Issuu

Sunday, September 4, 2011

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SUNDAY September 4, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Issue No. 4761

GSU ignites

Murder & Mayhem The abuse & torture unleashed by the GSU Belize City, August 31, 2011 “All of us are ready to die right now if that’s what they want, we just want them to know that it is the whole of Belize that will suffer, and innocent people will pay the cost because innocent people are among us”. These were the chilling words uttered on the television screen by a member of the notorious George Street Gang (GSG) after he and his “boys” were viciously brutalized by the now equally notorious Gang Suppression Unit (GSU) on the evening of Friday, August 26, 2011.

The bloody confrontation unfolded following the GSG’s burial of one of their “fallen soldiers”, Charles Woodeye, who was executed inside the Dolphin Street Fire Station on August 14, 2011. Family and friends had gathered at a George Street address for his repast, but their mourning would be rudely disrupted and disrespected as Barrow’s “goon squad” descended on them like a swarm of killer bees. With their “beat down first and ask questions later” M.O., the masked members of the GSU, brandishing guns, pepper sprays, tasers, batons

Bruise caused by firing of rubber bullets during GSU raid

Continued on page 9

UDP

RECYCLES

CITCO

FAILURES See page 4

GOB REFUSES TO LOWER BEL RATES See page 6

The faces of UDP corruption and failure!

Boots’ election shenanigans Belize City, August 31, 2011 UDP Port Loyola representative Boots Martinez will appear tomorrow before the Magistrate’s Court as an investigation is carried out into whether dozens of voter transfers carried out by his political operatives were illegal. It is strongly believed that the UDP in Port has been carrying out some serious irregularities in the division, registering persons who are not valid electors in the area. They do this by finding secure addresses where the voters

Continued on page 4

Boots the Barbarian

See page 15

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Local genius,

Jonas Sanchez, passed 16 CXCs BELIZE CITY, Wednesday, August 31st, 2011 By Alton Humes Genius is not an accident. It can be a gift, sure; sometimes it’s a curse….. but it is not an accident. And for a Belize City-based student being blessed with such genius, it’s become a reminder to the rest of us who continue to dabble in doing nothing with their gifts to take a second look inside our selves and ‘harness’ the best within us. In May of this year, the BELIZE TIMES published a pair of stories with regard to the flurry of activity surrounding ‘Graduation Season’. I interviewed a pair of extremely gifted Edward P. Yorke High School students, Jonas Sanchez & Shameca Acosta, while they were in the middle of preparing for their Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate exams (CSECs for short, and colloquially known in the Caribbean and Belize as the CXC’s). Well, we are mighty pleased to report that Jonas and Shameca are amongst the top students in this iconic and prestigious exam. But the “person” of the hour (or moment, as it were) is Jonas. He is (by private estimates) the first Belizean candidate to take – and pass – 16 CXC exams. [The Ministry of Education’s “official” findings will not see the light of day until at least November, and we failed to get any early indicators via phone on Tuesday.] In no particular order, the 16 CXC passes (13 Grade 1s, 2 Grade 2, and a Grade 3) were in the following subject areas: Office Administration, Physics, Social Studies, Spanish, Technical Drawing, Visual Arts, Building Technology (Woodworking), Chemistry, Electronic Documents Preparation and Management (EDPM), English A (Language), English B (Literature), Human & Social Biology, Information Technology, Inte-

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.”

From the ghetto streets

Mayhem

grated Science, Mathematics and Mechanical Engineering Technology. (A total of BZ$750.00, paid with the support of EPYHS principal Mr. Roderick Cardinez, was invested to take these subjects.) For the ever-humble Jonas, the routine was fairly easy, even if some of the subjects (Mechanical Engineering Technology, Visual Arts and Woodworking, for instance) were not. Over two weeks of intensive preparation, including 11 School-Based Assessments, was part of the overall game plan to success. But there were snags in the ‘web’: a busted home computer and having to commute to a local library to do his work, the Visual Arts SBA being a complete surprise which ended up costing many candidates a good grade, and most unfortunate of all, having some moderate anxiety just before the CXCs were to start. But with the ease and grace befitting a dignified performer, he conquered it all, and he’s not about to rest on his laurels. Although he is currently not attending UB due to its Engineering Program (his chosen major) not meeting his gargantuan expectations, he’s settling for gaining his A.S. in Mathematics and Physics at St. John’s Junior College. But here’s the kicker: he’ll stay at SJCJC in the interim, while making preparations to sit the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Exams (CAPE) in technical engineering and other subjects. And he will maintain some courses at UB, in hopes of earning a degree there in the future, and he’s even making plans to

Dear Editor, The year 2008 was when this U.D.P. government came to power and that was the same year mayhem came down upon the people of this country. What went wrong? That is an answer we all would like to know. It was like fire falling from the sky. That year was a disaster, and right then I knew that this country was heading in the wrong direction. When you think of U.D.P. you think of Mayhem because that is what they are. The way Belizeans are living today, killing up each other without any meaning, it shows that Dean Barrow doesn’t care about what happens in this country and in the streets. Mr. Prime Minister, I know you watch Channel 7 News every night and I know you see the mess you and your government

sit a Cambridge A-Level Exam in Mathematics. While he has some slight concerns with his performance (wondering if he’s done enough to earn Mathematics honors from the CXC Committee, querying about his results in Social Studies and English B (Literature)), it is crystal clear he’s a genius in Belize. And while Jonas can all but enjoy being at the top, his fellow alumni at EPYHS, including Shameca, can celebrate too. Shameca achieved 11 CXCs (shares with at least 10 of her fellow students), while 2 more earning 12 CXC passes a piece. (St. John’s College unofficially has 2 students gaining 15 CXC passes a piece.) As noted before, Jonas, despite being confident, had his ups and downs. But since being ‘up’ is far better, let us, as Belizeans seek to emulate nothing else but the strong examples of our own Belizean brothers and sister not ‘bowed down’ by the tragedies of our own lives, and in so doing, create something real for all Belizeans to respect and behold.

have brought upon us. So if you did care you would have already adjusted the problem and bring solutions to the people. But the best solution this Prime Minister came up with is this bogus G.S.U. that stands for Government Simple Unit. All that this crowd is doing is making chaos and bringing more violence and crime to the streets of Belize City. On the television sometimes we watch what is happening on the world news and maybe what’s happening in Mexico and its drug war. Why I say that is because Friday night on my way back to work it was about 7:30p.m. when I noticed three police trucks coming towards me, but when they passed me I noticed something different about these officers. They were the G.S.U. and what was different about them? They were all wearing masks! It made me feel as if I was in Mexico that night when the G.S.U. passed me to go on a raid. We only see this type of action on the television. Belizeans my point is that this U.D.P. government is a disgrace to society. Mr. Barrow, do the Belizeans a favor and call elections now! Increase the peace. 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

Bar tells AG: “No means No” August 30, 2011 On August 25, 2011, the Bar Association of Belize issued a press release confirming the position of the Bar Association of Belize (the “Association”) following the press releases of both the Government of Belize and the Churches on August 22, 2011. The Attorney General in a press release dated August 26, 2011 called on the Executive to withdraw the Association’s release. The issuance of the press re-

lease by the Executive was within the powers of the duly elected Executive and in consonance with the position taken by the membership on July 27, 2011. That position clearly called for the removal from the Belize Constitution (Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2011 of the proposed amendments to section 2 and section 69 of the Belize Constitution. In the circumstances the Association will not withdraw its press release. (Press release)

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, September 4, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

IMF says Belize’s economy unstable Belize City, August 25, 2011 The IMF has issued a stinging preliminary report on Belize’s economic state, following their official visit last week. As reported previously by the BELIZE TIMES, officials of the International Monetary Fund were in Belize conducting a high-level analysis of Be-

UDP RECYCLES CITCO FAILURES Belize City, August 29, 2011 If the UDP believes it can inspire any hope with its recently elected slate for City Council, then they are truly attempting to take Belizeans for fools. After six years of neglect and mighty high incompetence, which has had the city rotting with filth and infrastructural collapse, the UDP bunch wants another three years to continue filling their pockets and taking city residents for a ride. Are they serious? Even with fresh elections, the UDP wielded enough money to buy votes and ended up with the same corrupt and lazy individuals who have been busy worrying about their monthly salary than the state of the city. Their slate includes Eric Chang of Chinese notoriety, Dean Samuels who closed down his barber shop right after winning and forgot his humble beginnings, lousy and uninspiring Councillor Kevin Singh, all glitter but no substance Roger Espejo, Mr. Know it all Dion Leslie, and the dumbest of them all King Philloughby. The only two new faces represent the daughter of Mr. Artificial Border himself Sedi Elrington, and the son of zombie Attorney General B.Q. Pitts. The other two, the one called Michael Theus, has been a part of the institutional idiocy that the UDP turned the Belize City Council into, and mayoral candidate, Darrellitas, is the in-house attorney for the Council which makes him privy to all their disastrous misgivings. The slate’s top vote getter displayed the height of their hypocrisy when he said in news interviews that he believes city residents will give them another term because they have delivered 90% of their manifesto promises. Really?! Were their manifesto promises to keep the city in total disrepair, to allow the streets to flood after every heavy shower, to keep the drains clogged so unhealthy water fills people’s backyards, to increase taxes, to abandon parks, to steal and to bring shame to the Council? If those were the promises, Dion Leslie is right on target. But the truth is that, their real promise was to develop the city and to lead with integrity and honesty. How many times were we disgusted at the sound of another City Council scandal beaming through the evening news? There have been too many to count. The good news is that it’s up to the residents of Belize City to clean up city hall. That opportunity only comes every three years, so when the municipal UDP dodo birds come knocking on your door remind them of their promises, and when elections are held, remind them of their utter failures.

lize’s economy known as the “Article IV Consultations”. Last week Thursday, the chief of the IMF Mission to Belize, Gerardo Peraza, issued a preliminary statement, citing serious concerns over the Government’s handling of the economy. Noting the paralysed state which the economy was in 2010, the IMF report pointed out that inflation remained at 0% throughout the year. The IMF attributed the inflation rate to lower food costs and a result of a weak domestic demand for goods. Belizeans know there was no such thing as lower food costs as prices at grocery shops increased, unless the IMF is referring to the Ramen Noodles, Chicken sausage and Potted Meat which are the types of food Barrow chose to zero rate. The IMF is spot on about the weak demand for goods, however, which is a direct

Sunday, September 4, 2011

result of the slowed economic activity throughout the country. Ask any business person, and he/she would readily admit that business has been very bad in Belize. The most damning areas of the IMF initial report is its urging the Government to “adopt a stronger fiscal stance to reduce its dependence on grant and oil revenues”, to “rebuild macroeconomic buffers to deal with future shocks” and “to protect the public sector balance from the recently nationalized entities”. The Barrow Administration’s economic performance has been worse than the Freddie and Fannie CEOs. Government is totally dependent on oil revenues, so much that petroleum revenues cannot be used to fund social and infrastructure initiatives as proposed by the former PUP Administration. Additionally, the Government has created no buffer to withstand the current economic shocks of the global recession. This is why the

Continued on page 33

Boots’ election shenanigans Continued from page 1 will be listed as residing. Most times, as has already happened in the case of over 50 transferees, the Court found that the voters acted illegally and therefore their transfer was disqualified. But there are hundreds of cases of the like in the UDP’s Port Loyola division. The matter came before the Court today, but strangely, even after the Court duly summoned the voters and they failed show up, the Court decided to give a day’s extension. Unfortunately this could work to Boots’ advantage since he now has a few more hours to search and gather the transferees. If the transferees lived where Boots said they did, they would have received their Court notices and understood the gravity of the situation. The UDP is hell bent on taking the next elections by hook or crook. Belizeans must not allow this to happen.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Barrow Head di haat ah! Sure we’ve heard the cries in the streets, but perhaps never before has that street been one that lies in the heart of the Prime Minister’s constituency, the infamous George Street as many may now know, the George Street gang has been on barrow’s payroll and it is rumored that they receive approximately $20,000.00 per month in hand-outs from Barrow and Sista B. No doubt, this is quite a hefty sum but when you ask the Prime Minister to show one positive project, program or development within in community, the silence may deafen you. You see Dean Barrow’s neglect of his constituency is nothing new. Being an obscenely wealthy Attorney and politician, Barrow has never had time on his $30,000 Rolex watch for the poor, and as such he has always subscribed to the “quick fix” model of political campaigning, making only two cameo appearances around election time. Until then, Barrow sends out Sista B to do the “dirty” work, but instead of pulling up in a dump truck, the fortune Sis ride in a late model Range Rover. So what does Barrow’s “quick fix” model of campaigning involve? Well, firstly there is no room for progress or betterment within his community. If there was, then that would mean people would have access to better education, which in turn would mean that his constituents would have more knowledge and more chances of being gainfully employed, thereby becoming less dependent on Dean Barrow and Sista B. I think it goes without saying that moving ahead in life is a no-no under Barrow’s “quick fix” model. This week however, may have seen the start of the end of for Barrow and his no good policies. After years of neglect, abandonment and frustration, it finally appears that the time on Barrow’s Rolex has stopped ticking. Never in Belize’s history have the die-hard soldiers of a politician come out to publicly chastise their boss, going so far as to say that his days are done and that come next election they will “X” him out. After years of quick fix financing, it appears that now people of Queen Square want more. They want gainful employment and to earn an honest living. They want to bury their loved ones in peace without being terrorized or brutalized by the GSU. They want their children to have the opportunities that you either intentionally refused to give them or were reckless in not giving them. It has always been said that you can judge how good a politician will be as Prime Minister if you look at how they develop their constituency. Had the rest of Belize only taken one day out of their lives to visit the deplorable state that Dean Barrow has left his division in, having been at the helm for almost 30 years, he would not be the Prime Minister today. After 3 years of rampant and brazen family cronyism and nothing but a food basket of noodles for the poor, the people of this country are unto you, Mr. Barrow. And after 30 years of total neglect within your constituency, your own people are now unto you. It is time to better Belize and it is over-time to better the Queen Square division by getting rid of you and your “quick fix” model once and for all.

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Murder madness reaches new levels Thursday, September 1, 2011 The murder madness in our country has reached new levels as

GOB REFUSES TO LOWER BEL RATES

August 30, 2011 By Carla Bradley The Government of Belize has been caught with its pants down, lying to the people of Belize. The first item in its 2008 Election Manifesto is that it will “ease the cost of living by lowering electricity rates and telephone rates”. The Government took over Belize Telemedia Limited two years ago and the rates have not gone down, not for one single moment. GOB took over Belize Electricity Limited three months ago, and there is no sign that electricity rates will see a reduction. Lies, lies & more lies There are more lies. Mexican officials have indicated that the GOBowned BEL and the privately-owned Mexican electricity providers, CFE, have agreed on a rate reduction of about 6%. While that will result in savings to BEL, and expectantly, a lowering of the rates for consumers, UDP crony turned Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission John Avery has said “hell no!” In an interview with LOVE FM Avery was asked about the 6% discount, and he said he could not guarantee that Government would lower electricity rates. “Whatever they pay for power that has to be passed through directly to consumers so if there is a reduction in cost, you would expect it to have a similar effect on the overall rates being paid by consumers. But having said that we need to understand that cost of power is not the only component of the rates, you have other components such as maintenance of lines and fuel. But it does not guarantee that this will actually reduce any bills,” explained Avery. Double-standard UDP The UDP used deceitful propaganda to gain support for its forced takeover of BEL. BEL had been applying to the Public Utilities Commission for a rate increase, noting that the cost of power and fuel had been increasing, and they were absorbing such cost. The Avery-led PUC denied the requested increases, which the former BEL owners say, led to serious financial constraints which ended with the company facing a default of its debt obligations. Today BEL is in Government hands, and now they are using the same reasons BEL did to withhold savings from consumers. Prior to taking over BEL, the PUC accused BEL of owing consumers $34m. Now that Government owns BEL, the PUC claims that the company no longer owes consumers because they were absorbing the high cost of power all along. What double standard!

the government obviously has no answers and no clues as to how to fix the problem. Over the last 10 days there has been a bloody spate of homicides that have gone unsolved so far. We start off with the latest one: that of Guy Fuller, 34, who was shot dead inside his home at number 76 Banak Street shortly before seven on Tuesday night. The tattoo artist was shot multiple times in a corridor just outside his kitchen. Police say that two friends were with him when three other men entered his house. The third one who had the gun unleashed a volley of bullets at Fuller. He died at the scene. His family says that nothing was stolen in the murder. Meanwhile, last week Sunday, John Garbutt, 42, a man who was a fixture in front of First Caribbean Bank was shot dead at the corner of King and George streets. Residents say that he was standing at the corner when a gunman walked up to him and shot him once in the head.

