Belize Times e-paper

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THE BELIZE TIMES

THE CRUISESHIP

CRISIS

The People’s United Party deplores the incompetence and lack of direction displayed by the Barrow administration in putting at risk the jobs and future livelihood of hundreds of Belizeans who make an honest living servicing the cruiseship industry.

The present uncertainty surrounding the future of the industry is a clear indication of the lack of a defined policy for the regulation of the industry for the mutual benefit of the cruiseship companies and the Belizean workers in the industry.

To add insult to injury, the action, or inaction in this case, by the Barrow government seems geared to promote the self-interest of a few privileged UDP supporters at the expense of the majority of workers and to the detriment of our national interest. Credible allegations have arisen that a senior government official with close ties to the Prime Minister had negotiated with the cruise ship companies for the operation of 150-seater tenders for the transportation of tourists from ship to shore. These negotiations resulted in the cruiseship companies raising the bar to include excessively high demands, including a requirement of $2 million dollars’ worth of insurance on each tender, effectively excluding local Belizean tender operators who have made major investments in tender operations and now face financial and economic hardship.

The so-called intervention of Mr. Barrow, described in his propaganda newspaper as ‘Another Industry Saved,’ was an empty shell. To date there has been no comfort for the troubled industry. Now the Prime Minister is telling the tender operators to work out their own problems, and that his government stands ready to assist - not to lead; not to solve the problem; not to commit to maintaining the industry on a level playing field for the benefit of the hundreds of Belizeans who earn a pittance compared to the giant share reaped by the cruiseship companies.

The Prime Minister’s arrogance in trying to personally ‘negotiate’ with the giants in the cruiseship industry not only put the industry in Belize in jeopardy, but resulted in a major embarrassment to our national pride with the recent declaration of certain cruise lines to by-pass Belize.

The People’s United Party holds the strong conviction that the cruiseship industry should serve the country and not the other way around. The next PUP government is determined and equipped to restore the tourism industry to its appropriate place as a major contributor to our national economy - an industry that works with and for the Belizean people, and contributes to the wealth and well-being of the nation and its hardworking people.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Gregory Ch’oc defends

Sarstoon/Temash National Park Last week I responded to a statement made by the Prime Minister on January 7 in which he said that oil drilling will be permitted in the Sarstoon Temash National Park since it has been cleared by the Court.

I said the statement was irresponsible, inaccurate and misleading, as it relates to the SATIIM v Forest Department judgment of 2006. I stand by my words. I do not wish to read the 2006 Judgment or the National Parks System Act to justify my response to the Prime Minister’s statement.

What I wish to do, instead, is to challenge every Belizean to demand that government and our political leader make decisions that enhance and not corrode our patrimony because of vested interest. What good is it that we know what the judgment of 2006 and the National Parks System Act say and we do nothing to keep their promises? We all know too well that it is open for the government to legally change any existing law by legislation, if it considers it to be in the way of a contract or agreement or to cause the whole contract or agreement to be legislated into law. It has been done before. The rhetorical question today is whether we will continue to allow our government to circumvent, altar, or amend law written to protect us in order to benefit a few. That issue translates to the urgent matter at hand, “To drill or not to drill”. These are questions that we as Belizeans, in the spirit of nationalism, cannot afford our political leaders to answer for us.

We, in Belize, have been entrusted with some of the Earth’s natural wonders and as a people; we have taken collective responsibility for them.

This is an enormous responsibility, one that I think those of us here today do not take lightly. These natural wonders have become a part of us.

They have defined our culture, our livelihoods, and for some the basis of their world view. So our generation is beckoned once more, to fight, to keep our duties to safeguard these natural wonders that have become a part of us. How we answer the questions I posed earlier, will determine who we are and what our values are as a people.

In 2006 when SATIIM challenged government’s permit for seismic testing inside the Sarstoon Temash National Park, not many Belizeans were moved to support and take action. Had I presented this map then, which shows our entire THE BELIZE TIMES country divided into different oil development concessions; the reEDITOR sponse may still have been miniAlberto Vellos mal. Perhaps, many of us thought this was impossible. Today, as we OFFICE MANAGER all know, this is our sad reality that Fay Castillo McKay we must confront collectively.

Since SATIIM’s court ruling in PRINTING/PERSONNEL SUPERVISOR 2006, I have journeyed to distant Doreth Bevans lands to speak with communities and see for myself the realities of DESKTOP PUBLISHER oppression, human rights violaChristopher Williams tions, environmental destructions, toxic rivers, militarized TYPIST zones, etc, that have accompanied Rachel Arana oil development. The images that I am sharing with you were taken in Coca, Ecuador, among the indigOFFICE ASSISTANT enous peoples of the Amazon. Let Roberto Peyrefitte us not make the mistake of thinking that this cannot happen here Printed & Published By in our beloved country. It can.

The Belize Times Ltd. When it happens, we will be the #3 Queen Street ones that allowed it to happen beP.O. BOX 506 cause we were too afraid to stand Belize City, Belize up and demand that government Tel: 671-8385 protects our country.

Email: belizetimesad@yahoo.com Our government’s, ‘drill baby editortimes@yahoo.com Continued on page 33

Sunday, January 30, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

War Cry!

Continued from page 1

not alone. The members of the Belize Coalition, which includes the Association of Protected Areas Management Organisations, COLA, Oceana, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize, Belize Tourism Industry Association, among many others, stood in solidarity to send a clear message: “No oil drilling!”

Cho’c said there was already evidence of environmental damage to the Sarstoon Temash national park from exploration studies already conducted by the oil company, and drilling for oil would be even more detrimental.

Cho’c indicated that no one is convinced that the oil industry is benefitting Belizeans. Cho’c said he recognised that Government has legal contracts with foreign companies, but, he said, so too do they have binding contracts with the people of Belize to protect our natural heritage.

“So Hon. Prime Minister, you have said you will not break legitimate contracts. Is it then that our laws, which bind and commit us, as a people to protect our natural wonders not worth the paper it is written on? We know the choices are difficult; but we must never abandon the duties thrust upon us by our future generations. I hope you will choose to stand with us and reason with us,” remarked Cho’c.

One group tired of attempting to ‘reason’ with the Prime Minister is COLA. Its former Chairman, Geovannie Brackett, who is now the Coordinator for the Belize Coalition was livid in his demands that the Prime Minister should withdraw before it is too late.

“It is time for our people to rise up.

SATIIM’s Greg Cho’c, APAMO’s Yvette Alonzo & COLA’s Geovanni Brackett

It is only when we come together and move in the direction of unity and be willing to pay the price and make the

sacrifice for freedom that we will see justice roll in this nation…It [Government] continues the hope that this will

Controversial Muslim Cleric sneaks past Belizean officials Continued from page 1

the United States, after he arrived in Belize on a Taca flight on January 2nd, and then smuggled his way through Mexico, then past the U.S. border.

Jaziri is a very controversial Muslim character. He led the 2006 protests against a Danish newspaper cartoon depicting Prophet Muhammad. In 2008, while processing an application for permanent residency in Canada, officials learnt that he had lied about a criminal record for assault and obtaining false documents in France. He was then deported to Tunisia.

Jaziri has been flagged, as

a caution to authorities across the world, yet when he landed in Belize on Taca flight 410, immigration officials allowed him to proceed into the country.

While officials are yet to explain how that happened, security authorities across the region have expressed utter dismay.

Now that he is under U.S. detention, Jaziri is being held and has been offered bail of $25,000. Authorities said he will be held, since he is a material in another smuggling case. While, it is believed he paid Mexican smugglers $5,000 to get him to the U.S., it is not clear if he also paid anyone in Belize to help him in his covert travelling.

NOTICE:

3 blow over. But let me promise you this.

The hell of a storm that is coming - this won’t pass over so quickly.”

