Sunday, March 20, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
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Issue No. 4736
SUNDAY March 20, 2011
Barrow at WAR
with oil investors Belize City, March 16th, 2011 A copy of an email dated November 25, 2010, purportedly sent by the Prime Minister’s royal nephew Kimano Barrow to American oil investor Oren Miles, claims that Barrow loaned $50,000 for an unknown venture. At the time, Barrow and Miles were business associates, and they partnered to setup an oil company, Paradise Energy Limited. Barrow successfully secured an oil concession from his uncle, the Prime Continued on page 4
Faber’s Rd. Killers on the loose
Kimano Barrow
UDP incompetence
exposed! Crique Sarco Bridge abandoned since February 7th 2008
Man shot dead on his 26th birthday
Baby Susana
faces
life-threatening
paralysis
See page 8
Reymundo Quinote
See page 35
MAHMUD WINS BIG IN CAYO NORTH See page 8
3 yr. old Susana Tzul
See page 31
101 Reasons against Barrow’s Budget See page 6
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Sunday, March 20, 2011
From the ghetto streets, to “Shyne” Barrow
The Festival of Arts “Showcase” Dear Editor, After much concern about the Children’s Festival of the Arts, hosted by the Ministry of Education and Youth, I would like to make some constructive criticism and suggestion to those whom I believe are butchering the efforts made to revive the Festival of the Arts. At the opening of the preschooler’s Festival of the Arts on Monday at the Bliss Center for Performing Arts, teachers from various pre-schools were exhibiting their young talent. But the event put a beating on proud mothers and families when the Ministry of Education took advantage and charged attendees a whopping five dollars a head entrance fee, which I understand goes to the Ministry of Education and not for the development of the pre-school expressive arts program which is nonexistent in many institutions. My three year old daughter like the many little ones, who performed that evening on the stage, had fun on the stage; the teachers did their best to prepare the kids’ performances. Those who danced were not synchronized. Those that sung shouted innocently but not clear enough, and those who recited poems joyfully over projected their voices which parents found quite humorous. At the end of the evening, it was nothing but entertainment. My critique is directed at the Ministry of Education. I asked many teach-
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.”
ers if they had workshops to prepare for the festival, and the answer was a quick “No”. Many teachers from Southside Belize City were concerned that many of their parents would not be able to see their little one performed because of the high entrance fee. One Principal told me that under the Minister of Education Patrick Faber and the UDP, they have seen no real progress in the Ministry in the area of expressive arts in the school. That the worthless UDP put a “wash up artist” and a crony that has her own agenda to destroy what the PUP and Yasser Musa had worked so tirelessly to build. She continued that under the former PUP Minister of Education, Minister of Culture and especially former NICH President, the Arts was on the move with visual and performing arts being the center piece in the school and at the Bliss. With a tired sigh on her face, she concluded “we are longing for those days to come back”. This is not an attack on Mr. Leroy Green, who I honestly believe is trying his best with limited funds and support from the Ministry of Education, but rather a cuff on his political directorate, who have refused to give the art the priority that is needed. Let’s save us some face from having visiting foreigners laugh behind our back. Change the name of the Festival of the Arts to “SHOWCASE” if we won’t be serious about it. The concept to start training our future performing artists at the preschool level is ideal. The discipline must be maintained to the highest standard. To the many parents who plan to attend the remainder of the show, once you can afford the “whooping” entrance fee, please go and enjoy your children’s performance and think of it as a “SHOWCASE” for little preschoolers. Thanks, George Michael
Dear Mr. Editor, I am a young Belizean and this is my first letter I have ever written to a newspaper. I love American Rap music, honestly not as much as I love punta rock in a good dance but, Tu Pac Shakur is my favourite American hip hop artist. When I first heard Shyne’s “Bad boy” song with Barrington Levy, you cannot imagine how hyped I was to find out the artist was Belizean. I have always defended Shyne on my block. When others have called him a one hit wonder, a reject and an outhouse chewing gum rapper, I have defended him as Belizean. When he was big-ged up as musical ambassador for Belize, I was confused and wondered why Barrow gave his son and not someone from Coolie Rebels, but I felt so long as you are Belizean, I will ride with you. Shyne was supposed to be Belizean. But what I saw last night on Channel 5 news, was what we call in the streets “purple traiting”. The man sat on TV with a Jewish flag close to him looking like a character out of the movie Borat. He acts like he is from Israel, disrespect our Belizean flag and stuff it in a corner. If you don’t look good you not even know it is there. Then he start to talk like a “sell out” in that he did not talk for us black people in Belize or the poor people in the hood. Like one of my brethren said he could not lose street creds because he never had it. He lived in Belize for a short time in a high sky scraper with all the rich people
Tuff E Nuff Softball Team gets tough with Cayo Softball Association March 13, 2011 Mrs. Jerjette Thompson President Cayo Softball Association Dear Mrs. Thompson: Through this medium I wish to voice my displeasure and utter disappointment at the Cayo Softball Association’s atrocious behavior and flagrant disregard of its own rules and bylaws during this weekend’s marathon which precedes the 2011 Softball Season. At our last meeting, in the presence of all Team managers, it was agreed as stated in the Bylaws that all teams wishing to participate in the 2011 Regular Season must play in the marathon; this clearly means that all teams wishing to participate should have been present and in uniform at the marathon.
Continued on page 31
Send your letters to: editortimes@yahoo.com
with security guards. Nobody even deals with him. When he leaves his penthouse no one even approaches him. So he left for Israel. I could not understand until he started to talk craziness about politics: “The vision of the Belizean government, my father is the Prime M, the Foreign Minister in Belize is to strengthen ties with Israel on the highest level and I am looking forward to a very productive and effective relationship with the Israeli Government…” They are the same people whose Foreign Affairs Minister signed an agreement that was not even in English. Big man you are the ambassador for music and now you are acting artificial like Sedi Elrington’s border. He change his name so much time already and has not changed a single thing for all the kids that he use their face to take picture with when he first came back. I cannot even defend the Belizean in Shyne no more, he is more Israeli than Moses, why not let him be Ambassador from there. Run he! Make real Belizean deal with our business. He says all he wants is to “earn his return” but he is using his ambassadorship to try to get a free pass back to the United States. What a joke! They are using Belize. Belize for Belizeans, that is being “real”. Peace out, Roberto Peyrefitte Editor’s Note: The young author would certainly not be surprised to find out that his sentiments are also shared by many Belizeans, young and old. Shyne is a talented artist. He was born in Belize for sure, but he is made in America. Nuff said.
THE BELIZE TIMES EDITOR
Alberto Vellos OFFICE MANAGER
Fay Castillo McKay PRINTING/PERSONNEL SUPERVISOR
Doreth Bevans LAYOUT/GRAPHIC ARTIST
Chris Williams STAFF REPORTER
Carla Bradley TYPIST
Rachel Arana OFFICE ASSISTANT
Roberto Peyrefitte Printed & Published By The Belize Times Ltd. #3 Queen Street P.O. BOX 506 Belize City, Belize Tel: 671-8385 Email: belizetimesad@yahoo.com editortimes@yahoo.com
Sunday, March 20, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Barrow at WAR
with oil investors Continued from page 1 Minister’s Cabinet for Paradise. But two months later, the parties are now locked in an ugly civil and even criminal dispute over oil in Belize. Today, the news of the imminent arrest of Miles’ nephew and business partner, Allen Saum, who resides at the De La Fuente Hotel in Orange Walk spread like wildfire. Saum was reportedly to give himself in to Police. Saum has reportedly been accused by Barrow of entering false documents at the Companies Registry in Belmopan. Those documents, which have been exposed by the BELIZE TIMES, in our February 20th 2011 issue, claims that Saum and Miles are Directors of Paradise Energy, and that their oil company, Miles Tropical Energy, own majority shares. According to the documents, Barrow and his partner, Alfredo Acosta, are no longer major players in the oil company. For almost a month the dispute has been kept under the rug, with lawyers attempting to negotiate and watching and waiting to see what the other’s next move will be. But following today’s news of an arrest, the dispute spiralled into an ugly war. Saum launched a media offensive on his new enemy, the Prime Minister’s royal nephew. First came a three page email, which consisted of a letter of complaint to the United States Ambassador Vinai Thumalapally. In the letter, which was copied to the Prime Minister’s office, Saum claimed that Barrow had stalked them from Orange Walk to the Northern Border last week. While at the border, Saum claims Barrow confronted his uncle, Oren, and verbally and physically assaulted him. Saum said Barrow then went to house of Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega, where he remained. Saum said he has instructed his lawyers to file civil and criminal actions, as well as applying for a restraining order against the Prime Minister’s nephew, Kimano. Shortly after sending that email, Saum’s secretary then sent out another electronic correspondence, this time containing the purported November email in which Barrow begged for a $50,000 wire transfer to his father’s Bank of America account from Miles. It turned out that Saum was not arrested today for the criminal complaint against him. The Police have claimed that Saum has been in hiding, but that is untrue. The American businessman is seen frequently up and about Orange Walk town, and he has taken up residence at the hotel which belongs to the brother of the Town Mayor. His attorney, Elson Kaseke, did show up at the Police Station; however, to field in questions from journalists. Kaseke claimed that Barrow and Acosta were hired by his clients, Miles and Saum, to facilitate the securing of the Production Sharing Agreement for Paradise Energy. The cost of doing so was borne by the American investors. The question about who owns Para-
dise is hogwash the attorney claimed. “What is going on is mind-boggling. If you pay for it, it belongs to you.” Kaseke said instead of the Police harassing and investigating his clients, the men they should be after are Barrow and Acosta. Meanwhile the fiasco turns into a public local and international spectacle, the Barrow Administration sits idly by as American investors claim wrong on behalf of Belizeans. Because of the blood lineage, the Prime Minister is not expected to act against his nephew. The implications of this story spreading throughout the world can only be bad for Belize.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Slapping Jackie
Marshalleck, again! Belize City, March 16, 2011 On Monday, March 14, 2011, a dry two sentence note was sent to the newly re-elected President of the Bar Association from Velda Flowers, who we are informed at Belize Times acts as the Secretary/Registrar of the Court of Appeal. This unceremonious correspondence basically said that members of the Bar Association should know “that Douglas Mendes has been appointed a Justice of the Court of Appeal with effect 21st March 2011.” That is the extent of the “advice” which almost reeked of contemptuousness. Attorneys complaining to the BELIZE TIMES have disappointedly described it as having “a matter of fact, after thought feeling to it.” The Bar Association’s membership and its president have had a storied and public back and forth with the Prime Min-
ister of Belize, Dean O. Barrow, who has repeatedly and openly threatened, insulted and sucked his teeth at the Bar Association’s membership. The release from the Registrar was further referred to as “barebones”. One UDP attorney speaking to our newspaper, candidly criticized that “the process and decisions all feel secretive and “uninclusive”(sic). I cannot defend this kind of…what you would call unnecessary stubbornness, but the man even call me PUP so…” The input of the Bar Association in the appointment of this new foreign judge was not even pretentiously sought, and while the Association is forced to try to whimper from Barrow’s cold shoulder, it is sad that at the highest local level of the Court
Continued from page 31
Sunday, March 20, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
Nothing to Celebrate The build-up to Barrow’s fourth budget presentation was non-existent. So depressed were the UDP about the hopeless financial policy of the government that their usually vociferous media outlets have been struggling to find any words to support the document. Even Barrow’s delivery last Friday lacked the usual flair and theatrical antics and was devoid of any enthusiasm and hope for the future. And a more thorough review of the facts and figures reveals a bleak picture indeed of a once vibrant Belizean economy reduced to a beggar-nation status. No Mr. Prime Minister, there is nothing to celebrate in your performance over the last three years. You have failed and failed miserably, and you continue to insult the intelligence of all Belizeans by trumpeting what you call a pro-poor policy, when in reality, your policies are designed to keep poor people poorer. As one hard-working single mother observed, “Barrow’s budget is like giving a hungry child a 5 cents sweet to suck on.” There is no nutritional benefit, no lasting value, no sustenance. And when the sweet melts, the poor child is still hungry. In the 2010/2011 Budget, the Prime Minister listed four main pillars in the economic recovery effort: (1) social investment, (2) job creation, (3) access to credit and (4) combating crime and violence. He said that these would be his government’s priorities, but a review one year later shows that there has been total failure on every front. The social investment initiatives have been small and unproductive one time projects that have benefitted only a select few and will not be sustained. The Prime Minister spoke once again of his cash transfer programme as a way of alleviating poverty. How cruel it is for the PM to continue to raise people’s hopes that a stipend is coming their way, when last year of the $4 million budgeted for this programme only $30 thousand was spent. Where did the rest of the money go? Incredibly, the budget document does not include an unemployment figure. Is it because this figure is so high that Dean Barrow is ashamed to let the Belizean public know just how terrible his stewardship has been? As a matter of fact there have been more jobs lost to receiverships, bankruptcies and business cutting back than the government has created over the same time period. The Prime Minister is beating his chest about creating jobs for 15 gang members. Well, what about jobs for the hundreds of 6th form and university students that are graduating this year? Jobs cannot come, because investment, domestic and foreign, is not there. Dean Barrow has eroded investor confidence in Belize so much that foreign direct investment fell by 90% from last year, which was already down by 50% the year before. In 2008 the foreign injection of capital was $360M. This fell to $135M in 2009 and an all-time low of $13M in 2010. As a result the capital expenditure that was supposed to stimulate the economy never materialized and is being recycled this year. This budget is a cut and paste from last year and the year before. Look at the Cap 2 and the Cap 3 projects – identical over the three years. Barrow admits that rather than improving access to credit, his monetary policy imposed through the Central Bank has instead increased banks’ profits. While the deposit rates have gone down, the loan interest rates remain high, thus widening the bankers’ spread. The fact is that entrepreneurs cannot access financing and consequently cannot invest and create jobs. This trickles down to the unemployed who cannot make their mortgage payments and are losing their homes. Every other page in the weekly newspapers advertises foreclosures and auctions. There is nothing in this budget to address this worsening situation. In 2008, the PUP left the table well-spread. Barrow and his cronies have had their belly-full, living high and getting fat. Instead of sustaining growth by investing in people, the ministers have spent millions on fancy vehicles and huge payments to friends and family and now the table is empty. Barrow’s response is to blame the global economy and Hurricane Richard, calling them his “Damocles sword”. Well perhaps the Prime Minister should re-read his Greek mythology. Damocles wanted more than anything to be the King for one day. King Dionysius offered to switch places with him, so he could taste first hand that fortune. Damocles sat down in the king’s throne surrounded by every luxury, but Dionysius arranged that a huge sword should hang above the throne, held at the pommel only by a single hair of a horse’s tail. Damocles finally begged Dionysius to switch back, as he realized just how difficult leadership could be. Is Barrow saying that he is just not up to the job of leading Belize? Well, PM, step down and let a real leader take over.
