Issuu

Sunday, October 16, 2011

SUNDAY October 16, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

www.facebook/Belize Times

Issue No. 4767

Landslide! Support for Mark Espat as next PUP Leader is overwhelming

Belize City, October 12, 2011 If an election for Party Leader were to be held today or tomorrow, PUP Albert representative Hon. Mark Espat would win by a landslide. That is the indication given by official information from officials at the People’s United Party headquarters. On Wednesday evening, the PUP’s Eastern Caucus, which includes twelve constituencies in the Belize District, gave its overwhelming support to the three-term Albert Area Representative as the next leader of the PUP. This comes after endorsements from the Southern, Western and Northern Caucuses which have been recorded by the Party Secretariat. Together, they represent the 31 constituencies throughout the country. The leadership of the PUP became

3 term PUP Albert Area Rep. Mark Espat has majority support to become next PUP leader

42 deadly weapons stolen from BDF! Belize City, October 12, 2011 With our national security being called into question by the Barack Obama administration, the Barrow Administration cannot afford more black eyes. But that’s just what it got today with the news that dozens of highpowered rifles had been stolen from the Belize Defense Force armoury at Price Barracks, Ladyville.

Example of high powered weapons stolen from BDF

The burglary reportedly happened sometime between last week

21,000

Reasons for

a Referendum See page 6

when the last routine check was done at the

Continued on page 4

CAYO MAN

ACCUSED OF INTERCOURSE WITH A BULL See page 6

vacant last week Friday, October 7th, when Opposition Leader Hon. John Briceño announced he would be stepping down as leader of the PUP for health reasons. Briceño had been quietly battling a serious health complication for some time, and only recently did it worsen to a point that his medical advisors told him it was time to bow out. Aware of the repercussions, Briceño humbly and boldly stepped aside. The resignation sent shockwaves, and like with the swiftness of his announcement at a National

Executive meeting held Friday, so did the Party act. With majority support of the Executive, Espat was nominated as the Interim Leader, with responsibility to hold over until the process of selecting a new leader within 30 days was completed. That Executive nomination has turned into an overwhelming endorsement, as the support coming from Caucuses as well as Party’s standing units is indicating. Wednesday night’s meeting was focused on the Party forging ahead in unity. No one dissented Hon. Espat’s interim leadership nor questioned his capacity as Party Leader. Meanwhile, eleven of the twelve constituencies supported his bid for Leader, including Freetown which was represented

Continued on page 4

Unemployment Time Bomb Despite $15m US assistance, Belize’s national security is highly compromised Belize City, October 11, 2011 The Barrow Administration’s failure to secure Belize’s border and protect citizens from increasing crime and major illicit activities has become a major concern for the United States Government. In mid-September, the Obama administration announced that it was blacklisting Belize because it was considered a major drug player in the region. The news cast a major black-eye on Belize. The Barrow Administration attempted to disregard the move, claiming the U.S. was only retaliating to Belize’s decision to support

How to Steal An Election See page 19

Palestine’s independence movement. It appears the US is now upping the

Continued on page 4

See page 15

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, October 16, 2011

From the ghetto streets

“The End of a Useless Government” Did Rene Canto fleece GOB? 24 February, 2011 Rene Canto, Chairman San Antonio Village Council San Antonio, Cayo District, Belize Dear Chairman Canto; We are in receipt of the financial reports for a portion of the year 2010. Amongst the documents that were submitted is a Cash Voucher for funds disbursed to you as reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses in the years 2008 and 2009. However, there were no receipts or invoices submitted to documents the expenditures claimed. The Village Council and Water Board Accounting Regulations set forth clear requirements for payments made from Village Council funds. S.I. #190, Part IV, Section 22, states: “A voucher with all details of the payment shall be prepared and all Supporting documents from the supplier shall be attached.” The voucher in question does not

provide any detail about the expenses incurred, nor, as mentioned above, is there any supporting documentation identifying what was spent, and for what purpose. Given the substantial amount of money involved, it is imperative that proof be furnished to the Ministry concerning what expenses were incurred, what items or services were purchased with the funds, and what the items or services were used for. If this information is not furnished promptly to the Ministry the money must be repaid to the village fund. We will expect you to furnish supporting documentation to the District Office in San Ignacio no later than March 1, 2011. If no documentation is received, it will be out duty then to inform the Ministry the matter, so that appropriate action can be taken. Sincerely, Orlando Jimenez Rural Community Development Officer

It’s the economy, stupid! Dear Editor: “What is Belize’s Economic Policy?” This question was posted in a discussion forum on social media a few weeks ago. Here are some of the responses it garnered: “Drop on knees and beg for aid.” “Kiss ass and hope ...” “Have someone else make it big and pass a law to take it away.” “The sad truth is neither red nor blue have a Sustainable Development Plan for Belize. The economy is the single most important issue in our lives

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.”

right now. It is irresponsible to be worrying about getting tricky with constitutional amendments while the economic situation worsens. The government seems to have a different economy than the public in general. “ “Every single development plan for Belize that has ever been setup were short term.. I have yet to see or hear of a long term plan... The majority of them have been based of self promoting and self-righteousness and server to benefit the people in office and their friends and family circles. I refuse to call those development plans.. They are more akin to personal financial and retirement plans if you ask me.” “Come into my parlor said the spider to the fly.” I could go on, but readers can go to the facebook forum and read the rest of the responses themselves if they are interested. But seriously, what IS Belize’s Economic Policy? Do we have one? Do we have a National Master Plan? What’s is Belize Nation’s plan for say 5 years, 10 years, and 20 years down the road? In the 30 years since independence, I have yet to hear ONE government or political party enunciate a vision, or mission, or master plan, or master strategy for Belize nation. There have been small pockets of policies here and there, but no mention of a cohesive, holistic national plan to guide the formulation of ministerial and national policies. Belize is in dire need of a visionary leader with a real plan. Nations such as Japan and Germany, with no natural resources to speak of, and whose infrastructures were

Continued on page 33

Dear Editor, The clock is ticking and the time is getting nearer to when we’ll see the end of the U.D.P.

Single mother puts Patrick Faber on check Dear Mr. Editor, I am the mother of eight children. I work hard every day and no ask for anything for myself. My life is only as good as how my children see success. Even though I have nothing I believe in God and I know he will find a way for me every time. My family and I live in Succotz Village all my life but a lot of people have get disrespect in my village. It is hard for us to get justice here. I wish the whole of Belize would know all the bad things that the UDP minister is doing out here. Lot of people have kept quiet but no more. I was happy when my sister told me that she hear ********* (name removed by BELIZE TIMES) on Love FM telling Mr. Ernesto, what Contreras is doing out here. See, the Minister is only helping UDP’s. At Mopan Technical Highschool in Benque there are over five hundred students, yet the Minister is so spiteful that he will only help those students who are from his constituency. He is promising them to pay from

Continued on page 33

APOLOGY In our October 9th 2011 issue of the BELIZE TIMES we published an article on page 21 under the heading “San Pedro UDP: bought and paid for!” This article made certain unwarranted and unfounded allegations and imputations damaging to the character and reputation of Mr. Bob Dhillon who is not even a shareholder or director of the companies mentioned in the said article. Mr. Bob Dhillon by all accounts is a genuine and serious Canadian investor who has during the past two decades carried out substantial development projects in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. We have no reason to question his motives in contributing to community development anywhere in Belize and we sincerely apologise for any harm or embarrassment the article may have caused him.

hooligans. Mr. Prime Minister, it has been almost fours years of real hard times from your one-term government. It seems as if you only have one thing on your mind once you get into office, which is to rob the country and destroy our future. What can I say? That’s the U.D.P. way of governing a country. It shows that the U.D.P. government has the worst reputation in the history of politics. From the day they formed and even today, they have managed to run the country to the ground. Mr. Prime Minister, the people of this country want to know what you are going to do when your time runs out on you? Come 2013 “yo gawn Dean” like a bad toothache that has been giving us hell from day one. For Barrow and family these are the richest of times and for the poor people of Belize, these are the worst of times and we owe it to one person, Dean Barrow. Thanks for making it possible. Belize will never get back to the way it use to be under your leadership. The Belizean people are waking up so you cannot fool us again. In case you forgot Mr. Prime Minister, you have an expiring date coming up soon so I advise you to start to pack up your stuff and role out and I rest my case. Belizeans it is time for a change, vote them out! Until next time, Roberto Peyrefitte

THE BELIZE TIMES EDITOR

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, October 16, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

PUP screens Belize CitCo candidates Belize City, October 11, 2011 The selection of candidates for the People’s United Party Belize City Council election is ongoing. On Wednesday, October 11th, the almost two-dozen candidates were called to the PUP Headquarters on #3 Queen Street for interviews with the Party’s Order of Distinguished Services, the unit in charge of candidate screening. ODS Chairman Belizario Carballo Sr. led the interviews along with other members of the ODS and Secretary General Rachel Montejo. The screening process is an important exercise by the PUP, as it helps to ensure that the best crop of candidates end up representing the Party in elections. It is expected that the Belize City Council slate convention will be held in November.

ODS members Peter “Dutcho” Thomas, Antonio Soberanis & ‘Ms. Birdie’

San Antonio Village threatened

by UDP land hogs

Land hog Gapi Vega

Rene Montero, leave the people’s land alone

San Antonio Village, Cayo District, October 11, 2011 The villagers of San Antonio are certainly not happy with Monster Rene Montero and his Chairman Rene Canto. Since taking office this petty excuse for a Minister and his selected agents have been wreaking havoc in Cayo Central. Farm lands have been taken away from families that have been farming these lands for longer than Montero has been alive. The Mayan people treasure their lands; it is their way of life. Taking away their land is like taking away their means of sustaining themselves and their families. During the time of PUP representative Hon. Daniel Silva, a piece of land was secured for the football field and other public facilities in San Antonio Village, Cayo District. This land was donated by the late Mr. and Mrs. Malio Tzib for the benefit of the village. The football field was built and inaugurated by Dan Silva and the PUP San Antonio Village Council at that time. What happened to this piece of land since Monster Montero took over Cayo Central? Believe it or not, Rene Canto the chairman was given a large block of the land to build a home, reportedly for one of his friends. In just three years of being in power, Mr. Canto has built himself a mansion in the

heart of the village. Do you have no shame Mr. Canto? Did the San Antonio hustle stop there? Not at all. Land was taken away from the Pentecostal School that was being used for their gardening project, from the Carillo family, from the Mesh family and the list goes on and on. So what is the latest hustle in San Antonio? The Mayan people are up in arms over the Elijio Panti National Park. Mr. Jose Depaz (licensed surveyor) has been seen surveying lands in the national park. When asked whose permission he has, Mr. Depaz indicated that he was sent by land hog Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega. The UDP wants to take away over 200 acres of the National Park and turn into 15 acre plots to distribute to friends and family. Monster Montero is trying to play Pontius Pilate on this one, but the villagers are well aware that his prints are all over this latest land grab. The people of San Antonio are determined to put up a fight to stop all surveying in their National Park. Don Elijio Panti was and will always be an icon to San Antonio. The park was dedicated to his memory and must be maintained in its original form. The villagers as early as last week hired the services of an indi-

vidual who will again ensure that the boundaries of the National Park are clearly defined to prevent the land hogs, Montero and Vega from creating mischief in their Park. The people of San Antonio can rest assured that the next PUP government will do right by them. The PUP will do all in its power to restore what Montero has taken away and to ensure that the Elijio Panti National Park is preserved for generations to come. Montero and Canto believe that the people of San Antonio have forgotten how they maliciously came and stopped the project to repair the roads in San Antonio but have refused to do anything since. It has gotten so bad that now even the vicechairman of the village hast to park his vehicle near the community center and walk home because of the conditions of the road leading to his home is impassable. This is a downright shame. San Antonio will reject Montero en mass come Election Day. Your vindictive attitude is not appreciated. San Antonio people no happy with you. Get the sense!

ODS Chairman Belizario Carballo Sr.

13 Holidays in 2012 October 12, 2011 It is notified for general information that public and bank holidays specified in the First and the Second Schedules to the Holidays Act, Chapter 289 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2003, will be observed on the following days during the year 2012 in accordance with section 3 of the said Act:January 2nd New Year’s Day (in lieu of Sunday, 1st January) March 12th National Heroes and Benefactors Day (in lieu of Friday, 9th March) April 6th Good Friday April 7th Holy Saturday April 9th Easter Monday May 1st Labour Day May 21st Sovereign’s Day/Commonwealth Day (in lieu of Thursday, 24th May) September 10th St. George’s Caye Day September 21st Independence Day October 15th Pan American Day (in lieu of Friday, 12th October) November 19th Garifuna Settlement Day December 25th Christmas Day December 26th Boxing Day

THE BELIZE TIMES

Businessman/ activist takes on UDP absurdity BELIZE CITY, Tuesday, October 11th, 2011 By Alton Humes Businessman/artist/ activist, Stephen Okeke, has publicly denounced the current UDP-led Belize City Council’s latest plot to erect so-called Maya ruins on ‘roundabouts’. Okeke’s been in the public eye since he came The UDP CitCo arbitrarily decided to construct a to Belize many years ago, “Maya Ruin” while the city crumbles whether it’s through his business ventures (even if it’s his ice not reflect” in a reasonable manner cream-juice shop getting robbed) or his the concerns (mostly aesthetic and artwork (including trying to sell a seem- cultural) of city residents. “It should ingly hard-to-unload bust of national be something that we (residents hero Phillip Goldson). But this particu- of Belize City) want and not what lar issue, the various roundabouts be- they want,” he said. But not only that, ing erected by the UDP City Council Okeke is also upset that there was no and sponsored by Hindu businessman, consultation with city residents, which Hans Bhojwani, is really grating him. makes all of this much worse. It’s not surprising, considering that Although he’s been hearing some the planned ‘fix’ of the roundabout at ‘quiet’ criticism on the issue, he deepMarine Parade Boulevard will replace ly hopes that more City residents will decent lawn and a mounted cannon join him in speaking out on the issue, with, here goes, a Mayan temple (or as well as other concerns of City resia supposed replica of one). And that’s dents regardless of their political afa horrendously bad idea, according to filiations. His main goal, as he put it, is Okeke. to “create awareness” on the issues “It is not needed nor is it neces- at hand, and let the people decide for sary,” he uttered. themselves. To him, the idea of placing a ‘MaReports are that Okeke will atyan temple’ in the middle of the longest tempt an independent run for Mayor of road in the city makes no sense. Build- Belize City in the municipal elections ing such obstructive objects, particular- next year. ly when so many of the city’s streets We’ll keep following this highlyand drains have been neglected, “does charged story.

