Belize Times January 3, 2021- SSB Contribution Increase- Postponed

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3 JAN

THE BELIZE TIMES

2021

Words of Appreciation: Speaker Hon. Valerie Woods PRESS RELEASE

PR#63

Sugar Industry Control Board Holds Special Meeting to Revise Crop Production Estimates I am very humbled by the outpouring of support and congratulatory messages I have received over the past 2 weeks on being elected as the Speaker of the House of Representatives. It is an honor to serve country.

Being the 4th woman among the history of 12 speakers is not lost on me. The recognition of having more women in leadership is critical and

Belmopan. December 28, 2020. 10:20 a.m.

much appreciated. Every journey begins with its first few steps and I thank all members of the House for their support.

The Speaker of the House is the “referee” in the House debates, a person who must be fair, balanced and impartial in overseeing the discourse in the House. There are standing orders and rules which guide this chair. I embrace the challenge and look forward to contributing to the further development of this parliamentary institution and doing my part in fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of many Belizeans.

A sincere thank you for the support and encouragement. Have a safe and enjoyable Christmas break, staying home and following the health protocols. #staysafe #501strong

ANDRE’S CHRISTMAS LIST

The Sugar Industry Control Board (SICB) held a special meeting on Sunday, December 27, to discuss and review the production estimates for crop 2020-21 that had been previously presented by the Sugar Cane Production Committee.

The meeting was held due to concerns that more than 2,700 cane farmers, which is approximately 50% of existing cane farmers, would be negatively impacted by the previous production estimates, resulting in significant losses in tonnage of cane delivered to the factory. Cane farmers had raised concerns about this issue and had indicated they were not willing to start the crop season with the estimates as previously presented, and would hold protests to make their concerns heard. As a result, the meeting was called as a fulfillment of the Government of Belize’s promise to listen and work closely with farmers to ensure the productive sector is assisted as much as possible.

The meeting was attended by six of the 11 directors of the SICB, constituting a quorum for the meeting, though it is noted that neither ASR-BSI nor the Progressive Sugar Cane Producers Association or the Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Association sent representation to the meeting.

The motion to discuss and review the production estimates was tabled and passed, and as a result, the chairman of the Sugar Industry Control Board, Mr. Marcos Osorio, has instructed the manager of the Sugar Cane Production Committee to implement the adjustments agreed on during the meeting. The adjustments to the production estimates approved at the meeting ensure that cane farmers will not be impacted as negatively as before with the same losses in tonnage of cane delivered to the factory. The SICB chairman has also mandated that the date for the beginning of the grinding season be gazetted, as per the Sugar Cane Act. All stakeholders will now receive production estimates and implement adjustments. It is hoped the sugar cane crop has a smooth start for the 2020-2021 season.

Ends

In just six short weeks, we have managed to accomplish so much! We are thankful that our team of committed islanders are working diligently in the back ground ensuring that we are keeping the best interest of our communities to the forefront of our plans.

1. Concrete plans are underway for a health centre and school for Caye Caulker.

2. Plans are on their way to begin the ambitious paving of 4 miles of roads for San Pedro.

3. A much needed golf cart and pickup truck has been secured for the polyclinic.

4. The filling and reopening of the San Pedro Flu Clinic 5. Real plans for San Pedro’s Hospital are under way!

6. 200 NEW JOBS will be brought to San Pedro in January 2021.

7. San Pedro and Caye Caulker’s Grocery Bag program has begun. Families have begun receiving their grocery bags.

This New Year will bring so many opportunities to our islands and we will work hard to ensure que todos ganemos.

In the meantime, let us hunker down and support each other. Practice social distancing, adhere to curfews, wear masks and enjoy quality time with our immediate family.

Remember that better days are ahead and we will overcome. On behalf of my family, may you have a blessed Merry Christmas!

The Belize Times

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14 APR 2013

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3 JAN

2021

THE BELIZE TIMES

03 3

EDITORIAL

T

He Gets It!

he Zafra is off to a shaky start. Quick response and the political will to work closely with farmers has averted the crisis that threatened to stop the cane crop before it had begun. While most people were at home enjoying the long holiday, the Minister of Agriculture and his technical team were on the ground and hard at work figuring a way out of the shambles created by the Sugar Industries Control Board and the Sugar Cane Production Committee. It seems that a few months ago under those who will not be named…these boards prepared production estimates or quotas for this year’s crop. Unfortunately, that formula castigates those who did not fill their production quota the year before. The shortfall is then redistributed among farmers, benefitting those that fulfilled their commitment the previous year and who are generally the giants in the industry. Would it surprise anybody to know that one of the biggest cane farmers in the country is actually BSI/ASR? Many Belizeans do not realize that in fact they not only own the factory which process the sugar cane, they are also farmers. Farmers who compete with Belizeans for delivery quotas, some would say, with an unfair advantage.

The last few years have been tough on farmers. Sugar cane production has been impacted negatively, and severely by drought and floods over the last few years. The farmers who have not been able to deliver their quotas have been those most severely impacted by climate change. These changes in their quotas would mean that they would not have been allowed to deliver this year and effectively forcing them out of the industry that has been the backbone of the economy in the North for decades. The Minister of Agriculture has devised a tiered structure to divide the quota, while not perfect, it does not condemn those who had been unable to deliver cane, giving them a chance at redemption now that conditions are more favourable. It even provides more quota for those that did deliver incentivizing even more hard work. It is an innovative and inclusive plan that takes into account that we are living in unusual circumstances, and that the government must provide solutions that put more people to work not less. Even though Sugar is no longer the King of the national economy, Tourism having long ago usurped its place, it still brings in a nice chunk of much needed foreign currency. It still provides economic stability to the North and is still an important ingrained part of Northern Belize’s culture and traditions. In light of the pandemic this Industry must be preserved, and its most vulnerable stakeholders encouraged and supported. This industry provides employment for hundreds of families who because of the current economic climate have no other recourse.

It is encouraging to finally have a Minister of Agriculture that gets it. Hon. Jose Abelardo Mai, understands what this industry means for the North and the thousands who depend on it for their livelihood directly and indirectly. Perhaps because it has also been his own, he knows the struggle, the back-breaking work and the grit it takes to grow sugarcane.

While some reach for the sugar to sweeten their morning coffee without a thought, Hon. Mai knows what it takes to get it there, and he can appreciate the road is not always sweet and easy, but for cañeros like himself, it is certainly always worth it.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

EDITORIAL

L

3 JAN

2021

en Español

¡Le atina!

a Zafra ha tenido un comienzo inestable. La rápida respuesta y la voluntad política para trabajar estrechamente con los agricultores ha evitado la crisis que amenazaba con detener la cosecha de la caña antes de que comenzara.

Mientras la mayoría de la gente estaba en casa disfrutando de las largas vacaciones, el Ministro de Agricultura y su equipo técnico estaban sobre el terreno y trabajando duro para encontrar una salida del caos creado por la Junta de Control de las Industrias Azucareras y el Comité de Producción de Caña de Azúcar. Parece que hace unos meses, bajo aquellos que no serán nombrados... estas Juntas prepararon estimaciones de producción, sea cuotas para la cosecha de este año. Desafortunadamente, esa fórmula castiga a los que no cumplieron con su cuota de producción el año anterior. El déficit se redistribuye entonces entre los agricultores, beneficiando a los que cumplieron su compromiso el año anterior y que son generalmente los gigantes de la industria. ¿Sorprendería a alguien saber que uno de los mayores cultivadores de caña del país es en realidad BSI/ASR? Muchos beliceños no se dan cuenta de que en realidad no sólo son dueños de la fábrica que procesa la caña de azúcar, sino que también son agricultores. Los agricultores que compiten con los beliceños por las cuotas de entrega, algunos dirían, con una ventaja injusta.

Los últimos años han sido duros para los agricultores. La producción de caña de azúcar se ha visto afectada negativa y severamente por la sequía y las inundaciones de los últimos años.

Los agricultores que no han podido cumplir con sus cuotas han sido los más afectados por el cambio climático. Estos cambios en sus cuotas significarían que no se les habría permitido la entrega de producto este año y, de hecho, los obligaría a abandonar la industria que ha sido la columna vertebral de la economía del Norte durante décadas. El Ministro de Agricultura ha ideado una estructura escalonada para dividir la cuota, si bien no es perfecta, no condena a quienes no han podido entregar la caña, dándoles una oportunidad de redención ahora que las condiciones son más favorables. Incluso proporciona más cuota a los que sí entregaron incentivando aún más el trabajo duro. Es un plan innovador e inclusivo que tiene en cuenta que estamos viviendo en circunstancias inusuales, y que el gobierno debe proporcionar soluciones que pongan a trabajar a más personas, no a menos. Aunque el azúcar ya no es el rey de la economía nacional, ya que el turismo hace tiempo usurpó su lugar, sigue aportando una buena cantidad de las tantas necesitadas divisas. Todavía provee estabilidad económica al Norte y es una parte importante y profundamente arraigada de la cultura y tradiciones del Norte de Belice. A la luz de la pandemia, esta industria debe ser preservada y sus partes interesadas más vulnerables deben ser alentadas y apoyadas. Esta industria proporciona empleo a cientos de familias que, debido al actual clima económico no tienen otro recurso.

Es alentador tener finalmente un Ministro de Agricultura que le atina. El honorable José Abelardo Mai, entiende lo que esta industria significa para el Norte y para los miles de personas que dependen de ella para su sustento directa e indirectamente. Tal vez, porque también ha sido el suyo, conoce la lucha, el trabajo duro y las agallas que se necesita para cultivar la caña de azúcar. Mientras que algunos alcanzan el azúcar para endulzar su café matutino sin pensarlo, el Honorable Mai sabe lo que se necesita para llegarlo allí, y puede apreciar que el camino no siempre es dulce y fácil, pero para los cañeros como él, ciertamente siempre vale la pena.

3 JAN

2021 Rapid and Increased Testing Showing Success On March 23 of 2020, Belize was shocked to the bone to hear the killer virus was here—the pandemic was in Belize.

Then, there was the loss of life which led to Belize partaking in the Great Lockdown.

For many weeks, 18 cases and a couple of deaths were jarring and numbing at the same time. Fear gripped us. Even hard criminals feared this unseen foe.

But, Belizeans in large numbers became brazen. The initial euphoric defense of staying at home was sloughing away.

Even as one can argue that the majority use of facemasks and social distance, the effort was comparatively a failure. UDP political leadership was non-existent and this vacuum became increasingly detrimental to Belize. We started to see number of cases that were more than we should have when compared to other countries. Why? Should we blame the UDP or should we blame the thousands who got infected?

Most likely the UDP’s inert policy towards the coronavirus is to blame. Most likely the UDP’s active greed and nonchalance is to blame. Most likely the UDP prioritizing two leadership conventions was a lethal factor that saw our summer of Covid evolve into a tremendous loss of life. On September 22nd cases soared over 1000 active ones and this number grew untethered. The UDP couldn’t care less. No one was in charge of Covid-19 in Belize.

The UDP were busy fulling their pockets as they DID see their retirement redlights flashing before their eyes.

On November 11, John Briceño and the planBelize team were swept into office with a mandate to enlist the UDP into extinction while curing the economy and, also, manoeuvring Belize’s Covid-19 cases back down under control.

The new Ministry of Health and Wellness saw the need for increased Rapid testing. The logic was clear—identify the infected and see to it that they are quarantined. This basic policy was too much for the incompetent and corrupt UDP to institute. Their thing was...if it did not involve a hustle then it was not worth their while.

This same thinking made them REJECT a free 25 thousand testing kits—criminal.

Oh....worthless UDPs. Worthless Pablo.

Worthless Barrow. Worthless Faber.

Now, after massive increases in testing, Belize is finally seeing and feeling Hope. The numbers are back under 1000 actives and they are going down fast. Of course, number of infections and deaths will always be intolerable as long as it is greater than zero. The pain is equally jarring and obscene. But now, we have a general date in which vaccinations will be seen in Belize. Vaccinations plus recovered immunities need to reach to as close to 100 percent as possible. Science says that a country is truly Covid-free when 70 percent or more are in the immune category. That is our goal Belize—vaccinations, hold on.

The large majority of us have been keeping safe. Let us continue working with our new planBelize leadership. We will soon be able to accelerate our move to a Belize that truly works for everyone.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

BELIZEANS EXCEL INTERNATIONALLY

Pablo Mis Appointed as Advisor to UN General Secretary on United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples

Dec. 29, 2020 - On December 17, 2020, United Nations Secretary General António Guterres appointed Pablo Mis, Maya Q’eqchi’ from Laguna Village, Toledo District, Belize, to the Advisory Board of Trustees of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples. This is the first time that an Indigenous representative from Belize is appointed to the Board of the Fund.