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THE BELIZE TIMES
101 Reasons against Barrow’s Budget 1. The same old, same old can’t do anything outside the box mindset. Not a single relief is in there for parents begging for medical help for their children who need medical assistance for a surgery in this budget. 2. Which Belize is Mr. Barrow living in? Things the buck out ya and no money no deh. Cost of living is through the roof – and the middle class is being wiped out – living one pay check to another. And not a chance for a raise of pay from the budget. 3. He does not tackle the oil problem. Belizeans don’t want a dollar tax Mr. Prime Minister. Belizeans want to feel the oil – take the foolhardy $90 tax to $60. That’s what the people want. 4. This budget, for the third year in a row, rolls from one deficit to another, hoping that it will go away and that Belizeans won’t take no. 5. Cap II projects in the budget is a piped ream as the monies are usually air marked from donor agencies that may take years to come through. 6. No new taxes is a lie! Just as gas at 8 dollars at the pump was – as gas has gone up. So has butane, school fees, groceries etc. maybe we have to call it by a different name. 7. Nothing to truly stimulate the Belizean economy – nothing to booster investor confidence to create jobs through a real grass roots initiative. 8. Two jobs plus more in this project is earmarked against qualified Belizean in two top judicial posts not to mention now having to get extra cash to pay off their cars, fuel, housing, travelling allowances, phone, and recreation. Even their Happy Hour Time etc. 9. Barrow’s pro poor programme is a handout and not a help out and is aim to support UDP supporters lawyers from the Queen Square Area. 10. No hope for policemen, teachers, BDF, firemen, public servants in need of a raise to combat the cost of living and a shrinking dollar. 11. Where is the money for a Forensic Lab? With crime and carnage taking over the streets, three years without Barrow’s promised lab is a disgrace. He was the one who said he would quickly provide over three hundred not even a cent for a Forensic Lab.
MORE TO COME NEXT WEEK
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Market security could have prevented slaying of vendor Instead of offering apology, Willoughby aggrieves market vendors Belize City, March 16, 2011 For many weeks the vendors at the Michael Finnegan Market, formerly known as Queen Square Market, who sell their produce along the banks of the canal, have been complaining about high prices for market stalls. Unable to pay the fee, vendors have had to stay outside the market, and despite the safety risk, single mothers sleep on the ground site, because they cannot afford to transport their produce every day and are afraid of losing their spot. The Belize City Council and Councilor in charge of Markets, Phillip Willoughby, has been well aware of the situation, but has refused to address the problems. On Friday evening, a vendor was shot dead as he stood outside his makeshift stall, and now Willoughby has reacted. This afternoon, the Councilor called a meeting with the vendors to inform them that the Council will require them to use the market compound. The problem; however, is that the market is now designed with limited stalls, which have all been raffled out. Willoughby’s solution is to erect 31 cramped tents that will be rented to vendors as stalls. When one vendor asked what the cost of the stall is, Willoughby could not answer. This immediately increased skepticism among them, and proved
Miguel Rivera, killed outside market
No apology from Phillip Willoughby
that the Council was ten steps behind with their planning. Willoughby also said that only six stalls will be built for vendors from rural Belize, but there are more than six rural vendors in the area. Wholesale vendors will be relocated to Dolphin Street but they will only be allowed to sell their produce on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays between the hours of 5am and 10am. After that they must leave the area. All this is being proposed as a short term solution. Wiilloughby,
who has promised many things, including a beach at the BTL Park two years ago, vowed that the Council will be looking for another venue for another market. Not once during the meeting with the vendors, did Willoughby apologize for not having provided security to the vendors. The lack of security is believed to have made slain vendor, Miguel Rivera, an easy target. The proposed market changes will take effect in the first week of April.
WINNERS: Tiffany Zeyala & Jason Bennett Question: Who have been the leaders of the People’s United Party? (Clue 5) Answer:
1. John Smith 2. Leigh Richardson 3. Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price 4. Rt. Hon. Said Musa
5. Hon. Johnny Briceno
LOOK OUT FOR THE NEXT RAFFLE COMING SOON
Sunday, March 20, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
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THE BELIZE TIMES
MAHMUD WINS BIG IN CAYO NORTH
BDF intimidating voters
Bullet Tree Falls, Monday, March 14, 2011 On Sunday March 13th, the PUP held a standard bearer convention in Bullet Tree Falls in the Cayo North constituency. Four candidates, Floyd Lemus, Joe Lisbey, Nelson Tillett and Joseph Mahmud were vying for the chance to take on and take out the hapless Salva Fernandez, whose only contribution to the division has been his usual stops at the local watering holes. The Blue Machine was in full force as flags, banners and posters lined the road to Bullet Tree and a tidal wave of blue shirts glistened under the hot sun as the young and old queued up to put their X next to their candidate of choice. The lines were steady all day as an impressive turnout of 1259 persons cast their ballots, triple the amount from the last PUP convention in the area. Joseph Mahmud emerged victorious receiving 693 votes or 55% of the
Salva camps out to see who to victimize next
votes cast. It was a sweet victory for Mahmud who has been working tirelessly in the constituency. Especially hopeful was the turnout of the youth vote, who celebrated with the new standard bearer after he was sworn in. The UDP tried all their dirty tactics to try to intimidate, sending the BDF with automatic rifles to stare down voters. But the day remained peaceful and the process was democratic and fair. So worried was Salva that he made it his business to sit behind the school to take pictures and mark down the names of persons who voted – a clear case of victimization. But none of the fear mongering would work. In record numbers the residents of Cayo North made it very clear that the UDP days in office are numbered. So pack your bags, Salva, Barrow and the other sorry excuses of elected representatives and hit the road. The PUP is coming and we coming strong!
UDP incompetence
exposed!
Toledo District, March 15, 2011 While the nation has waited for 1097 days for the UDP government to replace the destroyed Kendal Bridge that disconnected southern communities from the rest of the nation, there is another story that speaks volumes about the Barrow Administration’s commitment to the people of the South. Crique Sarco is one of the distant villages in the Toledo East that have been feeling the full brunt of the UDP’s incompetence. The PUP has promised to build a New South in its next term of government. And if their record while they were in power is any guide, the people of the south have little to worry about. During the last PUP administration, under Mike Espat as the Minister of Works, the Crique Sarco feeder road was opened. Espat not only built the road, he also promised to put a bridge across the Temash River so that the 1,000 residents of Crique Sarco could get home without having to paddle dories across the river. While travelling to Belmopan from his native Punta Gorda Town, Espat kept seeing a bridge on the side of Hummingbird Highway. The bridge had been there for years, after the PUP government replaced the Sibun Bridge with a modern two lane bridge. Having promised the residents in Crique Sarco that he would build a bridge for them, Espat sent out a team of engineers to look at the bridge to determine if it could
be used somewhere else. The engineers reported back that the bridge was still usable. So Espat decided to move the bridge and take it down to the edge of the Temash River on the opposite side of Crique Sarco. A bridge engineer from the Ministry of Works was sent down to the Toledo District to supervise the work. After more than $150,000 and six months later, the old Sibun Bridge was set up across the Temash River, connecting the village of Crique Sarco. With the bridge in place, the only work that remained was to build the approaches to the bridge, so that vehicular traffic could use it. But the PUP lost the 2008 General Elections. So the work that was started in 2007 remained unfinished to this day. One would have thought the UDP would take advantage of the work and keep their promise to help the people of the south, but three years later, the bridge sits just the way it was since February 7th 2008. The present Ministry of Works has expressed no interest in completing the work that was started during under PUP government. The UDP has shown by their lack of attention that they are incapable of governing the country. The UDP has forgotten the Toledo District. How much longer must the people of Crique Sarco wait for the Ministry of Works to complete the bridge so that they could get their products to the market in Toledo?
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
FROM THE DESK OF THE
PARTY LEADER
Are we satisfied? Last Friday, the Prime Minister presented his 2011-2012 Budget in the House of Representatives. For those who bothered to listen, thankfully it was his shortest presentation, it was also the most boring and lifeless presentation he has made. One journalist described the presentation as uninspiring, while others said it was uneventful and plain and simple a wishy-washy budget. Early in his presentation the PM declared that he felt a certain degree of “satisfaction” over the results of his last budget. He said he was satisfied with what they had done with the economy and was also satisfied with what they were doing to help the poor. He stated that he was especially satisfied with the pro-poor policies because of the positive effect these had on addressing crime. Especially in Belize City, crime was going down. Of course, if you were to ask Belizeans across the country if they were satisfied, or more so if they were better off, if they felt safer in their homes or if they felt like we were doing our part to bring an end to poverty, they will tell you that they are not satisfied. Those who are not a part of the UDP inner circle will tell you that they are worst off today under the UDP government than they were under the PUP government. The numbers don’t lie, however, so let us take a look at some of what Belizeans are supposed to be satisfied about. Last year the Prime Minster raised taxes on the Belizean people. He said he would try to raise $125 million in new taxes and he all but accomplished that. What he did not accomplish though, were those Job Centers for young people that he said he was going to build. He promised five of such places countrywide where young people could complete vocational training and develop skills that would help them to become employable. He also said that his government will never be afraid to make the necessary interventions on behalf of the poor. One year later, Belizeans are
finding out that the Prime Minister’s words were all empty rhetoric. His much-touted pro-poor polices have been a dismal failure. They have become programs where he has been giving out a few handouts to a very small group of people. Last year the Prime Minister promised to make available $4 million in what he called a Conditional Cash Transfer program to help poor Belizeans. In examining the figures, it was discovered that all that was made available and spent on this program was $30,000. In his food assistance program, the Prime Minister promised Belizeans to make available a million dollars. As it turns out, he actually only provided $10,800! He also promised $1,000,000 for an Apprenticeship Program. He claimed that this would help prepare our unemployed youths to enter the job market. All the Prime Minster felt our youths deserved for the Apprenticeship Program was a paltry $50,000! Perhaps the Prime Minister will argue that he did not have the money and that is why it seems as if he turned his back on his promise to the poor. If this is so, then he would be admitting that last year his government was unable to access the monies he said would be available for these special projects. The Prime Minister has also fell short in the execution of the Capital Projects cited in his last year’s budget. These are the projects he declared would provide the stimulus that would rescue the Belizean economy and get Belizeans working once again. Every year he comes to the House with the same lamentation: but truth be told, he doesn’t have the capacity in his government to access the funds. Therefore every year he is incapable of meeting his targets. Governments provide the capital investment to generate growth in two ways; one by using a portion of the taxes they collect on projects like construction of roads, schools and so on. The other comes from external
sources like grants and loans from International Financial Institutions and or Bi-lateral Agreements with friendly countries. International funding is often performance-based, and so if you are unable to complete the tasks then there will be no new money made available. The success of any government’s Capital II undertakings is seen at the end of the financial year. This is when you can measure how much government fell short of its projected capital II and III expenditure. For the record, this year alone
9 the Prime Minister fell short of a total of $44m. In summary, the Prime Minister can talk and his ministers can continue to bang the table, but when the noise and the accolades are over and done, the reality is that Belizeans are still struggling to make ends meet; crime continues to spiral out of control, too many Belizeans are still without a job and the Belizean economy is still nowhere near where it was when they took office in 2008. This means life no just haad out ya, life haada out ya!
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Ministry of Works employee accused of smuggling weed into prison
Lyle Lambey
BELIZE CITY, Wed. March 16, 2011 Lyle Lambey, 22, an employee of the Ministry of Works, who allegedly attempted to smuggle 360 grams of cannabis into the Belize Central Prison yesterday, was charged with drug trafficking when he appeared today in the #2 Magistrate’s Court. Lambey pleaded not guilty to the charge. He was offered a bail of $6,000, which he met. His
case was adjourned until May 17. According to reports, Lambey went to prison yesterday with five foam plates containing food to give to an inmate. As he reached the search area, he was told a search was going to be conducted. Police reported that the search resulted in the discovery of the cannabis inside the foam plates, amounting to over ¾ pound inside the foam plates along with the food. As a result, Lambey was detained and was charged after he was processed. The penalty for a conviction of drug trafficking can be a fine of $10,000 or 3 years or both fine and prison sentence.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Duo charged for major burglary at Airport
Family of gunshot victim say he is no “bad man”
The burglary occurred between Friday, March 11 and Saturday, March 12 at Maya Island Air, located at the Philip Goldson International Airport. Ervin Franklin & Lyndon Young Eden Torres, an engineer employed BELIZE CITY, Wed. March at Maya Island Air, reported 16, 2011 to the police that the culprits Two men, Lyndon Young, broke into the tool room, the 31 and Ervin Franklin, 21, both cleaning room, the technician residents of Ladyville, were room and the library. They charged with burglary and stole special aircraft tools, bathandling stolen goods in an in- tery chargers, aircraft batteries cident in which over $100,000 and a number of other items. worth of items were stolen Police conducted an infrom the international airport. vestigation which led them Young and Franklin were to Franklin’s residence where arraigned yesterday in the #8 they recovered some of the Magistrate’s Court. They were stolen items. also charged with theft and The theft occurred handling stolen goods in con- around the same time at Benection with another incident. lize Airport Concession, loNo plea was taken from cated at Philip Goldson Interthem because the offences national Airport. The thieves are being treated as indictable stole two grey and white trimatters due to the quantity in- cycles that were parked inside volved. the hanger. Magistrate Emmerson Police went to a feeder Banner offered each of them road behind Belize Water bail of $20,000 and adjourned Services in Lord’s Bank where their case until April 15th. But they recovered the tricycles Young and Franklin were un- and some of the items that able to meet bail so they re- were stolen during the burmanded to prison. glary.