Landslide! Support for Mark Espat as next PUP Leader is overwhelming

Continued from page 1

by two-term Area Representative and PUP Senior Deputy Leader Hon. Francis Fonseca, and Fort George which was represented by constituency Chairman and Party Chairman Henry Usher. The others included Belize Rural Central, Queen Square, Lake Independence, Mesopotamia, Pickstock, Caribbean Shores, Port Loyola, Albert and the Collet divisions. The differing view came from Belize Rural North, who’s Standard

Bearer Arthur Saldivar has announced an interest in contesting the post. But it was the majority who decides, and the Eastern Caucus felt Saldivar, who is surely poised to win a landslide victory against the UDP’s callous Edmond Castro in Rural North, should reconsider and instead join them in unity. A meeting to be held by the PUP’s National Executive on Thursday morning will set a date and place for a national convention which is when a new leader for the PUP will emerge.

PUP Eastern Caucus meets on Wednesday night

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Unemployment Time Bomb Continued from page 1

ante on Belize. The result of that ante is the increased international media coverage of the weak national security that exists in Belize, the increasing crime and drug trade, and the regular involvement of the security personnel. One such example is the damning report by the Washington Post, (printed on page 17) which contains information obtained by U.S. and Belize sources. According to the report, despite $15 million in U.S. assistance to Belize, Belize’s borders remain porous and weak while Government officials seem to be “facilitating” the drug trade. Belize’s national security is such a joke one U.S. official said that the Police are lucky to have fuel to respond to reports of criminal activity. The report even includes a quote from incompetent Police

Minister Doug Singh in which he almost accepts the drug trade in Belize. Singh doesn’t seem to offer any plan to combat drugs, or counters any of the serious claims against Belize. The Barrow Administration must be shaking in its boots, afraid of what will come next courtesy Uncle Sam. The United States blames Belize’s weak security as the reason why so much drugs ends up at their footsteps and beyond. When the Washington Post spoke to US Ambassador to Belize, Vinai Thummalapally, the diplomat said the problem goes deep. “Poverty and the lack of opportunities for young men here are a major concern,” he said, citing that there is an “unemployment time bomb” with 50 percent of its youth population without jobs. This is one of the most condemning statements from US officials against any Government of Belize. The US is telling the world the Barrow Administration is failing Belize.

42 deadly weapons stolen from BDF!

Continued from page 1

armoury and ten o’clock this morning when another inspection was scheduled. It is incredible information to process - that our army’s compound was breached, and what’s worse is that they reported that it could have been civilians who gained access to the compound! Imagine that. Our own security forces cannot secure their compound! This places a serious feeling of unsafety among law-abiding citizens because it is not farfetched to think that it could be the work of one of the street gangs who is preparing to send this impotent government a strong message that their families must eat at any cost in this economic nightmare we are facing. The weapons stolen include 22 M16 A1 rifles, 7 M Carbine Rifles, 11 9 millimeter Beretta pistols, and 2 M4 Colt Commando rifles. Some of the weapons

are deemed “unserviceable”, which means that they cannot be rendered useful in the present form. A very many of them, however, are dangerous, high-calibre weapons that can kill from a distance of 300 kilometers. It is worrying what one of those guns in the hands of the wrong person can cause, especially in a crowded gathering on a Belize City street. The Ministry of Defence’s CEO, Allen Whylie, was hesitant to say exactly whose fault it was that for as long as perhaps seven days so many guns could have been stolen from the country’s army base and no one knew about it. He told reporters that an investigation was ongoing by elements of the CIB and the BDF to determine if any member of their ranks could be directly linked to the burglary and theft. What he did add was that there is an award of $30,000 for information leading to the recovery of the weapons. How that money will be disbursed if only some of the guns are turned in is not clear.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Something Is Wrong Belize, Seriously Wrong! One of the most important responsibilities of any Government is to protect its citizens and preserve the peace for all. This Barrow Administration has failed to protect us. They have failed to preserve the peace, but most frightening, they seem to be clueless in finding a way out of the mess that they have created. So what is the problem? It is the absence of ideas, vision and leadership from the UDP to solve the crime problem. But what have they solved in the last three years, right? Against all good advice that one must never negotiate with terrorists, Dean Barrow cut short a Government trip abroad to fly back home for an “intervention” with the gangs. This was only after the George Street community residents, which is in his constituency, was terrorized by Barrow’s Gang Suppression Unit and the George Street gang leaders said they would retaliate and called out Barrow’s name. Dozens have been murdered in cold-bloodedness and the Prime Minister doesn’t react with such interest. What followed turned into a disturbing comedy of errors. It was pathetic to see him on the media complaining how his special meetings had failed and that the gangs were extorting him, threatening if their demands were not met. They were demanding money, lots of money. Barrow claimed he wouldn’t give (no more), but that simply meant the war will start all over again. The next time Barrow hears from the gangs again, the ransom will be much higher, thanks to him. Now the world’s watchful eyes have zeroed in on Belize. We took another beating internationally when the UN ranked Belize 9th as one of the most dangerous place to live in the world. This was just making the midday news reports, when news broke of a robbery and killing on the Northern Highway and the discovery of a Hispanic person in Dangriga who had been bludgeoned to death. These were Belize’s 107 and 108 murders. Three weeks ago the Obama administration labeled Belize a transshipment country for drugs on its way to the US. It accused the Barrow administration of nothing close to nothing against the fight against the drug trade. This week a damning Washington Post article went even further. It implied that high Belize officials were facilitating the Mexican drug cartel. It said thanks to the drug trade, certain businesses were booming, and it made specific mention of northern Belize. We remind you, this is in a country where the poverty is above 50% and where unemployment is almost 40%. Let’s face it, something is wrong with Belize, very wrong. Some years back, not too long ago, we were known for beautiful beaches, friendly people, a fledgling economy and a stable Government. Today we rank 9th for most crimes in the world! Something is seriously wrong when our Prime Minister complains of being jacked up in a corner by no other than criminals. The Police Minister is a failure! Therefore Belize have failed us, gangster have more power than us. If there is one reason to change the government, it must be their incompetence on fighting crime. Too many lives have been lost, too many families have felt pain, too much coldness has been shown by Prime Minister Barrow. Dem haf tu go!!

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, October 16, 2011

21,000 Reasons for a Referendum Friends of Belize obtains required 10% signatures

By Carla Bradley Today, Wednesday, October 12, 2011, Friends of Belize announced that they have surpassed the amount of petition signatures required by law to trigger a referendum on the 9th Constitutional Amendment. The organization revealed that it has gathered over 21,000 signatures of registered voters between September 12, when it launched its campaign for a referendum, and today October 12, 2011. Friends of Belize’s achievement is not welcome news for Prime Minister Dean Barrow. In an interview on October 5th 2011 with Channel 7 news, PM Barrow stated, “First of all, I don’t Believe them, and even if they did have that required number of signatures, the whole matter of verification - the procedure, the time line for a referendum is such that they would not be able to trigger any such referendum before we go back to the House.” The garnering of the 21,000 signatures was done simultaneously with the time frame of the Government’s “consultations”, during which it flocked political supporters and paid them to support the amendment. Whether the Prime Minister will submit to the will of the people, and call a referendum is unclear. When he was asked some time back whether he would, he said he would have to be forced to, “I would have to go and

Top photo: Friends of Belize officials discuss their campaign for a Referendum on the 9th Amendment. Below photo: Folders containing 21,000 signatures in support of Referendum check to see exactly what the law mandates. In my view, that will be pointless, futile, and expensive. And I certainly will not do it, except that I am obliged to.” – PM Dean Barrow To Senator Lisa Shoman, the Prime Minister has no choice. She noted that in 2008 the Referendum Act was amended to enhance the enforcement of a referendum. She said the PM will have to act according to the law, which clearly states that if the required amount of signatures is garnered on an issue, it must be tabled for a referendum. Friends of Belize also made mention that they have submitted a com-

CAYO MAN

ACCUSED OF INTERCOURSE WITH A BULL BELIZE CITY, Wednesday, October 12th, 2011 By Alton Humes We’ve heard of all sorts of depraved and nasty acts of sexual assaults against young children and teenagers, but one man is behind bars for allegedly unleashing against an animal. 46 year old Mr. Nolbert Recinos, who resides in the Cayo District, was reportedly caught having sex with a young male calf (or bull) by the bull’s owner. But his troubles didn’t end with his arrest. When he was arraigned in the San Ignacio Magistrate’s Court on September 30th, 2011

Nolbert Recinos

and charged with ‘committing an indecent act’), it was found that he seemed to have a fetish for such behavior, as one year prior, he was arrested, charged, and found guilty with exposing his person in public. Yet, even with that evidence as reason to keep him locked up, he was granted bail of BZ$2,000. He was unable to pay and remanded to Kolbe Central Prison in Hattieville, until his next court date in December.

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THE BELIZE TIMES www.belizetimes.bz

pilation of spreadsheets of the registered voters who signed the petition grouped by political constituency and showing the date of registration of each voter as well as registration number, last name, first name, address and date of birth. It was also noted that under the

Referendum Act, the Governor General is required to immediately submit the petition and signatures to the Chief Elections Officer who has no later than two months to verify the signatures and return the petition to the Governor General with a certificate as to whether or not the petition has been duly signed by 10% of the registered voters. There after the Governor General has thirty days to issue the Writ of Referendum. Hon. Marcel Cardona, who sat as a legal advisor at today’s press conference, stated that, “the UDP Manifesto, 2008 contains absolutely nothing about the proposal that is before parliament to amend the Belize Constitution in this way, there is absolutely no reference whatsoever to such an amendment having been proposed to the general public at that time.” He then stated that a manifesto is the government’s social contract with the people. He argued that the United Democratic Party is obliged to holding a referendum and let the people of Belize decide whether or not such an amendment should go forward. The organisation declined to comment what would be the next step if the Prime Minister refused to act. All they said is that they are giving the Government the benefit of the doubt that they will obey the rule of law.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Fuentes Wins

Mayoral Convention in Punta Gorda

Union Leader/Community Activist, Anthony Fuentes takes new role as PUP Mayoral Candidate in Punta Gorda Town

PUP Deputy Leader and Toledo East Standard Bearer Mike Espat swears in the PUP Town Council slate

Anthony Fuentes & Waylon Parham united to bring about change and development in PG

Renee, Kira & PUP Cayo Central Standard Bearer Collet Montejo assists in the counting of ballots

PUP supporters waiting for results of convention

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, October 16, 2011

The Belizean PM who wanted to be a priest BY RICKEY SINGH, Jamaica Observer Caribbean correspondent Wednesday, October 12, 2011 BELIZEANS, as well as other nationals of the Caribbean Community, continue to reflect on the endearing leadership qualities of George Cadle Price, first prime minister of that Caricom country and first national hero who was given a State Funeral on September 26. He died in hospital on September 19 following surgery for a head wound suffered from a fall at home, just four months short of his 93rd birthday. Price’s stout reputation as a tireless champion for Belize’s independence from Britain and, regionally, “the gentleman politician” who was firmly opposed to corruption and abuse of political power, has been well established beyond the shores of his native Belize, the Caricom nation located in Central America. Ian Randle, owner of the internationally known Jamaica-based Ian Randle Publishers (IRP), is among Caribbean nationals quite familiar with the life and times of the late Belizean leader. Not surprisingly, therefore, he had no problems publishing Price’s “authorised biography” by Godfrey Smith, a former foreign minister of Belize. When he passed through Barbados last week, Randle shared with this columnist some of his reflections on the late Belizean leader and also the assessment of what the author has produced between the covers of George Price — A Life Re-

defined positive nationalism for British Honduras” (the former colony for which he had fought the British to become the independent nation of Belize). Guatemala connection During that period Price was also accused by his political opponents of having participated in secret negotiations for the transfer of British Honduras from British sovereignty to some form of association with neighbouring Guatemala which, to this day, persists with its territorial claim over a part of Belize. Based on Smith’s forthcoming book, Randle writes of Price — who was an ascetic, a stoic, reclusive vealed, which is to be published later this month. Randle wrote that the late distinguished editor of The Gleaner, Theodore Sealey, once described Price as “an enigma, a man versed in dialectical argument but with no clearly

Collet Constituency on Leadership change October 10th, 2011 The PUP Collet Constituency Standard Bearer, Carolyn Trench-Sandiford and Executive Committee express our sincere gratitude to the Hon. John Briceno, for his service and stewardship as Leader of the People’s United Party. His courage and willingness to lead a party at a most difficult and challenging time, undoubtedly point to a person of extraordinary character. His humility, and concern and belief in our people, party and country, were always evident in his leadership, as he navigated and led us through turbulent waters. Former Party Leader Briceno’s commitment to reform and ‘opening up the party to the people’ manifested in a legacy of significant and far reaching changes to our party’s constitution

and the way we are governed, included but not limited to the broadening and deepening our democracy, the introduction of a more transparent, accountable, participatory and inclusive process for elections for leadership position, a more decentralized decision making structure, and the solidification of the role of women in the party. For this and so much more we applaud and thank our former Party Leader, and extend our best wishes to him. We also thank the people of Orange Walk Central for their graciousness in affording the Party the opportunity to have such a caring leader. We take this opportunity also to express our full support for the decision of the National Executive to appoint Senior Deputy Hon. Mark Espat, as interim leader of the People’s United Party.

