National Perspective June 12, 2011

www.nationalperspectivebz.org Edition 146 Vol.3 week 41

The true voice of the silent majority

WPC Bermudez Charged with Theft Read on page 4

Sunday, June 12th, 2011

DARKER DAYS AHEAD!!

Barrow threatening to take BEL

Fortis’ CEO Stan Marshall

PM Dean Barrow

Stan Marshall, CEO - Fortis “I am saying to you tonight that regulatory issues must now be resolved and electricity prices must be increased to reflect the true cost of power before Fortis will make any additional investment in BEL. We will not do this time what we did back in 2006. And I will also highlight for you the gravity of the situation, that if this is not done, BEL will not have the cash to purchase pow-

Thursday, June 09, 2011 BELIZE CITY - At his press conference yesterday afternoon, Prime Minister Dean Barrow stopped just short of saying that the Government of Belize would nationalize Belize Electricity Limited if the company’s CEO Lynn Young did not return from a meeting with his company’s principal share-

er from Mexico in the coming months.

Without power from Mexico, BEL will be forced into rotating blackouts. Im-

Shameless Liad !

By Rhenae Nunez Thursday, June 09, 2011 BELIZE CITY - Prime Minister Dean Barrow came bearing gifts at his quarterly press conference held at the Biltmore Plaza hotel on Wednesday afternoon. According to the PM most industries are performing well – with the oil industry producing more from

new wells and a fifth well that promises more from Never Delay in the Cayo District.

Jobs, a scarce commodity these days, with officially 23% of Belizeans unemployed, will soon to be had when construction of the Jalacte Road commences and a municipal infrastructure

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mediate action is required. I cannot understate the seriousness of this situation.” May 20, 2008

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Bus operators issue new ultimatum

Thursday, June 09, 2011 BELIZE CITY – The Belize Bus Association has issued another ultimatum to the Barrow administration and in a case of déjà vu all over again, the Barrow administration has dismissed the threat.

In a letter to the Chairman of the Transport Board sent following Tuesday’s, (June 7th) meeting, the organi-

zation’s president Thomas “Andy” Shaw told John Flowers that they had unanimously agreed and were demanding that: unanimously agree and are demanding that: “• Westline be removed from the current Western Zone schedule, and D&E Bus Service, Guerra’s Bus Service and the Belize Bus Owner’s Cooperative (BBOC) be returned to

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The Prime Minister, Hon Dean Barrow, held his quarterly Press Conference to discuss issues of national importance on Wednesday. However, what was held in place of the Press Conference was a ‘pep rally for the United Democratic Party’. Only few questions were allowed to be asked by the media representatives because of the overwhelming UDP supporters who were constantly jeering and ridiculing them whenever they ask any question.

Since the General Election in February 2008 the media in Belize have been castrated by the Dean Barrow Government. Prior to the General Election, the media were macho against the People’s United Party, which governed Belize from 1998-2003. Under the Government of the PUP, the media in Belize were on steroids. They were openly bias to the then Opposition, the UDP, as they were present almost at the almost daily press conferences that Dean Barrow called.

The media and the UDP were Siamese twins. The PUP was not a Government that gave handouts to the media, but the UDP is such a Government. Every media house in Belize except the National Perspective is intimidated by Dean Barrow and his goons. The tactic employed by Dean Barrow is that of a bully. He will bark and verbally

Sunday, June 12th, 2011

IS THE MEDIA THE REAL CIRCUS?

attack and abuse anyone who dares to disagree with him. Even the Leader of the Opposition is afraid to confront Dean Barrow in the House of Representatives. The Leader of the Opposition is the most ridicule leader of any mass party in Belize when in the House of Representatives.

It is on the record that the Leader of the Opposition allows the Minister of Natural Resources, a man with a speech impediment, to say nasty things about his father, while the Prime Minister ridicules the lack of intelligence of the Leader of the Opposition. Anyone who accepts those unwarranted insults in the House of Representatives, where every member has immunity from legal prosecution must have something wrong with them. People have reported to us that they cringe at times when the insults are hurled at the Leader of the People’s United Party, and they ask why he doesn’t attack back. They concur that accepting the insults without retalia-

tion is a sign of weakness.

However, we wish not to add insults to injury for Leader of the PUP because the National Perspective doesn’t want to be blame for the PUP loss in any of the upcoming elections. However, after the Prime Minister’s circus show on Wednesday the Opposition should have been on the same evening news cancelling the rosy picture that Dean Barrow painted when every Belizean knows that he is lying.

However, the media got duped as they thought they were going to a Press Conference but found out, they were at a circus, and the clowns were the main act. The National Perspective, as independent media, will never attend any other Press Conference called by this UDP Government until they apologize for the last two circus type conferences they held. We also encourage all the media houses to boycott all the upcoming Government functions and Press Conferences. Let the Prime

Minister have a Press Conference where he can talk to his goon squad without cameras and microphones and let see who has the last laugh.

It will be a relieve for the viewing public not to be forced to stomach the sight of the Prime Minister posturing and lying with his every word to the people. The time has come for the media to cease powdering the Prime Minister and his dodo birds. Do your job as the people are sick of the weak journalism that is being practice in these modern times. One such individual is Ava Diaz of LOVE FM Morning Show, who is a grass root girl, but is clearly a strong supporter of the Government.

This is observed every time there are Government representatives on her show that they don’t take calls and the questions are irrelevant. She never asks the burning question. The Minister of Transport seems to be her favorite of all. He is allowed the latitude to ramble stupidly, and she says nothing. It can be claimed that she has the same IQ as the Minister.

We humble ask the media personnel and houses to do their jobs. They have a serious responsibility to the growth of Belize and brown nosing UDP politicians are not included in the job description.

THE PEOPLE ARE AWAKE OPEN YOUR EYES!!!

Sunday, June 12th, 2011

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Congratulations to the winners of the 11th National Tourism Awards Frontline Person of the Year Althea Schable Chabil Mar Villas, Placencia

Hotel of the Year The Lodge at Chaa Creek Cayo District

Tour Guide of the Year Enes Ramirez Belize Diving Adventure, San Pedro

Lifetime Achievement Award Placida Leonor Requena of Punta Gorda

Restaurant of the Year Maya Beach Hotel Bistro Maya Beach Hotel, Placencia Small Hotel of the Year Table Rock Jungle Lodge Cayo District

Minister’s Award Romel Gomez of San Pedro Special Recognition Awards Fort Street Tourism Zone Ruth Smith Carol Jones

Tour Operator of the Year Avadon Divers Placencia

55143 • Belize - Tourism Awards ad • 8”x10” • BW • gew • V1-6/6/11; V2-6/7/11

Sunday, June 12th, 2011

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Charged with Double Murder

Belize City, Monday June 6th ,2011 This morning twenty-four year old Jaime Hendrick Smith, of Raccoon Street Extension in Southside Belize City was arrested and charged with two counts of murder relating to the shooting deaths of eighteen year old Eric Arana and twenty-one year old Dwayne Tillett who died resulting from a shooting incident which occurred two weeks ago on Antelope Street Extension on May 20th.

Smith is also facing another three counts each of Attempted Murder, and Use of Deadly Means of Harm for gunshot injuries sustained during the same incident by nineteen year old Khiry Haulze, twenty –one year old Juvanna Gillett and twenty-seven year old Karen Rivers.

Police reports say that Arana, Tillett, Haulze, Gillett and Rivers were socializing on the said Antelope Street when Smith passed by and fired several shots towards the group of five then made good his escape.

Arana sustained eight gunshot

Charles McKoy is a free man after the charge of murder against him was dismissed on Tuesday by Chief Magistrate Margaret Mc Kenzie at the conclusion of a Priliminary Inquiry hearing.

Defence Attorney Dickie Bradley successfully argued and convinced the Court that throughout the hear-

ing there is no link established that conected his client and the shooting incident.

Chief Magistrate upheld the submission of the defence and dismissed the charge.

Since there are two other charges of aggravated assault relating to the same incident who were in the car with Murray, McKoy was released on a bail of five thousand dollars ($5,000) Charles McKoy was charged with the murder of Alexander Murray who was in a car along with three other passengers travelling near the traffic lights at Cinderella Plaza in July of 2010 when a gunman fired several gunshots into the car killing Murray and injuring two other passengers travelling in the car at the time .

Body found with plastic bag tied over head

Police Investigators say that their investigation into the death of Enoc Abel Montero is ongoing even though up to press time, they readily admitted that they are unable to conclude if Montero was murdered. The body of thirty-six year old Montero of the Lake Garden Area in Ladyville was found by his brother Jorge around 3:00pm last Friday. He was seen

Belize City, Monday June 6th WPC Nicholette Bermudez attached to Belize City’s Eastern Division came before Magistrates Court on Monday as a deffendant facing charges of theft, namely a Black Berry phone, a gold chain and two pairs of gold earrings which has an estimated value of $1,575. (one thou-

sand five hundred and seventy five dollars Bze).

The charges were made after Julissa Westby, who was detained by Bermudez and Woman Special Constable, Andrea Rivero back in mMarch complained to higher authorities that after she was released, her jewelry and Celphone were not returned to her.

This led to the arrest of Rivero but this week, Bermudez was equally charged. In Court Bermudez pleaded ‘Not Guilty’ when she appeared unrepresented by legal defence before Magistrate Kayla Teck. She was offered a bail of $1,500 (one thousand five hundred dollars) which she met.

She was also placed on interdiction by the Police Department pending the outcome of her trial. Being on interdiction will only afford her half of her regular pay until the case is concluded. If she wins the case all retroactive paymment is returned to her but in the event she loses, she will most likely be discharged from the Department.

Bermudez is expected back in Court on the 7th of July 2011

In the Belize Court of Appeals this week thirty-five year old Ted Armstrong who was sentenced to twelve years in prison for Manslaughter after he was convicted for the of killing Jerome Jazzie Longsworth in Hattieville

on July of 2006 was acquitted and his sentence was set aside by the Belize Court of Appeals.

Armstrong’s defence based there appealed on the grounds that the trial judge misdirected the jury members whe he uttered to them ‘that even if they are in doubt that Armstron acted in selfdefence...they could still convict him’ The Belize Court of Appeals upheld the grounds set forth by the defence and quashed the conviction and set aside the sentence thereby acquiiting him of the charge of Manslaughter.

Longsworth was killed after he received a fatal stab to his neck with a pair of scizzors after he intervened in a fight between Armstrong and his sister.

In the appeal, Attorney Darrel Bradley acted for the defence while the DPP, Cheryl Lyn Vidal represented the Respondent.

Jaime Hendrick Smith

wounds to his abdomen, chest, arm, back and buttocks and died on the spot. Tillett succumbed to his injuries at the KHMH while undergoing treatment for gunshot wounds to his chest and back. The other three ladies were hospitalized and treated for their injuries before they were released.

Smith is remanded without bail until the outcome of his trial.

McKoy Beats Murder Rap

Belize City, June 7th, 2011

WPC. Nicholette Bermudez Charged with Theft

slouched on a sofa inside his house with a black plastic bag tied over his head which authorities believe led to suffocation and subsequent death.

Police say their investigation reveal that Montero was last seen alive on Monday May 31st 2011, the same day his wife porportedly inquired as to his whereabouts.

Sources say he employed part-time with Traveller’s but co-workers told authorities that they hardly knew anything about him or his relatives.