Mis’ selection will provide him the opportunity and responsibility to advise the United Nations Secretary General on the use of the Fund for three years.

The Board is composed of five persons with relevant experience on indigenous issues, who serve in their personal capacity. Mis for the last eleven years has been passionate about Indigenous and grassroots development and has dedicated his energies in helping to build the resilience of the Maya people in southern Belize, and he will bring his wealth of knowledge, experience, and advocacy for Indigenous Peoples’ rights to this new role.

The United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1985.

The fund provides financial assistance for Indigenous community members and organizations to participate in the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations, the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, and other United Nations meetings and sessions related to Indigenous rights advocacy. It is funded by voluntary contributions from governments, non-governmental organizations, and other groups.

The Advisory Board of Trustees of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples comprises people with experience on Indigenous issues selected from different regions of the world. Mis fellow trustees include Diel Mochire Mwenge, Indigenous Pygmy from the Democratic Republic of Congo; Marjolaine Étienne of the Pekuakamiulnuatsh First Nation from Canada; Tukumminnguanq Nykjaer Olsen, Inuk from Greenland; and Dev Kumar Sunuwar, Koĩts-Sunuwar from Nepal, current staff of Cultural Sur-

vival.

Mis is the Program Director for the Maya Leaders Alliance and Toledo Alcaldes Association, Maya organizations led by the traditional leaders of the 39 Maya villages in southern Belize which has led strategic litigation against the Government of Belize for Maya land rights, resulting in the historic 2015 Caribbean Court of Justice Judgment and Consent Orders that affirmed that the Maya People have customary rights to their land. In 2018, an agreement was reached between the Maya People and the Government of Belize outlining a roadmap to demarcate, title, and register Maya lands and to develop domestic legislation to protect the court-affirmed rights of the Maya People.

Having secured this agreement, Mis was the Team Leader for the development of a joint project with the Government of Belize approved by the International Land Tenure Facility to implement the 2018 roadmap to legally guarantee and protect Maya rights to ancestral lands.

Mis holds an associate’s degree in Natural Resources Management from the University of Belize, a bachelor’s degree in Geography from the University of Hawaii, and he has completed graduate work with specialization in Indigenous Governance at the University of Victoria. He began his journey of serving the Maya People as a primary school teacher in rural communities and was instrumental in supporting the development of Tumul Kin Center of Learning, a Maya intercultural school in Blue Creek, Toledo, where he served both as a teacher and an academic director. He has served his community and fulfilled his customary duties serving at times as taq’l (senior messenger) to the Jolomil Kaleb’aal (traditional leader), as acting deputy traditional leader and currently as a member of the Laguna village council.

Mis’ work has also extended beyond his own community; he was key in revitalizing the Belize National Indigenous Council, where he served as lead representative of the Maya Leaders Alliance who held Chairship from 2018-2019. He was instrumental in bringing together the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the Caribbean to strengthen the presence of indigenous and tribal voices within the Caribbean region.

Mis and the Maya Leaders Alliance have collaborated for over a decade with Cultural Survival in advocating for Maya land rights at the United Nations. Mis worked with Cultural Survival to report to the Universal Periodic Review of Belize on violations of Maya land rights in 2013 and again in 2018. “We have collaborated with Cultural Survival for many years doing advocacy for the Maya Land Rights in many quarters of the United Nations Systems. Through those advocacy I built my capacity to navigate the United Nation system and mechanisms to advance the Maya Land Rights,” shared Mis. In 2013, he was honored with a fellowship at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva with the Indigenous Fellowship Program. “A key arm of the OHCHR is the Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples. The Fund has allowed many Indigenous Peoples’ representatives to access the United Nations systems. I am honored to be appointed as a Trustee to the Board of the Fund. As a former fellow of the Fund, I am committed during my tenure to advance the good work of the Fund to reach Indigenous Peoples who need it the most,” explains Mis. Cultural Survival deeply congratulates Mis on this appointment. (culturalsurvival.org)

SIX MEDALS WON IN ATHLETICS

It has been reported that Belizeans athletes secured two gold medals and 2 silver and two bronze in the Central American Championships in Athletics.(BBN) Samantha Dirks

200m

Gold

Brandon Jones

Triple jump

Gold

Ashontie Carr

400m hurdles

Silver

Ashontie Carr

100m hurdles

Silver

Ashontie Carr

Triple Jump

Bronze

Hilary Gladden

100m

Bronze

Ashontie Carr

800m

4th Place

Faith Morris

100m

5th Place

Shaun GIll

100m

5th Place

Brandon Adolphus

5K

5th Place

Hilary Gladden

200m

5th Place

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!

6 06

THE BELIZE TIMES

3 JAN

2021

GOVERNMENT OF BELIZE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

GOVERNMENT OF BELIZE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Ministry of Public Service, Constitutional and Political Reform

Ministry of Human Development, Families and Indigenous Peoples

EDUCATION: 1. Doctorate Degree in Economics, Poverty, and Social Development.

2. Masters in Economic Development 3. Masters in Teaching Teachers how to Teach Spanish as a Second Language.

4. Bachelors in Agriculture.

Dr. Osmond Martinez was an Assistant Professor of Economics in the Faculty of Business and Entrepreneurship at Galen University. He completed a doctorate in Economics with focus in Poverty and Social Development from the Universidad De Baja California, Mexico. His research work centered on sustainable tourism development with implications of poverty alleviation and socioeconomic development in Belize.

He has 17 years of experience in the combined fields of business and academics. During his business career, Dr. Martinez served as regional manager for Farallon Aquaculture S.A. of Panama, a post that required interaction with businesses associated with shrimp larvae production throughout Central America, Venezuela and Ecuador. His passion and innovation motivated him to start the first plastic recycling business in Belize exporting products to Taiwan and Mexico.

His focus includes: 1. Economics.

2. Research a. Sustainable Tourism Development: Implication for Poverty Alleviation and Socioeconomic Development in Belize. b. Poverty Resilience: Maximizing Equitable Use and Increasing Production of Agricultural Land in Belize.

He taught the following: Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Intermediate Microeconomics, Intermediate Macroeconomics, Environmental Economics, Quantitative Methods, International Marketing, Economic Development, Introduction to Business Analytics, Advanced Managerial Economics, Spanish Methods, and Spanish Language & Culture.

Tanya Santos has served as a public officer for 16 years in the Forest Department where she held several management positions and led national level policy development processes. During this time she travelled and worked across Belize and internationally, and has established a wide network of trusted partners in conservation, community and human development.

She served as project Manager of the Key Biodiversity Areas Project as well as Focal Point and National Coordinator of regional projects including the CCAD-GIZ REDD+ Project and the CATIE FINNFOR/MESOTERRA Project. She has successfully prepared and presented project proposals for financing with different funding agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization and The World Bank.

Ms. Santos has also enjoyed a respectful and fruitful working relationship with the indigenous groups of Belize and looks forward to renewing and fostering stronger partnerships between the Government and the Indigenous Peoples of Belize. In the past 6 years she has worked in the private sector and as an independent consultant in the areas of community and social development and regional/international cooperation.

In 2018, she was the PUP Mayoral candidate for Belmopan and is the immediate past two term president of the PUP’s United Women’s Group which led the development of the Women and Families’ Agenda.

Ms. Santos holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Watershed Science from Colorado State University in the USA and a Master’s Degree in Environmental Socio-Economics from the Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza in Costa Rica.

OSMOND MARTINEZ, PH.D

CARTOON

TANYA Y. SANTOS

3 JAN

THE BELIZE TIMES

2021 Prime Minister

Hon. John Briceño New Year’s Address

My Fellow Belizeans, Very soon, 2020 will end and we will welcome the advent of 2021. As a nation we will look back at the 2020 with very mixed feelings. And rightly so.

It was a year of unprecedented floods associated with hurricanes Nana, Eta and Iota, which caused more than $100 million dollars in damage to the Belizean economy. People lost their property, farmers lost their crops and livestock, and public infrastructure was seriously damaged.

If this was not enough, we experienced a drought that affected produce and farmers lost again.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought our economy to a near halt. Over 236 Belizeans lost their lives to COVID and more that 10,000 tested positive. About 45,000 persons lost their jobs and many businesses closed as a result of the measures imposed to fight the virus. COVID-19 dramatically changed the way we work, the way we live and the world we know.

But 2020 was not all bad. Hundreds of Belizeans, along with Cuban collaborators, faced the virus and provided care and control as we implemented measures to curb its spread. These frontline workers are our heroes.

Because of the lockdown and other restrictions, many new micro, small and medium-sized businesses were spawned. This showed our Belizean creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit never before seen. We now have more Belizean businesses.

As a result of border closures, we became tourists in our own country in record numbers. We re-discovered the exotic beauty of this, our land, and the warm hospitality of our people.

On the 11th of November 2020, voters went to the polls, braved the COVID-19 virus and elected a new PUP government with an overwhelming majority. The electorate endorsed the proposals in our PLANBELIZE – we received 59 percent of the popular vote. Without doubt, my Government has a strong mandate for change. Twenty-twenty was truly a year of change.

Change because Belize needed to change what was, and because Belizeans want a better future.

When we assumed office, we found the treasury empty. The former administration was borrowing $1 million dollars per day to meet expenses. Imagine, they had to borrow every single month to meet payroll.

That is bankruptcy – pure and simple. Last August, the Barrow administration failed to pay the US$13 million superbond payment when it became due. Instead, they added this amount to the principal, thereby increasing Belize’s foreign debt and deferring the inevitable.

The rating agencies downgraded Belize yet again.

The important takeaway is that due to mismanagement by the Barrow administration, they could not make the payment and Belize was financially embarrassed on the world stage. As a result of COVID-19, the Barrow administration borrowed more than 200 million dollars in 2020. The Belizean economy was in recession before COVID-19 gripped us.

The situation worsened in the second, third and fourth quarters and we estimate that the Belizean economy will shrink by 15 percent in 2020. The overall fiscal deficit is now in excess of $500 million or 12 percent of GDP. And our debt to GDP will increase to 133 percent. The acceptable standard is 60 percent.

While economists, who analyze and keep track of these statistics, will be alarmed by these figures, they tell a simple tale to all – Belize bruk!

We believe that Belizeans should know why things are so bad. We all deserve to know how we reached this deplorable state. Because of UDP mismanagement and corruption, we will all be asked to make major sacrifices in 2021 as we seek to right the Ship of State.

But before we can in good conscience ask Belizeans to do so, those who brought us to this point must be held to account. In the days and weeks ahead, my Government will be revealing to the Belizean people the extent of the stealing, criminality and corruption that was perpetrated by the Barrow Administration. Valuable lands are now in the hands of UDP cronies, given away for a pittance. Contracts valued hundreds of millions of dollars were awarded to favourite contractors who failed to pay millions in taxes and fees. State enterprises bought property at gross overvalues, leaving institutions saddled with millions in debt for no legitimate purpose. Cronies signed contracts in the run up to the elections and are now demanding massive payouts to be released from contracts.

Public officers were required to use government equipment and fuel to build roads on private property and to clear massive ranches. The theft and corruption were widespread and unprecedented. This cannot, should not and will not be allowed to be forgotten. There will be investigations and, where warranted, criminal charges laid. Where appropriate, civil action for recovery will be brought before the courts. There will be no sacred cows.

It is against this miserable reality that we must turn to face 2021. The New Year presents us with near insurmountable obstacles. The challenges ahead are difficult. The choices we will face are tough. To suppress the spread of COVID-19, we have created the COVID-19 Task Force. This task force will be guided by science and has a mandate to recommend such measures as are required to protect us all. We are engaged with friendly countries and others seeking to bring the vaccine to Belize as soon as reasonably possible. To bounce back better, we must defeat the coronavirus.

I have appointed the Economic Recovery Advisory Team, which is comprised of a cross-section of the community, to make recommendations to Government on restoring economic growth, job creation and attracting investment. This is in keeping with our PLANBELIZE commitment to govern in a consultative manner. We have been carefully reviewing the Government’s financial position. It is fragile and unsustainable.

It is clear that to return Belize to a path of sustainability major changes will be required in 2021. We are preparing a plan which we will shortly share with stakeholders. We intend to consult widely with a view to agreeing a set of measures required to turn things around. We will bounce back better!

Next week we will present a supplementary budget in the House of Representatives and present revised estimates of revenue and expenditure for the last quarter of this very unusual year. We will not propose any new taxes. We will also present Bills to the House which will initiate our reform agenda. These Bills will be tabled and referred to committees to give interested persons an opportunity to consult and offer comments on our proposals.

In an effort to stimulate more economic activity and ensure that employees have more disposable income and employers more finances to operate, we consulted with the Actuary of the Social Security Board who has advised that we can defer the dual increase of the ceiling and contribution rate scheduled to begin in January 2021.