Belize City, March 15th 2011 22 year old Gilroy Garnett Jr. who was shot in the face by an unknown gunman last week, is still fighting to hang on to life at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Garnett and a young lady were approaching Vernon Street when they were approached by an armed man who opened fire at them. The shot caught Garnett on the face, as it ruptured through his right cheek. The young man was later transported to the hospital where he underwent urgent treatment. While Police are still seeking the shooter, the family is perplexed as to why anyone would target their loved one. Family sources indicate that it is perhaps because Garnett shares the name of another male person who has had serious run ins with the law. That person is Gilroy Garnett, a 28 year old who was detained last year in connection to a robbery at Princess Hotel and Casino. Whether the mix up in names could have led to the attack, the family is hoping it doesn’t occur again. The family is also disputing allegations that last week’s shooting victim was someone who had any trouble with the cops. They said their loved one was never involved in any criminal activity in the past, and wouldn’t want people to believe that he was. That is why the attack has left them befuddled also.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
JOSEPH MAHMUD
The Hope for Cayo North
Mahmud takes oath, and pledges to work for the people of Cayo North
Joseph Mahmud (2nd from Left) and candidates remain united following Sunday’s convention
PUP supporters welcome the news: Joseph Mahmud is the HOPE for Cayo North
Voting at Sunday’s convention attracted a wide cross-section of residents
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Sunday, March 20, 2011
BELIZE'S #1 SPORTS PAGE
Belize beats Peru & Falkland Islands in ICC Americas tournament San Jose, Costa Rica, March 15, 2011 Belize has won its first two matches in the International Cricket Confederation (ICC) of the Americas Division 3 Tournament being held in San Jose, Costa Rica. Belize won its first match 65-64 over Peru with 4 wickets in hand, on Sunday, March 13. Howell Gillett was the Man of the Match, tak-
Team Belize is doing well in the ICC America’s tournament
Tournament schedule:
ing 4 wickets for Belize and Conway Young led Belize’s batting with 18 runs. Belize also won their second match on Monday 182 -50 over the Falkland Islands. Mykelt Anthony was Belize’s Man of the Match, taking 5 wickets. Warren Anthony led Belize’s batting by scoring 50 runs and Conway Young scored another 48 runs for Belize.
The six-team tournament will serve as a qualification event for the ICC World 2012. The winner of the tournament will get promoted to Division 2 in April to join Bahamas, Brazil, Panama, Suriname and Turks and Caicos Islands.
Wednesday: Costa Rica vs. Peru
Falkland Islands vs. Chile Mexico vs. Belize
Thursday:
Peru vs. Mexico Costa Rica vs. Belize Falkland Islands vs. Peru
Friday:
Belize vs. Chile Mexico vs. Costa Rica
Nelito Ayuso, Petie Matus & Harim Ochaeta win RF&G table tennis tournament Belize City, March 13, 2011 Nelito Ayuso, Petie Usher-Matus, Nicholas Martin, Harim Achaeta and Ricardo Bailey all emerged as champions of their respective divisions when the Belize Table Tennis Association held first RF&G national ranking table tennis tournament of the year at the Belize Elementary Auditorium in Belize City on Saturday and Sunday, March 12 and 13. The tournament started with competitions in all categories in a round-robin with some 39 matches played on Saturday March 12, at the Belize Elementary Auditorium. Medals were awarded to all winners by the Vice President of the BTTA, Jorge Espat, on behalf of the sponsors, RF&G Insurance Co. Ltd.
A CATEGORY, A Division
1st place – Nelito Ayuso 2nd place – Zhi Cheng 3rd place – Carlos Cui 4th place – Nicholas Martin
A CATEGORY, B Division
1st place – Nicholas Martin 2nd place – Gabriel Guerrero 3rd place – Peter Wang 4th place – Jamil Bedran
C Category
1st place – Ricardo Bailey 2nd place – Harim Ochaeta 3rd place – Wen Te Chen 4th place – Jason Lin
Petie Matus won the Women’s Division
Women’s division
Cadet’s under-15 division
Ashar Arthurs placed 3rd in the Under-15
1st place – Petie Matus 2nd place – Tyola Casimiro 3rd place – Wun Kin 4th place – Patricia Ho
1st place – Harim Ochaeta 2nd place – Gian Lisbey 3rd place – Ashar Arthurs 4th place – Matthew Usher
Zhi Cheng won 2nd in the A division Tyola Casimiro was playing her best
Sunday, March 20, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
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BELIZE'S #1 SPORTS PAGE
Triple B’s & Sugar City Girlz lead Delhart
Sugar City girls beat Corozal United 3-2
Courtenay Cup
Upcoming games: → Suga City Girlz vs. Yo Creek Strikers, Yo Creek → Bullet Tree vs. Triple B’s → Las Flores vs. West Girls, Las Flores Field → Little Swaggers vs. Puma Auto Rentals, Toledo Union Field
Belmopan, March 12, 2011 Defending national women’s football champs, Triple B’s, posted their 3rd win of the 2011 Delhart Courtenay Cup women’s football competition by blasting the West Girls at the Football Federation of Belize Institute field in Belmopan on Saturday. Rhonda Hernandez blasted in the 1st goal, while Sheriann Tracy added a 2nd goal and Kaya Cattouse drilled home a 3rd goal, to lead 3-0 at the half. In the 2nd half, Sheriann Tracy scored the 4th and 5th goals to round up the 5-0 win. The Sugar City Girls posted their second win, 3-2, over Corozal United FC, formerly Patchakan girls, at the Louisiana Government School field on Sunday. Tamarah Baptist, Vanessa Mai and Mindy Riverol scored for Sugar City, while Griselda Balam and Ciannie Castaneda scored for Corozal. The Bella Vista Latin Girls upset the Puma Auto Rentals, 3-0, at the Bella Vista Field also on Sunday. Sandy Ortega scored 2 goals and Glindi Martinez scored a 3rd goal in the victory over the Pumas.
Nazarene High girls are softball champs
Nazarene girls are champs
Sugar City’s Tamarah Baptist
Greg Lovell, Darnell Barrow & Christian McNish
Patricia Chavarria, Shalini Zabaneh & Gina Lovell
Belize City, March 13, 2011 Team Santino’s Darnell Barrow won the 30th Annual Belmopan Cycling Classic, a 100-mile ride from the Constitution Park in Belize City to Belmopan around the ring road and back to the finish line in front of Leslie’s Imports at mile 2 on the Western Highway on Sunday, March 13. Darnell clocked 4:18:27 as he out-sprinted his former teammate, Greg Lovell, now riding for Team Zamir to win the first place trophy and a $500 cash prize. Lovell claimed the $300 2nd prize and a medal, while Team Benny’s Megabytes’ Panamanian import Christian McNish won the $200 3rd prize and a medal. National women’s road champion, Shalini Zabaneh of Team Sagitun’s won first place among 10 other female riders who all rode the same 48-mile course. Shalini clocked 2:18:36 to win a $100 prize, while Patricia Chavarria, riding unat-
Punta Gorda Town, March 12, 2011 The Nazarene High School won the National Secondary Schools Sports Association softball championships played at the Toledo Union Field and the Cattle Landing field outside Punta Gorda Continued from page 14
Santino’s Darnell Barrow wins 30th Belmopan Cycling Classic tached, was hard on her wheel to win a $75 2nd prize. Two time women’s Cross Country champ, Gina Lovell, also riding unattached, clocked 2:24:34 to claim the $50 3rd prize, and Marinettte Flowers, riding unattached, finished 4th in 2:29:45. Omar Gomez of the Depredadores team from Chetumal Quintana Roo won the Masters race form Belize City to mile 26 and back, clocking 2:15:35 on his 48 mile ride to win the first place trophy. His teammate, Carlos Castellan, won 2nd and a medal, while Ray Cattouse Sr was the first Belizean rider, winning a medal with his 3rd place finish. Among the Juniors, Wasani Castro of Team Clear Di Land won 1st place, clocking 3:12:38. Giovanni Lovell of Team INDECO was 2nd and Jafari Castro of Team Clear Di Land was 3rd.
Other finishers: Elite Category: 4th place –
Byron Pope, Benny’s megabytes
5th place –
Dwayne Capella, Benny’s megabytes
Women’s Category 5th place –
Anthea Sutherland, Truckers Posse 6th place – Kira Eiley 7th place – Fiona Humes
8th place –
Jamala Requena, Team INDECO Elites
9th place –
Sheena Castillo, Unattached
10th place –
Carmita Gabb, Telemedia Swoosh
11th place –
Tessa Usher, Telemedia Swoosh
12th place –
Marisela Garcia,Team Smooth Sailing
Juniors Category: 4th place –
Adrian Linarres, Cayo Uprising
5th place –
Eldon Simmons, M&M engineering
6th place –
Steven Castaneda, Twin Towns 7th place – Gian Zetina, Cayo Uprising 8th place – Riis Cattouse, C-Ray
9th place –
Anfernee Young, Cayo High Road
10 place – Juan Umana
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Compre repeats as national Softball champs Punta Gorda Town, March 12, 2011 Defending national softball champs, the Belmopan Comprehensive School boys, defended their title as Secondary Schools softball champs with pride and glory. The Belmopan-squad were leading 4-3 over Independence High School when head umpire Patrick Jones stopped the game in the 4th inning because the field had no lights, and night had fallen. Independence pitcher, Keinan Moguel, struck out 6 batters, but Wilford Nunez, Brandon Dominguez, Akeem Watters came home for Comprehensive School and Cardinal Garnett homered in the 3rd, while Dellon Torres, Dwayne Rudon and Keinan Moguel scored for Independence. The Compre boys took take
home the championship trophy and individual gold medals, and the other winners received 2nd and 3rd place team trophies and individual silver and bronze medals. Compre’s pitcher Jose Hernandez won the Most Valuable Player award. 3rd place went to the SJC boys who won the consolation game 8-7 over the San Pedro boys on Saturday. SJC’s pitcher, Myric Marin, struck out 9 batters and gave up no runs in the 5th inning to hold off the San Pedro boys while Harold Nava, Albert Davis, Taryn Thompson, Dave Pascacio, and Rasheed Pollard came home with 8 runs. Robert Toriz scored San Pedro’s 7th run in the 4th inning, but they failed to tie the score.
Win or Go Home! Youth Recreational Center basketball nears finals Orange Walk, March 15th 2011 Time is running out on teams participating in the most exciting basketball tournament in Orange Walk Town.
Nazarene High girls are softball champs Continued from page 13 town over the weekend. In the finals, the Nazarene girls outlasted the Belize Rural girls 1514 to take home the championship trophy and individual gold medals. The other winners received 2nd and 3rd place team trophies and individual silver and bronze medals, while Nazarene’s pitcher Amber Wade also won the Most Valuable Player award. With the win, the Belize City high school softball team will represent the Jewel at the 16th CODICADER Central American Junior Scholastic Games to be held in El Salvador in September. The Ecumenical girls won the consolation game for 3rd place 20-0 at Cattle Landing on Saturday, with Ecumenical pitcher Desiree Hulse striking out 6 batters to shut out the Belmopan girls.
The Youth Recreational Center basketball, organised by Laddrick “Mad Bull” Shepherd, is now in playoff mode, and teams have been facing off in a win or go home series. Here are the results of last week’s game.
Games: Friday Games: Elite Promos vs. OW Town Council
68 60
Elite Promos
OW Town
Top Scorers: Stephen Hall, 21 points; Ronald Sutherland, 30 point Elite Promos advance to the finals on Saturday March 19th
CGI vs. Cancarras
52 71 CGI
Cancarras
Top Scorers: Tyrone Baptist, 20 points; Craig Cooper, 19 points Cancarras and CGI will play Game 3 on Friday March 18. The winner will advance to play Elite Promos in the finals.
Saturday Games: Seniors (Game 1 in best of three series) King Ballers vs. Lord’s Bank Bullets
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Elite Promos
OW Town
Top Scorers: Randy Usher, 27 points; Lennox Bowman, 31 points
San Pedro Tuff E Nuff vs. Top Shatters
67 62 San Pedro
Top Shatters
Top Scorers: Farron Louriano, 21 points; Ian Lennon, 19 points
BELIZE'S #1 SPORTS PAGE
Belmopan Comprehensive team
SJC was 3rd place
Finals face-off!
Kruzzars take on ACC Deacons; Belama Hittaz vs. Rising Stars Belize City, March 13, 2011 The Kruzzars and the ACC Deacons both won their playoff series in two games to qualify to the Belize Telemedia under-17 basketball championship finals to be played at the Belize City Center on Friday, March 18. On Sunday, March 13, the ACC Deacons won 73-57 over the SJC Wildcats while the Kruzzars won their Game 2, 94-80 on Sunday over the Complex Admirals to clinch their berth in the finals. The Belama Hittaz and the Rising Stars will face off in Belize Telemedia Under-17 basketball championship finals on Friday. The Belama Hittaz clinched their finals berth by winning 4942 over the Blazin Blazzaz, while the Rising Stars advanced to the finals after defeating Yabbrah 64-39.