Because of the advance state of decomposition of the body, a post mortem examination performed by Dr. Mario Estradabran was inconclusive as to the precise cause of death

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Armstrong acqitted in the Court of Appeals

ST. MARGARET’S VILLAGER HOSPITALIZED FOLLOWING STABBING INCIDENT June 07, 2011 Belmopan police are investigating a chopping incident that took place sometime between 7:00 an 7:30 pm Monday night in St. Margaret’s Village which has left 23-year-old Edgar Gaitan clinging to his life. The victim’s sister Elba Gaitan told police that she was at her home in the said village whe her brother came runing towards her and told her that he was being chased by someone with a matchete. He added that in order to get away, he had to run leaving his bicycle behind. Ms Gaitan added that some minutes later when she believed that the attacker or attackers were gon, she and her brother left the house back-tracking from where her brother had come from

with the objectyive of getting the bicycle that was left in front of Pin Chen Grocery Store located in the said village. Upon arrival at the store , she left her brother behind to get his bike and she returned enroute home. She further stated that some minutes later someone on a motorcycle came and told her that someone had chopped up her brother. She said she went to the scene where she saw her brother in a pool of blood in front of the store. With the help of a Good Samaritan, Edgar was taken to the Western Regional Hospital where he is in a critical condition. He suffered from three large chop wounds to his back and one to his head. Police investigations continue into this chopping incident.

Sunday, June 12th, 2011

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Tanisha Beaton is the year’s sixth Lotto jackpot winner

Arrested and Charged for lewd Act on a minor

Godfrey Mortis

Belize City, Wednesday June 8th, 2011 A gleeful Tanisha Beaton gives Lord Lotto, the game’s mascot, Belize City Police this week arrested a playful pat on the head. a sixty year cab driver identified as Monday, June 6th, 2011 BELIZE CITY – An overjoyed Tanisha Beaton, 22, a Second Class Clerk employed the last three years at the Treasury Department of the Government of Belize, was early for her appointment with the managers of the Lotto game at the businesses Tropical Gaming Co. Limited’s Queen Street offices today, and who could blame her?

She was there to collect her winnings, $55,250.

Almost immediately after the winning numbers (02-03-11-14-28) were drawn Saturday night Tanisha heard a knock on her bedroom door and her gleeful parents gave her the good news - her free ticket, quick pick had come up a champion.

Tanisha, the only daughter with two male siblings, was in the habit of buy-

ing a quick pick whenever her parents won a free ticket. The strategy of “borrowing luck,” or “dead raise” as the old gamblers would say, paid dividends.

Tanisha is the sixth person to have won the Lotto jackpot this year, an average of at least one person for every month or a winner every seven draws, for an average of approximately $65,000, the prize that she won. She did walk away with a cheque for $55,250 after taxes.

Previous winners this year are Ornette Lord, March 08, 2011, $132,500.00; Stephen Canto, March 17, 2011, $52,500.00; Elias Requena, March 23, 2011, $52,500.00; Angel Tillett, April 14, 2011, $67,500.00; Vivian Castillo, May 20, 2011, $75,000.00; Tanisha Beaton, June 04, 2011, $65,000.00.

The total Jackpot paid out for 2011 to date is $445,000.00 (exclusive of free tickets, match 3’s and match 4’s).

Godfrey Mortis and took him into custody after a nine year old female reported that Mortis took her into his house and gave her a love bite while

he fondled her. As a result Mortis was charged with ‘Aggravated Assault of an Indecent Nature’.

Mortis appeared before Chief Magistrate Margaret McKenzie number ONE Court for arraignment on Wednesday where he pleaded not guilty to the charge but no bail was offered after Police Prosecutor Sergeant Hector Rodriguez objected on the grounds that lewd act against children were becoming increasingly prevalent, the fear that the accused may interfere or intimidate child victim and that Mortis should be denied bail for his own personal safety.

After careful consideration Chief Magistrate McKenzie concurred and ordered Mortis to be remanded to the Hattieville Correctional Facility pending his next Court hearing slated for June 28th 2011.

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Editor’s Note of Apology:

The National Perspective profoundly apologizes to the Police officer whose picture was erroneously and inadvertently featured on front page of our 143rd Edition dated Sunday 22nd May 2011 as that of Sergeant Sherwood Wade. We sincerely apologize for any undue distress and embarrassment this may have caused to his good and distinguished character.

KREMANDALA $ELLOUT He has been bought and paid for...

Can’t be TRUSTED!!!

Silent on issues affecting black South-side Belizeans while pretending to be their guardian Wilfully ignores the Corrupt Practices of Barrow and the UDP

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Sunday, June 12th, 2011

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Mistreatment of Chetumal The equation from a Street Squatters “conspiracy theorist” Since the bus riot of May 27th 2011, the country has been under a campaign of sustained civil disobedience. You may not want to agree with me, but the buses blocking the major highways and the burning of tires on the highways essentially defines what is a riot. Obviously the Government did not handle that situation very well. The Prime Minister and his government have been adamant the past months about security forces ability to gather intelligence, especially the elite group known as the Gang Suppression Unit. Again you can say that I am a conspiracy theorist but I believe that the intelligence services are there predominately to monitor the P.U.P. Help me with this: if their ability to gather intelligence was on target, then they would have known that there was a plan being orchestrated to block the major highways at those every early hours of the morning, don’t you think?

Anyways, the way the government reacted to the people who were residing on Chetumal St. South is clearly an indication that they were seriously ruffled by the bus operators the previous Friday. The saga of the squatters on Chetumal Street will have very far reaching effects on this Barrow administration. As a matter of fact, I believe that this particular situation will be one that will be around whenever the general elections are called.

Three major points have to be made: 1. I don’t believe that anybody in Belize will condone illegal squatting. And it doesn’t matter in what country it happens, the Government has the right to address people who chose to break the law and to address situations when people choose to illegally squat on property.

2. Nobody in Belize would have to squat if there is a fair and comprehensive plan for the distribution of land in Belize. For a country that has so much real estate most people believe that they are entitled to a piece of land. But because of the corruption, the nepotism and the gross incompetence that is taking place at the Ministry of Natural Resources, we end up in a situation where people are obligated to squat.

3. The Government could have undertaken more diplomatic means of addressing the situation such as serving those people notice, and giving them adequate time to relocate. In the event of their refusal then they could have employed more forceful means. The fact remains that they used the most drastic means as a first response.

The actions of the government in their brutal, terroristic, high handed lawless behavior, was reciprocated by the squatters when they took their displeasure and discomfort to the Belcan Bridge. The prime minister and the U.D.P. need not be very careful, after all remember that it was no other than the prime minister when he was the leader of the opposition who said; “And as of this day we start a sustained campaign of civil disobedience.” To this date he has not denounced that declaration. So in typical Kriol, “Di same knife weh stab sheep stab goat.”

I believe that the actions of the authority in the way they handled those Chetumal Street squatters is clearly a gross violation of their human rights.

When we add the G.S.U. predawn assault of the Menjevar residence in Belmopan, we can start to see that there is a trend developing that has no regard for human rights. Just over the last weekend two law abiding young men alleged that they were badly beaten by the G.S.U. Is it now a case that the G.S.U. are policemen, judge, jury and executioner? What happened to our fundamental rights that areenshrined in our constitution?

Is the G.S.U. above the law? Or are we going to wait until the G.S.U. kill somebody before some authority streamlines this operation? Where are the human rights people? Where is the Association of Concerned Belizeans?

Do you realize that even the vendors at the Queen Square Market, which was ridiculously renamed the M.F. (Michael Finnegan) market, are in a state of civil disobedience?

Perhaps I have an obligation to explain why there is unrest at the M.F. market. The U.D.P. City Council had promised to refurbish the market and they had released a replica of a three story facility that would house over 90 vendors at a cost of little over $600,000 through a project that would take about six months. At the time there were well over 60 vendors at the market. The project ended up costing over 1.3 million dollars, took twice the projected time to complete, and concluded with three small buildings that had a capacity of just around 45. So we ended up with a situation where vendors were displaced so retailers and wholesalers had to be fighting for the same ground.

Once again Councilor Super Boy, Philloughby has put his hand in and messed up the situation at the market all over again.

So in just the last couple of weeks we have the situation at Chetumal Street unresolved, the fiasco at the M.F. Market unresolved, the bus situation unresolved, and I would need more time to tell you about the B.E.L. situation that is developing and won’t be resolved.

The Editor National Perspective June 3 rd. ,2011 Dear Sir, I write to condemn the despicable way in which the government has treated the squatters on Chetumal Street near the Western Highway in Belize City.

First of all I strongly condemn Minister Anthony “Boots” Matinez’s reference to the squatters on Chetumal St. as criminals in a recent TV interview .

Criminals are people who engage in theft , robbery ,burglary, murder, forgery and other similar actions. The squatters on Chetumal St. are Belizeans of varying ethnic groups ,who are trying their best to get a needed house lot to build a house due to government’s total neglect of its responsibility to make land available to the people for such purpose.

Under the command of Minister Martinez the wrecking crew arrived at 4 a.m. and gave people only a few minutes to wake up fully and get out of their homes before they used malls and sledgehammers to demolished the walls, windows ,doors ,and roof of their homes on top of their beds , tables, refrigerators , stoves ,and other household appliances. The heartless destruction of the squatters homes was carried out in the presence of entire families including small children. After the government wrecking crew left scores of squatters were seen guarding their little household possessions in the nearby bushes close to where their homes once stood.

In demolishing the homes of the squatters Government totally disregarded due process and consideration for poor people. In doing that no evection order was obtained for the squatters from the court; they were denied ample noticed to remove their belongs from their homes before they were taken down ( demolished) , and in taking down the structures the wrecking crew broke up the lumber so badly that most of them became useless. To add insult to injury Minister Martinez said that no assistance would be provided to the squatters in whatever form as some families with children slept totally exposed to the elements where their homes once stood, because as far as he was concerned the squatters were all criminals and he doesn’t negotiate with criminals.

Like other landless Belizeans under this uncaring UDP government ,the squatters on Chetumal St. are not asking Barrow and his Ministers for the moon and the sky. They are saying to the Government since you claim you need the public land where some of us have been squatting for close to five years when the area was raw swamp , give us a piece of public land beyond the area needed for you project or anywhere else within Belize City and we will be happy because we badly need land to build homes for our families that include many children.

Like his Cabinet colleagues Minister Martinez “Boots” , who view squatters as criminals , has more land than he can handle. Since becoming Minister “Boots” now owns a large track of land at mile 2 ½ on the Western Highway all the way back to the seaside. Additionally Boots now owns a house and lot on Euphrates Avenue ,as well as 4 house and lots in Belama.

The squatters on Chetumal St. have neither money nor political connection to become land hogs like UDP Ministers.

The best way for any Government to avoid squatting in not by demolishing poor people homes with their few possessions inside but by making land available for the people. When PUP becomes the next government ,they will show the UDP opposition the proper way to alleviate squatting by making land available for poor people .

Sincerely yours, Gilroy Usher PUP Standard Bearer Port Loyola The last thing we’ve heard about the bus situation is that the Government is flirting with a large Mexican bus company and rumors have it that the bus company will fund a much talked about bus terminal on Chetumal Street. I don’t even want to mention that some high level U.D.P. owns prime real estate in the vicinity where they have forcefully removed the squatters. But I want to continue with the bus situation.

