Belize Times April 8, 2018- Barrow Shafts Belizeans Without Mercy

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The Belize Times

Established 1957

The Truth Shall Make You Free

8 APRIL 2018 | ISSUE NO: 5091

www.belizetimes.bz | $1.00

ELECTIONS GAWN‌ HAAD TIME DEH YAH!

Barrow Shafts Belizeans Without Mercy Thursday, 05 April 2018 Today, via a notification from the Bureau of Standards, Belizeans received another massive bukut from the Barrow/Faber UDP administration. The price of butane has skyrocketed, going up a whopping $10 per 100 pound cylinder. Since January, when the price of butane went up by $7, the Belize Times has been reporting that government signed an agreement with importers to increase the price by another $10, on the condition that they delay until after elections so it would not negatively impact the UDP. Butane consumers have already been protesting the high cost of butane, which not only impacts them in the home, but also has threatened to put many small and medium-sized food selling enterprises out of business. This huge increase will also directly impact those who are already struggling to put food on the table, and is proof that this heartless UDP administration has no love for Belizeans.

The bad news about butane comes one week after Belizeans got a pre-Easter bukut with the news that the pump prices of fuel were going up across the board, with massive increas-

Pg. 2

UDP Shackled Corozal Town Council with $1.3m Contract Pg. 2

GEORGE HYDE Chopped to Death Pg. 2

COROZAL MAN

MURDERED

George Hyde

& DUMPED Pg. 2

Teakettle Youth Tortured and Buried Eleazar Chan

Pg. 4

2 02

8 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

ELECTIONS GAWN… HAAD TIME DEH YAH!

Continued from page 1 es to diesel and even kerosene.

Then in the middle of the Easter break, Barrow’s new data tax went into effect, meaning that Belizeans will now pay 12.5% on all purchases of data. But it goes far deeper than just phone bills going up. The implementation of tax on data means that all services which utilize data will automatically go up – including cable and banking services, just to name two. Already the Cable Operator’s Association has written to the Prime Minister warning him that the tax on data will cripple consumers.

And then, just this week, the Government-owned Belize Electricity Limited announced that it will be seeking an increase in electricity rates of 7.1%. According to BEL, “the forecast is that cost of power will be $4.8 million higher than what was approved by the PUC for the 2017-2018 review period.

To remain viable, BEL is therefore proposing to recover these in-

creases in costs through a 7.1% average increase in the Mean Electricity Rate…”

Already Belizeans are reporting an increase in the cost of goods at the local stores and also at the markets, and there is no doubt that those prices will continue to increase. This tax-sucking UDP administration continues to suck the life out of the productive sector, the middle class and the poor with its oppressive tax regime. Barrow and the UDP are desperate for revenue to replenish coffers which have been sucked dry by the greed and corruption of Ministers. While the fat cats in the UDP continue to get richer and richer, the people of Belize continue to suffer. Some people may have thought that Manuel Esquivel was a real tax-sucka… but Mr. Barrow has shown that he is the expert at giving Belizeans the shaft, without the benefit of Vaseline.

GEORGE HYDE Chopped to Death

Thursday, 05 April 2018 Five months ago Bella Vista resident George Hyde, 38, was acquitted of the murder of Canadian Keith Haslam, viciously slashed to death in 2013. But on April 1, 2018, it was the body of Hyde which Police recovered from the verandah of his home in Bella Vista. He had sustained multiple chop wounds to the head and body. A post mortem examination revealed that he died from “traumatic shock due to massive brain damage due to head and neck injuries, blunt sharp force trauma machete type.”

Hyde’s daughter, Javie Choc, got the news of her father’s death via phone Sunday morning – “We were at home in Belmopan when I heard my mom crying. I came out and I asked her what is wrong. My mother couldn’t talk. She fell on the ground.

I took the phone and I asked my aunt what is wrong and she told me your dad just got killed. I couldn’t say nothing, I just left it there. When we arrived here, my father was still on the ground, flies all around him.

People tending to the scene lifted my father around 5:00pm and he was murdered around 9:00am Sunday

UDP Shackled Corozal Town Council with $1.3m Contract Corozal Town, Wednesday April 5th 2018 The full picture of the wreckage left behind at the Corozal Town Council after 12 years of the UDP and ex-Mayor Hilberto Campos has yet to be exposed to the public. Upon taking office, officially, on Tuesday March 13th, one of the first acts of the new PUP Mayor Rigo Vellos and his new Councillors was to put into effect a financial audit of the Council that will investigate the mismanagement under the UDP. While the residents of Corozal Town and the BELIZE TIMES await the results of the audit, documents have been obtained showing the serious shenanigans that took place under Campos.

One such document is a contract for $1,377,127.85 signed on February 27th 2017

by Campos and the disgraced UDP-connected contractor, Imer Hernandez for his company Imer Hernandez Development Company Ltd. This contract, which was signed behind the backs of Corozaleños, promised annual payments of over $100,000 to Hernandez for the NEXT TEN YEARS, for a series of street works he was expected to carry out as pre-election gimmicks!

This million dollar plus contract for street works was approved and granted by the UDP Council without any tender process, disallowing other bonafide contractors the opportunity to do the work. This is how

COROZAL MAN MURDERED & DUMPED Thursday, 05 April 2018 On Sunday afternoon at around 2:00pm, Corozal Police discovered the body of Corozal resident Eleazar Chan, 42, wrapped in a hammock and garbage bags and placed in a sofa dumped in a canefield in San Pedro village. According to the official Police report delivered by Assistant Commissioner of Police Joseph Myvette, “somewhere about half a mile west of San Pedro village, a red morning.”

Following the murder, Police confirmed that they had detained four persons of interest in the death of Hyde, but there were indications early on that the person who inflicted the fatal wounds to Hyde was claiming self-defence. While officially Police have stated only that they are still investigating, reports are that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has reviewed the file and is waiting for the results of the post-mortem examination before making a determination.

Police have not revealed the motive for the killing, and say that they are exploring different angles. Today they confirmed that they have released three persons held for questioning in the murder, but maintain that the investigation is ongoing.

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2018

in colour sofa chair was found between two cane fields. Upon inspection of the sofa, Police discovered a human corpse encased within the sofa. Upon opening the sofa, the body of Eleazar Chan a forty-two-year-old broker of Louisville Village was found wrapped in a hammock, thereafter in black plastic garbage bags.

It was found in an advanced state of decomposition. An on scene post-mortem was conducted where the cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma to the face…”

According to reports, three men were seen entering the home of Chan in Louisville, and later leaving with a sofa which they placed in a vehicle before driving off. Witnesses to that occurrence claim that they had no idea that the sofa hid the body of Chan.

The Customs broker was reported missing by his wife on Saturday, the day before his body was discovered in an advanced state of decomposition. The Police, when questioned about persistent rumours that the murder was drug related, stated that “so far, there is no indication of that. But as I mentioned the investigation is in its early stages and all angles will be looked into.”

Initially the Police say they had three persons detained for questioning, but at press time there is no official indication if those persons have been charged for anything or have been released.

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the UDP works. Instead, Hernandez has benefitted from the UDP’s plan to bind the hands of Corozal Town’s taxpayers for the next decade.

There is more that will cause heads to shake in dismay. The contract specifies a schedule of payments up to 2027, and every year for the final three months of the fiscal year, January to March, the Council must pay a whopping $32,466.67 to Hernandez’s company.

That amount is also the equivalent of the subvention amounts previously provided to the Council by Central Government.

What this means is that thanks to Campos and the former UDP Council, the town will not benefit from Central Government subvention funds for those months, but instead the bank account for Imer Hernandez’s company will.

And as insult to injury, since Imer Hernandez agreed to front the amount on credit for the road-works, the UDP Council and Hilberto Campos agreed to pay Hernandez a whopping 12% interest over the ten years.

The UDP in Corozal Town have fattened up Imer Hernandez and other special friends over the past twelve years while neglecting the Town’s more urgent needs. Several years ago, even with growing evidence that the company had difficulties with producing quality work, Campos turned a blind eye and professed his love for the UDP Company saying that “Imer Hernandez is a friend of the Corozal Town Council” and that Imer will be getting first preference for all the street contracts.

While Corozal Town voters rejected the UDP’s way on March 7th, the ramifications of the UDP’s actions while in office will be felt for a long time.

The Belize Times

Established 1957

14 APR 2013

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ISSUE NO: 4840

The Truth Shall Make You Free

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8 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2018

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CITCO ADMINISTRATOR SUSPENDED AFTER INTERNAL INVESTIGATION Thursday, 05 April 2018 As we go to press, the Belize Times has been able to confirm that City Administrator Candice Burke has been suspended, effective immediately, for one month as a result of an ongoing investigation into discrepancies where the spending of taxpayer monies from the Council are concerned. We were unable to reach Mayor Bernard Wagner before going to press to confirm other details of the suspension.

Last week the Belize Times reported on the gross fleecing of the Belize City Council where Joe Bradley, father of then UDP Mayor Darrell Bradley, racked up bar bills of over $6,000 at a Chinese restaurant

CARTOON

across from the Council. Joe signed on those bills, although he had no authority to do so. Current Mayor Bernard Wagner last week told the Belize Times that he had no intention of paying that bill on Joe’s behalf since he could find no documentation to verify that the UDP mouthpiece had any authority or authorization to sign for drinks and expect the Council to pay. Wagner called the fleecing an ‘outrageous and obscene abuse of the trust placed in the Council.’

But while the current Mayor has refused to pay the bar bill, new evidence proves that Joe Bradley’s son had every intention of using taxpayer monies to do so. A check to Christopher Zheng, dated February 27th,

2018, was made out in the amount of $6,361, the exact figure owed by Joe Bradley. While that check was prepared and signed by City Administrator Candice Burke and Mayor Darrell Bradley, in the rush leading to elections it was not paid out to the Chinese business owner seeking to collect the thousands owed to him.

According to reliable reports out of the Council, City Administrator Candice Burke was the subject of an investigation for her role in signing this check in blatant disregard of all good financial practices and integrity of the Council. Unconfirmed reports are that Mayor Wagner and his team at the Council have uncovered a number of large checks paid

out to certain persons, including one well known UDP player in the city, without any documentation to verify what service or goods was received for those monies. In addition, we are told that in one instance, a UDP operative in Orange Walk was given an interest free loan of $20,000 in early 2017, and has yet to make a single payment. That news has elicited outrage at the Council, since even junior-level staff members were expected to pay interest on small advances and loans granted to them.

The Belize Times will continue to follow these developments and will have much more of the corruption which has been uncovered in the days ahead.

4 04

Woman-Beater Walks…

Victim Denied Justice!

Thursday, 05 April 2018 The Police Department in San Pedro has come under serious scrutiny following the weekend assault on a woman, Carrie Tripodi, this weekend in San Pedro.

Senior sources in the Department have told us that it is clear that the case was mishandled, though they will have to investigate to see if it was done deliberately or through incompetence. On Wednesday, serial offender Russell Casimiro, a tour guide on San Pedro, was fined $1000 and given three months to pay it after he broke into the home of Tripodi and brutally beat her. With that, he was free to go.

On April 1, 2018, the screams of San Pedro Bar Manager Carrie Tripodi alerted friends and staff members near where she lived. When they got to the scene, they found Tripodi bleeding with severe injuries to her face. It was discovered that Casimiro had come to her home demanding entry and she refused to let him in.

That is when he scaled the wall and entered through a balcony door and started beating her in the face. She was taken to the Police Station and then to the San Pedro Polyclinic for treatment. Tripodi also gave a statement to Police in which she named her attacker and also demanded that he, Casimiro, be charged for breaking into her home.

Incredibly, though Casimiro is a known tour guide on the island, Police could not seem to locate him, and it was residents who did and then called the Police. This paper has been told by credible sources that it took 17 calls for Police to

respond and to detain Casimiro. Sources tell us that the Police Officer who took Tripodi’s statement is a relative of Casimiro, and that Casimiro’s brother is a Police officer. Those sources also tell us that Casimiro is the nephew of UDP Minister Anthony ‘Boots’ Martinez, the Minister in charge of the Women’s Department, ironically.

Casimiro appeared before San Pedro Magistrate Villanueva on Wednesday morning, but it has been alleged that Police told her that they had lost the Medico-Legal form. Interestingly, Police also did not disclose to the Magistrate the extent of the injuries sustained by Tripodi, and did not bring any charges of burglary against Casimiro. Neither did the Police tell the Magistrate that Casimiro had served 18 months behind bars after a prior conviction for violently beating another woman.

Based only on what was told to her by Police, the Magistrate accepted Casimiro’s guilty plea on a charge

Teakettle Youth Tortured and Buried Thursday, 05 April 2018 On Friday, March 30, 2018, Belmopan Police acting on information conducted a search in the Roaring River area behind Camalote. Before long they discovered what appeared to be ground recently turned, and upon digging there they found the body of Dristen Reyes, 20, a Teakettle youth who was last seen alive that Wednesday. He had been reported missing on his birthday, Thursday, by his family.

According to Assistant Commissioner of Police Joseph Myvette, “an on-site post-mortem was conducted, where the cause of death was determined to be a single gunshot injury to the left side of the head. Police investigation into this matter continues, and we’re seeking the public’s assistance in any information the can provide to us in solving this matter - would be highly appreciated by the police department. We’re following several leads, and we continue to investigate this matter.”