The Kruzzars
ACC Deacons
Belama Hittaz
Rising Stars
Sunday, March 20, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
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Barrow Gov’t has no development plan says independent study Barnett’s “horizons 2030” – sham or scam? March 15, 2011 Questions are beginning to pop up, like Jack in the box, about the credibility of Dr. Carla Barnett’s high priced proposed development strategy for Belize. Prime Minister Dean Barrow’s UDP government has bought and paid for this Plan, hook, line and sinker. However, few people know about it. Except for maybe Barrow, nobody in his Cabinet has read it. Worse, how then could they implement it? It is now beginning to appear that this development strategy by Dr. Barnett, who is now a close adviser to the PM, is only that-paper. Neither Barnett, nor anyone in the government, appears to have a clue how to implement her proposals. It appears that all the Chief Executive Officers and technocrats in the various Ministries know little about this development agenda for Belize. It is labeled “Horizon 2030” but this is simply a paste-over, or relabeling, of an earlier proposal that she packaged as “Vision 2025” which she tried to promote shortly before the government changed. This was when she was employed by the Musa administration. The UDP Manifesto - A SHELL WITHOUT SUBSTANCE A senior government official says that very little is known about this strategy which has been dubbed as the UDP government’s handbook to move Belize forward. The only guidelines they have, says a Chief executive Officer, is “the UDP’s shell of a Manifesto”. But there are no policy guidelines for implementation, he conceded. In any case, the UDP Manifesto is proving to be a compilation of lies and empty promises. Rank and file public officers complain that even their CEO bosses are clueless and that the public service is falling apart. A recent independent report by the Caribbean Centre for Development Administration (CARICAD) has been scathing of the UDP government of Prime Minister Barrow. It has commented unfavourably about the weaknesses of Dr. Barnett’s “Horizon’s 2030”. The CARICAD study notes that Dr. Barnett’s proposal for development, which the Barrow government now owns, is not cohesive or well structured. The Report adds that there appears to be “little excitement about Horizon 2030 at whatever stage it may have reached.” The scope and depth of the consultation that “actually” took place was neither inclusive nor comprehensive, according to the CARICAD report. It adds: “Because of the slow progress on ‘Horizon 2030’, and the perception that political expediency is not divorced from the process, the private sector has become somewhat cynical about the exercise. They have questioned whether the capacity is there, not to mention the will, for the government to successfully undertake the exer-
cise.” A GOVERNMENT WITHOUT GOVERNANCE If we are to draw any conclusions from the CARICAD Report, it means that the government is clueless and that politics trumps governance. We have diligently dissected Prime Minister Barrow’s national budget proposal for the next financial year. A simple example of the lack of any strategy other than political, is his offer of a short (two to four weeks) reprieve on the tax on gasoline at the pump. This, surely, is a simple metaphor for the absence of any long term development policy. It is impossible that Belize, as a very small economy, can survive with gasoline at above $10 per gallon at the pump. This alone is a damper on GDP growth. Mr. Barrow boasted a GDP growth for last year, of two and a half percent. But he did not tell the entire story: because of blatant corruption at all levels of his government, the lack of investor confidence and the mismanagement of his administration, the mainstay of the country’s economy is collapsing around us. GDP grew last year simply because of the fledging oil exploration industry. Yet they have become the prime target for his incompetence and frustration. NO PLANNING BUT BEGGING That this government lacks a National Development Policy is not an overstated fact. This shows in so many ways: • There is no long term perspective for budgetary planning. • Public policy is based on considerations other than with any consistency with the overall and balanced development of the country. • There is no coordination among the Ministries and other agencies of the government. Neither is there with stakeholders such as the private sector organization, like the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the National Trade Union Congress of Belize. These and other organizations are unable to understand the context of any questionable “government policies.” Yet, these organizations remain mute because of the fear of reprisal by a government that is so paranoid and vindictive, that it sees any dissent or any alternative suggestions to correct so many things that are going wrong, as an attack. These are the symptoms of insecurity, schizophrenia and paranoia. These and the growing poverty is an indication of the failure of this government. The Prime Minister has now begun to panhandle - to beg. He recently announced that his government has begged and received from Russia $20 million!!!!! We beg to ask: Who was the broker? What is the quid pro quo, or, who gets what for what?
NOTICE
The General Public is hereby notified that the People’s United Party will be holding Standard Bearer Convention in the following constituencies:
Port Loyola - Sunday March 20, 2011 Orange Walk North - Sunday April 3, 2011 Caribbean Shores - Sunday April 10, 2011 Queen Square - Sunday April 16, 2011 Mesopotamia - Sunday April 16, 2011 Pickstock - Sunday May 1, 2011
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Sunday, March 20, 2011
GOB blasted in U.S. Narcotics Report, Pt. II Money Laundering in the Free Zone, the DPP and FIU Belize City, March 16th, 2011 There is still much more to the findings of the 2011 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR), issued by the U.S. State Department earlier this month. As the BELIZE TIMES exposed in its breaking story last week, the conclusions reveal that the Barrow Administration’s inability to fight drugs and narco-trafficking in Belize, has led to an increase in the illicit trade, further corruption and an erosion of public safety. According to the report, one of the hindrances to crime fighting is that Belize’s conviction rate is ex-
tremely low. In 2009 the prosecution rate stood at 7%, but the U.S. report believes that in 2010 it fell to “below 5 percent, and lower for serious offenses”. The U.S. document also pointed out that there was no successful prosecution of any large drug-bust case in 2010. The report says the conviction rate is dismal because the Barrow Administration has failed to provide adequate support to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. While the DPP’s office is facing serious neglect, so is the Financial Intelligence Unit, which investigates fi-
nancial crimes. The report states, “Belize lacks the resources to effectively enforce anti-money laundering rules. Belize’s FIU has a broad mandate and is severely understaffed. The FIU staff does not have sufficient training or experience in identifying, investigating, reviewing, and analyzing evidence in money laundering cases.” The report cites that Belize’s push for offshore financial investment and shady business in the Commercial Free Zone in the Corozal District, have made the nation vulnerable to money laundering. “Belizean officials suspect that money laundering occurs
Someone “cleared” Castro’s land; he claims it’s political, but hmmm!
Monday, March 14, 2011 In the wee hours of Sunday, March 6, 2011 someone started a fire at the fish farm and feed storage compound belonging to Belize Rural North Area Representative, Edmund “Clear The Land”, an act that is discouraged and has been condemned by the members of the People’s United Party and Castro’s political opponent, Attorney Arthur Saldivar. The fire was reported sometime before 1am and three bamboo huts, located several feet away from each other, were set ablaze. The compound is within eye shot of the Maskall Police Station, just a few hundred yards away, and right across from the home of an elderly couple. Castro claims that over 20,000 pounds of fish feed, valued at over $20,000, and another $90,000 - the value of the small uninsured huts, went up in smoke. Castro has been on almost every media house making wild and baseless allegations that the incidents were the work of his political opponent, Attorney Arthur Saldivar. While he has been busy laying blame and pointing fingers, claiming that he is the victim of political sabotage, people need to understand that Castro himself has said that the attacks against him have been happening since 2004, long before Saldivar even decided to run in the area. This gives no credence to his claim. In fact, the records are there for all to see, Mr Castro, that if anyone has taken on a personal attack it has been you, who have publicly been called Saldivar names. It is time Castro stops trying to cloud the people’s mind that someone is out to get him because his constituents all
know that while Saldivar has been busy campaigning and addressing the daily issues affecting the people who put him in office, he has been on a course of destruction and making a fool of himself. Since Castro have challenged everyone to do an objective test and find out what people think about the socalled attacks, let’s start to ask some real questions: How come no one heard or saw any strange person, that is, neither Saldivar or anyone linked to him in the area or on your property, which, let’s repeat, is close to the Maskall Police Station, before the fire? And remember the case of the famous hog head neatly placed on a desk inside your divisional office in Sand Hill? The very strange thing about that incident is that the office is also located very close to the Sand Hill Police Station - within a stone’s throw to be more precise. Furthermore, there was not a single sign of forced entry into that building, not a crack out of anyone that your political opponent or any of his many supporters were anywhere in sight. Who could have accomplished such a feat unless they were Houdini? Then you made wild allegations again when you “discovered” a number of your sheep had been slaughtered. The truth is that if this was a political attack, people would more than likely steal your sheep for either food or a means of income since you have done nothing to improve the lives of the people in your area, and many struggle to put food on their tables every day. Arson is a crime and should be condemned, but the truth is that since he was elected in 2008, Castro has lost so much ground in his area that he has reason now to turn to other means to regain the sympathy of those electors. A visit with many of the people in Belize Rural North will quickly reveal that Castro has grown to be an arrogant man who even borders on the verge of hurling threats when his constituents voice their concerns of his failure to deliver. And let us not forget perhaps the most important point of all: this is the
same Castro, who only months ago was disgraced when a lady from the US reported to his very own Prime Minister that she had been swindled out of money by him in a land transaction in which she paid close to $50,000 and never received her land documents. The Prime Minister, ever embarrassed, could do nothing to save you and had to strip you of your Ministerial privileges and take away
primarily within the free trade zones. Belizean officials believe the large Corozal Commercial Free Zone (CFZ) that operates at the border with Mexico is involved in trade-based money laundering,” claims the report without offering specific allegations. Critical problem areas, points out the report, are that the CFZ is not a reporting entity and GOB is yet to become a party to the UN Convention against Corruption. To view the full 2011 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, you can visit our website, or click on the following link:
your shared portfolio for Works. Who then would it appear, since you have challenged us to objectively analyze, is behind all of this? Mr Castro, it is best that you stop making unfounded allegations against your political opponent, Mr Saldivar, if you have no evidence that he is even remotely connected to these offenses. The learned attorney is sorry for you and that’s why he probably has not brought charges of libel and defamation of character against you. Next time you decide to showboat in the media, let’s hear about the $50,000 deal.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
Teen suicides on the rise; a cause for concern
Benque Viejo del Carmen, March 2, 2011 There has been a stark increase in the number of attempted suicide cases, and since the start of 2011, there have been at least six suicides across the country. The increasing incidents have prompted the community in Benque to take to the streets in the form of a march through the town on Saturday in an effort to bring awareness of the impact suicides have on surviving families. But while the event and the messages conveyed might have saved many lives, since then the BELIZE TIMES has learnt that there have been at least three more attempted suicide cases by students attending a high school in the same Cayo District. A sit-down with some of the troubled youth reveals that while family issues, such as rejection, sexual abuse and lack of support and inclusion are usually the main reasons for depression and eventual suicide, social ills and lack of resources like government intervention, recreational centers, sporting gyms and youth activities also contribute to the problem. Chief among all these factors, however, is the rate of poverty and the dire financial straits in which teens find themselves, where in some homes, finding a basic meal is an insurmountable feat and living conditions are so deplorable that it robs anyone of their human dignity. That is why those who work with mental health cases now have to go in overdrive to fill the void and prevent the numbers from rising any further. One concerned parent in the Benque area has written to the Ministry of Health to offer whatever time, ideas and expertise to trying to correct the growing suicide rate in that most western municipality. As the various groups merge efforts to deter suicides, they are also urging parents, particularly those of troubled teens to look for obvious signs of depression, including a sudden change in moods and attitudes, a change in diet and sleeping habits, constant crying or a dazed look, remarks about ending life or harming oneself or of running away, and most telling is a sharp withdrawal from family functions and friendly groups. When these signs start to manifest in teens, psychiatrists urge parents and
Elis Salazar - Committed suicide
Daisey Cerda - Attempted suicide
the teens themselves to seek help. That help can come in the form of a casual conversation with a parent, close relative or friend, or it can come from a professional mental health nurse at the various mental health centres in the districts. At the centres the psychiatric nurses are able to detect the different types of depression and offer advice, counseling and medication if necessary, to individuals going through mental and emotional stress. Their main message to potential suicide victims is that there are always options in life to every problem, but suicide is not part of the equation. The most recent case of suicide, also in Benque Viejo did not involve the life of a teen, but still adds to the growing number of individuals who have slipped through the cracks. Thirty-one year old Elis Salazar lived alone in a small wooden structure in a yard with other relatives. When he hung himself over the weekend, it shocked everyone because he had always appeared carefree and undisturbed. But Salazar was going through deep emotional turmoil after a bitter break-up with a girlfriend and it drove him over the edge. Mental health practitioners are now planning to go into the high schools to talk to the students and encourage the teachers to monitor behavioral patterns and to motivate their students.
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Buju Banton to be sentenced June 16 Tuesday, March 08, 2011 TAMPA, Florida (CMC) – A United States federal judge has set June 16 as the sentencing date for Jamaican Grammy Award-winning reggae star Buju Banton. Court officials said that Judge James S Moody, Jr will preside over the sentencing of Banton, 37, whose real name is Mark Myrie. The reggae star faces up to 20 years in prison. Last month, a 12-member federal jury found Banton guilty on three cocaine-related charges, including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilogrammes or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine. They also found him guilty of attempting to possess five kilogrammes or more of cocaine, and for aiding and abetting others in using a communication facility in the commission of a felony. The jury, however, did not find him guilty of knowingly and in-
tentionally possessing a firearm in furtherance of and during the course of a drug-trafficking crime. The singer has maintained his innocence throughout the trial, the second since a jury reached a deadlock late last year. Banton’s attorney, David Markus, argued that the artiste never became a willing participant of the cocaine conspiracy arguing that tasting the cocaine, talking about cocaine and simply being present at the warehouse is not sufficient to find Banton guilty of the crimes. Banton was arrested on December 10, 2009 in a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sting operation. Banton’s long-time friend, Ian Thomas, and another man, James Mack, were arrested the same day when they attempted to buy cocaine from undercover detectives in a Florida warehouse. Thomas and Mack pleaded guilty, but Buju denied the charges.
Tsunami warning concerns in Caribbean (BBC) The devastating tsunami in Japan has led to renewed questions as to whether something similar could occur in the Atlantic and put the Caribbean at risk. Scientists say tsunamis occur far more frequently in the Pacific, where there is a large amount of seismic activity, than in the Atlantic. Researchers of the Atlantic report evidence of at least 88 tsunamis in the Caribbean in the last 500 years. The area’s last great tsunami was in 1946, and is believed to have
killed 1,600 people on Hispaniola. Some experts say governments have been slow to develop tsunami early warning systems. A system for the Caribbean is not expected to be ready before 2014.
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Sunday, March 20, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Sunday, March 20, 2011
max submitted on 2011/03/12 at 9:08am Uninspiring and devoid of any relief for poor Belizeans. Barrow’s 4th budget was a disgrace and proof that the economy is broken ivan says: March 12, 2011 at 10:00 am this PM barrow promised that fuel prices would not pass the $7 price now its nearly $11,and going up,when will he abide to his promis? things had out ya, Disgusted! says: March 16, 2011 at 12:35 am If the judiciary does not unite and and boycott dean barrow and his government for slapping them in the face, then let them take what they get. Foreigners are given first preferences and the citizens are third class in their own country!!!!!! LONG LIVE BELIZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MADDYVANDIJK/DEREALIST says: March 14, 2011 at 5:47 am Since barrow is going to help car owners save some money in April, according to the math this means that the GOB is out of a million dollars, which is impressive. But wait, brace yourself because for the rest of the year and those to follow you the working class Belizeans will be haemorrhaging money or have to dig deep into their pockets to pay for higher tax to return the huge revenue sacrificed in this nowin situation safely back to the GOB. OnlyInBze says: March 16, 2011 at 12:10 am Amazing!!!! I always thought the ministers should be there for their belizean citizens rather than just residents of his or her constituency, but again I shouldn’t be surprise because even my Area representative ‘Turo’ push me around with no effort any assistance..That’s G.O.B for you,only filling their own pocket…Its a pity with what u have to go through mam…keep ya head up… Rony Submitted on 2011/03/11 at 9:08pm I agree with Rod. But first, Belize needs to have leaders who have Belize at HEART. An oil refinery (to be 100 % managed by Belizean) would surely propel Belize to economic recovery. After all Belize is making monkey business, selling cheap oil and importing very expensive fuel. Moreover, Belize will then have no need for getting oil offshore and would be avoiding future high risks that offshore drilling can bring. This can be the answer to Belize’s economic plight. It seems that certain big fish in Belize want to make oil exploration a big business as they look at their own self interest even if they rape the Belizean patrimony.