Although it sounds one is it a really coincidence that the government has invested millions of dollars in paving the road from Jalacte to Guatemala, which for all intents and purposes will connect to the Pan American

Highway that links the rest of Central America? Let’s develop the equation: major Mexican bus company invests in bus terminal in Belize connects to the international highway equals big U.D.P. hustle.

But the equation does not solve the problem – in fact it only compounds the problem. The product of that particular equation will mean that many of the local bus operators will be put out of business. Remember the catamarans and the tender operations?

Similar to the bus situation, it is still not resolved. Folks, do you want to continue to imagine the possibilities?

This is just my impartial view.

Sunday, June 12th, 2011

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Sunday, June 12th, 2011

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CARIBBEAN NEWS Rains send rivers dangerously Agenda set for CARICOM higher in Caribbean meeting

During the two-day CARICOM Heads retreat last month, leaders recognised that the process towards full implementation of the single econSANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Re- could exacerbate a cholera outbreak omy would take longer than anticipated. public – Several days of heavy rain sent rivers higher Monday across much of the Caribbean, destroying houses, setting off landslides and forcing thousands of people to leave their homes.

The storm has been blamed for four deaths in the region, officials said Monday There were reports of severe flooding in the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica from a low pressure system that lingered south of Jamaica for five days before moving west.

In provinces north of the Dominican capital, authorities evacuated more than 4,000 people, and at least a dozen homes were destroyed by floodwaters from the Licey River, said Francisco Arias, a regional civil defense official.

In neighboring Haiti, the storm set off mudslides and flooding that killed at least 11 people in impoverished Haiti, officials said Tuesday.

Rains engulfed the capital for several hours Monday night, turning hilly streets into rivers and sweeping debris down denuded hillsides of Haiti’s capital.

Motorists abandoned their cars. Women could be heard screaming for help as water pounded the supposedly temporary settlements that arose in Port-auPrince after last year’s powerful earthquake.

More than 200 people sought shelter after a lake on the country’s border with the Dominican Republic burst its banks over the weekend, said Lesly Dorce, an official with Haiti’s Civil Protection Department. Marie Alta Jean-Baptiste, director of Haiti’s Civil Protection Department, told Radio Galaxie that 11 people drowned or died in mudslides.

All but one of the deaths happened in the Port-au-Prince area.

Officials say they fear the hurricane season, which officially began last week,

that already has killed 5,000 people.

Haiti’s newly elected President Michel Martelly took to national television just before midnight to calm the nation as the storm was still passing over the city.

“This message is to tell the population that I’m with you,” the president said.

Martelly said the seaside slum of Cite Soleil flooded and walls toppled in the hills above Port-au-Prince. He ordered government construction workers to show up to work early Tuesday.

Debris and mud clogged major thoroughfares Tuesday, causing traffic jams throughout the capital.

Earlier rains prompted the government and international aid groups to evacuate dozens of families who lived near the Caribbean country’s largest lake, Azuei, which had overflowed.

“The water seeped into my home and I was worried about my daughter,” said Mecha Calixte, a 32-year-old merchant who walked to the shelter in the town of Thomazeau, where relief groups gave out bags of rice, beans and bottles of cooking oil.

There were also reports of extensive flooding in downtown Les Cayes, a city along Haiti’s southwestern coast.

Emergency teams in southeastern and eastern Jamaica were trying to rescue at least 50 people trapped by rising floodwaters, and roads were blocked by high waters in at least four parishes elsewhere in the country, said Ronald Jackson, director general at the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management.

Floods and mudslides were blamed for one death in the Dominican Republic and two in Haiti in recent days.

Jamaican police said Sunday that a fisherman drowned and another was rescued in rough water off Bob Marley Beach in St. Andrew parish.

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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, Friday June 3, 2011 – Economic integration, free trade and movement of persons, foreign policy coordination human and social development meeting and security cooperation will be among the issues discussed next month as regional leaders gather here for the Regular Meeting of CARICOM Heads.

Speaking to members of the press at CARICOM headquarters, Grenada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Export Development and the Environment Karl Hood said many of the issues tabled are of relevance to the community and follow requests made by leaders at their last retreat at Teperu Mazaruni in Guyana.

He said security of the people in the region continues to be among the priority topics that require fast tracking including the development of a regional health agency in the name of the Caribbean Public Health Agency, the implementation of which awaits the signature of all countries.

Minister Hood said consideration has also been given to supporting the crisis stricken island of Haiti, through a waiver of levy requirements on trade and visa requirements for national nationals.

Asked about his predictions about the issue of integration making headway at the upcoming CARICOM Heads meeting, Minister Hood acknowledged that its full implementation has been lacking in some regard even though its importance is fully known.

“We do have some measure of free-

dom at this point in time. Some of our countries have to bring their laws into line with what we are trying to do and that process has been a bit slow but it is coming on more and more” he said.

During the two-day CARICOM Heads retreat last month, leaders recognised that the process towards full implementation of the single economy would take longer than anticipated and as a result agreed to pause and consolidate the gains of the Single Market before taking any further action on certain specific elements of the Single Economy, such as the creation of a single currency.

Nevertheless, they reaffirmed their commitment to the movement of skilled community nationals and all the related decisions previously taken in that regard. Recalling their mandate to the Inter-Governmental Task Force to negotiate a Protocol on Contingent Rights in respect of those rights which were agreed, they underscored the need for certainty and transparency in according such rights.

Hood told the media that the ultimate objective is to realize the dream of a Caribbean that affords residents the right to move freely but believes that the uniqueness of some member states would cause views and perspectives on the issue to differ.

“One country may feel that we don’t want to go that was too fast and another country would say ‘yes we need to go,’ so it has taken quite a lot of diplomacy and working out to come to some agreement” he said.

Sunday, June 12th, 2011

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Chilean volcano grounds Mexican army seizes drug flights, coats ski slopes gang’s armored trucks

SANTIAGO, Chile – An erupting Chilean volcano sent a towering plume of ash across South America on Monday, forcing thousands from their homes, grounding airline flights in southern Argentina and coating ski resorts with a gritty layer of dust instead of snow.

Booming explosions echoed across the Andes as toxic gases belched up from a three-mile-long (five-kilometer long) fissure in the Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcanic complex — a ridge between two craters just west of the ChileanArgentine border that began erupting Saturday.

Winds blew a six-mile-high (10-kilometer-high) cloud of ash all the way to the Atlantic Ocean and even into southern Buenos Aires province, hundreds of miles to the northeast.

Authorities in Chile went house to house, trying to persuade stragglers near the volcano to leave because of an increasing danger of toxic gas and flash floods. By Monday, about 4,000 people had been evacuated from more than 22 communities. They began fleeing as swarms of earthquakes Saturday heralded the eruption and hundreds more fled Monday to shelters farther away.

Some refused to leave, wanting to protect their homes and livestock. Chile’s verdant lakes region is a center for dairy farming, with more than 9,000 cows and sheep.

Deputy Interior Minister Rodrigo Ubilla said about 50 families in the Rininahue area refused to abandon their homes.

“Everything is prepared with shelter and transportation for them to immediately leave the danger zone,” added Vicente Nunez, director of Chile’s emergency preparedness office, urging them to leave.

Just north of the complex of volcanoes, the city of Futrono and the communities of Lago Ranco and Entre Rios were particularly vulnerable to flash floods.

Some people also refused to leave Mantilhue, along the Rio Bueno, or “Good River,” just six miles (10 kilometers) from the eruption. And while the evacuation order wasn’t yet mandatory, a group of Mapuche Indians said they would seek the regional governor’s authorization to enter the area to pray for the volcano to stop erupting.

Enrique Valdivieso, the director of

Chile’s National Geology and Mines Service, said the fissure was belching toxic gases and material that could clog rivers and force them to overflow.

Spectacular displays of lightning flashed in the volcanic clouds during the weekend, and while the amount of ash falling east of the volcano subsided significantly by Monday, experts said it was too early to predict how long it will take before the volcano falls silent.

Volcanic dust coated ski slopes above San Carlos de Bariloche and Villa la Angostura two weeks before the official start of the winter skiing season. The resorts’ trade group said it was too early to say how it would affect the local economy, but for now, residents were told to stay indoors and tourists were asked not to come.

The Cordon Caulle is nearly 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) south of Santiago, in Chile’s lakes region, just west of Bariloche. Authorities went on alert before the eruption Saturday when as many as 240 tremors an hour struck the region.

The volcano’s last major eruption was in 1960, shortly after a 9.5 magnitude earthquake, the most powerful in recorded history, struck Chile.

Some scientists have said that last year’s 8.8 quake in Chile increased the likelihood of volcanic activity due to shifts in pressure along the Earth’s tectonic plates.

The ash cloud first blew over Argentina and then circled back over Chile on Sunday. By Monday, however, prevailing winds had spread the ash eastward as far as Bahia Blanca, in southern Buenos Aires province on the Argentine coast.

During the weekend, the volcano spat out pumice rocks nearly eight inches (20 centimeters) in diameter.

Because airborne ash can severely damage jet engines, all flights between Buenos Aires and the Andean resorts of Bariloche, Esquel and Chapelco were canceled until June 12. Seven other airports in Argentina were closed through Thursday, effectively isolating the southern Patagonia region from the rest of the country. Aerolineas Argentinas also cancelled nighttime flights well to the north of the volcanos, from Buenos Aires to Santiago, Chile, and Mendoza, Argentina, as a precaution.

LAN airlines suspended more than 35

MEXICO CITY – Mexican soldiers in a northern border state seized two more of the armored cargo trucks that drug cartels have been using for street battles with rivals, authorities said Monday.

The Defense Department said the trucks were found during a weekend search of a metalworking shop that had been used by a drug gang in the town of Camargo in Tamaulipas state. It said the trucks had inch-thick sheet steel welded over the cabin, doors and cargo container, complete with primitive fixed turrets and firing ports.

About 25 other trucks — some already partly modified — were also found at the workshop, the military’s statement said.

The first armored truck to turn up in Mexico was found wrecked in the Tamaulipas town of Ciudad Mier last year, in an area being fought over by the Gulf and Zetas drug cartels.

There were no arrests in the raid on the metalworking shop, but the army said soldiers killed two suspects in a confrontation in another part of the state, the military said.

Farther south, soldiers killed eight alleged gunmen in a shootout in the Gulf of Mexico coast state of Veracruz, the

Defense Department said Monday.

Troops were checking on a citizen’s complaint of armed men at a cemetery in the town of San Julian on Sunday when they came under fire, a statement said. The soldiers returned fire, killing eight suspects, and they also arrested one gunman, it said.

Meanwhile, Mexican marines over the weekend seized a cache of weapons in the northern state of Coahuila that allegedly belongs to the Zetas drug cartel, the navy said Monday.

The marines found 80 automatic rifles, 20 handguns, three grenade launchers, more than 50,000 bullets, a ton of fireworks and six pounds (three kilograms) of explosives in gel form, the statement said. It said the weapons were buried in an empty lot near the city of Monclova.

On Friday near Monclova, soldiers found a buried cache of weapons that included 154 rifles and shotguns and more than 92,000 rounds of ammunition, the Defense Department said. It said those weapons also were thought to belong to the Zetas.