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with few friends — that he was a man who never married or raised a family; had pursued studies to be a Catholic priest; and who, up to his death, had remained a celibate. He prepared his own meals, lived in the same house and maintained a humble lifestyle, even amid his rising popularity as prime minister and subsequently declared status of national hero. Much as Price dominated Belizean politics for over half a century, and following his retirement from active politics, few of even his close political allies had a true understanding of the man and politician, George Price. With the objective of presenting an authentic profile, Godfrey Smith, a former close colleague, succeeded in 2009 to get Price’s consent to produce his authorised biography. This, incidentally, would be the latest publication by Ian Randle Publishers, that just recently released Women in Caribbean Politics, a collection of informative essays edited by Cynthia Barrow-Giles, professor of political science at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill campus. Soon to be reviewed will be Delano Franklyn’s The Jamaican Diaspora with a variety of contributions focused on the valuable social, economic and cultural ties of Jamaicans living and working abroad with their homeland.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Zenaida Anthrophobia, nee Moya A case of political allergies

Belize City, October 12, 2011 Zenaida Moya-Flowers is like a red zit that has already been squeezed and is just causing irritation. The public cannot wait until she and the UDP die an unnatural political death. At that time the scars that she continues to leave on the residents can be treated and our city can take a bath and shave. Despite her colossal failures, her perennial cluelessness, and her hand in the over depositing of the under deposits, “Z-gial” will soon be a distant memory and as loved as an ingrown toe nail. As the UDP heartlessly abuses the “FrankinMoya” they created, residents of the city have had to swim through the potholes on the streets. But UDP politicians, mascots and cronies have had a long history of mental imbalances. We will not call names; in fact, they should be left to just whistle to themselves, the joke is on them now. It is an established fact that the UDP is a sexist and malicious party that eats their own. There is no respect for women. A woman is a floor clothe to the UDP. Even the Women’s Group President, who is running for Mayor of Belize City, was forced by the Bar Association to “check-tize” and expose the shameful and inaccurate rubbish coming out of the UDP newspaper. The Guardian newspaper is the most popular lining for bird cages in the

whole country. But the UDP continues to give us things to laugh and worry about in the same chuckle. They are like a low budget reality TV show. Between Mark King, Hubert Elrington, Philloughby, Pablo Marin, Flippin’ and Zenaida, the vote for the Most Appropriate Rockview inmate would be a three way tie. Take your pick. The UDP wicked bad. Bad bad. Belizeans sat down and watched a woman with issues almost have a nervous breakdown on national television. Zenaida responded like Pavlov’s dog

Oh where is Superman?? Belize City, October 11, 2011 It appears Superman has permanently abandoned the city. Yes he made an appearance at the launching of the brainless UDP City Council bunch, but he was carefully placed to the farthest almost-invisible corner, as far away so he doesn’t blemish UDP darling candidate Darrelitas Bradley. Superman could have fallen off the row of seats, but rejected UDP Caribbean Shores candidate Roger Espejo saved him by being forced to sit on the last seat. That was the last citing of Superman. He hasn’t been heard of or seen lately. Residents don’t even see any of his late-model, tinted vehicles cruising up and down the pot-holed city streets either. The city is not the same in his absence. It is less chaotic and less disastrous. Superman had a way of turning everything upside, while claiming he had “fixed” things. He is sorely missed as gone too are the many comical news bytes that made the evening reports a damning testament of UDP incompetence. Where is Superman hiding, and why? Was it the revelation of his domestic problems, specifically the allegations of domestic abuse in his home? Was it the reporting of the near fatal accident in Cayo in which a village resident was almost run over by a vehicle driven by Superman? Or was it an eye reporter’s

Shame on you Philloughby! revelation that Superman was busted bumping and grinding on the dancefloor with a certain lady who is not his wife in Cayo? Where did Superman go, and why? Whatever the reason for his disappearance, Superman should know city residents are calling for his return. Yes, come back Superman so residents can serve you a plate of sweet justice for the callous neglect you have presided over for 72 long months. Superman has been the mastermind behind secret sanitation deals. He was once accused, by an anonymous letter sent out from within City Hall, of receiving bribes from one of the sanitation companies. That company has flourished under the UDP city council, and so has Superman who is so lazy he no longer flies. Superman, where are thou?

when a UDP reporter said her trigger word: “Flowers!” In response to an innocent unrelated question, Zenaida sprang into post traumatic shock when interviewed. This was the question in respect of her deforestation of the roundabout on the marine parade for the stack of cement blocks: “How is it determine [sic] that, that is aesthetically superior, who determine [sic] that, that is aesthetically superior preferable to a flower pot, perhaps I am partial to flowers to a flower garden looking situation.” The “uman seh”: “We won’t get into flowers Jules…” She refused even to speak on any kind of flowers whether they were tropical flowers, poisonous dollar flowers or Troy Flowers. It did not matter. She said No Flowers!! They say life is stranger than fiction and as the social media lit up in “lol”, “lmao”, “rofl”, unable to secure the services of Dr. Cayetano, the BELIZE TIMES considered what sort of coun-

seling would help. Then a kind soul pointed us to the treatments for “Anthrophobia”. We learnt that anthrophobia is medically defined as an abnormal and persistent fear of flowers. Fear of flowers is termed “anthrophobia” or “anthophobia,” a word derived from the Greek “anthos” (flower) and “phobos” (fear). Patients normally experience undue anxiety even though they realize they face no threat from “Flowers”. Any genus, idiot or species of the dollar Flowers can instill fear, as can any flower part, such as a petal or stem. Please Barrow and the UDP, stop abusing lady Z. You owe her. First you drove her into what she is now by tricking her to run for mayor after she got on the streets to protest for you. Then you tried to throw her away and jail her. Then Finnegan sold her some “Mesop dream” to get her to name the Queen Square market after him. After all that, you owe her. You owe her to pay for the counseling that she obviously needs. Obviously the woman has issues. The UDP needs to dig into that drug plane money and get some help for their own. Sure she was a terrible politician. Yes, her term of office was near criminal. Yes, she told many lies but after she had the balls to speak truthfully about Barrow that is the least the UDP can do for her.

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Customs Officers acquitted of charges in missing container BELIZE CITY, Wed. Oct. 12, 2011 By Roy Davis Former junior Customs Officer Aruny Perez, 33, one of three persons who were charged with forgery of an out of charge note and forgery of a customs container application, was acquitted of both charges today by a jury of 6 men and 3 men in the court of Justice Adolph Lucas. The jury deliberated for almost 4 hours before it arrived at its verdict, which was unanimous. The other two persons, Grade I Customs Officer Karl Augustine, 39 and former Grade II Customs Officer Michael McKenzie, 24, were acquitted of the charges last Thursday on a no case to answer submission that was made by their attorneys. Perez, who alone was charged with a third count of forgery for a Port of Belize waybill, was acquitted of that

Aruny Perez

Karl Augustine

Michael McKenzie

charge last Thursday on a no case to answer submission that was made by his attorney, Michael Peyrefitte. According to the allegation, on September 16, 2008, the documents were forged to facilitate the removal of a 40 feet container that purportedly contained animal feed. The out of charge note was purportedly signed by

Customs Officer Mario Alpuche and the container application was purportedly signed by a representative of Reimer Feedmill of Spanish Lookout. At his trial Perez testified and admitted that his signature was on the container application but not on the out of charge note. Assistant Comptroller of Customs

Colin Griffith testified that Perez had the authority to counter sign the container application. In his summation of the case for the jury, Justice Lucas said that there must be evidence that Perez stamped the documents and even if there was evidence that Perez had possession of the documents that was not forgery.

Coast Guard

vessel jacked BELIZE CITY, Wednesday, October 12th, 2011 By Alton Humes Theft in Belize is becoming as common as buying tacos at the same taco stand every single morning. But when you decide to steal from the Belize National Coast Guard (BCNG), you’d expect it to be, at the very least, major news, right? Not quite. On Sunday, October 9th, 2011 just around 11:30 p.m., the vessel in question, a 39foot Colombian-style boat, painted white with blue and red stripes, outfitted with two Yamaha engines and about 200 gallons of fuel, and bearing the registration number CG06, was stolen from their base around Mile 3 on the Western Highway.

But it was, strangely, returned almost immediately after a report was made (presumably by senior officials in the Guard) to the Crimes Investigation Branch on Monday, October 10th, 2011. But also equally strange, when confronted by the news media about it that they said that “no vessel (bearing such a description) was stolen…” Questions about what actually happened abound, mainly: if the vessel was reported as stolen, who returned it? And if it was never stolen in the first instance, then why was it reported that way? The investigation continues, and we’ll keep following the story.

US fugitive wanted

in Montana captured in Belize BELIZE CITY, Wednesday, October 12th, 2011 By Alton Humes When the phrase “the long arm of the law” is often mentioned or brought up, it applies to those criminals who falsely believe they’ve escaped the jurisdiction where they’ve committed their criminal acts. And for an American who thought he could find safety in the “friendly arms” of Belize, he has found out the hard way what that phrase actually means. Michael Patrick McNulty, US National, aged 48 years of the state of Montana, was wanted in connection for evading major convictions of fraud and theft stretching as far back as 2004. In his period of escape, McNulty ended up in Belize. But last week McNulty’s freedom was cut short, when, following a warrant issued by

Michael Patrick McNulty

the U.S. Government, including the U.S. Marshals Montana Violent Offender Task Force and the Diplomatic Security Services, he was arrested in the City of Belmopan. McNulty was purchasing 2 laptop computers from a store when he was de-

tected. Using ‘clever’ trickery, he paid for the goods with a bogus wire transfer, in direct contravention of any parole rules he may have agreed to. But thankfully, the store owner was ahead of him, and called in the Belize Police, who arrested him without incident. MsNulty was then handed to US federal officials, and was later transferred to Texas’ Harris County Jail, while he was being prepped for his return to Montana, where the crimes took place and where he will soon learn his fate.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Court rejects Wayne Gabb’s appeal of Manslaughter conviction

Wayne Gabb

BELIZE CITY, Wed. Oct. 12, 2011 By Roy Davis An appeal by Wayne Gabb, 57, against his conviction for manslaughter and his sentence of 13 years, was dismissed yesterday by Belize Court of Appeal and Gabb’s conviction and sentence were affirmed. Gabb was charged with the murder of Marcus Ishim, who was fatally stabbed in the chest on January 12, 2009 in front of Juang Dong restaurant in Belmopan. On November 1, 2010, a jury of 12

THE BELIZE TIMES

found him not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. The trial was at Belmopan Supreme Court. Four days later, the trial judge Justice Troadio Gonzalez, sentenced

him. At the trial was he was represented by Linsbert Willis, who was a practicing attorney-at-law at the time. But yesterday at the appeal hearing Gabb was not represented by an attorney. His appeal was on the ground that there were inconsistencies in the testimony of the witnesses as to where the incident occurred. But Justice Manuel Sosa, the president of the Court of Appeal told him that when he comes to this court he must not regard the court as a second jury.

Businessman murdered during armed robbery Wednesday, October 12, 2011 For the second consecutive week, a businessman was murdered at his place of work, reportedly at the hands of street gangsters. The latest victim, Wendelin Reimer, 35, was killed as he tried to run away from three gunmen who went to his Eagle One Hardware, a Mennonite hardware store at mile 4 1/2 on the Northern Highway around one last Friday afternoon. The murderers staged themselves as customers and inquired about items therein, after which one of them demanded money. What happened next is unclear because the only person to what exactly was stolen was Reimer. What is clear is that the three culprits sprinted toward the Haulover Bridge after they shot Reimer in the head. So far, police have detained a number of suspects, but they have only charged one of them: Nicholas Swazo, who is on remand on a murder charge until November 11.

Rancho residents angry over website scandal Wednesday, October 12, 2011 From time to time we hear creepy stories about some North American who used Belize or one of our women or children to commit lewd sexual acts with. But this time, the news that broke on Sunday was just as grave. It has to do with the peaceful village of Rancho Dolores, a community set in the Belize River Valley whose children were exploited, allegedly by a foreigner who used a website to sell them. The website named m a tt b u l l a p h o t o . c o m boldly displayed the logo: “Feed the children of Belize”. It was reportedly created by Matt Bulla, a Canadian who visited Belize as a volunteer for the Spanish Creek Rainforest Reserve. On his website, which was up for over a year, there were pictures of schoolchildren from Our Lady of Sorrows Primary School in Rancho Dolores. Many of

the pictures were clearly marked SOLD. We understand that some of the sales were for as much as $1,500 each. Some of the children, as young as four years old, were publicized as starving kids. Investigations have revealed that Bulla was using the pictures to solicit monetary donations on the internet under the guise of feeding the children. But that was never the case. For Rancho Dolores residents, while they are not millionaires, their children are not starving. The outraged parents, teachers and other residents of Rancho have called in the authorities to investigate Matt Bulla, and when the heat was put on him, the website suddenly disappeared. In fact, when efforts were made to trace Bulla by phone, someone answered that the caller had reached a wrong number. Bulla, investigations reveal, has traveled back to Canada. It is not yet certain how much money he collected from the scam.

Come Celebrate

PUP 61 Birthday in Xaibe, Corozal

The PUP Xaibe organizing committee, the Corozal North Executive and Corozal North Standard Bearer Valdemar Castillo take great pleasure to invite all to come and celebrate the 61st Birthday of the People’s United Party, to the vibrant village of Xaibe, Corozal District, which will take place on October 15th, 2011. For over 30 years, the people of Corozal North,and neighbouring areas come to celebrate the People’s United Party’s birthday in Xaibe Village, Corozal District. As the years passed, these celebration is anticipated with increasing excitement. The evening starts at 3pm with a huge parade through the principal streets of Xaibe, and will end at the Xaibe football field where the celebrations continue. The official ceremony follows. PUP Leaders from across the country and the four standard bearers from Corozal, and various other invited guests will be there. Come and hear the positive messages, see the cultural presentations and take part in the raffle. There will also be lots of food and drinks available and a free dance follows as from 9 pm until. Transportation will be provided. Join us as we celebrate. PUP always!