Last Friday, during an all-out attack by GSU elements on George street while family and friends were consoling after burying Charles Woodye who was murdered the previous week, another man was gunned down in the vicinity. It happened at the corner of Berkeley street and west canal shortly before six that evening, just as Maurice Neal, 30, a welder who had his workshop on the same street, was returning after buying cigarettes at a nearby shop. Neal was shot nine times at close range. A little girl, Deneisha Cadle, 10, who was leaving the shop at the same time, was also hit by a bullet in her ankle. Two more men were shot earlier this month also died of their injuries. Troy Bowen, who was shot 10 times on August 24 on Marigold Lane, died of his injuries earlier this week. Mullin was riding a bicycle heading towards Jasmine Street when his attacker ran him down and shot him. The other murder victim Stefan Flowers, 18, who was shot in his ab-

domen to weeks earlier also died of his injuries. On Wednesday night and other person was targeted. This time, a woman, Tiffany Cadle, was shot in her back and the right arm on Victoria Street. The police response and arrests of these murders leaves much to be desired. With so many detentions, countless abuse reports, this country seems to be going to the dogs. Two organizations, meanwhile, a call on the prime minister to investigate the incident of last Friday on George street when more than 40 people were attacked and senselessly beaten by GSU elements who claimed that they had information that there were guns and grenades in the area. In the process, many innocent people suffered injuries that needed medical attention. Belizeans for Justice and Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action are also asking the prime minister to prohibit the GSU members from wearing masks during their raids.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

FROM THE DESK OF THE

PARTY LEADER

Barrow offers no solution to crime Last Friday night the Gang Suppression Unit (GSU), which answers directly to the Prime Minister, descended on George Street and proceeded to detain a number of men and women from the neighborhood. During the operation, the GSU used rubber bullets, tasers, pepper spray, tear gas and other dangerous tools to round up more than 40 persons. It was also reported that a number of innocent bystanders, including children who were involved in Carnival activities, suffered from the indiscriminate use of tear gas attacks and pepper spray or were beaten. When Belizeans saw the footage of what occurred during the Monday night news, the response was mixed. Many thought that the level of force used by the GSU was excessive and that the behaviour of the officers had gone too far. Others believed that given the area in which the police was operating, where there is one of Belizeâ€™s most notorious gangs, that the police had no other choice but to use force. Whatever side of the debate one takes, it is certain that what transpired on Friday did not do anything to help the crime situation in Belize, especially on the south side where murders occur at an alarming rate. So what is the solution to this problem? Is it in the creation of these special units that use excessive force to maintain control? What about our rights and privileges that have been granted to us by our Constitution? Can the Police Department in the name of law and order throw out the Constitution? We are supposed to live in a civilized society where every Belizean enjoys certain rights and privileges. Yes we are faced with a serious situation in our country where too many of our young people are dying and too many are in jail. The solution however cannot be found on the fat end of a baseball bat. We must not result to abuse and illegal actions that tarnish the image of the Police Department. Let us not forget our children are watching and learning from our example. In many cities that have dealt and continue to deal with the issue of urban gang activity, positive results were seen where the police department, in addition to increasing its presence in the streets, worked with the communities through various outreach programmes from night time sport activities to feeding programme for children. The presence of senior members of the police department in the communities also played a significant role in improving relations between the police and those in the community. We need to build confidence between our law enforcement authorities and our underprivileged communities where crime is more prevalent. An important issue however is the role of government in dealing with the crime situation in Belize. Indeed crime cannot and will not be solved by simply improving relations between the police and those involved in gang activity. It needs a clear and comprehensive plan spearheaded by the Government and including the participation of all the stake holders. A PUP Government will articulate a clear policy on crime, the elements of which will include strengthening crime fighting in at risk areas, investing in the prosecution branch and improving on the science of crime fighting. Equally important, we will develop programmes that will deal with crime prevention and uplifting our people from poverty. Of course the best way to seriously address crime is to provide jobs for our people. If you look at other cities where crime has been lowered you will find low unemployment and in cities where crime is high you will find high unemployment. The unemployment rate Belize is at a startling 24 percent!! Three years after the election of Dean Barrow and the UDP, there has not been a single proposal which has helped to solve the crime problem in Belize. What they are doing is not working and it is failing miserably. In the absence of a real plan murders and mayhem continue unabated. Prime Minister Barrow has clearly opted for brutality and repression rather than consultation with the people and stakeholders and an investment in our young people and provision of resources for a better equipped and better trained Police Department.

Under Barrow & the UDP: UNEMPLOYMENT is 24% POVERTY is 43% GST was raised to 12.5% COST OF LIVING is the HIGHEST EVER NO SALARY INCREASE for Teachers, Police, Nurses FUEL PRICES are almost $12.00 NO NHI ROLLOUT School FEES have INCREASED Sugar is NOT available BUSINESSES ARE SHUTTING DOWN INFRASTRUCTURE IS WORSE NO KENDALL BRIDGE MORE PAIN & SORROW

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Putting People First

PUP presents San Pedro Municipal SlatE

San Pedro, August 29, 2011 On August 27th, the People’s United Party held a well-attended Endorsement Convention at the Central Park for its slate that will contest the San Pedro Town Council election in March 2012. At the event, the PUP supporters were addressed by Chairman

of PUP Belize Rural South Milo Paz, Deputy Party Leader Mike Espat, PUP Deputy Leader Carolyn Trench-Sandiford, Corozal Bay Standard Bearer Gregorio “Papas” Garcia, and from the Leader of the People’s United Party, Hon. John Briceño. When Mayoral Candidate,

Conchita Flota Valdez, addressed the crowd of supporters, she received resounding applauses. The Councillor candidates that make up the team are: David Aguilar - Nicholas Varela and Jesus Wiltshire Mundo Nuñez - Alberto Nuñez and Ricardo Molina

Vianie Perez – Alex Eiley Zobi Ayuso Wally Nuñez - Pete Ayuso Pedro Lara Maribel Vasquez - Jason ñez and Lily Nuñez Marina Kay - Andre Perez Ana Najaro Cal

and and Nuand

PUP on the move in Corozal North Cristo Rey Village, August 29, 2011 The People’s United Party Corozal North constituency was on the move again. At a very well attended meeting on 28 August 2011, the PUP Cristo Rey village Party supporters elected a massive working committee who will work for victory. The officers of the committee are as follows: Chairman- Alberto Nah; Vice Chairman- Flora Che J.P.; Secretary- Casimiro Uh; Vice Secretary- Jenny Uh; Treasurer- Faustino Yam; Vice Treasurer- Maximo Botes. Other members are; Bernaldo Teck, Florentino Chan, Edgar Che, Jose Tzul, Simeona Tzul, and Ivette Botes. Guest speakers were Corozal North Standard Bearer Valdemar Castillo, Dr. Petronilo Cob S.J.P., Mario Avila, and Steven Castillo, among others. Speakers discussed the way forward for the PUP and Belize, along with national issues such as

the proposal for a 9th amendment to our constitution. There was also a question and answer session. The supporters were grateful for the valuable information shared. All the members of the committee and the PUP party supporters pledged their support for Valdemar Castillo and the People’s United

Party in the upcoming elections. It must be noted that on Friday, 26 August 2011, the Belize Youth Movement held a meeting in the village of Paraiso, Corozal, to elect a working committee. Elected were; President- Cindy Chable, Vice- Roberto Castillo, Secretary – Baltazar Torres, Asst Secretary-

Diamili Manzanilla, Treasurer- Paula Chable, and vice treasurer- Gilberto Najaro. Presiding over the elections was Steven Castillo- BYM Youth coordinator for PUP Corozal North Executive. The Guest speaker was Corozal North constituency Valdemar Castillo.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

GSU ignites

murder & mayhem

Continued from page 1

and metal baseball bats, unleashed their terror on everyone inside the home where the repast was being held. Stomping on doors, smashing car windows, breaking beer/rum bottles, tossing food in the air, destroying furniture and appliances, Barrow’s mercenaries went on a rampage on the crowd of mourners. At the end of their terror, the injuries sustained by members of the GSG and residents of the area were many and of varying degrees. Those injuries included broken limbs, heads burst open, broken jaws, bruised and burnt skin. The brutalization didn’t end there; however, as the victims, totaling some forty (40) persons, mostly men, were dragged off to the infamous “pisshouse” at Eastern Division and Ladyville Police Station where the GSU and other members of the Police Department continued the onslaught. In his television interview, one of the detainees, who was eventually one of only two charged, said that one of the Police Officers shouted to them that “Barrow” ordered that they be detained for a total of sixty-eight hours. Reports are that the entire episode was precipitated by the Mesopotamia Police Substation being shot up earlier in the evening. Obviously enraged at the attack on their comrades, the GSU stormed onto Dean Street and carried out their torment on anyone in their path. Making absolutely no apologies,

Barrow’s “urban terrorists” proceeded to release pepper spray indiscriminately into a crowd of children who had just returned from a pre-carnival motorcade. The leader of the junior carnival group and a Justice of the Peace also fell victim to the GSU’s barbarism. It is reported that during the time the members of the GSU were terrorizing the mourners and residents of George Street, they turned their savagery on a “blind” defenseless man. Even innocent citizens could not escape the GSU’s cruelty. The events of Friday, August 26, 2011 serve to confirm what the PUP and the BELIZE TIMES have been saying ever since the formation of the Gang Suppression Unit (GSU), i.e. it is Barrow’s personal “death squad” that has one mission and one mission only which is to SEEK and DESTROY. And as the television images clearly showed, the GSU SOUGHT and DESTROYED on Friday, August 26th. No right thinking, law-abiding citizen inhabiting the 8,866 square miles of this country would deny the fact that our country, particularly the Old Capital, is under siege by criminal elements. Moreover, we all agree that there is something that needs to be done urgently to arrest the burgeoning crime problem and that the Government of Belize is first and foremost responsible for identifying the remedies. Those remedies, however, must never be implemented in haste and must never disregard and violate the basic human

rights of our citizens. Dean Barrow has created a monster in the GSU and that monster has now gone completely out of control. With absolutely no regard for the law and human rights, the members of the GSU, under instruction of Barrow and his ghost Police Minister, continue to terrorize and brutalize. The irony, no doubt, has to be that while the GSU was formed to “suppress” gang activity in Belize City, the Unit, itself, has now become Belize’s “most feared gang”. As the latest victims of their terror exclaimed, “If you are a mask man, then what kind of police are you? That is showing us that they have their own gang - Dean Barrow Bad Man Gang. I think they are Dean Barrow’s Death Squad. It looks like he built his Death Squad; that is what I think. GSU is Gang Stupid Unit. That is Dean Barrow’s Death Squad. GSU can’t stop any problem. GSU is making problems.” The GSU, like the highly controversial “Proposed Ninth Amendment”, is proof positive that Dean Oliver Barrow is a modern day DICTATOR. While Belize is not being bombed by NATO Forces, Barrow is no different from the Ahmadinejads, Mubaraks, Gaddafis of the world. Like these dictators, Barrow is intent on suppressing his own people and punishing them if they dare to challenge him. Following the horrific events of Friday, August 26, 2011, it is now evident that war has been declared between the George Street Gang (GSG) and the Gang Suppression Unit (GSU). If this were to be a war solely between these two “gangs”, hardly anyone would be concerned. But as when it comes to gang warfare, there exists no “rules of engagement” and it means that inevitably, there will be “collateral damage”. To repeat the frightening words of the

GSG member, “… innocent people will pay the cost because innocent people are among us …” Like their supreme commander, and here, we’re referring to Dean Barrow and not Marco Vidal, the GSU is DANGEROUS for Belize. It is because of this realization that the People’s United Party has publicly committed to disbanding the band of mercenaries immediately upon assuming office in 2013. The members of the GSG plan to do some disbanding of their own. Like many poor, suffering Belizeans, they’ve now realized that to Dean Barrow, everyone is dispensable. In the words of one GSG member, “After we vote in Dean Barrow, this is what he did to us; he chance us. Next Elections, we will X him and the UDP out”.

THE BELIZE TIMES

Ronnel Gonzalez

charged for illegal Liquor & Cigarettes BELIZE CITY, Wed. Aug. 31, 2011 By Roy Davis Ronell Gonzalez, 28, a student residing at 213 West Canal Street, was charged with recklessly harboring uncustomed goods, $10,121.60 worth of liquor and cigarettes, when he appeared today in the #6 Magistrate’s Court. Gonzalez pleaded not guilty to the charge. Magistrate Dorothy Flowers offered him a bail of $6,000 and adjourned his case until October 4. The charge is as a result of an incident on August 17 in which members of the Police’s Gang Suppression Unit went to a house at 5752 Lizarraga Avenue and found an assortment of liquor and cigarettes. The items included 48 bottles of Sunrise wine, 26 bottles of Johnny Walker, 6 bottles of Bailey’s, 1 bottle of Grey Goose Vodka, 1 bottle of Absolute Vodka, 32 cartoons of Malboro cigarettes and 11 cartoons of Benson and Hedges cigarettes. The Comptroller of Customs is asking for a fine of $30,364.80, which is three times the market value of the goods.

Ronell Gonzalez

Gonzalez was also charged with recklessly dealing with uncustomed goods but that charge was withdrawn.

Crispin Moreno freed of murder charge Orange Walk Town, August 29, 2011 By Carmelita Perez On June 21st 2011, 29 year old Crispin Moreno was charged at the Belize City Magistrates Court for the murder of Doctor Enrique Guerra who passed away on June 7th. Moreno’s arraignment in Belize City was due to his neck and back injuries sustained on May 27th 2011, when the prison vehicle he was traveling in from Orange Walk to the Kolbe Prison overturned. On Friday Moreno’s Attorney Phillip Palacio applied for bail at the Supreme Court but he was informed that

there was no need to go through the procedure because the murder charge against his client had been withdrawn by the Department of Public Prosecution. CTV3 News understands that as a result of the accident Moreno sustained severe injuries to his spine and as a result will remain paralyzed from the neck down for the rest of his life. With Moreno free the murder charge that leaves Richard Berry, Alejandro Nunez and two minors 15 and 16 years of age facing a charge of murder each for the death of Doctor Enrique Guerra.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Two charged murder of Troy Bowen BELIZE CITY, Wed. Aug. 31, 2011 By Roy Davis Two men, Gilbert Craig, 24 and Theodore Andrews, have been charged in connection with the shooting murder of Troy Bowen which occurred around 8:15 a.m. on Wednesday, August 24. Craig, a handyman of 6423 Marigold Lane was charged today in the #6 magistrate’s Court while Andrews, a laborer of 6423 Marigold Lane, was charged yesterday in the #1 Magistrate’s Court. The charges included attempted murder, dangerous harm and use of deadly means. Craig and Andrews were told by the Magistrates they appeared before that no plea would be taken because the offences are indictable. They were also told that the court cannot offer them bail because of the nature of the offences. They were remanded into custody until October 26.

Gilbert Craig Bowen reported to the police that he was walking on Marigold Lane when he was approached by two gunmen. Bowen said the men began to fire shots at him and one of the bullets struck him in his left shoulder. Bowen was transferred to Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where he was admitted to ward. He died this morning from his injuries.