Tamaulipas and Coahuila are two of several northern Mexican states where the Gulf and Zetas drug cartels are fighting for control.

Quake shakes south Peru city

LIMA, Peru – An earthquake that Peruvian authorities put at a magnitude of 5.0 has shaken the southern Peruvian city of Tacna. There are no reports of damage or injuries.

The Peruvian Geophysics Institute says the quake struck at 10:06 p.m. (0306 gmt) at a depth of 100 miles (165 kilometers).

The U.S. Geological Survey’s posted an initial magnitude of 6.0 for the Tuesday night quake on its website. It put the location at 81 miles (130 kilometes) northeast of Tacna, a sparsely populated region.

Police spokesman Elvis Arce tells The Associated Press from Tacna that the quake’s shaking caused some panic but no damage or injuries have been reported. flights from Chile to southern Argentina, and some highways in Argentina also were closed.

Across Argentina’s southern midsection, schools were closed, routine government work was suspended and elective surgery were canceled as well.

Also closed was the nearby border crossing of Cardenal Samore, where a twisting mountain road climbs through stunning arid valleys on the Argentina side before dropping through lush green forests and fields in Chile. Even when

skies cleared in places Monday, the area was draped in an abrasive gray blanket.

The 11-mile-long (17-kilometer-long) Cordon Caulle rises 5,900-feet (1,800 meters) above sea level between the Pueyehue and Nevada volcanoes, above a connected complex of molten rock. Chile has more than 3,000 volcanoes along its Andean spine, and 500 of these are considered geologically active. About 60 Of these have erupted in the last 450 years.

Sunday, June 12th, 2011

Page 10

Gaddafi vows to fight on U.S. and Pakistan authorities as NATO jets pound Tripoli dispute militant’s death TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Waves of NATO aircraft hit Tripoli on Tuesday in the most sustained bombardment of the Libyan capital since Western forces began air strikes in March.

By Tuesday afternoon, war planes were striking different parts of the city several times an hour, hour after hour, rattling windows and sending clouds of grey smoke into the sky, a Reuters correspondent in the center of the city said.

But Muammar Gaddafi vowed on Tuesday to fight to the death.

U.S. President Barack Obama said it was only a matter of time until the Libyan leader goes.

The Libyan government attributed earlier blasts to NATO air strikes on military compounds in the capital.

At least 29 people were killed in 60 strikes on the Libyan capital on Tuesday, government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim told reporters. His account could not be independently verified.

Bombs have been striking the city every few hours since Monday, at a steadily increasing pace. On Tuesday they began before 11 a.m. (5 a.m. ET) and were continuing five hours later.

Air strikes were previously rarer and usually at night.

“We only have one choice: we will stay in our land dead or alive,” Gaddafi said in a fiery audio address, adding that his supporters were flocking to his vast Bab alAziziya compound, which was hit several times by NATO air strikes on Tuesday.

Describing planes flying overhead and explosions around him, Gaddafi was defiant.

“We are stronger than your missiles, stronger than your planes, and the voice of the Libyan people is louder than explosions,” he said in his customary impassioned tone.

He said he was ready to unleash between 250,000 to 500,00 Libyans to swarm across the country to cleanse it from “armed gangs,” a reference to rebels controlling eastern Libya.

“The Libyan people will march to the east or to the west or to any place where armed gangs are,” he said. “We will march on to disarm (them) without fighting,” he said.

About 150 Gaddafi supporters demonstrated in central Tripoli, firing AK-47s in the air and waving posters of him.

Gaddafi was last seen on state television on May 30.

BOMBING RAIDS Major-General Nick Pope, Britain’s Chief of the Defense Staff’s Strategic Communications Officer, said several operations carried out by British fighter aircraft had targeted Gaddafi’s secret police headquarters and a military installation on Tripoli’s southwestern outskirts.

The bases, he said, were “engaged in the brutal repression of the civilian population and therefore a legitimate focus for NATO action.”

Libya’s state news agency Jana said NATO flew bombing missions over Gaddafi’s vast compound 12 times.

Obama said there had been “significant” progress in the NATO operation. “What you are seeing across the country is an inexorable trend of the regime forces being pushed back, being incapacitated,” Obama news conference in Washington.

“I think it is just a matter of time before Gaddafi goes.”

Gaddafi’s troops and the rebels have been in stalemate for weeks, neither able to hold territory on a road between Ajdabiyah, which Gaddafi’s forces shelled on Monday, and the Gaddafi-held oil town of Brega further west.

Rebels control the east of Libya, the western city of Misrata and the range of mountains near the border with Tunisia.

They have been unable to advance on the capital against Gaddafi’s better-equipped forces, despite NATO air strikes.

Pro-Gaddafi forces pulled back to high ground outside Yafran, 100 km (60 miles) southwest of Tripoli on Tuesday, after the rebels lifted a weeks-long siege of the town. There were heavy exchanges of fire between the two sides, with antiaircraft gun being used to hit targets on the ground.

Rebel commander Juma Ibrahim in Zintan told Reuters that Gaddafi’s forces had massed on Tuesday in their biggest numbers in the area since the start of the conflict.

“Gaddafi’s troops and vehicles (are) north of Kalaa (about 7 km east of Yafran) to prepare to stop the advance of rebels from Yafran and Zintan toward Tripoli,” he said.

DIPLOMATIC CONTACT WITH REBELS As bombing intensifies, world powers were making diplomatic overtures to the rebels, including Russia and China, despite misgivings about interference in Libya’s sovereign affairs.

Mikhail Margelov, Special Representative for the President of Russia for Africa, told reporters in the rebel capital of Benghazi on Tuesday that Gaddafi can no longer represent Libya.

“We highly believe that Gaddafi has lost his legitimacy after the first bullet shot against the Libyan people,” he said.

“Russia is ready to help politically, economically and in any possible way ...

That is why we have established a direct relationship with the national council here in Benghazi.”

In Beijing, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said an Egypt-based Chinese diplomat had visited Benghazi for talks with the rebel-led National Transitional Council, adding to signs that China too is courting the insurgents.

China has declined to take sides, but its moves reflect recognition that Gaddafi’s days may be numbered, said Yin Gang, an Arab expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Libya’s pro-Gaddafi Foreign Minister Abdelati Obeidi is visiting China as a “special envoy” for his government and will hold talks with his counterpart Yang Jiechi.

Mohammed Ilyas Kashmiri

LONDON (Reuters) – U.S. and Pakistani officials disagree sharply over claims that senior al Qaeda leader Ilyas Kashmiri was killed in a recent missile strike, suggesting strains persist between the often uneasy allies.

Intelligence officials in Pakistan said over the weekend that Kashmiri, a figure in both al Qaeda and a Pakistanbased affiliate, was killed by a missile fired from a U.S. drone aircraft in northwestern Pakistan.

Pakistani officials subsequently issued a series of statements about Kashmiri’s death.

“I can confirm 100 percent that he is dead,” Interior Minister Rehman Malik told reporters on Monday. “I got this information this morning.”

But U.S. officials familiar with counterterrorism activities in the region said they were unable to confirm Kashmiri’s death. It was more likely than not, they said on Monday evening, that the militant leader was still alive.

“It wouldn’t be the first time that reports of his death have been wrong,” one U.S. official told Reuters. “We’re simply unable at this time to confirm reports of Kashmiri’s demise. Our working assumption is that he’s still walking around.”

A second U.S. official said government experts believed it was more likely that Kashmiri was alive, although they are not ruling out the possibility he was killed in a drone strike.

The U.S. officials spoke on condition of anonymity.

The conflicting assessments indicate relations between the United States and Pakistan -- which hit a low point after the U.S. killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden last month in Pakistan -- remain deeply troubled despite claims by both countries that they were improving.

But Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani, on Tuesday

also urged caution about reports of Kashmiri’s death.

On the Twitter social network, using shorthand abbreviations, Haqqani said: “There R reasons 2 B cautious abt reports relating 2 death of terrorist mastermind Ilyas Kashmiri. We cnt afford 2 let down R guard.”

U.S. DOUBTS The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, General David Petraeus, raised doubts about Kashmiri’s death, saying on ABC News on Monday: “I’m not sure that’s been confirmed.”

Kashmiri, labeled a “specially designated global terrorist” by the U.S. State Department, was wrongly reported to have been killed in a September 2009 drone strike.

It is difficult to confirm the identities of people killed in drone strikes because they occur in remote areas not accessible to foreign journalists.

A Pakistani television station quoted the group that Kashmiri headed, an al Qaeda affiliate called Harkat-ul Jihad Islami, confirming his death. Britain’s Channel 4 News said the death had been confirmed by a senior HUJI commander and close aide of Kashmiri.

But SITE Institute, a U.S.-based private group that monitors and translates messages posted on militant websites, on Monday cast doubt on an Internet photo said to be of Kashmiri’s body and an accompanying fax from HUJI confirming his death.

The U.S. group said it appeared to be the body of another militant, Abu Dera Ismail Khan, who was killed in the militant attacks on Mumbai, India, in November 2008.

Diplomatic relations between the United States and Pakistan have suffered since last year, when the name of the CIA station chief in Pakistan was leaked to local media and the American official, who was supposed to be operating undercover, had to leave the country.

Relations worsened considerably after the arrest, and later release, of a CIA security contractor who killed two Pakistani nationals in what the United States said was an armed robbery attempt. Then, U.S. Navy SEALS killed bin Laden without giving advance notice to Pakistani authorities.

Kashmiri, said to be a former Pakistani military officer, was high on a list Washington gave Pakistan of militants it wanted captured or killed, a Pakistani official said on condition of anonymity.

He was indicted in a U.S. court in Chicago with American David Headley for allegedly plotting to attack a Danish newspaper that had published cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed. Headley pleaded guilty over that plot and to scouting targets in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

www.nationalperspectivebz.org

Page 11

Sunday, June 12th, 2011

Another large Belizean company in foreclosure Hello out there, is anybody listening?

Thursday, June 09, 2011 BELIZE CITY - Soren Sorenson can cut a swashbuckling figure at times but there are reports that yet another of his companies has gone into bankruptcy. Channel 5 News reported last night that receivers for the Belize Bank have closed in one of the major banana growers, Soren Sorenson, owner of several banana farms, for defaulting on multi-million dollar loans to the Bank.

The newscast also reported that Sorenson also reportedly has additional outstanding loans of a combined two million dollars with the Social Security Board and the Banana Growers Association.

It did not say how many workers are affected by the foreclosure but it seems the operations will remain going concerns since a new management team from Fyfees has been put in charge to run the farms due to their professional and technical expertise.

There is are attempts to sell the operations since the bank’s executives have also had discussions with two other major players in the industry who say they have confidence that Fyfees will increase production and efficiency at the farms.

Soren Sorenson Monkey River mango farm operations went into bankruptcy and foreclosure back in the Nineties amidst much controversy and lawsuits.

Continued from page 1

curity forces have contingency plans in place to preemptively detain BBA members if they believe that they would act again to block the nation’s highways.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow issued a warning of his own to the BBA at his quarterly press conference yesterday saying that as far his administration was concerned, there had been agreements reached between the Ministry of Transport and the BBA, as well as the Northern Bus Operators Association.