PUP Corozal North Standard Bearer Valdemar Castillo

PUP Leaders will be in attendance along with other Party Officials

BELIZE'S #1 SPORTS PAGE

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Team Belize

Belize eliminated from World Cup qualifiers

Grenada beats Belize 4-1 City of Belmopan, October 7, 2011 By comparison, the Grenadians who had played 2 friendly matches against a Georgeville squad in mud and water after they arrived, were well prepared for the wet condition of the field, they worked the ball with a series of aerial passed that resulted in #10 Shane Rennie scoring the 1st goal in the 37th minute and #14 Marcus Julien added a 2nd goal in the 41st minute to lead 2-0 at the half time break. Belize’s Ryan Simpson entered the ball game for Orlando Jimenez early in the 2nd half, but it was the Grenadians who extended their lead to 4-0 when #5 Lancaster Joseph scored in the 50th minute and #12 Clive Murray scored a 4th goal in the 80th minute. The game was into injury time, when finally Ryan Simpson scored a consolation goal for Belize.

Ryan Simpson charges ahead, he scored Belize’s 1st goal against Grenada

Team 313

& Strikers win in men’s softball

Belize City, October 11, 2011 Team 313 outlasted the Oceana Pros 14-10 when the Belize City men’s softball playoffs got underway at the home of softball at the Roger’s Stadium on Sunday, October 9. The Oceana Pros were leading for the first 5 innings as Shane Williams came home in the 1st inning, and Williams, Carlyon Flores and Michale Middleton came home in the 3rd to lead 4-1 when only Kevin Siroki scored for Team 313. They extended their lead to 7-1 when Williams, pitcher Herman burke and Ryan Smith came home in the 4th inning. The game might have ended by mercy rule in the 5th inning, but Milton Flores scored a 2nd run

Other games: Strikers vs. Dantos

Strikers won 8-1 over Dantos

Strikers

Dantos

Guatemala City, October 11, 2011 Team Belize has been eliminated from qualifying to the World Cup games to be held in Brazil 2014 after 2 consecutive losses; 4-1 to Grenada at the FFB field in Belmopan last Friday and 3-1 to Guatemala at the Mateo Lopez Olympic Stadium in Guatemala City on Tuesday night. Tuesday night’s game against Guatemala began with Belize on the attack mode. But Harrison Tasher goofed up by grabbing on to the jersey of #10 Carlos “Pescado” Ruis Gutierrez in the goal area in the 8th minute of play and the Mexican referee ruled for a penalty. Guatemala’s #5 Carlos Gallardo converted for a 1-0 lead. Belizean defender Dalton Eiley had to be carried off the field after a hard contact with the Guatemalan offense and Everald Trapp entered the ball game. A quick counterattack by Harrison Roches forwarded the ball to Dion Macauley who faced the Guatemalan goalie Ricardo Jerez one on one. Macaulay won with a left foot shot to the right goal post to equalize the score 1-1 in the 31st minute, and it was still a 1-1 ball game at the half. Guatemala made 3 substitutions at the half, and the intensity of the Gautemalan attacks increased even as the light drizzle at the start of the game turned into a heavy downpour. A cross to center by the Guatemalans found Carlos Ruis in the air versus Belize’s goalie Shane Orio. Ruiz was unable to head the ball in, but he kept it alive in the goal area, and Guatemala’s #22 Mario Ignacio Lopez Campella kicked it into the net to regain the lead 2-1 in the 65th minute. Orio got hurt in the aerial contact, and Woodrow West replaced him in goal. This was Belize’s 3rd and last change, but the humiliation was not over as again a defender gave up a penalty, when Trapp fouled Nacho Lopez in the goal area. The referee sent off Trapp for the blatant foul, and this time Carlos Ruiz Lopez converted, sending the ball to his left, catching West going the wrong way as West dived to his left, and Guatemala now led 3-1 in the 80th minute. Belize found itself down to nine men when Danny Jimenez was also carried off with an injury. Danny would return to the field of play, but the score remained unaltered till the long whistle. Belize still has two remaining matches in this round against St Vincent and the Grenadines, but with only 3 points so far, two more wins would see Belize exit this round with 9 points at best. Guatemala is leading the group with 12 points from 4 wins and is virtually assured to advance to the next round, but still has 2 remaining matches against Grenada. Grenada needs to win both matches against Guatemala and 2 more against St Vincent to supersede Guatemala in the group.

for Team 313 in the top of the 5th. Glenford Flowers then scored in the bottom of the 5th to lead 8-2, but Team 3113 would tie the score and lead 9-8 when Patrick Rowland, Milton Flores, Michael Nolan, David Vasquez, Mushae Macdonald, Jamal Matute, and relief pitcher Jason Belisle came home in the top of the 6th inning. Carlyon Flores tied the score for Oceana at 9-9, and when no runs were scored in the 7th inning, the game

Continued on page 13

Sunday, October 16, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Chetumal’s Hector Rangel wins OW Bypass Cycling Criterium BELIZE'S #1 SPORTS PAGE

Other finishers: Mike Lewis – 1st place Masters Category Team Cayo Uprising Oscar Quiros – 1st Junior Race Team C-Ray’s – Ron Mckenzie, 7th place Team Western Spirit’s – Geovanni Choto 8th place Mexico’s Team Depredadores’ Donizetti Vasquez – 9th place Team Santinos’ Jairo Campos – 10th place All cyclists in 4th to 10th positions received a $50 prize and a medal Women’s Category Team Sagitun’s Shalini Zabaneh – 1st place, Women’s Category Kira Eiley – 2nd place, Women’s Category Master’s Category finishers: Team FT Williams’ Barney Brown - 2nd Horizon team’s Halton Ritchie – 3rd Depredadores Carlos Castellan – 4th Depredadores Omar Gomez Queme – 5th Santino’s Ronald Sutherland – 6th M&M Kenneth Butler – 7th Depredarores’ Manuel Ayala Balam – 8th Horizon’s Collet Maheia – 9th M&M Liam Stuart – 10th All riders in 4th to 10th position received a $25 prize and a medal

52 riders started the Elite race

Orange Walk, October 10, 2011 Mexican rider Hector Hugo Rangel of the Depredarores team from Chetumal, Quintana Roo won the elite category, when the Belize Cycling Association held the 7th annual Orange Walk Bypass Cycling Criterium sponsored by PUP Orange Walk Area Representative Hon. Johnny Briceño on Monday, October 10. Rangel clocked 2:18:12 over the 6 laps over the 10-mile circuit, breaking the record of 2:22:37 set by last year’s champ David Henderson Jr. to win

the $400 1st prize and trophy. Team Depredarores’ Carlos Manuel Hernandez was right behind to win the $200 2nd prize, while his teammate Eduardo Lada Cocom clocked 2:19:48 to edge out Team Western Spirits’ Jose Choto to win the $150 3rd prize. Choto took home the $50.00 4th prize and a medal, while Team Indeco’s Geon Hanson of Belmopan clocked 2:20:02 to place 5th and Team D&D’s Kyne Gentle was 6th. Only 31 riders finished the race of the 36 who had started.

Team 313

& Strikers win in men’s softball Continued from page 12

went into a tie-breaker 8th inning, in which Rowland, Nolan Michael, Kareem Michael, and Macdonald scored 5 more runs to lead 14-9.

The Ocean Pros failed to tie the score as only Rodney Lord scored in the bottom of the 8th, and Team 313 went on to post the 14-10 win.

Mike Lewis won Master’s Category

Ladyville Orchids 1st win in women’s football Hattieville, October 9, 2011 Belize City’s undefeated Millennium girls posted their 7th win over the Caye Caulker Island Stars to continue their lead in the

Shane Williams prepares to bat

Strikers’ Brandon Bood

Junior Race: Team Cayo Uprising’s Oscar Quiros – 1st place Prize: $200 and trophy Team Cayo High Road Juan Umana – 2nd place Prize: $150 Team Depredadores Johnny Quintal Valencia, 3rd place Prize: $100 third prize Cayo High Road Aiden Juan – 4th place Cayo Uprising Zahir Figueroa – 5th place D&D team Kyle Gentle – 6th place Cayo Uprising Steven Castaneda – 7th place Indeco team Geovanni Lovell – 8th place Cayo High road Zamir Guerra – 9th place Cayo Uprising Christopher Sandoval – 10th place All riders, 4th to 10th position, received a $25 prize and a medal

Belize District female football competition at the Hattieville field on Sunday, October 9. The Millennium girls lashed out the Island Stars of Caye Caulker 3-1. Sheryann Tracy scored the first goal for Millennium, but then the city girls’ defense blundered into giving up a penalty, which Lillian Joseph converted to tie the ball game at 1-1. Not for long as Tracy once more embarrassed goalkeeper Maribel Dominguez with a second goal to lead 2-1 at intermission. Christine Avila Jacobs added a third goal in the second half for the 3-1 final score.

Undefeated Millennium enjoys 7 wins

THE BELIZE TIMES

BELIZE'S #1 SPORTS PAGE

San Pedro FC U-20, Brown’s Bombers, Hattieville United U-17 and Young Stars win BDFA football Belize City, October 9, 2011 The Young Stars U-15, Hattieville United Youth Sports Club U-17, Brown Bombers U-17 and San Pedro FC U-20 all enjoyed victories when the Belize District Football Association summer youth football competition continued at the MCC grounds on Sunday, October 9. The Young Stars U-15 ran over the Hattieville United Youth Sports Club U-15 by a 2-0 score in the first game of

the morning. In their game the Bombers U-17 posted a 9-4 victory over the ACC Deacons. The Hattieville United Youth Sports Club U-17 enjoyed a 3-0 victory over the Ladyville Rangers to assure themselves a berth in the finals. The San Pedro FC U-20 upset Hattieville United Youth Sports Club U-20 for a 3-0 win in the fourth game of the afternoon.

Upcoming Semi-finals Games (MCC Grounds, Sunday October 18): San Pedro vs. Complex Admirals ACC Deacons vs. Ladyville Rangers Rivero’s Welders, Garage No.2 & BDF Spin Kings win in BTTA team table tennis Belize City, October 8, 2011 Riveros Welders defeated Cuz 5-2 Hurricane defeated Suga City 5-0 (D/F) Racqueteers defeated No Mercy - 5-0 (D/f) 2nd DIVISION Garage#2 defeated Turds - 5-0 BDF Spin Kings defeated Fantastic4 - 5-4

Jesse Guerrero on the attack

SATURDAY - OCTOBER 1, 2011 1st DIVISION Garage #1 defeat No Mercy - D/F 2nd DIVISION Garage #2 defeat JetAmp - 5 - 0 Terminators defeat BDF Spin Kings - 5-0 SUNDAY - SEPTEMBER 25, 2011 1st DIVISION Racqueteers defeating Garage#1 - 5-4 No Mercy defeating Suga City 5-2 Hurricane defeating Riveros Welding - 5-1

San Pedro Jason Valladares with a header

2nd DIVISION Fantastic4 defeating Turds - 5-1 Garage#2 defeating Tallawah - 5-2 Terminator defeating JetAmp 5-0 AFTERNOON SESSION, 1st DIVISION Racqueteers defeating CUZ - 5-3 Riveros Welding defeating Garage#1 - 5-4 Hurricane defeating No Mercy 5-4 2nd DIVISION Tallawah defeating JetAmp - 5-0 Terminator defeating Tudors - 5-0 ACC Deacons takes on Bombers

Sunday, October 16, 2011

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Adele, Rihanna & Lil Wayne Lead AMA Nominations

Today the nominations for the 2011 American Music Awards were announced with Kelly Rowland, Trey Songz, Justin Bieber, Lil Wayne and Rihanna receiving three nods. Pitbull and Nicki Minaj received two nominations, along with Beyonce, Bruno Mars, and Chris Brown. However, Adele, who has been having a fantastic year with her sophomore album ‘21’ leads the pack with four nominations. Among them include Favorite Pop/Rock Album, Favorite Pop/ Rock Female Artist, Favorite Adult Contemporary Music Artist, and Artist of the Year. Winners will be determined by online voting at amavote.com or ama.abc. com until Friday, November 11th. The winners will be announced during the live broadcast of the 2011 American Music Awards on ABC on November 20th.

photo by

Crystal

• • • •

Attending University of Belize Career Plan: Management in Tourism Sign: Taurus Favourite Food: Mexican

• Likes: Travelling, Writing, Swimming, Watching TV

• Lives in Belize City

• Fav. Quote: “Always Start the Day With a Smile”

THE BELIZE TIMES

Women Activists Win Nobel Peace Prize

October 8, 2011 Three women in Africa and the Middle East were named winners of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize, an award that recognized the Arab Spring with a pointed emphasis on women’s rights in the region. The prize was given to Liberian

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberian activist Leymah Gbowee and Yemeni rights campaigner Tawakkul Karman. The Norwegian Nobel Committee recognized them for their “nonviolent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work.”

Man stabs self at Western

Regional Hospital

Belmopan. October 5, 2011. On Wednesday October 5th at approximately 11:20am, an incident occurred in the Intensive Care Unit of the Western Regional Hospital where a patient inflicted a stab wound upon himself in the presence of hospital staff and another patient while receiving treatment. The patient, a 66 year old Belizean farmer had received initial consultation treatment at the Valley of Peace clinic and was referred to Western Regional Hospital where he was admitted on Saturday October 1st, 2011. He has been receiving treatment since Saturday to stabilize his condition. Earlier today the patient experienced respiratory distress. He complained of trouble breathing and pain in the chest area. The hospital internist was called in and worked along with the nurses to help relieve the patient’s state of distress. At approximately 11a.m., the patient once again became very distressed and aggressive towards the attending nurse in the ward. The nurse called for the assistance of a male attendant to accompany her to the patient’s room that was also occupied by another male patient who was being visited at the time by a family member. Upon returning to the room at the entrance of the door, the nurse along with the attendant witnessed the patient shouting. He suddenly grabbed one of the window louvers, broke it and started to advance towards the staffers. The male attendant then attempted to impede the advance of the patient with the broken louver being pointed towards the staff. They retreated and kept asking the patient to refrain from trying to harm anyone including himself. He collapsed at the bed foot and managed to stab himself in the chest. The nurse and

attendant did not initially react because Mr. Holland threatened their lives. They attempted to get additional assistance from other staffers including security. The patient was subsequently rushed to the operating theatre at Western Regional Hospital and later transferred to KHMH.

