government’s health and social policies are failing many. Shortly after taking office, the Barrow Administration halted and then began reversing the National Health Insurance (NHI) plan which they had inherited. The PUP was rolling out NHI nationwide, but the spiteful UDP administration began to reverse it which meant that thousands of Belizeans, including senior citizens, would no longer benefit from Government’s free, universal health care. Even the pension scheme for senior citizens, which was initiated by the former PUP Government to provide monthly financial assistance to over 4,000 most needy older women

Other findings: 2009 older population: 23,800 (7.1%) Prevalent chronic diseases: diabetes mellitus, heart disease, hypertensive disease More than half of the elderly population said they suffer from feelings of depression. Almost half of the old population are care-givers Over 85% eat a balanced nutrition including fruits, vegetables, meat and fish A small percentage depend on a diet of bread and butter with sugar only 42.7% of the population own a piece of land Under 30% have between 1 to 4 children Under 30% have 5 to 7 children 25% have between 8 to 10 children 13% have over 10 children Only 15% are members of a social club or organisation, including the Church Half of the population believe their houses are strong, but not strong enough for a Hurricane Half of the population had telephone access at home, mostly landlines then cell phones

and men, was targeted and derailed by the Barrow Administration. The National Council on Ageing has investigated hundreds of reports that senior citizens’ names were arbitrarily struck off the official list of pensioners since February 2008. The move to cut off hundreds of senior citizens from the pension scheme was a cold and callous one. Data indicates that a mere 18% of the population of older persons benefit from the pension scheme, which means cutting down on the numbers is regressive. The Council of Ageing is not only asking for the situation to be reviewed, but also for the pension amount to be increased from $100 to $160. Cutting down the number of pension beneficiaries has also only worsened conditions for older persons, who because of age and health condition, are least employable and therefore rely on assistance to receive income. The survey showed that 84.3% of the older population do not receive employment income. The small percentage that does get some income indicates that the amount is not sufficient to meet their needs, because the cost of living is too high. The elderly are among the most vulnerable in society. Despite this, the Barrow Administration has made zero strides at improving living conditions for senior citizens. Instead, the UDP Government has made things more difficult, as in addition to lacking jobs, old persons have no security and are constant victims of assaults, robberies and home invasions. It is a shameless record to carry – a Government so cruel that it does not even care for its once golden citizens.

Deputy Leader

Carolyn Trench-Sandiford attends Launch of Universal Pension Report

At the invitation of Help Age and the National Council of Aging, Deputy Party Leader Carolyn Trench-Sandiford represented the People’s United Party at the Launch of the Feasibility Study on Universal Pension in Belize Report at the Radisson Fort George Hotel and Marina on Wednesday June 8, 2011. Jeff James, Regional Representative of Help Age International, presented copies of the Report to the Deputy, who thanked him and the organization on behalf of the Party for the opportunity to participate in the launch and the discussions that ensued. She noted that it was timely, as the Party is currently crafting policies in preparation for governance, and she assured them, that the

recommendations will be considered in this process. According to Deputy Trench-Sandiford, the concept of a universal pension for the elderly is rooted in discussions between Help Age and Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, who as a Minister of Human Development, lobbied successfully for the adoption of a National Policy on aging. That framework was adopted in 2002. The intent of the universal pension is to guarantee that all Belizeans receive a minimum regular income in their old age. It builds on the Non-Contributory Pension introduced by the PUP government for women over 65 in 2003, and its extension to older men over 67, in 2008.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Flour Prices increase, Bread Price next?