Brackett then warned that members of the Coalition stood ready for civil disobedience. “We are willing to stand in front of the PM’s house, to protest in front of the PM’s office, the National Assembly. We won’t abide by no 8 to 5. We will stay and we will bring the heat until every contract is being revoked,” he declared.

On Wednesday, Oceana revealed that the Barrow Administration is contemplating the granting of over a million acres of marine waters for offshore exploration. The area was recently held by the Taiwanese group, OPIC, but relinquished based on findings that there was no oil. “The Government should not engage in any new offshore leasing until the matter is taken to referendum to the Belizean people,” stated Oceana’s Audrey Matura-Shepherd.

18 yr. old accused of raping 15 yr. old student

Corozal District, January 21st, 2011 18 year old Adolph Manzanilla has been charged for the alleged rape of a 15 year old high school student in Corozal.

The sexual assault allegedly occurred last week Tuesday at a high school in the northern-most district.

The girl, who is a student at the school, said she remained on the compound after classes when Manzanilla arrived and forced her into the male bathroom, then raped her.

Manzanilla, who resides in Ranchito Village, was a former alumnus of the school. He has been charged for rape.

The BELIZE TIMES advises its readers and advertisers that next month it is reverting to its former publishing day of Thursdays. Starting on its Sunday, February 6th 2011 issue, the newspaper will publish on Thursdays. Advertisers are advised that the deadline for ads will be Wednesdays at midday.

For any inquiries, please contact our office at 6718385 or visit us at #3 Queen Street.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Ipads for them

and the Board and nothing for the small tenders!

Seleni Matus, Director of Tourism and Lindsay Garbutt, CEO in the Ministry of Tourism, continue to struggle to explain the mess they have created with Carnival and the small tenders. There are no clear answers from them on what exactly the situation is, or what the proposals are that they have on the table. In one breath, Seleni Matus gives a rundown of how large Carnival is in the world and that it really is like an 800 pound gorilla in the room and that it is difficult to deal with them and it doesn’t help that Belize doesn’t have leverage to negotiate with them like other destinations do….REALLY? What leverage are you talking about Ms. Matus that we don’t have? And like what other destinations? We have a lot of leverage, but you just don’t know how to use it!

In another breath, she continues that Carnival wants to grow cruise tourism in Belize and for that we will be bringing back to the table the development of a port facility a couple years from now…so Seleni is already hinting that while they don’t know how to solve this problem with the big 800 pound gorilla we are going to be discussing yet another controversial matter of building a port facility for cruise further disenfranchising the small tender operators. REALLY? So have we as a country taken a policy that we will be expanding cruise further than where it is already in Belize? Belizeans, why are we tolerating persons who clearly are not competent to be negotiating or discussing anything on our behalf?

Seleni and Lindsay on radio interviews are saying that Government has been constant in saying that it is committed to providing support to the small tenders but can’t say how… in what concrete way is this demonstrated? Will you give them fuel concessions? Will you provide a specific low interest loan facility for them at DFC? Will you waive certain taxes for a few years to help them get up to speed? But then, what will you do when the port facility comes that you are going after that will further put them out of a job? ALL NONSENSE! Seleni talks that it is a complex process, as if we Belizeans don’t quite understand the level of seriousness we are dealing with. What is not complex, is that if you are around a negotiating table you should be negotiating in good faith. What Seleni, Lindsay and the PM should have been doing is insisting that until a decision is made there is no need to cancel calls because for all these

Seleni Matus

years, Carnival and indeed all cruise lines use these tenders to ferry passengers, so a couple more months until a mutual decision has been met would not have hurt anyone. That, instead of time, is what Seleni, Lindsay, the PM and any other government official should have been working on since they injected themselves into this business matter. Real bread and butter issues are at stake. While they continue to be paid their fancy

Lindsay Garbutt

salaries, and ride their brand new fancy cars and give all Board of Directors Apple Ipads, hundreds of Belizeans for the past few weeks have been struggling since revenue has not been coming in. Are the board members quiet of all the nice gifts?

Is this where their priorities are?

What is BTIA doing about all of this or did they also get Ipads for sitting on the BTB board?

And what about that overnight

Zenaida is played out Belize City, January 25th, 2011

By Darren Caesar “Somebody got no Balls!” are the very words that got UDP Mayor Zenaida MoyaFlowers in big trouble with her Party Leader, Prime Minister Dean Barrow. The thing about it is that Zenaida was careful not to call anyone’s name, so while both political parties were looking within to see who her fight talk was referring to it was the UDP that took claim to what was interpreted as “Barrow noh got no balls!”

Amongst the rank and file UDP, Zenaida was an outsider. A pseudo-unionist brought into the UDP fold.

She thought she knew the party, its politics and its leader Dean Barrow, but little did she understand that she did not know the REAL Dean Barrow.

Now, the fight between PM Barrow and Mayor Zenaida started before Barrow became Prime Minister. Barrow’s first strike was the gag order placed on the Mayor’s spending when GOB imposed a City Administrator to slow things down at City Hall and to be His eyes and ears amidst the growing complaints the Mayor. Z’s response was contemptuous. She found ways to isolate Barrow’s man and business continued as usual.

Barrow’s next move? Cold and ruthless! Out of nowhere, Mayor Moya-Flowers was arrested and charged just a few days after giving birth to her first born.

Mayor Z showed that she had undisputed UDP support, despite her leader’s scorn, by beating off a party challenge to her renewal of mayorship. The UDP preferredcandidate, Anthony Michael, lost badly. Not to be outdone, Barrow had another unexpected trick up his sleeve.

Miriam Roberson

focus? Where is it? Ms. Roberson is the new chairperson. Many are waiting to see what her leadership will bring especially for overnight tourism, which should be the focus but with all of BTB’s resources, since Seleni has come to town dealing cruise and talking about port facilities and expanding cruise, we have to really wonder if the Ipad shared was so much more enticing than putting BTB back on focus.

The Mayor was slapped with a warning letter of expulsion from the UDP. The reason? The same “Somebody got no Balls!” comment.

Even after expulsion, Z played her cards well, hanging on to Finnegan’s apron. She was able to stay within the UDP bubble, even with talks of Finnegan passing on Mesop to her as a way out of a third Mayoral term. However all this was dashed when her ally Finnegan decided to re-enter the race for 2013, forcing the Mayor to a last card of returning to electoral politics as a UDP by putting up her name as a candidate for Fort George or the Albert Division.

Like her attorney, Hubert Elrington, who called Dean Barrow “all glitz and no substance”, and who today is without a party, Mayor Z has suffered a similar fate. She is not a UDP, even though she was elected a UDP Mayor.

And so, Mayor Z’s came to the edge of the proverbial cliff last Saturday when the UDP held a special party meeting to decide her fate and future within the UDP. On the matter of reinstating her as a UDP they voted “NO”. That move blocked Z’s chance of running, not only in the Albert or Fort George, but anywhere else in Barrow’s UDP. Zenaida’s glory days are over.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

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Notorious Arthur Young

turns fugitive for 7 days, Police failed to alert the public Belize City, January 25th 2011 Police authorities are yet to explain why a public alert was not issued when notorious figure, Arthur Young, allegedly escaped from custody on Friday January 14th.

According to the dubious information released by the Police Department on Sunday, January 23rd, 36 year old Arthur Young was being taken from the Criminal Investigations Unit to the Patrol Branch in the Queen Street Police Station compound, when he suddenly dashed off and escaped. The release indicated that Young had been detained in relation to a murder investigation, but didn’t give details on what murder case Young was being investigated for.

The information of the escape was not released until the day on which Young was captured and rearrested by authorities.

Arthur Young was recently acquitted of criminal charges at the Magistrate’s Court. He had been charged for the possession of marijuana, trafficking crack cocaine and possession of prohibited material, based on the discovery of the il-

serious crime investigations. the 2007 murder of Calvin Young.