Johnson Sirleaf, 72, is a Harvardtrained economist who became Af-

Sunday, October 16, 2011

rica’s first democratically elected female president in 2005. She faces a presidential poll this month. She was seen as a reformer and peacemaker in Liberia when she took office. Liberia was ravaged by civil wars for years until 2003. The country is still struggling to maintain a fragile peace with the help of UN peacekeepers. Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee, organized a group of Christian and Muslim women to challenge Liberia’s warlords. In 2009 she won a Profile in Courage Award, an honor named for a 1957 Pulitzer Prize-winning book written by John F Kennedy, for her work in emboldening women in Liberia. Karman’s father is a former legal affairs minister under Saleh. She is a journalist and member of Islah party, an Islamic party. “We cannot achieve democracy and lasting peace in the world unless women obtain the same opportunities as men to influence developments at all levels of society,” the prize committee said.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Mexican drug cartels reach into tiny Belize Reprinted from the Washington Post, October 10, 2011 BELIZE CITY, Belize — The sleepy port towns, mangrove swamps and jungle airstrips of poorly defended, tiny Belize are becoming prime gateways for drug trafficking as Mexico’s billionaire mafias carve out new smuggling routes through Central America. Using light aircraft and ultra-fast boats, traffickers are moving more and more South American cocaine through Belize into Mexico, U.S. narcotics agents and Belizean officials say. By landing their lucrative cargo in Belize, the traffickers avoid detection by beefed-up Mexican army and navy patrols, marking the latest advance by the Mexican cartels into Central America’s impoverished, weak states, through which as much as 90 percent of the cocaine that reaches the United States now passes, according to U.S. assessments. Belize’s growing role as a smuggling corridor prompted the Obama administration to add it to the annual “black list” of countries considered major drug producers or transit routes for narcotics. The 22-state list, announced last month, now includes every nation in Central America, a sign that more and more territory is coming under the influence of the cartels. U.S. officials estimate that about 10 metric tons of cocaine are smuggled along Belize’s Caribbean coast each year en route to American consumers, the world’s most voracious illicit drug users. Additional loads arrive on flights from Colombia and Venezuela, landing on Belize’s farm roads and highways, where the shipments can be quickly unpacked, broken down into smaller bundles and ferried across the Rio Hondo into southern Mexico. “We’re part of the funnel,” Police Minister Douglas Singh said in an interview here. “Mexico is above us, and Guatemala and Belize are part of the funnel you have to go through to get to Mexico. That’s making a lot of legitimate and illegitimate businessmen here prosper. But it makes us very vulnerable.” With just 320,000 people, this country the size of Massachusetts has a long coastline and a rugged geography that appeals to hammockswinging tourists and drug traffickers alike. Its security forces are tiny and ill-equipped. Since 2008, the Belizean government has received about $15 million in U.S. security assistance, including boats and other vehicles, communications gear and training programs, part of the nearly $2 billion in counter-narcotics aid that the United States has provided or pledged to Mexico and Central America. But Belize remains a pushover for the powerful drug barons. The country does not have a radar system that can track unauthorized flights. Its military lacks helicopters, let alone other basic hardware. Belizean police don’t even have the ability to intercept cellphone communications. “They’re lucky if they’ve got gas to put in their cars to go out and do stuff,” said one senior U.S. law enforcement

official working in the region, speaking on the condition of anonymity per security protocols. Escalating gang violence Belize has been spared the kind of broader mayhem raging across Mexico, Honduras and in next-door Guatemala, where Mexican cartels have laid siege to large swaths of territory and carried out terrifying attacks. But escalating gang violence in Belize City has put the country’s homicide count on pace for an all-time high, with more than 100 killings so far in 2011. Belize’s per capita homicide rate was even higher than Guatemala’s last year, and the fifth-highest in the hemisphere, according to U.N. data. Police believe the bloodletting is driven partly by the abundance of cocaine on the streets, as foreign traffickers pay their local contacts in raw product, rather than cash. Already there are signs the country’s security forces have been co-opted. Last November, Belizean officials working with DEA agents seized 2.6 metric tons of cocaine after a twinengine Beechcraft Super King Air 200 clipped its wing while landing on the country’s southern highway. Crooked police had blocked traffic and laid out lanterns to mark a midnight runway, according to investigators. It was the largest drug seizure in the country’s history, worth $131 million — equal to nearly 10 percent of Belize’s annual GDP. Formerly known as British Honduras, Belize is Central America’s youngest and only English-speaking nation.

It has enjoyed peaceful, democratic rule since gaining independence in 1981, but U.S. officials worry those gains will erode if cartel operatives continue to burrow their way into the country by buying off political and business elites. The country also faces an unemployment time bomb, with 50 percent of its population under the age of 20, according to Vinai Thummalapally, the U.S. ambassador to Belize. “Poverty and the lack of opportunities for young men here are a major concern,” he said. U.S. officials say they do not believe the drug syndicates have established a significant physical presence in Belizean territory, but Singh, Belize’s top police official, said Mexican businessmen believed to be working for Mexico’s Gulf and Sinaloa cartels have recently been detected in the country. The language difference is no obstacle to the Mexican traffickers, authorities say, because waves of Spanish-speaking migrants from El Salvador and Guatemala have settled in Belize’s northern and western districts — areas

that are now trafficking hotspots. In October 2010, Otoniel Turcios, a Guatemalan trafficker with ties to Mexico’s Zetas drug cartel, was arrested in the town of San Ignacio in western Belize, then put on a DEA flight to New York to face federal drug trafficking charges. Elsewhere around Belize, there are signs of a booming narcotics trade. In the northern Orange Walk district, an agricultural area known for sugar cane, citrus, and large farms run by prosperous German-speaking Mennonites, Belizean officials say drug flights have been landing under cover of darkness near the Mexican border. Belize’s deputy military commander, Col. Javier Castellanos, said rogue members of the otherwise-lawful Mennonite community appear to be working for the traffickers, smoothing out illegal airstrips that were destroyed by the army. Farther north, in the port town of Corozal, just south of Mexico, a former dockworker said he has personally helped unload multiple boatloads of cocaine in the past year, including one shipment he estimated at $40 million. And in Caye Caulker, an island resort famous for its sand streets and laid-back Caribbean lifestyle, residents say fast boats can be heard racing up the coast in the middle of the night several times a week. At dawn, beachcombers search the water’s edge for washed up treasure — shrink-wrapped packages of uncut cocaine. Tensions with Guatemala Tensions have been especially high along Belize’s disputed border with Guatemala, where Guatemalan squatters have long been clearing patches of protected Belizean forest to plant corn and beans. Only now, the farmers are growing marijuana, under protection — or orders — from the Zetas drug cartel, according to the Belizean military officers who patrol the area. “They carve messages for us in the trees with machetes that say, ‘We are watching you,’ signed with a ‘Z,’ ” said Capt. Ian Cunha, commander of a unit that exchanged fire with two alleged cartel gunmen in August, wounding one of the attackers. “These guys used to be poor farmers, but now they’ve got AK-47s and brand-new dirt bikes,” he said. Belizean officers said their remote surveillance stations have also spotted light aircraft landing near the Guatemala border, but one commander said he didn’t believe his superiors were interested in truly challenging the traffickers — either because they were paid off or intimidated. “I personally think we are in a phase of facilitating the cartels,” said the officer, whose requested his identity be withheld to avoid retaliation. “We do not actively support them, but we don’t stop them, either.” “It’s shortsighted,” he said. “We may get money now, but we’ll be dead tomorrow.” Correspondent William Booth in Mexico City contributed to this story. This report was supported by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.

THE WORLD IS READING

THE BELIZE TIMES www.belizetimes.bz

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, October 16, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

How to steal an election Belize City, October 8th 2011 With municipal elections, and possibly general elections, only five months away the focus of political parties and concerned groups will soon turn to the electoral process. The ageold practice of electing leaders through secret ballot voting has become an important feature of democracies, but the process is not so simple. That the process is absolutely fair and free of subversion is integral but for Belize’s upcoming elections there are troubling signs that seriously threaten undermine its credibility. For the last two years, the most powerful officer in the elections authority, the Elections and Boundaries Commission, has been a rabid political personality. Alberto August is no stranger to the political arena. He was an unsuccessful candidate for political office for the ruling United Democratic Party, whose loyalty has been rewarded with key appointments under the current Dean Barrow administration. He presently sits on the Belize Natural Energy/GOB Trust Board and the very important Elections and Boundaries Commission which is the body that regulates all elections in the country. But August is not just a regular member of the Commission, he is the Chairman. This is a dangerous scenario which has existed under the

The UDP’s brazen attempt to steal the elections started by appointing a rabid political crony as head of the Elections & Boundaries Board, Alberto August, who is seen in the picture gathering UDP flags outside National Assembly

Barrow Administration for too long. August is an unapologetic UDP. On an almost daily basis, he can be heard spewing misinformation and propaganda on behalf of his party on radio

morning shows. He openly participates in UDP/political events. He wears his party’s colours and drives vehicles branded with political post-

ers and messages. He cannot deny supporting and actively participating in the affairs of the UDP. Yet, he leads the organisation which should ensure that elections are carried out in a fair and impartial manner. Isn’t the conflict of interest just too obvious? Because of his prominent position in Belize, August was invited to be a member of the prestigious Commonwealth elections observer team in Zambia last week. This is a huge travesty. No observer mission, knowledgeable of August’s blatant and nasty political involvement, would want such an individual in their midst. August is guilty of carrying out the very same anti-democratic practices which they oppose and condemn. Clearly too, August has no integrity. For years, the Commission was headed by a highly respected, non-politically affiliated businessman, Karl H. Menzies. Knowing his relationship to the UDP, August should have declined the appointment, unless of course, he is part of the conspiracy to steal the elections. The BELIZE TIMES has been reliably informed of a recent Statutory Instrument signed into law this year which places authority on the Chairman of the Commission to decide whether an act by someone on Election Day can be deemed punishable. This means August can arbitrarily choose whether someone who shouted too loud, or perhaps waved a blue and white flag, should be arrested and charged for an offence. This kind of abusive power is unheard of. This kind of abuse only happens under the UDP.

THE BELIZE TIMES

PUP Eastern Caucus Special Treat

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Goff’s Caye

Sunday, October 16, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Hard times reality!

School children flock to $1 Hot Dog & $2 Fry Chicken at Mobile Hardware BELIZE CITY, Wed. Oct. 12, 2011 By Roy Davis In these economic hard times if you are poor and you can get hot dog for $1.00, or fry chicken for $2.00, it can go a long way for you even though the food does not have much nutritional value. So Jeremy McNab, 48, the owner of Mobile Hardware and Grocery, located at the corner of Cemetery Road and Curassow Street, is doing a great job helping the poor by selling hot dog for $1.00 and fry chicken for $2.00. Every day from Monday to Sunday, from 7a.m. to 9p.m., McNab is at his work place with his gas barbeque grill and sanitized plastic gloves on his hands, selling hot dog and fry chicken. He sells to persons from all walks of life, but mostly the poor, needy adults and school children. “I sell hot dog like how Li Chee sells fry chicken”, boasts McNab. He explained that the fry chicken, done Belizean style, sells a lot too, but not as much as the hot dog. He has been selling fry chicken for about 1 month and hot dog for about 2

weeks. When asked how he can keep up the business selling hot dog and fry chicken so cheap, McNab replied: “At this time I am not interested in profit; my interest is in helping the poor, in giving back something to the neighborhood and the community as a whole.” While the neighborhood and the community seem to be pleased with McNab and the cheap food, especially since the hot dog and fry chicken are tasty. McNab welcomes the support and he has vowed to continue selling hot dog and fry chicken for $1.00 and $2.00, as long as the support is there. But McNab is not only interested in selling food cheap. He wants to make some hardware equipment and grocery items affordable to the poor so he is having a yard sale for three days this week – Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The hardware will include air condition units, weedeaters, lawn mowers, pressure washers, blowers, vacuum cleaners, hedge trimmers, batteries and electric and gas operated barbecue grills.

Jeremy McNab preparing his popular hotdogs

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, October 16, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Leadership change in the

Peoples’ hands

By Gilroy Usher, Sr., (PUP Standard Bearer Port Loyola) Albert Area Representative and former Government Minister Mark Espat is the interim-leader of the People’s United Party. He was appointed to that position to guide the Party until a new leader is chosen by early November. Espat became the interim-Party Leader with the sudden resignation of former Party Leader John Briceño on Friday October 7th for health reason. Hon. John Briceño served the party as leader with distinction for the past 3 ½ years following its defeat in the 2008 general elections. Briceño led the effort of rebuilding the party in every town, city, and village in all 31 constituencies across the length and breadth of the country. Thus, at the time of his resignation, the Party has a full slate of 31 competent and reliable Standard Bearers for the next general election and a majority of its Mayoral and Councilor candidates have been selected for the municipal elections that will be held next year in the month of March. With the support of the people, Briceño therefore, hands-over the leadership of the Party after putting it in a much better position to win the upcoming municipal and general elections. For those and many other contributions as leader of the People’s United Party, we all say a big thank you to Immediate Past Party Leader, Hon. John Briceño. The appointment of Mark Espat as interim-leader of the People United Party rests well with the vast majority

of Party supporters and independent voters countrywide. As Area Representative for the Albert constituency, for the third consecutive term, and two-term Minister in the previous two-term PUP administration, Espat has proven to be a hardworking, talented, reliable, and dedicated person. He has shown to be a person of vision, who listens to the people and believes in planning things properly. In the upcoming days before the Party selects a new leader, Espat will therefore continue the work of rebuilding from where Johnny Briceño left off to further enhance its chances of being victorious at the polls in 2012 and 2013. With the many challenges such as escalating crime, huge unemployment, and a lack of affordable housing for the people confronting the nation under this incompetent and uncaring UDP administration, we are confident that Mark Espat is the best person to lead the People’s United Party to victory in the upcoming elections. The vast majority of Standard Bearers and supporters of the People’s United Party countrywide hold this view because Espat has a record as a problem-solver and a person who makes every effort to address the concerns of the people. Nevertheless, as a democratic Party that respects freedom of speech and freedom of choice, other members of the party are welcomed to offer themselves as candidates for new party leader. Being good PUPs, who have the best interest of the country at heart, all we ask is that all persons who offer themselves as candidates to become the next leader of the People’s United Party fully support whoever emerges as the new leader. That is vital for success at the polls, which is necessary for PUP to make the resources of the country benefit all Belizeans. And history has repeatedly shown that when the People’s United Party is united with maximum development for the people and country of Belize as its guiding principle, it has always been victorious at the polls in both municipal and general elections.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Reid J

ohnny Briceño dropped a bomb on Belize when he announced last Friday that he was stepping down as leader of the People’s United Party. To say that it was unexpected would be a gross understatement. Given the circumstances however, and taking all things into consideration, it was probably the best thing that he could do. He has done it and that is that! The gap in leadership will have to be filled within thirty days and barring any surprise challenge, it looks likely that Mark Espat will become the new leader. It will be his job to unite the party and take us into Municipal Elections next year and General Elections the year after that. It is a tall order and will take a lot of doing on his part. He

is young, he has the energy and he has been in the political arena long enough to learn a thing or two. There are however, some major hurdles that he must overcome. Mark Espat’s biggest challenge will be to convince his party members that he is his own man. To suggest that folks are wary of his association with Kremandala is to state an obvious. Mark Espat is Evan Hyde’s son-in-law, which could either be a plus or a hindrance to his success as Party Leader. Hyde is indubitably Belize’s most effective propagandist. He is very controversial however, sometimes seeming to tread on the fringe of schizophrenia. He has been known to flip from ally to enemy in a quicker time than it took Johnny Briceño to say “I resign”. When he is on your side, he can be a helpful friend but when he turns against you…well, ask either the PUP’s or the UDP’s; they both know. My differences and my criticisms of the Kremandala Camp are legendary; “them nuh like me and me nuh like them! If Mark Espat is able to establish himself as independent and moor his purposes to the appropriate needs of the party and not to Hyde’s impingements, he will be the best thing that could happen to the PUP. The man is