But while the gunshot wound to the head may have been the obvious cause of death, Reyes’

8 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

family say he was tortured before death. According to his sister, “They knocked his teeth out of his mouth. He had a tooth that was way out. They bruised his face and they stamped him in the belly with a big shoes, steel toe boots and they shot him in the head. They beat him and dragged him with a horse and the horseshoe is still there where they left evidence and the foot, they dragged him by his foot because the rope mark is on his foot.”

While Police have not released an official motive, the family believes it is possibly because their loved one was involved in a deal where some horses were stolen and money was exchanged.

The family is also fearful that the violence may not end with Dristen Reyes, since somebody broke into their home at around 2:00am Tuesday morning. They claim that the person or persons took nothing, but that it is likely if they had found anyone at home they would have been killed. The family claims to have an idea of who killed Dristen Reyes and may want to harm them.

2018

of wounding and fined him $1000 to be paid by July. Reliable reports suggest that upon exiting the Courtroom, the Magistrate was shocked to see the injuries on Tripodi’s face because she had not been properly briefed on the extent of physical damage she suffered.

The Belize Times has been able to confirm just before going to press that Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryl-Lynn Vidal will be asked to review the case file and sentence handed down.

We were unable to confirm whether the Police Professional Standards Branch will be conducting its own investigation to determine why the case was mishandled.

Tripodi applied for and was granted a restraining order against Casimiro.

NOTICE STATURORY NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE ESTATE OF PEDRO CARRILLO Deceased of # 28 Toucan Avenue, Belmopan, Cayo District, Belize

NOTICE is hereby given pursuant to Section 36 of the Administration of Estates Act, Chapter 197 of the Laws of Belize that all creditors or other persons having any claims or demands upon or against the Estate of PEDRO CARRILLO, deceased, late of # 28 Toucan Avenue, Belmopan, Cayo District, Belize who died on the 23rd day of December, 2016 and in whose estate Letters of Administration has been granted to TATINA ANNE CARRILLO of # 28 Toucan Avenue, Belmopan, Cayo District, Belize, should lodge claims or demands with the said TATINA ANNE CARRILLO C/0 Balderamos Arthurs LLP, Charter House, Suite 6, 3 ½ Miles Philip Goldson Highway, P.O. Box 486, Belize City, Belize on or before the expiration of three months from the first publication hereof AND NOTICE IS ALSO HEREBY GIVEN that at the expiration of the said three months the said TATINA ANNE CARRILLO shall proceed to distribute the assets of the said PEDRO CARRILLO, deceased, amongst the beneficiaries entitled thereto, having regard only to claims and demands of which she shall then have had notice.

DATED this 4th day of April, 2018 BALDERAMOS ARTHURS LLP Attorneys-at-Law for the Estate of PEDRO CARRILLO

8 APR

2018

THE BELIZE TIMES

EDITORIAL

LONG LIVE THE KING

A

bout a week before the Easter vacations commenced, as the Budget was being ‘debated’ in the House, former UDP Minister Mark King lobbed a bomb which detonated in Cabinet and shook the Barrow/Faber administration to its core. Mark King, the man who once called himself the Minister of Gangs, is not the brightest bulb in a shed full of dim bulbs. He has shown himself to be mentally unstable, and Dr. Phil would likely refer to him as full-scale loony. But he is, very proudly, a UDP and he flies that red flag high. He has declared, via movie trailer, that he intends to offer himself in Port Loyola to fill a spot which will very soon be vacated by the dishonourable and disgraced Boots Martinez. In the scheme of things, King would be not even a pin-prick on the Prime Minister’s radar. But this man who lived in the belly of that rabid, rancid beast called the U.D.P. has a trump card, and he apparently has no problem using it.

On social media, and no doubt to anybody who would listen, Mark King sent a very strong message to the fat cats in the U.D.P. He made it clear that he is prepared to reveal all the dirty secrets of the Party, including how Ministers came up on those sudden riches. King further asserted that he has recordings which he is prepared to make public if any in the U.D.P. dare to rain on his Lake Independence parade. It was a startling move by King, and one which would certainly have garnered much more public scrutiny on a Party already reeling under a heavy cross of corruption and mismanagement – except it happened at Budget time so it was somewhat brushed off.

But just as significant as King’s bully move, was the UDP’s reaction to it. Crickets! Before King threatened to tell the nation how UDP Ministers amassed their wealth, and other sordid tales, Deputy Leader Patrick Faber had stated publicly that Mark King would not run for the UDP. After King’s commentary in which he publicly named and shamed Patrick Faber – Crickets! While it is no secret that the man-boy Faber who would be the next leader of the UDP loves to get drunk and beat up defenceless women, in his social media outpouring King reminded him of a call to the Women’s Department to get them to call off any investigation into a beating he administered to a woman. Since then the always vocal Faber has become uncharacteristically mute. Not a word against King.

It is the same for the Prime Minister who knows first-hand that the former UDP Minister is fond of clandestine recordings and his claim to have recordings of UDP Ministers is likely no idle threat. Once upon a time, the big, bad machete yielding Barrow would have had King’s head for daring to take on the UDP, but that Barrow is not this Barrow. The Prime Minister of Belize is a shadow of his former self. His bravado and pious proclamations now invoke only scorn and scepticism where once they inspired the masses. This Prime Minister has presided, proudly, over the most corrupt political administration in our nation’s history. This is an administration which has seen Ministers and cronies become millionaires almost overnight while the masses have become impoverished. This is an administration which has seen the Prime Minister’s friend, Gaspar Vega, give himself and his family members thousands of acres of prime land, and give his son $400,000 from the public purse, without any repercussions. The rotten corruption has overwhelmed the Cabinet and has tainted Government departments and entities under its control.

Dean Barrow, in his own mind, is a legend and a sacred cow. But in the minds of Belizeans across this country, he is a man who has trampled on everything that was good and right in his quest for power and political conquests.

But that is enough about Dean Barrow. He is an old man in the twilight of what has turned into a hellishly failed political career. The leadership of the UDP is up for grabs. The contenders, at least thus far, are the woman-beater Patrick Faber whose political fortunes have plummeted of late. Apart from his personal woes which are many and have earned him a black eye even within his own camp, he promised to deliver Belize City and failed spectacularly. He has the support of a very miniscule portion of the UDP Cabinet.

The other contender is John Saldivar, who has absolutely no claim to fame.

Belizeans inside and outside the UDP will always tie him to William Danny Mason, his best friend and business partner who cut off a man’s head. He is an arrogant man who feels a sense of entitlement to the UDP throne, even though he has done nothing to distinguish him as a leader. His political fortunes, on the wane since the Mason debacle, have seen a surge following Municipal Elections, since he claims to have brought in Belmopan and the West for the UDP. He has the support of a majority of Cabinet, and also the still very powerful Gaspar Vega.

If those are the options for the UDP, then there are NO options. The King is dead. Long live the King. Except what is a king if he has no kingdom? The UDP has betrayed the people for so long that it is only a matter now of waiting for the opportunity to usher them out of office. That opportunity will soon come.

05 5 en Español

QUE VIVA EL REY

A

lrededor de una semana antes de que comenzaran las vacaciones de Pascua, cuando el presupuesto estaba siendo “debatido” en la casa, el ex Ministro de UDP Mark King lanzo una bomba que detonó en el gabinete y sacudió a la administración Barrow/Faber a su núcleo.

Mark King, el hombre que una vez se llamaba a sí mismo el Ministro de las pandillas, no es el bulbo más brillante de un cobertizo lleno de bombillas oscuras. Él ha demostrado ser mentalmente inestable, y el Dr. Phil probablemente se referiría a él como idiota a máxima escala. Pero él es, con mucho orgullo, un UDP y enarbola esa bandera roja hasta lo más alto. Ha declarado, a través de avances de película que se propone ofrecerse en Port Loyola para llenar un lugar que muy pronto será desocupado por el deshonrado y desgraciado Boots Martínez.

En el esquema de las cosas, King no sería ni siquiera un pinchazo en el radar del primer ministro. Pero este hombre que vivía en el vientre de esa bestia rabiosa y rancia llamada el U.D.P. tiene un as bajo la manga, y aparentemente no tiene ningún problema en usarlo.

En los medios sociales, y sin duda a cualquiera que escuchara, Mark King envió un mensaje muy fuerte a los gatos gordos en el U.D.P. Dejó claro que está dispuesto a revelar todos los secretos sucios del partido, incluyendo cómo los ministros obtuvieron esas riquezas repentinas. King afirmó además que él tiene grabaciones que él está dispuesto a hacer público si alguno en el U.D.P. se atreve a aguarle la fiesta en Lake Independence.

Fue un movimiento sorprendente por parte de King, y uno que sin duda habría ganado mucho más escrutinio público en un partido que ya se tambalea bajo el calvario de corrupción y mala gestión – excepto que sucedió en el tiempo presupuestario por lo que no se le prestó mucha atención.

Pero tan significativo como la acción bravucona de King, es la reacción del UDP a ella. ¡Grilladas! Antes de que King amenazara decirle a la nación cómo los ministros del UDP amasaron su fortuna, y otros cuentos sórdidos, el vice líder Patrick Faber había indicado públicamente que Mark King no sería candidato del UDP. Esto después del comentario de King en el que nombró y avergonzó públicamente a Patrick Faber-¡grilladas! Mientras que no es ningún secreto que el hombre-niño Faber que sería el próximo líder del UDP le encanta emborracharse y golpear a las mujeres indefensas, en su profuso torrente en los medios sociales King le recordó su llamada al Departamento de las mujeres para hacerles cancelar toda investigación sobre una paliza que le administró a una mujer. Desde entonces Faber, el siempre vocal, se ha vuelto sorprendentemente mudo. Ni una palabra contra King.

Es lo mismo con el Primer Ministro que sabe de primera mano que el ex Ministro del UDP es aficionado a las grabaciones clandestinas y su afirmación de tener grabaciones de Ministros UDP probablemente no sea una amenaza ociosa. Erase una vez, cuando el gran y malvado machetero Barrow le habría cortado la cabeza a King al atreverse a desafiar al UDP, pero ese Barrow no es este Barrow. El Primer Ministro de Belice es una sombra de su antiguo ser. Su bravata y sus proclamaciones piadosas ahora invocan sólo el desprecio y el escepticismo donde una vez inspiraron a las masas. Este primer ministro ha presidido, orgullosamente, la administración política más corrupta de la historia de nuestra nación. Ésta es una administración que ha visto a ministros y compinches convertirse en millonarios casi de la noche a la mañana, mientras las masas se han empobrecido. Ésta es una administración que ha visto al amigo del Primer Ministro, Gaspar Vega, regalarse a sí mismo y a sus familiares miles de acres de tierras de primera, y darle a su hijo $400.000 de la bolsa pública, sin repercusiones. La corrupción hedionda ha abrumado al gabinete y ha contaminado a los departamentos y entidades gubernamentales bajo su control. Dean Barrow, en mente propia, es una leyenda y una vaca sagrada. Pero en la mente de Beliceños a través de este país, es un hombre que ha pisoteado todo lo que era bueno y justo en su búsqueda de poder y conquistas políticas.

Pero eso es suficiente sobre Dean Barrow. Es un anciano en el crepúsculo de lo que se ha convertido en una carrera política infernal y fallida. El liderazgo del UDP está en juego. Los contendientes, al menos hasta el momento, son el golpeador de mujeres Patrick Faber, cuyas fortunas políticas se han desplomado en los últimos tiempos. Aparte de sus problemas personales que son muchos y le han ganado un ojo negro, incluso dentro de su propio campo, él prometió entregar ciudad Belice y falló espectacularmente. Él tiene el apoyo de una parte muy minúscula del gabinete UDP. El otro aspirante es John Saldivar, quien no tiene absolutamente ninguna reclamación a la fama. Los Beliceños dentro y fuera del UDP siempre le vincularán a William Danny Mason, su mejor amigo y socio de negocios que le cortó la cabeza a un hombre. Él es un hombre arrogante que se siente con derecho al trono UDP, a pesar de que no ha hecho nada para distinguirlo como un líder. Sus fortunas políticas, en decadencia desde la debacle de Mason, han visto una oleada tras las elecciones municipales, ya que afirma haber ganado Belmopán y al oeste para el UDP. Tiene el apoyo de una mayoría del gabinete, y también del aún muy poderoso Gaspar Vega.

Si esas son las opciones para el UDP, entonces no hay opciones. El rey está muerto. Viva el rey. Excepto, ¿qué es el rey si no tiene Reino? El UDP ha traicionado a la gente durante tanto tiempo que es sólo una cuestión de esperar la oportunidad de sacarlos del poder. Esa oportunidad pronto llegará.

6 06

THE BELIZE TIMES

8 APR

2018

THERE IS NO GOVERNMENT GUARANTEE FOR APEX AND CIVIC CENTER --Thursday, April 5th 2018 – Today, the People’s United Party received confirmation from the Financial Secretary, Joseph Waight, that his office is not aware of any government guarantee to Apex Ltd. On March 19th 2018, the public signing of the CIVIC management contract was held with Deputy Prime Minister, Patrick Faber along with the General Manager of BIL, Christy Mastry, and the Principal of APEX International, Chad Eckert. At that public signing, the General Manager stated that it is a 3 year contract with an option to renew and that the Government of Belize is guaranteeing $850,000 a year to cover the maintenance costs of the facility.