It goes as far back as the 2002 Young was later cleared of the allekilling of Jose Chavarria and gations of his involvement.

Roger Anthony gets off murder rap Arthur Young

licit items at a house on Ladyville back in April 2010, but prosecutors failed to prove that he was guilty.

With that Young walked a free man on January 13th, but a day later, he was back in the hands of the Police. That is the same day that the Police claim he escaped custody.

The motive behind Young’s earlier arrest is unclear, because now that the Police have him under detention, Young has not been charged for murder, but only for the crime of escape.

Young has a history of being in and out of the Police’s hands in relation to

BELIZE CITY, Wed. Jan. 26, 2011

By Roy Davis Roger Anthony, 33, who had beat two murder raps in the past, got off his third on Monday, January 24, when senior Crown Counsel Yohhanhseh Cave entered a nolle prosequi indicating that the prosecution would not proceed against the charge of murder for the fatal shooting of Dillon Bennett, 23.

Following the announcement, Justice Adolph Lucas told Anthony that he was free to go.

Roger Anthony

He questioned the fact that the Director of Public Prosecutions had issued the memorandum for the nolle prosequi from January 11, 2011 but the matter was not dealt with until Continued on page 6

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Cheapest burial spot now $250; a curse to the poor Monday, January 24, 2011 The latest curse to the poor and added grief to families in Belize City is that the cost of burying your dead has soared so high that if you find yourself unable to pay for it, your loved ones will be carted off and buried in a section of the new Eternal Garden Memorial that is designated as the pauper’s section. Those were the only words of “comfort” Councilor Wayne Usher could offer to poor families last Friday when a Channel 5 reporter asked him how the Council proposes to deal with those cases where families simply cannot afford to cough up the Council’s new minimum of $250 for an ordinary grave spot.

To add insult to injury, Usher went on to dab salt in the wounds of the bereaved when he said that the Council will then recycle those same graves after seven years, since the families whose loved ones are buried there will have no right to the spot.

The exorbitant prices are the result of poor planning on the part of the Council. For many years, grave spaces at the Lord Ridge Cemetery were running out fast. The high murder rate accelerated the demand for a new burial ground and the last PUP Council spent thousands of dollars filling up the Lord Ridge to accommodate the increasing rate of death. In the first term of office, the UDP City Council did nothing to secure an adequate location for a cemetery and, after it was clear to them that only 12 spaces were left at Lord Ridge, they hastily went about seeking Central Government to rescue them, as is normally the case. That was when they identified the mile 13 location and took the media through a dirt road in murky waters

to their knees to show them where our loved ones will be laid to rest.

The 20.7-acre site is expected to serve for another 25 years, if chaos and lack of planning does not get in the way.

The Council is leaning on Government to give them the nod for new types of burials, such as columbariums, vaults, and cremations. It’s sad to imagine that for as much as $250, with prices even quadrupling for vaults and the more elaborate burials, our loved ones will be swimming against the tide.

Another clear area where the Council overstepped its bounds was when it did not consult the people of Hattieville, in whose jurisdiction the cemetery lies. Chairman of Hattieville, Gilbert Domingo, says that while the Council and the Government have been heavyhanded and arrogant in their decision, the villagers, almost over 4,000 strong, vehemently oppose the move because they feel they have been infringed upon and with a project that will bring absolutely no means of income to their masons who need jobs.

Joining the villagers and city residents are the undertakers who also say that their prices will definitely have to go up as well because the Council did not think nor consult before they relocated the cemetery.

As to the name for the cemetery Eternal Garden - it seems like that was taken straight off the advertisement for Homeland Memorial, just three miles away on the same highway. The name has many wondering whether whosoever came up with it was trying to create mischief in confusing people with the two cemeteries or simply could not be original enough to come up with their own name.

Armed robbers still invading Belama area Belize City, January 25th, 2011 A few days after an armed robber held up a grocery store in the Belama area and escaped even though he came under heavy gunfire from Police, another armed robbery has occurred in the once quiet neighbourhood.

29 year old Trevon Meighan, a Bills Collector for Central Cable Vision, has reported that he was robbed at gunpoint on Saturday morning.

Meighan said that around 11:30 he was on the company’s motorcycle on Maurice Bishop Street, Belama Phase II, when the two males approached him on bicycles. One of them pointed a black handgun,

and told him he better give up some money.

Afraid that he could get hurt, or worst, shot dead, Meighan gave them his wallet which contained $70.00 belonging to him, $360.00 belonging to the cable company, his driver’s license and voter’s identification card.

The robbers took the wallet and rode away.

Visit Us Online at: www.belizetimes.bz

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Sunday, January 30, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Strictly Personal Barrow is Bogus

By glenntillett@yahoo.com “We also request that the independence of the judiciary be further enhanced by the allocation of a fair and adequate budget that does not reduce our judges to seeking out what may be perceived to be “favours”, when they seek only to be equipped with that which is deserving of the quality and life experience of a judge.

Things such as decent court rooms, reference materials, clerks of court and opportunities for continued judicial training. In the future we may well need to examine the concept of a judiciary which is a separate branch of government with the same degree

“I will not impute that Justice Barrow is jealous of the unprecedented recompense being awarded to his former sister in law for legal representation afforded to the Government of Belize.” of self government and budgetary control as the Executive, but that is a long term exercise.”

I want you to think about Justice Denys Barrow’s recently announced decision to resign from the bench of the Belize Court of Appeal within the context of the above quote from a speech by Bar Association President Ms. Jacqueline Marshalleck, made on the occasion of the ceremonial opening of the Belize Supreme Court last week.

I want you to know that Justice Barrow has publicly stated that his reasons for stepping down are pecuniary considerations emanating from the unavailability of his pension monies from his tenure as a Justice on the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal. To wit: “The decision stems from the refusal of the Government of St Lucia to pay pension benefits due to me upon my re-

tirement, two years ago, as a Court of Appeal judge in the Eastern Caribbean.”

And again: “Having returned at the end of 2008 to Belize and to private practice, I later decided I could afford to leave private practice and become a judge in Belize because I treated the expected pension benefits as part of my financial resources.

That expectation having been removed, I must now adjust. Hence, my decision to return to practice.”

If it sounds like his remuneration in Belize for same is penurious then that is a conclusion you have come to – not me. It is rumoured that his compensation here is in the neighbourhood of $250,000 all told, a princely sum no doubt to people like me who easily only earn a tenth of that. Nevertheless, I concede all is relative.

Unlike his colleagues, I will not impute that Justice Barrow is jealous of the unprecedented recompense being awarded to his former sister in law for legal representation afforded to the Government of Belize. That king’s ransom, I hazard to guess, easily dwarfs his jurist payments in the same proportion to how his dwarfs mine, and maybe in even larger proportion.

Although I did not disapprove of his appointment to the Belize bench, I can now see how his position there had become untenable.

So the irony is that he should have expressed both gratitude and regrets to his brother, the Prime Minister, who appointed him but whose penchant for tribalism made his appointment untenable.

Said Musa was once famously quoted (as quoting George Bush, who was paraphrasing Fidel Castro’s “History will absolve me”, who was paraphrasing Harry Truman, who was paraphrasing the Bible) as saying “History shall judge me.” I wonder if the termination of brother Denys Barrow’s dream job is a case of at least one chicken already coming home to roost?

Has there ever been an administration and leader who has so openly feuded with the judiciary?

These are a time of precedents.

The Bar Association is finally recognized as a full partner in the judeo-legal system and its Madame President speaks forthrightly at its highest ceremony while the Attorney General dodders in lavishing praise on the administration provoking barely concealed laughter.

The Acting Chief Justice (is that another first?) is thorough and workman-like in rendering his opinion and statistics but leaves a warning to all – are the days of persons and no less a personage than

the prime minister himself on the very steps of the courthouse, determinedly critical of judgements and judges over?