Barrow preemptively dismissed the BBA demands in part yesterday saying: “This talk that we must revert to the status quo, this talk that Government must now remove every last run given to Westline - is that what it’s called, Mr. Chuc’s outfit - is going to go nowhere. That is not going to happen. We reached a solution with all concerned, including Mr. Chuc. It was pronounced a fair solution, not just by the Government, but by all the parties at the time. You can’t keep going back and asking us to revisit an agreement that has already been inked. You can’t keep moving the goal posts. Government must be flexible; Government must try to accommodate, but ultimately, Government

Bus operators issue new ultimatum

the schedules and routes they were executing prior to May 22 nd , 2011.

“• Our Northern Operators, Chell’s Bus Line, Venus Bus Line and Cabrera’s Bus Service, should reclaim a two year permit for the runs they have been and are presently executing on the Northern Highway. We do not want any of their present runs tampered with.

“• A representative from the Belizean Bus Association must be seated on the Transport Board in order to avoid reoccurrences of these situations and also create true transparency.”

Shaw went on to say that they had “also unanimously agreed that we should receive a valid response by Friday, June 10th, 2011, which is the expiration date for the 21 days dialoguing period we were allotted.”

He ends by explicitly informing Flowers that the BBA was “urging the Board to adhere to our demands, as our members stand ready for further action.”

Two weeks ago the BBA brought all traffic on the nation’s highways to a virtual standstill but it is doubtful that they would catch the administration sleeping at the wheel again. The se-

Dean Barrow is a liar. Former Prime Minister Said Musa was pilloried by Dean Barrow and his cohorts and media allies for admitting that sometimes the nation’s leaders HAVE to lie if in their calculation that was best for the greatest number of persons.

I decided Wednesday morning to boycott the Prime Minister’s press conference because I got word early that the hall would be packed with Boots and Finnegan’s people. I despise going to so-called “press conferences” where the media is relegated to the back of the room, behind the host of “dignitaries” and VIP’s, diplomatic corps, ministers, CEO’s, various and sundry sycophants, hangerons, suck ups and wanna-bees and only get to ask a question or two, and usually only to be insulted by Mr. Barrow much to the amusement of his peanut gallery.

When you throw a howling mob into the mix you create a combustible stew. I predict that soon someone will get seriously hurt at one of these affairs.

I also think it is a measure of Mr. Barrow’s insecurity that he has to pack the hall with his supporters and cheering section, and is afraid to face the media mano-a-mano.

I’d love to be able to ask Mr. Barrow some questions at length, and be able to explore some of the pressing current issues with him. He has a legitimate fear of being tripped up or ambushed by people like me, and I respect that. I know that I wouldn’t do that but I doubt that his fear could ever be completely allayed even under ordinary circumstances much less under the circumstances that have now come to past.

The fact is that we live in incredibly “interesting” times. It is a worldwide phenomenon, and even if we always lag behind the curve, the reality is that the world has shrunk and information now travels at the speed of light.

Perhaps it is not that we are more vulnerable, but that much, much more we are able to better assess our vulnerability. And when you see all that is out there you feel very, very vulnerable here in little ole Belize.

At his press conference Mr. Barrow wasn’t asked about the rising tide of unemployment, (officially at 23%), the ever increasing murder, suicide and business failures rates, the just released PSE results that showed passes fall overall by 5%, a historic dip in the savings and deposits in the banks, another large foreclosure, or

why Belize Aquaculture Limited is not producing electricity. No one got a chance to because having made his pronouncements, having told the lies he felt necessary to tell, Mr. Barrow moved on.

I have heard from several of my colleagues who (finally!) admitted/ complained that they felt intimidated by the atmospherics. They won’t boycott Mr. Barrow’s press conferences but by not asking questions they are making a protest of sorts.

No one got to explore with Mr. Barrow any of the current pressing issues facing us. He came, he preened, he pronounced and then he moved on and once again we all feel short changed. This is ridiculous and I would be laughing at him if it wasn’t an aggravating factor in an already frustrating situation.

Our problems are many and they seem to grow in urgency and intensity with every passing day. We have no chance of successfully addressing any of them until Dean Barrow, maximum chief, gets off his horse, and start the process of reconciling this divide nation.

And we are divided – he and his party have seen to that. We have never been going so hard at each other the way we are today, and he and his party are to blame. Every time Dean Barrow opens his mouth the chasm widens, the schism grows.

And divided we are falling. Whether it is trafficking, incursions, violent crime, natural disaster, economic recession – pick one from our plethora of woes – we have no chance of successfully solving them if we are divided.

The opposition to this government needs to come together once and for all and say to Dean Barrow, enough is enough. And by the opposition I don’t mean just the PUP – I also include the VIP, the PNP, We the People, the activist groups such as COLA, Belizean For Justice, Coalition For Change, and the environmental groups opposed to the administration’s disrespect and disregard for them.

The PUP should take the lead in reaching out to all who are opposed to the administration’s policies or lack thereof, and make common cause. The simple fact is that Dean Barrow and the UDP have been an equal opportunity offender – they’ve managed to offend even several of their own.

Marcel, Nemencio, Marco Pech, are you listening? Is anybody listening?

must govern.”

The BBA is rankled by the preemptory slap in the face they received last Tuesday afternoon when they were locked out of the meeting between the Northern bus operators and the Department of Transport. Shaw complained in his letter to Flowers: “I was asked by a few of our members who are operating in the North,

namely Cabrera’s Bus Service, Venus Bus Line, and Chell’s Bus Service, to represent them at a scheduled meeting for the Northern Bus Operators in Belize City. Since the Transport Board was present at that meeting, I saw it fit and proper for me to be there (at the Cancer Center in Belize City) along with other operators from Continued on page 13

Page 12 Of all the amendments to the Laws of Belize by successive governments and perhaps more so by this UDP administration, I wonder - would they touch Offence Against the Order of Nature - Section 53 of the Belize Criminal Code, Chapter 101 of the Laws of Belize which provides that: “Every person who has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any person or animal shall be liable to imprisonment for ten years.”?

On none of my travels outside of Belize have I paid much attention to the general culture of the societies that I visit. I instinctively accept that the things we are hung up on in Belize are of no consequence in greater, older and more established societies such as the United States.

This week I want to look closer at homosexuality in Belize and try to understand where we are in terms of understanding and embracing our fellow citizens who live a different life style from what we know as the norm.

I deliberately use the word, “lifestyle” for expediency reasons. I was made to understand that even the use of the word is offensive to people of that sexual “preference” or “orientation”.

Therein lies my confusion. In that regard, I wonder if we have even began to contemplate our society as being more respectful and tolerant of homosexuality and homosexuals. Will there ever come a day when homosexuals can walk down the streets in Belize without being jeered at or verbally and/or physically attacked?

While I navigate this subject, I will be honest in exposing my own ignorance and to a certain extent my unsettling feelings. My wish is not to offend but to pursue understanding. I cannot honestly say that I dislike someone because he or she is gay but I am discomforted by the “lifestyle”.

Several articles have been penned by others on this issue – those articles seem more on the critical side and understandably so – we are a heterosexual society. As I endeavor to do this, I will try to strike that balance between what is our cultural norm as a Belizean society and where perhaps we should endeavor to advance to.

We know that there are homosexuals living among us. Some who are of that sexual preference are less discrete about their lives and display it in some manner or the other. They tend to gravitate to each other in cliques – this is why social observers refer to them as the “gay community”. Frankly, asserting the politically correct vocabulary is trivial enough for me.

I heard some time ago from a learned friend that that Belize’s buggery law may be repealed thereby no longer recognizing homosexuality, that is, sex between two consenting adult men as a crime. Interestingly ironic is that our law never included women therefore lesbianism was never legally recognized and perhaps more socially permitted. That may be a function of our laws being constructed by men who are generally more tolerant of woman and woman relationship.

The perturbing issue of homosexuality is that many of us cannot wrap our minds around two men or two women engaging in sex, and that seems the only aspect of homosexuality that we are fixated upon. Those of that orientation tell me that there is much more to their relationship than just sex and in some cases it is more about the oth-

Sunday, June 12th, 2011

Tolerant or Permissive?

May 19, 2010: Paul, Weiss Wins Immigration Asylum For Gay Man from Belize

by Roberta A. Kaplan , Richard B. Eisenberg On April 5, Paul, Weiss obtained asylum for a gay man from Belize who had been harassed and physically attacked because he was gay. In Belize, police officers refused to assist him when they learned about the homophobic motive for the attack. Because he feared that if he were forced to return to Belize, he would once again be subject to persecution, he filed for asylum and the petition was granted. The Paul, Weiss team included litigation partner Robbie Kaplan, and associates Richard Eisenberg and Ethan Krasnoo. er things than it is about sex. That for me is convoluting since in my heterosexual world, I have been socialized to the maxim, if you will, that sex is vital to a healthy relationship.

My learned friends have also told me that relationships cannot be legislated, and I say fair enough, therefore a law about man and man relationship should not exist. I thought by now that the open discussions would

with the rest of the world.

Is this saying that I am ignorant, backward in thought because I do not subscribe to homosexuality? Am I being hypocritical because I separate the lifestyle and the person? Am I being asked to relinquish since I have enjoyed my heterosexual rights all this time? This is crazy and it would be interesting to hear the public debate on this issue. It would be interesting

have commenced after a Belizean was granted asylum in the UK after he fled from Belize after he was physically attacked because of being gay.

There were murmurs that the discussion would have sparked. While I have heard the thematic, “gay rights” comments, there hasn’t been any overt campaign for the recognition of gay rights. Perhaps that day is yet to come.

According to the story, police did not render aid after they learnt of the homophobic motive of the attack. We all know that the police are supposed to render aid regardless of what. Did they take the law into their own hands by judging the man and subjected him to abuse?

An article carried in the Jamaica Gleaner in July of 2010 year titled, “Gays in Jamaica – Sexuality and the law” said that legal experts hold that “buggery laws are outdated and out of sync with trends that are developing in other countries.” I grapple with that since proponents for repealing the law main reason is so that we are in sync

to see which government will bite the proverbial bullet and repeal this law in Belize and what would be public reaction to such being done.

The Gleaner article went on to say that: “They (legal experts) argue that the law should be amended where two consenting adults should be able to enjoy their privacy without the fear of being prosecuted. There is no law in Jamaica that specifically addresses homosexuality. The Offences Against

My learned friends have also told me that relationships cannot be legislated, and I say fair enough, therefore a law about man and man relationship should not exist. I thought by now that the open discussions would have commenced after a Belizean was granted asylum in the UK after he fled from Belize after he was physically attacked because of being gay. There were murmurs that the discussion would have sparked. While I have heard the thematic, “gay rights” comments, there hasn’t been any overt campaign for the recognition of gay rights. Perhaps that day is yet to come.

According to the story, police did not render aid after they learnt of the homophobic motive of the attack. We all know that the police are supposed to render aid regardless of what. Did they take the law into their own hands by judging the man and subjected him to abuse?

the Person Act prohibits “acts of gross indecency” (generally meaning that a person can be charged for exposing oneself or for engaging in sexual intercourse in public). Then there is the offence called buggery, which falls under Section 76 of that Act and is defined as anal intercourse between a man and a woman, or between two men.

“But where the legal scholars have a problem with the law is that no use of force or denial of consent is required for the commission of the offence of buggery. They also point out that most prosecutions involve consenting adult men suspected of indulging in anal sex.” “’In all my years as an attorney, I cannot recall seeing a man and a woman engaging in consensual anal sex ever prosecuted for buggery,’ said Clayton Morgan, president of the Cornwall Bar Association. ‘The buggery and gross indecency laws basically sanction discrimination against gay men.’