The Financial Secretary today via email confirmed that “with regard to the purported GOB Guarantee to Apex Belize Limited, after due inquiry, I am assured that there is no guarantee agreement between the GOB and Apex Belize Ltd”.The Financial Secretary further confirmed that he is not yet in possession of an executed copy of the said agreement that was signed on March 19th.

However, in the presence of the Deputy Prime Minister of Belize and several media houses, BIL’s General Manager confirmed that government is guaranteeing the $850,000 annually for the term of the contract. This also is of serious concern because BIL is not a revenue earner and is not in any position to affirm government guarantees. Furthermore, the National Assembly has not given its approval for any guarantee to be given to Apex and no such guarantee has been published in the Gazette as required by law. Therefore, if the Deputy Prime Minister and the General Manager of BIL has signed a contract with APEX that gives APEX a government guarantee then this is illegal and in violation of the Finance and Audit Reform Act. The PUP has gone on record to state that the government continues to violate the Finance and Audit Reform Act, evident with the handling of the many millions of dollars to meet BIL’s expenditures from the consolidated revenue. The Government of Belize in March approved $3 million in its national budget for BIL for 2018/2019 without any details on what these expenditures will be for.

The PUP is also concerned that the principal officer of APEX has been exposed with his pending litigation with another Belizean business. BIL in its public signing of the management contract stated that with the approval of the Ministry of Finance and BIL’s Board of Directors, they secured the services of IMG Rebel as part of their International Procurement Team to do the due diligence in evaluating and selecting the management company. It is interesting that due diligence would not have flagged the litigation that Mr. Chad Eckerd is involved in.

The PUP calls on the Government of Belize and BIL’s Board of Directors to provide the copy of the management contract on the public/private partnership between Government and APEX and to also provide a copy of the due diligence report. The PUP reminds the public that BIL meets its expenses from taxpayers’ monies and that the decisions BIL makes on behalf of the people of Belize have serious repercussions if those decisions are not made responsibly. If APEX was given an illegal government guarantee, government may once again find itself in litigation with this company. The PUP calls on the Belize Chamber of Commerce and the Unions who have all sounded the alarm on lack of transparency, accountability and corruption in government to join in the call for full disclosure of these documents involving the most expensive public facility in Belize whose expenditures to date have not been audited.

--- END---

8 APR

2018

07 7

THE BELIZE TIMES

Why BIL When Others Can Build?

Cristy Mastry

Thursday, April 5, 2018 Prime Minister Dean Barrow created the Belize Infrastructure Limited (BIL) in 2013. BIL is a private company for the government that uses taxpayers’ monies to build public infrastructure facilities, primarily sporting complexes. It does not create any revenue source of its own. Since its inception, BIL has been granted over $60million dollars but has not presented one annual report or audited report on these expenses.

The political response from the UDP government supporters, when asked about BIL, has been “just look around and you can account for BIL expenses.” This type of answer is a slap in the face to all Belizeans, particularly the 42% that live below the poverty line because we all know that bloated contracts and lack of transparency is what helps to keep people impoverished and contractors and the well connected better off.

Lake Independence Boulevard had millions of dollars spent on it by BIL for what was exposed to be a horrific, horrible and disastrous engineering work - all because BIL ignored the advice of the engineering experts to quickly rush a job for the political expediency of the UDP government. They gave the contract to a company that did not go to public tender and to a company which

has had many of its previous city cement street works scrutinized due to them breaking up under a year. Many houses could have been built with the millions that BIL squandered on that boulevard that up to now has to continually have remedial works done to it.

Then there is the famous Civic Centre on which BIL spent $33 million of taxpayers’ monies. This is a glaring symbol of opulence amidst real poverty and crime that exists. What is the sense of having such an expensive sports facility when there are no investments in sustained sports development, programs or institutions to harness the potential of our youth?

Why spend so many millions on the Civic Center when the Marion Jones sporting complex is still unfinished after many millions have been spent on it? Why spend so many millions on 1 sporting facility when the government had known about the crumbling state of affairs of the KHMH and the rising crime? Why spend so many millions on 1 facility when hundreds of houses could have been built that impacted many more Belizeans than this 1 facility will do. The UDP government knew all these things before they signed the contract for the CIVIC. Yet, they did not change plans or direction because the UDP is about party first before country.

To add insult to injury, BIL on March 19th proudly boasts the management contract with APEX (Belize) Services Limited to manage the CIVIC Center. If BIL or the government did any real due diligence they would have uncovered that the principal officer of APEX is embroiled in a legal case with a Belizean on serious accusations on a business deal that went wrong. Where is the due dili-

gence report that BIL claims it did?

Why would BIL and the UDP government get themselves involved with someone who brings at the beginning of the arrangement a questionable transaction? To make matters worse, the General Manager of BIL, Christy Mastry, announced at the launch of the management contract that the Government is guaranteeing to meet the maintenance costs of the CIVIC Center. How can this be that BIL can state this guarantee when BIL is not a revenue earner? How can this be that BIL can state this guarantee when all government guarantees must be passed through the National Assembly and no such guarantee has been approved?

How can this be when the Ministry of Finance is not aware of any such guarantee?

BIL has been the recipient of millions of dollars through government supplementary budgets that came to the House and the Senate long after the expenses were authorized and made. These

are blatant violations of the Finance and Reform Act which BIL and its Board Members are fully aware of.

In this latest budget, government is approving another $3million for BIL for the Marshalleck Stadium and BIL operation costs.

The Marshalleck Stadium in Benque is also with controversy because BIL had already awarded contract for this Stadium and it still has not been completed yet more monies are being given out.

And the monies are being allotted even though there has been no audits of any of the previous works and in spite of the Lake Independence Boulevard mess with no indication of how Government or BIL will fix that mess without costing the Belizean taxpayer more millions.

It is time to revisit the real need and purpose for a BIL. It is time for BIL to be investigated.

It is time for BIL to come clean about the APEX contract, the government guarantee and the millions of unaudited expenses.

Belize can build without BIL and at much lesser costs and with transparency and accountability. It’s time for BIL to go.

NOTICE ADVICE NETWORK LTD. #46,886 (“the Company”) Pursuant to Section 102 (4) of the International Business Companies Act, Chapter 270 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011, notice is hereby given that ADVICE NETWORK LTD. : a) Is in dissolution b) Commenced dissolution on the 27th day of March, 2018; and c) CILTrust International Inc. whose address is 35 Barrack Road, Third Floor, Belize City, Belize is the Liquidator of the Company.

CILTrust International Limited Registered Agent

NOTICE Ardita Limited #142,332 (“the Company”) Pursuant to Section 102 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, Chapter 270 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011, notice is hereby given that Ardita Limited has been dissolved as at 3rd April, 2018 and has been struck off the Register of International Business Companies.

CILTrust International Limited Registered Agent

8 08

On Belize’s National Budget Debate

By: Senator Valerie Woods The national budget debate in Belize has evolved into a disappointing exercise in futility. Over the many decades of a post independent Belize, these debates both in the House and the Senate have become more about grandstanding, showmanship and hurling accusations across the aisle on which side is more corrupt. There is no serious discussion on the actual budget.

There is no debate.

This year’s national budget is uninspiring and provides very little confidence that its targets will be met by reducing expenses and increasing revenues. The Fiscal Strategy Statement by the Government for 2018/2019 described the current fiscal situation as fragile, as the road ahead is fraught with risks. It went on to read that the Government is fully aware that the current debt level is unsustainable despite the recent restructuring it negotiated in March 2017. The statement affirmed that prudent fiscal policy is critical to placing public debt on a downward trajectory. It further warned “it is thus important to hold the line on expenditures to keep the debt under control”. It is in this context that the 2018/2019 country budget was presented.

The new fiscal year commenced a few days ago and already the budget’s expenditures have gone off track. This is due primarily to the final BTL purchase payment that the Prime Minister negotiated.

This payment of $208 million is not included in the total amount of debt but it is confirmed that it will need to be paid in this fiscal year. This payment doesn’t show in the list of expenses because the government termed it as a “below the line” expenditure. This means it is not recurrent expenditure because it is a one-time payment. While this is true, it still forms a part of the overall expenses for the year. Therefore, the budget in effect does not present a true picture of Belize’s expenditures if it will not list this liability that has to be paid.

As has been the practice of governments, the government is forced to bring supplementary budgets to the Parliament for approval

8 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

since it needs to borrow monies to pay its budgeted expenses including salaries, because it spent millions more than it estimated in its budget or because of unforeseen circumstances such as hazards or natural disasters. This only further increases the expenses, which goes directly in the opposite direction of the government’s fiscal strategy. The most egregious example of this has been the Belize Infrastructure Limited which since its inception has grossly exceeded its budgeted estimates by many millions each year.

The content of the budget itself also does not inspire confidence in the numbers. Last year, the government commandeered 10% of revenues from various statutory bodies across the country. That new measure was to yield over $14 million in revenue. However, this was not the case. At the end of the year as the government confirmed, it resulted in a mere $2 million, a shortfall of 86%. Yet, in this new budget, the government boasts it will gain $10 million in revenue from these same authorities without any explanation as to what it will do differently than last year to be assured the target will be met.

Last year, the Ministry of Finance had $60 million in uncollected taxes. In this year’s budget, the same amount is listed as uncollected from 2016/2017. There is no estimate on what amount of this was recovered last year and what amount the government expects to collect this year. Therefore, there is no indication that revenue shortfalls from previous years can or will be recovered.

In many instances, there was no listing of the expected outcomes of several programme areas of expenditure. More outrageous is the realization that a lot of the information appeared to be hastily completed as a cut and paste effort from previous years. This further questions the validity and confidence in the numbers presented in the budget.

For example, under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for 2018/2019, the government lists as an achievement that “by 2016/2017 we will have an embassy in Venezuela.” Two years later, the government is still citing as an achievement an embassy that it never established from two years ago.

Such instances of the questionable content of the Budget were also evident in estimated expenses for various departments. For example, Restore Belize in the Office of the Prime Minister for 2017/2018 had $2,000 in wages; yet in this year’s budget where the government is planning to reduce the staff by 2

2018

NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the below company has been dissolved and struck off the International Business Companies Register with effect from the date indicated: MOLSON MANAGEMENT SERVICES LTD. - April 4, 2018

ICAZA BELIZE TRUST CORPORATION LIMITED

NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the below companies have been dissolved and struck off the International Business Companies Register with effect from the below dates indicated: JAGUAR INTER LTD - March 22nd, 2018 NORBEAN LIMITED - March 23rd, 2018 HICKBEAN OVERSEAS CORP. - March 30th, 2018 RANGSEY INVESTMENTS LIMITED - April 4th, 2018 ALEMAN, CORDERO, GALINDO & LEE TRUST (BELIZE) LIMITED

Registered Agent

NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the below companies have been dissolved and struck off the International Business Companies Register with effect from the date indicated: MONSOON CONSULTANTS INC. - April 4th, 2018 TULLY INVESTMENTS LTD. - April 4th, 2018 Belize Corporate Services Limited Registered Agent

persons, it is listed at $284,000.

There are many examples of these throughout the budget. While it is understood there can be some errors, how can the nation trust the budget when the information that makes it up is flawed? It is reminiscent of the adage “garbage in, garbage out.”

If Belize is to reduce its national debt of 93.8%, it needs to retreat from doing business as usual.

The government’s fiscal strategy statement called for a credible and sustained program of fiscal consolidation combined with structural reforms to boost growth. The debt did not get to these alarming levels overnight so it will not go away in any one fiscal year. It does however require the process to start by each year making fundamental changes in how we spend the people’s mon-

ies and in what we do to stimulate investment and drive growth. It also requires serious conversations with the unions, the private sector and a robust debt management team to help navigate, guide and oversee the process of implementation. It requires following the Fiscal and Audit Reform Act and its regulations.

Governments will need to borrow monies; there is no denying that. Because of this reality, the government must prioritize what it really needs to determine priorities in borrowing and areas for investment to stimulate growth. Tax reform, developing investor confidence and governance reform are the structural reform pillars to a better Belize.

Either we will get serious about this or we will continue to kick the can down the road only to burden future generations of Belize.

8 APR

2018

MANIFESTO FOR CARRIE TOO…

By: Lisa Shoman #ManifestoforLinda On the night of April 1, 2018, Carrie Tripodi was savageIy beaten while she was at home alone, north of San Pedro Town getting ready for bed. It had all the hallmarks of a vicious home invasion. It is every woman’s nightmare. But the horrendous assault was not caused by any stranger. Carrie’s ex-boyfriend Russell Casimiro - after being refused entry - broke into her home by climbing up to the second floor and unto the balcony, gaining entry by the balcony door.

Casimiro repeatedly punched Carrie in the face, causing serious facial injuries to her, and severely damaging one of her eyes. Staff at the nearby Bar heard her screams and rushed over to find her broken and bleeding. She was rushed to the San Pedro Police Station for a medico -legal form, and thereafter to the San Pedro Polyclinic at about 1:25, where she was given very cursory attention and her eye was taped.