Sunday, October 16, 2011

brave, a strategic thinker and is intelligent and articulate enough to match Dean Barrow word for word. Yes, Mark Espat can be not only the best thing to happen to the PUP but the worse thing to happen to the UDP. Let the games begin. The accolades being heaped upon Johnny Briceño are well earned and are justified. Briceño did a yeoman’s job of picking the party up from the virtual ash of a devastating defeat and constructing a phoenix that now seems ready to fly. It was no easy task and the PUP owes him a huge debt of gratitude. Politics on a whole is a very rough game, but in particular the way it is played in Belize. The UDP has sunk the process to a disgraceful low and one can only imagine the tax that it levies on a person’s health and frame of mind. We wish Johnny Briceño the very best and a speedy recovery from his ailments. Among those heaping praises on Johnny Briceño was no other than Prime Minister Dean Barrow himself. According to Barrow, he always liked Briceño and considered him a gentleman. What a brimming crock of bullshit! Dean Barrow was perpetually disrespectful and had the most disparaging things to say at every opportunity; going as far as to drag Mr. Brice-

ño’s family into his tirades. It would have been better for Dean Barrow to hold his piece than to remove the escutcheon of his hypocrisy. The man is a pathological liar. The way forward for the PUP will not be an easy one. We have spent much time scratching and clawing at ourselves while Dean Barrow and the UDP’s have been getting away with murder. The news of Johnny Briceño’s resignation dominated Friday’s news but at the same time that Johnny was resigning, another popular businessman was being murdered. At the same time, the UN was releasing statistics that placed Belize among the most dangerous places in the world to live. The foreign press was warning about the incursions of drug lords into our precious jewel. The unemployment rate is climbing and the poverty rate hovers near fifty percent. It is understandable that the PUP issue would be big news since this is the party on which all hope for the future hinge. We are presently in a serious crisis however and are watching our country sink lower into a state of depression. Pull it together PUP and let us return to the grand principles of our founding father. We owe it to him and we owe to our children and whoever we choose as our next leader, we owe him our full efforts and support. GOD bless Belize.

THE WORLD IS READING

THE BELIZE TIMES www.belizetimes.bz

Sunday, October 16, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Maturity, Unity and Continuity And the Next Revolution: One Belize-Prosperous, United and Free By Carolyn Trench-Sandiford – Deputy Leader People’s United Party - Belize

new leader for the People’s United Party will soon emerge. The mere thought has created a tectonic shift in the political plates of Belize, and injected unprecedented excitement all across the land, as only the PUP can. The expectations are very high, and our new leader will undoubtedly carry the hopes, dreams and burdens of a party and a nation. Perhaps it’s a coincidence, that both our party and country are at a critical juncture, and both are confronted with a monumental decision to make, that is, which bridge to cross and which bridge to burn. Perhaps it is destiny, as our party cannot be divorced from our country, seeing it was established for the latter, and lives and breathes for it. Consequently, the decision we will make shortly as a party will have far-reaching implications for us, and also for the future of our country. Unquestionably, time is of essence, and the nation is anxiously awaiting our next move. Our response time in choosing a leader, and our choice for a leader, will be an unequivocal signal to them of our appreciation and understanding of the seriousness and urgency of their plight. Our new leader will not be afforded the luxury of a honeymoon. Therefore, if we are to communicate the right message to them, and convince them that we are poised and equipped to govern, we must assure them that our party possesses three characteristics:The first is the political MATURITY to be bold, decisive and courageous, and to be willing to rise above personal egos,

ambitions and vendettas, and place the Country and Party first. This requires both expediting the selection of our Leader, as well as choosing someone who can inspire, motivate and give hope to a party and a country, at a time when cynicism, frustration and hopelessness for a better Belize is at its highest, someone who can articulate a vision of where we are going, and who has the proven track record, intellectual capacity and political suaveness to take us there, and someone who is committed to the kind of transformational leadership that Belize desperately needs. The second is the political UNITY to coalesce and stand firmly and fearlessly as one Party, with one Leader, behind a cause, that is anchored in the principles and values, and a philosophy that demands we right the injustices that are being perpetuated against our people, that have resulted in scandalous levels of poverty, inequality and unprecedented violence, and which embodies a nationalistic and patriotic spirit and a soul, willing to defend our homeland at all cost. For only if we do this, can we expect the people to stand by us, and only so can we face the world together as one people. The third is to sign on to the political CONTINUITY of a revolution that was birthed in 1950 with the formation of the People’s United Party, and legitimized by our Constitution in 1981, when the New Belize was created. However, this continuity must build on a foundation of achievements, successes and experiences of our Leader Emeritus and former Party Leaders. But more importantly, the revolution must be designed to meet the aspirations of the Belizean people in 2011, whose desire is to live in One Belize-Prosperous, United and Free, which will bring about:Economic independence, security and sustainability….. The equitable distribution of our wealth for economic, social and environmental justice…. The defence of our borders and territory, the recapturing of our sovereignty…. and The consolidation of national unity… For comments email carolyntrench@gmail.com

THE BELIZE TIMES

REALITY CHECK! Unemployment, Poverty and Raging Crime: a UDP Anthem

By Carla Bradley In my opinion, propaganda is what the United Democratic Party is succeeding in, deceiving the Belizean people with their commercials, and false statements. I hear ministers like John Saldivar and Patrick Faber talking on national television and on national radio, saying that foreign investors are flocking into our country, are they serious? Senator Hulse stated at a Senate meeting earlier this year that statistics presented in the 2009/2010 Budget, foreign direct investment went from 139 million dollars to 13 million dollars respectively, a total of 126 million dollars less. How can this mean investors are flocking in? How can they say the economy is booming, when businesses all over the country are closing down: HL’s Burger, business in the free zone, Juanitas, just to name a few. How can they say they have kept their manifesto promise to create new and more jobs if the unemployment rate is at 23%, three times as much as it was under the People’s United Party? Graduates from the tertiary level have a hard time finding a job; some take a year or more to get a stable job. Even high school graduates who cannot afford to pursue a higher education, are left jobless which only discourages them more not pursue further studies. We wonder why the crime is at the level it is, and this is a big part of it. The government is not focusing on our youths, if these youths are not given the attention they deserve and the employment and educational opportunities then they will stray away and as result fall into the wrong crowd. We need to build youth fostering programs, create more opportunities in the employment sector for our young future leaders who are graduating. We keep singing “children are our future” and you hear Minister Faber saying this phrase in many of his speeches, but is he really focusing on our youths and practicing what he is preaching? The poverty level was even pin pointed in the article written in the Washington Post this past week, with almost half the population living in poverty! They also mentioned that in their view it was a big contributing factor to the escalating crime in Belize. Poverty

is an issue all over the world, but we must focus on our country, and the government must try to help the situation not make it worse as they have been doing for the past three and half yrs. This UDP government has never been about the people. Remember under the Esquivel Regime and the now Prime Minister was the Deputy, the retrenchment period of Belize in 1995 where 700 public servants were fired. Teachers and public servants took the streets and voiced their concerns, their pleas and Esquivel and his UDP government ignored and still fired these people. Do we want

Sunday, October 16, 2011

another retrenchment period? Do we want a government who never listens to the people? Do we want a vindictive government? Employment at 23%, Poverty at 43% and Crime, a number can’t even be put

on it, because it is off the charts. We need Action, We need Courage, We deserve to continue living in freedom, and continue the fight for the peaceful constructive Belizean Revolution.

Corozal Bay

Endorsement Convention (Town Council) Place: PUP Office in Corozal Town Time: 2:30pm Date: October 23, 2011

Sunday, October 16, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Gun Toting Preacher Today there are many messages flooding the air waves through our television tubes. As I look on our local channels I often see many commercials pushing forward and trying to make very destructive habits seem ‘worth our while’! The things covered in these settings are some of the main causes of death and poverty in our country. But, I must make mention of two healthy commercials that I saw and hence the ‘cause’ of this little diversion before I begin my topic! One ad showed a young man who resorted to gun violence looking back at his life, while the other showed another who rejected the sweet tempting offer to take on a life of drug or gun violence. It is much a relief to see this positive push with relevant sensitizing commercials as we have much little need of the others that are promoting products that are great contributors to state of our rapidly decaying society. I applaud the effort and creativity, and relevance of the makers of these ads. Anyway, lets return to the topic at hand ‘gun toting preacher’ ! While looking at a television program, a report shocked me. According to that report although we are in these modern times, slavery is at its highest! I saw the story of this young man who was in slavery but was rescued. While I don’t remember what it was exactly that caused his punishment, I vividly recall the part where pepper was rubbed in his eyes until he became temporarily blind! In these times one of the greatest forms of slavery is ‘human trafficking’ where people’s passports are taken away and they are sold to different countries and work as slaves for a boss of a club, prostitute house etc. Well it so happens that a young man who was a rebel all his life getting in and out of problems finally met up with his Creator! No he did not die rather he changed his eternal destiny by making a commitment to the highest power in existence ‘God’! His passion became rescuing slaves from this heavily armed business by breaking in to a far away country through gun war fare. His desire is to rescue as much slaves as possible from these inhumane conditions that still exist in modern times! Now because of this passionate pursuit a movie has been made capturing the excitement and risk of this venture to do good! You may ask the question how could a preacher be carrying a gun, what happens to having faith in God, how can you kill to do good? Well this is the part I’d like to answer. While in no way am I encouraging gun violence or religious murdering, there are countless account of wars being fought by the people of God in the scriptures. They were ordered to kill the enemies and were given strict instructions as to what spoils they were permitted or not permitted to bring back home! David’s brothers went out to war and David killed Goliath for example, but then you may say that’s the Old Testament! Well did you know two guys lost their lives or were killed by something or someone for lying to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-5)? While I am sure that God does not go around killing or ordering for everyone who does wrong to be killed, I am also sure that He desires for everyone to have a meaningful and prosperous life. My question to you then is what sacrifice are you willing to make to effect a change in our society? Here, a ‘gun toting’ preacher risks his life to save people from slavery but let’s put the spotlight on you! I highly encourage you to find out what is your purpose for living, your contribution to this world (and I’m not speaking about your job), and let’s begin to make a difference in this downward spiral our society is taking! Until next week God Bless!

THE BELIZE TIMES

Dear Diary, My spouse of almost ten years and I broke up almost a year ago. While I do miss him at times, I am very hesitant to engage in sexual activity with just anybody even though I do have needs. Do you think I am disrespecting myself by still engaging in the act with him even though we are apart? Sincerely, IN NEED

SHE SAYS: Dear In Need, The way I see it this is a personal choice that you have made. Yes, you will get some looks of disapproval by some of your peers and perhaps family members but only you can decide what you really want and from whom. I get the sense that you have no interest in reconciling with your ex but on the same token you are having problems opening up to someone new. You must understand that everyone heals in their own way and if this works for you then who am I to discourage you from doing it? I must warn you, however, that if you have any hopes of venturing into a new relationship down the road you will have to let go of your ex in order to have a clean start with someone else. As a woman, I appreciate that you have needs and all of us do but perhaps you can try picking up a hobby that will assist you in ignoring these urges and desires which will, in turn, assist you in letting go of the past. Let us know how it works out for you! Cheers!

HE SAYS: Dear “In Need”, My assessment of your situation is that you still possess “unresolved feelings” for your ex. By your own admission, you miss him and wouldn’t mind continuing a relationship with him. Indeed, you have “needs” as we all do. My sense, though, is that you continue to turn to your ex for more than just a physical/sexual need. My feeling is that there still exists some degree of “emotional connection” between you guys. Until and only until you move to address those “unresolved feelings” for him will you be able to truly move on and to embark on a new relationship. Best wishes!