Tevin Abraham gets 2 years for Handling Stolen Goods BELIZE CITY, Wed. Aug. 31, 2011 Tevin Abraham, 19, who is serving a sentence of 6 years for robbery of a firearm, was sentenced to 4 years yesterday in the #8 Magistrate’s Court after he pleaded guilty to 2 counts of handling stolen goods. Magistrate Emmerson Banner sentenced him to 2 years for each count with the stipulation that the sentences are to run concurrently. Therefore, Abraham will only serve 2 years. The goods that Abraham handled were a gold chain and a cell phone. The gold chain was the property of gas station attendant Earl Hamilton and gas station attendant Norris Santos was the owner of the cell phone. The gold chain and cell phone were stolen during the robbery of Esso Gas Station at the corner of Cemetery Road and Wood Street, which occurred on April 24, 2011. Hamilton and Santos reported to

Tevin Abraham the police that they were robbed at gunpoint by two men. On May 2, the police recovered the gold chain from Abraham’s girlfriend and the cell phone from Abraham. Abraham had exchanged the gold chain with his girl friend for a chain she had. Abraham had appealed the sentence of 6 years for robbery but his appeal was dismissed.

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, September 4, 2011

BELIZE'S #1 SPORTS PAGE

FC Belize wins Champions’ Cup

Francisco Briceno attacks

Belize City, August 28, 2011 FC Belize won the Champion’s Cup by drilling the undefeated First Division champs, Westlake, 2-0, in Game 2 of the championship finals on Sunday. Despite continuous strikes at both ends of the field, the Westlake and FC Belize offensives held the game scoreless up to the half. FC Belize’s coach Anthony “Willi Beau” Bernard substituted Gilroy “Bredda” Thurton for Wayne Miller in the 2nd half and it turned out to be a brilliant move as Bredda Thurton delivered the 1st winning goal when he finished a play by Misael Canul on the right side-line in the 56th minute. Westlake veteran midfielder Tyrone “Tbone” Muschamp replaced Lorenzo Diaz, but FC Belize’s David “Gringo” Ramos and Christian Perez took over from Francisco Diaz and Thomas Castro. Byron Usher iced the 2-0 win with a 2nd goal in the 93rd minute.

FC Belize Thomas Castro takes on Jarret Davis

CYDP/Bulldogs tied 1-1 Belize City, August 26, 2011 The CYDP avoided elimination from the Interoffice Basketball Championship as it won game 2 of the finals on Wednesday night. Bulldogs had clenched victory 80-76 in overtime of Game 1 last week Friday. It was a major comeback for the Belize Bank team who was trailing from a long distance behind for the most part of the game. C.Y.D.P. led 16-11 in the 1st quarter, and at the half, CYDP stretched their lead 33-22. Kachief Thomas continued to drain long treys as he scored a total high 19 points for the Bulldogs, while Leon “Bigs” Williams led with 10 points and 12 rebounds. In the 2nd half, Rupert Brown and Darwin “Puppy” Leslie helped equalise the game for Bulldogs then push to lead the ball game 43-41. The game continued very close and Bulldogs almost got the win at the end of regular time, but CYDP’s Marcel Orosco drained in a long trey to tie the ball game 64-64 with 8 only seconds left on the clock and the game went into overtime. In overtime, the CYDP offensive crumbled and its defense let down its guard to give the Bulldogs 16 points to their 14 points. Now it’s all up to Game 3.

CYDP’s Ed Baptist scored 9 points & made 12 rebounds CYDP’s Ernest Broaster scored 5 points

Belize faces

Grenada on Friday

CYDP’s Earl Johnson scored 9 points

Belize City, August 30, 2011 Belize has entered into the 2nd round of 2014 World Cup Qualifiers as it prepares to face Grenada on Friday. The Belize Male National “A” team, made up of 18 players, left the country yesterday. As part of its World Cup Qualifiers schedule, Belize will also play Guatemala and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Tickets for the Belize-Guatemala game to be played at the FFB/Caribbean Tires Stadium are selling for $30 at the following locations: Belize City – Infotel International Ltd., Orange Walk – Shell One Stop, Dangriga – Kush Barber Shop, Belmopan – FFB Office, Roaring Creek – Garbutt Gas station.

National Team Roster Shane Orio - Captain Woodrow West Harrison Roches Deon McCaulay Elroy Kuylen Ryan Simpson Dalton Eiley Ian Gaynair Amin August Everald Trapp David Trapp Daniel Jimenez Victor Morales Vallan Symms Luis Mendez Elroy Smith Mario Villanueva Byron Usher

2nd Round Schedule: Belize vs. Grenada – Sept. 2nd Belize vs. Guatemala – Sept. 6th Belize vs. Grenada – Oct. 7th Belize vs. Guatemala – Oct. 11th Belize vs. St. Vincent & the Grenadines – Nov. 11th Belize vs. St. Vincent & the Grenadines –Nov. 15th

Sunday, September 4, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Lemonal’s Surprise

BELIZE'S #1 SPORTS PAGE

wins 2011 Cricket Championship Lemonal Village, August 27, 2011 Surprise Cricket Club of Lemonal are the 2011 Smart Harrison Parks National Cricket Champs, after clobbering Western Eagles of Rancho Dolores in Game 2 of the finals by a score of 154 runs to 67 for Western Eagles in Lemonal on Saturday. Surprise won the toss and entered to bat first, and Chris Banner led the Surprise batting with a six and two fours to score 24 runs before he was bowled out. Gareth Banner hit 2 sixes and 2 fours to score 21 runs before he was bowled out by Jermaine Pook. The final wicket fell when Lawrence Banner was given Leg Before Wicket after he hit 3 sixes to score 21 runs. It was Emelio Perez Sr’s 3rd wicket, he had also dismissed the 2 batsmen for one run.

BTL wins XXI

softball championships Other games: Mirage Lady Rebels vs. Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy

11 Mirage

Roaring

Telemedia vs. UB Black Jaguars

Telemedia

UB Black

Lawrence Banner hit three 6s

Orlando Banner hit a four, as he scored 15 runs to remain Not Out. Llewellyn “Luigi” Sutherland had opened the batting and hit a four before he was given Leg Before Wicket on a ball from Jermaine Pook, who took a 3rd wicket when he bowled out Pharon Muslar after he had hit a six to score 11 runs. Edward Bull also hit a four to score 7 runs before he was caught out Western Eagles’ Glen Pook took 2 wickets for three runs, but Surprise had

Belize City, August 28, 2011 The Belize Telemedia softball women are the XXI National Women’s Softball Championships after defeating the Mirage Lady Rebels 3-1 to claim the Phil Sims Memorial Trophy. The winning pitcher Mary Flowers struck out 3 batters, while Norecia Frazer came home in the 1st and 6th innings and Elaine Humes came home in the 5th inning.

Rebels’ Lisa Jones scored a consolation run in the 4th inning, while Lanisha Jones was the losing pitcher. At the end of the tournament, BSF Anderson Honorary Life Member, Rudolph “Sir Andy”, presented the championship trophies and awards.

Mirage Lady

Telemedia

Ontario

Most Strike Outs Lanisha Jones (Mirage Lady Rebels) 11

Most Wins Mary Flowers (Telemedia) 4-0

Easy Does It

MVP Norecia Frazier (Telemedia)

Ontario Rebels vs. UB Jaguars

Ontario Rebels

BTL team

Lennox “Carrots” Cattouse Award Mr. Raymond Lashley, BTL Head Coach

UB Jaguars

Roaring Creek vs. Easy Does It

Roaring Creek

OW Under-23

basketball Results

Easy Does It

Telemedia vs. Lady Rebels

Telemedia

Lady Rebels

Roaring Creek vs. Ontario Rebels

Roaring Creek

Ontario Rebels

Home Runs Norecia Frazier (Telemedia) 2

Batting Average Sherette Jones (Mirage Lady Rebels) .500

Telemedia vs. Easy Does It

Awards:

Stolen Bases Amber Wade (Easy Does ItFlowers Bank) 3

Most Runs Batted In Norecia Frazier (Telemedia) 11

Mirage Lady Rebels vs. Ontario Rebels

tallied 154 runs by the time their last wicket fell. In the Western Eagles’ turn at bat, the Surprise bowlers were in fine form with Edward Bull taking 6 wickets and Orlando Banner took 3 wickets. Dean Perez led the Western Eagles’ batting with 14 runs and theys were all out for a miserly 67 runs. TIMES’ sports desk says Congratulations and Nuff Respect to the new champs.

Lanisha Jones pitches

Lydia Cacho

By Ladrick Sheppard The 2011 Under-23 basketball tournament continued at the East Sports Center in Orange Walk with a series of games. These are the results: Union Town Bad Boys vs. Young Gunners 81-45 Top scorers: Randy Usher, 42pts; Earl Kelly, 12 points Top Shattazz vs. Die Hard Ballaz, 81-75 Top scorers: Kashief Tomas, 15 pts; Vinnie Garbutt, 29 pts

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, September 4, 2011

BELIZE'S #1 SPORTS PAGE

MOE/Alamilla’s wins 3rd in Interoffice finals Belize City, August 26, 2011 The regular season’s MVP, Greg Rudon, scored 23 points and 5 rebounds to lead MOE/Alamilla’s in their 72-60 win against Ports. Ports’ were up 18-12 in the 1st quarter, with big points from Keith Pollard who led them with 23 points and 14 rebounds. But in the 22nd quarter, things changed and MOE/Alamilla’s jumped to a 38-30 lead at the half. MOE’s Kevin Domingo added 15 points and 8 boards, while David Jones, Kevin Lorenzo and Joseph Domingo chipped in points to increase the lead 57-40 at the end of the 3rd quarter. With more points from John Rudon, Robert Ferguson and Brandon Rogers, MOE/Alamilla’s got the win.

Individual awards (Regular season) Most Blocks – Lennox Cayetano (BTL) Best Sportsmanship Award – Orlando Bowen (Police Department) Most Rebounds – Danny Reynolds (Tropic Air) Most Steals – Carlston Barrera (Mirab) Best Defender – Carlston Barrera (Mirab) Most Assists – Tyrone “Joker” Edwards (Tuff E’Nuff) Most Points Darwin “Puppy” Leslie (Bulldogs) MVP - Greg Rudon (MOE/Alamilla’s)

Millennium girls lead women’s football

Hattieville, August 28, 2011 The Millennium Orchids girls posted their 3rd win 1-0 over the Caye Caulker Island girls when the Belize District football competition moved to Hattieville for week 3 of the tournament. The Island Girls had not lost a game, but made no impression on the Millennium defenders Melony Tasher, Geanne Cayetano, Kaya Cattouse and Kara Kisling, and it fell to Kara Kisling who scored the winning goal.

Other games: Sand Hill Untouchables vs. Millennium Orchids

Sand Hill

Darwin Leslie scored 15 points

Bz Bank Darren Neal scored 5 points

Wei Rong Huang & Zhi Cheng win table tennis open Belize City, August 28, 2011 The Belize Table Tennis Association held the second annual Chinese open table tennis tournament at the Belize Elementary School auditorium on Sunday, where Wei Rong Huang won the Female Division and Zhi Cheng won the Male Division. The tournament opened at 9:30AM, with remarks both in English and Chinese to the general audience present. Mr. Lim Lo did the

honors of translating the entire day activities in Chinese for players and spectators. Following the playing of the Belize National Anthem by Carlos Cui and his Trio, all on violin, the tournament “kicked-off” with 16 participants in the men’s division and 6 in the female division. Both divisions were played in double elimination format, with all players having to lose two sets before being eliminated from the tournament.

Millennium

Goals by Emily Cerpa (Untouchables), Loida Contreras (Orchids)

Hattieville Heat Ladyville Tornadoes

Hattieville

Ladyville

Jersha Estrada 2, Deandra Coote (Heat’s), Alma Alarcon, 2 (Tornadoes)

Zhi Cheng is the 2011 champ

Carlos Cui won 2nd Place

Ladyville Tornadoes team

Trial Farm’s South Africa wins 2011 Mundialito

Info provided by Alex Palacio, FFB Representative The Mundialito Finals were held at the Louisiana Football Field on Sunday, August 28, 2011. In the game for 3rd place, Brazil of San Victor defeated Germany of Louisiana Area 1-0. In the finals game, South Africa of Trial Farm bombed Argentina of Yo Creek 5-1 in a game which will go down in the history books. South Africa was among the favorites last year.

Wei Rong Huang is Female Champ

Tanya Tao won 2nd Female category Peter Wong won 3rd place

THE BELIZE TIMES BELIZETIMES SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 4, 2011 see full color at www.belizetimes.bz or Facebook/ Belize Times

This Week’s Sunday, September 4, 2011

TOP MODEL

E-NEWS

CarnivalSong Winner

Facebook: Ernestine Carballo

McGregor

tells Taurus Riley “Don’t be a one-hit wonder”

It is known that in the rap/hip hop world one single phrase can lead to major battles between music personalities and dynasties. But how does it work in the reggae music industry? Well, we are about to find out as Freddie McGregor has zoomed in on reggae star Taurus Riley, advising him that it’s about time he finds a new hit song. McGregor said he believes Riley is in desperate need of another hit song. “Tarrus Riley is a great singer. Well, no, let me rephrase that: I don’t think Tarrus Riley is the greatest singer. But he has a nice vibe to him. However, he will have to find another She’s Royal very soon. As a matter of fact, he should have had that already. You can’t be a great superstar when you only have one song. Being a one hit wonder is something we used to joke about in music.”

CarlosSantana

calls Grammy awards “racist”

Renowned musician Carlos Santana has declared that the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences cut to certain Grammy Awards had racist motivations. Some of the 31 eliminated categories include five R&B categories including best R&B female, best R&B male, best urban alternative performance and best contemporary R&B album. Latin-music categories were also hard-hit, reportedly going from seven categories to four. Santana said, “Why do they cut only this music? Why not other music? I think they’re racist. Period. First of all, we have so many categories of country and western. Country and western people have seven to nine to 10 (awards) shows a year, and you seldom see Negroes or Latin people. You can’t eliminate black gospel music or Hawaiian music or American Indian music or Latin jazz music, because all this music represents what the United States is: a social experiment”. The 54th Grammy Awards will air Feb. 12, 2012.

Karen

• • • •

Attending Corozal Community College Career Plan: Youth Coordinator Sign: Virgo Favourite Food: Mexican & Chinese

• Likes: Modeling, Exercising, Photography, Dancing

• Lives in Corozal • Fav. Quote: “No two days are the same in a garden”

THE BELIZE TIMES

Telecom rivals sign

interconnection agreement BELIZE CITY, Monday, August 29th, 2011 By Alton Humes The two dominant telecommunications firms, Belize Telemedia Ltd., owners of DigiCell® mobile services and Speednet Communications, owners of SMART®, have signed an interconnection agreement which has brought some level of peace to an already intense public battle. Under the watchful eyes of the Public Utilities Commission, Telemedia, led by Government-appointed Chairman Nestor “Net” Vasquez, and Speednet, led by Jaime Briceño and Ernesto Torres, signed the agreement last Friday, August 27th, 2011. In front of a skeptical media presence, 5 copies of the agreement were signed, 1 for the records of the PUC, and the remaining 4 split between SMART and Telemedia. Chairman Avery preceded the signing ‘event’ with some remarks that clearly speak to the continued debacle over negotiation and other issues, including possible usage and charges for VoIP (Voice-over Internet Protocol), which he curtly said, when asked, was not covered in the agreement. He also specified that there are “some areas” that needed further consideration and that those will be “….dealt with in due

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Ramon Quiroz wins Twin Towns Mayoral Convention

Ramon Quiroz

BTL & SMART representatives met & signed an interconnection agreement

course.” As for what the documents actually say, anyone interested in seeing the “technical” aspects of the interconnection rules can go to the PUC website: www.puc.bz (the last we checked, it wasn’t up yet), and it will be Gazetted in the Government Gazette for anyone to view. Following the signing, SMART issued a press release which noted that their customers will benefit tremendously as a result of the agreement. “This long awaited interconnection of the 3G network will address the problems of congestion affect-

ing our Smart customers. It will also allow Smart to launch its broadband data and high speed internet service on mobile phones as well as computers”, said their release. SMART also indicated that they hope other issues are resolved soon, because it is affecting the rollout of their much-anticipated 3G Network. It will be interesting to see where this continued “Telecom Armageddon” takes the thousands of customers who were genuinely wishing for this day to happen.