He went further stating “that the dual increase would have a detrimental impact on employment.”

He also stated that an updated actuarial report sent to the SSB several weeks ago states that the impact of Covid-19 on the actuarial situation of the SSB has been less than anticipated. Therefore, as the Prime Minister and Minister responsible for Social Security along with Cabinet, we decided to postpone the increase in the payments that was due in 2021.

Pope John Paul II said: “The future starts today, not tomorrow.”

This is true. The challenges of the future call us to act today. When tested, Belizeans respond. As a people, we have always faced our challenges secure in the knowledge that we will succeed. It is the indomitable Belizean resolve that girds us, the spirit of our ancestors that energizes us, and our hope and vision for a better life that inspires us to overcome.

We know not what the year before us brings. That is the order of nature. But our undying faith in our Creator gives us confidence.

The Bible teaches that “… faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Let us bring in 2021 safely.

Let us adhere to the protocols and try to minimise the spread of COVID-19.

And to Belizeans everywhere, I offer health, happiness and God’s blessings for 2021.

Happy New Year!

Feliz Ano Nuevo!

07 7

Compatriotas Beliceños Muy pronto, 2020 terminará y daremos la bienvenida al llegada del 2021.

Como nación, miraremos hacia atrás al año pasado con una mezcla de sentimientos.

Y con toda la razón.

Fue un año de inundaciones sin precedentes asociadas a los huracanes Nana, Eta e Iota que causaron más de 100 millones de dólares en daños a la economía de Belice. La gente perdió sus propiedades, los agricultores perdieron sus cosechas y su ganado, y la infraestructura pública quedó gravemente dañada. Por si esto no fuera suficiente, experimentamos una sequía que afectó la producción y los agricultores volvieron a perder.

La pandemia de COVID-19 casi paralizó nuestra economía. 233 beliceños perdieron la vida y más de 10.000 dieron positivo. Alrededor de 40.000 personas perdieron sus trabajos y los negocios cerraron como resultado de las medidas impuestas para combatir el virus.

El COVID-19 cambió dramáticamente la forma en la que trabajamos, la forma en la que vivimos y el mundo que conocemos.

Pero el año 2020 no fue tan malo. Cientos de beliceños, junto con colaboradores cubanos, se enfrentaron al virus y proporcionaron cuidados y control mientras implementábamos medidas para frenar su propagación. Estos trabajadores de primera línea son nuestros héroes.

Debido al bloqueo y otras restricciones, se crearon muchas nuevas micro, pequeñas y medianas empresas.

Se dejó ver la creatividad beliceña y un espíritu empresarial hasta entonces oculto. Ahora tenemos más empresas beliceñas.

Como resultado del cierre de las fronteras, nos convertimos en turistas en nuestro propio país en número récord. Redescubrimos la exótica belleza de esta nuestra tierra y la cálida hospitalidad de nuestra gente.

El 11 de noviembre de 2020, los votantes fueron a las urnas, desafiaron el virus COVID-19 y eligieron un nuevo gobierno del PUP con una mayoría abrumadora. El electorado apoyó las propuestas de nuestro PLAN BELICE - recibimos el 59% del voto popular. Sin duda, mi gobierno tiene un fuerte mandato para el cambio.

El 2020 fue realmente un año de cambios. Cambio porque Belice necesitaba cambiar lo que era, y porque los beliceños quieren un futuro diferente.

Cuando asumimos el cargo, encontramos la tesorería vacía. La administración anterior pedía prestado un millón de dólares por día para cubrir los gastos. Imagínese, tenían que pedir prestado cada mes para pagar la nómina.

Esa es la bancarrota, pura y simplemente.

En agosto pasado, la Administración Barrow no pagó los 13 millones de dólares del súper bond cuando se venció. En su lugar, añadieron esta cantidad al capital, aumentando así la deuda externa de Belice y aplazando lo inevitable. Las agencias calificadoras volvieron a bajar la calificación de Belice. Lo importante es que, debido a la mala gestión de la Administración Barrow, no pudieron hacer el pago y Belice quedó financieramente avergonzado en el escenario mundial. ¡¡Como resultado de COVID-19, la Administración Barrow presto Millones de dólares en 2020!! La economía de Belice se había contraído antes de que COVID-19 nos afectara. La situación empeoró el segundo, tercero y cuarto trimestre y estimamos que la economía de Belice se reducirá en un 15% en 2020. El déficit fiscal general se estima ahora en 500 millones de dólares o el 12% del PIB. Y nuestra deuda con el PIB aumentará al 133%. El estándar aceptable es el 60%.

Mientras que los economistas, que analizan y siguen estas estadísticas, se alarmarán por estas cifras, estas cuentan una simple historia para todos - ¡Belice está en quiebra!

Creemos que los beliceños tienen derecho a saber porque las cosas van tan malas. Merecemos saber cómo llegamos a este lamentable estado.

Debido a la mala gestión y la corrupción del UDP, se nos pedirá que hagamos grandes sacrificios en 2021 mientras buscamos enderezar el barco de la nación. Pero antes de que podamos pedir a los beliceños en conciencia que lo hagan, aquellos que nos llevaron a este punto deben rendir cuentas En los días y semanas venideros, mi Gobierno revelará al pueblo de Belice el alcance de los robos, la delincuencia y la corrupción perpetradas por la Administración Barrow.

Tierras valiosas están ahora en manos de los compinches del UDP, regaladas por una miseria. Contratos valorados en cientos de millones de dólares fueron otorgados a contratistas favoritos que no pagaron millones en impuestos y honorarios. Las empresas estatales compraron propiedades a precios excesivos, dejando a las instituciones cargadas con millones en deudas sin ningún propósito legítimo. Las empresas privadas firmaron contratos en el período previo a las elecciones y ahora están exigiendo pagos masivos para que se liberen de los contratos. Se exigió a los funcionarios públicos que utilizaran el equipo y el combustible del gobierno para construir carreteras en la propiedad privada y para limpiar ranchos masivos. El robo y la corrupción fueron generalizadas y sin precedentes.

Esto no se puede, no se debe ni se permitirá que se olvide. Habrá investigaciones y se presentarán cargos criminales justificados. Cuando proceda, se iniciarán acciones civiles de recuperación ante los tribunales. No habrá vacas sagradas.

Es contra esa miserable realidad que debemos enfrentar el 2021. El Año Nuevo nos presenta obstáculos casi insuperables. Los desafíos que se avecinan son difíciles. Las opciones que enfrentaremos también son difíciles.

Para suprimir la propagación de COVID-19, hemos creado el Grupo especial de Trabajo COVID-19. Este grupo de trabajo será guiado por la ciencia y tiene el mandato de recomendar las medidas necesarias para protegernos a todos. Estamos comprometidos con países amigos y otros que buscan traer la vacuna a Belice tan pronto como sea razonablemente posible. Para recuperarnos mejor debemos derrotar a la ‘Rona’.

He nombrado al Equipo Asesor de Recuperación Económica, que está compuesto por una muestra representativa de la comunidad, para que haga recomendaciones al Gobierno sobre el restablecimiento del crecimiento económico, la creación de empleo y la atracción de inversiones. Esto está en consonancia con nuestro compromiso de PLAN BELICE de gobernar de manera consultiva.

Hemos estado revisando cuidadosamente la posición financiera del Gobierno. Es frágil e insostenible. Está claro que para devolver a Belice a un camino de sostenibilidad se requerirán grandes cambios en 2021. Estamos preparando un plan que en breve compartiremos con los interesados. Tenemos la intención de realizar amplias consultas con miras a acordar un conjunto de medidas necesarias para dar un giro a las cosas. ¡Nos recuperaremos mucho mejor!

La semana que viene presentaremos un presupuesto suplementario en la Cámara de Representantes para el último trimestre del año fiscal. Presentaremos estimaciones revisadas de ingresos y gastos para el último trimestre de este año tan inusual. No propondremos ninguna nueva medida de ingresos.

También presentaremos proyectos de ley a la Cámara que inicien nuestra agenda de reformas. Estos proyectos de ley serán presentados y remitidos a los comités para dar a las personas interesadas la oportunidad de consultar y ofrecer comentarios sobre nuestras propuestas.

En un esfuerzo para estimular más actividad económica y asegurar de que los empleados tengan más ingresos disponibles y los empleadores más finanzas para operar, hemos consultado con el Actuario de la Junta de la Seguridad Social, quien nos ha aconsejado que podemos aplazar el incremento doble del límite máximo y de la tasa de contribución previsto para comenzar en enero de 2021. Fue más allá al afirmar “que el incremento doble tendría un impacto perjudicial en el empleo”. También informó de que “un informe actuarial actualizado enviado a la Junta de Seguridad Social hace varias semanas afirma que el impacto del Covid 19 en la situación actuarial de la Junta ha sido menor de lo previsto”.

Por lo tanto, como Primer Ministro y Ministro responsable de la Seguridad Social junto con el Gabinete, y actuando con el asesoramiento actuarial, decidimos posponer la aplicación del último tramo de enmiendas legales, sujeto a una evaluación de las tendencias actuariales en 2021.

El Papa Juan Pablo II dijo: “El futuro comienza hoy, no mañana”. Esto es cierto. Los desafíos del futuro nos llaman a actuar hoy.

Cuando se le pone a prueba, los beliceños responden. Como pueblo, siempre hemos enfrentado nuestros desafíos con la seguridad de que tendremos éxito. Es la indomable resolución beliceña que nos une, el espíritu de nuestros antepasados que nos da energía, y nuestra esperanza y visión de una vida mejor lo que nos inspira a superarlo.

No sabemos lo que nos depara el año que tenemos por delante. Ese es el orden de la naturaleza. Pero nuestra fe inquebrantable en nuestro Creador nos da confianza. La Biblia enseña que “... la fe es la seguridad de las cosas que se esperan, la convicción de las cosas que no se ven”.

Traigamos el 2021 a salvo. Cumplamos los protocolos y tratemos de minimizar la propagación del COVID-19.

A todos y cada uno, de parte de mi familia y mía, les ofrezco salud, felicidad y las bendiciones de Dios para el 2021.

8 08 8

THE BELIZE TIMES

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL Thursday, September 2020 Immediate Release Tuesday, December 29, 17, 2020

ForFor Immediate Release Thursday, September 17, 2020 For Immediate Release VASQUEZ MUST GO

VASQUEZ MUST GO PUP NORTHERN CAUCUS SUPPORTS The People’s United Party is appalled, as all rightnj–Š‹Â?Â?‹Â?‰ ‡Ž‹œ‡ƒÂ?• •Š‘—Ž† „‡ǥ ƒ– –Š‡ ƒ’’ƒ”‡Â?– Â?‘Â?…ŠƒŽƒÂ?…‡ ™Š‹…Š –Š‡ Â?‹–‡† The People’s United Party is appalled, as all ™‹–Š rightnj–Š‹Â?Â?‹Â?‰ ‡Ž‹œ‡ƒÂ?• SUGARCANE FARMERS ‡Â?‘…”ƒ–‹… ƒ”–› ‹• –”‡ƒ–‹Â?‰ ‘—–”ƒ‰‡‘—• ƒŽŽ‡‰ƒ–‹‘Â?• ‘ˆ Â?‹•ƒ’’”‘’”‹ƒ–‹‘Â? •Š‘—Ž† „‡ǥ ƒ– –Š‡ ƒ’’ƒ”‡Â?– Â?‘Â?…ŠƒŽƒÂ?…‡ ™‹–Š ™Š‹…Š –Š‡ Â?‹–‡† ‘ˆ „› ‘Â?‡ ‘ˆ –Š‡‹” ‘™Â?Ǥ ‡•–‘” ƒ•“—‡œ Šƒ• „‡‡Â? ƒ ˜‡”› •‡Â?‹‘” ˆ‹Â?ƒÂ?…‹ƒŽ ‡Â?‘…”ƒ–‹… ƒ”–› ‹• –”‡ƒ–‹Â?‰ ‘—–”ƒ‰‡‘—• ƒŽŽ‡‰ƒ–‹‘Â?• ‘ˆ Â?‹•ƒ’’”‘’”‹ƒ–‹‘Â? ƒ†˜‹•‘” –‘ –Š‡ ”‹Â?‡ ‹Â?‹•–‡”ǥ ƒÂ?† Šƒ• ‡Â?Œ‘›‡† –Š‡ ’‡”Â?• ‘ˆ –Šƒ– ’‘•‹–‹‘Â? ‘ˆ „› ‘Â?‡ ‘ˆ –Š‡‹” ‘™Â?Ǥ ‡•–‘” ƒ•“—‡œ Šƒ• „‡‡Â? ƒ ˜‡”› •‡Â?‹‘” ˆ‹Â?ƒÂ?…‹ƒŽ The Leaders of the PUP Northern Caucus met yesterday December 28, 2020 in San ˆ‘” Â?ƒÂ?› ›‡ƒ”•Ǥ the ‘” issue Š‹Â? –‘ „› –Š‡ ‰‘˜‡”Â?Â?‡Â?– ‡˜‡Â? by ĥ the Sugar ƒ†˜‹•‘” –‘ –Š‡ ”‹Â?‡ ‹Â?‹•–‡”ǥ ƒÂ?† Šƒ• ‡Â?Œ‘›‡† –Š‡ ’‡”Â?• ‘ˆ –Šƒ– ’‘•‹–‹‘Â?