Belize City, June 10, 2011 On June 10th the Barrow Administration approved an increase in the controlled price of flour which has made the retail and whole prices more expensive for consumers and businesses. A 100lb sack of Bebe Agua or La Gitana flour now goes for $80, while the retails prices are from $0.93 and $0.91 in Belmopan, to $0.97 and $0.95 in San Pedro. But while Belizeans will have to dig deeper into their pockets to pay for flour, that’s just the start of the hard times. An increase in the price of flour leads to an increase in a whole list of

commodities, including bread which can be found three times a day on meal table. Government has not indicated how their approved increase will affect the price of bread, but it is inevitable. In March of this year, the BELIZE TIMES had reported that the Bakers Association was requesting up to a $0.50 increase in the price of a 16 ounce pack of bread. The Association said the cost of production had skyrocketed over the past years, while the price of bread remained the same. The last time an increase was approved was in 2008, when a $0.25 increase was approved by the Barrow Administration.

Woman punched & robbed in Belize City Belize City, June 13, 2011 Two men are being sought by Belize City Police following a report made by a woman that she was assaulted and robbed while walking on Logwood Street. Leonora Vargas reported that she was walking on the said street around 1:30am on Saturday June 11th, when two male persons approached her on bicycles. She said one of them grabbed her

black purse valued at $50. She attempted to fight back, but the other male person punched her on the jaw, causing her to fall to the ground. The men were able to escape with the purse which contained Vargas’ social security card, ATM Bank card, driver’s license, Belize and United States Passport, a gold bracelet valued at $320, and $90 in cash. Police are investigating.

Humor in UDP Politics! At a Special Cabinet called this week to discuss BEL and other crises, sugar dominated the discussion with every minister asking the other “where is the sugar?” To their surprise not even the Minister of Sugar knew the answer to this one, as he confessed that not even Orange Walk where sugar is produced had any sugar. ……………………………. As former Minister of Police, nobody took Perdomo serious after he opened his mouth to ask if BDF soldiers will be allowed to join the special Police carnival group, headed by Singh. All the new Minister talks about is Carnival. It’s all a charade for those two who have ended up with an army man as CEO of the Police and a Policeman as CEO of the Army. ……………………………. If Melvin Hulse is really in charge of Transport, why did the Prime Minister call a special press conference on Transport and Melvin Hulse, who loves to yap away, said absolutely nothing? ……………………………. The UDP is so hell bent on trying its luck with another female Mayoral candidate, that when the UDP expelled Zenaida, everyone agreed the best candidate would be Darrellitas Bradley. With a dad who runs his mouth like wah woman, and bawls for anything…Darrelitas must be everything woman. ……………………………. Things are so bad under Barrow that even the coconuts on the coconut trees have dried up. Things are so bad that Freetown gyal no only have no water to wash their skin, but no soap, no wash rag, no money and definitely no sugar.

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 19, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Ship flying Belize flag almost causes US-North Korea war

Belize City, June 14, 2011 Belize is known for having asinine foreign policies under this UDP Government. Barrow’s (not ours) Foreign Affairs’ Minister has declared our border with Guatemala as “artificial”; the PM has sold Belize’s allegiance to a European economic dwarf for thirty million dollars; we who fought for independence against the British colonisers have switched to supporting Goliath instead of David in the Israel-Palestine dispute; we cower before Guatemala and its continuous barefaced insurgency; and now, this Government’s unregulated ship-registration policy is in the middle of an

Nestor Vasquez, was considering the approval of a $14.9m loan to a company named Nature Fresh Belize Limited. The purpose of the loan is for Nature to purchase the assets of Fresh Catch Belize Limited, a shrimp-farm company which went into receivership in 2010. But the controversy lies in that Nature is owned by the Mena family group, who were also the owners of the now defunct Fresh Catch Belize. It goes against the basic rule of any investment – never place your bet on a wrong deal twice, but the Social Security Board – headed by UDP sorts such as the PM’s ex-wife, Lois Young-Barrow, Merlene Bailey-Martinez, Nestor Vasquez, and Dylan Reneau, appear hell bent to take the risky gamble with tax payer’s monies. The proposed loan, which has already been approved by the Investment Committee, is for 10 years at a rate of 8% on the reducing balance. On Tuesday, Cabinet announced