At 3 am on April 2, 2018, after obtaining the completed medico-legal form, Carrie filed the necessary police report with PC James Young of the San Pedro Police Department.

Carrie’s compliant to the Police was not only to the harm to her person, but she also insisted that he be arrested for Burglary. She also requested a Restraining Order against Casimiro.

Casimiro was not arrested until 4 pm the following day after persistent and repeated calls from her friends in San Pedro by a visibly reluctant Police force who claimed to have no report or arrest warrant pending for him. Yesterday, on April 3, 2018, Casimiro appeared at the San Pedro Magistrate Court before Magistrate Villanueva where he was permitted to plead guilty to wounding and was fined $1000 to be paid

by July. Casimiro was then released on probation.

Casimiro was not charged for burglary.

It lasted what seemed to be a mere 2 minutes and was over in the blink of an eye. Although Carrie were seated outside the Courtroom the entire time, waiting to give evidence, she was never called on to give evidence and Ms. Tripodi was not permitted to say anything to the Court about the case. This is actually not unusual for a case in which there

09 9

THE BELIZE TIMES

is a guilty plea.

In fact, the Magistrate did not even see Carrie Tripodi until after sentencing had occurred and seemed not to know the true extent of Ms. Tripodi’s injuries.

Apparently Police did not present the Medico-Legal form to the Court, and the Magistrate was not given the opportunity to assess the extent of the damage caused by Casimiro to Carrie’s face and eye. Casimiro was not charged for burglary at all.

Russell Casimiro is reportedly a 4-time offender and previously served 18 months in Hattieville for domestic abuse. His prior conviction or arrests may not have been brought by the attention of the Court by the Police; and if so, why not?

It is difficult to understand how Casimiro was sentenced to probation and a $1000 fine with time to pay in July if as the Criminal Code states “every person who intentionally and unlawfully causes a wound to a person shall be liable to imprisonment for two years”.

Casimiro was not charged for burglary.

On April 4, 2018, at a hearing of the application by Carrie for a restraining order, Casimiro admitted to scaling the wall of Ms. Tripodi’s home and breaking into her house. Casimiro was not charged for burglary even though it was specifically requested of the Police by the victim. It is alleged that Casimiro is a relative of the reporting officer, PC Young, that a brother of Casimiro is a Police officer and that he boasts that his uncle is Minister Anthony Martinez.

Carrie faces a very long and painful road to recovery. After swelling subsides in her eye and the infection clears she will need to see specialists.

She also has a contusion on her cheek making it difficult to eat or talk. She will require many months of treatment to heal. And that does not include the trauma of the vicious beating or the burglary.

The punishment of Russell Casimiro does NOT fit the crime and it sends a message to ALL men that if they have $1,000 they can repeatedly abuse any woman they want and get away.

Although on April 4, 2018, Ms. Tripodi was granted a two-year Restraining Order, Casimiro is a present and frightening threat to her safety. She can no longer feel safe to return to her home and will be obliged to live constantly in fear of her safety.

Tonight, on the Love TV news, there was a report that the home of an Orange Walk Businessman was burgled.

It was not alleged that he was harmed.

But yet Casimiro was not charged with burglary.

I didn’t write the first draft of the Manifesto for Linda only for justice for deceased victims of domestic violence.

I wrote it for justice for all who face Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Human Trafficking, Sexual Harassment and all forms of gender based violence.

I wrote it for Carrie too.

She is taking her own steps to deal with this travesty and she will prevail.

NOTICE For Sale

By Order of the Mortgagee Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Mortgage made the 28th day of June, 2001, between GARY ANDREW GABOUREL of # 8 Vernon Street, Belize (hereinafter called “the Borrower”) of the one part and SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LIMITED (hereinafter called “the Mortgagee”) of the other part, and recorded in Deeds Book Volume 27 at Folio 88, the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the schedule hereto.

All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. SCHEDULE ALL THAT lot, piece or parcel of land situated on the South Bank of the Belize River, being a portion of Lot No. 1804 and shown on the composite Map of the said Lot No. 1804 by G.V. Bautista, Licensed Surveyor, and dated the 8th of October, 1991 whereon it is designated “Louis Gabourel” and bounded as follows: On the North by Lot No. 32, On the East by Lot No. 18, on the South

by Vernon Street and on the West by Lot No. 13, TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon.

DATED this 1st day of March, 2018 MUSA & BALDERAMOS LLP 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorneys-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.

PUP NOTICE THE People’s United Party hereby announces it’s conventions to elect Standard Bearers in the following Constituencies: Corozal South East - April 27, 2018 Corozal North - April 28, 2018 Cayo South - April 29, 2018 Orange Walk North - May 5, 2018 Closing date for application is Friday April 6, 2018 at 4:00 p.m.

For further information please contact the PUP Secretariat at 6779168.

10 SPORTS

THE BELIZE THE BELIZE TIMES TIMES

Belizean-American Justin Williams Wins 2018 Annual Holy Saturday Cross Country Classic Belize City, March 31, 2018 Team Linkup Cycling’s Justin Williams, the Belizean-American who won the 2015 Cross Country, returned to win the 90th “Run for the Roses,” the 2018 annual Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic, which the Cycling Federation of Belize held on the George Price Highway on March 31.

Williams’ time was 5 minutes short of breaking Ryan Bauman’s 2008 record: 5:40:12, on his 140mile ride from Belize City to San Ignacio and back to the finish line at the BTL Park but still one for the history books as the 2nd fastest time ever. He won 5 trophies, the garland of roses from Florasol, and the $5,000 1st prize.

1st Justin Williams - Team Linkup Cycling (USA) - 5:45:58 2nd Patrick Raines – Team Starlight (USA) 5:51:00.

3rd Rudy Rincon-Velasquez – Team Quintana Roo (Mexico) - 5:51:02.

4th Liam Robert Stewart – (unattached Belizean) – 1st Masters Over-45 5th Giovanni Lovell – Team DigiCell 4G (1st Belizean) - 5:51:20.

6th Jose Luis Reyes-Mantilla – Team DYM Tlaxcala (Mexico) 7th Byron Pope – Team Benny’s Megabytes 5:52:07.

8th Oscar Quiros Jr. – Team SMART/C-Ray/ Western Spirit.

9th Joel Adan Borland – Team DigiCell 4G 10th Richard Santiago – Team Bel-Cal 11th Ernest “Peenie” Bradley – Team DigiCell 4G – 1st Under-23 12th Joslyn Chavarria Jr. - DigiCell 4G team.

13th David Flynn – Team Starlight (USA) 14th Carlos Lopez – Team DYM Tlaxcala (Mexico).

15th Brandon Cattouse – Team SMART/C-Ray/ Western Spirit – 5:52:56.

16th Bill Elliston (USA) – riding unattached – Masters Over-45 17th Brandon Morgan - Team DigiCell 4G 18th Angel Tzib – Team Westrac Alliance 19th Thereque Leslie – riding unattached – 2nd Under-23 20th Johnatan Coache-Reyes – Team Quintana Roo (Mexico) 21st Chris Harkey – Team Starlight (USA) 22nd Jose Choto – Team Recinos Imports 23rd Anthony Taylor (riding unattached) 24th Ron Vasquez – Team SMART/C-Ray/Western Spirit.

25th Edgar Nissan Arana – Team Westrac Alliance 26th Kenroy Gladden (riding unattached) 27th Shaun Codd - Team Furnished Apartments – 1st Junior U-18 – 5:56:03 28th Salvador Jimenez-Martinez – Team Quintana Roo (Mexico) 29th Kaydine Pinelo - Team AKL Powerade – 3rd Under-23 – 5:56:17 30th Phillip Leslie - Team SMART – 5:56:28 31st David Henderson Jr. - Team Westrac Alliance.

32nd Fitzgerald Joseph - Team Furnished Apartments – 1st Masters Over-50 33rd Gian Lino – Team Westrac Alliance 34th Tevin Chaplin - Team Marie Sharpe’s Youngest Rider.

35th Anthony Rosado Jr. – Team AKL Powerade – Under 23.

2x Champ Justin Williams

2nd Patrick Raines, USA

21 29 AUG JAN 8 APR

2016 2017 2018

36th Quinton “The Baddest Hamilton (riding unattached) – Masters Over-35 37th Keion Robateau - Team Westrac Alliance – Under-23.

38th Wilhelm Coye – Team Surge/D & A construction - Junior U-18 – 5:56:58 39th Shane Vasquez – Team SMART/C-Ray/Western Spirit.

40th Dwayne Wade (riding unattached).

Special awards: Under-23 riders 1st Ernest Bradley 2nd Thereque Leslie 3rd Kaydine Pinelo Masters Open: 1st Patrick Raines (USA) 2nd Liam Stewart (Belize) 3rd Carlos Lopez (Mexico) Belizean Masters 1st Liam Stewart 2nd Jose Choto 3rd Kenroy Gladden Juniors 1st Shaun Codd Youngest Rider: Tevin Chaplin – Team Marie Sharpe’s.

Of 114 riders who started the race, only 50 finished. Strategy played an important role in Williams’ big win. While he sat in the back of the main peloton conserving his energy, many of the riders who were out front winning the station prizes going to Cayo, were never heard from again on the return leg. They did not even finish the race!

When Williams made his move at Mile 37 and broke away from the main group, no one had the legs to follow as Justin opened up a 20-second lead that grew to 4 minutes or a gap of 2 miles from the nearest chase group, by the time he had reached the Mile 8 community of Westlake. He rode in solo, 5 minutes in front of the 2nd place winner, and he had swept over $8,900 in station prizes along the way. Peter Choto, who won over $2,000 in station prizes on the return leg, did not finish the race.

3rd Rudy Rincon, MEX

4th Liam Stewart 1st Masters

MAY 31 26 JUL FEB 24 NOV 14 19 88 APR AUG JUN

2016 2017 2018

THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES THE BELIZE

11 SPORTS 11

Team Belize Competes at 21st Gold Coast Commonwealth Games

Belize City, April 1, 2018 The National Olympic & Commonwealth Games Committee has announced that 18 Belizean athletes will represent the Jewel in 4 sporting disciplines at the 21st Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia from April 4-15. Head of Mission Giovanni

Alamilla led the first contingent of athletes who flew out from the Philip Goldson International Airport on Sunday, April 1.

Belize is competing in athletics, cycling, table tennis and triathlon.

Athletics: Central American 3x gold

medallist Samantha Dirks – 200m.

Central American 2x gold medallist Brandon Jones - triple jump & 200m.

Central American gold medallist 2017 Katy Sealy- Heptathlon Central American silver medallist - Shaun Gill – 100m.

Coach Denis Costello

Delegate - Jaheed Smith.

Table Tennis (Singles, Doubles & team competition) Devesh Hukmani, Rohit Pagarani Terry Su Coach Gabriel Guererro.

Triathlon Brandon Santos of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye Coach Kent ‘Bob’ Gabourel Cycling (time trial & road race) 2x women’s Cross country champ Alicia Thompson 2018 KREM Elite champ Giovanni Lovell 2017 national road champ Edgar Nissan Arana 2018 Digicell Valentine tour winner Oscar Quiroz Coach Perry Gibson.

1st alternate: Robert Liam Stewart – 4th in 2018 Cross Country Classic 2nd alternate: Joel Borland The BOCG committee selected Alicia Thompson as the flag bearer for Belize at the Games’ opening ceremonies on Wednesday, April 4, 2018.

She was chosen based on her commitment to cycling as an athlete, dedicating 13 years to continuously improve her performance in competition.

Except for Alicia, the cycling team departs P.G.I.A. on Thursday, April 5.

BANDITS & VERDES WIN PLB PLAYOFF BERTHS

8 wins and a draw. With only 2 games remaining to the regular season, the Green Machine is already into the playoffs. The Pirates still have a fighting chance to supersede both the BDF and

tie with the Police if Police United does not win either of their remaining games. They have a mathematical chance of making the playoffs, if both the Pirates and Police lose their last

Belmopan, March 29, 2018 The Belmopan Bandits and Verdes FC of Benque Viejo have both qualified to the Premier League of Belize football playoffs, both with big wins over the holiday weekend.

The Bandits now have 29pts from 9 wins and 2 draws; after they blasted the Freedom Fighters FC of Punta Gorda 4-2 at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium last Thursday night. Myron Cadle struck the visitors’ 1st goal in the 59th minute, but the Bandits’ Honduran import Georgie Welcome equalized 1-1 in the 63rd minute.

Bandits’ Mexican import Hector Hernandez Martinez scored their 2nd goal in the 65th minute and Rene Leslie made it 3-1 in the 66th minute. Elroy Smith scored a 4th goal, his 8th of the tournament in the 77th minute to lead 4-1 until Yusef Vernon scored the Freedom Fighters’ 2nd goal in the 79th minute.

At the MCC Grounds in Belize City on Holy Saturday, the Belize Defence Force got an easy 3-0 win, when the Placencia Assassins FC forfeited their

Police, if they can win their last 2 fixtures on the road against the Freedom Fighters in PG and against Wagiya at the Carl Ramos At the Carl Ramos Stadium on Sunday, Wagiya stunned the Police United FC: 2-0 when Jonard Castillo scored in the 35th minute, and Shanty Castillo made it 2-0 in the 65th minute.

The Police are No.4 in the PLB with 17pts, but Wagiya now has 11pts, and 2 more wins in their next 2 games could see them

2 fixtures.