San Ignacio, August 29, 2011 Small business owner, Ramon Quiroz, defeated four opponents to win the PUP’s race for Mayoral candidate for the San Ignacio/Santa Elena municipalities. Quiroz bested the other candidates with 630 votes, with his closest contender Orlando Espat getting 395 votes. The other candidates were Delia Frutos, Luis Ayala and Gilroy Requeña. A total of 1,618 voters casted their votes in the mayoral convention. The Party also held elections for its six Councillor candidates, which resulted with Elias Rodriguez topping the polls with 923 votes, Sharon Codd with 868 votes, Joe Marr with 861 votes, Gabriel Maldonado with 735 votes, Albert Bradley with 623 votes and Yola Flores with 613 votes. They bested the following candidates: Luis Valdez, Yovany Valdez, Marlene Torres, Rony Thompson, Allen Mangar and Garfield Murrillo. This Sunday, the PUP will hold an endorsement convention in Benque Viejo del Carmen.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Deh haf fu go!

UDP cronies are milking San Pedro Town Hall San Pedro, August 30, 2011 The San Pedro Town Council public purse continues to be the milking cow for the UDP. That explains why rejected Mayor, Elsa Paz, and her very unpopular team have refused to present the public with a financial report. But nothing stays in the dark forever, and thanks to our friends and allies inside the San Pedro Town Council, we have obtained documents exposing serious irregularities, corruption and the hustling of public funds within the San Pedro Town Council dating as far back as 6 years. It is no secret that the Mayor’s assistant, Felix Ayuso, enjoys a monthly salary of $2,800, but what is incomprehensible is the terms of his employment. Ayuso is only required to work 3 days. Which employer in his/her right mind would pay such a high salary for 12 days of work in any one given month? The benefits don’t ends there. Ayuso can collect overtime for any work conducted outside those three days he is paid for. The records, leaked to us, show that anytime Ayuso works outside the three days of the week, he collects $27.78 per hour! In some instances Ayuso collects as much as $31.26 per extra hour. The documents show that on numerous instances, Ayuso would collect overtime for 8 hours in a day. In any given week, Ayuso is paid between $420 and $541 just in overtime! Records show that the best of times for Ayuso is the month of September, when he pulls in over $2000 in overtime. For sure, this September Felix will have a nice pay check thanks to the UDP hustling. It appears that “OVERTIME” is the new way to hustle at the San Pedro Town Council, and Ayuso is not the only tick sucking off the Council’s purse. Documents obtained also show that Administrator, Patricia Verde, is not only lucratively paid, but is also in the business of “overtime”. Verde wields tremendous authority inside the Town Council. She comes and leaves work at whatever time she sees fit, and she tends to over exert her authority. Considered most arrogant by her co-workers, Verde strolls in at times around 10:00 in the morning, walks out for lunch by 11:45AM, and returns to work by 1:30PM in the afternoon. Most occasions she strolls out at 3:30PM and calls it a day. Verde is actually shortchanging us, her employers, about three hours and forty minutes a day!! If

Elsa Paz is at the helm of the corruption at the San Pedro Town Council

you don’t believe me then ask Carvin Marvin at the corner of the street; he will tell you exactly who leaves and at what time. But a closer look at the records reveals that the wellpaid Verde is on a lucrative salary exceeding $3,200 monthly; or $830 weekly to be exact! Records obtained show that anytime Verde works outside what should be the normal schedule (8:00AM to 5:00PM, Mon to Fri) she charges $36.30 overtime per hour. Like Ayuso, Verde’s best months are February and September when she collects approximately over $417.00 in overtime on any given week. The details of the gross misspending and wastefulness inside the San Pedro Town Council are frightening. Documents show that the hustling goes back six years ago, at the start of the Paz regime. It is clear now why Ayuso is so touchy about the Mayor giving interviews on the Council’s finances. He probably fears being exposed as one of the Mayor’s highly paid cronies. It is also very evident why Verde is always tight lipped and denies requests to make the Council’s financial record public. All the wasteful spending approved by the Mayor indicates the high level of irresponsibility in the management of taxpayers’ money. No wonder the San Pedro Town Council is almost $6 million in the debt. The voters of San Pedro are anxiously waiting for election to fix the mess, get rid of real corruption and restore order at the San Pedro Town Council.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

GST – Barrow’s Arsenal Of Terror! Contributed We will have a short fall Mr. Speaker but I am not worried about it because we intend to collect it from the people who owe GST, so stated Dean Barrow at this year’s Budget presentation. If Barrow’s GSU is the making of a legal group to terrorize the people of Belize in a police state than mirrors that of Nazi Germany, then the GST is another arm of Barrow’s arsenal unleashed on the Belizean Business Community to wrestle away every dollar, every cent even in these UDP created hard times. Instead of fixing the Belizean economy Barrow has picked a fight with almost everybody including the business community from the Chamber of Commerce to its members both big and small and in between. The problem is that Barrow has had ten years to prepare for office/ten years to fix what was wrong but from the get go his focus was not the economy. In fact Barrow stood beside his Central Bank Governor, and when asked

about the effect a weakening US economy would have on Belize, he said there will be no problem. So Barrow pressed on from what started out as a pissing match between himself and Ashcroft to Stan Marshall, to the late Barry Bowen (who check mated him in court) to Kay Menzies – and the list goes on. From Monday to Friday, the Magistrate’s Court is filled with GST cases, loaded with potential “GO STRAIGHT TO JAIL” for ridiculous penalties for none filing to cruel expectation of demand for thousands of dollars from business owners. The problem is no money no deh and the very people smart enough to create money and jobs is in trouble, disrespected by the government, shamed by the government’s newspaper and radio, dealt with in the Courts and jailed all in silent, taking licks from the banks, BBL, BTL, BWS and Social. Trying to summons is one thing but when the business community catch hell from the government – ain’t that a _itch!

No Progress in Disaster Preparedness

The Barrow Administration is wilfully neglecting the Kendall Bridge until election time

BELIZE CITY, Wednesday, August 31st, 2011 The incompetence of the United Democratic Party’s government has been made manifest in various ways. But with the Atlantic hurricane season halfway through, you’d think that the UDP crowd would fulfill at least one reasonable promise: to have a comprehensive and reasonable disaster preparedness plan. But sadly, like everything else they’ve managed to screw up in their administration, their lack of skills in proper disaster preparedness management continues to be evident. For example, despite the fact that most schools are chiefly doubling as hurricane shelters, there has been no real progress in, or interest in, repairing and upgrading schools which utilize this function. In fact, anyone seeking shelter at certain Southside schools such as Salvation Army and Queen’s Square can literally barely fit in a space, much less try to avoid the torrential rains that accompany tropical storms and hurricanes. Then there’s the need for an Emergency Preparedness Fund, for the poorer families who cannot afford or did not bring food to a shelter, or those who need clothes, or even those who wish to repair their homes. A strong and viable emergency fund would take

away the “exploitation” these families face in the glare of the media spotlight. But the “Big Whopper”, the key component to a sound facilitation of traffic for our Southern-most brethren who need to go to shelters within their area, is the Kendall Bridge….oh, wait, the very same Kendall Bridge which washed away during TS Arthur in 2008, the same one Government’s been stalling to fix?! It must be gratifying, somehow, to be a Government that claims to care about the people, yet you would much rather wait for an “opportune” time to build the Kendall, especially when people of the area need it most, and refuse to continue being misled by skullduggery and stupidity on GOB’s part. Belizeans don’t need any college degrees to know that “sitting on your hands and hoping disaster won’t happen” is NO kind of policy at all. Responsible governments do not endanger their citizens’ lives, and don’t screw around the welfare of a nation, not when dangerous storms can be about at any time. If the lessons of Irene, Katrina, Mitch, Keith, Iris, Hattie and other infamous storms don’t light a fire under Government’s ‘caboose’, then they clearly do not deserve another hour; heck, another minute in Belmopan.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sir Dennis Byron is new CCJ President Belize City, August 30, 2011 Kittitian-born legal luminary, 67 year old Sir Dennis Byron will be installed as the new president of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on September 1st. Sir Dennis, who was Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal, replaces Michael de la Bastide, who steps down on August 18th. Sir Dennis won the Leeward Islands Scholarship in 1960 and went to read law at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, from where he graduated with an MA and LLB. After 16 years of private practice in the Eastern Caribbean, he went on to serve as High Court judge, Justice of Appeal and then Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. He is currently president of the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). Sir Dennis was the trial judge in the Maurice Bishop murder trial in Grenada – the longest criminal trial in the Caribbean.

Sir Dennis Byron

In 2000 he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and was appointed a member of Her Majesty’s Privy Council in 2004.

Paralyzed inmate sues GOB Belize City, August 29, 2011 By Carla Bradley In May a police van transporting inmates from Orange Walk to Belize City suffered multiple tire blowouts causing the vehicle to flip several times. As a result, two of the inmates being transported to prison were critically hurt and the driver was killed. Among those badly injured was Dean Davis, who became paralyzed. Davis’ family claims that since the accident, Prison and Police authorities have refused to accept responsibility and have left them to bear the brunt of the financial burden that has come from accessing medical treatment. Antonia Zuniga of Benguche, Dangriga, is Davis’ mother. She visited us and presented bills that she received from the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital for x-rays and surgery done on Davis. The cost is in the hundreds, and

Zuniga believes it is not fair that they are the ones being forced to pay. According to Mrs. Zuniga, the accident could have been avoided. It has been reported that the vehicle may have been speeding on the road and that its tires were worn out and needed to be replaced. Additionally, there are reports that the van used to transfer prisoners was neither licensed nor insured, which implies serious traffic law violations. Davis is now suing the Government. Mrs. Zuniga is also asking the public for financial assistance as she cannot afford to pay the bills on her own. Mrs. Zuniga can be reached at 6078918 or you can make a deposit at Belize Bank, acct # 625-2-200552. Davis is facing trial for the alleged murder of Erin Sutherland that occurred in April 18, 2010. His case was adjourned until September 22, 2011.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Who is ASP Broaster working for? Contributed The tentacles of the UDP corruption spread deep in brazen flaunting of their agents, as well as their suspicious and unexplainable ventures. The politically-tolerated comedy that is career of Senior Superintendent Edward Broaster stretches for decades. The last public act was his stage play headlining the Prime Minister on none other than All Fool’s Day last year, where they announced the big “police criminal ring”. The connections and questions between Broaster and the UDP and the secret dealings of Standard bearer Lee Mark Chang are bountiful. It goes much deeper than sweet and sour meals at Chon Saan. On Thursday August 18, the international subsidiary of Panorama Group, Caribbean Marble & Concrete Mfg Ltd, located at mile 47.5 on the Western Highway, stumbled across a queer financial side of Broaster’s entanglements. The BELIZE TIMES has uncovered that Caribbean Marble is in receivership and in doing its inventory, tried to locate a 2006 Toyota Hilux pickup truck appearing on the Company books. We are reliably informed that the accounts reflect that the truck was being served and fuel at the Company expense. Yet, with forty minutes of the request for the truck, one Edward Broaster, alighted a government vehicle and presented himself at Mile 47.5, where he informed the Receivership that he had the truck in his possession as he had loaned to the presumably million-dollar company as much as $10,000 and was keeping the truck as a “lien”. How can a public servant making somewhere in the range of forty five to thirty seven thousand dollars, for the entire year, lend a big company 25% of his salary for the entire year? Where is the actual documents in proof of it, if it was an above the table arrangement for legitimate purposes? What is Lee Mark and Eric Chang’s connection to all this, if any? Where is the Financial Intelligence Unit in all this? The bigger question is where have they always

Edward Broaster

been? How did this police officer so well connected to Dean Barrow and alleged to have documented his exploits in an eventually stolen laptop in 2010, get all his riches? What was purportedly his record keeping is now referred to in police cooler-talk as the “Broaster Report”. How many other honest non-political officers have four houses? Yes, four plush houses. The first mansion in Belama Phase II, one on Lizarraga Avenue, one at mile 4 on the Northern Highway and another around the corner from Dean Barrow’s sea front castle. Reports are that this police operative directly connected to the UDP has interest in an island. Yes, a Caye! So we ask again, what is the real story of the “loan”? Come on, him needing to lend a huge company money is like Yellow man lending BEL $10,000. Is there a Bank of Broaster? By the way, why was the Government vehicle and tax payer gas used to take this cop on private business during work hours? And why is it still heavily tinted? Is there not a law against that? Or does it not apply to Broaster? In fact, what other laws do not apply to this UDP connect? The people of Belize are not sleeping. We are watching Barrow and his agents. But justice or a US Government Agency will come knocking on the doors of one of your four houses. The UDP will not be able to hide the wrong doers forever, five years is soon up.

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Did you know?

UDP spends $7.1 on rents & leases, $10,000 on food for the poor Belize City, August 29, 2011 It should be no surprise that the Barrow Administration stands over the worst poverty statistics in the nation’s history. Not only has the band of do-do birds methodically destroyed the economy, but they have also proven to be bankrupt on ideas to restore any semblance of stability. At the bottom of the UDP socioeconomic pyramid lie poor Belizeans, those struggling to make ends meet every day. The 2010 statistics show that poverty grew to 43% under the Barrow Administration, which means that one in every four Belizean lives in poverty. That’s not all. 16% of the population is considered indigent, which refers to those with insufficient money to afford the basic necessities of life. And it still doesn’t end there. 13% of the population is considered vulnerable to poverty, which means that they have just about enough to get them over the poverty hump, but could easily fall into that bracket. With ever increasing food prices and stalled minimum wage revisions, the poor is sure to get poorer. With such data, one would believe that the Barrow Administration would prioritize spending to uplift the poor. Not so! Instead, they continue the wasteful spending they have been carrying out since 2008. You don’t have to believe us, it is not us saying so. An electronic info-email shared among members of the Chamber

compared with what the PUP spent 10 years ago for the same thing – only $2.3 million. And while the Government is willing to spend millions to afford plush houses and offices home and abroad, it spends a chump-change to alleviate poverty at home. In 2010, the entire Government spent all but $10,000 on its food pantry program. The Prime Minister has kept on boasting that the food pantry initiative is the anchor of his pro poor policies. If so, the ship has sunk. If $10,000 is shared among 30,000 (43% of total population), then it sums up to a crappy $3.00 per poor person. Imagine the audacity of the Prime Minister’s barefaced lies and deceit.

of Commerce shares the following: “Did You Know: $7.1 Million was the approved estimate for rents and leases by the GOB for FY2011/12. For the FY 2000/01, the figure was $2.3Million.” To sift through the chief sins of the Barrow Administration is a tough task. But the recent data shows that the Barrow Administration has its priorities all mixed up, like bad wiring, electricians would say. Why else would anyone spend $7,000,000 only on rent and leases? Especially at a time, when Belizeans are facing the brunt of a worldwide recession? As the Chamber’s investigation points out, it gets more outrageous when

Sunday, September 4, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

REALITY CHECK! Sorrow and chaos raging through the streets

By Carla Bradley Poverty, unemployment, and crime, are key factors that are contributing to the chaos our country finds itself in. With nearly half the population living in poverty, people tend to turn to illegal things in order to make ends meet, to survive, or to even feed their families. I know this should not justify the actions taken by some of the people to deal with such times but we must also put ourselves in their shoes. I must make it clear that I am not defending the criminals in anyway. I am just making the connection that the plagues we are facing right now is and will continue to be, unless

remedied as best as it can, the root of the chaos in our country. Jobs are scarce. It is like walking into an abandoned country western movie where all u see is dry dirt, shacks and wretchedness. The Hon. Patrick Faber boasts of so many students graduating at the secondary and tertiary levels but fails to mention that most of these students have reached their end as all their hard work has been in vain because there just aren’t any jobs in Belize. Some students find themselves working in a different area than what they pursued in school, in order to try to make a living whether it is to help support their families, or themselves or to continue their education. Single mothers have found it to be insufferable and stressful, as jobs are like a needle in a haystack. HL’s Burger, a business which employed many single mothers, had no choice but to close down as ends were

not meeting, since the economy has been in deep recession. It is quite noticeable that many businesses have either had to cut staff or close down all together. These days if you don’t know someone in office or know someone who knows someone in office, then you are basically hung out dry as you probably will not get a job. Then there is crime. It has been a never ending issue in our country and it has gotten worse in the recent years as poverty and unemployment have greatly contributed to it. In my opinion fighting violence with violence will not solve anything, it will only anger people more and frustrate the public and cause panic on the streets of our once peaceful nation. Officers are placed to maintain order in a nation not to create madness. According to the definition of a Gang Suppression Unit, it states that they are placed to identify, monitor and apprehend gang members and eliminate their criminal activity, making the streets safe for the citizens of the country. The definition of our Gang Suppression Unit, according to their actions in our country, is to terrorize,

23 punish, victimize, brutalize (just to mention a few) the people of our country while adding more crime to the already crippled country we live in. We must try to find a peaceful way and constructive way to battle the rising crime in our country. Create new youth programs to teach these youths that there are other ways of earning a living. I do not mean to create jobs for them and then still hire them to do your dirty work, if jobs are created then it should be to pull them away from the life of crime they were living. I know you must wonder why I stress on poverty, unemployment and crime in all my articles; it is because the first two, poverty and unemployment, are the root of crime. If the government would address the first two issues fully and as they should, crime would be easier to tackle and Belize would definitely grow into a strong independent country.