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Sunday, March 20, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
Strictly Personal Barrow is bogus
By glenntillett@yahoo.com “Barbados unveils $583 million plan to boost employment and efficiency BRIDGETOWN, Barbados -The Barbados government has unveiled a $583 million (US$291.5 million) five-year strategic plan aimed at boosting employment levels, increasing efficiency in the workforce and ultimately alleviating poverty.
But the Barrow administration did little if anything at all to prepare for the storm, before its full onset, and then refused to reef the sails when its full fury was breaking on us. The result is that we sprang several leaks, took on water and lost some of our sail.” The Nation newspaper reported that the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Labour will be the driving forces behind the 2011-2016 Human Resources Development (HRD) Strategy that will involve both the public and private sectors in a multidimensional approach. Moreover, to ensure that the plan has teeth and does not only remain on paper, it will require a commitment from all government ministries, and departments in the form of a signed memorandum of understanding, the Human Resource
Development Strategy 2011 -2016 document outlined. It will also require changes in legislation pertaining to the Information Act and the Intellectual Property Act. Most of the funding for the ambitious plan is being footed by government, with assistance from the European Union, the European Development Fund, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and private entities.” – Caribbean News Now, Tuesday, March 14th, 2011. After a year of incremental progress, if any, the Belizean economy is about to be beset by a new round of exogenous shocks, namely spiraling energy prices and dwindling remittances, foreign direct investment and donor-aid. No one can say with any certainty how high oil prices will go and how much it will retard the world economy’s recovery, and if indeed, when coupled with the massive blow to Japanese economy, piracy in the Persian Gulf, unrest in the Middle East and North Africa, growing political turbulence in Asia and some stagflation in the American hemisphere, if indeed it may not precipitate another recession, only deeper and longer than the great recession of 08-09. If it seems a bit ironic to me that it was the then Japanese Prime Minister who warned in April 2008 that the coming economic storm was one the likes of which “had not been seen in one hundred years,” then please excuse me. Back then I had tried in my own way to warn the Barrow administration that they needed to pay attention to the storm clouds gathering on the horizon and start preparing Belizeans for the harder economic times ahead. Back then I was confident that our economic fundamentals were sound, and with some adjustments we could sail through while not unscathed but for the most part with no great losses. But the Barrow administration did little if anything at all to prepare for the storm, before its full onset, and then refused to reef the sails when its full fury was breaking on us. The result is that we sprang several leaks, took on water and lost some of our sail. We limped through because the craft had been sturdily built. In the calm following the storm we became be-calmed- almost aimlessly adrift while the captain and crew boasted that we were on course and that it was only a matter of time before the wind filled our sails again and the white water was breaking from our bow. No matter that
we were pointing out that the bilge pumps were straining to stream water, the riggings were ragged and the sails were in tatters. No, none of that mattered - Prometheus had become unbound. So despite a spectacular wave of business failures, industry disruptions, massive layoffs, soaring unemployment, no discernible foreign investment, a continued lessening of donor-aid, increased oil profits repatriation, a tropical storm and a hurricane, and increasingly much higher oil prices, (and that is just in the last year), the Belize economy grew and that recovery will be sustained? When you read the opening article quoted at the start of this essay, you can
21 understand why I say Barrow is bogus. In Barbados they are working to try and lift their nation out of its economic doldrums. They have a real, thoughtthrough plan, not some copied sound bite “economic stimulus” plan. When Barrow returned from the Fifth Summit of the Americas in April 2009, he immediately started talking about a “stimulus plan” in copycat fashion to the Obama administration. The plan, of course, was bogus and his capital expenditure numbers have confirmed that. As Belizeans we can’t afford to wait. At this point it is far better to expect and prepare for the worse even as we hope for better. Barrow is bogus.
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Reid There is an old Kriol proverb which the now Minister of Works was famous for quoting leading up to his election to office; “Don’t pay mind to the noise in the market, just check your change.” Lately, there has been a lot of noise in the market. We are in the middle of what Glenn Tillett has referred to as “the silly season.” More popularly known as convention time, it is when both parties put in place standard bearers to contest the next general elections. In most cases, standard bears are chosen via contested conventions where the party faithful go to a poll
The sugarcane and citrus industries are also facing uncertainty and a once thriving aqua culture industry has seen the loss of a number of shrimp and fish farms. Cost of living has skyrocketed and serious crimes have made Belize a dangerous place to live. We also watch tanker after tanker cart away our precious oil, leaving Belizeans with very little benefit to show.” and elect one of any number of interested candidates. In some instances, these standard bearers are predetermined and are simply endorsed. On the face of it, it would appear that the former way would be the more democratic but it is not as simple and as cut and dried as all that. The game of politics is played at a very high level and many factors come into play. It is in the best interest of any political party to have the candidate with the best possible chance of win-
ning to contest any election. Similarly, it is in the best interest of the opposing party to have the weakest possible candidate running on the other party’s ticket. There are instances when one political party will actually finance the campaign of a candidate for the other party in a convention and then send out voters to ensure the victory. This will usually happen when a party recognizes that a specific aspirant is weak or has skeletons in his or her closet, which would make them an easy target and easier to beat in the general elections. Once the vulnerable candidate becomes standard bearer, all the stops are pulled and the dirt is dug up and used to bury any chance of their getting elected as Area Representative. A political party will at times find it necessary to endorse a candidate in order to sidestep this strategy and put in place not only a good candidate to win but a proficient person to help in the matter of governance thereafter. Many games are played and there are times when tough decisions have to be made. The ideal scenario is for a constituency to have a convention and at the end of it, close ranks and move on in a concerted effort to challenge the common enemy. In the United States, we saw Barak Obama and Hillary Clinton, both Democrats, lock horns in a vicious duel to win their party’s convention. In the end, Obama was successful and Hillary fell in line and helped him to defeat Republican candidate John McCain. In Belize however, in too many instances, grudges are held and some folks get real personal. There are those who will develop what is known as the “Blue Konkas” syndrome. The “Blue Konkas” is a fly that, when it cannot devour an entire meal, will go to great lengths to spoil what it cannot eat. In Belizean politics, many play the Blue Konkas role after realizing that their bid for office cannot be successful. It is understandable, for the run for office requires much effort and expense. Some losers will even jump ship and join the other party while others will spend much time and effort maligning and undermining the very party they had aspired to represent. In recent weeks, there has emerged a deliberate, concentrated and apparently well-financed campaign to attack John Briceno’s role as leader of the PUP. There is a lot of noise in the market. A couple of weeks ago, Godfrey Smith let loose a barrage of criticism directed at the PUP leader which was immediately picked up and hyperbolized by Channel Seven. Yes folks the market is getting quite noisy. The problem is that all the noise has proven quite the effective distraction from the pertinent issues of the day. While the media has been ze-
roing on the problems involving the PUP, the UDPs have been virtually getting away with murder. We seem to have forgotten who is in office now and who should rightfully be scrutinized and held accountable. This has been a very vindictive and incompetent group of politicians that has done much to tousle the economic landscape of our nation. Upon assuming office, the UDP inherited a booming tourism industry. After three years, this industry now faces seemingly insurmountable problems that threaten the livelihood of thousands of Belizeans. The sugarcane and citrus industries are also facing uncertainty and a once thriving aqua culture industry has seen the loss of a number of shrimp and fish farms. Cost of living has skyrocketed
Sunday, March 20, 2011 and serious crimes have made Belize a dangerous place to live. We also watch tanker after tanker cart away our precious oil, leaving Belizeans with very little benefit to show. We preoccupy ourselves with the noise of preliminary primaries and conventions, but we are not paying enough attention to the real issues. The fact of the matter is that the UDPs are the ones in control and the ones controlling the purse strings. Yes there is much noise in the political market, but what about our change? We see the “royal family” and certain select cronies waxing extremely wealthy while the rest of us keep getting terribly short changed. Let us not be distracted by the noise people, let us check to ensure that the change that we are getting is right!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
Budget 2011-2012- Another Expensive Detour……
The truth is that the Belizean people are worse off today than ever before, but as it was then and now it is, a crossroad beckons on the horizon, and its there that the Belizean people will join with the People’s United Party to journey on a road designed to achieve progress, prosperity and national happiness. A journey that must break the cycle of place the 30,000 children of primary perpetual subjection of our people, and secondary school age who are of creating a new political, ecoexcluded from educational oppor- nomic and social order, for Phase tunities in school or of the rolling II of the revolution, for only so will out of the National Insurance to the a NEW BELIZE be born, which rest of the country so each Belizean will bring to all Belizeans a better can have access to affordable prima- life and a just share of the national ry health care. Will I wait in vain? wealth……
By Carolyn Trench-Sandiford – Deputy Leader People’s United Party - Belize
A
question which should probably be asked to the Prime Minister of Belize in the House of Representatives is exactly “Where are you leading the nation to?” or “What is the course of this UDP government?” or better yet, “Mr. Prime Minister, if you do have a map with the coordinates plotted as to your next stop, please show me or give me a copy, so I can see for myself, the possibility it may lead us to” These were my thoughts as I listened to some parts of the Prime Minister’s budget speech last Friday. With thirty seven months into governance, eleven months and twenty three months remaining to municipal and general elections respectively, I was holding my breath, cautiously expectant, hoping desperately for the idea meter to spike, even if it would be an abnormality, but just once in their term, to give a signal at least, or a clue, as to where we are headed. Perhaps I should not have been surprised, that once again the nation is presented with a lackluster visionless budget, but a costly one nevertheless, and it is the latter that ought to be of concern to all of us. This year the GOB estimate of revenue is projected at $843,630,033 compared to $752,587,257 in 20102011 or an increase of almost $100 million dollars. Expenditure is projected at $889,987,180 as against $821,788,889, representing an increase of $68,198,291. The budget also projects a deficit of $46,357,147 and with amortization payments of $63,000,000. The required financing to balance the budget is a whopping $109,357,147. According to the Prime Minister, this will be met by loans mostly from external sources, a concern I will address at another time. But perhaps the question we
should all be asking is, ‘Where are the gains from the last budget?’ or “What can you show us to justify an increase in revenue and expenditure?” The reality is that the Budget presentation for 2011-2012 is simply another expensive detour off another roundabout, the last one being the 2010-2011budget, on a journey on a rocky bumpy pothole filled road to nowhere, a journey which started in 2008, with twenty one pledges, that seem to have taken another roundabout somewhere, while imagining the possibility that they would have been fulfilled. The Prime Minister, as the driver of this nation, has taken us so far on a journey which has brought us nothing but hardship, pain and suffering. Perhaps in 2008, the people of Belize should have taken a line from a classic Buju Banton song and said to The Hon. Dean Barrow “Driver, don’t stop at all.” I have yet to hear from this government what are they going to do to reduce the unprecedented levels of poverty in this nation? Are they not concerned that 143,276 persons or 43% of the population of Belize are now poor, and an additional 14% or 46, 648 persons are vulnerable to becoming poor. This is saying that a total of 189,924 persons in Belize or an astronomical 53% of the population in Belize is at risk. This is during their term. I have yet to hear about what we are going to do curb the uncontrolled immigration at our borders, and the crime and violence that has marked us as a nation with us having one of the highest murder rates in the region, 40 per population of 100,000? Do they not see the toll this is taking on families? And how are we going to create quality jobs for the 5 out of every 10 persons unemployed in the marginalized communities, particularly our women and young people, and for those who are losing their jobs every day, and what will be done to buffer the erosion of purchasing power of those who are still fortunate to be employed? When will investment be able to bypass the numerous roundabouts to nowhere for a smooth road of confidence and trust? I have yet to hear of measures to
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THE BELIZE TIMES
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THE PATRIOT
Crying Numbers As I sat on my dusty verandah, watching the traffic selfishly zip by, my attention was high jacked by a neighborhood delinquent who boisterously parked his taxi mid street. Before he could get to the worn jail bars on the Chinese vendor’s shop, he looked back at his two young daughters sticking their heads out the car window and into the clog of tooting traffic. “Chiney bwai, mek a get three Mega Bingo Ticket! One time, before deh lee gial crazy mi!”. In the still of the moment, broken only by the surprise that the item requested was not a “chocolate philly”, the on duty “spranghead” jumped at the sighting of a rare vulnerable moment for the known killer, “Family night, nuh, boss?” teased the ‘spranghead’, clinging the handle of his pigtail bucket and dirty wash rag. Proudly, the young father retorted, “Done seh it!” as he collected his tickets and defiantly stared at the protesting line of drivers. This is the new fad. North and Southside, country wide, parents are paying to entertain their kids to become addicted to gambling. Our social absentmindedness has surely degenerated from the days when we were able to send our children to “di chiney” to fetch us “dalla Independence” and a stout without reservation. Well, none except for the transient thought of having them return with the wrong change or Jack nabbing them before our order is returned. Now we roll the gambling barrel into our hall and living rooms and huddle together on the linoleum with all the slum dog anxiety of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire”. Giddily we etch a point for family time and get all tingly that our five year old is “only smart eh?”, after all he is learning numbers, and letters! Seriously??!! Look, my Granny grew me up on Boledo. Mastering the art of lay waiting “rakes” or extracting them from dreams, deaths, oddities and misfortunes has long been an admirable trait. In fact, third world Belizean boledo has succeeded in making many of our poor locals into legends, but has failed without apology to make any one of us rich. If Boledo is the crack of local gambling then Mega bingo must be the child friendly cocaine cousin of it. It is Lent and somehow this feeling at nine pm when the gambling demon has already hypnotized my entire family for a potent half an hour, feels different from my temporary disappointment when I used to tear up the piece of shop paper with the green underside at six minutes after nine. Mega Bingo is the only local fam-