“According to human rights activist and attorney, Hilaire Sobers, ‘countries have sought to change their statues as they relate to homosexuals and Jamaica was lagging behind.’

“Sobers said that England has changed law in five of its British colonies. He referred also to the global trend at decriminalizing homosexuality. He said, ‘Our homophobic attitudes do not put us in good stead with the rest of the international community where human rights consciousness is currently a top priority in many countries.’”

Obviously Belize is also “lagging behind” but I still ponder, how much of our social values are we sacrificing at the altar of global synchronicity? One may argue back that we have given up on much more sacred things that have adversely affected our society.

Removing corporal punishment out of our primary school system perhaps is one such thing. Our nonchalance about minors entering establishments where alcohol is sold and our permissiveness about them consuming alcohol are areas where we have relinquished.

We have relinquished on encouraging our children to practice safe sex. We have slackened on discouraging them from engaging in sexual intercourse until they are mature enough/married.

We have slackened on establishing boundaries so our children, especially our male children, do not end up leading a life of crime or dead. We have diminished appreciation for education and not insisting that our children attend school regularly and arrive there promptly. There are other issues we have loosened up on so why then are we hung up on homosexuals and what they do in the privacy of their homes?

I still don’t know how I feel about repealing Section 53 of the Belize Criminal code.

www.nationalperspectivebz.org

Application for Liquor Licenses

Notice is hereby given that HERMELINDA CHOK is applying for a SHOP LIQUOR LICENSE to be operated at SAIR VIEW SHOP, STEADFAST, STANN CREEK VALEY, STANN CREEK District, under the INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSE ORDINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that CYNTHIA MOLITORRIES is applying for a HOTEL LIQUOR LICENSE to be operated at CARIBBEAN SHORES , HOPKINS VILLAGE, STANN CREEK District, under the INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSE ORDINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.

Page 13

Sunday, June 12th, 2011

Belize celebrates Shameless Liad ! Oceana World Oceans Day

Continue from page 1

project gears up. Sugar, according to PM Barrow, is seeing better days after the setbacks which stalled sugar production. Overnight tourism is also on the upsurge as well the Prime Minister said. None of the information that Barrow announced were backed by the Statistical Institute of Belize who are still preparing the figures.

Barrow’s bag of tricks did nothing to dissuade the media who were waiting to get answers to several burning questions. As much as the PM came with treats he also had some tricks. The media arrived to a packed house of workers from the Southside Poverty Alleviation Program. The rambunctious crowd cheered as the Prime Minister served up the treats and jeered as he lashed out at the media when he was shellacked by the hard questions.

PM Barrow said that he would discourage his people from participating in the referendum – a declaration that surprised Oceana’s Vice President Audrey Matura Shepard. The first set of questions came from Adele Ramos of the Amandala.

The PM assumed a defensive position from the outset and was forced to remain in that position throughout. PM Barrow’s statement that the media had been duped by fraudsters sent currents through the media pool who were largely outnumbered by Barrow’s hecklers.

Marion Alli of Love News took umbrage to the comment and registered her

displeasure on behalf of her colleagues who remained silent as PM Barrow did his best to crow Alli down.

When asked by the National Perspective about a proposed amnesty for illegal immigrants which was announced last year – the Prime Minister issued his usual lacerating tongue lashing denying that government had announced a figure of how many persons would benefit from the amnesty – which according to credible information out of cabinet, the program targeted some twenty thousand illegal immigrants.

In an article written by Roland Parks of the Reporter Newspaper which described details of the program which was outlined in Cabinet Paper 119 of 2010 the Barrow administration proposed: “ In keeping with this government’s intent, an amnesty program will be held in Belize. This program in essence is aimed at illegal immigrants residing in Belize, who upon meeting the set criteria will be forgiven their illegal act and will be allowed to regularize their immigration status with the granting of permanent residence upon paying the prescribed fee.”

The paper went on to outline government’s projected earnings from the program when it got under way. “Tentatively, if there are 10,000 adult applicants it would yield a revenue of Bz. 2,500,000 for the government. The proposal also recommends that to ensure the financial sustenance of this program over its life span, that the

Continues on page 17

DR. AMIN HEGAR Extends a heartwarm ‘Thank You’ to all those who participated in the vibrant and successful Belmopan Convention last Sunday.

I am confident that the same energy and spirit will propel the PUP City Council Slate to victory as we all rally around them.

The work begins now!!!

All are welcome on the journey to progress and a better society.

TAKING THE LEAD FOR BELMOPAN

Wednesday, June 8, 2011 BELIZE CITY – Oceana Belize marked World Oceans Day today with a small ceremony/event in the parking lot of its Belize City offices on Dean Street this morning.

The program saw the winners of its song and poetry contest make their winning presentations and collect their prizes.

Two experts also made concise speeches on the health of the Mesoamerican Reef Ecoregion as well as a general overview on the effects of oil exploration on the world’s oceans and seas.

Mrs. Melanie McField, marine biologist and the director of Healthy Reefs spoke on the 2010 Report Card for the Mesoamerica Reef Ecoregion, an assessment on the current state of the Reef, an update on existing and emerging threats to reef health, and a sample of stories of hope and needed actions to foster healthy reefs and healthy people.

The report highlighted that researchers had found that the Reef had gone from 6% of it being declared in a critical state in 2008, to 31% now being declared in a critical state.

McField said that regrettably the latest Report Card does not describe

a pattern of recovery but one of further decline.

Jacqueline Savitz is a Senior Scientist and Senior Campaign Director for Oceana and in that capacity leads Oceana’s Pollution Campaigns, which currently focus on climate change, ocean acidification, oil and gas, and clean ocean energy. Her background is in marine biology and environmental toxicology combined with two decades of policy experience.

Savitz spoke about the challenges they face in the US against the oil companies, and how we should do all we can to set our standards right before we embark on any relationships with the oil exploration and extraction companies.

Following the presentation and speeches, Oceana unveiled a mobile van to be used for public education out reach effort, particularly as the organization seeks to gather support for a ban on oil exploration activities in marine and protected areas.

As impressive as the van is, the assembly was much more entertained by a skit designed to show the impact of an oil spill in Belizean waters, and which was very successful in parodying the official response to such an event.

Bus operators issue new ultimatum

Continued from page 11 the Northern Zone.

“Upon my arrival at that meeting, I was denied entrance along with other members of my executive body by you, John Flowers, and the CEO of Transport, Candilaria Saldivar Mortar.

“The members of the Belizean Bus Association are distraught at the intentional act of disrespect that was shown to our executive body, and believe that our optimism for a harmonious resolution of the issues we are being faced with; has been destroyed.”

There is bad blood and there is brinkmanship and there is a history of both sides acting unilaterally to show the

other side who is boss.

The calls for the resignation or firing of transport minister Melvin “Flippin’” Hulse is nearing crescendo levels but it is clear that Barrow and the UDP are determined that Chuc’s concession will stay in place come what may.

Barrow’s posture is that his administration is prepared to use force, maximum force, even lethal force if necessary to maintain their hegemony. The administration has done just that in the past.

The question to be answered starting tomorrow is whether or not the Belize Bus Association is prepared to stare down the barrels of the GSU guns and the riot squad batons.

Page 14

Sunday, June 12th, 2011

HEAlTHY LIVING

Cholesterol is an important type of fat (lipid) that is made by the body and is necessary for it to function. It also is found in foods that are made from animal products (meat and dairy products).

Cells need cholesterol to function. However, excess cholesterol in the blood builds up in blood vessels and may lead to hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), heart disease, and stroke. People who have diabetes are at higher risk of developing atherosclerosis.

There are two main forms of cholesterol: Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is called “bad cholesterol.” Most efforts to lower cholesterol are aimed at reducing levels of LDL. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is called “good cholesterol.” It can help remove excess cholesterol from the blood vessels.

A person’s cholesterol level can be checked with a blood test. If the level is too high, lifestyle changes (such as diet changes and exercise) may help lower it. Some people may need to take medication to lower their cholesterol levels and reduce their risk of heart disease.

The digestive system is responsible for breaking down food, absorbing nutrients from the food, and ridding the body of waste products from the food. The digestive system consists of the: Upper digestive tract, which includes the mouth, esophagus, stomach, and small intestine.

Lower digestive tract, which includes the large intestine and the rectum.

Liver, pancreas, and gallbladder.

When to Have a Cholesterol Test Some doctors and health organizations recommend that everyone older than 20 be checked for high cholesterol. How often you should be checked depends on whether you have other health problems and your overall chance of heart disease.

Talk to your doctor about which cholesterol screening is best for you. He or she may follow one of the following guidelines.

Most experts agree that the following people should have their cholesterol checked: Anyone who has strong risk factors for heart disease People who have a family history of early coronary artery disease Men ages 35 to 65 Women ages 45 to 65 An adult who has coronary artery disease should have a cholesterol test at least once a year.

An adult who is being treated for high cholesterol may need more frequent tests, depending on his or her cholesterol level and the type of treatment being used.

Most adults who have diabetes should be tested at least once a year.1 For children, the USPSTF does not recommend for or against routine cholesterol screening, based on a review of the research.2 But the American Heart Association and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggest that children and teens have their cholesterol levels tested if they have a family history of early coronary artery disease or have other risk factors.3, 4 The AAP suggests that a child’s risk of high cholesterol, based on a physical exam and family history, be checked at ages 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 years, and then every year through age 21. The AAP also suggests that a cholesterol screening test be done between the ages of 18 and 21.5 Public cholesterol testing can be convenient and helpful. But most doctors will

Cholesterol

Your body needs some cholesterol. But if you have too much—of the wrong kind—it starts to build up in your arteries. Cholesterol is produced naturally by the liver, and also comes from eating certain foods, such as eggs and red meat. Too much of the bad kind, LDL cholesterol, raises your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other conditions. Low levels of the good kind, HDL cholesterol, can have the same effect.

want to verify public test results. Because the doctor can evaluate risk factors and provide counseling, having your cholesterol level checked during a doctor visit is the preferred method.

For more information, see the topic High Cholesterol or the topic Cholesterol and Triglycerides Tests.

Alternative Treatments for High Cholesterol Dietary supplements are the mainstays of alternative treatment for high cholesterol.

The following table shows alternative medicine therapies aimed at lowering cholesterol.

Alternative treatments for high cholesterol Psyllium: Doctors are not entirely sure how psyllium works to improve cholesterol levels. It is believed that psyllium reduces the ability of the small intestine to absorb cholesterol, and therefore the amount of cholesterol that enters your blood is reduced.

Red yeast rice supplements: The natural equivalent of lovastatin in red yeast, called monacolin K (mevinolin), decreases cholesterol levels by inhibiting cholesterol production in the body. Serious side effects can happen. These include rhabdomyolysis, hepatitis, and kidney problems. Despite the therapeutic effects of red yeast, there is

currently no way to guarantee its safety by ensuring a safe dose.

Talk with your doctor before taking such supplements, because they could potentially cause dangerous side effects. Do not take these supplements if you are taking statins.

Dangerous side effects may result from the combination.

