2 02
26 MAY
THE BELIZE TIMES
OPINION OUT
OUT
PUP candidates challenge Red Bank village elections
The Politicians and the Police
!
Dear Editor, The Commissioner of Police (ComPol) occupies an extremely important post in our fledgling democracy as he and he alone drives our internal security apparatus. It is through the ComPol that the State exercises its monopoly on the use of force and the right to deprive citizens of their liberty on the grounds of national security. Plainly put, the ComPol wields extraordinary powers! History has taught us however, that if a democracy is to survive one imbued with such powers must exercise it judiciously and independently. Earlier this month the immediate former ComPol David Henderson was seen campaigning for the UDP in Unitedville for the village council elections--a mere four months after leaving the office of ComPol. In the circumstances it is not unreasonable to draw the conclusion that Henderson was a UDP Commissioner. If one draws such a conclusion, two obvious questions emerge (1) was David Henderson judicious and independent in the exercise of his office as ComPol? And (2) can David Henderson exercise the functions of the office of Director of the National Forensic Service with the professionalism and independence that such office demands? Some supporters of the PUP have been making a great deal of noise at Henderson’s overt support for the UDP but the PUP has not given us, thus far, any reason to believe that things will be different on their watch. It would be reassuring for them to do so and to do so now! I say this because immediately after the UDP’s victory in 2008 senior poContinued on page 30
Jonathan Cho Chairman Candidate PUP Red Bank Village, Stann Creek District Mr. B. Q. Pitts Chairman, Elections and Boundaries Commission Belize City
!
Dear Chairman, We the candidate and villagers of Red Bank in the Stann Creek District are outraged at the way the Village Council Election was conducted on May 12, 2013, and by this letter we are challenging both the results and the conduct of the elections as follows: The system if assigning numbers for Candidates as per the law SI 31 of 2010 and as advised by the Elections and Boundaries Department in Dangriga Town was not used. The Election Officers imposed their own system of assigning numbers which provided hardships to the voters. The Agents for the United Democratic Party were allowed to canvas in the line and to influence voters how to vote, taking advantage of the confusion caused by #1 above. In reconciliation and count, the ballot papers were not shown to Counting Agents by the Elections Officers for verification and transparency. The result was just announced to those in the room. Only the total was recorded on shop paper and placed on the black board. We the undersigned candidates are reporting these irregularities and demanding that the election results of May 12, 2013 be declared null and void. We further request that a free and fair election be held for the village of Red Bank as soon as possible. Sincerely, Jonathan Cho, Juan Cal, Edwardo Cho Jr., Leonso Ical, Christino Acal, Santiago Cal, Domingo Chun, Francisco Cal (Past Chairman)
Bachelor’s Degree Student lashes out at UB
!
Dear Editor I am a transferred student from St. John’s Junior College, where I got my Associate’s Degree in Business Administration with Accounting. I applied to the University of Belize to enroll in the Bachelor’s Accounting program. After my two years at John’s the University of Belize did not accept or transfer 13 of my associate classes’ credit. Upon enrolling at the University I have been requested to take 8 prerequisites. These prerequisites are all associate classes and I am being charged $90.00 a credit hour for associate classes - $270.00 per class – in lieu of $87 total. In my personal view these classes are IRRELEVANT to my area of interest: ACCOUNTING. These prerequisites include the following: HIST1014 – Introduction to Belizean History, SPAN1015 – Beginner Spanish, ENGL2105 – Communication Skills, PSYC1014 – Introduction to Psychology, SOLC1014 – Introduction to Sociology, NRMP1014 – Environmental Conservation and Development, ACTG2014 – Accounting Software, CMPS1024 – Computer Business Applications. This adds up to $90 *3*8= $2160 I am paying to the University of Belize. When I should actually be paying $696 ($29*3*8). That is an astonishing $1464 difference. That’s the fees for a whole extra semester. It is a waste of my money and time. I would like to get refunded all my money for taking irrelevant classes. And, I will deem these courses as irrelevant until someone can show me how these subjects directly enhance my accounting skills. I want to be and desire to be an Accountant not a Historian or a Psychiatrist. Yes we need to be well rounded student but as far as I am concern I am well rounded. I have been
24 May
25 May
26 May
taught my Belizean History from Primary School and High school. I have taken science from primary school up to junior college. I know about being environmentally safe. I already took basic science at John’s, so why must I do NRMP1014? The knowledge is there. I wish the institution would stop hampering me from studying - with all these prerequisites, what I really want to study. My question to the University is: what do all these subjects have to do with ACCOUNTING? When it comes to ENGL2105 – Communication Skills and ACTG2014 – Accounting Software, which are 200 level courses, all Bachelor’s Accounting students; even those who did their associates at UB; are required to take these classes that should be charged at $29.00 per credit hour are charged at $90.00 per credit hour. How is this and why? This is because these two courses are not shown on the sequence for Associates Business Science students. However, these two subjects magically appear as prerequisites to Bachelor’s Accounting students. I must clarify that I classify these classes as prerequisites because they are 200 level classes. There was also an incident where the Accounting students could not register for the Accounting Software class because Cost Accounting I & II and Intermediate I & II, which are 300 level courses where prerequisites to Accounting Software a 200 level course. REDICULOUS! How can a 300 level course be a prerequisite to a 200 level course? This is why I strongly believe the institution Continued on page 30
SCAN HERE
The Belize Times
Established 1957
14 APR 2013
|
ISSUE NO: 4840
The Truth Shall Make You Free
www.belizetimes.bz
|
$1.00
serving Belize since 1957 as the longest continuous newspaper. Founder: Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price, People’s United Party Leader Emeritus EDITOR
Alberto Vellos LAYOUT/GRAPHIC ARTIST
Chris Williams
OFFICE ASSISTANT
Roberto Peyrefitte Printed and Published By The Belize Times Press Ltd.
weather
LOCAL
2013
27 May
2628Mar May
27 Mar May 6 29 Feb
Tel: 671-8385 #3 Queen Street P.O. BOX 506 Belize City, Belize
Email: belizetimesadvertisement@yahoo.com
editortimes@yahoo.com
Exchange rate of One Belize Dollar
United States (USD): $ 0.5059
Barbados Eastern Caribbean (BBD): $ 1.0092 (XCD):$ 1.3634
Euro (EUR) : $ 0.3908
Sterling Pound Guatemala Quetzal CANADIAN DOLLAR CHINESE YUAN Trinidadian (TTD) INDIAN RUPEE (GBP): $ 0.3344 (GTQ): $ 3.9311 (CAD): $ 0.5216 (CNY): $ 3.1037 : $ 3.2335 (INR): $ 28.115