Never in the annals of the Belizean judiciary has the bench felt so put upon as to issue a public press release of their opinions of the administration’s opinions.

And the Bar, that club, that cabal, that clique (and yes I am quoting Senior Counsel Dean Barrow in the House), who could have so provoked the professional debators to abandon their proscribed tradition of eternal dissent to actually agree UNANIMOUSLY (albeit it with only a single abstention) to say: “The Association condemns in the strongest possible terms the very public and unwarranted attacks upon the Association

11 launched by the Honourable Prime Minister Dean Barrow in the House of Representatives on Friday, November 12, 2010. The Honourable Prime Minister has obviously sought to put political labels on and personalize the reasoned position of the Association, with a view to inflame and incite his supporters and thereby avoid the manifest need to address in a sober and rational way the very serious allegation that the Honourable Prime Minister has sought to undermine the rule of law through unwarranted and unjustified interference with persons holding high judicial office.” (Bar press release, November 20, 2010) I hope these are just signs of the times and not signs of a coming Belizean apocalypse. I rest my case. Barrow is bogus.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Reid

Between the Lines

By G. Mike Reid Last Saturday, January 15th, the father of our nation, the Right Honorable George Price celebrated his 92nd birthday but with little fanfare or pomposity; that has never been his style. I remember last year, attending a party thrown by friends and supporters for his 91st birthday. Mr. Price was visibly uncomfortable with all the attention though, as usual, was courteous and accommodating to all guests. Mr. Price was never given the “bling-bling” nor the extreme extravagance that is the custom of our current Prime Minister. No Gucci watches, no Armani suits and definitely no expensive high end SUV. It was not a matter of whether he could afford them or not but a matter of realizing that many of the people he represented were poor and could never dream of affording such luxuries. Mr. Price was a humble person who lived with and for

Mr. Price traveled the length and breadth of Belize to meet people and address their concerns. In an interview given last year, Mr. Barrow admitted that he had never been to a 19th celebration in Dangriga and in fact, had rarely ever visited that part of the country.” the people, not above them.

Many in Mr. Barrow’s Cabinet have begun to emulate their leader’s lifestyle and one wonders if thick gold chains, fancy garb and expensive designer sunglasses will not hereafter be the requisite for future political aspirants. Television came late in Mr. Price’s career but there are still many tapes with interviews to local and foreign press people and never is he seen hiding behind sunshades; (anywhere else in the world, this is a nono for politicians, but in Belize, it is the norm). Mr. Price was a true statesman, a rare type of politician and is a very

special human being.

Modern day politicians can learn a lot from Mr. Price but pride will prevent them from doing so. In a time when local air travel was unheard of and when present highways were hardly passable ‘picados’, Mr. Price traveled the length and breadth of Belize to meet people and address their concerns. In an interview given last year, Mr. Barrow admitted that he had never been to a 19th celebration in Dangriga and in fact, had rarely ever visited that part of the country. He is intimately familiar with Savannah and Miami however, and it must be why the Kendall Bridge has seemed so unimportant to his government.

Belize attained Independence in 1981 after years of struggle and despite much objection even at home. The People’s United Party (PUP) was in office at the time and in fact, had not lost an election to that point. They had done all the arduous legwork leading up to that big moment. This government, which is currently enjoying the fruits of those labors, was then in opposition and vehemently against the concept of Independence.

There were many demonstrations and one can still remember Shubbu Brown marching each year proudly waving the Union Jack. Many predicted economic doom as a result of Independence or even an invasion by Guatemala. A full three decades later, we are still going strong and with all territories and sovereignty intact. May it always remain that way!

In preparing to accept Independence, the country had to choose a flag and an anthem. It was decided that the popular and familiar “Land of the Gods” would be kept but with a title changed to “Land of the Free”. I was never in favor of the change but was only one voice among many. As for the flag, the government decided to also go with the one which had been in use and which was adopted in 1950 at the start of the revolution against colonialism. Mr. Price, in his wisdom, recognized that a divided country would not do and in consideration of Belize’s other major political party, added two red borders to the flag.

Just this past week, I was watching footage of our national football team playing against Nicaragua. The team was all decked out in their national team uniform which was, get this, a bold red and white. Now, since when did Belize’s national colors become red and white? In a good showing by our Belizean national basketball team last year in Cancun, the very same situation arose. The colors worn by the team was red and white as if they represented only the UDP side of Belize. This is divisive and not good for any nation, in particular one as small as ours. The UDP must realize that while their election victory gave them a commanding majority in the House, the overall common vote was not that far apart. A solid 47 percent of Belizeans voted for the PUP and must also be considered relevant and worthy of representations.

This political tribalism and partisan governing must stop. This is the UDP’s

third stint in government and each time, it has been their undoing. The practice is not only pronounced in sports but in education, health care and every other facet of our government. Whenever there are goods and services to be provided to the people, partisan politics rears its ugly head and those perceived as being blue are usually boxed out of the picture. Whenever disaster strikes and there is aid to be handed out, the same policy is implemented. You’re either red or you might as well be dead.

It is time that the Belizean people stand up and demand better and ourselves desist from this harmful paradigm.

If the UDP as a political party wishes to sponsor a team, then by all means, red and white from toenail to hair color. To have a team representing the entire country however, and funded by tax money contributed by both UDP and PUP

13 members, then it has to be representative of all our people. Would it really hurt to throw a little blue in there somewhere?

Belize is too small to remain so divided and the practice runs the gamut of sublime to ridiculous. From the bar association to hospitals, to supermarkets and even to barber shops, the divide is wide and pronounced. Healthcare Partners is considered blue while Medical Associates is considered red. Brodies is considered blue and Save U is considered red.

Neries is considered blue while Chon Saan is considered red. It is an absolutely ridiculous situation but very much a reality. This government in particular, has done much to promulgate and promote this practice. It has to stop at some point but for the next two years, it promises to only get worse. May GOD save Belize!

Send comments to: gmikereid@hotmail. com

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THE BELIZE TIMES

INTERVIEW

George Cadle with Father of the Nation

PRICE

Continued from page 9 we could achieve what we started in 1950. I felt very happy when we became an independent country.

Q: Did you feel nervous on Independence Day? A: I wasn’t nervous. I was ready.

We were ready. We were like horses in the starting gate, ready to prove ourselves as independent Belizeans. There was some opposition to independence, people who were frightened of taking such a leap, but for the most part all Belizeans were excited and proud to be achieving nationhood. As you know, the date is September 21, 1981. We chose 21, because of the Holy Trinity. 2 + 1 is 3, for Trinity. I felt that Belize had to be a nation that respected and revered the supremacy of God. By doing so we would prosper and be free.

Q: Are you happy to be called “Father of the Nation” and “National Hero”?

A: Happy, yes, but not for the titles, as much as the recognition that we worked together and achieved something great, an independent Belize. Somebody had to do it. I am glad that it is Belize who awarded me. I refused awards from the British, except to be a member of the Privy Council. I felt that I could assist Belize by being a member of the Privy Council, so I accepted that award.

Q: Which world leader do you most admire?

A: I like the liberator of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah. He was the founder, prime minister and first president of an independent Ghana in 1957. He came from humble beginnings, studied in the United States, at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, I think, and worked with the people.

Q: If you could have dinner with any world leader or historical figure from the past, who would that be and why?

A: You will laugh at me, our Lord Jesus Christ. No one in particular I think, though I do like and admire the great African liberators.

Q: Is it true that you used to pick up litter off the street?

A: Yes that is true. On my way home in Belmopan I picked up plastic bags and fruit skins that people had thrown on the ground. I encouraged everyone to stop littering, and I think

it helped, a bit. It is a very unhealthy practice to pollute. I wish that Belizeans wouldn’t do it. I understand that in Chetumal, you can’t litter. But many times, Belizeans just wait to cross the border and throw their trash here. When I have the energy I still keep my environment as clean as possible.