Narciso Village to discuss of „‡ the…‘††Ž‡† production estimates proposed ˆ‘” �ƒ�› ›‡ƒ”•Ǥ ‘” Š‹� –‘ „‡ the …‘††Ž‡† „› held –Š‡ ‰‘˜‡”��‡�– ƒ• Control ‡˜‹†‡�…‡ Šƒ• ƒ’’‡ƒ”‡† –‘ •Š‘™ ”ƒ�’ƒ�– �‹•—•‡ ‘ˆ �‘�‹‡• ‹• ƒ •Žƒ’ Cane Production Committee (SCPC) and meeting by the Sugar‡˜‡�

Industry ‡˜‹†‡�…‡ Šƒ• ƒ’’‡ƒ”‡† –‘ •Š‘™ ”ƒ�’ƒ�– �‹•—•‡ ‘ˆ �‘�‹‡• ‹• ƒ •Žƒ’ ‹� –Š‡ ˆƒ…‡ ‘ˆ –Š‡ ‡Ž‹œ‡ƒ� ’‡‘’Ž‡Ǥ Board (SICB). ‹� –Š‡ ˆƒ…‡ ‘ˆ –Š‡ ‡Ž‹œ‡ƒ� ’‡‘’Ž‡Ǥ The SICB, after listening to the legitimate concerns of cane farmers regarding the

Vasquez’s arrogant, frivolous resignation as Chairman of BTL makes clear revised production estimates presented by the SCPC, instructed the Manager of the SCPC Vasquez’s frivolous resignation as Chairman BTL makes clear that he hasarrogant, no remorse at having been caught using of company’s monies to implement adjustments production estimates tabled andmonies agreed on at the that the he has no remorsetoatthe having been caught using company’s ˆ‘” Š‹• ‘™Â? ’”‹˜ƒ–‡ ‡Â?–‡”–ƒ‹Â?Â?‡Â?–ǥ ƒŽŽ‡‰‡†Ž› –‘ –Š‡ –—Â?‡ ‘ˆ ƒŽÂ?‘•– ŠƒŽˆ ƒ meeting ofÂ?‹ŽŽ‹‘Â? the SICB. The SICB also mandated that theinaction startingtodate ˆ‘” Š‹• ‘™Â? ’”‹˜ƒ–‡ ‡Â?–‡”–ƒ‹Â?Â?‡Â?–ǥ ƒŽŽ‡‰‡†Ž› –‘ –Š‡ –—Â?‡ ‘ˆ ƒŽÂ?‘•– ŠƒŽˆ ƒ †‘ŽŽƒ”•Ǥ Šƒ– Chairman ‹• ƒŽ•‘ …Ž‡ar from Government’s thisof the crop be published in the Gazette as per the Sugar CaneGovernment’s Act. Â?‹ŽŽ‹‘Â? †‘ŽŽƒ”•Ǥ Šƒ– ‹• ƒŽ•‘ …Ž‡ar from inaction to this ’‘‹Â?– ‹• –Šƒ– –Š‡”‡ ™‹ŽŽ „‡ ƒŽŽ ƒ––‡Â?’–• –‘ •™‡‡’ –Š‡ Â?ƒ––‡” —Â?†‡” –Š‡ ”—‰ The PUP Representatives agreed that all decisions affecting the Sugar Cane Industry ’‘‹Â?– ‹• –Šƒ– –Š‡”‡ ™‹ŽŽ „‡ ƒŽŽ ƒ––‡Â?’–• –‘ •™‡‡’ –Š‡ Â?ƒ––‡” —Â?†‡” –Š‡ ”—‰ –‘ ’”‘–‡…– ƒ•“—‡œǤ should be –‘ ’”‘–‡…– ƒ•“—‡œǤ made only in the best interest of all stakeholders in this important industry.

The PUP Representatives of the Orange Walk and Corozal Districts willisremain

Š‹• ‹Â?Â†Â‹Â˜Â‹Â†Â—ÂƒÂŽÇĄ …ƒ—‰Š– ”‡†njhanded using BTL’s money as his own, also vigilant to ensure that our farmers are at no disadvantaged basedason made by any Š‹• ‹Â?Â†Â‹Â˜Â‹Â†Â—ÂƒÂŽÇĄ …ƒ—‰Š– ”‡†njhanded using BTL’s money hisdecisions own, is also the UDP’s representative ontime the Integrity Commiss‹‘Â?ÇĄ Â?‘ Ž‡•• –ŠƒÂ? ƒ •‹…Â? the UDP’s the Integrity Commiss‹‘Â?ÇĄ Â?‘ Ž‡•• –ŠƒÂ? ƒ •‹…Â? one institution inHetherepresentative industry. joke. serves as theonUDP’s Chairman on the SSB’s Investment joke.Northern He serves the UDP’s Chairman on the SSB’s Investment ‘Â?Â?‹––‡‡ ƒÂ?† ĥ as ‹…‡nj Šƒ‹”Â?ƒÂ? ‘ˆ to –Š‡ ‡Â?–”ƒŽ ƒÂ?Â?ÇĄ ’‘•‹–‹‘Â?• The PUP Caucus is committed the Manifesto promise of™Š‹…Š the last General ‘Â?Â?‹––‡‡ ƒÂ?† ĥ –‘ ‹…‡nj Šƒ‹”Â?ƒÂ? ‘ˆ –Š‡ ƒÂ?Â?ÇĄ ’‘•‹–‹‘Â?• ™Š‹…Š Š‹Â? ƒ……‡•• –Š‡ Â?‘˜‡Â?‡Â?– ‘ˆ ‡Â?–”ƒŽ –ƒš’ƒ›‡” †‘ŽŽƒ”•Ǥ •‹Â?’Ž‡ Elections: ‰‹˜‡ Everybody fi Win! ÂĄTodos Ganamos! ‰‹˜‡ Š‹Â? ƒ……‡•• –‘ –Š‡ ‘ˆ Â?‘˜‡Â?‡Â?– ‘ˆ –ƒš’ƒ›‡” †‘ŽŽƒ”•Ǥ ”‡•‹‰Â?ƒ–‹‘Â? ĥ Šƒ‹”Â?ƒÂ? ÇĄ ™‹–Š ƒ …ƒ•—ƒŽ ”‡Â?‹Â?†‡” –Šƒ– Š‡ •‹Â?’Ž‡ ™‘—Ž† ”‡•‹‰Â?ƒ–‹‘Â? ĥ Šƒ‹”Â?ƒÂ? ‘ˆ ÇĄ ™‹–Š ƒ …ƒ•—ƒŽ ”‡Â?‹Â?†‡” –Šƒ– Š‡ ™‘—Ž† Šƒ˜‡ ”‡–‹”‡† ƒÂ?›™ƒ› ‹Â? …–‘„‡”ǥ ‹• ˆƒ” ˆ”‘Â? ‡Â?‘—‰ŠǤ --ENDS-Šƒ˜‡ ”‡–‹”‡† ƒÂ?›™ƒ› ‹Â? …–‘„‡”ǥ ‹• ˆƒ” ˆ”‘Â? ‡Â?‘—‰ŠǤ

3 JAN

2021

Contact: Hon. Jose Mai Area Representative Orange Walk South

--MORE---MORE--

PRESS RELEASE

PR# 009

Governor General Receives Credentials from New Ambassador of Mexico to Belize

Belmopan. November 30, 2020. 3:45 p.m.

This morning the Governor General, His Excellency Sir Colville Young, was presented letters of credence by Her Excellency Martha Zamarripa Rivas, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Mexico to Belize.

Her Excellency Zamarripa Rivas is Mexico’s 11th ambassador to Belize, and notably, the first woman to ever hold the position since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1981.

In her remarks, Ambassador Zamarripa Rivas said, “Belize has become a strategic ally for Mexico for its dual identity in the region as a Central American and Caribbean country� and expressed her commitment to the “strengthening of ties between the two peoples.�

For his part, the Governor General welcomed and thanked the new Mexican Ambassador, reiterating Belize’s desire to continue to build strong relations between the two countries.

Ends

LIQUOR LICENSE NOTICES

Notice is hereby given that Alfredo Guemez is applying for a Beer Liquor License to be operated at “Naybaz Store� located at 4th Avenue/4th Street North, Corozal Town, Corozal District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that Mario Moza is applying for a Restaurant Liquor License to be operated at “The Dinner House� located on Otro Benque Road, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that Neelam Israni is applying for a Beer Liquor License to be operated at “Sony Store� located at # 44 San Antonio Road, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that An Min Li is applying for a Malt & Cider Liquor License to be operated at “Akihito Hotel� located on Belize/Corozal Road, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that Chen Hui Ji is applying for a Restaurant Liquor License to be operated at “Gold Garden� located on Queen Victoria Avenue, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that Dong Pan Li is applying for a Convenience Store Liquor License to be operated at “Ahorra Mas Supermarket� located on Queen Victoria Avenue, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that Blanca Ordaz is applying for a Restaurant Liquor License to be operated at “Tipsy Lounge & Pub Restaurant� located on San Francisco Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that Mohammad Abdul Kalam is applying for a Convenience Store Liquor License to be operated at “Surma Store� located at # 16 San Lorenzo Housing Site, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that Di Lun Zheng is applying for a Restaurant Liquor License to be operated at “Green Jade Restaurant� located at 9 Miles Philip Goldson Highway, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that Zhou Yang Huang is applying for a Restaurant Liquor License to be operated at “Lords Bank Fast Food� located in Lord’s Bank Village, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that Xin Hui Zhang is applying for a Publican Special Liquor License to be operated at “New Fortune� located at # 91 East Collet Canal, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that Leroy Williams is applying for a Publican Special Liquor License to be operated at “Amigos Family Diner� located at Mile 31.5 George Price Highway, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

3 JAN

THE BELIZE TIMES

2021

An Insight into Belize and Economic Statistics

-ContributedThe Statistical Institute of Belize(SIB) presented the 2020 3rd quarter economic and labor statistics. Along with Covid-19, the lack of an economic plan and foresight of the previous government has left the Belizean economy in shambles.

Based on the statistics gathered, the Consumer Price Index reflected a significant increase in Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages. With common food staples such as Red Kidney Beans and Onions increasing in price by over 40% in comparison to October 2019. While the cost of LPG has been reduced by 19.32%, the cost of Housing, Water, and Electricity has seen an increase.

In the External Trade category, Imports have decreased by 29.1 % and Exports by 5.5%. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) showed an economic decline of 13.2% compared to the third quarter of 2019 making it the 6th consecutive economic contraction. While the primary and secondary sectors have seen some growth, the tertiary sector has had the greatest impact on the contraction.

Due to the loss of tourism, primarily the hotel and restaurant industry saw a decline of 98.3%. With a decrease in imports, the Wholesale and Retail Trade industry had a contraction of 21.4 percent. It is important to note that the Tertiary sector contributes to more than half of the country’s economic activity.

The SIB also presented a new methodology of providing Labour Force statistics in accordance with the

By Senator the Honorable, Isabel Guadalupe Bennett MScN (Edu), BScN (Admin- HONS), RN In my happy healthy senior years to come, God’s willing, I will remember the year 2020 as the Year of the Nurse, the year that I fell totally in love with politics, and the year I experienced the first pandemic of my life.

The year 2020 should have come with all her flares and fancies. Instead, she arrived with intense grief and sorrow for many people all over the world. As the countdown begins, we must remain even more hopeful amidst this storm.

As the clock ticks over to a new

Person of the Year 2020

19th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS). Based on the new methodology, the new Unemployment rate stands at 13.7%, only 3.3% higher than in Sep 2019. This is despite almost 39,000 Belizeans losing their job due to Covid-19. Utilizing the previous methodology, the unemployment rate would be 29.6%, or 19.4% higher than in October 2019.

So, what do all these numbers and terminologies mean? In layman’s terms, it means that the previous government was driving the proverbial economic train into a wall. Belizeans are spending a larger portion of their budgets on basic food items with Rent and Utility costs becoming burdensome for Belizeans to bear.