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Farmer Giles says on August 30, 2011 at 2:18

It seems to be that the GSU are poorly trained thugs that are totally out of control. This the same type of behaviour that the death squads in El Salvador used to use. Plus the involvement of the DPP with the head of this band of hooligans means that it would be very difficult to sue the GSU for their wrongdoings.”

Erwin X says on August 30, 2011 at 2:33am

Barrow can not win another election in Belize. He is a bald head hypocrite and a dictator. He and all his visionless, silly ministers must go. Life Haada Out Ya!”

Rod says on August 31, 2011 at 7:23am

Ricky Malthus submitted on 2011/08/21 at 2:47pm

This whole gov. and PM need to be locked up for stupidity, ignorance, treason and everyone who was hurt in this should sue the gov. And sue the PM personally for it is his stupidity that is causing this whole situation in the country. Sue Barrow, make him spend some of the millions he has stolen from the poor people of Belize.”

I hope the IMF looks and investigates the fiscal and monetary mismanagement of GOB and in particular the vacuous , senseless method of handling the depressed economy. I hope the IMF doesn’t recommend more belt tightening, increased GST, more foreclosures on non-performing loans. These actions are which brought Belize to its economic ruin. The IMF must recommend : economic stimulus by injecting hundreds of millions of dollars into private sector of economy. The IMF must recommend GOB stay out of private sector because GOB is so inefficient. IMF must recommend that European Union , the USA, and other donor nations assist the Belizean people directly and keep the funds out of the hands of politicians. Advertise to public that funds are available as grants or loans or both. The IMF must recommend that reduce Customs and Excise taxes, fuel taxes; and must recommend land reform to enable the people to own the oil and other minerals found on their land. The government has impoverished the people . Finally, IMF must recommend a private jobs program funded by GOB and donor nations while cutting back on civil service jobs.”

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Reid Sometime in late 1999, I was approached by then CEO in the Ministry of Home Affairs Alan Usher, who offered me the post of Police Press Officer. My predecessor Christie Castillo had called it quits after only one year and had moved on to a more sensible undertaking. It was not an easy decision to make and I begged time to consult with a number of persons whose opinions I held in high regard. I did not need the money and certainly did not need the stress, besides, at the time I was a frequent user of marijuana. As fate would have it, just about everyone that I spoke to thought that I would be good in the job and urged me to “go for it”. Once I made the decision to accept, their vote of confidence propelled me to a great effort and I was determined to not disappoint their confidence in me. It was not an easy job, and there were many times when I came within a whisper of resigning. Yet, I hung in there for seven years and can only hope that my performance matched the expectations of those whose opinions still mean much to me. As I stated earlier, I was at the time, a frequent user of marijuana and was actually, quite the connoisseur. All weed is not the same and different types have different effects on mood and deportment. One type might make you sleepy while the other makes you hype. One type makes you hungry, while the other makes you grumpy. One might make you horny while the other makes you silly, etc., etc. I could identify them by sight, smell and more accurately, by taste. Of course, this essay is not about marijuana but just trying to set a backdrop. I knew for sure that if I took the job with the Police Department, I would no longer be able to indulge in this favorite pastime; it weighed heavily upon my decision. Once I decided however, I knew exactly what had to be done. I gathered together the residues of my indiscretions, including paraphernalia, and headed around the corner to make my homeboy happy. I consider hypocrisy the most base of human characteristics and knew that I could not, with a clear conscience, be working for an organization that locks people up for smoking weed and at the same time be indulging. In retrospect, I do not regret for a moment giving up marijuana and wish that I had done it earlier. I must say however, that I am not and probably will never be in favor of keeping marijuana a criminal offense. It is a waste of time, resources and human potential to be locking people up for smoking weed. A situation occurred about a year after I was on the job that was interesting and could very well have altered the course of my career. I was looking through a drawer and found a pack of Bamboo rolling papers. I realized that I had overlooked it when getting rid of my stash and rather than just throwing it away, decided to give it to someone who would make use of it. At

the time, Bamboo was not easy to come by in Belize. Anyway, I put the papers in my satchel with intent of giving them away before reaching the office; I forgot and as fate would have it, was scheduled to make a presentation that very day to the entire cadre of officers and senior managers. Now picture this. Here I am standing in front of a room full of high level Police Officers, including the Commissioner and Minister, when I reached into my bag for some notes and what should plop onto the floor. You guessed it! It was my most deft maneuver of secure and concealment as I quickly covered the damning evidence with my foot and carried on without missing a beat. I would have been hard pressed to convince anyone in that room of my true motive and might very well had lost my job or worse, been arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia. Murphy was busy but GOD was watching over me that day. I went on to give many more lectures and represent the Department for many years without hitch or squalor. There are some who accuse me of trying to hard but for that I make no apology. I can say with confidence that during my tenure, we made major strides toward improving relations between the Police and the community. As I watched the news this past Monday, I could not help but think that the UDP did me a favor in firing me from that job upon assuming office. I keep wondering how I could have been able to explain away the actions of the dreaded Gang Suppression Unit and defend their recent actions. The fragile link that we had labored so strenuously to establish between community and Police seems severed beyond repair. It is troubling and creates a tense atmosphere of disharmony. There will always be disconnect between the Police and the criminals but average citizens should not be subjected to such callous and inhumane aggression. The opening paragraph of a recent editorial in the Jamaica Gleaner keeps coming back to mind. “There are many ways, the saying goes, to skin a cat. But the process is unlikely to be efficient with a blunt axe, wildly wielded in a crowded room.” The editorial goes on to warn, “You may, in the end, get the cat, but with great collateral damage and at a cost far greater than intended, or you dared to contemplate.” The Gleaner was speaking to Dean Barrow’s attempt at his Ninth Amendment but could very well have been referring to Barrow’s deployment of force and violence through his “Praetorian Guard”. Dean Barrow has been accused of being despotic, dictatorial and Machiavellian. He seems at this time, taking tactics straight from The Prince in which Niccolo Machiavelli tutors: “Men should be either treated generously or destroyed, because they take revenge for slight injuries - for heavy ones they cannot.” ‘Tis a heavy injury that this man now exacts upon the people of our nation. There are lyrics from a song by a group named My Chemical Romance which goes: “Hear the sound, the angels come screaming Down your voice, I hear you’ve been bleeding Make your choice, they say you’ve been pleading Someone save us”

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SELF REALISATION

can recall years ago with my innocence intact and ignorant of the realities of this world, I had aspirations of becoming a teacher, getting married and having a mansion to live in with a nice, fancy vehicle and lots of money. At that time I felt these were the things that would have made me complete and happy. Little did I know that these are the things that sometimes leave us empty and does not always guarantee happiness. Today, over two decades later, I am facing the realities of this life and have learnt that material things are really trivial and the least important. Of course, it would be nice to live in a 4 bedroom house with all the luxuries but if you don’t have a purpose and if you are not content with whom you are then all that would have no meaning. During lunch today I was engaged in a conversation with a few people and realised that I was not alone in my thoughts on soul searching. Many times we get caught up in the ‘traditions’ of this world – we are educated, married, have children, build our assets and then we die – but is that all there is to this life? I’m thinking since 1999, when I went through my first separation that there has to be more to life than just living each day on automatic pilot. Then it dawned on me that after my separation I was on a soul searching mission and was not fully aware of the wealth of happiness one can gain once they come to full terms about who they are and where they are going. I chose to write on this topic this week because during my conversation it occurred to me that once you have not gained knowledge on who you really are you can never be fully content and this can lead to marital issues, parenting deficiencies among other common problems being faced in homes today. I once had a friend; he spent years with his wife surviving on automatic pilot. He worked hard, paid the bills, took very good care of his wife and children in terms of their material needs but as he talked to me he realised that his heart was heavy – he took no enjoyment in doing these things and was becoming rather tired and frustrated. He eventually met another woman much younger than he was and began having what he called ‘fun’ but guess what? The novelty of that died and he found himself in the same rut, only this time he was alone and had no family to go home to or take comfort in. A few articles back I wrote on

our purpose on this earth, each of our purposes may differ and therefore there will be different lessons that we will undergo. What these lessons will do is hone our skills in meeting our purpose. But in order to do all this you have to open up your minds and hearts in finding out what that purpose is and then make extra efforts in adjusting ourselves and our lives in meeting that purpose. It would be ideal if such a task is undertaken prior to marriage or any committed relationship as it would prove difficult while having a family to take care of and please. Secondly, when you find out your purpose, you will then know exactly what kind of partner you are looking for to spend your life with. There are no concrete steps in meeting your true self or uncovering your purpose as it is a personal issue for each of us. But I can tell you that we are each capable of empowering ourselves by becoming more conscious of our everyday surroundings. Take in the smell of the air just before the rain starts, appreciate the laughter of children, be grateful for your home no matter how humble, be thankful for everyday mercies we take for granted such as food, hot and cold shower, air conditioning, fans, clothes, electricity. Be cognizant of the fact that there are starving, homeless and handicapped people that are sharing this planet with us. Make a conscious effort to not become angry over situations. When you find yourself doing that, ask yourself if your anger or temper can change the circumstances or if it will make a difference. Believe that everything happens to you for a reason – you may be running late but perhaps your tardiness made you avoid a road collision or made you on time to meet someone that will bring an anticipated change to your life. By doing these things you are opening up yourselves to new experiences and you are ridding yourself of baggage such as anger, selfishness, among others and by doing this you are more susceptible to tapping into your inner voice and being able to hear exactly what it’s telling you and where it’s leading you to go. Finally, while I am not one to push my personal spiritual beliefs on anyone – believe in your supreme being, talk to him/her every day and be confident that you are exactly where you are meant to be every second, minute and hour. I believe in God and I believe that he is looking out for me each day – who and what do you believe in? Finding your true self is a journey! There will be bumps on the way but it is one that will open your eyes to many truths and will make you a better person who will be able to smile at the simplest things and be overwhelmed at the tiny mercies. If you don’t believe me, try it – what do you have to lose?

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Leadership and the Next Revolution One Belize-Prosperous, United and Free By Carolyn Trench-Sandiford – Deputy Leader People’s United Party - Belize

In 1950 our name was British Honduras and the population was approximately 68,200. The Governor in Council ruled on behalf of the Queen of Great Britain and he was the supreme law. We were British subjects. 1950 saw the birth of the People’s United Party and the peaceful constructive Belizean revolution with a purpose to create a New Belize, to bring about a better quality of life for all Belizeans and a just share of the national wealth. Our people had hope. Our people had dreams. It was not about them. It was about us. It was about our generation. In 1981, a New Belize was created with a Constitution that started with ‘WHEREAS the people of Belize-‘. affirm that the nation of Belize shall be founded on principles which acknowledge the supremacy of God, respects the principles of social justice, believes in democracy, recognizes that freedom is founded upon respect for moral and spiritual values and the rule of law, requires policies of state to protect and safeguard the unity, freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Belize, and its people and land, eliminate economic and social privilege and disparity, and promote cooperation among nations and points to a desire that the society shall reflect and enjoy the stated principles among others. In 1981, we replaced the Governor in Council with the Governor General as head of state, and a Prime Minister and Ministers in our laws. They were to govern on behalf of the people. Our population was 145,353, approximately half of what it is today and double of what it was in 1950. The Rt. Hon. George Price had led us to Independence and the expectations were great. We still had hope. We still dared to dream. In 1981 also, we were more Caribbean than Central American, yet I can still remember hearing Eddie Seferino Coleman on Radio Belize echoing the words ‘Belize, the Caribbean nation in heart of Central America.’ I am not sure if we truly understood what that meant. But in 1981, we became Belizean citizens and an independent and sovereign nation, poised to face the world on our own. Yes, we were uncertain of what all that entailed, but

THE BELIZE TIMES

anticipating what could be. British soldiers were still with us to give some comfort in the event of an attack by our neighbor who claimed us as theirs. We were in our own little corner, yet eager to make a mark on the world stage. In 2011, 30 years later, the Constitution and all that the people of Belize affirm, respect, believe in, recognize and desire are under attack and as pointed by Assad Shoman in a History of Belize in 13 Chapters, “The social reality of Belize today, the Belize that history made-the scandalous levels of poverty, social exclusion, inequality and injustice-make it abundantly clear that our society, our governments, are grossly violating the Constitution, and they should be called to account for it.” In 2011, we are fully integrated into the new world order, our population stands at 312,698, but we are polarized internally, still not fully prepared to defend our homeland, and caught between a Caribbean and Central American identity, each pulling at each other. Yes, we are a more informed and enlightened as a people and have many experiences and lessons to draw from, but are on a ship with a captain named Barrow and a broken compass. He has no clue where he is taking us, and as the saying goes, if you do not know where you are going, you will never reach. But 2011 can also be the time to set our agenda as a people, and as my mother use to say, begin to ‘sleep with wi own eye’. As it was in 1950 with the first revolution, 2011 calls for a revolution and a new type of leadership, a changing type of leadership, but similarly bold and courageous, for only so can we journey on the road of the radical progressive revolution to create One Belize, Prosperous, United and Free. Only so can we have the audacity to hope and dream again. This leadership must be displayed at all levels of government and community. It must be defined by strength, character and decisiveness, yet compassionate to the plight of the marginalized, the oppressed and the disadvantaged. It must be leadership which will guarantee a role for each and every Belizean in the revolution, and inspire and motivate them to perform beyond their capacity for once again it must be about them, the next generation. Leadership in 2011 must also be intellectually capable, results-oriented and stand by the values and principles enshrined in the constitution, the conviction to right the inequities that exist, the fortitude to bring discipline and order, and the persistence, confidence and willingness to assume responsibility for the task of continuing nation building, but most of all, have a clear vision as to road to

travel and the milestones to achieve along the journey. But equally important, our leaders must be able to balance and see opportunities in our unique Caribbean and Central American identity, understand the implications of the terms and conditions of our membership in regional and international organizations, the realities of globalisation, bilateral trade negotiations and the termination of preferential trade arrangements, the emergence of China, India and Brazil as economic powerhouses, the policies of other countries like the US towards us, and

our label as a middle-income nation which makes us ineligible for external debt relief. So was it in 1950 that the People’s United Party took the challenge of leading the peaceful constructive Belizean revolution to create a New Belize to bring about a better quality of life for all Belizeans and a just share of the national wealth, so must it once again take on the task of leading, but this time, the radical, progressive Belizean revolution, to create One Belize-Prosperous, United and Free. For comments email carolyntrench@gmail.com