Q: How would you try to stop all the crime in Belize?

A: That is a difficult one. But I would put them in jail and have working camps to fix roads and bridges and keep the country clean. I would insist that those found guilty be locked up and put to work. They might call you a dictator if you impose that, but I think there must be more discipline in our people.

Q: What is your favorite prayer?

A: I like the Hail Mary and Our Father. In fact I was praying them just now before you came. I was saying the Rosary, which I pray at least three times a day. But our entire day should be a prayer, because we work in devotion to God, our creator. We should not only pray on special occasions, but always.

Q: If you could ask God for one thing, what would that be?

A: To go to heaven. I don’t want to be lost.

Q: Is the Belize in 2010 the country you envisioned in 1950, 60 years ago?

A: When we started the revolution, we knew that we wanted independence, a free country. We didn’t know what our country would look like. But we wanted to create a Belizean identity. There are many things, technology that we had no idea about, television, computer and others. We must continue to adapt our country to the changing times, but always keeping in mind that we are a nation of God. So yes, in a way, Belize is the country I envisioned 60 years ago, but the work continues, the revolution lives on.

Q: What can I do to help Belize be a better place?

A: Study hard. Be useful and serve your country in whatever profession you choose. Do not be afraid of work, of hard things. Lead a life of prayer and of service to God and your fellow man. Always say no to doing the wrong things.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Rejected Goods!

UDP flushes Mark King

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 While Mark King may have had his gripes with Moya Flowers’ leadership while he was a Councilor, he too finds himself in an unenviable position with the UDP - and the irony of it is that the penalty he has had to endure was over his own comments about Moya Flowers on the media.

King had less than flattering remarks about the Mayor in the previous City Council term of office when he called a press conference and made public allegations of mismanagement against her. He was banned from taking part in the last City Council convention when the former Deputy, Anthony Michael, contested for the mayoral seat. King thought that was his penalty, but now he has learned that it may have been extended far beyond what he

was willing to bargain for.

On Tuesday of this week, King received a response from the UDP’s Secretary General, Phillipa Bailey, to his application to contest the party’s convention in the Lake Independence division for 2013. In the response, Bailey tells King that his application had been rejected. King said no reason was given. The rejection takes away any chance for upset at the polls for King, since while he thought he could have beaten the party’s other three contenders for the position of standard bearer, King really didn’t stand an iota of a chance against the PUP’s incumbent, Cordel Hyde.

King, however, has taken matters into his hands quite swiftly because the same day he wrote back to Bailey, claiming that the rejection is a show of bias and denies him his constitutional right to run. In his letter, King also mentions that he has electronic recordings of Bailey, the former Party Chairman Doug Singh, saying that he would only be sanctioned for one election term. It is obvious that the UDP has thrown King to the wind. And the hot-tempered character that he is, King is not taking it sitting down. He called out reporters to meet him in front of the UDP headquarters today where he waged war with his party over his rejection.

Copper thieves leave OW Toll Booth in total darkness Orange Walk, January 26th, 2011 For the past few weeks commuters who travel to, from or through Orange Walk Town must be asking themselves why is it the Toll Booth at the Tower Hill Bridge doesn’t open at nights anymore. While it has been saving commuters a little extra, the sudden closure is costing the Ministry of Works thousands of dollars.

Some research conducted by our affiliates at CTV-3 News in Orange Walk reveals that the closure was actually forced by an act of sabotage. It appears that copper thieves targeted the toll booth wiring, and stole the entire length of copper wire from the booth to its electricity

supply, measuring some 700 feet.

The stealing has disrupted electricity supply at the toll booth, causing toll officials to close at 6pm instead of the regular 10pm. Traffic through the toll booth normally increases in the evenings.

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Proud Belizean says: Dean screw up TOURISM….and the whole country!

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January 25, 2011 at 10:16 am

Robert says: January 25, 2011 at 10:52 am Someone is killing the goose that lays the golden egg. All Belize will suffer for the greed of a few and the incompetence of GOB to act decisively.

100% Belizean says: January 26, 2011 at 10:58 pm One of the major problems with this situation is GREED… The major players have been living HIGH off Cruise Ship Tendering. Now it is threatened to be moved to another Major (GOB Connected) player, so PROBLEMS. Why don’t we look at where the money from Cruise Tourism really goes, very very little to the “Little Man.” Who’s getting hurt in all this? The “Little Man.” I keep on saying it, this is the UDP way, they have destroyed Bus Industry, they have chaos in the Citrus Industry, destroyed Water Taxi Industry, and now Cruise Tourism Industry. Trust me they have the Nationwide Tourism Industry in a HORRIBLE state…

The UDP Way… The UDP Way… Mr Samuel said: January 26, 2011, 21:18 And here I am in Miami b*&^*ing that gas just hit $3.10 a gallon………just how in thee hell is Belize going to survive these high prices??

Belize Tourism Pioneer says: January 26, 2011 at 1:08 pm The BTB and their head man Minister Heredia are not interested in Cruise Tourism because it does not benefit his kingdom Ambergris Caye.

He does not want tourists in Corozal, Orange Walk, Cayo, Toledo, Belize or Stan Creek Districts. All tourism must be in Ambergris Caye or none at all.

REMOVE THIS MAN FROM OFFICE OR SHUFFLE HIM TO MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE. MAKE THE MINISTER OF A TOURISM POOR DISTRICT THE NEW MINISTER OF TOURISM SO THAT DISTRICT CAN BE DEVELOPED FOR TOURISTS. KEEP SHUFFLING UNTIL EVERY SQUARE INCH OF BELIZE IS DEVELOPED FOR TOURISM AND ALL BELIZEANS CAN BENIFIT AND MAKE SOME $$$$$. prettygirl says: January 26, 2011 at 5:57 pm We need to stand with them fight with them I know I am tired of these wrong doing we need to stand together.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

You Are What You think: Rich, Middle-Class or Poor

In last week’s article I promised to share with you the difference in thinking between three different lifestyles of people on the earth. I had said that being rich is not how much money you have and that your current financial resource may well be a direct result of how you think.

In Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus gives a story of a businessman going away to a far country and leaving some money with his servants or employees. They were given in quantities that matched their abilities.

The final servant was given one talent. This in itself spoke of the mindset of this servant. His boss couldn’t trust him with much! Finally, the boss came back from his long trip, and wanted a report on the returns and earnings of his servants.

Let’s look at the differences in thought between these men starting with servant who received one talent. This was the report he gave his boss!

Matthew 25:25: I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ (NLT) Firstly he was afraid. How many people do you know who are afraid to try something new, afraid to step out and take a calculated risk, to build a house for rent, buy a car to run taxi, or to get a bicycle cart to sell Snow Cones? To get a small loan, purchase a grass cutter machine, cutting neighbors yard and starting a small business? This servant was afraid. He was thinking of all the ways he could fail, of all the accidents that could happen and he became paralyzed. He could not even think of getting his drivers license, so he could drive a truck, and make a living!

His second problem was abuse. Instead of investing his boss’s money he hid it in the ground. Now who would put money back in the ground where it came from? Work with me now. In those days there was not any dollar bill. It was probably silver that was dug up and purified out the ground since this was a common currency in that time!

How many times do we receive resources, such as money, a car, a bicycle, a set of tools, and just hide it or let it rust away? Why do we not look for ways to let the things around us work, or create opportunity for us?

Don’t get excited yet as I have a couple more things about this servant I would like to bring to your attention! Apart from this servant’s own admittance to being fearful, his boss also took the time to throw in a little two cents. He referred to the servant as ‘wicked’ in Matthew 25:26. This meant that he was both evil and hurtful. Evil, meaning that he knew what his boss wanted but instead made no effort or had no intention to deliver or even to attempt to deliver! This is an attitude that employers evade, in fact they run away like crazy from this form of thinking. It lacks initiative, simple common sense, and such persons bring daily, a healthy dose of headache and high blood pressure to their employers. That is why he uses the word wicked which, translated from Greek, really means hurtful!