Love and Hate in the Economy In these times of economic difficulty, it’s important to remember the silver lining. And don’t worry, it’s still there. Here are a few things to help you look on the bright side. * Bargain hunt. To help stimulate spending, businesses of all shapes and sizes are offering discounts and deals. While this is by no means a reason to spend when you don’t need to, it does mean you have the opportunity to save more on the things you need. Keep an eye out for sales at local stores and research online before making larger purchases. Free shipping can make buying online cheaper and more convenient, not to mention the savings on gas and travel time. * Consider refinancing. Dwindling interest rates have many Belizeans frustrated, and all indications are that short-

Sunday, October 16, 2011

term rates will remain low for at least two years. Now may be a good time to refinance. Mortgage rates are negotiable and reaching record lows and auto loans are at their lowest in about a decade. Remember, there’s no need to borrow or refinance if you don’t need to, but if you do, current rates may be in your favor. * Accept Help. Everyone knows that times are hard right now, including banks and lenders. So if you’re having trouble making payments on time, or your bills seem too large to handle, talk to your bank, creditors or even cable company, etc. about what they can do to help. Try all the utilities as well. Belizeans supposedly own them, right? Sometimes there are things they can do to make your payments more manageable, you just have to ask. Just because the economy is down, doesn’t mean you have to be down too. Keep your chin up and remember things will get better; we’re all in this together.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Local tech guru unveils PSE software for students Belize City, October 7th, 2011 While most of us rely on technology to get the job done around the office and home, Tiffany Simpson’s job is her ingenuity to create that next best technological invention. Simpson’s latest creation is a Windows computer programme to help primary school students prepare for the annual Primary School Examinations. The software provides a carefully packaged series of 800 questions in the four main subjects that make up the PSEs: English, Science, Mathematics and Social Studies. It Tiffany Simpson shows PSE software is easy to install, and once installed, very easy to use. edge in preparation for PSEs, and The questions are extracted from could help to reverse the alarmingly past PSE papers. Undoubtedly a re- dismal PSE results over the last few sourceful material, users will enjoy its years. easy application. Simpson uses aniAnyone interested in purchasing mated illustrations to make the soft- the software can contact Simpson at ware more user-friendly. The answers Belizean Artwork Publishing cell numto the questions are posed in multiple ber 607-1088. The programme is sold choice form, and in cases where the at $20, and it is code-protected which user chooses an incorrect answer, the means it cannot be used by more software gives the right answer and than one user per computer. The proshows how that answer was derived. gramme will also be available at the The software could be used for re- Angelus Press, Image Factory, and vision and testing of students’ knowl- Brodies.

River of Fire’s Ode to the “Tree of Life” Belize City, October 11, 2011 In a world where women are still fighting exploitation, exclusion and discrimination, River of Fire spends his days with a pen in hand, finding the right words of praise for her. In every line that makes up the 38 poems of his publication “The Fruit of the Tree”, River of Fire exalts women. “This is a praise of women and womanhood, my way of recognising the contribution of women in society,” said River of Fire, known to some as Harley Evan Burn. The book follows the publication of “Poems About Love” released on Valentine’s Day, February 14, and River of Fire says he wants more Belizeans to read his anthology. “This is something I want children to see. It talks about how we should treat them. That we should treat them better.” River of Fire’s poetry is unique. His style is acrostic, and it’s as if he’s connecting pieces to a lyrical puzzle in every poem. He crafts a poem after meeting an individual, who are mostly women, and he asks them for a beautiful word or words. When he gets a response, he then fires away with rhyme. “Let me show you a clearness of though and style Understanding things, you’ve thought of a while Challenging questions, not asked before Inspiring feelings from days of yore, Develop theories, before this time, Instil revolution, within the mind, Teach children, to share the toys Young and daring, they’ll share the joys…” The above is a 1993 poem written for “Deborah B” who of-

River of Fire

fered the word “Lucidity”. River of Fire says the book is one in a series of seven publications. He has 1,500 acrostic poems stored, which he began compiling at age 11. Some are also freestyle. While he is inspired by historian, anthropologist, physicist, and politician Cheikh Anta Diop of Senegal, he said he was tremendously moved by love as a child when his aunt Salome gifted him a Seiko watch. Now River of Fire has lots of love to give back, and Respect too. A few of his poems pay tribute to persons he holds in high regards, such as the late Edgar X Richardson, son of one of the PUP’s founding member, Leigh Richardson. River of Fire said Edgar X was “responsible for [me] being known. He is responsible for my first political poem”. Copies of his book can be bought for $20 from River of Fire. He can be contacted at 630-3417.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, October 16, 2011

BELIZE TIMES WEEKLY

SCIENCE & TECH R

Selected By Chris Williams

World’s largest virus proves giants came from cells 10 October 2011 by Michael Marshall The discovery of a megavirus is confirmation that giant viruses descended from complex cells that became simpler. Since the discovery of the first giant virus, mimivirus, in 2003, researchers have debated how they evolved. Unlike conventional viruses, mimivirus carries many genes thought to be unique to cellular life, suggesting that it evolved from a cell. But it could also have stolen those genes from cells that it infected. The new giant virus, dubbed megavirus, is 7 per cent larger than mimivirus. It was found by Jean-Michel

Tablet app puts Braille keyboard at your fingertips

Claverie of the Structural and Genomic Information Laboratory in Marseille, France. It is a distant relative of mimivirus, sharing all its cell-like genes. Claverie says this is “definitive proof” of a cellular ancestor.

Paralysed man controls robotic arm with his mind 12 October 2011 Melissae Fellet, reporter A paralysed man has high-fived his girlfriend using a robotic arm controlled only by his thoughts. Tim Hemmes, who was paralysed in a motorcycle accident seven years ago, is the first participant in a clinical trial testing a brain implant that directs movement of an external device. Neurosurgeons at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pennsylvania implanted a grid of electrodes, about the size of a large postage stamp, on top of Hemmes’s brain over an area of neurons that fire when he imagines moving his right arm. They threaded wires from the implant underneath the skin of his neck and pulled the ends out of his body near his chest. The team then connected the implant to a computer that converts specific brainwaves into particular actions. Hemmes first practices controlling a dot on a TV screen with his mind.

The dot moves right when he imagines bending his elbow. Thinking about wiggling his thumb makes the dot slide left. With practice, Hemmes learned to move the cursor just by visualizing the motion, rather than concentrating on specific arm movements, says neurosurgeon Elizabeth Tyler-Kabara of the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, who implanted the electrodes. After this initial training, Hemmes navigated a ball through a 3D virtual world and eventually controlled the robotic arm, all with his mind. The electrode grid was removed after the 30-day trial. The team is now recruiting people for a trial of a more sensitive electrode grid that detects messages from individual neurons, rather than a group. They plan to implant two electrode patches, one to control arm movements and another for fine hand motion. The ultimate goal is to allow paralysed people to move individual fingers on a robotic hand.

11 October 2011 Jacob Aron, technology reporter The lack of tactile feedback makes typing on a touchscreen difficult at the best of times, but the problem is even worse for blind and visually impaired users. That’s set to change thanks to Adam Duran, a student on a summer course at Stanford University who has come up with a Braille keyboard for tablets. The standard QWERTY keyboard on most tablets requires you to find small keys on a smooth, glass screen without any touchable clues to guide you. Instead, Duran’s app offers a standard eight-key Braille keyboard that appears wherever you place your fin-

gers on the screen. That means you don’t have to worry about locating the keys and can just start typing Braille code, in which combinations of the keys are used to type letters, numbers, and symbols. The tablet provides feedback by reading out each letter as it is typed. Users can also choose from a variety of specialised keyboard layouts, such as one for chemical formulae. Currently, Braille typists rely on expensive dedicated devices that can cost over $6,000 and have few other uses. “Your standard tablet has more capability at a tenth the price,” says Duran, but adds there are “technical and legal hurdles to address” before the keyboard becomes widely available.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

en Español

¡Algo anda mal Belice, muy mal!

na de las responsabilidades más importantes de cualquier gobierno es proteger a sus ciudadanos y preservar la paz para todos. Esta Administración Barrow ha fallado en protegernos. No han podido preservar la paz, pero más espantoso es aun que parecen no tener idea en encontrar una manera de salir de la confusión que han creado. Entonces, ¿cuál es el problema? Es la ausencia de ideas, la visión y el liderazgo del UDP para resolver el problema de la delincuencia. Pero ¿qué han resuelto en los últimos tres años? Contra todos los buenos consejos que uno nunca debe negociar con vándalos, pandilleros y terroristas, Deán Barrow decidió acortar un viaje de Gobierno en el extranjero para regresar a casa para una “intervención” con las pandillas. Esto fue sólo después de que los residentes de la comunidad de George Street, que está en su circunscripción, fueron aterrorizados por la Unidad de Supresión de Pandillas de Barrow (GSU) por sus siglas en inglés y los líderes de George Street Gang, dijeron que tomaría represalias y gritó el nombre de Barrow. Decenas han sido asesinadas en sangre fría y el Primer Ministro no reacciona con tanto interés. Lo que siguió se convirtió en una comedia inquietante de errores. Era patético verlo en los medios de comunicación quejándose de que sus reuniones especiales habían fracasado y que las bandas le estaban extorsionando, amenazando si sus demandas no eran satisfechas. Exigían dinero, mucho dinero. Barrow dijo que no daría, (¡no más!), esto simplemente significa que la guerra empezará de nuevo. La próxima vez que Barrow escuche de las bandas de nuevo, el rescate será mucho mayor, gracias a él. Ahora la atenta mirada del mundo se ha concentrado en Belice. Tomamos otra paliza a nivel internacional, cuando la ONU puso en el noveno lugar a Belice como uno de los lugares más peligrosos para vivir en el mundo. Esto fue justo lo que las noticias del mediodía decían cuando se supo de un robo y asesinato en la Carretera Longitudinal del Norte y el descubrimiento de una persona hispana en Dangriga que había sido apaleado hasta la muerte. Estos sucesos lamentables incrementaron las estadísticas a los 107 y 108 asesinatos de Belice. Hace tres semanas la administración Obama etiqueto a Belice como un país de trasbordo de drogas en su camino a los EE.UU. Acusó al gobierno de Barrow de hacer nada de nada en contra de la lucha contra el tráfico de drogas. Esta semana, un artículo del Washington Post envió un mensaje condenatorio que fue aún más lejos. Este implicaba que los altos funcionarios de Belice estaban facilitando el cartel de la droga mexicanos. Dijo que gracias al tráfico de drogas, algunas empresas estaban en auge, y se hizo mención específica del norte de Belice. Le recordamos, esto es en un país donde la pobreza es superior al 50% y donde el desempleo es casi del 40%. Seamos realistas, algo está mal con Belice, muy mal. Hace algunos años, no hace mucho tiempo, Belice era conocido por sus hermosas playas, gente amable, una economía incipiente y de un gobierno estable. Hoy estamos en el noveno lugar como el país que comete más crímenes en el mundo! Algo está muy mal cuando nuestro primer ministro se queja de encontrarse contra la pared por nadie más que criminales. ¡El ministro de la Policía es un fracaso! ¡Por lo tanto Belice, nos han fallado! los gánsteres tienen más poder que nosotros. Si hay una razón para cambiar el gobierno, debe ser por su incompetencia en la lucha contra el crimen. Demasiadas vidas se han perdido, muchas familias han sentido el dolor, demasiada sensación de frío se ha sentido por la incompetencia e indiferencia del Primer Ministro Barrow. ¡Tienen que irse ya!

Tiempos difíciles debajo Barrow….. Cuando Barrow asumió el cargo hace unos cuarenta y dos meses la economía del país era robusta, su gente tenía trabajo, alguno ahorraban, otros gastaban mientras que otros gastaban demás. El clima para la inversión local y extranjera era fuerte, y millones estaban entrando a la economía. Las promesas de Barrow para llegar al poder fueron muchas. Las expectativas de la población eran altas, después de todo se les dijo que imaginarán las posibilidades y una de esas posibilidades fue la nacionalización de la industria petrolera para que usted y yo podríamos beneficiarnos de riquezas incalculables. Barrow también prometió que el costo de la vida sería más barato y no habría impuestos. Si había algo en el lado de Barrow, era que él tuvo diez largos años para preparar y cambiar lo que criticó que iba mal y arreglarlos como se lo había prometido al pueblo de Belice. Sin embargo, la realidad de 3 años y medio después es que la esperanza de las personas se ha desvanecido. Muchos ahora están desilusionados con Barrow y sus elocuentes palabras. Muchos Beliceños hoy se mueren de hambre, los tiempos son más difíciles, más y más personas están cayendo por las grietas, los pobres están cada vez más pobres, y la dinámica clase media está siendo aniquilada y cayendo en la pobreza. Los beliceños han tenido que aprender a sobrevivir en estos difíciles tiempos de la manera difícil. Casas y terrenos han tenido que ser vendidos o embargados por los Bancos. Coches subastados barato, la comida debe ser racionado por muchas familias y menos dinero puede ser gastado en cosas básicas. Esta es la vida debajo de Barrow y el UDP. El problema económico de Belice es Barrow y el UDP. Barrow no sabe lo que es ser pobre, por lo que no sabe cómo ayudar a los pobres. No es un economista por lo que no sabe cómo arreglar la economía. No es un hombre de negocios, por lo que no sabe lo que los hombres y mujeres de negocios sienten bajo su dominio infernal. La experiencia de Barrow es en la ley, y toda su vida ha disfrutado de las riquezas que han llegado con la representación de intereses particulares y privados, tales como los del Señor Michael Ashcroft. Esta es la razón porque todo lo que ha hecho tiene el modus operandi de un abogado. Esta es la razón por la toma del poder BTL, la toma de posesión BEL y la protección de los productores de petróleo de la Energía Natural de Belice que es el regalo de Barrow para intereses particulares y privados que le ayudaron a ganar en el 2008. Su lealtad es con ellos, y no el pueblo de Belice. El gabinete del UDP tiene demasiados aves circulando a Barrow para que el pida ayuda. Flanqueado a un lado está un pequeño círculo de asesores que incluyen a Allan Slusher, Néstor Vásquez y Manuel Esquivel. Ese es otro problema. Esos hombres son de la edad de piedra, criaturas de los años 80, cuya capacidad no puede mantenerse al día con el ritmo de una dinámica economía de Belice. Esta es la razón por la que el UDP construyo una cerca en el Marion Jones antes del actual complejo deportivo de varios millones de dólares, y por qué el desarrollo de infraestructura hecho por el UDP consiste en el camino que conduce al vertedero de la Carretera del Oeste. Esta es la razón por la que impuso el impuesto a las sobre ganancias tan alto, que los beliceños apenas pueden llegar a hacer nada con el dinero del petróleo. Esta es la razón por la que el UDP quiere vender la industria azucarera a un banco privado en vez de asegurar que se mantenga en manos de los beliceños. Quizá Belice no podrá ver años robustos y sólidos de nuevo, al menos no en el año y medio que le queda a Barrow. Estamos en serios problemas y no se sabe si vamos a sobrevivir esta recesión prolongada. Belice necesita rescate urgente. Belice necesita la inversión extranjera, la creación de empleos, un plan de turismo viable, la reactivación de los sectores de la agricultura y la marina, una estrategia realista de lucha contra la delincuencia, un equipo capaz de Gobierno y un Primer Ministro que se preocupe por su pueblo y que sea capaz. Es hora del cambio desde la parte superior, es el momento de despedir al ministro de Finanzas actual y obtener uno real.