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Outrageous neglect of the KHMH morgue

By Gilroy Usher Sr., PUP Standard Bearer for Port Loyola This government’s neglect of its most basic responsibilities to the Belizean people is shocking. One of the places where this neglect is most glaring is at the morgue at the KHMH in Belize City. To the displeasure of family members, the bodies of their loved ones often decompose at the morgue. This situation then prevents them from giving their loved ones a proper funeral service and burial. This is an ongoing problem at the KHMH because either the cold storage unit for the morgue is not working properly or there is insufficient space for the bodies that need to be in the unit. The doctors and nurses at the country’s leading public health facility should not be blamed for this disgraceful situation. Daily, they do their

best to serve the public will the limited resources at their disposal. Blame for decaying bodies at the Belize City morgue lies squarely with the Ministry of Health and the Government. This intolerable situation begs the question: for how long will more families have to complain about this issue before the government addresses it. Today the population is much larger than 15 years ago and the all-out-war between rivals in Belize City has resulted in the worst murder rate in the history of the municipality. It has been getting worse every year since the UDP was elected to office three years ago. Common sense tells us that more people are dying thus we need a better and well equipped morgue at the KHMH in Belize City. People don’t buy the lame excuse that the government doesn’t have the funds to address the problem at the morgue in Belize City. If the government can find millions of dollars for the most expensive vehicles for Ministers yearly, which is not necessary, why can’t it find a few thousand dollars to properly expand and equip the morgue in Belize City? Barrow, stops the neglect of the Belizean people. Enough is enough.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

In my perspective…

Jobs: one answer to the problems that plague Belize

By Rayford Young Ever since I started my column in the BELIZE TIMES several months ago I argued that jobs is the answer to many of the problems facing our country, Belize. I was humbled and gratified that the opposition leader, the Hon. John Briceño came to the same conclusion in his July 7th comments. Jobs will reduce the huge crime increase in Belize City. Jobs will spur the economy and help people feel more productive – that they can contribute to their family’s wellbeing again. Here is what the Hon. Briceño had to say: “The many broken promises of this UDP government have been a disaster for this country. One of the biggest lies of this incompetent UDP bunch was the promise to create 5000 new jobs. With jobs people can pay their bills and get the things they need to uplift their standard of living. That’s why our people want the jobs that the UDP promised them. Instead of creating new jobs this UDP crowd fired hundreds of people including single mothers in rented homes to provide jobs for UDP cronies. Instead of creating jobs, unemployment under this UDP crowd has increased from 14% when it took office in 2008 to a whopping 23% today. Today life is extremely hard in the country because, under this UDP government, almost one out of every four Belizeans can’t find a job to support their families”. If I were at the helm as Prime Minister of Belize, here are some of the ideas I would promote. For years, we’ve heard of government corruption and kickbacks. More and more government ministers are building mansions in Belmopan. I don’t know where they get the millions of dollars needed to build these homes, but it looks suspicious for a minister on a modest salary to be building mansions. The first thing I would do is set up an independent Judiciary Committee with subpoena powers and the ability to prosecute. An independent prosecution unit can investigate not just the ministers, but the ex-girlfriends and family members appointed to boards they know nothing about, the forceful takeovers of private companies, and on and on. Let’s examine these allegations. If they are unfounded, we will put the rumors to rest. But to govern effectively, the people must regain trust in their government. The second thing I would do is appoint qualified respectable citizens to the Cabinet. To head the department of agriculture, one should know something about agriculture. No more cronies in these posts. I would emphasize that we are here to serve the people of Belize, not ourselves. The people of this country have been screwed for decades. Enough is enough. Corruption would not be tolerated. I would set aside several week-ends for clean up that would be a team effort

between government, private industry, churches, youth groups, schools, nonprofits and the public. Government workers, the police and the defense forces would all come together and clean up our Country. Clean up your yards! Throw out all the junk in your homes! Get all those old vehicles which will never run again out of your yards. Clean up under and around your homes - help your neighbor if necessary. We are in this together. Once that is done we move to the next step. Paint your homes and businesses. Belize needs a face lift. So many homes have not had a paint job in decades. If we did just those two things the country would look brand new. You would feel better about your city, towns and villages. You would be proud again. Third, I would pledge that all the streets/roads - especially in Belize City and the districts would be paved. We are tired of inhaling white mall dust. We need brand new street signs and signal lights that are low enough so you don’t have to look up into the sky to see the lights. Belize has some of the worst homes I’ve seen in a long time. I would have the housing department enforce standard building codes. Homes that don’t meet these requirements would need to be demolished. There are too many of these homes, and they are not safe. We need to get our poor people out of these deplorable card board and zinc houses. Other countries have apartment buildings for their poor. Let’s consider building new affordable apartments for the middle and lower class. This action alone would create jobs. All these ideas are designed to stimulate the economy, rebuild Belize and provide jobs for our people. We also need to revamp our tax codes to make it appealing to foreign investors. We need to improve our tourism industry. Belize has so much to offer the world! We need a new vision for this industry. This would create more jobs. I would have a group of distinguished, reputable, business-savvy Belizeans to go to the developed countries and persuade companies to do business in Belize. But for that we need to rebuild our infrastructure. We need good, paved roads; rebuild bridges that are crumbling. These infrastructure upgrades would create sustainable jobs almost immediately. We need to fight hard for these companies to come our way - but we have to be ready. Can we make these changes? You bet we can, but we need a leader who is relentless to get the job done. I don’t know who that will be, but we better find him or her soon. We have passed through three generations patching roads and using white mall that washes away as soon as it rains. We have wasted time fussing and fighting among ourselves and have nothing to show for it. Yes, there has been some progress but we are not where we should be. It’s time to stop thinking of what’s in it for me and start thinking of what is in the best interest of the Country. We can still grow out of this mess, yes, we can! The country needs a big, bold jobs and infrastructure re-building program. The candidate that can articulate a plan of this kind for the country will be the next Prime Minister. Rayford Young is a Belizean-American, who currently lives in Michigan, U.S.A.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

The ‘Pandora’s Box’ of Leadership By: S-Rod If you aren’t aware by now, thanks to his shenanigans with the 9th Amendment (Bill) Act, the entire Dean Barrow administration, particularly their overall leadership, is being called into high questioning. It’s not really surprising that this is the case, because this has been the game from time immemorial. (Granted, thanks to the introduction of the Internet, email & social media, this has gotten worse.) We Belizeans are damned good at the game, but lack the mettle to peruse and understand the “hustle” of Belizean politicians. But we now come back to Herr Barrow. If we can correctly theorize that Politician ‘A’ (i.e. Barrow) can tie a flame-throwing Hydra in knots without needing to draw a sword, then we can prove conclusively that all politicians, even the infamous socalled “third parties” will say any old ‘ish’ to get elected. (So here’s looking at you, Mr. Rogers and the VIP.) Leadership is for sure not new, but now, we must recognize that “leaders” are few and far between. Instead of clinging to the Shakespearean axiom, mistakenly attributed to Sir Francis Bacon (i.e. “… some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them….”), here’s a dandy new line you can take to the bank, and it comes from me: “Some want greatness; others seek it in life’s plateaus and valleys, and still some vaunt over others to get to greatness.” Yeah, might not even be worthy of quoting, but hell, I could live without hearing the words: “Dehn politician lie to wi again…” Here’s the real fact: Belizean politicians (indeed, it applies to the world over) will say and do anything to get

elected, and (very rarely) deviate in any meaningful way. It will always seem to be the case that they have the power, whether there is a Constitution or not. The intellectual and political pundits can sit on their hands and do nada while we suffer. It’s cruel to say, even worthy of getting beaten up by some (should my identity ever be compromised), but I think we’ll have to wait for pundits such as Evan X Hyde, Clinton Uh Luna & Henry Gordon to ‘pass’ (i.e. not literally, but rather their ideas and their narrow-viewed manner of looking at the issues) before a viable change is possible. As for Senator Mr. Godwin Hulse, that wily old G.O.A.T will all-too-likely outlive us all, and refuse to enter his ‘peace’ because we can’t solve our myriad of problems. This herein, my fellow Belizeans, is our august dilemma: How can we possibly continue such a meager existence as a people with ‘leaders’ who continue to pretend that they are ‘leaders’?! Remember the story of Pandora, the being whom had a “box” filled to the brim with the disgusting, perverse aspects of human society, and the only quality that was not unleashed upon the world was Hope? That could apply to us, if not right now, then one day soon. I wrote in my debut essay that Belize needed an “independence of spirit”. But we ought to be sure we’re ready for that leap. For all future leaders, real leaders: don’t ever make any promises to our people; that’s how our troubles start and the poor learn nothing from it. Instead, let action be the only resolve that is needed in this country. Belizeans, I implore you: don’t let our ‘leaders’ keep Hope at the bottom of a box…. Until next time….S-Rod, out.

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, September 4, 2011

CELEBRATING SEPTEMBER: BELIZE DA FU WE! PROTECTING OUR MANGROVES

Did you know that we have the 3rd largest reserve of mangroves in Central America? What are mangroves? These are a bunch of amazing trees that live mostly along coastlines. Living in choking mud partway on land and partway in the sea, they survive the blazing heat from the sun and saltiness of the sea. Mangroves are warrior plants. They are also nurturing plants. Birds rest in their top branches. Shellfish like crabs and lobsters hang on to the roots. They are nurseries and feeding grounds for fish, manatees, and a food source for monkeys, deer, and tree-climbing crabs. They are also a nectar source for bats and honeybees. Along with our barrier reef they help to protect us from hurricanes and storms! Mangroves help to prevent the washing away of our shoreline. Mangroves also act like a huge strainer helping to protect the sea from being dirtied by harmful waste from sewage which is dumped in the sea or runs off the land when it rains. By being a good strainer mangroves also protect our barrier/ coral reef from being destroyed by the harmful waste. They also soak up carbon dioxide! The huge amounts of this gas that are pushed into the air each year have been causing the earth to heat up! Wonder why our summers are so very, very hot… blame carbon dioxide! Do you know that some people think we should stop protecting our warrior mangroves? They think that we don’t need so many mangroves and they should be ripped up so that hotels can be built along our precious coastline. I don’t think that makes any sense. Does that sound okay to you?

MANGROVE WARRIORS CROSSWORD

Across 1. Mangroves help to protect us from these tropical storms. 4. Bees and bats find their sweet food in mangroves. Down 2. Helping to clean up our harmful waste mangroves act as a big... 3. These feathered friends nest in the top branches of mangroves. 5. This gas has been causing our earth to heat up!

Answers: 1. Hurricanes 4. Nectar 2. Strainer 3. Birds 5. Carbon Dioxide

Colour Me!

Sunday, September 4, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

An answer to crime A couple days ago I came home and caught the news. It took only a couple of minutes before I became startled at what I was hearing! Some citizens were accusing law enforcers of serious brutality, and abuse of power! On the other hand, I am constantly heartbroken at consistent media reports of carnage by gun violence or otherwise! I am not a lawyer but as far as I understand it, law enforcers have the authority to arrest and detain you. They should charge you and hand you over to the judiciary. The judiciary then has the power to convict or release you and, if convicted, then issue out your sentence. On the contrary, I continue to hear law enforcers becoming draconian and barbaric in behavior. Openly, they carry out their own discipline and punishment! If those in authority are not abiding by the law, but instead are creating the culture of taking it into their own hands, what should we expect from the average citizens? What then is the purpose of the judiciary? Incidentally, the authorities are in the process of passing laws that the community questions, and with this recent type of abuse, one can understand the resistances to them. How far out can we stretch the law to behave even unlawful? Politicians use it to manipulate the system, while lawyers and criminals use the same law to walk scotch free from murderous crimes! Let me address some fundamental principles that I find at fault here. Firstly there is a fatally fast and consistent breakdown of the value of life. When I will take a gun and kill you or threaten that I will hurt innocent people, throw grenades or teargas into a crowd, including precious children looking at the carnival, my value system is almost completely gone. A world without values is a world in chaos! If as the “law enforcers”, I am detaining you and breaking your arm with a baseball bat, bursting your head by stomping on it while you are already on the ground facedown and not resisting, I am then speeding up your already “caving in” value of life. I am saying you are not human, no different from a dog! No we do not even do our dogs that! The bible tells us to do unto others as we would like them to do unto us Matthew 7:12. Secondly, as I listen I also hear frustration mixed in with a “don’t care” attitude. Now, if I am dismantling a grenade that was thrown into a crowd and it is taking too long so I develop a “don’t care anymore” attitude and become frustrated and reckless, would you still want me to continue although I am in that frame of mind? This attitude rather than bringing solutions draws us into deeper and deeper holes. It reaches a point of total lack of restraint. This is what we are experiencing both from the criminal element and the law enforcers, both from citizens and Government! I would like to address the leaders in this final part. The responsibility rests in this case, squarely on the shoulders of those vested with the privilege of leading! The scripture says the poor will always be with us; sadly also the criminals will always be with us. God Himself had a criminal (Lucifer) in His city and had to throw him out along with his cohorts! Solving crime will be necessary until the end of the world comes but doing so in a lawful way that does not destroy the already decaying sense of value system of our humanity is your first priority. Second, we need a tireless effort to change our culture of thought. For since our behavior is based on our thinking one of the primary responsibilities of leaders, no matter how long it takes, is to chip away at destructive thoughts and beliefs that are corrosive to our society. Finally, Ephesians 6:4 tells fathers to not provoke their children to wrath rather train them up according to values and guidelines in scripture! This piece of scripture contains the answer to the crime and leadership problems we are facing today. If I would word it another way it would probably read like this: Government do not provoke the citizens nor even criminals to wrath, rather work on a full scale training program, especially starting from the days of their youth teaching them how to live by biblical values or values designed for the efficient living of mankind. As I listen to the news I can hear a great deal of provocation happening between leaders and citizens, my biblical word of advice is that this does not solve the problem. It guarantees that the hearts grow calloused and cold! Until next week God bless!