Upcoming games on Saturday, April 7: Placencia Assassins vs.

Wagiya at Michael Ashcroft Stadium On Sunday April8: Verdes FC vs. Bandits at Norman Broaster Stadium Freedom Fighters vs. San Pedro Pirates at Victor Sanchez field.

Police United vs. BDF at Isidoro Beaton Stadium.

scheduled game. The BDF are now ranked 3rd with 19pts from 6 wins and 1 draw, but could see their playoffs hopes vanish if they do not win their last 2 fixtures against the Police, and when they host the Bandits at the MCC. At the Ambergris Stadium in San Pedro on Sunday, the Verdes FC posted a 1-0 win over the San Pedro Pirates when Brazilian import Alcides “Paco” Thomas scored in the 54th minute. Verdes are now No.2 in the PLB with 25pts from

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THE BELIZE TIMES

8 APR

2018

One Vision…One People BILL OF RIGHTS The People’s United Party wants to share its vision with the Belizean people. It is rooted in a philosophy that goes back to the Father of our Nation the Right Hon. George Price. Mr. Price always believed ours was a work in progress; he led a revolution that is at its core peaceful, always constructive, progressive and uniquely Belizean.

These values remain true today and form a part of our PUP Creed. We are committed to the protection of our territorial sovereignty. We cannot, and will not risk even an inch of our beloved country, from the Rio Hondo to the Sarstoon. And we are committed to an accessible, fair and independent justice system and the rule of law in Belize.

The PUP will always seek to achieve social, economic and environmental justice. It is a commitment to the socio-economic improvement of all Belizeans. Our plan is to rid Belize of poverty. To the PUP, poverty is an ugly scar on our nation’s collective conscience, and no amount of cosmetic surgery can paste over the suffering of close to half of our people, most of them women and children, who live on less than ten dollars per day.

This is not only a task for governments. We all have a stake in this enterprise, but government must LEAD and bold leaders must show that they truly care. For us the task ahead is clear - to build a Belize that works for everyone, so that every Belizean should come to expect five things. This vision, this determination, has created what we call our BELIZEAN BILL OF RIGHTS. FIRST - Every Belizean should have access to a piece of land. With land we immediately create opportunities for upliftment and personal growth.

SECOND - Every Belizean should be able to own a decent home. The 17th Century Jurist and politician Edward Coke in speaking on human rights said: “A man’s home is his castle.” Every Belizean in 2017 should expect such an entitlement whether they live on Bocotora Street or on Seashore Drive.

THIRD - Every Belizean should be given the chance to go to school from pre-school to junior college. We have to make education free from pre-kinder to Junior College. If we will give our young people a chance at success, it must start with a good education.

FOURTH – Accessibility to quality basic health care is critical, which means every Belizean should be enrolled in the National Health Insurance Program. If we can invest 42 million dollars in a basketball stadium, then we should be able to provide basic health services to all.

FIFTH and most important, the driving force behind it all is JOBS - good jobs that can lead to meaningful careers; jobs that will give Belizeans a chance for personal growth and prosperity and provide a hand up for those at the very bottom of the economic ladder.

If we do these things, if we create a fair and just society, if we build on these principles we will then be able to change people’s lives and together we will rid our shores of the scourge that is poverty.

8 APR

2018

THE BELIZE TIMES

13

PUBLIC AUCTION SALE: PROPERTY PUBLIC AUCTION SALE: PROPERTY North Caye, Reef Belize District Northern Caye,Lighthouse Lighthouse Reef Atoll,Atoll, Belize District

ORDER Proprietors, Messrs.

Light House Reef Resort Limited, Licensed

BY BY ORDER of of thethe Proprietors, Messrs.

Light House Reef Resort Limited, Licensed Auctioneer Kevin A. Castillo following property [16.10 acres of land, Auctioneer Kevin A. Castillo willwill sellsell the the following property [16.10 acres of land, North Caye, Lighthouse Reef Atoll, Belize District] at No. 170 Beltex Avenue, Northern Caye, Lighthouse Reef Atoll, Belize District] at No. 170 Beltex Avenue, Belama Phase 1, Belize City onWednesday 25th April 2018 at 1:30 pm: Belama Phase 1, Belize City on Wednesday 25th April 2018 at 1:30 pm:

ALL THAT piece or parcel of land containing 16.10 acres of land situate at North Caye, Lighthouse Reef Atoll, Belize District TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon. (Being Five (5) reinforced concrete bungalow Resort Cabanas [350 sq. ft. dwelling floor area] and [132.50 sq. ft. verandah] + a concrete bungalow Seaside Restaurant & Bar [1,300 sq. ft.] + a two storey concrete Staff Quarters [1,477.51 sq. ft.] and verandah [445.50 sq. ft.] + a concrete bungalow type Generator and Power Supply House [435 sq. ft.] and 16.10 acres of land on North Caye, Lighthouse Reef Atoll, Belize District, the freehold property of Messrs.

Lighthouse Reef Resort Limited) TERMS: STRICTLY CASH KEVIN A. CASTILLO TELEPHONE 223-4488 E-mail: kevinacas@yahoo.com Face Book: Belize Auctions

TERMS: STRICTLY CASH KEVIN A. CASTILLO TELEPHONE: 223 4488 Email: kevinacas@yahoo.com Face Book: Belize Auctions

14

8 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2018

NOTICE

BY ORDER OF CHARGEE NOTICE OF INTENTION TO SELL

Sending a Message

As always, I start out writing one thing and generally something pisses me off and I go off on another tangent. Today I was going to boast about me and how amazingly wonderful I am. I was going to let the world know that I haven’t taken a drink in 33 days and I’m exercising and eating healthy and at peace with myself and my family. It’s a big milestone for me – hell, even I can’t believe it sometimes.

Regrets – yes many. I’ve lost some good friends along the way. I’ve lost a lot of respect. I’ve done a lot of crap, burned a lot of bridges, broken many hearts – okay that last part I just added for fun.

But yeah. I trivialize this thing sometimes in my writing because people get kinda uncomfortable with the raw truth. Alcoholism is unpleasant and dirty. You can’t imagine how many people through the years have told me that they’ll stick by me regardless of my drinking. Except that they probably watched too many movies in which drinking was romanticized as something sweet and cute. It’s not. And they bailed. I get it. It was and is my problem – not theirs.

Okay that’s enough about me. A few days ago I came up on a post on Facebook which described how Russell Casimiro, a tour guide on San Pedro, had broken into the home of his former girlfriend and had beaten her badly. There was a picture of the perpetrator and a picture of the victim. Comments on that post from people on the island gave a clear picture that this man was a repeat offender, known for ‘seducing,’ if I can call it that, foreigners and then beating them up. Anyway, as terrible as that was, it seemed that justice would be swift as it was reported shortly after that San Pedro Police had Casimiro in custody. But then just as swiftly, we hear that Casimiro is free. Apparently his matter was heard not in Court but in the Magistrate’s chambers, he pleaded guilty to wounding and was fined $1000. He has three months to pay that fine because we can’t expect the poor man to be inconvenienced by having to find $1000 spot cash. With that, he was free to go.

I’ve taken a lot of heat for my commentary on the 20,000 Women Strong march, or whatever it’s called. I took

heat when I openly criticized a flash mob on Albert Street which included the wife of the Prime Minister and the US Ambassador at the time dancing all over the place. They claim it raised awareness of the plight of women and children in Belize. I believed then, and still believe, that not one man went home that night or any other night drunk and told his wife or partner that he wouldn’t beat them anymore because he saw Kim et al dancing on Albert Street.

I mean no disrespect to anybody.

But my thinking is that these events are organized to raise the profiles of certain persons, and do little to impact violence against women and children.

Those things are aesthetics, or to borrow one of the Prime Minister’s favourite words – optics. I am sick and tired of seeing the same old circus every time the 16 Days of Activism rolls around – while women are being raped and beaten and killed in their homes and children are being abused and violated in the most despicable and gruesome of ways.

When do we understand that the flash mob didn’t and won’t work?

When do we understand that a march and rally once a year is not enough?

This isn’t about what looks cute and gets likes on Facebook. I couldn’t frigging believe the news that this asshole who beat up a woman in San Pedro walked, just like that. Did the Police fall down on the job? Did the Magistrate fall down on his/her job? Did the system fail the victim? What in hell happened to allow this monster – because all men who beat women are monsters – to be back on the street as if he did nothing wrong?

Instead of dancing or marching in the streets, those with the power to effect change should really get the sense.

We need real funding in the departments and entities which protect women and children. We need more staff, and better trained staff with access to more resources. We need the physical structures which will allow women to find sanctuary from abuse and violence. We need stronger laws and stronger enforcement of laws.

We need more outreach into the homes where abuse is a daily occurrence. We need physical interventions. We need well-resourced Domestic Violence Units in every district with properly trained and equipped officers.

When these things are in place, I’ll lead the damned flash mob on Albert Street in neon purple speedos. Until then, nothing will change in Belize. We’re screwed.

HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED a statutory body formed and registered under the Credit Union Act, Chapter 314 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, and whose registered office is situated at No. 1 Hyde’s Lane, Belize City, Belize District hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Chargee under and by virtue of a Charge registered at the Land Registry between AUDREY JANE SINGH and DAVID SINGH (Jointly) of the one part and HRCU of the other part.

HRCU will at the expiration of three months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the Schedule below.

ALL offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing to Holy Redeemer Credit Union Limited from whom full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained.

SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece or parcel of land comprising 555.55 square yards being Parcel 2155, Block 1 in the Corozal North Registration Section TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon, the freehold property of AUDREY JANE SINGH and DAVID SINGH DATED this 28th day of March 2018 HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED 1 HYDE’S LANE, BELIZE CITY, BELIZE Phone: (501) 224-5644 Fax: (501) 223-0738 Email: foreclosures@hrcubelize.org

BELIZE DISTRICT INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSING NOTICE Notice is hereby given to the general public that the Board will convene on, April 19, 2018 for its Second Quarterly Meeting at the Belize City Hall Conference Room for Belize City and Out District Applications at 11:00am to 2:00pm • • • • • • • • • • •

Vessel License Application Hotel Application Membership Application Night Club Application Publican General Application Beer Application Malt & Cider Application Convenience Store Restaurant Application Publican Special Application Shop License Application

All proprietors of establishments, seeking to obtain a liquor License, are required to bring one of the following form of Identification: Passport, Drivers License, Social Security or Voters ID. In Addition, those who fail to attend these meetings will be required to submit payments of $100.00 to facilitate a special convening of the Board.

8 APR

15

THE BELIZE TIMES

2018

THINKING OUT LOUD BY: KEVIN BERNARD

As I write my column this week, it is to the disheartening news that our electricity bills will soon be going up. Last year those of us who pay more than $100 a month for electricity were told that we would have to pay GST on those bills, and this year the UDP administration is giving us more bad news – higher rates. The news comes one week after we learned that the cost of fuel had gone up again – on everything including Kerosene, which many of the poorest in our country use to cook their meals. We know also that because the Barrow administration has now implemented GST on data, our phone bills have gone up. Every service in the country which is based on data will go up. Our cable bills will go up.

The cost of doing banking will go up. Remember, banking transactions use data. And I am reliably informed that the cost of butane will go up by as much as $10 very soon.

My friends, the cost of everything in this country is going up. When we go to the stores, we pay more for items than we did just a year ago. When we go to the markets, we pay more for fruits and vegetables than we did just a year ago. We pay more for fuel. We pay more for food.

We pay more for goods. We pay more for light and water and cable. We pay more for everything because the government continues to impose taxes on our people. We pay more for vegetables because this government has no love for our farmers. Instead of subsidizing them, Government wants to tax them. Imagine that.

I remember listening to the Prime Minister last year saying on the media that the tax measures imposed to start off fiscal year 2017/2018 were designed to not affect in any way the productive sector or the poor. One of those tax measures was an increase in taxes on fuel. It doesn’t take an economist or a rocket scientist to understand that when the cost of fuel goes up, it immediately affects the productive sector because it raises the cost of producing anything. When the

cost of production goes up, the cost of goods and services goes up. And that immediately affects in the worst possible way those who can barely afford to pay for those goods and services. So what Mr. Barrow said then was nonsense. Belizeans from every walk of life and in every sector or society are being negatively impacted by what has become an oppressive tax regime.

We desperately need a change. We need to understand that the Government is broke and taxing us to generate revenues because of the corruption of the Ministers in Cabinet, and because of the mismanagement of resources. It’s as simple as that.

How is it that we live in a country where every single year we are burdened with more taxes while those in Cabinet become richer and richer? Something is very wrong. We have all seen the UDP Ministers and their cronies become millionaires while we all seem to get poorer and poorer no matter how hard we work. It is time for all that to change.

I am proud to be Mayor of Orange Walk Town, and proud to be the head of a team at the Orange Walk Town Council which has served you to the best of our ability, and continues to work for you every day. I can say with confidence that here in Orange Walk we have set the bar very high when it comes to municipal administration. We manage our affairs with integrity, honesty and accountability. And we work hard.