ily entertainment TV show in Belize. Imagine that. Wow! And Barrow tried to beef with Channel 5 for not showing that poorly disguised UDP propaganda infomercial? What was its name again, Belmopan Weekly? Boss man, what he should do is to get his operatives at the Belize Broadcasting Authority to produce some wholesome local family programs. Nope, he couldn’t care less. In fact his spending habits, luck, and readiness to roll the dice against his odds, seem text book gambler to me. But like any good gambler he is not gambling with his own money, he is gambling with yours. This whole bingo thing is creepily dysfunctional entertainment or indoctrination. When did gambling become a family virtue and a nationally sought value? Why do we congregate in front of our TV sets with our impressionable children like we are watching the Cosby Show? Really, the addictions of Belizean society are for the most part main stream but there is a stealthy group of vices that shares space with our addiction to rice, habanero and onion pepper sauce, anything sweet, three dollar fry chicken “inna steak sauce” and buying “numba”. It is as simple as that. It is as Belizean as that. Gambling ranked as the second most potent addiction after substance dependence. Internationally, the gambling industry has grown tenfold in the past twenty-five years and that stat does not include the informal gambling underground. It is a billion dollar industry for the companies but mostly low income households are hooked. Just look at the shameless commercials on TV in Belize. In one of them the poor black lady catches the bus thinking about her plywood house. She dreams about winning the lotto. Wins, in her dream of course and imagine, all she gets is a similar size wooden house!!! Not even a cement one, boss. Stop play. Stop tek we pipple mek papishow! What makes this all worse is echoed by the author of “Turning the Tables on Gambling”. Jantz believes the so-called harmless purchase of lottery tickets can be a source of potential trouble. But Jantz is particularly concerned about the way the gambling industry is targeting young people. “Young people experience problems, or at-risk gambling behaviors at twice the rate of adults.” Check this out, more good news, gambling among young people is on the increase: 42 percent of 14-yearolds, 49 percent of 15-year-olds, 63 percent of 16-year-olds, 76 percent of 18-year-olds. Problem gamblers have
higher rates of suicide, divorce and criminal activity than non gamblers. And for young people, the increase in lottery play is correlated with increased participation in the use of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana. Gambling has become a high profile and socially acceptable activity in the Belize, just check in front of Brads in the Farmers Market. But I will concede that the human addiction for escape and excitement or to get rich quick can become overwhelming in and of itself. But who is to monitor these things? I tried to get some decent statistics on gambling in Belize but well, we cannot even get accurate crime stats. And we witness every night as the murder bazaar spits out bodies like a rowdy slot machine which has finally vomited up its jackpot of coins. The clueless culprits, who have folded their hands and surrendered their blind bets to the pot on the issue of gambling in Belize, include the Church, Ministry of Health, Youth, Public Utilities and the National Committee for Families and Children. These organizations need truancy officers for their pathological absenteeism. I compare this show to the advertisement of cigarettes and like regulation on cigarette smoking, promotion and advertisement when the mascots were cuddly little cartoon characters, this has to be monitored with mad dog eyes. Imagine the popular children’s cartoon, The Flintstones was sponsored by a cigarette maker and the main characters smoked Winstons at the end of the show. This animated series was a prime-time show, considered adult fare in 1960, so nobody thought any better of it. In the late 1960s the US Federal Communications Commission
Sunday, March 20, 2011
cracked down on the subliminal targeting of young people to the addictive lure of cool cigarette smoking. Thereafter a chain of legislation to prevent the public health implications of advertising to children and public campaigns targeting or affecting children was launched. The 1970 Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act banned the advertising of cigarettes on television and radio. Recently under the newly enacted Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, effective June 22, 2010, the new regulations prohibit tobacco companies from sponsoring sports, music, and other cultural events. In Belize, family time on tv is centered around the Mega Bingo Pirate, his patch and the Dora study desks that our children cultivate their budding gambling habits around, while we naively cheer on. In 1994 the American Surgeon General did a study on the correlation between smoking cigarettes, advertisements, and addictions. Smoking, alcohol and gambling are all branches from the same addiction tree. When do you think our Director of Health Services, or whichever other salary motivated government official will do a proper study on the epidemic of gambling in this country? Bingo is one of the most popular games in the world. In fact the Devil is so clever this is the number one game played by entire church congregations. Bingo is a very simple game so even four year olds can play it but can the adults be parent enough to recognize gambling and its predatory beginnings? Lotto is not our future. Tourism is not our future. “ile” is not even our future. A healthy, young, addiction-free Belize people are our future, put your bets on that. There is a term in bingo: “Crying Number(s)”. Once a valid bingo has been claimed and the game is officially closed, the numbers that would have been drawn next are known as the crying numbers due to fact that any person who needed the next number would be crying. As a country let us not forever be amongst the crying numbers, at least for once let us hit the jackpot. By the might of truth and the grace of God let us protect our future and child prime minister from gambling.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
Katie Usher presents
“EL FLECO”
Belize City, March 14th, 2011 Katie Usher, a young woman from Belize City, studied at Escuela Superior de Artes de Yucatan focusing on video and sculpture. Being a young woman of color in Mexico, many people were amazed by the texture of her hair and its presentation. In December 2008, Katie came up with an idea to express herself through her hair. In 5-6 different hairstyles, Katie
came up with “El Fleco”. In her own words “El Fleco” is “a photographic registry of my ever-changing hair (here hair is understood and regarded as an entity unto itself) and the visual mood it brings with it.” In an interview with the BELIZE TIMES, Katie said she has a passion for art, and stated that famous singer
and artist Kanye West is one of her biggest inspirations. His poetry, his expression of words and who he is, has inspired her to be who she is and not what others thinks she should be. She also expressed that the popular social network, Facebook, is one of biggest means of showcasing her art and her poetry and personal feelings. Her belief is that
more young people should start expressing themselves through art, whether it be through singing, poetry, dancing or even paintings. Her art exhibit “El Fleco” as well as Jill M Burgess “Vixens, Bitches and Whores, seriously misunderstood women” opened on March 4th 2011 at 7pm at the Image Factory.
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Melonie Gillett launches
THE DREAMER
Having upped the anticipation for the release of The Dreamer Album with the launching of a music video for the track Luv Me, Belizean Artist Melonie Gillett pulled off a great performance at the official launching last Friday at the Bliss Center for the Performing Arts. It was Melonie’s first concert – an entire night devoted to her melodic voice and luring lyrics – and she did not let down, as she enticed the crowd of fans song after song. The Dreamer is Melonie Gillett at her best yet. It features previously recorded songs such as Rush, as well as new music such as Luv Me, Cuts Like a Knife and Come Away. The album contains more than just the expected reggae, Dancehall and RnB music. In The Dreamer, Melonie also gives a taste of Pop culture with Music Box and Relieve Me. Meanwhile in her lyrics, Melonie is not afraid of tackling mat-
ters that are today of national importance. In the track Oil In Our Veins, Melonie cries out for the protection of our environment and warns that “one spill in our oceans equals oil in our veins”. There is more to The Dreamer than the typical music offers. With this production, Melonie Gillett easily takes the top spot as Belize’s premier female artist. The album was produced by Kendoyll Simpson, whose talent is yet to be fully exposed and utilised. The Dreamer is available at CD stores, and at Courts who is promoting the compilation during Women’s Month.
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
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1773 EASTER SLAVE REVOLT IN BELIZE
Ruby
By Roy Davis, Unpublished, 2008
Ruby you are lovely Lovelier than any I have ever seen Or even imagine You’re a beauty Ruby Whether you’re Sitting, standing Posing, dancing Or gracefully walking. Your face Pretty and comely Compliments Your body Curvy and sexy With skin Smooth and silky The colour Darker than amber Ruby my dear I love you I swear I love your kinky hair Your African attire Everything about you Ruby I truly admire If you love me Ruby Then we were meant to be Right from the start Together forever Never to part.
“You can’t separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.” - Malcolm X There is no accurate number of how many people were taken from Africa during the 300 years of the slave trade but according to Augier, F.R. & Gordon, S.G. & Hall, D.G. & Reckord, M. (1973) 20 million slaves were taken out of Africa and two million slaves arrived at the British West Indies. After being captured and sold, the slaves were transported to America via the “middle passage”, a cruel trip in which the slaves were crammed and chained to the hold of the ship. The Easter Slave revolt occurred due to the harsh treatment causing many slaves to die and suffer and in the end, freedom was attained. At the beginning of our colonial history, logwood was Belize’s main export. This was not labor intensive but according to Shoman, A. (1994) the decline in prices in the 1760’s and 1770’s triggered an economic depression in the colony. Mahogany soon proved to be a better money earner but the trees were bigger, farther inland and away from rivers. This venture needed more slaves, more money and more land. According to Boland, N. (1977) by 1779 it is estimated that there were 3,000 slaves in the colony. This was a major preoccupation for the British since they were out numbered. Rebellion was always at the back of their minds so they perpetuated the myth that slavery in British Honduras only existed in name. According to Shoman, A. (1994) during the 1760’s and 1770’s the slaves had to endure a great deal of hardship because of the economic depression. Their provisions were decreased and their force production was increased, less food, more work and more money for the master. The crisis and discontent made the Baymen uneasy about the possibility of revolt so they were ruthless in their suppression of the slaves. This went further than the use of branding, whipping and chains: slaves were effectively imprisoned on their master’s estates, they were forbidden to speak their own language or to practice their native religion or assemble without permission; families were routinely and arbitrarily split up. Female slaves were at the disposal of their masters. According to Boland, N. (1988) between 1765, 1768 and 1773 there were three major rebellions in Belize. The uprising of the 1773 was the biggest slave rebellion in Belize. It began in May on the Belize River and continued for 5 months. One report from a Captain Davy stated: “The negroes, before our people came up with them, had taken five settlements and murdered six white men and were joined by several others, about fifty armed with sixteen muskets, cutlasses, etc. Our people attacked them on the instant but the rebels after discharging their pieces retired into the woods and it being late in the afternoon we could not pursue them.” The report continues “trade in the area had stopped and the white settlers were scared and in a very bad situation. If they did not stop this revolt, they feared other slaves might run away or decide to also rebel...” Fourteen rebels surrendered, but Davy could not take the rest. He organized the militia in 3 parties of forty men each in hopes of surrounding and destroying the freedom seekers. The revolt continued through October. On august 8, 1773, Admiral Rodney, commander of the British West Indian fleet based in Jamaica, instructed Captain Judd, commander of H.M.S Garland to proceed directly to the bay. By October, the Baymen informed Rodney that nineteen of the surviving es-
caped slaves were trying to reach the Spanish territories in the North and that captain Judd had sent 15 marines to stop them. Eleven of them, however, succeeded in reaching the Spanish post of the Rio Hondo. The fourth and last major revolt in Belize took place in 1820. Slave revolts were common throughout the Caribbean and as they become more frequent, European investors lost money. The costs of maintaining slavery grew higher when the European governments sent in armed forces to subdue the revolts. The slaves in Belize, like those else where, rejected the system of slavery whenever they had the opportunity. Many risked their lives and ran away to get asylum from the Spanish across the Rio Hondo, rather than living as slaves under the Baymen. Many myths have been handed down to us that slavery was good but we still see slaves running away, resisting and rebelling. Emancipation in 1834 ended slavery in the British West Indies and Belize but it continued in the USA until 1863 and Brazil into 1888. Thanks to these rebellions we can see that the fire of freedom still burns in all human beings, no matter the circumstances, no matter the country. There will be always people who fight for freedom and those who support it. Slavery is condemned in all forms by the United Nations but in one form or the other, it still exists today. Bob Marley said it best “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery none but ourselves can free our minds” meaning that only us can free ourselves and fight for what we think is right; as it is said, the brave lives until the coward allows it. There are many other Belizean Historical topics worth investigating. “Resistance, revolt and eventual social transformation are born out of an oppressed people’s awareness of themselves and the knowledge that their “collective soul” is under attack by their oppressors. To the degree that this cultural cohesiveness persists determines the degree to which the oppressed group will go in order to assure its survival”- Muhammad Shareef. Lucia Moguel Bibliography: Boland N. (1977) The foundation of a Colonial Society, Baltimore, John Hopkins University Press Augier, F.R & Gordon, S.G. & Hall, D.G. & Reckord, M. (1973) The Making of the West Indies, Trinidad and Jamaica, Logman Caribbean Ltd. Shoman A. (1994) 13 Chapters, A Story of Belize, Belize Angelus Press Naturalight Productions Ltd. Available at www. belizenet.com/history/chap5.html
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Sunday, March 20, 2011
BELIZE TIMES WEEKLY
SCIENCE & TECH R
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Selected By Chris Williams
Japan’s earthquake shifted balance of the planet by Liz Goodwin Last week’s devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan has actually moved the island closer to the United States and shifted the planet’s axis. The quake caused a rift 15 miles below the sea floor that stretched 186 miles long and 93 miles wide, according to the AP. The areas closest to the epicenter of the quake jumped a full 13 feet closer to the United States, geophysicist Ross Stein at the United States Geological Survey told The New York Times. The 9.0 magnitude quake (the fourth-largest recorded since 1900) was caused when the Pacific tectonic plate dove under the North American plate, which shifted Eastern Japan towards North America by about 13 feet (see NASA’s before and after photos at right). The quake also shifted the earth’s axis by 6.5 inches, shortened the day by 1.6 microseconds, and sank Japan downward by about two feet. As Japan’s eastern coastline sunk, the tsunami’s waves rolled in. Why did the quake shorten the day? The earth’s mass shifted towards the center, spurring the planet to spin a bit faster. Last year’s massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile also shortened the day, but by an even smaller fraction of a second. The 2004 Sumatra
An energy map provided by NOAA shows the intensity of the tsunami caused by Japan’s earthquake: Reuters/NOAA.
quake knocked a whopping 6.8 micro-seconds off the day. After the country’s 1995 earthquake, Japan placed hightech sensors around the country to observe even the slightest movements, which is why scien-
tists are able to calculate the quake’s impact down to the inch. “This is overwhelmingly the best-recorded great earthquake ever,” Lucy Jones, chief scientist for the Multi-Hazards project at the U.S. Geological Survey, told The Los Angeles Times.