Foreign exchange has been reduced yet for another quarter with Exports down and while less foreign exchange is leaving the country due to a decrease in Imports, the government is collecting less on duties and taxes. The impact of Tourism continues to loom on our heads as the jobs, revenue, and taxes are all lost. Without jumpstarting this sector, the fourth quarter would record another contraction.

While the scenario of doom and gloom is present, there is a silver lining over the horizon. The new Government of Belize has instituted several measures to boost the economy within the first 50 days. There has been a renewed momentum in the agro-economy, with exports in Cattle and Poultry being formalized. An Economic Advisory Recovery team was also created to get input from key stakeholders in multiple sectors. Tourism is also expected to increase and has seen increases in flights to Belize for December.

In less than 50 days, this PUP government has done much more than what the previous government did in 13 years. Belize finally has a plan on how to improve the weakened economy. Belizeans presented a clear mandate on November 11th and are already reaping the benefits. 2021 is going to be a year of positive changes for Belize; Everybody FU Win!

THIS TOO SHALL PASS year, we must continuously express unconditional love and support for each other as I believe it’s the most important message Covid-19 has brought to the human race. We must continuously speak of the joyful memories of 2020 because of the life experiences she has taught us even amidst the sorries.

We must continuously speak words of encouragement within our family setting, among our friends, co-workers and wherever we are planted. We must continuously speak a bright and prosperous future over our children and our country. We must surely remain optimistic for the beautiful opportunities that lie ahead. Why? For one reason and one reason only, “this too shall pass.”

God’s words are forever sure, so I say this is a great call for celebration and with family, friends, neighbours and even strangers.

It’s a call to reconnect and to celebrate the coming of the rich bountiful blessings of the New Year 2021!

Let’s make sure we each do our part to impact positively the life of another in words and actions.

Happy New Year to you and your family and may God use you to be a rich blessing wherever He has planted you!

099

BELIZEANS

The people of Belize qualify for this award from the Belize Times. During this pandemic, you have withstood the worse that life can throw out. This 2,020th year has been probably the worse of our lives and the UDP succeeded in making it worse than it could have been.

The mark of a democratic and resilient people shone like a diamond on November 11 when social distanced, sanitized, masked, and determined Belizeans came out in record thus historic numbers to exercise their inalienable right to universal adult suffrage as prescribed by the mighty Constitution of Belize.

The People of Belize voted against rampant corruption and gross incompetence.

The People of Belize voted for hope, for planBelize, for the People’s United Party, for a Belize that should work for everyone.

Todos Ganamos…

Notice to

Series 8 Debenture Holders Belize Electricity Limited advises our Series 8 Debenture holders that Debenture Certificate(s) are ready to be picked up by appointments.

Debenture certificate(s) will be available for pick up starting January 29, 2020 at our Corporate Headquarters located at 2 ½ Miles Phillip Goldson Highway, Belize City, Belize. To collect your debenture certificate(s) please present evidence of your identity.

If you will not be attending personally, your representative must present evidence of his own identity and should also bring an authorization, signed by you authorizing collection of the debenture certificates on your behalf.

Kindly contact the Securities Officer to make appointments for pickup of certificates.

Queries may be directed to: Securities Officer Finance Department Belize Electricity Limited 21/2 Miles Philip S. W. Goldson Highway Phone: 501.227.0954 Ext: 1512 | Email: debentures@bel.com.bz.

10

3 JAN

THE BELIZE TIMES Remembrance for

Honorable David “Dido” Vega Delivered by Hon. Florencio Marin, Jr. 14th December, 2020

Good afternoon, Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 says , “ There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance..”

Today, with heavy hearts we gather to remember, Hon. David “Dido” Vega, a man who by his life and actions I will never forget!

Many are his actions but let me share a few with you that I have gathered from his friends.

He knew how to work well under pressure. As a renowned basketball player in high school, everyone remembers how one time playing against Excelsior High School for the nationals, the game was tight throughout, Dido was fouled, and CCC was down by two points. The stadium was packed and Dido stepped up for the two free throws…BOOM… Dido scores the 2 free throws, tying the game and sending it into overtime. His classmates never forgot how cool he worked under pressure.

In the year 2013, I remember Dido coming to visit me to say he was interested in entering the political field. I asked him, “Dido, are you sure?” He told me, “Deputy, I am as sure as the time I wanted my Bachelor’s degree. I had no money. I saved enough for just a one-way ticket to Florida and went and just parked in front of the University.”

I asked him again and he repeated the story.

From then I was convinced he had that drive, that inner

strength, the right material to be a PUP standard bearer and one who would deliver for us.

During this time various elections were held and always he was front and centre—never backing down. These were tough times in opposition and just his presence helped me to get through.

Dido had a gift, a mathematical mind. During the counting for the municipal elections in 2018, at about twenty minutes in the counting he texted me, “We are gonna win”. I was skeptical and so I called him. He said, “I am in

the counting room, and 99.6% sure we will win.” Upon hearing that from him, I knew that we had won.

This skill he repeated for several village council elections in my area. I remember in one of the countings, again he called me, “We win deputy.” That was all I needed to know, I started celebrating. We asked him how he could tell the results so early. He did explain, but we couldn’t fully comprehend it and we just marvelled at his brilliant mathematical mind.

2021 He also ran for the Municipal elections and though not successful, he did make inroads for the party for our future successes.

His colleague, campaigner, executive member, Ms. Zeni related how a student had asked him for help, and Dido, knowing full well his parents were UDP supporters, did not hesitate to help. He immediately gave an assistance for his school fees.

The student said, “Ms. Zeni, we really needed that help. Of course I will vote for him.”

No man stands so tall as when he stoops to help the less fortunate. David “Dido” Vega was a tall and giant of a man.

Goodbye friend. Your candle blew out long before your legend ever will! I will never forget you.

PUBLIC AUCTION SALE

BY ORDER OF THE CHARGEE HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED, a Licensed Public Auctioneer will sell on site the following property at the time as listed.

At No. 6976 North Creek Road, Belize City on Monday January 11, 2021 at 10:00a.m.

SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece or parcel of land comprising 311.04 square metres being Parcel 594, Block 45 in the Queens Square West Registration Section situate at No. 6976 North Creek Road, Belize City, Belize District TOGETHER with a two-storey concrete apartment building containing on the ground floor level two onebedroom apartment units with kitchen, dining and bathroom and on the first floor level a single apartment unit containing three bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen and dining the freehold property of MELONIE T. STAINE. DATED this 29th day of December 2020

All sales are strictly cash and deemed final. For more information contact: HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED 1 HYDE’S LANE, BELIZE CITY, BELIZE Phone: (501) 224-5644 Fax: (501) 223-0738 Email: foreclosures@hrcubelize.org

3 JAN

2021

THE BELIZE TIMES

The People’s United Party, The Belize Times Press, Vibes Radio and TV wish all Belizeans a

Safe New Year’s

2021

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18 JAN

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THE BELIZE TIMES 2015

2021

The People’s United Party A TRUE and SAFE Merry Christmas Corozal North:

San Antonio, San Pedro, Cristo Rey, Patchakan, Paraiso, San Andres, Xaibe had successful Christmas Programs with David Castillo leading.

Oscar Arnold, Collet: Hope your holiday season will be fill with peace, joy, and happiness

Prime Minister John Briceño: At the La Inmaculada Church in Orange Walk Town, celebrating His birth. It’s no secret, this is where PM derives his spirit and vision.

Jorge ‘Milin’ Espat, Cayo West: In conjunction with the Ministry of Infrastructure, Development, and Housing the reconstruction of the bridge that connects Santa Rosa and Calla Creek began. Service to the people continues.

Hon. Ramon ‘Monchi’ Cervantes:

Orange Walk North: Spreading the Christmas cheer in Otro Benque via committee. May the spirit of Christmas fill your homes.

Hon. Jose Mai, Orange Walk South:

In San Lazaro, just one of the 9 villages spreading Christmas cheer.

PUP Northern Caucus: in San Narciso on Boxing Day, the Minister of Agriculture Food Security and Enterprise met other Ministers of the Northern Caucus to discuss the decision taken by the SICB

Hon. Julius Espat, Cayo South: Overlooking a Ministry that was previously ransacked Hon. Oscar Requena, Toledo West:

In the deep south, neglected for years, an assessment tour(Included Toledo East) with the Minister of Infrastructure, Development and Housing.

Councillors Allan Pollard and Oscar Arnold

sharing with city residents.

Hon. Oscar Mira, Belmopan:

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Freetown: Delivering access to water to Belama phase 4. Thanks to BWSL for their quick and effective response to my request before Christmas.

Roaring Creek: Thanks to Ministry of Infrastructure, Development, and Housing

TODOS GANAMOS

fulfilling a campaign pledge to work with our senior citizens and maintain the ever-important bond we share.

Hon. Jose Mai:

Visiting a Shrimp Farm in Libertad, Corozal District

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THE BELIZE TIMES

3 JAN

2021

PUP HIGHLIGHTS OF 2020 (JANUARY TO MARCH) January Hon. John Briceño, New Year 2020 Message: “I started out by saying we ring in the new year with thanks and hope. For me it means thank you Belize, for listening to our message and for voting for us in the Village Council Elections. We will not let you down and we are hopeful that this election year, 2020 will be the year you chose the People’s United Party to lead this nation into a decade of peace and progress. As we look to 2020, ‘This has to be the year, [we] get it done!’”

Gilroy Usher calls on his constituents and others to “come out and join the demonstration for land and proper housing in Belize City on February 24th.” This was eerily close to the Historic Demonstration on the streets of Belize City. At the time of his Mr. Usher(now Hon.) call, the PUP had not planned on the MASSIVE Feb 23rd march as yet.

George Cadle Price: In commemoration of the Father of the Nation’s 101st Birthday this January 15, the BYM decided to distribute food to some of the usual folks of the Albert Street Area.

The National Association of Village Councils (NAVCO) held its AGM on Sat., January 18, 2020 at the George Price Center in Belmopan. The purpose of this meeting was to elect a new President and National Executive to conduct its affairs for the next 3 years. After elections by way of secret ballots, Mr. Javier Sabido defeated Mr. Francis Arzu by a margin of 37 votes to 30. There were 2 spoilt ballots. The Members of the newly elected NAVCO Executive are as follows: President Javier Sabido | VP Orlando Augustine | Secretary Esperanza Arriaza | Asst Secretary Luis Tun | Treasurer Jervis Banner | Vice Treasurer Victor Juarez | February PUP Endorses Jorge ‘Milin’ Espat as candidate for Cayo West: “Yo levanto la bandera del pueblo, la bandera que representa la eficiencia, la decencia, la coherencia y la solidaridad… es la bandera del bien común… es la bandera de la Revolución Pacífica, Constructiva y Beliceña… es la bandera del Gran Partido Unido del Pueblo… es la bandera de un Belize para todos” Hon. John Briceño and Julius Espat lead the people of Belize…In a historic ruling for Belize and Commonwealth case law, the Chief Justice ruled an injunction on similar unauthorized spending BUT allowed of grace period of six months for the constitution to be amended.

PUP Press Conference Feb 13 - The People’s United Party has begun the march to Belmopan, the march to rescue the nation from the clutches of the corrupt United Democratic Party. It was an energized, poised and prepared Party that met with the Belizean public today in Belize City to call for Prime Minister Dean Barrow to step down, and to go to the Belizean people immediately to allow the citizens of Belize to make the change.

MASSIVE MASSIVE Demonstration was called for Sunday February 23 and heeded in person by 15k people in the march plus spectators along the now Historic route including chief UDP’s hunkered in their

homes. FB live and Cable TV was tuned in especially massive numbers.

Unbeknownst was that Covid was just around the corner. But the message was crystal clear. Call Elections Now was the call. Dehn Got to Go. March THANK YOU from Hon. John Briceño: Thank you. Thank you for coming out by the thousands on Sunday to let Dean Barrow and the UDP know that we have had enough, enough of the UDP corruption, incompetence and bad governance. As I said on Sunday this is just the beginning. Over the past twelve years, we have watched thousands of our young men die in the streets due to the out of control crime and violence. We have watched our major industries collapse because instead of investing in our productive sector the UDP chose to spend millions in poorly built roads and roundabouts and highways to nowhere. They have all but crippled our health care system. Weakened our education system and abandoned our rural communities.

PUP Walks Out on Barrow’s Budget and returns to debate NO Confidence: The document outlined 12 powerful people-centered rea-

sons why the Barrow Administration does not have the trust to govern nor the mandate to do the same. Seven days later there is a House Meeting on Thursday March 5 and this Historic First Motion of No Confidence was to be the last bill to be debated. A division of the question was requested so that Belize could hear and see clearly how each representative would vote. In essence the Speaker would ask if the Representative is satisfied with the current Barrow Administration.