Even worse this boss’s opinion of the servant included the ‘S’ word. He was called ‘slothful’. We are very familiar with this word. It suggests mainly laziness. Being sluggish, having a “don’t care” attitude!! In its actual translation slothful comes from the Greek word “ok-nay-ros” meaning tardy, always late, and idle. Yes this guy was down right lazy!! A curse to any employer!!! He got money from his boss and although the servant knew the boss was expecting an increase on what money was given, he instead stored it in the sand! Tell me, what was he doing all the days that the boss was away?

Hanging out at the street corner? Playing games, or talking with friends? I bet he was on the computer all day chatting!!! Is that your attitude? Do you work only when the boss is around or are you diligent and dependable!!

I wish to spend the shortest time on the other two servants as did the boss in this scripture. Why? Well, because next week “God spare life”, I will look at them a little more closely and a little more practically!

Matthew 25:16 says these servants went and traded the talents that they had. They studied the market and bought and sold things with the money, making one hundred percent profit. The Greek word used for ‘traded’ in this verse really means to toil. In other words they were not lazy. They did not misuse or abuse the money, putting it in places that would waste it or corrupt it. They didn’t spend it carelessly! Instead they toiled, traded and were responsible with this employment opportunity given them.

Again, I must come to a close but as promised next week I will go deeper into the difference in thought between the rich, middle class, and the poor. Belize is a young flourishing country with great potential and opportunity for creating business, allowing ALL to make a fair wage. Let’s take on the attitude of what the boss in Matthew 25:21 calls “GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT” God bless and have a great week.

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Sunday, January 30, 2011

BELIZE TIMES WEEKLY

SCIENCE & TECH R

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Selected By Chris Williams

Green Machine: Bringing a forest to the desert

Helen Knight, technology reporter t may sound like an environmentalist’s pipe dream, but giant greenhouses could soon be popping up in some of the world’s deserts, producing fresh drinking water, food and fuel.

The Sahara Forest Project, which aims to create green oases in desert areas, has signed a deal to build a pilot plant in Aqaba, near the Red Sea in Jordan. With funding from the Norwegian government, the team plans to begin building the pilot plant on a 200,000 square metre site in 2012.

The world has an abundance of sunlight, seawater, carbon dioxide and arid land, says Joakim Hauge, CEO of the Sahara Forest Project. “These resources could be used for profitable and sustainable production of food, water and renewable energy, while combating the greenhouse effect through binding CO2 in new vegetation in arid areas.”

If all goes to plan, the plant will consist of a saltwater greenhouse to grow vegetables and algae for fuel. Water piped from the Red Sea will cool air flowing into the greenhouse, providing good growing conditions for the crops.

The air will then be passed over pipes containing seawater heated by the sun.

The resulting hot, humid air will finally meet a series of vertical pipes containing cold seawater, causing fresh water to condense and run down the pipes to collectors below.

This fresh water will be heated by a Concentrating Solar Power Plant to provide steam to drive a turbine, generating electricity. In turn, the electricity will be used to power the greenhouse’s pumps and fans. The water will also be used to grow crops around the greenhouse.

Finally, excess heat generated by the solar power plant will be used to produce drinking water through desalination.

The project has been developed by Max Fordham Consulting Engineers, Seawater Greenhouse, and Exploration Architecture, all based in London, and the Bellona Foundation in Oslo, Norway.

Image: Sahara Forest Project

How the seahorse

gained its shapely body It is easy to forget that the seahorse is a fish. With its equine head, potbelly and prehensile tail, it rivals the platypus in its peculiarity. But the seahorse’s form is not just for show: its arched neck acts like a spring that stores energy, ensuring it is ready to strike when it spots a meal.

Biologist Sam Van Wassenbergh at the University of Antwerp, Belgium, and colleagues created mathematical models based on the body shape of seahorses and their straight-bodied cousins, pipefish.

The models revealed that seahorses’

necks have the elasticity and stability needed to let them lunge forward and grab a passing shrimp, even if it is some distance away. Pipefish, in contrast, cannot strike out so far and must settle for closer prey.

This bend and snap technique is a vital hunting method for most seahorse species, as they are weak swimmers.

“Every extra millimetre you can reach becomes important because it means more food,” says Van Wassenbergh.

Seahorses enjoy a 20 per cent increase in their strike zone thanks to the shape of their head and neck, he says.

“Like everyone, I have always wondered why seahorses look so bizarre,” says Adam Jones at Texas A&M University in College Station. “This is the first step in establishing it’s an adaptation.”

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Sunday, January 30, 2011

Gregory Ch’oc defends....

Continued from page 2

drill’ position, has only, what the Prime Minister calls, “legitimate contracts” as its basis. It cannot be economic, as it is common knowledge that only BNE is benefitting from our oil.

It’s duplicity on the part of our government and it is a demonstration of lack of compassion for the Belizean People. I want to remind the Prime Minister, that the Belizean people also have a legitimate contract. We have a contract among ourselves as Belizeans that we will protect some of the God given natural wonders entrusted to us. As a people, we have bound these contracts in law – the National Parks System Act- that protects sites such as the Sarstoon Temash National Park and our great barrier reef. These are certainly not outlaw contracts. Furthermore, we have bound ourselves to the international community through conventions such as RAMSAR and World Heritage, in which sites, such as these are further protected. We have a legal obligation to fulfill the articles of the said conventions.

Furthermore, the communities who live around these protected areas throughout the country have made unimaginable sacrifices in accepting these contracts when these protected areas were established. Through the instrument of law, these communities that live around protected areas, have been denied their traditional resources for their livelihoods by denying them access to these protected areas. Therefore, government has a moral and legal obligation to respect these protected areas laws and honor the sacrifices our communities have made and keep making.

So Hon. Prime Minister, you have said you will not break legitimate contracts. Is it then that our laws, which bind and commit us, as a people to protect our natural wonders not worth the paper it is written on?

Furthermore, are the international conventions that Belize has signed on also rendered meaningless in this country? Are you saying that the only legitimate contracts recognized by government are those signed to accommodate special interest groups, at a specific time? We know the choices are difficult; but we must never abandon the duties thrust upon us by our future generations.

I hope you will choose to stand with us and reason with us. We are all aware of the state of our economy; it requires bold and swift actions. The actions we take must not only be for the purpose of creating jobs, but must lay the foundation for dignity, equality and opportunity for all our people.

Rebuilding our economy requires innovation and creativity – certainly not by destroying its foundation.

I thank you.

THE BELIZE TIMES

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THE BELIZE TIMES

en Español

LA CRISIS DE LOS CRUZEROS El Partido Unido del Pueblo deplora la incompetencia y la falta de dirección que se muestra por la administración de Barrow de poner en riesgo los trabajos y las futuras condiciones de vida de cientos de beliceños que hacen una vida honesta de la industria de cruzeros. La incertidumbre actual para el futuro de la industria es una clara indicación de la falta de una política definida para la regulación de la industria para el beneficio mutuo de las empresas de cruzeros y los beliceños trabajadores en la industria.

Para añadir el insulto a la lesión, la acción o inacción en este caso, por el Gobierno de Barrow parece orientarse para promover el interés propio de unos pocos privilegiados partidarios UDP a expensas de la mayoría de los trabajadores y en detrimento de nuestro interés nacional. Han surgido denuncias creíbles de que un funcionario del Gobierno de alto nivel con estrechos vínculos con el primer Ministro había negociado con las empresas de barco de crucero para la operación de las ofertas de 150 plazas para el transporte de turistas de barco a la costa. Estas negociaciones dio lugar a las empresas de cruzeros, elevar el nivel para incluir excesivamente altas demandas, incluyendo un requisito de valor de $2 millones de dólares de seguro en cada oferta, efectivamente con exclusión de operadores locales de licitación beliceña que han hecho grandes inversiones en

“Dejemos que los

consumidores decidan” Continua de pagina 35

permite a las empresas locales operar bajo el actual campo de juego y mantiene la esperanza de que es possible que los beliceños obtengan butano a un precio más barato. Según el acuerdo negociado, cada empresa podrá eventualmente vender un grado específico de butano por un precio específico. De este modo, los consumidores sabrán lo que están comprando, que están comprando y si están obteniendo valor por su dinero. Los grados de butano se ordenarán por un experto que se contrató para analizar a las empresas y sus productos y formular recomendaciones sobre los estándares de la industria de butano.