I have indicated that it is my intention to seek to serve my people in the House of Representatives, and when I see all the injustice and neglect by this Barrow Administration, I am only more motivated to do so. I continue to consult with the people of Orange Walk East who are pushing me to run in that division, but wherever that road leads in the future, I commit to you now that as Mayor I will continue to serve you, our residents, because I believe in this town and I believe in our people. With your support we have been able to achieve so much, and I assure you that the work will continue.

Forging Partnerships. Impacting Lives

NEW FISCAL YEAR. SAME OLD PROBLEMS The first day of the government’s new fiscal year has provided another example that domestic violence remains an issue to be addressed with utmost urgency. It was on the night of April 1, 2018 that a resident of San Pedro, Carrie Tripodi, was severely and brutally beaten in her house in San Pedro Town. The assault and battery was committed by her ex-boyfriend, Russell Casimiro.

As has been reported, Casimiro went to the house but was denied entry and not being satisfied he entered through a balcony door and repeatedly punched Ms. Tripodi in her face, resulting in major injuries to her face and to her eyes. The picture of the damage and severe beating that descended on her went viral on social media.

On April 3rd, in the Magistrate Court in San Pedro, Casimiro pleaded guilty to wounding and was fined $1000 to be paid by July.

This is injustice to not only Ms. Tripodi but to all women in Belize who confront domestic violence and abuse. How can we trust that justice will prevail when after all the brutal beatings and killings of women that have occurred in the past and with increased awareness since the start of the year; after the much touted 20,000 Women Strong march; after the proposal of the Manifesto for Linda by legal counsel Lisa Shoman; after so much outcry on social media and mainstream media that enough is enough and we need to press for progress we can still have such a slap on the wrist for these brutal actions against a woman?

This perpetrator was given a restraining order to stay away from Ms. Tripodi but with such results from the Court, no one should be surprised that she will continue to live in fear on that small island.

Even more disturbing are reports that he is related to a senior minister in Government and that he is a multiple offender. As a dive master and a tour guide, how is it that he is allowed to still have a license given this track record and this most recent offence?

The Manifesto for Linda is a great initiative and one that clearly provides a framework and steps to address this scourge in our society. It should be embraced by all without political lenses and dis-

cussed in combination with the many other ideas that have come about from the awareness of domestic violence. However, the justice system does not need for the manifesto or any other idea to be implemented to have handled this matter differently. This is unacceptable.

A woman is cruelly attacked and has a very long road to recovery both emotionally and physically yet the punishment for the attacker is only $1000, no time in jail and no other real repercussions.

As a dive master/ tour guide he will easily be able to make his payment in the 3 month period he has been granted to do so and continue to live his life without fear or concern. Women are not so lucky.

Domestic violence and abuse against women is a real, ongoing and pressing issue in this country.

We just exited Women’s Month, a very difficult one for women in Belize in 2018 and for our children with all the abuses and crimes. It was also a month where there were campaigns, marches and movements to raise awareness and to implore not just government but all of us to stop being silent and raise our voices against violence.

The United Women’s Group (UWG) condemns the handling of this most recent case of domestic violence. This was not wounding only. This was assault and battery. This was a serious crime that should not have been treated so flippantly.

The government’s new national budget was also equally disappointing in its focus or attempt to address domestic violence. All of the areas in the budget that dealt with this programme area or could have impacted this area were reduced. This too was also a major disrespect to the fight of women for equality and justice.

There is no need for further delay. There are many ideas and proposals that can be the starting point to effect change in legislation and in institutions. The House of Representatives, in a bi-partisan manner, needs to look at this with the objective of making the necessary changes outlined in these proposals that exist. Let’s get serious Belize.

Let’s be the change we want to see. Connect.

Join the movement by contacting belizeuwg@gmail.com or call 677-9168. Your voice matters in helping to create the next Women’s Agenda of the PUP.

16 SPEAKING MY MIND

8 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

By: Omar Silva Could there be anything more terrible than a government ignoring the misery of the people in the country being governed? Oblivious to the lack of opportunities, frustration, hunger and slow death of its people? Should we allow for there to be a historical mockery of our nation? To go as far as to pretend all is well or worse…ignore the nation’s woes?

From 2008 to present, the Belize government has done nothing more than summarize and repeat the reality in which we have been moving - backwards. We must no longer allow the terrible and painful reality to continue being ignored by our leaders in government. As a nation, our people continue to be affected by structural inequality and discrimination.

Which has resulted as a consequence is 50 percent or more of our people on the poverty line with no semblance of hope or opportunities on the horizon.

The United Democratic Party Government is absolutely clueless in its efforts to find a solution to mitigate this alarming problem because the administration has focused on illicit enrichment and facilitation of corrupt practices.

Considering the lack of political imagination and intellectual sobriety to provide a solution, we are portraying our nation as a narrow-minded State which is allowing a great portion of our peoples to live a lesser or lower quality of life with some living far worse than others.

This UDP government of Dean Barrow has practiced crony capitalism and has targeted people who don’t share or believe in a UDP political viewpoint as collateral damage. As a result they have abandoned a greater chunk of our society to their own fate without consideration or compassion. Our people from the rural areas across the country have little or no support from central government. The few rural development projects are very minute and many are forced to venture into the city with the hopes of finding employment, but end up living in worse conditions paying high weekly rent for a single room with very little or no amenities.

Over the last decade families have fallen very short of being able to maintain their loved ones and can hardly afford the high cost of living coupled with the consistent rise in GST and other taxes. It is very evident that the present government is set on killing the working class with more taxes stifling them into extreme poverty. The productive sector is producing and exporting exponentially less each year; the local agricultural produce for domestic consumption is getting scarcer and costing more day by day - produce such as limes

cost $1.00 today at the market. The quality of our local products seem to be inferior each time and they are sometimes more costly than the imported goods. Producers blame the rising cost transportation and delivery because of rising fuel cost at the pumps.

Today, heads of households find it very difficult to care for their families in the areas of feeding, clothing and education added to healthcare and housing because of the lack of employment opportunities, failing economy, low income and frozen minimum wage that seems to be the only thing fixed at rock bottom while everything else is hitting the ceiling.

Government presently has a pantry program that is based on political affiliation and which even many of their own supporters can’t seem to afford because there is a fixed $12.00 that an individual must pay to be entitled to a bag of goods. In other words, the Ministry of Social Development has done absolutely nothing to bridge this ever increasing gap in poverty in our communities across the nation.

This Government has decided to function in denial, denying the truth and reality which will only bring more negative consequences to our nation. To ignore the obvious facts is ridiculous - yet it is worse to realize that the government seems to wilfully hide such truths and realities like sweeping dust under the rug. Their lack of compassion and ignorance is a social crime.

No government should falter on a commitment to serve its people, the nation, or the constitution.

Currently, a large portion of our population is struggling to make ends meet while government is hell-bent on destroying the dignity of our people. We must no longer ignore the people of this nation because they are our best asset and we must not allow their hope to dwindle into the abyss. They are our future and our reality.

We are at a point where it has become necessary to stand up in unison as a driving force for change - the Opposition, the Churches, the Unions, the Private Sector and the people who are feeling the effects of this corrupt clueless government.

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2018

NOTICE For Sale

By Order of the Mortgagee Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Mortgage made the 26th day of May 2009, between EARL LINCOLN ARTHURS JR. # 42 Nurse Findley Crescent, Belize City, Belize District, Belize (hereinafter called “the Borrower”) of the one part and SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LIMITED (hereinafter called “the Mortgagee”) of the other part, and recorded in Deeds Book Volume 12 of 2009 at Folios 1313-1378, the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the schedule hereto.

All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece or parcel of land at 10 Miles on the Belize-Coastal Road being portion of Governor’s Fiat (Grant) No. 18 of 1995 dated 10 May, 1955 which said lot numbered 19 and being more particularly delineated and described on a Plan of Survey made by H.D. Flowers, Licensed Land Surveyor dated 30th October, 1997 and recorded at the Ministry of Natural Resources in Belmopan in Register No. 2 Entry No. 4081 TOGETHER with all buildings and erections and developments standing and being thereon.

DATED this 22nd day of March, 2016.

MUSA & BALDERAMOS LLP 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorneys-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.

NOTICE For Sale

By Order of the Mortgagee Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Assignment and Transfer of mortgage made the 14th day of May 2008, registered in Deeds Book Vol. 18 of 2008 at Folios 255-270, between THE BELIZE BANK LIMITED (“the Assignor”) of the first part, SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LIMITED (“the Assingnee”), of the second part and PETER WILLIAMS of Jacintoville, Toledo District, Belize (hereinafter called “the Mortgagor”) of the third part, which said property was mortgaged by the said PETER WILLIAMS to the said BELIZE BANK LIMITED on the 30th October, 1991 and recorded in Deeds Book Volume 23 of 1991 at Folios 559-588, the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the schedule hereto.

All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being 0.64 acre situate along the San Antonio-Punta Gorda Road, Jacintoville, Toledo District bounded and described as shown by Plan No. 35 of 1991 attached to Minister’s Fiat (Grant) No. 35 of 1991 dated 4th February, 1991, and entered in the Crown Lands Book (Grants) at the General Registry, Belize City, TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon.

DATED this 22nd day of March, 2018.

MUSA & BALDERAMOS LLP 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorneys-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.

18 JAN

8 APR

THE THEBELIZE BELIZETIMES TIMES 2015

2018

Así despidieron el Ejército y familia a José Efraín Ríos Montt Un infarto causó el fallecimiento del ex jefe de Estado y expresidente del Congreso José Efraín Ríos Montt, de 91 años. firmó que la última vez que lo visitó fue el pasado Lunes Unas cien personas participaron en el sepelio del Santo. general Efraín Ríos Montt, en el cementerio La Villa de Guadalupe, zona 14 “Vine a despedirme de él”, fueron las palabras de monseñor, quien estuvo pocos minutos en la casa y luego se retiró.

Mario Bolaños, exministro de Salud en la gestión de Alfonso Portillo y uno de los médicos que prestaba atención al general, explicó que estaba bajo varios tratamientos médicos. “Él murió por senilidad y por un cuadro de problemas que una persona a su edad presenta”, afirmó Bolaños.

Sepelio íntimo El velatorio y entierro del Prensa Libre, Guatemala retirado murió el Domingo de ex jefe de Estado fue rápido. Por 2 de Abril de 2018 Resurrección, a las 6 horas, en su casi 10 horas, los restos de Ríos El polémico militar y político, residencia, en la colonia Tecún Montt fueron velados en forma que gobernó el país por medio Umán, zona 15 de la capital. privada en su residencia, y a las de un golpe de Estado de mar“Falleció en su hogar, con el 15 horas fueron trasladados zo de 1982 a agosto de 1983, amor de su familia, con su conhacia el cementerio La Villa, en la enfrentaba dos juicios, por los ciencia sana, limpia, rodeado de zona 14, donde fueron inhumacasos de Genocidio y Dos Erres. mucho amor, aquejado por las dos.

Su muerte cierra una etapa de la dolencias que sabemos”, indicó Aunque personal de una fuvida política guatemalteca del Rosales. neraria acudió a las 8 horas para siglo XX. Mario Ríos Montt, obispo hacer los preparativos, su enterLuis Rosales, abogado deemérito y hermano del general ramiento fue dirigido por miemfensor, informó que el militar retirado, acudió a la casa y conbros del Ejército de Guatemala en

ONU EXIGE A GUATEMALA, EL SALVADOR Y HONDURAS ELECCIÓN TRANSPARENTE DE FISCALES Un experto independiente de las Naciones Unidas en derechos humanos exigió este martes a Guatemala, El Salvador y Honduras que garanticen una selección transparente de nuevos fiscales generales y que subrayen su compromiso en la lucha contra la corrupción.

La ONU llamó a una elección transparente de fiscales generales, en tres países de Centroamérica; Según la ONU, los nuevos fiscales tendrán el desafío de enfrentarse al crimen transnacional, la impunidad y la corrupción.

Por EFE 3 de Abril de 2018 Los tres países deben nombrar a nuevos fiscales generales a partir del próximo mes, según dijo el relator especial de la ONU, sobre la Independencia de Magistrados y Abogados, Diego García-Sayán, en un comunicado en el que solicitó que se elijan a través de un proceso “transparente y justo”.

En Guatemala, el presidente Jimmy Morales debe designar a un nuevo fiscal general en mayo, mientras que, en Honduras, la Junta de Nominación fue establecida en marzo con el objetivo de preseleccionar a los candidatos y el Gobierno programó la elección final para el último trimestre de 2018.

Asimismo, en El Salvador la Asamblea Legislativa deberá elegir al nuevo

fiscal general entre noviembre de 2018 y enero de 2019.

Los nuevos fiscales “tendrán un papel clave para romper la espiral de violencia en estos países”, afirmó el relator.

Según el experto, los candidatos que sean elegidos “se enfrentarán a grandes desafíos, tales como las organizaciones criminales transnacionales que operan en el área, la corrupción y la impunidad, que impiden la seguridad y el desarrollo en estos países”.

García-Sayán también sostuvo que los procesos de selección deben ser inclusivos y “seguir criterios estrictos, claros y objetivos para evaluar la integridad, idoneidad y competencias de los candidatos” que deben tener “un claro compromiso con el fortalecimiento del estado de derecho”.

El experto defendió que “mujeres y pueblos indígenas” deben poder participar en el proceso de selección y que “medios de comunicación y vigilantes independientes deben poder desempeñar una función de supervisión sin temor a represalias”.