international crisis that brought the world to the brink of World War III. Yes, Belizeans, Belize was close to causing World War III. The tense conflict between the United States and military powerhouse North Korea al-

its odd position that it does not support the loan, but this only a deceitful tactic. Last year, when SSB approved the controversial $50 million buyout in BTL shares, it was done at the behest of Cabinet; therefore if Cabinet was truly against the move, it could put pressure on its appointed members of the Investment Committee and Board of Directors. Of interest is that the loan proposal was pitched before Social Security by none other than Business Senator, Godwin Hulse, who was once known as a loud opponent of taking risks with tax payer’s money. The entire scheme was also being handled in secrecy. Proposed SSB investments and loans are required, by law, to be published in national newspaper, but the UDP chose to place the notice in a newspaper based in the Cayo District which is barely read by anyone. Fortunately someone did pick it up, and exposed the UDP’s hypocrisy and games with Belizeans.

Man Beaten to death in Corozal

Continued from page 1

less body of a man found beaten along the road to Xaibe Village. The body of 38 year old Mauricio Cawich Jr., a resident of Xaibe Village, was found bleeding profusely on the side of the road in Xaibe around 1:20 on Friday morning. Officer Commanding the Corozal Police Formation Superintendent Gualberto Garcia, told us that Police have been treating the case as murder, even though the post mortem had not been carried out, because the body was found with several cut wounds on the forehead and a bruise on the left elbow. The post mortem results corroborate the Police’s suspicions. The autopsy has determined that Mauricio

tation and diplomatic pressure, the ship turned back and headed to North Korea. Although US authorities did not want to risk a confrontation, they say they were prepared to use military strike to prevent the ship from continuing on its path.

Continued on Insert 2

UDP gambles with tax payers’ dollars Continued from page 4

INSERT33 1

Cawich died from bronchial assertion due to a massive head injury as a consequence of a blunt instrument. Cawich’s family says they know their loved one was brutally attacked by a machete-wielding man, who Cawich had a dispute with the night before. On the night of the attack, Cawich was under the influence of alcohol. The last time Cawich was seen alive was at around 11:00 on Thursday night while he was drinking within the village. Several persons were detained for questioning by Police but were released due to a lack of evidence. Police are continuing their investigations into the murder.

most erupted to serious military action when a ship carrying the Belizean flag and registered in Belize was intercepted in international waters and suspected of transporting banned weapons technology. On May 26th, the M/V Light was on its way from North Korea to Burma when the USS McCampbell, a Navy destroyer, acted on intelligence that the ship may have been carrying illegal cargo. US White House special assistant on arms control and weapons of mass destruction, Gary Samore, said they had intelligence that the ship was involved in weapons exports to Burma and the Middle East in the past. Under Security Council Resolution 1874 and an earlier one, 1718, North Korea is barred from engaging in the arms trade. US authorities ordered the ship to halt so they could board for inspection, but the M/V Light refused. After a few days of military confron-

Barrow & Williams’ Oil Law Firm? Continued from page 4

cused the PM of being in a position of conflict of interest since his law firm is associated with Princess Petroleum and Treat Energy Corporation oil companies. Barrow fired back that MaturaShepherd had crossed the line and he had been advised that he could sue her. Barrow even said he would. Well, Barrow might need to file more than one set of civil claims because an Amandala poll last week indicates that a majority of pollsters (91.2%) agreed that the Prime Minister sure appeared to be in a position of conflict of interest. Wait ‘til Belizeans check out the new spic ‘n span Barrow & Williams law firm, there will be no doubt after that. We are told the new building will soon be unveiled, but only the Caviar-toasting oil-affiliated elites will be invited to attend.

34 INSERT 2

THE BELIZE TIMES

Patrick Menzies says Barrow “is scared” Belize City, June 14, 2011 Firebrand activist, Patrick Menzies, is in Belize on a mission. Since his appearance on the national scene as an advisor to bus operators during the bus crisis, Menzies has gradually taken on other issues which he says are keeping Belizeans impoverished and abused.