En la actualidad, no existen normas que permiten a las empresas de butano a vender cualquier mezcla a beliceños al precio controlado. En la Conferencia, los representantes de la compañía acusaron a una de las empresas locales, que no estaba presente en el evento, de “sobrecortes” a los consumidores. Esa compañía, reclamaron los representantes, ha sido comprar LPG de BNE y mezclárlo con butano importado.

El resultado, afirmaron, es un butano de grado inferior, pero el precio sigue siendo elevado.

Los representantes declararon que no compran butano de BNE porque “no es bueno”. “No estamos contra BNE. Tenemos certificaciones para vender. Cuando pregunté a BNE ‘donde esta su certificación’, no tenían

ninguno,”afirmó Mike Reyes, Gerente de Belice Western Gas Limited. Su padre, Roque Reyes, que administra Belice Western Gas Limited en Orange Walk, puso de relieve aún más en sus denuncias. “Cuando miro los residuos y contaminantes en su butano, es una locura.”

Aparte de poner en duda la calidad de butano de BNE, los representantes de la compañía también publicó su oposición a la idea de que BNE debe vender su butano de LPG en virtud del actual Reglamento de mercado, porque desestabilizaría sus negocios.

“Lo hará dificil para nosotros,”, señaló José Luis Moreno, que representa Gas Tomza. También cuestionó la capacidad de BNE de producir butano a largo plazo, por el descubrimiento de limitado petróleo. “El Gobierno va a ser justo o permitir a las cinco empresas con inversiones de millones de dólares cerrar,” añadió Mike Reyes.

Dijo que la única forma de que a BNE debe permitirsele vender, es que el Gobierno establesca normas y “dejar que los consumidores decidan”. Las compañías representadas en la Conferencia de prensa son Gas Tomza, Belize Gas y Western Gas. Faltaron Z Gas y BWEL ( por sus siglas en Ingles). El Martes, BWEL anunció que no apoya la huelga de la propuesta y dijo que en el caso de que se lleve a cabo, sus puertas estaran abiertas y continuara proporcionando butano a todo el país.

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las operaciones de la licitación y ahora se enfrentan a dificultades financieras y económicas.

La llamada intervención del Sr. Barrow, descrito en su periódico de propaganda como ‘Otra industria que se salva’ fue un cascarón vacío. Hasta la fecha no ha sido ningún consuelo para la industria turbulenta. Ahora el primer ministro está diciendo a los operadores de licitación que vean como se resuelven, y que su Gobierno está dispuesto a ayudar, no a dirigir, no a resolver el problema; no a comprometerse a mantener la industria en igualdad de condiciones en beneficio de los cientos de beliceños que ganan una miseria en comparación con la cuota gigante cosechada por las empresas de cruzeros.

La arrogancia del primer ministro de tratar de ‘negociar’ personalmente con los gigantes de la industria de los cruzeros no sólo pone la industria de Belice en peligro, pero que resultó en una gran vergüenza para nuestro orgullo nacional con la reciente declaración de ciertas líneas de crucero.

El Partido Unido del Pueblo tiene la firme convicción de que la industria de cruzeros debería servir al país y no al revés. El próximo Gobierno del PUP está determinado y equipado para restaurar la industria del turismo en su lugar apropiado como un importante contribuyente a la economía nacional - una industria que trabaja con y para el pueblo de Belice y contribuye a la riqueza y el bienestar de la nación y su gente trabajadora.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Dos negocios del lado norte asaltados en una semana!

Pistolero asalta negocio, junto a escuela primaria Ciudad Belice, 22 de Enero del 2011 El segundo robo a mano armada dentro de una semana en el lado norte se produjo en la empresa de Prosser Fertilizer, que se encuentra en la esquina de la calle principal de North Front Street y Hydes Lane.

El administrador de la empresa, Enrique Henes, dijo que él y su empleado, Keeton Henry, estaban dentro de la tienda cuando dos personas masculinas entraron en el estableciemiento.

Uno de los hombres, vestido con ropa negra, sacó un arma de fuego y lo señaló a Henes, exigiendo dinero.

Los hombres, a continuación, realizaron búsquedas en la caja registradora y tomaron $4,136.25 en cheques, $1,411.71 en efectivo, un teléfono celular rojo de Z6w pertenecientes a Henes y valorado en $250.00, y un teléfono celular LG pertenecientes a Henry valorado en $450.00. Los hombres, a continuación, se dieron a la fuga desapareciendo en el acto.

El robo a mano armada tuvo lugar alrededor de las 2 pm, sólo media hora antes de que la seccion de parvulos de la escuela primaria Holy Redeemer ubicados justo al otro lado de Prosser, terminara sus clases para el día La Policía no ha detenido a nadie, pero se encuentran investigando el informe.

La policía atrapa a joven de 18 años como el asesino del lider de Kraal Road Continua de pagina 35 rivales con el grupo de Kraal Road. El 12 de Enero, Gentle fue asesinado a balazos, mientras supervisaba un sitio de trabajos de construcción en la esquina de Kraal Road y la calle Baracat.

La policía, a continuación, reveló que sabían que el asesinato fue relacionada con pandillas.

Ocho días después, el 20 de Enero, Bennett se entregó a las autoridades.

El Lunes de esta semana fue acompañado al juez y procesado por el delito de asesinato. Ningúna declaracion fue tomada ya que es un asunto procesable, y Bennett fue remitido a la cárcel hasta el 2 de Febrero. En este año ha habido al menos tres muertes en la ciudad de Belice, se sabe que relacionadas con bandas. El primero vio el asesinato de Michael Malic el Domingo 9 de Enero, el segundo fue Gentle, mientras que el tercero fue Trevor Trapp.

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Empleados de Esso, asaltados por personas armadas Ciudad Belice, Jueves 20 de Enero 2011 La policía anda en búsqueda de dos personas, tal vez cuatro, que participaron en el robo de la estación de gasolina Esso, ubicado en 131 New Road el Martes, 18 de Enero.

Alrededor de las 7:35p.m., dos jóvenes llegaron caminando desde la calle Douglas Jones y abordaron a tres de los empleados trabajando en las bombas. Los asaltantes luego apuntaron un arma de fuego a sus cabezas y los despojaron de un monto no revelado de las ventas del día.

Los ladrones, a continuación, se fueron de nuevo en la dirección que vinieron.

Pablo Guerra, el distribuidor de Esso Gas Station, dijo que el incidente tomó menos de un minuto. Él cree que los ladrones fueron asistidos por al menos dos otros que él sospecha estaban en bicicletas y que

actuaron como scouts. Aunque Guerra felicitó a la policía por responder rápidamente y llegar a la escena en menos de 3 minutos, expresó preocupación y descontento con la situación de la delincuencia que afecta a la ciudad. “Los criminales parecen ser descarados, no tienen ningún miedo de las autoridades y eso desalienta a los negocios”, dijo.

La gasolinera ESSO ha sido un objetivo constante para los ladrones pues el año pasado fue asaltado en varias ocasiones.

El robo del Martes pasado fue el primero para este año.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

In Memory of

Herman Sebastian Sr. J.P. Eulogy:

Today we are here to honor my Grandfather, Dad, and friend -Mr. Herman Oliver Gerald Sebastian Sr., he was my Dad, my friend, my adviser and my provider.