ESPAÑOL

17

el cementerio.

Las personas que llegaron a dar el pésame a la familia debían identificarse con el personal de seguridad para poder ingresar en la residencia.

Los vecinos se mostraron sorprendidos por el movimiento de personas y agentes de la Policía Nacional Civil en la residencia de la familia Ríos Montt. Algunos se acercaron para solidarizarse.

A las honras fúnebres acudieron hijos, nietos y otros familiares del general retirado, así como amigos, políticos y exfuncionarios que hicieron gobierno con el Frente Republicano Guatemalteco (FRG) durante el período 2000-2004.

Honras militares Con la consigna “¡Que viva el general Ríos Montt!” y con aplausos se llevaron a cabo las honras en el cementerio La Villa, zona 14, a donde asistieron varias personas que lo recordaron “como una gran persona, un estadista, un religioso que dio mucho para Guatemala”.

Entre los asistentes se encontraban el exvicepresidente Juan Francisco Reyes López, el exministro de Agricultura y candidato a la Vicepresidencia por el FRG Edín Barrientos, así como otros exfuncionarios.

Pic Biline (2) Elementos del Ejército de Guatemala rindieron honores al general retirado, José Efraín Ríos Montt.

El coronel Óscar Giovani Pérez Figueroa, vocero del Ejército, dijo que se le rendieron honras fúnebres a Ríos Montt, por ser general del Ejército y Jefe de Estado de acuerdo con el Reglamento para el servicio Militar en Tiempos de Paz, previa autorización del presidente Jimmy Morales.

Las honras fúnebres militares fueron presididas por el jefe del Estado Mayor de la Defensa Nacional, el general Julio César Paz Bone acompañado de un grupo del Comando de la Región Central y cadetes de la Policía Nacional Civil.

“El cementerio está ubicado en un área residencial y por quebrantos de salud de la viuda, solo se dispararon balas de salva”, dijo el vocero.

Huella política Ríos Montt siguió una línea de mando militar anticomunista en la década de 1980. Antes de ser jefe de Estado, participó como candidato a la Presidencia, en 1974. Aunque ganó las elecciones, no asumió, por un supuesto fraude, del cual nunca se presentaron pruebas. En esas elecciones se dio como ganador a Kjell Eugenio Laugerud García.

El general fue nombrado agregado militar en España, supuestamente para alejarlo de la escena política, y luego regresó como dirigente de la iglesia evangélica.

EN

18

ESPAÑOL

THE THEBELIZE BELIZETIMES TIMES

MIPYMES AGRÍCOLAS DE SIETE PAÍSES DE LATINOAMÉRICA, INCLUYENDO GUATEMALA, PODRÁN ACCEDER A FINANCIAMIENTO DEL BID

BID Invest, la institución del sector privado del Grupo BID, firmó un préstamo A de US$45 millones y hasta siete años de plazo, con la Latin American Agribusiness Development Corporation (LAAD), un intermediario financiero que financia a pequeños y medianos proyectos agroindustriales del sector privado en América Latina y el Caribe.

Prensa Libre, Guatemala: 3 de Abril de 2018

El préstamo de BID Invest, que amplía las fuentes de financiamiento de LAAD, se destinará a siete países de la región incluyendo Guatemala, Perú, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, República Dominicana y Nicaragua.

La operación permite a BID Invest impactar de forma positiva a un gran número de micro, pequeñas y medianas empresas (MIPYME), gracias al conocimiento del sector de agronegocios en la región que tiene LAAD. La financiación permite a esta institución ampliar su cartera de préstamos a mediano y largo plazo.

El objetivo para LAAD es continuar financiando proyectos que, con un enfoque de sostenibilidad, participan en todas las etapas de producción, almacenamiento, tecnología y comercialización.

La mayoría de los préstamos de LAAD están dirigidos a desarrollar

Mipymes guatemaltecas podrán acceder a apoyo por medio de préstamo entre BID Invest y LAAD. cultivos permanentes, maquinaria agrícola y equipo para infraestructura agropecuaria asociada.

La intervención de BID Invest incorpora también una evaluación y mejora del sistema de gestión ambiental y social de LAAD. Además, el acceso al crédito de

estas empresas agrícolas permite desarrollos regionales como el aumento de la producción de alimentos de manera sostenible, la creación de empleo en el medio rural y el crecimiento y diversificación de los ingresos de exportaciones.

TRUMP EVALÚA USAR LA FUERZA EN LA FRONTERA CON MÉXICO EN VIACRUCIS DEL MIGRANTE Y AMENAZA A HONDURAS El presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, dijo este martes que evalúa desplegar el ejército en la frontera con México, algo que describió como un “gran paso”, en momentos en que una caravana de migrantes centroamericanos avanza a través de México.

Por AFP / Washington 3 de Abril de 2018 “Vamos a proteger nuestra frontera con nuestro ejército”, dijo Trump durante una reunión con los líderes de los Estados bálticos, al tiempo que cuestionó a su predecesor Barack Obama, quien “hizo cambios que básicamente llevaron a la ausencia de fronteras”.

“Hasta que podamos tener un muro y seguridad adecuada, vamos a estar vigilando nuestra frontera con nuestras Fuerzas Armadas. Ése es un gran paso”, dijo Trump a los periodistas durante un almuerzo con los líderes de los Estados bálticos en la Casa Blanca.

Trump no dio más detalles sobre ese plan, y no está claro qué cuerpo de las Fuerzas Armadas se encargaría de proteger la frontera sur, que actualmente está vigilada por agentes migratorios entrenados específicamente para ello.

Tanto los expresidentes George W. Bush (2001-2009) como Barack Obama (2009-2017) recurrieron a soldados de la Guardia Nacional, un cuerpo de reserva de las Fuerzas Armadas, para vigilar la frontera en distintas operaciones puntuales, pero esa medida recibió

entonces críticas por su elevado coste.

El secretario de Defensa de EE.UU., James Mattis, estaba presente en la reunión de la Casa Blanca cuando Trump habló de sus intenciones de militarizar la frontera.

Trump quiere, por otra parte, que el Pentágono ayude a financiar la construcción del muro fronterizo con México, y la semana pasada habló con Mattis sobre ese tema, según el Departamento de Defensa.

El presidente parece descontento con los fondos que logró para su proyecto estrella en el presupuesto federal, que incluye únicamente US$1 mil 600 millones para la construcción de una barrera fronteriza, pero con condiciones muy restrictivas y lejos de sumar los US$25 mil millones que había pedido al Congreso.

Inmigrantes centroamericanos participan en la caravana llamada “Via Crucis del Migrante” en dirección a Estados Unidos hacen cola en un campo deportivo en Matias Romero, estado de Oaxaca, México.

Para beneficiarse de los extensos fondos del Pentágono, sin embargo, sería necesario “reprogramar” la financiación concedida al Departa-

mento de Defensa para el año fiscal del 2018, y eso requiere una acción del Congreso, donde es difícil que Trump obtenga los 60 votos que hacen falta para ello.

“Dilúyanse”, pide gobierno mexicano a “Viacrucis migrante” “Dilúyanse, háganse cada vez menos”, fue el reclamo de autoridades migratorias mexicanas a activistas que acompañan al “Viacrucis Migrante”, la caravana de más de mil centroamericanos que recorre México hacia Estados Unidos y que pareciera ser la pesadilla del presidente Donald Trump.

La caravana, en la que viajan familias completas, hasta con una veintena de integrantes incluidos abuelos, está detenida desde el fin de semana en Matías Romero, en el sureño estado de Oaxaca.

Ahí se ha instalado un diálogo entre los activistas que acompañan a los migrantes y las autoridades del Instituto Nacional de Migración (INM).

“Hoy tuvimos un encuentro con la delegación del INM y ofreció ciertos beneficios, como visas humanitarias o permisos de libre tránsito”, dice vía telefónica un miembro de la Coordinación de

88APR APR

2018 2018 ¿Qué es el BID Invest?

BID Invest, es la institución del sector privado del Grupo Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID). Es un banco multilateral de desarrollo comprometido con el sector privado de América Latina y el Caribe.

BID Invest financia empresas y proyectos sostenibles para que alcancen resultados financieros y maximicen el desarrollo económico, social y medio ambiental en la región.

Con un portafolio de US$11 mil 600 millones en activos bajo administración y 330 clientes en 21 países, BID Invest provee soluciones financieras innovadoras y servicios de asesoría que responden a las demandas de sus clientes en una variedad de sectores.

A partir de noviembre 2017, BID Invest es el nombre comercial de la Corporación Interamericana de Inversiones.

Latin American Agribusiness Development Corporation (LAAD) es una empresa de inversión y desarrollo privada.

LAAD financia y desarrolla proyectos privados de agronegocios en América Latina y el Caribe que incluyen todas las fases de producción, procesamiento, almacenamiento, servicios, tecnología y comercialización en los campos de la agricultura, la ganadería, la silvicultura y la pesca.

Pueblos sin Fronteras.

Pero habla bajo condición de anonimato porque, denuncia, desde que las imágenes de los migrantes, algunos andrajosos y caminando con sus pocas pertenencias a cuestas, fueron difundidas en medios estadounidenses han recibido amenazas.

“Nos llaman a nuestros celulares, nos mandan mensajes amenazantes, de muerte incluso.

Es el sector racista de Estados Unidos”, relata el activista.

Le advierte a Honduras Trump dijo este martes que la ayuda de su país a Honduras está “en juego” si los cientos de migrantes centroamericanos que avanzan a través de México hacia Estados Unidos no detienen su marcha.

Por tercer día consecutivo, el mandatario arremetió en Twitter contra el Viacrucis Migrante 2018, un grupo de más de mil centroamericanos, la gran mayoría hondureños, que huyen de la violencia y la pobreza en sus países.

Muchos esperan poder solicitar asilo en Estados Unidos.

“La gran Caravana de Personas de Honduras, que ahora cruza México y se dirige a nuestra frontera de ‘Leyes débiles’, mejor que se detenga antes de llegar allí.

La gallina de los huevos de oro del TLCAN está en juego, al igual que la ayuda extranjera a Honduras y los países que permiten que esto suceda. ¡El Congreso DEBE ACTUAR AHORA!”, tuiteó el presidente.

8 APR

2018

THE BELIZE TIMES

BELIZE NEEDS TO RECYCLE MORE WASTES “The rewards we receive in life is determined by the problems we solve, not the problems we cause” –Augustine Og Mandino– Producing more food to feed a growing population while reducing waste generation is one of the major challenges we face today. Innovation is good for our society as a whole.

Raising the productivity of the energy and resources we use renews our economy, sustains our ecosystems and nourishes our communities.

Belizeans are suffering the high cost of living. Poverty and unemployment are higher than we ever expected. Prices for basic goods continue to go up, but minimum wages are stagnant at 3.30BZ$.

Thousands of young Belizeans who graduate from schools and other institutions and professions cannot get a job. One alternative for Government is to invest in some recycling plants at very low cost. It will be very positive for the environment because less waste will be sent to the Regional Sanitary Landfill and will help to create much needed jobs for Belizeans. Just take a look of our domestic garbage to realize that approximately 75% of it is recyclable. The other components like organics are also reusable for biogas production or other uses.

Such effective systems are extensively used in Europe and North America. The proportion of waste recycled in those countries is higher compared to Belize. Belize is dodging real recycling by storing wastes at Regional Sanitary Landfills or allowing extended practices of incineration countrywide.

We are burning recoverable resources. That mistake then leads to wasted fossil fuels, raw materials, tax dollars, human energy and time.

The decision to phase out Styrofoam by April 22nd, 2019 is a good step, but we need more environmental compliance. This move has been welcomed by residents because Belizean shores are at risk from the enormous floating plastics in the Caribbean Sea, plus discarded plastic harms marine life and cleaning it up causes a burden.

Belize lacks a cohesive na-

tional recycling policy, so that even though private companies undertake most of the business and private citizens burn wastes in their yards a better domestic recycling system should be a part of Government strategy for the next years. The materials we currently store at the Regional Sanitary Landfill represent a huge drain of valuable resources going out, that could be used in the Belize economy to make new products and reduce our imports of raw materials. If we have aspirations to be less dependent on imports, then we need to be more self-sufficient and recycle more.

Burning garbage releases highly carcinogenic toxic Persistent Organic Pollutants gases like dioxins and furans and particles into the air. Incinerating garbage doesn’t cut down

on the production of waste in the first place. Uncontrolled incineration of garbage allows people to continue to take raw materials from our planet and

19 once thrown out just burn it. Incineration is basically resource destruction. This is horribly misleading, it’s a SHAME! Government actually must lead Belizeans in recycling!

The Government of Belize must invest more funds in futuristic waste collection techniques and promote these environmentally friendly practices. We need a more coherent National Strategy regarding wastes management and disposal. In fact we need a system which collects all recyclable materials rather than cherry-picking the easiest and cheapest. A primary solution could be to build additional infrastructure around current Transfer Stations, so that it can stop sending recyclable wastes to the Regional Sanitary Landfill. The current situation is that they just pick the easy stuff: metals, cans, bottles and paper and landfill the rest.