Sterol esters: Sterol esters may lower LDL cholesterol levels by blocking receptors in the small intestine that are responsible for absorbing dietary cholesterol. Sterol and stanol esters are the active ingredient in cholesterol-lowering margarine spreads, such as Take Control and Benecol.

Regardless of whether you start a new alternative treatment, you must continue your diet, exercise, and prescription medicines.

As with any new form of treatment, you should consult your doctor first.

Statins Generic Name Brand Name atorvastatin Lipitor fluvastatin Lescol lovastatin Altoprev Mevacor pitavastatin Livalo pravastatin Pravachol rosuvastatin Crestor simvastatin Zocor Statin combinations Generic Name Brand Name atorvastatin and amlodipine, a calcium channel blocker for high blood pressure Caduet lovastatin and niacin (nicotinic acid) Advicor simvastatin and ezetimibe, a cholesterol absorption inhibitor Vytorin simvastatin and niacin (nicotinic acid) Simcor How It Works Statins block an enzyme the body needs to produce cholesterol. As a result, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels in the blood go down, thereby lowering total blood cholesterol levels.

Statins may be taken alone or taken with other cholesterol medicines such as fibric acid derivatives, bile acid sequestrants, or nicotinic acid. Statins may also be combined with other types of medicines into one pill.

Why It Is Used Statins are used to lower LDL cholesterol.

Statins can help lower the risk of heart attack, stroke, and death in people who are at high risk of a heart attack or stroke.

How Well It Works Statins and statin combinations can: Lower the risk of heart attack.

Lower stroke risk.

Reduce LDL by 18% to 55%.1 This means that if your LDL is 200, taking a statin could lower your LDL to between 164 and 90.

Increase HDL by 5% to 15%.1 This means that if your HDL is 60, taking a statin could increase your HDL to between 63 and 69. The higher your HDL, the better.

An HDL of 60 and higher protects against heart disease.

Reduce triglycerides by 7% to 30%.1 This means that if your triglycerides are 200, taking a statin could lower your triglycerides to between 186 and 140.

Side Effects All medicines have side effects. But many people don’t feel the side effects, or they are able to deal with them. Ask your pharmacist about the side effects of each medicine you take. Side effects are also listed in the information that comes with your medicine.

Sunday, June 12th, 2011

Page 15 STATEMENT BY PARENT COMPANY TO DR. HENRY CANTON

We respond to the “Statement by the Management of Citrus Products of Belize Limited” that was published in last week’s newspapers.

Firstly, where in the world does the “management” of a company use the resources of the company to call the majority owners of the company an “ostrich”? We know that the employees at CPBL, management included, must toe the Canton line or suffer the wrath of demotion, or worse, termination, and see the release as him now hiding behind management because he is intent on terminating 105 employees who work in the factory plus management employees as well. Our issue is not with the management and employees at CPBL - it is with Dr. Henry Canton who has all but destroyed our investment.

Closing down of CCB Facility The purpose of our release was to inform our members, CPBL employees, the government, industry stakeholders and the nation of the fallout of Dr. Canton’s failed policies at CPBL. We reiterate that this paper was not only sent to the Board of CPBL but was also sent to Government. Discussions were held with the CWU and Pound Solids Authority before the Board or we should say the directors appointed by the majority shareholders were made aware of such a “concept”. Furthermore we were made to understand that for some time now even before the end of the crop actions were being taken to get BFP ready to operate as the sole processing facility come the start of the next crop. Below is an excerpt of Dr. Canton’s ‘concept paper’ which speaks volumes as to his intentions.

“Management notes that in maintaining primary processing operation at only the BFP Factory this would result in reduction of Factory Production Employees from the total of 278 employees to a total of 173 employees, a reduction in employment strength of 105 employees. There would be additional reduction in employees at the management and supervisory and other levels of the Administrative and Support sections of CPBL if only one factory would be processing. The plant of choice would be the BFP Factory for the following reasons: 1. CCB’s processing capacity is limited at approximately 28k boxes per day and daily fruit deliveries for seventy five percent of the processing period exceed this figure.

2. CCB’s fruit processing capacity cannot be easily expanded as additional extraction and evaporation capacity cannot be increased without major capital investment.

3. BFP’s current processing capacity is approximately 43k boxes per day and this can easily be increased to 60k daily through the addition of six more extractors and the refurbishing of the 20k evaporator.

4. BFP’s solid waste stream can easily be transferred to the Feed Mill by the existing waste screw transfer whilst CCB’s waste has to be trucked from CCB to the Feed Mill, incurring transportation charges for the 2.5 mile journey from CCB to BFP. 5. Juice required both for the operation of the Top Juice Freeze Concentrate Plant and the production of Not From Concentrate Juice would be produced at BFP by the use of “Premium Juice Change Parts” for the JBT Extractors. Premium Juice would therefore be transferred directly from BFP, thus removing the cost of transferring juice by stainless steel tankers from the CCB Factory to the Top Juice Plant, located on the BFP Factory Compound, for the production of Freeze Concentrate.

6. BFP Factory has a one million gallon capacity Tank Farm which provides for the bulk storage of product while product in final packaging will continue to be sent to the CCB Cold Stores for storage prior to shipment to customers.

7. Stores, engineering and other factory support functions and employees would be relocated to the BFP Factory Compound and this would result in savings from the elimination of constant runs between the two factories.

8. Reduction in employee numbers will result in an additional cost saving from the reduced number of employees to be transported in buses hired by CPBL.” Staff Signing Correspondence Under Duress Dr Canton boasted that “To date, staff has refused to meet with the said Directors.” A copy of a letter, signed by what appeared to be representatives of staff, that was sent to the Office of the Prime Minister was sent to the Board. In the letter the staff called on certain directors of CPBL appointed by the majority shareholder to resign from the board because of conflict of interest. A meeting was held with one of the signatories to the letter in which an invitation was extended that if the employees wanted to discuss their concerns with the five directors appointed by the majority shareholder the directors were agreeable to meeting.

In any corporate setting it is not the business of employees who the owners of the company decide to appoint as directors. Furthermore when the employees are saying that the presence of the CEO of CGA on the CPBL Board is a conflict of interest but do not draw the same conclusion for the presence of the CEO of Banks Holdings on the CPBL Board then at best the employees are being misled. Anyway, the fact that the employees have not taken up the invitation to meet to discuss their letter to the Board shows what we know - they can’t, less they risk the wrath of Henry Canton.

CPBL’s claim of a Cash Flow Crisis Please make up your mind with this. In a recent Amandala article the PM is quoted as saying the company needs $10m; a source under the condition of anonymity is quoted as saying the company is over the cash flow hump; BHL unilaterally told government CPBL does need the money but yet you are saying the company is in a cash flow crisis. Our position was that CPBL should be able to manage through the situation without suspending processing and it seems we were correct. We do know that there is an impending crisis for the 105 factory employees plus management employees and their families who may be affected.

No investment in grove productivity We never said there was no investment in grove productivity. The proof is in the pudding. There was not enough investment in grove productivity and growers being consistently under paid resulted in growers not being able to afford investing in their own groves and plant expansion outpaced grove productivity. The addition of the value added lines has changed the entire cost structure of the company and that is impacting its profitability despite strong prices over the past two years. We know there would have been some investment in groves as Dr. Canton’s private company is responsible for managing some of the CPBL groves and CPBL has almost exclusively bought its nursery plant from ADS. The impact of HLB on the industry We note that his release did not touch the topic of HLB disease and how it is now impacting the industry. In his concept paper he made a passing reference to the effect the disease is having on the productivity of the industry. He should come clean to the growers and explain how he and his private company, the Belize Citrus Mutual, have effectively lobbied Government for there, (to date), not to be a national response to HLB disease in the industry. Meanwhile the CGA continues to provide services to all growers who need help in combating the deadly but manageable disease. We applaud the growers in southern Stann Creek who are currently working with our Citrus Research and Education Institute (CREI) to carryout coordinated sprays to control the Asian psyllid vector that spreads HLB.The CGA and its members are not ostriches. If we were we would believe that the Investment Agreement was in the best interest of all growers. We would believe that all is well in the industry. We would believe that HLB cannot have a catastrophic effect on the industry. We would believe that all is well at CPBL despite over 105 employees being on the chopping block. We would believe that the feed mill and value added investments are profitable, and we would believe that Dr. Canton will continue at CPBL to finish destroy our investment.

However we are not ostriches and we know you are in your final days at CPBL. A Paid AD

Page 16

Sunday, June 12th, 2011

Births

Perfect Rib Roast, Succulent and Savory

Michael Henry, Jr., to Michael Henry Rhaburn, Sr . and Sheronda Lee Rhaburn nee Williams Joharis Daniela to Daniel Juarez and Filomena Juarez nee Lopez Andrea Helen and Brianna Kathleen to James Brian Frampton and Laura Frampton nee Esquivel Yajdiel Danilo to Danilo Guevara and Damaris Guevara nee Carbajal Ryan to Jui Sheng Wu. and Yi Yin Wu nee Chen Kingsley Jian-H1ri to Yuqiang Liu and Yi He Li nee Mak lzayahEdwin Allyson to Edwin Edgar Anthony Young and. Sheena Gillian Young nee Stuart Akeelah Mikelah to Barrington William Wade and Lucy Evangeline Wade nee Brown

Deaths Donovan Nelson Bailey, 30 Kenyon Anthony Plunket. 79 Ismael Ivanhoe Ortiz, 76 John Alexander Brakeman; 74 Ignacio Rodriguez Noh, 65 Veronica Tucker, 90 Paul Lennox Hemsley, 43 Nellie Ann Elizabeth Arnold, 87 Leollyn Idolly Simmons, 81 Olive Louise Behler, 78 Albert Flowers, 37 Rosalia Pou, 84

Marriage

This is my favorite cut of beef–rich, luscious and comforting, and so simple to make. Let the flavor of the meat reign supreme by adding only salt and pepper as seasonings. About the only thing tyou could do wrong is to overcook it. Be sure to have an accurate meat thermometer.

Ingredients:

three-rib standing rib roast (about 6 lbs.)

Salt Pepper 10 medium potatoes 1 1/2 cups red wine (Cabernet recommended)

Procedure:

three-rib roast will generously serve six people with leftovers which will be no problem. Roast beef sandwiches are delicious.

Buy a top choice roast from the small loin end. Have the butcher remove the feather bone and the chine bone as this will make carving easier. Let the meat set out at room temperature for a few hours before roasting. Pat dry and salt and pepper the roast liberally.

A

Place on a rack in a roasting pan and set in a 500 degree oven for 25 minutes until the toast is well seared. Lower the temperature to 325 degrees until it is done to your taste. The cooking time for rare beef will be about 18 minutes per pound; for medium rare, about 22 minutes per pound. About an hour before meat is done arrange potatoes around roast. Let them cook and brown in the fat and drippings. Baste and turn them over after a half hour.

Remove from oven at 120 degrees if you like rare beef. It will continue cooking about 10 additional degrees. Cook to 130 for medium rare and 140 for medium. Let the meat stand for 15 to 30 minutes before carving to let the juices settle. You will need this time to prepare an au jus accompaniment and make Yorkshire pudding. Pour pan juices into a fat separator. Set the fat aside for Yorkshire pudding. . Place roasting over two burners on your stove. Deglaze with pan juices and 1 1/2 cups of red wine, stirring and reducing by half. Strain and season to taste. Slice roast into 1-inch slices and serve with hot au jus.