Herman Sebastian Sr J.P. also known as Bambu , Grampa, Ceebo, or El Presidente was born on October 04th, 1936 to now deceased Parents Benedict Sebastian and Pearle Escarpeta. He grew up on Albert Street and the seasons of his life led him to have a profound love for his country. On August 17th, 1965 he joined in union with Sylvia Miller.

Grampa worked most of his adulthood with the Government of Belize.

His first job was working at the Infirmary 1961. He was later transferred to the Belize Fire Station where he did most of his service as a driver/mechanic. His conversations/arguments with Herman Jr., who also later became a firefighter, was about how instrumental he was in the fire department and how effective his efforts were in the huge fire that destroyed Albert Street in 1975. Even after his retirement he was always present at every fire incident.

Grandpa worked with the Government for over 33yrs. He retired from the Belize Fire Station at the age of 55. After retirement, he was still energetic and realized that he wanted to do more to support his family. He sought a position at Belize Telecommunications Ltd. as a Bailiff and worked there for many years. He was fearless at harassing people to pay their bills. He also started collecting outstanding bills for Holy Redeemer Credit Union and other private contractors. He was happy working diligently at his newly found career.

In retrospect, I can envisage the pride and dedication my grandfather wore at being the President of the PUP

Alcario Cano Soldier of the Revolution passes The BELIZE TIMES and the People’s United Party express condolences to the family of Alcario Cano, a true soldier of the revolution.

He died from complications due to a progressively deteriorating and rare disease called ‘Myastemia gravis.’ He was twice Chairman of the village and served in the capacity of Councilor on many occasions.

He was a formidable foot soldier during the PUP campaign leading to many PUP victories.

May you rest in peace, Mr. Cano.

togetherness. It was an offense for him to see healthy people begging for food, he would recite the bible text, “by the sweat of thy brow thou shall eat bread.”

But with a soft voice my granny would say to the person, “wait a minute, and let me see what we have.”

I looked up to my Grandfather for several reasons; He was a hard worker and was dedicated to whatever he did.

He provided a roof over our heads and he ensured that we always had

Marshalls. The Marshalls met the third Sunday afternoon of every month at the PUP head quarters. They met and scheduled trips all over the country in support of the party conventions. He included all of us when one of those big PUP functions would come up. The Marshalls were a great part of him; he served them with pride and dedication. He had great parties for them. He made sure especially at Christmas that they had turkey dinner, apples, grapes, drinks and enough to share with their families. He demanded that all who live under his roof listened to him when election and voting. If you chose not to vote for his party you needed to find your own caboose. He was very adamant about his political convictions.

Politics was a great part of my grandfather’s life. Whether his party was in power or not he remained dedicated.

Grampa was like a dad to me. Even though I was a grandchild, he counted me as one of his very own. I grew up calling him “Daddy”. People always thought I was the youngest of the bunch. I learned a lot about life from grampa and he would always give me good advice. I got to spend a lot of 1 on 1 time with him because since I am the oldest grandson, I was his first side man when he would go out to do collections. All the other grandsons got their turn also. At first I would hide or complain when Sunday morning came because I knew I had to sit in that hot car listening to Jim Reeves until dinner time or sometimes all day. If I escaped then it would be Juicy’s turn. I remember one Sunday, Gramps soon found me hiding out and told me “horse weh no back deh grass can’t eat”. So the next Sunday I was ready bright and early to go with him! Grampa was a very funny person and would always run some serious jokes. Whenever we would ask him how he feels, he would be quick to reply “I wah feel betta if yo gi mi wah lee money”. All of us grandchildren were really blessed to have “Ceebo”, as we would sometimes call him, because he was another father to us.

He found joy in sharing watches, a sweet or a couple fudge. Grampa gave love the way he knew how, by giving or sharing what he had. He always emphasized on the importance of family

Sunday, January 30, 2011 more than enough. He even provided for strangers that he favored. Whatever we needed, Grampa would try his best to provide. Two hours before his passing I went to his bed side and read for him the 23rd Psalm. Afterwards I asked him if he heard me and I was happy when he gave me two nods because he wasn’t speaking at all that day. I can safely say my grandfather lived a long, full life.

Herman Sebastian Sr. J.P., Grampa, will be sadly missed by his wife Sylvia Sebastian, all his children, grandchildren, brother and sisters, nieces, nephews, son-in-law, daughters-inlaw, friends and the rest of his family. May his soul rest in peace. Rest in peace Gramps. We love you!

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Belize City, January 26th, 2011 The announcement by Court of Appeal Judge, Denys Barrow, that he has resigned – nearly two decades before his required age of retirement – has resurrected an equal amount of controversy and discussion that preceded his appointment eighteen months ago.

As he put it, the resignation is a personal, financially-driven decision, spurred by a series of complications both local and overseas. Barrow indicated in a public statement, dated January 25th, that his decision “stems from the refusal of the Government of St. Lucia [where he served a long tenure as a Court of Appeal judge] to pay pension benefits due to him since two years ago”. Barrow indicated that his willingness to serve on Belize’s Court of Appeal, after returning to Belize for private practice, was based on the belief that he could have lived off the Appeals Court salary and his due pension. Now that the latter is hard in coming, he has re-considered.

While Mr. Barrow’s reasons are not questioned, it is difficult not to analyse it in comparison to an interview published in the UDP newspaper, dated August 13, 2009, in which he avowed that his

Fake cop busted in San Pedro!

Belize City, January 26, 2011 A resident of San Pedro is accused by the island’s Police of impersonating a Police Officer and of deceiving individuals and companies into handing over funds under the pretence that he is an official.

35 year old Aurelio Chi, a resident of the San Pedrito Area, was reportedly pretending to be a cop, using the name “Jose Cowo” and soliciting funds on behalf of the San Pedro Police Department.

Chi was targeting businesses in the Northern Ambergris Caye area when the real cops were notified. Chi was detained in the Boca del Rio area and taken to the Police Station, where he was charged with four counts of obtaining property by deception. He was also charged for Mischievous Act.

THE BELIZE TIMES

decision to serve in Belize’s High Court had to do with service, and not monetary benefits.

“I would like to see my appointment, my desire to be of service to the nation as being the continuation of what I think has been a little trend so far. I think more and more Belizeans are prepared to serve in positions of public office at loss of financial reward…. It’s a personal choice I would not want to preach or to take any moral high ground. One needs to have the sense of vocation and avocation and one needs to be prepared in terms of ones own personal circumstances to take the loss of financial reward that comes with serving in a public position. Obviously the financial rewards don’t come anything near to one what earns in private

practice but as you know if you are able to make the adjustment then the desire to be of public service will supercede the pursuit of greater financial reward.” [sic] – Hon. Denys Barrow, El Guardian, August 16, 2009 issue.

Apparently, now unprepared to take the “loss of financial reward”, Mr. Barrow is calling it quits very early.

But is it really all about the ‘Benjamins’?

On March 19th, his fellow judges in the Court of Appeals ruled that Justice Barrow was not “fit” to sit as a Judge in a case between the Belize Electricity Limited and the Public Utilities Commission, because of an appearance of bias, since his son was a PUC Commissioner. That set a strong precedent which threatened to cast

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a dark cloud over Justice Barrow’s judicial record and, more importantly, perhaps even his future. It could then be argued easily that with his brother, Dean Barrow, as Prime Minister, Justice Barrow may also be unfit to sit in any case involving the Government of Belize. This had been the essence of all the controversy prior to Justice Barrow’s appointment. Not that he was unable, because he is. But his instalment at a time when his brother is Prime Minister was an unwise decision, and unfair to himself, Belizeans and the justice system.

Now that Mr. Barrow will return in the private field, the question and fear in many, is whether the Prime Minister will find another royal “Barrow” to share the limited resources we have.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, January 30, 2011