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THE BELIZE TIMES www.belizetimes.bz

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, September 4, 2011

BELIZE TIMES WEEKLY

SCIENCE & TECH R

Selected By Chris Williams

Sex on the brain:

What turns women on, mapped out 05 August 2011 by Linda Geddes It’s what women have been telling men for decades: stimulating the vagina is not the same as stimulating the clitoris. Now brain scan data has added weight to their argument. The precise locations that correspond to the vagina, cervix and female nipples on the brain’s sensory cortex have been mapped for the first time, proving that vaginal stimulation activates different brain regions to stimulation of the clitoris. The study also found a direct link between the nipples and the genitals, which may explain why some women can orgasm through nipple stimulation alone. The discoveries could ultimately help women who have suffered nerve damage in childbirth or disease. The sensory cortex is a strip of brain tissue positioned roughly under where the band between a pair of headphones sits. Across it, neurons linked to different body parts exchange information about the sensory information feeding into them. This is often depicted as the “sensory homunculus”, a distorted image of a man stretched across the brain, with his genitals lying next to his feet (click here). The size of the body’s parts show how much of the brain is dedicated to processing the sensory information from each

sity Children’s Hospital in Zurich, Switzerland, used functional magnetic resonance imaging to confirm that the position of the clitoris on the homunculus was in approximately the same position as the penis in men. Barry Komisaruk at Rutgers UniMan locates clitoris at last (Image: International versity in Newark, Society for Sexual Medicine) New Jersey, and his colleagues have now used the same method to map the position body part. The diagram was first published in of the clitoris, vagina and cervix on the 1951 after experiments conducted dur- sensory cortex as women stimulated ing brain surgery performed while the themselves. There, there and there patients were conscious: the surgeon “This is hard proof that there is electrically stimulated different regions of the patients’ brains and the patients a big difference between stimulating reported the parts of their bodies in those different regions,” says Stuart which they felt sensation as a result. Brody of the University of the West of But all the subjects were men. Until Scotland in Paisley, UK, one of the rerecently, the position of female genita- searchers in the study. Some have argued that women lia on the homunculus had only been who derive pleasure from vaginal guessed at. This changed last year when a stimulation do so because their clitoris team led by Lars Michels at Univer- is being indirectly stimulated, but the current findings contradict this. “They support the reports of women that they experience orgasm from various forms of stimulation,” says Beverly Whipple, also of Rutgers University, who was

One world, 8.7 million species,

most still unknown

24 August 2011 by Andy Coghlan Fancy discovering a new species? It shouldn’t be too difficult, as the best estimate yet of how many species the planet supports comes up at 8.74 million. Although about a quarter of those are in the sea, some 7.5 million species remain to be discovered. Previous estimates varied wildly between 3 and 100 million. Camilo Mora of the University of Hawaii in Honolulu and colleagues say their figure is more accurate because it relies on a validated method consistent across well-catalogued forms of life such as mammals, birds and molluscs. For 18 of these groups, Mora’s team worked out the numerical patterns by which they fan out hierarchically from phyla into classes, orders, families, genera

and species. Once they had established how these known groups radiate numerically, they extrapolated to less wellknown groups such as fungi, enabling them for the first time to estimate with confidence the number of species in each hierarchy. Some 86 per cent of land species and 91 per cent of marine species are yet to be found.

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not involved in the current study. It’s the nipples, stupid Komisaruk also checked what happened when women’s nipples were stimulated, and was surprised to find that in addition to the chest area of the cortex lighting up, the genital area was also activated. “When I tell my male neuroscientist colleagues about this, they say: ‘Wow, that’s an exception to the classical homunculus,’” he says. “But when I tell the women they say: ‘Well, yeah?’” It may help explain why a lot of women claim that nipple stimulation is erotic, he adds. The next step is to map what other areas of the brain light up in response to clitoral and vaginal stimulation. Komisaruk would also like to see what happens when the area that supposedly contains the G-spot is stimulated, as women in the current study just stimulated the front wall of the vagina generally. The findings could also help women who have suffered nerve damage in childbirth or because of diseases like diabetes. Michels has preliminary evidence that stimulating the clitoral nerve can improve symptoms of urinary incontinence, but says a proper understanding of how the nerve maps to the brain is needed to translate this into effective treatment. Meanwhile, Komisaruk says that nipple stimulation could enhance genital sensation in women with nerve damage. “It could be a supplement for experiencing orgasm,” he says.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Cane farmers want to own BSI

Funds to purchase shares & pay dividends could come from U.S., or Latin American partner Orange Walk, August 30, 2011 By Carmelita Perez Belize’s only sugar factory, which is the anchor of the sugar industry, literally has 32 days left before it turns a new leaf. All indications are it can go one of two ways; the way of the Government and it is sold away to an Honduran bank, or the way of cane farmers and it becomes the property of the 6,000 Belizean hard workers. All indications are that like the turtle which outsmarted the hare with tactic instead of speed, cane farmers are now catching up to the Government’s plan with a sound business proposal that could see them purchasing majority shares in the Belize Sugar Industries. On Tuesday, August 30th, the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association formally informed the Government of the “farmers’ intention to purchase controlling interest in the BSI”. According to Chairman of the BSCFA Committee of Management, Alfredo Ortega, they are negotiating with possible financiers that could inject capital to help them to pay off BSI’s

$20m debt to ING as well as to finance the payment of the workers’ outstanding dividends (around $5m) and the much needed working capital used to kick-start the crop season. Ortega said they have two possible options, the first is a US consortium identified as Imbursa, and the second are financiers from Panama. The COM Chairman said the cane farmers’ proposal is the best option because it is the best way to ensure that the interests of the cane farmers and BSI workers are protected. The future of BSI, as well as the industry, lies on the company’s ability to pay off its debt to ING Bank by the September 30th deadline. In addition, BSI has further debt obligation totaling $120m. This does not include the $10m loan from the Government of Belize last year. While cane farmers are focused on their proposal, the Prime Minister appears hell bent on causing mischief. During his weekly television report, Barrow indicated that the cane farmers support Banco Atlantida’s take over. Nothing could be further from the truth.

ADO buses conduct “trial runs” through Belize Belize City, August 31, 2011 By Carla Bradley The transport industry is just settling down from several weeks of chaos and confusion, but a new issue could create a new area of contention with local transport stakeholders. The Mexican bus company giant, ADO, is in Belize carrying out runs. This afternoon, ADO officials informed the media at a press conference that their buses began operations in Belize as of last Friday with final destinations being Merida and Cancun. According to the bus representatives, the permit acquired presently is for “trial” period of three months and they are already seeking a permanent road permit. ADO officials clarified that they cannot provide transportation service within Belize, but are only interested in connecting commuters from Belize to certain parts of Mexico. Whether this revelation will allay concerns that the bus giant could overshadow the smaller local bus companies is left to be seen. The ADO non-stop bus runs are to Merida or the Riviera Maya which include, Tulum and Playa Del Carmen. ADO has also set up special runs, such as the “hospital runs” which will take

passengers boarding in Belize City, Orange Walk or Corozal to the known hospital zones in Merida. Passengers will not be allowed to disembark in Chetumal. “This will bring great savings for Belizean families, because people who need to travel will not need to spend money on an extra night at a hotel or make their family to go and pick them up. “We are trying to make transportation to Mexico easy for Belizeans and also to provide international tourists the easiest and most comfortable way to travel to Belize. We foresee that the new routes will increase the number of tourists entering Belize and to contribute to the tourism industry,” said the ADO representatives. Prices for tickets are as follows: Belize – Cancun (one way) is $79.00bz, Belize – Playa Del Carmen (one way) is $63.00bz, Belize – Tulum (one way) is $55.00bz, Belize – Merida (one way) is $79.00bz. When asked about ADO’s interest in a terminal, they stated that they have no intention at the moment of building a terminal or acquiring land for that purpose and are operating from the West Canal Bus Terminal in Belize City.

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, September 4, 2011

BACK-to-SCHOOL WOES Summer, traditionally, it’s that time of the year when families embark on vacations, enjoy the outdoors, visit with relatives and friends, or just relax and unwind. For a great majority of Belizean families, however, the past four summers have been a living nightmare. Like the previous summers of 2008, 2009 and 2010, the summer of 2011, for those Belizean families, has certainly not been a summer to remember but rather a summer to forget. Since the conclusion of the 2010/2011 School Year in the latter part of June, many parents have been faced with the uncertainty of whether or not their children would be able to return to school. Confronted with the high costs of textbooks, school materials & supplies, these parents often become frustrated and hopeless as their pleas for help fall on the deaf ears of a Minister of Education and Government that couldn’t care less about them and their children. In many cases, these parents are poor, unemployed, single mothers who have an average of three to four children attending school. Desperate to keep their children in school, these parents are forced to send their children into the dangerous streets of Belize City to solicit money from working Belizeans. Today, not only in Belize City but, indeed across

our country, young, vulnerable children standing outside banks, service stations, supermarkets and alongside street medians have become a permanent fixture. Thanks to Patrick Faber and the UDP, our children must resort to panhandling when, in fact, they should be enjoying their summer holiday. The People’s United Party (PUP) has always boasted an impressive record when it comes to Education in Belize. During the 1998-2008 PUP Administration, Belize’s Educational System underwent massive transformation which saw a long list of accomplishments. In the second consecutive term of the Said Musa led Government (2003 – 2008) and under the visionary and progressive leadership of the then Minister of Education, Hon. Francis Fonseca, primary schools across Belize, some two-hundred forty plus (240), saw the introduction of a National Textbook Program. The main objectives of the National Textbook Program were: (1) to standardize textbooks used in all primary schools and (2) to relieve parents of the heavy burden of purchasing books that were, by and large, cost-prohibitive. The latter objective was easily achieved as the textbooks were provided to every single primary school student FREE of COST.

No Visa for marked men Corozal District, August 29, 2011 The cesspool of jokers disguised as political candidates that the UDP is trying to smuggle into Belize’s House of Representative was exposed two weeks ago. The BELIZE TIMES sources’ inside the UDP have confirmed to us that Raul Rosado of Gapi Vega and Corozal Free Zone notoriety, was turned back in his application to the US Embassy for a (B1/B2) visa. Now, everyday hundreds of people around the world are denied non-immigrant US Visas. In Belize it is no different. Visa rejections are shameful, and at three hundred dollars a pop, they are also expensive. Insult to injury is that the trip to Belmopan may last longer than the actual interview. The rejections are not as random or frivolous as we may want to believe and if we fairly compare the applications, the deserving and qualified attempts are always sorted into the approved file. The unfortunate fact is that unlike the UDP, Uncle Sam does not entertain mistakes. The process is much deeper and involved than the few lines on the electronic application form. America wants to know who is coming out of their backyard and into their house. Fact is that US law requires all nonimmigrant visa applicants to be considered in the same light as immigrants. The burden of proof is placed on the applicant so when an applicant cannot satisfy the US Consular Officer who does the interview that he will or may

not act in accordance with the visa, it will be denied. There are a plentitude of reasons for a red flag denial on a visa. One example is what is called “misrepresentation”. This is the “When you lie, you fry” category. These are applicants who had their visas denied due to being caught committing fraud or misrepresenting (lying) some fact in order to obtain the visa or even any previous visa or admission document. Another category of rejects is for what the Embassy calls “Crime involving moral turpitude” or (CIMT). A crime will involve moral turpitude because it involves “baseness” or a “bad heart,” which is a rough definition of “moral turpitude.” A conviction for a CIMT in an applicant’s past will make them inadmissible to the U.S. It is also written that “Smugglers” shall not enter the kingdom of America. Raul Rosado’s name became “stink da road” during the April 2010 scandal involving the Customs Department and some “missing” containers. The stench of impropriety was strong on this one. Under Rosado’s watch as the boss and Chief Executive Officer, Pier One, which was a phantom company with no physical store front in the Free Zone for more than two years, was allowed to move “unknown” goods through the Zone. Investigators never confirmed whether these goods were contraband Continued on page 33

The question, then, is: Why are parents continuing to endure the difficulty of finding money to purchase books for their children? Even before the introduction of the National Textbook Program, the PUP Government carried out a school financial assistance program through the offices of Area Representatives. And yes, they were both PUP and UDP Area Representatives that received monthly allocations. And no, we’re not talking about a $300.00 subsidy Mr. Minister of Education. We’re sure that by now, the recipients of your subsidy have told you and your Government that in 2011, $300.00 is a far cry from what educating a child in Belize today requires. As one parent lamented, “Under the PUP, I was able to receive not just financial assistance for my children but I also received schoolbags, exercise blanks, other stationeries, and even footwear and uniform material. Under Patrick Faber and the UDP, my children are lucky if they get a single pen or pencil to write with”. With the new school year set to commence in just little over a week, parents are pulling the hair out of their heads as they face the real possibility of their children not returning to the classroom. One could only imagine the heartbreak of a young child’s being forced to sit at home while their little friends/classmates joyfully return to school in their new, fresh smelling uniform, brand new pair of tennis shoes

and showing off knapsacks printed with the design of their favorite cartoon characters. One man who certainly will not bother to imagine this heartbreak is Patrick Faber. While our little children continue to walk barefooted across the mean streets of Belize City, donation paper in hand, their Minister of Education continues to sit at the Farmer’s Market and to indulge in binge drinking with the infamous “Brad’s Crew”. Have you no shame Mr. Minister of Education? The recent release of the “Situational Analysis of Children & Women in Belize 2011” by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is both timely and critical. According to the study, the primary hindrance to the success of Belizean children in school is the lack of school supplies. Need we repeat that for you Mr. Minister of Education? The Ministry of Education continues to command the largest portion of the country’s National Budget. Yet, the school children of Belize lack basic school supplies necessary for them to function properly and meaningfully in the classroom. With all due respect to the folks at UNICEF, we didn’t need for them to tell us this. The thousands of parents and their children walking under the sweltering heat, knocking on doors for assistance have been telling us all summer long.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Barrow’s De-Nationalization of Belize’s National University By the Critic History will record that during the 1998-2008 PUP Administration, led by the Right Honorable Said Musa, Belize experienced numerous advancements in the areas of Education, Health, Culture, Agriculture, Youth Development, Sports, Economic Development and the list goes on. Arguably, one of the PUP Government’s greatest and proudest accomplishments during that period was the amalgamation of the campuses of the

University College of Belize, the Belize Teachers College, the Bliss School of Nursing, the Belize College of Agriculture and the Belize Technical College eleven years ago in August of 2000 to create what is, today, the country’s only national university, the University of Belize (UB). Indeed, it was a joyous occasion in which all Belizeans shared, especially the tens of thousands of students who long dreamt of obtaining higher education. So, it was an anticlimactic moment

No Visa for marked men Continued from page 32 or insurance fraud. But it was under Rosado’s watch that all movements of this company were given the façade of being legitimate. Even the Channel 7 news item, (like the US Consular Officer), had too many eyebrow raising questions. The news coverage reported: “But if it was just contraband or insurance fraud – why go to all the hassle? And there is also evidence of a fair amount of criminal collusion and orchestration. That is evidenced by the alarming allegation from the Chief Executive of the Free Zone Raul Rosado that he “does not know where that stamp came from.” That’s right. Rosado says the stamp which, again, is imprinted with his signature is a fake. We’d say it’s a pretty good one – particularly when compared to the genuine stamp – which is – to the untrained eye, identical.” The US Government might not have believed him either. Surely, his resume at the Free Zone, and the 2010 Indian Container owner all supported his allure to the UDP, or maybe just to his father in law, Gapi Vega. Whatever it was, the problem has become a national one, as earlier this year Raul “Recipiente” Rosado, took the suicidal and hercu-

lean task of being the UDP Standard bearer for Corozal Southeast. With a bit of financial grease and “in-law” blessings from “importer” Gapi Vega, Rosado tricked some Belizeans to unseat Servando Samos, but the Americans could not be denied. Our sources informed us that the wanna-be representative even tried to get his allies and abettors in Government to make an official appeal for him, but they all turned their back and said “not I”. Seriously, how can this man soberly continue to vie for public office? How could he even be left to represent Belize abroad to the US one of our largest commercial partners when they do not want him to set foot on their soil? Does he believe that Belizeans will take on rejects as its leaders? In the end, poor Rosado, has been relegated, effectively, to the status of a deportee, in that he cannot enter the mighty US, lawfully at least. This is not a bad position Raul “Recipiente”. On the UDP Ouija board, criminals, convicts and deportees get lucrative ambassadorial appointments to the Middle East. So at least you should ask for that or save up the family investments on “imports” for life after 2013.