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, October 16, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Guyanese, Professor Duke Pollard, sworn in as new Justice of Appeal Belmopan, 11th October, 2011 Professor Duke Pollard from Guyana was today sworn in as a temporary Justice of the Belize Court of Appeal by the Governor General, Sir Colville Young, at Belize House, Belmopan. Witnessing the swearing-in ceremony was the Registrar General, Ms. Velda Flowers. Professor Pollard is a well-known legal luminary of the Caribbean. He was a judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice from 2005 to 2010. After his retirement from the CCJ, he took up appointment as Professor of Law at the University of Guyana, which position he still holds. He has written widely on legal topics and has undertaken various lecturing assignments throughout the Caribbean region. His areas of expertise include General

It’s the economy, stupid! Continued from page 2 decimated in wars, have risen like phoenixes to become global powerhouses within sixty years of their demolitions. Why? Their leaders had a vision and a plan. At 30 years old, is “It’s OUR turn now!” (also known by its other pet names “the “Spoils” system”, “corruption”, “nepotism”, “cronyism”, “rampant inequality”, “the monopoly system”, “minister’s discretion in every law”, “crony capitalism”) really the best we can do? The “Spoils System”, which rewards only party loyalty (“yes” men), has no place for bright, innovative, intelligent minds, only for boot-licking party opportunists. It rewards the brain-dead, not creativity and entrepreneurship. So the bright minds are forced to move elsewhere, cheated out of a future in their own country. And the country loses its best assets to foreign lands, increasing the “brain drain” and contributing to the dumbing down of Belize. Think about it Belize: Is this what we want our children to inherit? At thirty years old, it is beyond time for a complete paradigm shift in the way we think and the way we are governed. Sincerely, Wendy Auxillou

OCEANA & SJCJC Student Club join forces to clean Belize’s coastline

October 12, 2011 Two great forces! Oceana and 30 students from Oceana SJCJC’s ( St. John’s College Junior College ) student club joined together as one group on October 1, 2011, with and Court AdministraInternational Law, Law of a goal to clean along the coastline from B.T.L tion. Treaties and International Park to the Baron Bliss Light House in Belize The Sitting of the Economic Law. City . This was in conjunction with the Scout Court of Appeal starts Professor Pollard is a Association of Belize ’s Annual Beach and Rivtoday, 11th October, member of the British Inerways Clean-up. and is expected to last stitute of International and The students astonished themselves by until 28th October. Comparative Law, a memfilling thirty garbage bags that day with everyThere are 14 cases on ber of the American Sothing from liquor bottles to diapers and conthe Court Calendar, of ciety of International Law doms. Club president Marcelo Cowo comwhich seven are Civil and a member of the Camented: “We students and adults from all and seven Criminal. ribbean Association of Law over have our enjoyment when we’re by the seawall, but what we all don’t know is how filthy we all leave [it] to the end.” He continued to say “Oceana and Oceana SJC is not all about the oceans and the marine eco-system, we also care about our environment and being green is apart of a healthy life style. I hope by what my club Continued from page 2 members learnt that day is… to beers used to get a tuition grant from the Government money for two CXC Government every month when the come better role models and not to exam, we are told. PUP was in. This is what help oldest encourage littering…” Lot of the parent getting the free girl to go through school because her Belize City wasn’t the only place money for the CXC are not deserve father had died while she have reach where a clean up campaign was held it. The police should ask question second year at the same school. that day. Club members who live because lot of the woman who get Then what hurt me more is when in the North also participated in a help are from over the border. Not the same man that said that he was similar, successful activity in Orange even Belizeans get help first. taking away people job because they Walk Town . My daughter does good in her are PUP came on the phone and he books. I asked and because I can- was like saying that it is okay for Mr. not vote him, I was told by the people Contreras to only help special people working for him that I will never get what support him. I believe this is help for my girl. My daughter tell me wrong. Education under the PUP was not to worry she will be a lady to work for everyone. He is a bad politician in the Bank and she will pay off all my man this Education minister. God will bills for me so I do not have to beg no deal with him. Minister for anything. He take away all the help that we Every year the children try to do used to get from the PUP. Before the more and more CXC because that help government change everyone used them in life. They break all the dreams to get the help. Now, you have to beg of these boys and girl when they no and only few people get a little three give them opportunity with the money hundred dollars. for the exams. Can the UDP look at Why they keep breaking up the these children in the eye after they do children future? We do not want them these thing to them? here no more. Another person called in to the God bless you and thank you show and say that Mr. Hulse is doing helping us tell the whole of Belize the same thing in Stann Creek. They what they are doing out here. can say what they want and deny it Signed but we have to live with the truth. They Graciela Esquiliano-Ramirez are not helping us. Editor’s Note: The letter was It hurt me that Government printed unedited. We hope, too, that change because for my older daugh- change comes soon for the sake of ter, I remember that the school teach- our people’s survival.

Single mother puts Patrick Faber on check

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, October 16, 2011

My Time at the Times I never planned to be a reporter, much less Editor, of what has now become the historic journalistic icon of the peaceful, constructive, Belizean revolution. But fate has a way of intervening into the affairs of boys. As a teenager and student of Saint John’s College on scholarship during the period 1955-1960 (we needed five years to graduate from SJC at that time) I used to sell The Belize Times on the streets of the old city for five cents a copy (I got two cents and the management got three) for each copy sold. A fair bargain, I suppose. In 1958, as a third former, I had the honour to serve the table of the Executive of the Saint John’s College Alumni Association, of which Mr George Price was President, at their annual banquet. After the meal Mr Price had the good grace to thank me for my service and enquire into my studies and my plans for the future. I used to get great grades in English Language, English Literature and History, and I told him so. He asked if I could write. I wasn’t sure, so he invited me to write an article on anything I wanted for people to read, and bring it to him at The Belize Times office, then located on the bottom floor of the Berry building at the corner of Queen Street and Handyside Street. Bright and early Monday morning I marched into the office with my ‘offering’. Mr Price read it, smiled, and said “Bobby, I’ll pay you five dollars for every article you write and we print; only make sure it appeals to young people, because we want more young people to read The Belize Times.” I couldn’t

Robert Leslie (far left) attending a high Continued from page 6 level meeting with Premier George Price

believe my good luck – from two cents to five dollars. He gave me an entire page for the weekend edition, and I put together Teenage Confidential, which ran weekly until I graduated in 1960. Mind you, I had to write many of the Letters to the Editor myself praising my column since the expected youthful enthusiasm was not outpouring. As a fresh SJC graduate, while my peers were seeking jobs in banks, businesses and the civil service for far greater reward, Mr Price offered me a full time job as Reporter at The Belize Times at the grand salary of $10 per week. I accepted, and the rest is history. Hattie interrupted; by then we were further up Queen Street on the ground floor of Independence Hall. I got hooked on running around town finding out things to write about, tapping out my stories on the old Remington; the smell of fresh ink, folding the

Illegal Rosewood trade trail leads to OW business By Carla Bradley The problem of illegal and unregulated logging and exporting of the precious Rosewood continues to plague the southern areas of the country. Another shipment of illegal Rosewood and Zericote was confiscated over the weekend this time consisting of four containers with had no forestry certification. Investigations revealed that the shipment’s documents said the container would carry black poison wood and not Rosewood or Zericote. The exporting license or permit is registered to a business in the Orange Walk District, Guoming Lee of Northern Lumber Company. The permit or license is to export black poison wood to Shen-

zen City in China. In a September 1st report by Channel 5, a dealer named “Vega” as one of the buyers of Rosewood. That Vega is suspected of being a close relative of Minister of Natural Resource and Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Gaspar Vega. In that report, the dealer Samuel Edwards explained that Vega was raping the forest and that in order to do business with anyone else, he [Vega] had to be cut into the deal. The Minister of Natural Resources’ complacency to act to bring this illegal logging to a stop is disturbing. The logging is carried out in Mayan ancestral land, which the Supreme Court indicated must be managed by the Mayan people. It is clear the UDP Government’s disrespect knows no bounds.

papers and smoothing them out with old coke bottles; the constant presence, encouragement and criticism of Mr Price; the cooperation and good nature of Miss Staine, Tony (Meighan), Charles (Lamb), Ivy (Robinson), Anthony Sylvester, Miss Gwen (Lizaragga – her son Adolfo was Editor), and so many others. I learned to set lead type (upside down), frame them, proofread, even print on the old press when Mr Brown was ‘under the weather’ with too much rum. By 1963 I got restless and began the search for a scholarship to learn more about newspapers. The British Council sent me to the Polytechnic Institute of Advanced Technology in London in 1964 to do a one-year course leading to a Diploma in Journalism. I went with then Zelma Tucker(now the famous author Zee Edgell), who later became the Editor of the Chamber of Commerce’s

newspaper The Reporter. We had been preceded on that course by people like Ronald Clark and Severo Pinto. After an interesting and rewarding year, during which I was given the distinction of being appointed Editor of the School’s paper The Polygen, I returned home in 1965 armed with my first post-graduate certification, and an over-riding enthusiasm to get back to The Belize Times. Mr Price offered me the post of Editor at the grand salary of $32 per week. I was thrilled; me – Bobby Leslie – Editor of The Belize Times, then a daily newspaper – and I was only twenty-three years old. The times were exciting, the job was interesting, the people I worked with were the salt of the earth. Mr Price wrote the editorials; and I did them when he was too busy, or out challenging Belizeans to join him in the struggle for independence and territorial integrity. It was not a job; it was a mission. I believe I gave it my best, because I gave my heart to that paper; and it has served to strengthen my character, form my personality, and prepare me for the role I had to perform later when I joined Mr Price in the internationalization of Belize’s independence. was appointed our first Ambassador to the United Nations, High Commissioner to the Court of Saint James’ and Ambassador to the European Communities, and served as Secretary to the Cabinet under both Mr Price, and then Mr Musa. Thank you The Belize Times and may you continue to serve the nation with truth and integrity for many generations. Robert Leslie

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Single-mother fired TWICE by UDP Belize City, October 11, 2011 For unexplained reasons, the UDP has decided that its merciless victimization will be meted towards single mothers with impunity. This is the only conclusion after the many stories we’ve covered at the BELIZE TIMES about the UDP’s victimization on hardworking mothers. We got one more story this week when a 50 year old single mother of three students came to us telling us about her most unfortunate episodes with the UDP. She was fired once, but twice by the vindictive bunch. She explained that in 2008 she was working as a janitor at the airport and as soon as the UDP came to office, she was swept out. Since then she has been out of a job, and has relied on ‘hustling’ to be able to put food on the table. The lady had a rare stroke of luck two weeks ago when Philloughby encouraged her to go

The UDPs have an anti-woman policy

to City Hall and sign up for a job opportunity. This was coincidentally the weekend before the UDP convention. Hoping she could get a job, the city resident went to City Hall and filled out a form. She was told that Monday she can report to work at the North Front Street public restroom. This, of course, with the condition that she attends the UDP Convention. On Monday when she went to work, she said she had just finished

cleaning up when an emissary arrived with a message from Councillor Philloughby. The message was that she could no longer work, because at the directives of UDP Minister Michael Finnegan, “no PUP cyant eat from UDP pot”. The single mother went home broken hearted and totally devastated. The UDP has no compassion for Belizeans, and especially those that are most in need of help.

Ministry of Finance refuses to pay Police Officers By Carla Bradley Police officers are known to be paid less than what they deserve and it is now alleged that some have not been paid for duties performed under Special Duties Folder for over four months. It is alleged that these officers, roughly 10 officers have not been paid for duties performed at such events as fairs, BWS family day etc. In regards to the fairs, they worked 11 hour shifts each in June of this year and to this date; they have not been compensated for the hours worked. They have approached their supervisor, and it must be noted that Mr. Grinage has done well with the department according to these officers but he unfortunately cannot help them in regards to this situation. Special Duties are not paid under the police department; they fall under the Ministry of Finance. The documents are sent over to the ministry of finance where it is then authorized to make payments to the officers, but according to the officers, they were informed that there was an error in the account and therefore it has to be rectified. When asked who will rectify it and when, they were ignored and the issue has since not been addressed.

THE BELIZE TIMES

Humor in UDP Politics! The following were discussed in cabinet this week: - How much did John Saldivar pay out at each 9th Amendment hearings? - A report on the one million ransom paid to the gangs at the first meeting and why it is the Mayor of Belize City is filling pot holes with sand in the rain and if it is true that the monument being built on Marine Parade is that of DJ Dalla. …………. In other related news – To enter Cabinet, each member was asked to whistle. Gapi whistled so long and hard he was told to pay for food and the next UDP convention. …………. Dean Barrow was overheard saying that the PUP was like a Party without a head which caused BQ Pitts to lean over and say to Sedi that the UDP is a party with a head that has no body. …………. Before entering Cabinet the Minister of Agriculture was able to detox for GMO seeds in the lobby. He was sprayed with a pesticide and fish and asked to take a bath before entering Cabinet, only for Melvin Hulse to notice that the clothes Montero was wearing had the name brand GMO. …………. Things are so bad under Barrow that poor people taking the so called food package and selling it for money. Things so bad both mayors of Belize City and Belmopan are frequent visitors to a friendly pawn shop, in fact things so bad that the Mayor’s run program was nearly put on hold when someone stole her running shoes and pawned it. …………. At the last 9th amendment hearing in Belmopan – a note passed from Saldivar was so badly written that one person reading it said I am here in support of the 9th Commandment. A later check of his note held up sideways made it out as Amendment, causing the man to ask ‘weh happen, you mi wah me read it sideways?’

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, October 16, 2011