Menzies, who was once considered an ally of the Barrow Administration, has said that the tables have been turned on him and now the Government is intimidating and threatening him with political victimization. “Bring it on,” challenged Menzies at a conference on Friday, “and I will

Justice has a Home Belize City, June 14, 2011 A 14 year old standard six student and her four siblings whose home was destroyed by the evil UDP Government, a mother grieving the death of her teenaged son shot dead on the cold streets of Belize City, and a pre-school child who will never again go home to her faYolanda Schakron cuts ribbon to new office ther who is another victim of gun violence; they all have one the group. thing in common. For the last few weeks Those funds will be used to asand months, they have sought consola- sist families, provide scholarships and tion and refuge from Belizeans for Jus- carry out lobby activities. Today, three tice. scholarships were distributed to three Belizeans for Justice is an organisa- children, who have lost financial suption which emerged during the pain and port for their education when their agony felt by dozens of grieving mothers fathers were gunned down. Those reand Belizeans who lost loved ones in the cipients are Nijah Jones, Glenford Auvicious cycle of violence, but also their dinette Jr., and Nilah Cooper. strength and will to seek “Justice”. It was Speaking at today’s event, Ms. the idea of Ms. Joan Sutherland, whose Schakron said Belizeans for Justice has son was killed by a bullet, and Ms. Yolan- been playing a pivotal role. “We are at a da Schakron, whose nephew’s murder crisis at the moment. We want to serve continues cloaked in controversy. as a voice for those Belizeans who don’t Ms. Schakron became the President get equitable justice,” Schakron said. of the group, and has since taken many Guest speaker at the event was formore grieving and aggrieved Belizeans mer Pastor Patrick Menzies, who is also under her wings. For many months, the an advisor to the group. Menzies said he group has had to defend them on the is disturbed by the lack of justice and eqstreets and media conferences but as of uity in Belize, and he believes Belizeans today Justice has a home. for Justice and other groups must take a Today Belizeans for Justice Presi- stand to end the tyranny that rules. dent Ms. Schakron cut the ribbons to “Without justice, there is no detheir new headquarters on Vernon St. mocracy,” Menzies remarked. He also which will house their office and be the said the Government is not upholdcenter of their operations. The office ing the Constitution of Belize, and are which is located on the second flat of instead abusing the rights of Belizeans their family business, Royal Wholesale, with impunity. on 46 Vernon Street consists of counAny Belizean who feels that injusselling rooms and a kitchen area. The tice has been levied on them is invited kitchen will be used to raise funds for to visit the office of Belizeans for Justice.

Ship flying Belize flag almost causes US-North Korea war

Continued from Insert 1

While the UDP Government back home can barely wage war against crime and poverty, through its foolish foreign policy it nearly caused war thousands of miles away. The problem is that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has allowed ship registration to occur in an adhoc manner, despite the implications. Last year, red flags emerged when a Russian ship carrying the Be-

lize-flag was ambushed and taken for ransom by Somalian pirates. Questions should have been asked then and a better policy should have been put in place to ensure that ships who buy Belize-registration are not those under the U.S. terror watch-list. But that is unlike the Barrow Administration, whose policy is committed to selling out our land, visa and passport to anyone willing to pay the price.

show you who is with me”. This week, Menzies said the Government is using its security forces to intimidate him, but he won’t give in.