Illegal movie downloads ‘threaten the future of British film market’ Moments Worth Paying For campaign launched to make legal viewing easier for online audiences By Vanessa Thorpe Illegal downloading is threatening the film industry’s ability to operate in Britain, a leading expert in digital copyright has warned. As watching illicit copies of new films becomes increasingly commonplace, Liz Bales, director-general of the Industry Trust for Intellectual Property Awareness, is pinning her hopes on new technology which will make legal viewing easier and help to stem commercial losses estimated to be running at about £500m a year. “It is a global issue,” said Bales. “In some countries it has reached the point where it is not possible to offer competitive legal services. In Spain, for example, the market has been decimated by digital infringement.” Bales believes there is room for optimism in the prospect of “cloud-based” internet services – virtual storage technology that will allow individual film fans to set
up a “digital rights locker” through which they can watch legally selected films on a domestic device of their choice. Research has shown that many copyright criminals go to illegal sites simply because they are easy to use, allowing films to be downloaded in high-quality formats and watched in widescreen on domestic television sets. News last week that Warner Bros and Facebook are to join forces to distribute films directly over the internet – just as websites such as LoveFilm, Netflix and Apple TV already do – is likely to add to confusion in the marketplace about the legitimacy of different film sites. Many older viewers are unclear about the legality of sites such as Blinkbox, SeeSaw and IceFilms. As a result, broadcasters, film studios and distributors are increasingly worried that their audience of users who are prepared to pay to download their films legally will continue to shrink, destroying
the domestic market. For most film fans, the choice between waiting months to pay or becoming a copyright pirate is not too appealing, so the entertainment business is trying to help. Bales’s organisation, which was set up in 2004 to represent the film and television sector, launched a £5m campaign last month to help make their point. The campaign, called Moments Worth Paying For, is fronted by the comedian and writer Reece Shearsmith, of The League of Gentlemen, and was prompted by research that found that one in three users regularly visit illegal sites first. At the centre of the strategy is “findanyfilm.com”, a site set up last year by the UK Film Council and funded by the National Lottery. Supported by advertising revenue, it offers a free service that tells users where to find the film they want on TV, on DVD, on a download site, on Blu-ray and even in the cinema. It will be a hard battle to win, how-
The tsunami’s waves necessitated life-saving evacuations as far away as Chile. Fisherman off the coast of Mexico reported a banner fishing day Friday, and speculated that the tsunami knocked sealife in their direction.
ever, especially with users such as 25-yearold law student Steve, who has illegally downloaded films for a decade. “It has got much easier now,” he admitted. “You can download in less then 10 minutes now – in less than five minutes sometimes. Ninety per cent of my collection comes from my friends. You could call me a cheapskate, but I still go to the cinemas and I still buy DVDs.” When Steve wants to see a blockbuster – such as Inception, Toy Story 3 or Avatar – he waits for the British cinema release, but he has recently downloaded The Social Network and The King’s Speech. “The King’s Speech was poor quality and quite pixilated and a banner kept coming up saying the film was intended for review purposes only. Most of the stuff is good quality now and if you wait till it has actually come out on DVD, then you know the copy you download will be good quality.” Last month the culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, asked industry regulator Ofcom to develop techniques for blocking websites that infringe copyright law. The minister said he had “no problem” with blocking access to websites, despite online censorship concerns from critics, but he added: “Before we consider introducing site-blocking, we need to know whether these measures are possible.” Ofcom is expected to report back in the spring.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
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WE PRAY FOR JAPAN… Well, you may have heard by now what happened in Japan. It is so sad… First they had a big earthquake, greater than last year’s earthquake in Haiti. Their buildings are built strong to stand up to such a disaster but then a tsunami (a very large sea wave caused by a seaquake) hit as well. Over three thousand people are missing and over two thousand people have died. Now some of their power plants which are run on nuclear energy broke down and are releasing harmful radiation into the environment. I’ve been watching the news with my Mom and just like with Haiti I end up crying. I pray for the people of Japan every night, I ask for family members to find each other, I ask for people to be quickly rescued, for rescue workers to find as many people as possible and for children to be kept safe. Will you join me for the rest of Lent to pray for the people of Japan?
FACTS ABOUT JAPAN!
Japan is a chain of four major islands and 4,000 smaller ones in eastern Asia. Since the sun rises in the east, Japan is often called “The Land of The Rising Sun.” The Japanese flag represents a red sun on a white background. Japanese call their country “Nippon” or Nihon” which means “source of the sun”. The capital of Japan is Tokyo it is one of the largest and most modern cities in the world. Good manners, discipline, customs and traditions are very important in Japan. For example as a sign of respect and courtesy on entering a house or apartment persons remove their shoes. At dinner families often kneel on cushions surrounding a low table. Most Japanese food is cooked on a small grill called a hibachi. The food is usually broiled, steamed, or fried.
COLOR ME
Adding “san” to someone’s name is a sign of affection… Mariposa san!
I can speak a little Japanese! hello konnichi wa (kohn-nee-chee wah) goodbye sayonara (sah-yoh-nah-rah) excuse me sumimasen (soo-me-mah-sen) thank you arigato (ah-ree-gah-toh) yes hai (hi) no iie (ee-ay)
www.ActivityVillage.co.uk - Keeping Kids Busy
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Where Are The Men Pt 1 Late last year I heard a comment on the closing of a talk show that grabbed my attention and would not let go of it. It’s something that has been bothering me for some years, and I’m more than pleased, in fact even excited, to have an opportunity to bring some biblical balance on the concept that was shared. I believe the answers to this topic hold the keys that can open a vault of solutions to the problems we face as a country. Taken on a global level this would bring drastic change! I believe the only thing that is more important than this is man’s connection to God. What I heard was the true, undisputed, and actually is a sad but current reality! Ok, I know you are wondering what was the statement uttered at the end of the talk show program. It went something like this “After all, remember women are the back bone of our society!” While this is a true statement and sounds politically right or beautiful, this statement should drive us to some serious overhaul in the way we do things. The backbone to the body is like the foundation to a house. Without a backbone, human beings would be “human blobs”! Imagine this, what if you had a car in which the chassis (frame) was broken, damaged or completely absent, so the seat was being used to hold the vehicle together? Yes it would work at least for a while, but that would be a strained and stressed seat; having to do the work it was designed to fulfill while yet, taking on another burden that was the responsibility of another part made and equipped to do that particular job! I believe we have been damaging our women for years, abusing them, misusing them, overworking them, and stressing them out, because there is a lack of fathers. Remember making a child is not the depth of what fatherhood is. You can have a child and not mother that child; likewise you can have a child and not father that child! What this tells me is that we are overwhelmed with ‘over worked’ women, who are tired and frustrated, doing what men are responsible for. In the scripture the word “abba” or father means source, protector, progenitor, in other words to ‘father’ means to provide for, to protect, to assign identity, to care for! In this comparison then, making a child is only the beginning of what a father is. I wish to challenge and encourage males to apply the same effort they would willingly and lovingly put into sports, hanging out, drinking, or doing music, into our children! Women are raising children by themselves while trying to work a full time job. This means in the evenings, children are running around unsupervised. They see their moms frustrated, tired, sometimes being beaten up by the very person who was created physically stronger to protect them! Women, who are designed to think completely different from men, are tasked with the occupation of teaching young boys how to be men and fathers. This is a downward spiral that continues as the team that God set up to raise children (husband and wife) seem to be functioning on default with only the wife or the female present. I have heard quite unbalanced statements uttered by women on the news describing their sons such as “My baby”, only to find out they are referring to a forty year old man, or I have heard them ask a thirty year old male still living in the house “You think you da man?” Men, our women are burnt out! They are unsatisfied with us not taking on our responsibilities as fathers! Keep in mind that in the abovementioned description of what a father is, men can function as fathers even to their wives, as it relates to protecting, providing and being a source for them. This statement makes something else true. You don’t have to be a biological father or even blood-related to a child to father that child. That is where adoption comes from. I personally believe that the crisis we are facing today as a nation such as crime, the dissatisfaction in our leadership icons, law enforcers, and the like are directly proportional to the absentee father in the home. I wish to continue but I’m out of time so let’s do this next week. To be balanced I must say that many women have singlehandedly done splendid jobs that have resulted in productive citizens. This though is not an excuse for men to continue in this wild, careless, and irresponsible behavior. Image the power and increased production and capability the Godgiven team (husband and wife) would produce if all the players were present! Tune in next week, God willing, and we will continue to chew away at the chains of thought that have the males not walking in their full potency as directed by the Ultimate Father God.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
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PUP Celebrates Ms. Matilda Berry 102 birthday Belize City, March 16, 2011 On Monday March 14, 2011, a few members of the PUP Collet Committee visited Ms. Matilda Berry to celebrate with her on her birthday. She is now 102 years young. Still a spritely and spirited lady, she was all decked out in her pearls and diamante earrings, with a lovely red bell adorning her hair, which was pulled away from her face in a chignon. Her nails were nicely painted, courtesy her great-grand daughter Melissa, and her eyes flashed brightly, even though
Baby Susana
faces
life-threatening
paralysis
Cayo District, March 15, 2011 Every mother dreams of watching their children grow healthy and with a sound education. Sadly, this is not the case all the time, as some mothers are faced with great difficulty, unable to afford proper health and education for their children. 23 year old mother of Santa Elena, Cayo, Myrna Tzul, gave birth to a beautiful baby girl three years ago, but young Susana Tzul was born with sever Jaundice and had to be treated immediately through blood exchange. At six months old, doctors observed that she did not have good muscle tone and strength which made it impossible for her to walk. Young Susana now faces more obstacles as Doctor Byron Sierra has diagnosed her with retard development and probably brain damage due to her case of severe jaundice at birth. In order to properly diagnose this and to see to what extent she may be suffering brain damage, a CT scan is needed urgently. The cost of this test is roughly about $400. Baby Susana’s family is asking for financial assistance to be able to afford this fee as they do not have sufficient funds. If you would like to donate to this cause you may do so at Atlantic Bank Ltd account number 211245650. Any donation, no matter how small will be greatly appreciated as little Susana also receives a treatment every month which has been costing the family $75.
nity Service Corp and still has her uniform nicely folded. She is also the mother of two remaining Marshalls, John and Louise Berry and Gretel Lopez. She still lives on the property on Iguana Street which was assigned to her by Madam Liz UWG committee, and listens to Vibes Radio every day. She calls it the “PUP’ radio. Special mention must be made of Ms. she was a little tired, having just as many well-wishers were bereturned from a birthday party fore us. Ms. Matilda is a founding given in her honour by Help Age. Of course we had to wait in line member of the Marshall Commu-
Tuff E Nuff Softball Team gets tough with Cayo Softball Association Continued on page 2
At the technical meeting shortly before the beginning of the marathon one team was absent, and the Association brought an alibi to the managers attending the technical meeting. The alibi was rejected on grounds as stated in the bylaws and in previous meetings, and at that technical meeting it was decided that since the team was not present at the marathon, they could not participate in the regular season. During the middle of the marathon, after all teams had already played once, it was discovered that the absent team would be permitted to participate in the Regular Season and that other teams present for the marathon were being displaced (contrary to what was agreed in the technical meeting). This decision was done without the consent of any of the team managers and as a result we, the defending marathon champions, boycotted the rest of the marathon. Madam President, it is a poignant situation when one team can hold the entire Cayo Softball Association at ransom. It appears that the Association deliberately concedes or is being manipulated by one team, which is unfair to the remaining teams participating in the competition. We, based on the following points, can categorically state and prove that the said team has gotten special treatment and has been allowed to disrespect the Association every time it so desires: 1. Not participating in the marathon when all other teams are required to be there; yet, they are being allowed to participate in the 2011 season. (They did not participate in last year’s marathon either). 2. Not paying the mandatory bond, when everyone was required to pay; yet they were not sanctioned as stated in the bylaws. (Suspension until fee is paid.) 3. Not being charged a late fee last
season when other teams were required to pay that fee for being late entrants to previous seasons. 4. Being allowed to host playoff games, despite the Bylaws stating that the Association will host all playoff games. The other participating teams, however, were not afforded this same opportunity nor were they given any compensation for travelling. 5. Refusing to participate in the All Star Games when all other teams were obligated to participate. Instead they hosted their own fundraiser on that very day. Again they were not sanctioned by the Association. Madam President, you are setting a dangerous precedent when one team can knowingly manipulate an entire Association, while other teams strive to obey the rules. Is it that they are above the law? Have they bought the Association or is it that the Association is just a marionette and that team the puppeteer? If one team can just determine what they want to do or are allowed to repeatedly disrespect and wantonly disregard the rules then there is no need for an Association. The Association has the mandate to be fair and to encourage the development of softball in the Cayo District. Breaking the established rules will in no way help to replenish the dying sport of softball, instead the declining interest in softball will continue. Madam President, I admonish you to do the right thing: Respect the bylaws, enforce the rules no matter the consequences, and let’s get on with the business of softball the way it is supposed to be. Sincerely, Management Tuff Enuff Softball Team
Gretel, who along with other members of the family, continue to care and provide for her. She is surely precious and blessed.
Slapping Jackie
Marshalleck,
again!
Continued on page 4 system, which is the final resort of many poor Belizeans and local businessmen, the largest stakeholder in the justice system was snubbed yet again. Just so Barrow can continue to make a point? Forget the Bar Association but does not the public have a right to know who are the people judging them? Where is this judge from? What is his age? What is his resume and track record? There continues to be a code of secrecy and spitefulness from the Prime Minister and the UDP government to the Judiciary which is to serve the Belizean public impartially. Why can he not tell us: What are the names of the persons applying for Chief Justice of Belize? What are the names of the persons vying for Chief Magistrate of Belize? Is one of them really St. Lucian? Why and when did being Belizean in Belize and long service in the Public Service not become an advantage in getting a job in Belize? Who are these people? Can the public not help the government? Or, cynically, can we at least sleep with our own eyes? There is internet and with technology the world is small. This government does not trust in its people. We, the people, could help in the background checks and know to whom we are surrendering our constitutional right to be judged. This leaves the nagging question, why is Barrow unilaterally hand picking judges without the Bar Association’s advice and doing so in stubborn secrecy? The BELIZE TIMES continues to monitor the situation.