Leader of the Opposition John Briceño: “I am ready to meet with the Prime Minister and to support the drawing down of specific funding for the implementation of a proper plan to combat the corona virus. All Belizeans expect their leaders to present a national plan that will provide information and prepare everyone for the possible onset of the Coronavirus in Belize. I strongly encourage all Belizeans to learn as much as you can about the Coronavirus and ways you can protect yourselves and your families. Thank you and God bless.” (This was before PM Barrow invited) People’s United Party accepted the invitation of the government to co-Chair the Oversight Committee which will ensure Belize’s antiCOVID-19 efforts are guided by financial prudence and for the protection of all our Belizean people.

NOTE: Please look out for PUP 2020 Highlights(April-June) in the next issue of the Belize Times.

3 JAN

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THE BELIZE TIMES

2021

Successful Christmas Program in Port Loyola

ROARING CREEK BRIDGE Opened March 20, 2020

Who is more guilty for the ‘climate resilient’ bridges hoax? Faber...nah he was too busy doing nothing.

Barrow? Montero?

Imer?

By Hon. Gilroy Usher In spreading the joy of Christmas in the Port Loyola Division, PUP Area Representative Hon. Gilroy Usher, Sr. and the PUP Port Loyola Committee distributed a record number of over 1,200 items throughout the area to as many families as was possible.

Those Christmas items included 500 cases of lemonade, 350 cases of soft-drinks, and 200 hams among other things that were greatly appreciated by the community which with 4,722 voters is the second largest division in Belize City.

Sincere thanks to members of the PUP Port Loyola Committee, members of the business community, and all others who assisted in any way to make our annual Christmas event a tremendous success despite restrictions due to Covid-19.

A happy and prosperous New Year to all the residents of Port Loyola and all other Belizeans countrywide.

Get Better Soon Ingrid!!

Ingrid Vega left the hospital in time for Christmas 2020. We wish her continued and better health.

BELIZE NATIONAL PRAYER Almighty and Eternal God, who through Jesus Christ has revealed Your Glory to all nations, please protect and preserve Belize, our beloved country.

God of might, wisdom and justice, please assist our Belizean government and people with your Holy Spirit of counsel and fortitude.

Let your light of Your divine wisdom direct their plans and endeavours so that with Your help we may attain our just objectives. With Your guidance, may all our endeavours tend to peace, social justice, liberty, national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety and useful knowledge.

We pray, O God of Mercy, for all of us that we may be blessed in the knowledge and sanctified in the observance of Your most holy law, that we may be preserved in union and in peace which the world itself cannot give. And, after enjoying the blessings of this life, please admit us, dear Lord, to that eternal reward that You have prepared for those who love You. Amen

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THE BELIZE TIMES

3 JAN

2021

3 JAN

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THE BELIZE TIMES

2021 NOTICE

STATUTORY NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Notice is hereby given that the below companies have been dissolved and struck off the International Business Companies Register with effect from the dates indicated:

IN THE ESTATE of ROSE ELIZABETH BROASTER a.k.a. ROSE ELIZABETH BRASTA, Deceased of Ranchito Village, Corozal District, Belize.

Name of Company

Date

GLADEL MANAGEMENT CORP.

09th December, 2020

SPAZIO CONTRACTING S.A.

16th December, 2020

Icaza Belize Trust Corporation Limited Registered Agent

NOTICE OF COMMENCEMENT OF DISSOLUTION Notice is hereby given to all interested parties that the following companies (“the Companies”) incorporated under the IBC Act of Belize commenced dissolution as follows: Name of Company

Date of Commencement of Dissolution

Liquidator Name & Address

LANARK TRADING S.A.

02nd December, 2020

Mr. Jason Mackey of Caves Professional Centre, Suite 3, Blake Road, West Bay Street, Nassau Bahamas

SALVAT VENTURES LTD.

07th December, 2020

Mr. Edmond-Patrick LECOURT of 34 bd d'Italie, 98000, Monaco

RENNO CAPITAL S.A.

14th December, 2020

Carmen do Nascimento de Vasconcelos of Rua Fernao de Magalhaes, 71 apt 1802 Salvador, BA 40140-410 Brazil

DIANELLA GROUP LTD.

17th December, 2020

Wehib Duri Bukri of Tiffany Tower, 1907, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Unit Araba Emirates

Any claims against the company should be forwarded to the Liquidator within 30 days from commencement.

Icaza Belize Trust Corporation Limited Registered Agent

NOTICE OF COMMENCEMENT OF DISSOLUTION Notice is hereby given to all interested parties that the following companies (“the Companies”) incorporated under the IBC Act of Belize commenced dissolution as follows: Name of Company

Date of Commencement of Dissolution

Liquidator Name & Address

WALLEY CORP LTD.

03rd December, 2020

Mr. Leonard Cathan of Route Ferney, 212, 1218 Le Grand-Saconnex, Switzerland

WALCOTT ASSOCIATES S.A.

08th December, 2020

Mrs. Penelope Jane Rhodes of 13A Chatham Road, Bath BA1 5A1 5BS, United Kingdom

RENDON HOLDINGS INC.

22nd December, 2020

Aleksei Leontev of 21 Tropinskiy proezd, Yaroslavl, 150001 Russia

Any claims against the company should be forwarded to the Liquidator within 30 days from commencement.

Belize Corporate Services Limited Registered Agent

NOTICE OF COMMENCEMENT OF DISSOLUTION Notice is hereby given to all interested parties that the company SCAPA INVESTMENTS CORP. (“the Company”) incorporated under the IBC Act of Belize commenced dissolution on the 04th day of December, 2020; and Mr. Carlos Fernando Arbiza Mangiarotti of Ing. Luis Giannatassio 551, Ap. 9, Paso Carrasco, Canelones, Uruguay is the Liquidator of the Company, and any claims against the company should be forwarded to the Liquidator within 30 days from commencement.

GCC Corporate Consultants Group Limited.

Registered Agent

NOTICE is hereby given pursuant to Section 36 of the Administration of Estates Act Chapter 197 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011, that all creditors and other persons having any claims and demands upon or against the Estate of ROSE ELIZABETH BROASTER a.k.a. ROSE ELIZABETH BRASTA, deceased, late of Ranchito Village, Corozal District, Belize who died on the 6th day of June, 2017 and in whose estate Grant of Administration has been granted to NEMENCIA BROASTER of Ranchito Village, Corozal District, Belize shall lodge such claims or demands with the said NEMENCIA BROASTER c/o GLENN D. GODFREY & Co LLP of No, 35 Barrack Road – Third Floor, Belize City, Belize on or before the expiration of (3) three months from the first publication hereof AND NOTICE IS ALSO HEREBY GIVEN that at the expiration of the said (3) three months the said NEMENCIA BROASTER shall proceed to distribute the assets of the said ROSE ELIZABETH BROASTER a.k.a. ROSE ELIZABETH BRASTA, deceased, amongst the beneficiaries entitled thereto, having regard only to claims and demands of which they shall then have had notice.

DATED this 16th day of December, 2020.

GLENN D. GODFREY & COMPANY LLP

Attorneys-at-Law for NEMENCIA BROASTER in the Estate of ROSE ELIZABETH BROASTER a.k.a. ROSE ELIZABETH BRASTA

STATUTORY NOTICE TO CREDITORS

IN THE ESTATE of DANIEL J. LAUBACH , Deceased of No. 261 Fawn Doe Drive, Sunrise Beach, Missouri, 65079 U.S.A. NOTICE is hereby given pursuant to Section 36 of the Administration of Estates Act Chapter 197 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011, that all creditors and other persons having any claims and demands upon or against the Estate of DANIEL J. LAUBACH, deceased, late of No. 261 Fawn Doe Drive, Sunrise Beach, Missouri, 65079 U.S.A. who died on the 30th day of December, 2018 and in whose estate Grant of Administration with the Will Annexed has been granted to BELIZE FIDUCIARY SERVICES LIMITED of No. 35 Barrack Road – Third Floor, Belize City, Belize shall lodge claims or demands with the said BELIZE FIDUCIARY SERVICES LIMITED c/o GLENN D. GODFREY & Co. LLP of No. 35 Barrack Road – Third Floor, Belize City, Belize on or before the expiration of (3) three months from the first publication hereof AND NOTICE IS ALSO HEREBY GIVEN that at the expiration of the said (3) three months the said BELIZE FIDUCIARY SERVICES LIMITED shall proceed to distribute the assets of the said DANIEL J. LAUBACH deceased, amongst the beneficiaries entitled thereto, having regard only to claims and demands of which they shall then have had notice.

DATED this 16th day of December, 2020.

GLENN D. GODFREY & COMPANY LLP Attorneys-at-Law for BELIZE FIDUCIARY SERVICES LIMITED in the Estate of DANIEL J. LAUBACH

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THE BELIZE TIMES

3 JAN

2021

3 JAN

2021

THE BELIZE TIMES

THINK ABOUT IT POLICE SERVICE LET US DOWN The Police Service let down the people and country of Belize. For almost thirteen years the UDP government has raped our country. They squandered precious monies that could have given Belizeans an excellent health care system and effective hospitals as well as free, quality education up to Sixth Form level for all our young people.

What UDP did to the people of Belize, especially poor people whose living conditions has worsened. Belize is in a mess. All the indications and the regional and international institutions tell us this was so before Covid. Millions of dollars could have been saved if public officers had leaked out or spoken out against the stealing and corruption which was so rampant and blatant.

We know that there are many good, decent public officers. Indeed the vast majority of public officers were good people and good employees.

But those who knew what was happening and said or leaked out no information should feel ashamed of themselves. We also know there were public officers who assisted and facilitated the criminal activities of the UDP politicians and cronies. We hope there is evidence against them and Ministers who they helped, so they can be an example.

In the wanton sale of government vehicles for a pittance, this could never have happened without the suspicion, the involvement and complicity of choice public officers. How could the good top-of-the-line vehicle used by a Minister, one day it has blue government license plate, the next day it has white license plate?

No one in the Ministry of Finance, Accountant General Office, or the various Transport offices, notices how government vehicles were being sold off, and computers and furniture too.

Have they sold the helicopters and drug planes? To whom and for how much?

And what is the story behind the huge boat with three engines which turned up at the Met Department by the airport. And is rehired Cumberbatch, still the re-employed Head of Department, in violation of the law?

We should ask the Public Service Union, what type of membership they have. No member alerted you guys to what was happening? If they didn’t, why not? And if they did, why did you sit on the information.

Belize is now in a mess. It didn’t happen by chance, it didn’t happen overnight. The systematic plunder of our monies, lands and resources was not just criminal, it was a sin. An unforgivable sin.

May it never happen again?

EXTRA JUDICIAL MURDER IN BELIZE? We were shocked and in awe to hear on the television that there was an extra judicial murder by the police.

This was a Tuesday morning around 6:00 a.m. The Host of Plus TV Pastor Luis Wade and guest by zoom/skype the indomitable, Arthur Saldivar somewhere in North America. It was a repeat program and the discussion was already underway when we received a phone call to check channel 59.

Pastor Wade was going through the recently concluded trial of police officer Michelle Brown, acquitted of murder last Friday by Belize’s best trial judge, Honourable Colin Williams.

The good Pastor was expressing his disbelief that the police and prosecution could fail to establish a credible case, in the situation where a vehicle crashed moments after a shot was heard. Two persons had to be assisted out of the vehicle, Fareed Ahmad and front seat passenger Police Brown.

Brown was very quickly charged for murder. She told close relatives, another person had shot Fareed. This information remained unknown to the public until little more than two weeks ago.

During her testimony Brown, who was a member of one of the dozens of strange police units which have sprung up over the years and operated outside the law, dropped a bombshell in court by calling the name of a fellow officer as the assassin. She told the Judge, Fareed slowed the vehicle to turn around on the road and her fellow officer got in the back seat. The officer shot Fareed and then exited the vehicle. The vehicle sped up but crashed a few minutes thereafter.

Brown not only called the name of the officer, she said whilst in hospital a Hispanic person whom she also knew, as he worked at the Raccoon Street Police Station visited her and threatened her and her family if she talked.

There is credible information that officials from the US Embassy in Belize visited Brown in prison. If true this was not a courtesy call. This is intriguing. The Americans are blamed for having

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switched the training of our Police from the Caribbean to Latin countries like Salvador and Honduras. In those countries, their security forces operate outside the law. They have a long and ignoble history of human rights abuses, death squads and extra judicial killings.

Pastor Wade apologized for not being able to assign a reporter to attend the trial. He promised that the sensational murder of Fareed, a beloved community personality, and the botched investigation and prosecution would be followed up in the new year.