Sunday, June 19, 2011 He said that on Monday he attended a meeting with Bus Association President Thomas Shaw and bus stakeholders in Benque Viejo del Carmen and as soon as the Police learnt of his whereabouts, a police patrol began following him around. On their way to Belmopan, their vehicle was stopped and searched twice. Meanwhile, as Shaw headed to Belize City, he was stopped and searched three more times. “This shows me that the leadership of this country is scared, because there are people who are not afraid to stand up,” said Menzies. Menzies said the people of Belize are currently governed by a tyranny which must be stopped.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Philloughby is the Market’s problem Tuesday, June 14, 2011 The vegetable retailers and wholesalers who occupy and operate out of the old Queen’s Square Market on West Collet Canal today signed a Memorandum of Understanding at City Hall along with the failed City Council and its Councillor responsible for markets, Philip Willoughby. The document also bears the name of a resident who, by Willoughby’s account, represents the rest of the residents of the area. The nine-point MOU seeks to eliminate the vendors/wholesalers/residents’ “problem” – that of the successful co-existence of all who need to make a living and also live in that vicinity. With set time allotments for the vendors and wholesalers to operate during daylight hours, the MOU deals with the vendor to wholesaler issue, which was that the wholesalers, who are located outside, were underselling the vendors inside the market thereby taking away business from them. With the signatures of the various groups now on paper, that seems now to be the least of the problem. But the initial dilemma, which sparked all other 101 market crises, still remains: that the wholesalers will be allowed still to congregate at night when they arrive with their produce. This was what irked the residents in the first place, because when the market or its environs are occupied at night, all kinds of activities take place. Philloughby craftily answered the questions posed to him on the daylight running of the market, but when a reporter asked him and Chairman of the Vendors/Wholesalers Association, Alvin Hyde, Jr. just how the Council will deal with the wholesalers who arrive from 7 pm onwards to ensure that the

INSERT35 3

Like putting the rat to mind cheese…

PM says Vega in charge of contraband sugar control

residents’ concerns are adequately addressed, both bobbed and weaved through their responses. Hyde even admitted that the residents were just being informed via the interview that there was still going to be a presence of wholesalers on Hicattee Street during the night. This can only mean that there will be more conflict to come since the residents’ initial problem still exists. It doesn’t matter how you slice it, Philloughby, the simple truth is that neither the diploma it took you almost a decade to obtain nor that silly-looking Superman cap that you think best suits your look, will help. It’s time to adequately address the people’s concerns – and it starts with dealing with the main problem – YOU, Mr. Councillor. While the vendors and wholesalers are needed, the residents also need their peace at night. The talk right now about looking for another market location elsewhere won’t save you. You’re simply trying to buy time into the next elections while appearing to address the problem, but the voters see right through that farce.

Belize City, June 14, 2011 For many weeks, sugar has been a scarce commodity in the local market. Store shelves have had such a limited quota that they sell out quickly, and Belizeans have had to scramble all over to find some. It is obvious that there is a sugar scarcity, but it has not been caused by low production by Belize Sugar Industries Limited. The problem, according to BSI officials, is that after their warehouse distributes sugar for local consumption it somehow finds its way across the border, into Mexico, where retail prices are higher than in Belize. The Orange Walk District shares borders with Mexico. With communities such as La Union and *** within reachable distance, feeding the black market by taking Belizean sugar across our porous border is not a difficult feat. Contraband, supported by political officials, is a business in the northern parts of the country. Last week Prime Minis-

ter Dean Barrow acknowledged that the sugar scarcity was caused by the black market, and he announced that Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega was tasked to stop the contraband of sugar and bring the scarcity to an end. To many Belizeans, that was the joke of the day because putting Vega to regulate contraband is like putting the rat to mind cheese. Although he is Deputy Prime Minister (a position granted solely for his fealty and financial enormity), Vega has little moral ground to stand on in this issue. The DPM is surrounded by friends and family suspected of engaging in the practice of contraband themselves, and DPM himself has gone on record to support contraband. Vega’s strategy to quell the scarcity will likely be to squint his eyes, cross his fingers and pray that it happens. Or, as the Baron of the north, Vega can issue an order to all his friends who may themselves be responsible for the sugar contraband. The next time Belizeans can’t find sugar at the stores, they know why…the rat is minding the cheese.

36 INSERT 4

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 19, 2011