IMF says Belize’s economy unstable Continued from page 4 economy is at a halt, the reason why scores of businesses have shut down and unemployment has spiralled, and the principal cause to the major home losses. Its third recommendation must be a laughing matter for the Barrow Administration. The IMF has recognized that in taking over the telecommunications and electricity company, the Government indebted itself deeper since it must compensate the previous owner. But the Government has gone

even further to exploit public funds. $50m was extracted from Social Security funds while another $25m was pulled out of the Central Bank treasury to purchase shares in Belize Telemedia Limited. If, as the IMF warns, there will be future shocks to prepare for, then Belizeans are in for an even rockier ride with the Barrow Administration. The IMF’s preliminary report will be followed a full staff report that will be discussed by the IMF Executive Board in late October.

on August 24, 2001 when the University installed its first non-Belizean as its President in the person of Guyanese, Dr. Cary Fraser. Prior to Dr. Fraser’s appointment, UB was led by three eminently qualified educators, Dr. Angel Cal, Dr. Corinth-Morter Lewis and Dr. Santos Mahung respectively. Lest anyone views this article as an attack on Dr. Fraser, the BELIZE TIMES wishes to dispel that thought immediately. Arguably, the good doctor’s academic and professional credentials are impressive and we do wish him well in his Presidency. The focus of this article is on the ongoing practice of the Barrow Administration to deliberately and willfully overlook Belizean Nationals for foreign nationals. It is a known fact that there exists no shortage of Belizean educators at UB who are more than qualified and capable of leading our National University. As we understand it, a lot of those ed-

ucators are up in arms about not being considered for the Presidency and rightfully so. Barrow and Patrick Faber couldn’t care less about those educators; however, as their policy is to import individuals. This is evidenced by the recent naming of yet another Guyanese as the country’s new Chief Justice, the recent appointment of Jamaican, Cheryl Krusen as Solicitor General whose predecessor, Oscar Ramjeet, incidentally, was also a foreign national, a Guyanese at that. Then, there is the imminent appointment of another Jamaican as the country’s new Chief Magistrate. And we all will recall the Minister of Police, Doug Singh’s announcement that the Government will soon import a foreign national to be the country’s top cop. Unlike former Prime Minister Said Musa and the PUP’s policy to put “Belizeans First”, Dean Barrow and the UDP prefer to make Belizean professionals into subordinates as opposed to leaders. What blatant hypocrisy and betrayal when the Tarzan-like Barrow continues to beat his chest as the champion of “Nationalization” while, at the same time, he persists in “DeNationalizing” our country’s pivotal institutions.

COLA, Belizeans for Justice want PM to reign in GSU August 31, 2011 Citizens Organize for Liberty Through Action, in collaboration with its sister organization Belizeans for Justice, calls on the Prime Minister of Belize to address the police brutality of the residence of George Street. Both organizations consider the actions of the GSU horrendous and embarrassing. The police are supposed to be the vanguards of society instead the actions of the GSU indicate that they are becoming a gang itself. Whether gang member or not, criminal or innocent, all including the police are expected to uphold the law. We call on the Prime Minister to review the strategies used by the GSU and the police department in addressing crime and violence. We understand that in combating crime and violence the police at times will have to use

force. The incident that occurred on Friday night, the use of extreme force on ordinary law abiding citizens, was uncalled for. We also asked the Prime Minister to prohibit the use of mask by the police department. The incident we understand can trigger retaliation but we call on the young men and women that were beaten and brutalized by the police to not respond with violence. Two wrongs will not make it right. The innocent should not have to any longer be victims. It is a volatile environment that has been created not just by what happen on Friday night but as results of many other factors. COLA and Belizeans For Justice call on all citizens to do its part to maintain peace in our society. We call on the churches to pray for this nation and also to physically reach out to our communities that are hurting. (Press Release)

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THINK ABOUT IT WILL AND SHARPER 30 years of being an independent nation, nothing is said or heard of Will and Sharper. Not a street or alley, boulevard or building carries their names. Chances are you who read this column have no idea who or what I am writing about. Don’t feel too bad. Our colleges, sixth forms nor university teach anything about them. One reason, very, very little is known. But they represent an important part of our history. A matter to be disappointed and angry about is that the official opening of the September Celebrations were done on St. George’s Caye on Sunday, 28 August. There is no need to berate or say harsh things of the modern day Baymen and Bourgeoisie who organized this ceremony and who continue to propagate ignorance in our society. Let it be said that opening the ceremonies in the month of August is really sad. As if the programme for September is not already too much for a tiny impoverished country. We have to start September in August. August has a huge place to play in honoring our history. It is the month in which slaves in Belize were legally set free in 1834. The emancipation of Belize slaves came about as a result of several factors –including moral, economical and the changing times regarding plantation and woodcutting labour. And also because of the constant revolts and uprising of the slaves who refused to accept their chains and degradation. Belize had its slaves uprising and revolts. These are part of our history. We should honour these events also. Those slaves who fought for their freedom are some of the real heroes and heroines of Belize. The Archives in Belize has readily available information on our great grandparents who were the slaves in this country. The time has come, after 30 years of ignorance, to publish the Archives of our country’s history for the early periods. This information should also be online. Perhaps in association with Cubola, Angelus Press and other printers/publishers, volumes of documents can be made available. Here is some information you may find interesting. In 1745 there were 120 slaves in Belize. Their numbers accounted for almost three quarters of the population of the tiny settlement at that time. Also recorded in 1745 was an appeal by the settlers writing to Jamaica asking for military assistance as they were receiving threats from the Spanish and were worried that the slaves would cause trouble. In 1779 there were 3,000 slaves in Belize. Between 1790 and 1832 (Except 1803 and 1809) each year the count recorded over 2,000 slaves. Mostly there were far more male slaves than female slaves. Most years it was almost three times the number of males to females. This may help explain why we Creoles seem to accept that a woman can have several children for several different men.

The record also shows there were regular runaways and escapes, especially as the Spanish authorities in Mexico offered Belizean slaves protection and freedom. In 1823, within a two months period some 39 slaves escaped and went to Peten in Guatemala where quite a number had already gone and were living there in a “Town of Black people” and who were said to be “enjoying the privileges of citizens” having “emigrated” from your (Baymen) establishment”. In 1816 runaways slaves were found to be living in a community “near the Sheboon (Sibun) River, very difficult to discover and guarded by poisonous s snakes.” In 1817 the Superintendent of Belize reported that “a considerable body of runaways slaves are formed in the interior.” There was general fear on the part of the Baymen that they were “entirely at the mercy of the slave population”. Part of the problem was the fear that “a very small gang of desperate runaway slaves, who could join and lead these Indians (the Maya), must instantly over-power us and the destruction of every British subject would be inevitable.” In 1820 it was reported that there were “two Slaves Town, which it appears have long been formed in the Blue Mountains to the northward of Sibun”. Now you know why an area of the Sibun River is named Runaway Creek, even to this day. In 1765 a slave rebellion is reported, involving over a dozen slaves. In 1768 another rebellion is reported involving over two dozen slaves. In 1773 more than 50 armed slaves rebelled. They killed six Baymen and attacked five timber works. This was one of the biggest slave rebellions in Belize. It lasted over five months and could only be brought under control when troops were sent from Jamaica. In 1820 the record shows another slave rebellion on the Belize River and the Sibun River. The Baymen were “earnestly praying for immediate protection because “a considerable number of slaves had formed themselves into a body in the Belize River and being well armed and having already committed various depredations the most serious consequences were to be apprehended.” The Superintendent was forced to declare martial law. This revolt had started around the 23 April 1820 and ended 22 May. A reward was put out for the Captain and the Leaders of the rebels, referred to as two black slaves named WILL and SHARPER. WILL and SHARPER were never caught. They and other so-called rebels by putting their lives at risk did their part by bringing slavery to an end. When we become more like Jamaica and other countries where there is real nationalism and patriotism grounded in a knowledge of our history and the contributions of our ancestors the men and women who fought for their freedom will be remembered in our songs, our poetry

and our literature . POLICE MINISTER TO RESIGN In every functioning democracy, there is respect for the Rule of Law, respect for the rights of the citizen and accountability for those who abuse their authority. What happened on George Street on Friday 26th August and on Mayflower Street the same evening is a dark and dirty stain on the UDP government and on the nation of Belize. Where on earth can Police officers dress like Guatemalan soldiers put on mask and go into a neighborhood using baseball bats, pepper spray, tear gas, M16 rifles, tasers, and brute force against citizens? The civilians include minors, females, a Justice of the Peace and young males. They were all systematically beaten. It was planned and it was premeditated. The young men were forced to the ground. They were kicked, whapped and beaten. In a methodical and systematic manner. It is an outrage. The Police are sworn to uphold the law and to obey the law. They are paid to protect and defend the citizens. In their fight against crime they are required to investigate and where necessary to detain, arrest and charge suspected wrong-doers. They can ONLY use force where they are defending themselves or preventing escape. The Amandala newspaper opened it front page report on the issue as follows: “Residents of George Street are boiling mad at the brutal, cruel, vicious, senseless and vindictive operation carried out on Friday evening by members of the Government’s goon squad…” “The (Gang Suppression) Unit has earned a reputation for brutality and a callous disregard for the basic human rights of Belizean citizens. Many citizens blame the actions of GSU on Prime Minister Hon. Dean Barrow and Minister of Police Doug Singh, who despite taking over from Carlos Perdomo, has been singularly ineffective in curbing the violent propensities of the Unit, which appears to operate with impunity, seemingly having the blessing and protection off both men.” These are strong words. They come from a newspaper which can be considered an ally of the government. They are words not to be taken likely. Such reporting coupled with the sickening images on Channel 7 are never to be ignored. Yet the Police Ministry put out an equally outrageous Press Release on the worst case of systematic Police brutality. The release supported what the GSU did. It attempted to play on fear by claiming rival gangs have grenades and have “intention to use them during the September celebration.” As if that somehow justifies the wanton and unlawful actions of the GSU. Something has gone terribly wrong inside the UDP government. Their abject failure to come up with any meaningful solutions to crime and the root causes of crime is on full display for all to see. What was seen on television was ugly and revolting and can never be acceptable in a democracy. Restore Belize is a bitter joke – Belize was NEVER like this. Not even

Sunday, September 4, 2011 the hated colonial masters lined up our people on the ground and premeditatedly beat and abuse them. Youth For the Future and CYDP are cynical petty programs for show case. They are not solutions. The Crime Control Council is a farce. It has never held a meeting for more than a year despite the frightening increase in murder and mayhem. Perhaps now, the Royal Creole Bourgeoisie Chairman will rouse himself and summon an early meeting in which the first order of business will be the suspension investigation and the bringing of charges against the perpetrators of police violence and illegality. The monies needed for upliftment – for sports, culture, jobs, safety and decent neighbourhoods have never been made available. The Police Department is under staffed, under equipped, badly managed and terribly demoralized. Had the government passed the Preventative Detention law all the dozens of brutalized Belizeans on George Street and Mayflower Street would have been hustled off to Prison for months, incommunicado and without medical treatment. In Guatemala this GSU type behavior is what the army did to the Maya people. In racist South Africa they lined up and beat black people like dogs until apartheid crumbled. In the occupied territories the Israelis systematically break the hands of Palestinians who stone the war tanks of the oppressors. Look at what Belize has come to. ALBERTA PEREZ Magistrate Alberta Perez, a graduate of the University of the West Indies and a trained Attorney-at-Law, has been promoted to the Registrar of the Court of Appeal. Magistrate Perez is a career public officer and has previously worked at the Registry, and in other government departments including as a Prosecutor in the DPP’s office. She has spent the last several years as a Senior Magistrate at the Family Court. ELIZABETH HUMES Elizabeth Humes spent her last day as a public officer on Wednesday, 31st August after giving more than twenty years of service to her country. She left without ceremony. Without a word of thanks from Belmopan. Elizabeth has always been a strong, quiet and dignified public officer, always willing to help members of the public as well as officers of the Supreme Court and attorneys in need of information. GEORGE PRICE George Price - the real nationalist, the original. As Belize prepares to celebrate thirty years of independence, a center piece of such celebrations has to be tributes to the living legend, the great George Price who carried the torch of political freedom and brought us Independence with all our territory intact. More next week.

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Police: “Expect Grenade attack during celebrations” Belize City, August 31, 2011 The Ministry of Police has made a frightening revelation that “rival gangs” intend to use grenades to harm persons during the September celebrations. According to a release by the Ministry, they have received intelligence that “gangs” have every intention of unleashing havoc during the nation’s independence celebrations month. The release did not indicate why, if Police had such intelligence, they have not acted to prevent such an occurrence from taking place. Criminal activity has become a serious threat to personal safety and security. Two years ago, the likelihood of using became reality when an explosive was found among a crowd of Carnival onlookers. Carnival will be held this Saturday in Belize City.

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TWO CHIEF MAGISTRATES Belize City, August 31, 2011 For the first time in judicial history, Belize has two Chief Magistrates at the same time. Belizean Chief Magistrate Margaret McKenzie Gabb and foreigner Ann-Marie Smith. Mrs. McKenzie’s employment as Chief Magistrate ends on 30 September but the Barrow government is so eager to employ a foreigner that Miss Smith has been told to report for duty on 1st September. Mrs. McKenzie, who is a career public officer with her experience and a law degree is not being given any job with the government in another department. She has been pushed out to make way for a foreigner although she and several Belizean Magistrates and Attorneys in other government departments are more qualified than Miss Smith. In April last year Miss Smith was shot by gunmen in St. Lu-

cia and had to be hospitalized under armed security. She is also an acquaintance of Denys Barrow, the Prime Minister’s brother. Brother Barrow was appointed a Judge too, but he quit the job and has joined Lois Young-Barrow in raking in huge legal fees paid from taxpayers’ money with the connivance of his brother. Miss Smith was originally offered the Chief Magistrate post in secret by the government. When this deal was publicly exposed the Judicial Commission then published the vacant post but went ahead and still accepted Miss. Smith. It is understood that one of Miss Smith’s first assignment is to revise the voters list for the upcoming City Council and General Elections in which Boots and other UDP politicians have been stacking voters into addresses although those voters do not live there.

UDP spies on PUP convention San Ignacio, August 29, 2011 It is becoming the M.O. of the UDP to spy on PUP Convention. Salva himself sat across the PUP’s Cayo North East convention to count the thousands who showed up to vote for Joseph Mahmud, in Port Loyola Boots came out with thugs in a failed attempt to intimidate supporters from electing Gilroy Usher, and now it has happened again. The UDP was spying on the PUP’s convention held in San Ignacio over the weekend. But this time, UDP representative Rene Montero had the cojones to show his face so he hired a woman and sent her instead. As the photo shows, Cecilia Humes is an all-toowilling pawn of the UDP. There is where she spent most of the day, pen and paper in hand, to jot down the names of those people she recognised were going to vote for their next PUP Mayor. Humes was instructed to remain at the same spot from 9am when the polls opened to 7pm when it closed. It is a shame the UDP has to resort to this kind of intimidation tactic. Of course, a huge number of supporters showed up nonetheless to support their PUP. Montero should know better. No matter what he does, his days are numbered, both at the Town Hall and in Belmopan.

UDP hired Cecilia Humes to spy on all voters attending the PUP San Ignacio/Santa Elena conventiion

Humor in UDP Politics! On Tuesday, the following matters were discussed in cabinet: - That the password in Cabinet for September is UNIBAM. - That Cabinet supports the Minister of Police in the GSU’s callous attack on George Street women and children - Carnival police band will wear pink with white laces on Saturday - That all UB students swear allegiance to the Ninth Amendment ……………… In other news….Wayne Usher was seen carrying a casket towards Mile 13 on the Western Highway after the UDP Convention. Usher, who campaigned with the slogan “A name you know”… was confronted by angry city residents who told him…”yes, a name you know TO AVOID”. ……………… Following Sunday’s UDP convention, Philloughby was so excited. When asked why, he said he could now afford to do two more years at Galen, to get close to matching the years he did at UB. ……………… Things so bad under Barrow that not a pupsy or crawna can be found in the local canal so bad under Barrow that even the Pawn shop is saying things BAD. The Mayor has come up with her own carnival song for September to the tune of “Get Up and Run, run, run. I am still running, I command you to run, but who cares”? Now that the UDP Citco team is now in place it works out like this: 5 incumbents, 1 ½ of a candidate, one G-Man, 2 minister pickney – and Joe Bradley daughter Darrelitas.

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