We wish to commend Pastor Wade for the stellar work he and Plus TV have been doing over the years.

We are disappointed in the main-stream media for missing this major story. Fareed died from brain damage when his vehicle crashed, but he crashed because, according to the autopsy he received two bullets which entered his jaw from the right side and exited on the left and were not fatal.

If Police Officer Brown did not shoot Fareed, then who did? If she was the shooter, why would she assassinate a man she didn’t know and why was she in his vehicle in the vicinity of his home at mile 17, late at night on 27th December, 2017.

Fareed’s brother was executed in the Philippines by security forces, thereafter Police Brown Special Assignment Team instigated surveillance of Fareed and searches of Fareed and his family and he was a constant target of stop and search and harassment by the “Special Assignment” Team.

Advice to Michelle Brown is to swim across the river to the USA and start a new life. You probably committed a breach of the Special Assignment’s omerta.

“MARY JANE” Can we change the drug trafficking law which requires that sixty grams of marijuana makes a person a drug trafficker whose punishment is mandatory 3 years imprisonment plus a fine of ten thousand dollars and if the ten grand is not paid, the person has to spend an extra three more years?

Crazy, for little amount of weed.

STORY OF THE FIRST GROCERY BAG There was a Rasta man. He had read many books and was considered very wise. To those who knew better he was a very special human being, His mother was a humble young girl from the southside and his earthy dad was a carpenter.

He had a cousin who was really a Ras, with dreadlocks and who didn’t smoke or drink alcohol. Everyone called him John.

One day the Rastaman, who was considered the Christ (Christmas was named after him) was reasoning with a large gathering in a big open area. The crowd was learning new things and when dinnertime came they did not want to leave. So Christ, the Rasta man called for donations. Only a young boy had five pack bread and two fishes.

Christ looked up to heaven and asked the great one who rules the universe (Jah over all) to do a thing.

Everyone got something to eat, everyone. The Christ did not ask them to line-up at different shops. He and his disciples walked among the crowd and gave them food to eat.

No one was turned away because the Rastaman, known as Jesus, the Christ was all about love.

This is a kind of story of the first grocery bag—sort of.

IN MEMORY OF ZEE EDGEL Zee Edgel, beloved Belizean writer has passed from our planet. She wrote four novels: Beka Lamb, The Festival of San Joaquin, Time and the River, and In Times Like These.

Beka Lamb is her most famous work and it has, quite rightly, become required reading in most of our schools.

We mourn the passing of our great Belizean artist and offer our sincere condolences to her family.

10, THE UNFAIR NUMBER Divine Mercy Church is a good-sized church. So is St John’s Cathedral and Wesley Church. There are others. We don’t see why only ten persons are allowed. More can be allowed to worship their God and gather strength and inspiration in our churches while still able to practice social distance, sanitize and wear masks.

Let there be light.

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3 JAN

THE BELIZE TIMES

2021

HONOURING A HERO

HONOURABLE SENATOR FRED HUNTER LAID TO REST FRED HUNTER IS COUNTED AMONG THOSE WHO FOUGHT FOR OUR FREEDOM AS A NATION STATE AND CONSIDERED AS ONE OF THE HEROS OF INDEPENDENT BELIZE A STATE FUNERAL was held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in the village of Burrell Boom for the late Senator Fred Hunter. His last public post was as an elected Senator representing the Business Community, being an official from the Belize Business Bureau.

He served five terms (25 years) in the House of Representatvie, repesenting Belize Rural North from 1961 to 1984 becoming part of that band of Heros of the Independent Belize. Under Premier Goerge Price’s Cabinet he served in various capacities: as Minister of Agriculture, Lands and Cooperatives; Minister of Communications and Minister of Works, Port and Harbours.

He gained prominence in his strategic allaince with his friend Louis Sylvetre when they resisted the ascension to leadership of the left wing movement headed by Said Musa and Assad Shoman. They with Hector Silva later broke ranks with the party after Independence as Musa consolidated his hold under the Price family. Hunter tried various times to reenter politics. He later got elected to represent the business community in the Senate.

A FAMILY DISTINQUISHED BY SERVICE TO THEIR COMMUNITY: His brothers and sisters served their communities in some form or fashion. “Sandy” Alexander Hunter also served next to him in the House of Representatives and in Cabinet. His other brother, Father Charles Hunter taught literature as a Jesuit at St. John’s College and his sister Yhonne Maria Hunter RSM served as a techer at the Sisters of Mercy Convent and Holy Redeemer. She was awarded second prize for St. George’s Caye Day contest for her poem “British Honduras”. She was class of 1945.

Hunter had an intense interest in our national boundaries and our sovereignty providing documentation and support for the position of the Baymen representing British historical claim going through various European treaties. He drew strength from his background and the alliances he made.

These friendships served him well.

Hon. Frederick Hopkins “Fred” Hunter

Fred’s business interest was cattle and agriculture where he sat on various cattle association boards trying to improve the quality of the herds in Belize and finding a market which would buy the cattle.

He spent a great deal of effort improving living conditions in the Belize River Valley.

His other passion was horse racing. Both he and his friend Louis “Cous” Sylvestre shared this weekend hobby making Boom Race Track their favorite spot to catch up on the local politics and business.

The First House of Representatvies of Belize 1964-1969 After Gaining Self Goverment

(Front Row) George Price, W Harrison Courtenay, Guadaloupe Pech, Lindsberg Rogers, Gwendolyn Lizarraga (Second Row) Stanley Hulse, Louise Sylvestre, Fred Hunter, Alexander Hunter, Hector Sylva, Allan Arthurs, Elito Urbina (Third Row) Phillip Goldson, Florencio Marin, Santiago Ricalde (Last Row) Reggie Faber, David McKoy, Alejandro Vernon, Harry Courtenay, Charles Martinez, San Perdomo, Unknown 38 BUSINESS

Fred and Lou both shared a love for race horses

3 JAN

2021

It was a December 22 in the late 1940’s Since the past three weeks or so, carols had filled the air and the ears of young and old in the fairly quiet little town of San Ignacio – at the great risk of colliding one with the other as every home and family celebrated the coming of the Christ Jesus with their own favourites. Faithful traditionalists had already arranged their nacimientos at home, the black and white cakes had been quite some time in the making, and bollos leaves had already been bought or ordered to avoid those last-minute Christmas demands.

Home-grown feathered creatures were plentiful, and housewives had for weeks been eyeing their choice to complete the bollos and tamales specials for occasions such as Christmas day. These days, coops had to be kept well secured.

Children were especially jittery, always wondering with innocent suspicion what were in the bags they saw brought home from time to time. And, there was always the jealous fear that old Santa Claus might forget their address; or, would not remember to produce the favourite desired toy; or, get so many gifts mixed up at the time of his visit on Christmas Eve. Homes were looking their best, as they always did at this time. The little center tables, chairs and rocking chairs had already been sandpapered and varnished, so as to welcome with class, this December 25 and the New Year.

The big nacimiento at Sacred Heart Church had already been installed by Don Domo, and school girls had been holding their daily practice every afternoon at Sacred Heart to produce the best Pastores ever witnessed.

And Don Sab was painstakingly ensuring that the street kerosene lamps were functional and would get new wicks by the twenty-third, not to mention that kerosene would be stored in time and in enough quantities.

Don Basilio and Doña Ursula were one happy couple who lived with their twelve-year-old boy across the western end of the Sacred Heart property.

Their humble thatch-roofed home was

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THE BELIZE TIMES partially surrounded by fruit trees which, apart from providing them delicious and healthy fruits, also contributed to the family’s extra income.

Don Basilio was a chiclero, but this year he was at home, away from his work for a month or two, having slipped and fallen from a sapodilla tree – luckily without great physical injury. But still unable to undertake his seasonal employment.

This evening, the couple and their child, Josue, were sitting outside their home enjoying the never-grow-old pastores songs which came to them as clear as if they were living on Church Street.

Doña Ursula would witness the Pastores at the Christmas Eve Mass along with Josue, as they had been doing for years. This year, Don Basilio would not be there with them owing to his physical condition, not being able to sit for long periods in church and having to change sitting position often among so many people.

Moreover, the family was not in the best spending situation this year and this did not make him a happy man. His concern was his wife and son. He much better preferred to stay home alone.

“Next year will be better,” Don Basilio promised his wife.

“Not to worry, Bas,” his wife reassured him. “We are only three, and as long as we have something to eat, that’s Christmas.”

“It’s Josue I am concerned about.

We have not been able to buy him that mouth organ that he wants. And, he plays so well.”

“I”ll see what we can do, Viejo. I can credit the few ingredients to make the bollos and tamales. Josue can go pick up orders and collect from some in advance. There is nothing to worry about.”

“I would still like to give him a bit more. He deserves it. He studies and does well in school. He is already twelve. And he needs a few more pants and shirts, not to mention a new pair of tennis.”

“Let’s see how the bollos and tamales sales go. I have faith,” Doña Ursula promised her husband, with a knock on the bench on which they were sitting – for luck.

They had stayed on their bench longer than usual. It was already about ten.

As they prepared to get in for the night, Doña Ursula let out a scream.

“Basilio! Basilio! Look! A falling star!”

They both followed the star until it disappeared, about a mile away on the Benque Road.

That star occupied Don Basilio’s thoughts and dreams that night. These stars that raced across the sky heralded good things to come.

Don Basilio kept his plans to himself. (Tomorrow he would enjoy some good fortune. He had a fairly accurate idea where the star had fallen.)

What could it be? He tried hard not to think of it and tried to get a good night’s rest.

The next morning about six he got up and drank his usual cup of coffee. He woke up his wife and Josue and waited until they had had something to eat.

That morning it was homemade bread and black beans with three of their plentiful supply of eggs from their local fowls.

“Where are you going so early,

Bas?” his wife enquired.

“You remember the falling star we saw last night? I have a fairly good idea where it fell, so I will go look for our fortune. Get me some lunch for two.

I’m taking Josue along, because I may need help to carry what we’ll find.”

Accompanied by his son, Don Basilio, shotgun on his shoulder, eagerly began his trek on the Benque Road, and not far from town he turned left and followed the path that he remembered the star had taken.

“Soon reach, Pa?” enquired Josue.

“Very soon, Son,” promised his father.

And soon it was.

“Here is where the star fell!” rejoiced Don Basilio, screaming in an uncontrollably loud voice. “Here is our treasure! Let’s go in, Josue!”

They walked in, through the natural wall of trees that were there protecting - from undesirable intruders the corn and beans, pumpkins and watermelons that were planted seasonally on the fertile piece of land.

They saw nothing unusual, nothing like a pot of gold or hidden diamonds.

But Don Bas was a believer. Something very precious was there waiting for him and his family. He couldn”t give up.

Father and son explored the complete perimeter of the land. Somewhere on the western end they came across the tracks of an animal seemingly in a hurry to escape, most likely from hunters.

As the scouting father and son team came back towards where they had entered, they found traces of blood left behind, no doubt by the fleeing animal. Someone had already been there, and very likely had shot the animal, maybe a deer, which had escaped.

And as these two father and son hopefuls got closer to the entrance jackpot!

Trapped among some saplings and brambles was a fawn struggling without success to free herself. She had not had the good fortune to escape with her mother. Great was the joy of the two. The promise of the falling star was infallibly true!

Father and son asked each other what to do. The options were not many, but there were a few:- allow her to go free; carry her to town on their shoulders as a trophy; butcher her later at home and sell the tender meat. Or raise her on the abundant vegetation at home and later decide her future.

Both agreed that they would walk her home and decide after consulting

with Doña Ursula. And that they did.

The fawn was carried all the way before reaching the Benque Road, and when they got there they put her down - a bit rested after being carried - and walked her home, tied around the neck, father and son proudly exhibiting their trophy. Children and adults – especially children – lined the street to see and admire the young animal. Don Basilio and Josue looked forward to reach home with their excellent Christmas present.

Finally they reached home. Already informed, Doña Ursula was waiting, a happy smile on her face.

They left the decision to determine the fawn’s future until the next day. They were overjoyed, telling the story of their find over and over to all who came by.

About nine they decided to go to bed. Don Basilio had not had much sleep the previous night.

It was not too long after that someone knocked on their door.

“Good night! Good night! Does Mr. Basilio live here? Good night!

Don Basilio!”

Who could it be? The police?

What had they done that was illegal? Could it be that they were being accused of entering a piece of land which was not theirs?

The situation had to be addressed.

Don Basilio opened his door, rubbing his sleepy eyes.

“Yes, I am Basilio. How can I help you?”

“I am Mr. Richards. I live in the savannah area. I am in great need to buy my son a very special gift for Christmas. It’s all over town that you caught a young deer. That would be the perfect gift for him. Please.

Please,” he pleaded.