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Bar/PSU silent as foreigners invade Chief Magistrate post Belize City, March 16, 2011 The Magistrates of the country are angry at the Barrow Government and considering taking serious action, in response to another act of contempt. This is because the Government of Belize sneaks around and moves closer to installing yet another foreigner in Belize’s judiciary. The BELIZE TIMES broke the story last week, indicating that Marsha Smith, a practicing attorney in St. Lucia, has been hired and will soon take up the post of Chief Magistrate. The former Belizean Chief Magistrate, Herbert Lord, was elevated under the PUP administration and replaced by current Belizean Chief Magistrate, Margaret Gabb-McKenzie. Her tenure ended in December 2010. An extension was approved and under Public Service Regulations, the next most-qualified person, Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser, who is a Belizean with many years of experience in the practice and dispensation of law, would take up the post. Prime Minister Dean Barrow had other plans; however, and in a move that can only be viewed as trying to embarrass the long standing public officer, Barrow announced in early February that Chief Magistrate McKenzie’s extension is only temporary, until his UDP administration finds a suitable person (meaning a foreigner). Barrow deliberately failed to acknowledge Magistrate Fraser, and the pool of knowledge and experience she as well as other Belizean attorneys offer. The Prime Minister’s brother, former Court of Appeals Judge Denys Barrow, worked as a Judge in the Eastern Caribbean Appeals Court situated in St. Lucia. It is suspected that he may have been instrumental in identifying Smith for the job. There is an increasing number of foreigners in Belize’s Courts and throughout the judiciary. The Director of Public Prosecutions, a foreigner, recently hired three Crown Counsels; two Trinidad nationals and a Guyanese. The Court of Appeals is made up entirely of foreigners, except for one. The Solicitor General is a foreigner, and has employed more than four foreigners on his staff. The Attorney General almost went to a foreigner. There are many attorneys who would make us Belizeans proud were they to hold
the post of Chief Magistrate. Cecil Ramirez who has practiced law in the country for twenty seven years, is also the local representative and principal/senior tutor of a British University which teaches law subjects. He is also published author with several legal text books on the practical application of Belize’s Criminal and Civil law and legal systems. There is also Belizean Merlene Moody, recently returned from a legal stint at the Caricom Secretariat in Guyana. She was the former Director of the Legal Service Center in Belize. She was the former head magistrate at the Family Court. The former Senior Crown Counsel at the Director Public Prosecutions office (DPP) and the Attorney General’s Ministry (AG) and she is currently unemployed while foreigner after foreigner are given lucrative positions. Another example of qualified Belizean attorney that can fill the post of Chief Magistrate is Ms. Patricia Arana. Ms. Arana is legal luminary in the University of the West Indies and in particular the prestigious Norman Manley Law School, where piled up A after A after A in the numerous subjects for examination resulting in first class degree with honors. She is more qualified than the Prime Minister of Belize who barely scrapped a second class degree (admittedly Barrow has a penchant for multi-syllabic and poly-syllabic words and is a known bloviscator). Ms. Arana at her graduation ceremony walked away with several sought after awards including first prize as the Bar Association most outstanding student. Interesting Ms. Arana applied for the post of Police Legal Advisor and was soundly rejected in favour of foreigner who took up the post only three months ago. There are dozens of other Belizeans that we could provide their name and their list of qualifications including and particularly their passport but the point has been made. The alien move to install a foreign Chief Magistrate is also a violation of Belize’s laws. There has been no public advertisement for the post of Chief Magistrate, which is required. It appears a foreigner is simply being handpicked without even allowing other Magistrates and Belizean lawyers in the public sector or in other government departments an opportunity to apply.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
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THE BELIZE TIMES
THINK ABOUT IT MOVE THE WIRES From the corner of Central American Boulevard and Mahogany Street to the compound that houses the Charles Hyde Building can be seen the spirit that helps to build Belize City. Small businesses from the popular taxi stand opposite the police station to Wiley’s Barber Shop and including Tow-Tow Restaurant to the numerous fruit and food vendors are citizens who get up every day and work to make ends meet. Anyone who passes on this stretch of Mahogany Street cannot escape being inspired and encouraged by the sights and sounds of this microcosms of Lake Independence people. There is a school on that stretch. There is a community police station. There are even temples/churches where the people gather to give praise and thanks to the Almighty. Now enters another All-mighty, in the name of BEL – must be Big Enemy League. This electricity company has resorted to strong arm tactics to remove the small man and the small woman and their small businesses. The reason: high tension wires cross over the path of the vendors. The means by which BEL will move them, rip out their individual electricity and enlist the misguided and disgraced Belize City Council. Note that the Belize City Council is always on the wrong side of City issues. They are always harassing the poor struggling market vendors and when it is not the market it is the tourist village vendors under attack. Why! The filthy drains are neglected, over grown grass is everywhere, litter and garbage strewn all over and taxes are increased. For crying out loud, the City Council has actually moved the burial ground to 13 miles outside of the City and was in the process of strong arming the making of coffins and digging of the holes for the dead were it not for David Coye and his outspoken defiance. Listen people, the river edge is just a couple hundred yards away from Mahogany Street. Move the damn wires and lamp posts and leave the people. Shucks man, people are more important than lamp posts and a few lengths of wires. Or from the corner of Boulevard to the Administration Building put the high tension wires in cement culverts/ concrete pipes. Any solution is better than removing those who make an honest living. Belize City Council like Central Government really di antagonize people out ya! FOREIGN CHIEF MAGISTRATE This one is hard to believe. It sounds asinine, make that ass-in-nine. The government will just get up one day, make contact with some foreigner abroad and offer the post of Chief Magistrate to her. There are over 80 lawyers in Belize. Not a single one knew that the post of Chief Magistrate was vacant. That’s bad enough but not even the present Magistrates knew that their new boss would be an outsider and not one of them given the opportunity to perform in the post for a probationary period. One reason that Denys Barrow did not become Chief Justice or the Head of the Judiciary in the small Caribbean island where he served is because those islanders had what is called nationalism, Barrow was probably seen as an outsider. Under the present government it is the opposite of nationalism, they send for foreigners and insult the qualified nationals. Imagine filling and important public position without even advertising that there is a vacancy? Is there still a Public Service Union in the country? MEGA BINGO Mega Bingo is big. It’s the hottest thing in the City. Every Wednesday and Saturday thousands of City folks buy their bingo tickets. If it is one thing that will not be given up for Lent it is Mega Bingo. Some people say
they would give up sex rather than Mega Bingo. Whole families sit down on Wednesday and Saturday nights ticking off the numbers as the girl on Channel 5 rolls the ball and calls out the lucky ones. With Mega Bingo there are many prizes. The biggest prize is the Progressive jackpot of $100,000 and over. But there is also a $5,000 prize called full house. In addition you can win $1,450 from what is called Outside World. Prizes don’t end there. There is a $1,000 for what is called Inner World. Then there is $750 for what is called Letter X. And then there is also $100 for Straight Line. Any of these on 1 ticket for $2.00. Now I-man is against gambling but this Mega Bingo thing is really tempting. Lotto has serious competition with the arrival of Mega Bingo. In fact large droves of buyers have deserted Lotto and Boledo because they have a deep suspicion that they are fixed. That some hokus-pokus is going on with those balls. Plus they are not happy that the government take away a roots thing like Boledo and give it to a UDP Chinese financier. The PUP should give back the Boledo to Belizeans. Given that hard times that Belizeans now find themselves in. Given the rising levels of poverty under which our people are struggling to survive. Given the lack of any jobs, any investments, and any hope that things will get better, Belizeans have gone Mega Bingo mad. People under pressure will do anything to survive, and make money. Mega Bingo is the super hero that has expanded. Mr. Marinan and Mr. Galvez have hit upon a winner. In the comics era there was Batman, Superman, and other super heroes saving people in distress. Marinan should wear a costume with the big letter M for MEGA MAN. Now all we need every week are mega winners. SHAKESPEARE Thanks to Ron G this columnist is eternally grateful for having obtained the Roman Polanski version of Shakespeare’s Macbeth as well as Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet. Movies are great but it can never compare to Shakespeare. Also want to say that at the front section of the Image Factory on North Front Street, there is a bookstore from whence comes excellent reading material. A new edition recently published on Bob Marley is already available there. So is a pocket book on the hero of heroes, Che Guevara. The religious section is a rival in the country. God Is Not Great, The origins of the Bible, a “Biography” on David and Salomon and dozens of others. Then there is The Oxford Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Second Edition. This includes two new plays which have never before been included among the works of Shakespeare. One of these includes the play on that great English character Sir Thomas Moore. COCONUT OIL None other than the highly respected and widely read New York Times of 3 March 2011 in its online edition carried a two page article extolling the virtues and benefits of coconut oil. The article is entitled “Once a Villain, Coconut Oil Charms the Health Food World”. The article is researched by Melissa Clark. Based on scientific and medical research coconut oil is now being referred of the “Darling of the Natural Foods World”. For those who don’t know in the 1990s the word was that Coconut Oil was unhealthy to cook with as it was supposedly a major contributor to cholesterol. All that rubbish is now being exposed. Coconut oil is the best cooking oil in the world. Read
the article for yourself at nytimes.com. Let’s get it on- no other cooking oil but Coconut Oil. Hey man this can become a big export industry for us. We can market that the oil that has kept Belizeans as the healthiest people on the face of the earth. We can even rewrite Lovingdear’s famous Jamaican song – The Oil. That oil could make “flabby batty get firm, labby belly get tight”. You get the drift? HOW TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD This is not about Harper Lee’s famous book. This is about a bad situation. Around 2 ½ miles on the Northern Highway, specifically the Roman Catholic Church known as Divine Mercy, lives three Screech Owls locally they are called “Monkey Birds” because their faces are shaped like the face of money. They live on small rats. They only come out at nights. Any time after 6–7pm in the neighbor-
Sunday, March 20, 2011 hood of Divine Mercy they are seen searching for food and playing their important part in balancing the rat population. “Father forgive them for they know what they do”. Some fool killed one of the birds. Actually the idiot murdered the harmless bird. Because you can kill by mistake but murder is when you intentionally take life. The owl could have been a mother with her young babies waiting at home. For those who live in the area, these birds have patrolled the night skies for years. Yes, the screeching does attract or distract but that is really a minor matter. There is really no reason why that fool killed that bird. If he stopped to think he could have realized that the same God that made him and his family made that beautiful, majestic white and caramel feathered owl and made her for a purpose.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
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Barrow’s 30 pieces of Kremlin silver
Belize’s new ‘dollar diplomacy’ is a disgrace to our historical legacy Belize City, March 16th, 2011 Belize’s Foreign Policy has taken perplexing and troubling turns under the Barrow Administration, and last week Friday we learnt of another diplomatic decree which is even more controversial than the opening of our borders to the nation of Is-
rael.
In this latest move, the Belize government will establish an economic program with the Russian Federation. The Kremlins, who were once a military giant in Europe back in the 1900s, but who are now struggling to keep their own house in or-
Faber’s Rd. Killers on the loose Belize City, March 16th, 2011 Police are yet to capture the killers who ambushed and gunned down 26 year old Reymundo Quinote. Quinote was walking on Faber’s Road on Monday night, after a night out celebrating his birthday, when he was approached from behind by two male persons who were riding separate bicycles. Shortly after an exchange, one of the men pulled out a firearm and shot Quinote. The single blast was a fatal one for the Quinote. He was found bleeding on the road, and was taken to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, but died from the injury around five on Tuesday morning.
der, have engaged Belize. During his budget presentation, Prime Minister Dean Barrow informed that in June he will travel to Moscow to discuss bilateral support, and as a sign of goodwill, Russia will gift Belize $20 million. While our Kremlin sources indicate the true total is $30 million, of which $10m will be stored for the UDP’s election campaigning, the real question is why would Russia, in these times of global economic recession, find it useful to give away millions to Belize? The simple answer is ‘dollar diplomacy’. That’s the description given to the exchange of money in return for special favours between countries. But what favour could little Belize do for Russia? Our Kremlin sources once more pointed to Washington D.C., where the state of
Georgia’s has been lobbying for protection against repression from their big brother neighbour Russian before the United Nations. Both countries have been locked in a tense dispute, as Russia has been slowly occupying areas in Georgia, which escalated in suspected military attacks in 2008. The attack was condemned by U.S., the United Kingdom, France and Germany. Belize, who as a member of the United Nations, holds a vote in the general assembly and could speak out against Russia’s attacks. Belize could aid Georgia’s fight for freedom or, thanks to the 30 pieces of silver for Barrow, their demise. Morally, the quid pro quo between the Barrow Administration and Russia is an affront and a disgrace to Belize’s legacy. In its quest to gain independence from the clutches of British colonialism, Belize launched an international campaign for support. Relying on support from small, developing countries, Belize gained sufficient votes before the United Nations to gain independence and change its future. In the same manner, Belize continues to rely on international support against Guatemala’s territorial claim. Fast-forward to today, when Belize is now accepting millions of dollars, in support of colonial nations, instead of supporting the independence of small-state Georgia. The Prime Minister’s disregard for our legacy would be met with serious condemnation. After Barrow harked away about
Russia’s support on Friday, National hero, Philip Goldson, must have rolled under his grave. Shame Mr. Barrow, shame.
Vicious chopping melee in Corozal leads to main Belize City, March 16, 2011 Odious crimes are becoming more and more common in our country as the crime rate continues to increase. On March 13th 2011 at about 12:45am, Corozal police responded to a chopping incident in Cristo Rey Village where it was revealed that just 25 minutes earlier several men had been involved in a violent fight. Richard Cantun, Henry and Orlando Peña, Dennis Villatoro and a 17 yr old minor were socializing when two other males known to them as Marino Uh and Aurelio Cobos arrived on bicycles and were armed with machetes. An altercation soon erupted between Henry and Orlando Peña and Uh which resulted in Henry Peña receiving a cut wound to the left thumb, Orlando Peña sustained injuries to his left hand and right side of waste while Marino Uh’s left foot was completely amputated. All men at the scene were detained by police but the search goes on for Aurelio Cobos, pending investigation.
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Sunday, March 20, 2011