Each municipality should have control over the waste stream and provide every citizen with a good infrastructure, efficient logistic systems, strong legislation and best possible opportunity for source separation. Recycling and reuse is not limited. We have solutions for almost everything but if we burn it there won’t be further development or creation of new smart solutions.

Incineration does not promote development. On the contrary it is a great obstacle for a greener, smarter and more environmental friendly future.

Waste recycling is a big vision. It means not wasting anything. It means a technological, economic, and cultural system built for convenient, effective reuse and recycling of anything we can no longer use.

You can reach your own conclusions.

God bless Belize.

Dr. Pedro Villegas.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

8 APR

2018

REAL Good Governance Reform!

Changing the Status Quo For the People’s United Party to restore the people’s confidence in any government after three terms of an abusive, corrupt and incompetent UDP, it must be serious about good governance reform. The Barrow administration has been the worst in history, allowing no REAL oversight and giving UDP Ministers powers which led to gross irregularities and abuses of process and people. The new People’s United Party government will do things differently. We will give power back to the people of the country who will elect us to represent them.

We WILL: PUT POLITICS AND MINISTERIAL POWER IN THEIR PROPER PLACES: We will immediately strengthen the Integrity Commission, providing the necessary funds for its Secretariat to fulfil its important legal, auditing and investigative roles free from any undue political influence.

Monitor the conduct and performance of Government Ministers and all elected officials in public life to ensure their “honourable” exercise of duties and responsibilities, and to prevent any behavior that can bring disrepute and shame to our nation, to our government and/or to our Party. Such embarrassing behavior will lead to their immediate expulsion from the Cabinet.

If a Minister is found breaking the law he/she will be subjected to the legal process and will face the consequences like any other person, including jail time. The rule of law means nothing if the laws do not apply equally to all.

We will limit the subjective authority of Ministers by removing the discretionary powers and reducing the need for letters from Ministers for everything. Presently, letters from Ministers are needed for recruitment to the Police and the Belize Defense Force, a hitherto unheard of thing. Public officers will be made to do their job, without fear or favour, and punishment will be swift for incompetence and/or corruption.

WE WILL: STRENGTHEN CHECKS AND BALANCES: We will reconstitute the Public Accounts Committee for the effective participation of the Social Partners in the Senate so as to ensure its proper role in overseeing the sound and prudent management of public revenues and expenditures approved in the Budget.

We will strengthen the capacities, allocate the appropriate resources and ensure the autonomy of the offices of the Auditor General, the Contractor General, the Ombudsman, and the Integrity Commission to better fulfil their technical mandates and provide the appropriate support to the oversight responsibilities of the Public Accounts Committee and other oversight committees.

WE WILL ENABLE: An EMPOWERED LEGISLATURE: The PUP will improve legislative governance by providing greater oversight by the National Assembly with respect to the work of the House Committees. We WILL establish Standing Senate Committees that will have the authority to conduct inquiries into any and all matters with a view to advancing the cause of nation-building.

WE WILL RESTORE: EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT PUBLIC SERVICE: We will take immediate steps to restore the autonomy of the Public Service (establish clear boundaries between the political directorate and the public service) and Public Service Commission to re-establish integrity and impartiality in the recruiting, training, evaluating and disciplining processes, and

We will introduce the necessary legislation with appropriate measures to protect whistle blowers and witnesses involved in corruption cases and to increase the penalties for acts of corruption and public authority abuses.

The PUP will revert to having Permanent Secretaries (Senior Career Public Officers) as the accounting officers of the specific Ministry/ Ministries.

WE WILL CREATE A: SEPARATION OF POWERS: All Judges and Magistrates of the Court will be employed with security of tenure. The PUP will establish sound systems and good practices for recruitment of all officers of the Court and will hold them responsible for the efficient administration of justice and to ensure the separation of powers of the state as clearly stipulated in the Constitution: Cease and desist from the public badgering and coercing of the judiciary by the Prime Minister and the Cabinet The Director of Public Prosecution will also be given security of tenure and the Department of Public Prosecution will be given the necessary resources to ensure that it complements the work of the Police to increase the rate of successful prosecution, particularly in murder cases WE WILL DELIVER: ELECTION REFORM: Within the first year of office we will present legislation to regulate campaign spending. We will also propose and enact legislation to limit campaigning up to the day before elections.

On Election Day all campaigning, paraphernalia, advertising etc. will not be allowed as it is done in other Caribbean countries.

We will insist, by any means necessary, that the UDP Government comply with the rule of law and conduct nationwide re-registration in 2017. The recent findings of 700 pages of unadulterated corruption in the Immigration Department lay bare for all to see the untold numbers of foreigners who received Belizean nationality by fraudulent means with the consequence being that these new fraudsters can and do vote in municipal and general elections, deciding for Belizeans who should be their government.

Implement a fixed date for general elections similar to that of municipal elections Implement a transparent redistricting exercise, free from any appearance of political manipulation, with the goal being a fair representation of the public Introduce campaign financing legislation Introduce an independent Elections & Boundaries Commission that shall be free from political interference with a Chairman who is appointed in a similar fashion as the DPP and Auditor-General, so he or she can be autonomous and free from the perception of governmental control.

I, John Briceño, as head of the next Government along with my Cabinet and together with the National Legislature, pledge to lead this transformation, motivated by the will of the people. In this noble path, we are guided by the philosophy of our Founding Father, the Right Hon. George Price, whose dynamic concept of a Peaceful, Constructive Revolution empowers us to confidently chart this way forward to a better future for all Belizeans.

8 APR

2018

THE BELIZE TIMES

21

THE REAL TAX-SUCKAS FUEL GAWN UP BUTANE GAWN UP PHONE/DATA GAWN UP ELECTRICITY GWEIN UP

TIME FUH DIH UDP GOH! #callelectionsnow

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8 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2018

BELIZE TIMES WEEKLY

SCIENCE & TECH R

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Scammers abused Facebook phone number search

Facebook was warned by security researchers that attackers could abuse its phone number and email search facility to harvest people’s data.

5 April 2018 On Wednesday, the firm said “malicious actors” had been harvesting profiles for years by abusing the search tool.

It said anybody that had not changed their privacy settings after adding their phone number should assume their information had been harvested.

One security expert told the BBC the attack had been possible “for years”.

How did the attack work?

Until Wednesday, Facebook let people search for their friends’ profiles by typing in a phone number or email address.

But it said scammers had abused the facility and used it to link phone numbers and emails to people’s names and profile information.

An attacker could type in any phone number - even one they had made up by guessing - and link it to a person’s profile. Often this would reveal their name, location and other profile information.

By linking a phone number to personal details, a scammer could telephone the victim and address them by name. They could pretend to be from a bank or other organisation.

“This is known as enumeration, going through all the iterations of a number,” said security researcher Ken Munro from Pen Test Partners.

“If you wanted to scam somebody, you had a route to find their details and know their name - a fantastic set-up for a scam.”

Facebook said it had put measures in place to limit how often people could search. But the measures were “not able to prevent malicious actors who

cycled through hundreds of thousands of different IP addresses,” Mark Zuckerberg explained.

An IP address can be used to identify an individual computer using the internet, but the attackers changed theirs frequently to avoid detection.

Was the issue reported?

Facebook has previously encouraged people to add their phone number to their account. It said doing so would make it easier to connect with friends, or improve account security.

By default, anybody could then find the Facebook profile by typing the phone number in the search box.

Facebook said the facility had been “useful” for finding friends, especially in countries where many peo-

ple have the same name. It said phone number searches made up “7% of all searches” in Bangladesh.

However, while members could choose not to display their phone number on their profile, it was not possible to completely opt out of the search facility.

Security researchers have previously written about how the feature could be abused by scammers.

In August 2015, Facebook told one security researcher that it did not consider the issue a security vulnerability.

News site Wired has also spoken to another developer that raised the issue with Facebook.

Why has Facebook acted now?

Facebook has faced scrutiny after it was revealed that the data of millions of

people was improperly shared with the political consultancy Cambridge Analytica.

On Thursday, Matt Hancock, the secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport said Facebook had put “the data of over a million of our citizens at risk”.

Facebook said an audit had revealed that scammers had managed to act with “scale and sophistication” to overcome its technical measures.

It said “most people on Facebook could have had their public profile scraped in this way”.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Zuckerberg said: “It is reasonable to expect that if you had that [default] setting turned on, that in the last several years someone has probably accessed your public information in this way.

“Given that and what we know today, it just makes sense to shut that down.”

The company has now disabled the ability to search by phone number.

8 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2018

LOUISE PIETREWICZ: REMAINS FOUND IN BASEMENT 50 YEARS ON New York City, April 5, 2018 Authorities in New York state have identified the skeletal remains of a woman who vanished from her Long Island farming community over 50 years ago.

In October 1966 Louise Pietrewicz, 38 at the time, closed her bank account and left town with her then-boyfriend, police officer William P Boken.

Pietrewicz’s bones were found two weeks ago buried under a Long Island home that Boken, who died in 1982, owned.

A newspaper’s expose and documentary spurred renewed interest in her case.

The missing person’s case was reopened last October after the Suffolk Times published an in-depth report and a documentary about Pietrewicz’s disappearance.

On Wednesday, a medical examiner identified her remains, after taking DNA swabs from her relatives, local media report.

Pietrewicz’s daughter, Sandy Blampied, can still recall the last memory she has of her mother - dropping her off at the local school bus - when she was 12 years old.

“She would never have just left me,” Ms Blampied told the Suffolk Times. ” If she was alive somewhere she would have called and told me so we could be together.”

But she never called, and no arrest was ever made.

The day before Pietrewicz vanished she withdrew $1,273.80 from her personal bank account and closed

it, reports the Suffolk Times.

The day after she was last seen Boken resigned from his job as a police officer. He had called in sick for the previous three days.

Pietrewicz was trapped in an abusive marriage at the time she vanished.

According to the newspaper, Boken’s former wife recently tipped police off that there was a body buried in the basement of his old colonial-era home in the town of Southold.

Using ground-penetrating radar, Suffolk County detectives found a skeleton buried 7ft (2.1m) in the dirt floor basement under a 5in (12cm) concrete slab.

“Sometimes later in life witnesses do come forward to give us information that maybe at one

National Office: Placencia Village, Stann Creek District, Belize, Central America Phone: 501-523-3377, Fax 501-523-3395, www.SEAbelize.org,

info@seabelize.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Honduran fishers caught in Marine Protected Area April 3, 2018 A joint patrol with SEA Rangers and the Belize Coast Guard, conducted within the Spawning Aggregations Zone at the Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve (GSSCMR), on the night of April 2, 2018 resulted in the arrest of three Honduran fishermen and seizure of their vessel and product.

A search of their vessel revealed the discovery of several fin fish species and large storage containers. All three fishermen, namely; Mario Ricardo Banega, Jesus Alvarez and Jolbin Roberto Cabrera Flores will be charged with “Engaged in fishing without a Special License in the Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve”; “Engaged in commercial fishing whilst not being the holder of valid fisherman’s license” and “Use of vessel for commercial fishing without a valid boat license”. SEA hopes that immigration charges will also be levied on the fishers.

SEA continues to be concerned about the illegal fishing activities within southern Belize and will continue to conduct strategic patrols to ensure the protection of Belize’s marine resources.

SEA also takes this opportunity to extend a thank you to the Fisheries Department and the Belize Coast Guard for their continued support and assistance in conducting joint patrols.

-End of Release-

23 point they felt compelled not to release, felt threatened… or just out of their conscience come forward,” said Suffolk City chief of detectives Gerard Gigante at a news conference.

It is unclear if a medical examiner will be able to determine Pietrewicz’s cause of death.

But Ms Blampied said she believes Boken murdered her.

“I think he killed her on the last day I saw her,” Ms Blampied told the Times Herald-Record.

“I gave her a hug and a kiss before I left for school, and I bet that was the day he killed her.”

NEEDED:

Cashier at Café Belmopan. For more information visit the office located in the bus terminal, Belmopan City.

Lost Boat Registration Certificate: Notice is hereby given that Roger Britton , of Tres Cocos, San Pedro Town, Belize District, owner of a fiberglass skiff namely “Yu Neva Don” bearing registration number BZ-1669 is declaring the lost of his boat registration certificate.

VACANCY: General Manager Couple needed: Offshore island needs a couple to manage Island resort in Belize.

Responsibilities include: staff training, human resources management, food and beverage management, boat handling training, dive shop management, front desk and reservation management and customers service management. Couple must be able to multitask and operate resort to internationally accepted standards.

Proven track record is a must, clean police record, possession of a Bachelor’s degree or higher for both candidates.

Interested couples may send queries to Whatsapp + (501) 6042219 stating interest and a contact email.

Applicants must be Belizean couple or be able to secure work permits to work in Belize.

Post needs to be filled immediately.

LIQUOR LICENSE NOTICES

CONTACT: Arreini Palacio Morgan Executive Director Southern Environmental Association Placencia Village, Stann Creek District Tel: 501-670-2924 Email : apmorgan@seabelize.org

Deidra Mahler Education & Science Manager Southern Environmental Association Placencia Village, Stann Creek District Tel: 501-523-3377 Email: science@seabelize.org

Notice is hereby given that Earl Francis Gentle is applying for a Publican Special Liquor License to be operated at “Tapir Night Club” located at 3.5 Miles George Price Highway, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

18 APR

2018