Don Basilio went back into the room, spoke with his wife, then to his son. When he came back out, he found Mr. Richards sweating with anxiety, wallet in hand.

“Please, Don Basilio. Help me make my son happy. Please.”

Don Basilio smiled. They had agreed to sell the prized fawn which would make Mr. Richards” son happy on this December 25.

How much Mr. Richards paid Don Basilio remains a secret up to this day.

But this much we know - two families spent Christmas with abundantly overflowing joy and gratitude in their hearts.

NOTICE OF COMMENCEMENT OF DISSOLUTION Notice is hereby given to all interested parties that the company BAY VIEW CONTINENTAL CORP. (“the Company”) incorporated under the IBC Act of Belize commenced dissolution on the 08th day of December, 2020; and Maria Virginia De Moya M. of Gustavo Mejia-Ricart 68 St., second floor, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic is the Liquidator of the Company, and any claims against the company should be forwarded to the Liquidator within 30 days from commencement.

Sucre & Sucre (Belize) Limited Registered Agent

22

Editor’s Choice: International Tidbits For Covid-19 Vaccines, Some Are Too Rich — and Too Poor (December 28, 2020)

3 JAN

THE BELIZE TIMES

By Matt Apuzzo and Selam Gebrekidan, New York Times

© Joao Silva/The New York Times Participating in a Johnson & Johnson vaccine trial this month at the Desmond Tutu H.I.V. Foundation Youth Center near Cape Town.

2021

CAPE TOWN — A few months from now, a factory in South Africa is expected to begin churning out a million doses of Covid-19 vaccine each day in the African country hardest-hit by the pandemic.

But those vials will probably be shipped to a distribution center in Europe and then rushed to Western countries that have pre-ordered them by the hundreds of millions. None have been set aside for South Africa.

The country, which will help manufacture the vaccine and whose citizens have enrolled in clinical trials, does not expect to see the first trickle of doses until around the middle of next year.

By then, the United States, Britain and Canada, which have already started, may have vaccinated more than 100 million people.

The first year of the Covid-19 pandemic revealed that a country’s wealth would not spare it from the virus.

Overconfidence, poor planning and ignored warnings felled some of the world’s richest nations. But now, money is translating into undeniable advantages. …rich nations like the United States and Britain have cut deals with multiple drug manufacturers…(More at NYTimes.com)

A breakdown of the Pfizer vaccine and why most people will qualify for the injection

The FDA late Friday authorized Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for people ages 16 and up, but warned that those with known severe allergic reactions to any of the vaccine's components should avoid taking it.

But this begs the question -- what is in the vaccine?

The good news is that Pfizer's mRNA vaccine doesn't contain any known allergens like eggs or metals.

"There are no derivatives of food allergies, there is no aluminum or mercury or anything like that," Dr. David Stukus, director of the Food Allergy Treatment Center at Nationwide Children's Hospital, said in an interview with ABC. "There is nothing in there that is inherently allergenic."

In fact, to allergy experts, most of the ingredients don't raise any alarm bells.

Sociales]

El primer quintanarroense en recibir la vacuna contra el Covid-19, se llama Arturo Arellano, enfermero del IMSS, quien es parte de la Operación Chapultepec.

[Foto: Redes

Anuncios en el Bulevar Bahía de Chetumal (Daniel Tejada/SIPSE)

Dr. Shiela Beroukhim Afrahimi and Dr. Anita Verma

Pfizer's vaccine has genetic material known as mRNA, as well as fats, salts and other ingredients commonly found in everyday medications that help maintain stability.

Because we already have mRNA in nearly every cell of our bodies naturally, it's harmless, experts explained. The lipids, or fat lobules, and salts found in the vaccine add stability and structure to the mRNA and also help the mRNA slide into our cells. This way, our immune system's cells can appropriately respond and learn to attack the virus when exposed to it naturally in the real world.

There is only one ingredient in the vaccine, called PEG, that could potentially cause an allergic reaction, but experts agree it is unlikely to be a problem for the vast majority of people.

PEG "is a very common inactive

ingredient found in a lot of overthe-counter things and in a lot of injectable medications," Dr. Erin L. Reigh, a staff physician in the Section of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, told ABC News.

"I have seen a few cases of allergies to this in my career, but it is very rare," she added.

In fact, PEG is so commonly found around us that "you probably ate it this morning," said Stukus. "It is in many different foods and medications. It's in in MiraLAX, for when people are constipated. It's present in some other vaccines as well."

Concerns about allergic reactions were raised when two people in the United Kingdom who received the vaccine in the first day it was

distributed experienced severe allergic reactions known as anaphylaxis. But both of these people had a history of severe reactions, and both carried devices like an Epi Pen. "We lack details about these people including their own medical history of allergy and anaphylaxis or their exact symptoms," Stukus said.

"What struck me about the cases in the U.K. was that they already had carried EpiPens," Reigh said. It is most probable that these two persons already had a history of and predisposition to anaphylaxis.

But for everyone else -- even those with a history of less severe allergies -- the vaccine should be of no concern, experts say.

"People with just run of the mill seasonal allergies in general, I don't expect them to have problems with this," Reigh said.

Enfermeros quintanarroenses, entre los primeros en recibir vacuna contra Covid-19

por José Baron MÉXICO.- La mañana de este lunes, el gobernador del estado de Quintana Roo, Carlos Joaquín González informó a través de sus redes sociales que elementos del personal médico de Quintana Roo recibieron la vacuna contra el Covid-19. De igual manera, informó sobre el matrimonio conformado por Yaneisi Chan y Marco Yam, ambos enfermeros del Hospital General de Zona #3 en Cancún, quienes también recibieron el fármaco que combate el coronavirus.

“Además de ser compañeros en esta batalla, son marido y mujer. Hoy ya tienen una herramienta más para seguir salvando vidas”, publicó el mandatario estatal.

La logística diseñada establece que los candidatos a la vacuna pasan primero por un triage en donde se les toma la temperatura, se checa su nivel de oxigenación y se les aplica gel en las manos. Este es el tercer día de vacunación luego de que llegaran al país los primeros cargamentos de la vacuna desarrollada por Pfizer y BioNTech, quienes desarrollaron un biológico con que funciona con ARN mensajero. (Para más viste sipse.com)

Chetumal: Colocan anuncios de prohibido ingerir bebidas embriagantes en la vía pública

Por Angel Castilla, sábado 12 de diciembre del 2020 El Bando de Policía y Gobierno del Municipio de O.P.B. establece que aquellos que sean sorprendidos ingiriendo bebidas embriagantes serán sancionados con una multa de hasta cinco mil pesos, arresto hasta por 36 horas y trabajo a favor de la comunidad.

Osiris de Jesús Ceballos Díaz, director general de Seguridad Pública y Tránsito en O.P.B., informó que los letreros se colocaron en los puntos más concurridos en el bulevar, como son el lugar conocido como el arenal, estacionamiento frente a la Universidad de Q.R., frente al Centro de Estudios Tecnológicos del Mar (Cetmar), zona de discos y en el estacionamiento frente al restaurante Chiles.

Precisó que en esos sitios se registran aglomeraciones, principalmente los fines de semana, y durante los viernes y sábados, los elementos policiacos han retirado hasta 600 unidades vehiculares por día.

Ceballos Díaz agregó que como medida para disminuir la circulación en la zona, se cerró la vialidad del Bulevar del carril junto a la Bahía, precisamente, donde se ubican los estacionamientos donde las personas estacionan las unidades automotoras.

Las estadísticas … revelan que los horarios en los que las personas acuden al Bulevar Bahía, ya sea a circular o estacionarse en algún sitio a ingerir bebidas embriagantes es desde las 7:00 de la noche hasta las 5:00 de la mañana del día siguiente. (Para más de este articulo visite sipse.com)

Mahahual, Quintana Roo at 60% hotel occupancy by Yucatan Times

Mahahual is at the top of the allowed occupation, so a setback at the traffic light would represent a serious blow to the development of the economy of this place and probably the dismissal of personnel.

The representative of the hotel association, Gerardo Pérez Zafra, indicated that the conditions of Bacalar have allowed this destination to be in the preference of visitors.

“A setback means 20 percent in occupancy, that is, 40 percent of maximum occupancy. For a hotel to achieve its break-even point, it needs at least 40 percent if it does not have bank liabilities ”, explained Pérez Zafra, specifying that the rates are made up of 20 percent Booking, Expedia or any other internet platforms. (More at Yucatantimes.com)

3 JAN

2021

THE BELIZE TIMES

23

UDP INFAMY/INCOMPETENCE/CORRUPTION/RECESSION JANUARY 2020 TO MARCH 2020 January CRISIS in Caye Caulker residents, businesses and tourism stakeholders have roundly condemned the UDP Government of Belize, BEL and BWSL after the island was left without water or electricity for almost a week, from just after Christmas and through the New Year. Both major utilities, about which the Prime Minister regularly boasts, experienced simple mechanical malfunctions which rendered them totally useless, and left the island high, dry and hot, for almost a week.

Dirty DEE Does it Penner Style: hundreds of immigrants lined up and assembled outside the Lake Independence office of the UDP’s aspirant for office, Dianne Finnegan.

They were there, one of them told a reporter for the Belize Times, because they had been promised by persons working for Finnegan that she could assist with the processing of their nationality documents, and also assist with the monies needed to be paid into the nationality department for the processing.

Saldivar? Who else? Here comes Dean Barrow and his shady bunch adding salt to an already open international wound via the Levon Termendhzyan / Kingston Group USD $500 million fraud. According to US court documents, Termendhzyan’s former partner Jacob Kingston, testified that from 2012 to 2016 monthly payments were made to Belizean officials which included a Government Minister. Now we know that this was the beginning of the end of John Saldivar’s political life.

Herman Longsworth and Simeon Coc lead Patrick Faber’s Education Ministry with still unravelled scandals. The BYM president chimed in “…scandal involving the fleecing of public funds at the National Sports Council by ex-Ministers and cronies of this corrupt UDP government. In a single year, close to one million dollars was fraudulently siphoned from our young athletes by a few select individuals.”

February Champion of Incompetence Convention I: Both Saldivar and Faber have declared themselves winners already, in a UDP convention scheduled for February 9th.

B a r r o w / Ve g a / F a b e r Spent 1.5 Billion w/o permission: Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin pronounced judgment on Barrow, the first time ever that a Prime Minister of this country has been taken before the highest court in the land, and has been found to have violated the Constitution, the sacred laws of Belize. The UDP fools can spin it any way they like, but the fact is that the Chief Justice ruled that Mr. Barrow, who believes himself to be the ‘brilliantest and brightest,’ was wrong when he spent $1.5 BILLION, with a

B, without the permission of the people who elected him into office.

Khalid(UDP Senator in waiting) lied: Photographs of Mayor Belisle on the secure tarmac at the Philip Goldson supposedly in 2015 were hardly circulating on Social media when Belisle attempted to quell the red inferno that this issue has become with a hurry-hurry press release. Belisle got burnt by said inferno as another picture was revealed in Las Vegas, this time 2014, and can still be seen on the Twitter page of a jailed fraudster Ramon Desage.

Patt Head of the Cesspool of Corruption: 350 lots, 1000 apiece approved

by Cabinet as their special Social Rate Prime Caye land by Caye Caulker GIVEN TO DELEGATES FREE Since TWO financiers footed the Bill Have you wondered how why Hugo Patt topped the count at the 2020 UDP Leadership convention?

The question as to who else, other than Saldivar, got Lev Dermen dollars. was never answered. Not Yet, at least. Patt??

March RECESSION: 3rd Consecutive QUARTER in the RED: Late in 2019, the United Democratic Party embodied in the Prime Minister Dean Barrow muttered in the House of Representatives that Belize is not in a recession. The Prime Minister is tired and his expertise does not lie in being an economist. He is a lawyer and even his best legal spin could not save him from the truth. Belize was already in a recession and his numbers presented to the IMF were incomplete, at best.

UDP hold a press conference on March 12, in jest, to tell the peo-

ple that there is a pandemic and that their Health Minister was clueless.

Patrick Faber was absent as he still is today from any knowledge of what the coronavirus is.

UDP Try to Gain Political Points from Covid-19: Those who say

that they are leaders and want to be leaders of the people have packed up some cheap goods in fancy red bags marked Tracy for Albert, and Patrick for Leader and OJ for Freetown and are out trying to play politics at a time like this. How shameful is that?

Pick up next week’s issue for the 2nd part of UDP Infamy/Incompetence/Corruption/Recession of 2020. Barrow/Faber SUCCEEDED in dragging Belize into their third recession for their third term. This recession dragged Belize into the Covid pandemic in the weakest possible state.

24

THE BELIZE TIMES

3 JAN

2021