Mark Anthony Vaccaro, 38, to Adra Sheree Arnold, 25, both of Belize City Calvin Michael Tench, 39, to Carolee Dawn Palacio, 38, both of Belize City Nicolas Reynaldo Martinez, 36, of Guinea Grass, Orange Walk, to Ana Luisa Noh, 28,of Patchakan, Corozal Abdias Misael Alvarado, 20, to Lillian Isela Ruano, 17, both of El Progreso (Seven Miles), Cayo District Alfredo Vargas, 35, to Ena Dinora Cisneros, 35, both of El Progreso (Seven Miles), Cayo District Marco Tulio Dominguez, 30, to Myra Elizabeth Palma, 20, both of San Ignacio Town, Cayo District · Carlos Alfredo Rosales, 27, to Yanira del Carmen Herrera, 22, both of Santa Teresita, Cayo District Antonino Rivero, 26, to Yendi Chan, 20, both of Sarteneja, Corozal District Marty Kevin Tzib, 20, to Mariela Marie Howe, 18, both of San Antonio, Cayo District Nicholas Ahmad Renfro, 30, to Teresa Ranae Peterson, 25, both of San Ignacio Town, Cayo District Jose Luis Kotch, 21, of Benque Viejo del Carmen, to Doris Mary Rivera, 18, both of Santa Familia, Cayo District Eduardo Julius Carnal, 21, of Paraiso, Corozal, to Leydi Romelia Villanueva, l9, ofCorozal Town, Corozal District Genaro Nelson Acosta, 24, to Edith Consuelo Keme, 28, both of San Joaquin, Corozal District Jorge Cruz, 37, to Sonia Elizabeth Alvarenga, 29, both of Armenia, Cayo District · Carlos Garcia, 63, to Emerita Ayala, 44. both of Cotton Tree, Cayo District Dennis Rudolph Hyde, 27, to Mirna Esther Flores, 24, both of San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye Guillermo Arriaga, 49, to Rosa Elvira Huite, 24, both of St. Margaret’s, Cayo District Anlonio Jaime Smith, 47, to Chyna ,Vasthy Alvarez, 40, both of Santa Elena Town, Cayo District Cefas Severo Tzib, 21, to Malery Mesh,19, both of San Antonio, Cayo District Samuel Manuel Tzib, 24, to Shahira Odelis Tzib; 21, both of San Antonio, Cayo District Amauri Tzib, 20, to Daisy Aguirres, 20, both of Cristo Rey, Cayo District Javony Darren Staine, 29, to Sylvia Indira Magandi, 23, both of Belize City John William Bowden, 29, to Martha Clarice Ramirez, 27, both of Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada Alvin Sydney Lino, 39, to Nicole Elizabeth Craig, 28, both of Mableton, Georgia, U.S .A. Robin Perdomo, 38, to Alba Rosa Chata 24, both of San Lazaro, Orange WalkDistrict Jamar Brian Thompson, 29,to Jessica Mirita Cristine Wagner; 22, both of oaring Creek, Cayo District

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Sunday, June 12th, 2011

Page 17

DARKER DAYS AHEAD!!

Barrow threatening to take BEL Continues from page 1 holders with what Barrow termed “a solution” to the utility’s financial woes.

The company is believed to be heavily indebted, perhaps to the tune of as much as $100 million owed to its power suppliers and its customers, as per a ruling of the Public Utilities Commission. As a result it is having trouble accessing the financing it needs to keep it operations going.

Yesterday Barrow said that his party was ideologically and philosophically opposed to the privatization of the utility, and that the inherently believe that the government and people of Belize should own the essential services.

He also mentioned possible terms of compensation twice and said that while he was going to listen to whatever Young had to say, he was reserving all options, including seizing the company.

He described the company as bankrupt, and that it was government’s duty to see that the lights do not go out. He also speculated that the company was so indebted that its shares may actually be at a “negative” value.

The National Perspective has learned that the issue of BEL’s financial woes and the possibility that the company may have to resort to “rolling blackouts” was discussed extensively at this Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting. It was agreed that if the company’s proposals did not meet Barrow’s approval, the Government of Belize would seize both BEL and its sister company BECOL. Unlike BEL, BECOL is considered profitable. Although the company is carrying tens of millions in debt, most analyst are confident that short of some unforeseen disaster, it should be able to continue to produce electricity from its hydroelectric installations for the next 40 years, and will be able to sell its electricity production at a handsome profit after servicing its debts and paying its operating expenses.

Some analysts believe that BECOL is really the target, and not BEL while others do not regard that as even possible. Only Dean Barrow knows fro sure.

What is known is that just months after the UDP took office, BEL said that rising fuel prices, at that time nearing US$150 per barrel on the futures market, was crippling its operations. The utility felt it was hit with a one, two, three punch when the PUC not only denied it a rate increase, but also ruled that it owed consumers $36 million.

In its 2010 Annual Report BEL explains: “In 2008, the Company incurred a loss of $10.8 million consequent on the June 2008 Final Tariff Decision of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), where a $36.2 million charge for “excess revenues” or disallowance of previously allowed costs was booked.

“The June 2008 Final Tariff Decision, kept the average tariff to consumers at $0.441 per kilowatt hour (kWh) by significantly increasing the Cost of Power component of the tariff, significantly decreasing the Value Added of Delivery component and ordering a rebate of $36.2 million to customers to reverse previously allowed charges. These components of the tariff were maintained throughout 2010.”

Since then BEL, which had been aver-

aging over $25 million annual for several years saw it post a loss of $10,838,000 in 2008, and paltry profits of $8,895,000 and $3,448,000 for 2009 and 2010 respectively.

Lynn Young has complained that the fettering of the company by the PUC has resulted in a loss of confidence in its capacity to pay by its lenders and that in turn has resulted in severe cahs flow problems.

BEL’s regulatory problems has been compounded by the long drought which has dried out BECOL’s water reservoir and a sharp increase in fuel prices over the past year.

Today BEL’s greatest problem is that the power it buys from Mexico’s Comisión Federal de Electricidad, (CFE), is not cheap, certainly costing more than its other sources (BECOL, BAL and Belcogen), but it is forced to increasingly rely on CFE for ever increasing amounts of power.

BEL’s CEO Lynn Young is on record as saying that they’ve gone from relying on Mexico for less than 30% of their power supply to near 60%. As a result the company regularly reaches its US$5 million credit limit with CFE. BEL’s credit with CFE is guaranteed by the Government of Belize, and BEL has been asking that it be doubled until the rainy season sets in and BECOL’s hydroelectric facilities can provide more power, which is almost 50% cheaper than Mexico on average.

Barrow announced at yesterday’s press conference that the administration was pre-paying another BZ$4million for BEL, but that would only suffice for another 1012 days.

The rainy season has started with two small systems shedding some rain over the country the past week, but BEL it is believed, would need a near deluge at this point for the Challilo reservoir to reach anywhere near the capacity that would be needed that allow BEL to cut back on the level of Mexican power it has been forced to take.

Young has explained that the Belize Aquaculture Limited Wartisila generator which burns Bunker C fuel obtained from BNE, has been shut down due to the high cost of fuel, and the Belcogen facility has yet to even supply 50% of the power it was projected to produce.

BEL’s own plants use high cost diesel

fuel so that too is a no-no. BEL is caught between the rock of the PUC regulators who won’t give it a rate increase, and rising supply and operating costs. Three years ago Stan Marshall, the CEO of BEL’s parent company Fortis, made it plain that he would be more than willing to sell BEL back to the Government of Belize.

Back then Barrow also made it quite clear that if he could, he would buy back BEL. Today Barrow sees the opportunity to quite possibly seize the company in the name of re-nationalizing it, and hopefully not having to pay for it.

The Belize Social Security Board already owns 25% of BEL’s shareholding, and the Barrow administration is salivating at grabbing the other 70% or so that Fortis owns, that is valued at approxi-

mately $475,000,000. Fortis at this point would rather put its investment in more profitable, less troublesome investments elsewhere. Their only concern right now seems to be whether or not they will be paid now or later.

Observers wonder how it is that Dean Barrow can posture as being ignorant of BEL’s woes when his law partner Rodwell Williams is the Chairman of the company’s Board of Directors.

Observers also note that way back in June 2008, former PM Manuel Esquivel had led a delegation to Mexico that was supposed to have secured a contract with CFE which would have assured Belize’s power supply at a set price. Although the trip left with some fanfare, it returned quietly and never reported as to any results.

Observers also note that the Government of Belize has secured a power supplier license from the PUC. Can you say done deal?

Adele Ramos, “Is the government, is your administration considering pursuing a buyback, a re-nationalization of BEL?” Hon. Dean Barrow, “To the extent that I just said, if they would be prepared to sell us, just enough so we would gain majority control, absolutely. If we had to buy the whole thing, I just don’t see that as being doable immediately.”

Barrow added that Fortis has indicated formally that it is not interested in holding minority interests in the power company. Barrow said that he would be willing to look at the complete renationalisation of BEL in the medium to long term – if revenues from oil grew significantly with the discovery of other oil fields. - Channel 7 News, May 28, 2008

Shameless Liad !

Continue from page 13

$25 postage stamp fee be channeled back into the Immigration Department budget to meet continued operational cost.”

In response to the National Perspective the Prime Minister said, “I don’t recall this government saying anything about any twenty thousand persons – we did say that we were contemplating a program of amnesty by way of granting residency to – not citizenship – to persons that were in this country for a long time but were still illegal. We don’t know what the numbers were. How could we ever have said twenty thousand? Plain fact is – we did not use a number. We subsequently indicated that the logistics of that program were proving too expensive. Maybe if we never had that superbond to pay we would have been able to do it. So we indicated that the people who we would like to help and whom we think we ought to help with children, with roots in this community – we can leave them in limbo….we indicated that we would have to put the program on hold because we simply didn’t have the money, the wherewithal to hire the additional personnel to do what would be needed in terms of tak-

ing that forward.”

On whether or not the announced sale of 45% shares to a purported Argentinian group was still on schedule, the Prime Minister said that “the conversations are still ongoing between the Argentinian group and the Government of Belize and Telemedia. They have not yet reached a point where the people can put up the money – where government can agree to the terms and conditions that they would want to govern any purchase that they would do…so we are still in discussions.”

Whether the government and people of Belize are any closer to settling the BTL fiasco, PM Barrow could not indicate any time that the entire matter could be set aside. As hints of a takeover of another major utility company looms, however not indicated specifically by the PM – some have already ran away with the notion that the takeover is imminent. Prime Minister emphatically declared that there is a twelve day window within which the BEL matter must be settled once Lynn Young, CEO of BEL returns from his travel abroad.

Whether Barrow will follow through and indeed take over BEL is left to be seen.

Sunday,June 12th, 2011

Page 18

Mirab, SanCas Seven Seas & Scotiabank win in BVA volleyball playoffs

Belize

City,

June

4,

2011

The Moen Stars, Mirab, san Cas Seven Seas and Scotiabank all enjoyed big wins in the Belize Volleyball Association’s playoffs at the Belize City Center last Saturday, June 4.

The Moen Stars eliminated the Ushers Crushers in back to back wins to advance to the championship finals, in which they will challenge the defending national champs, the Lady Jaguars. The Stars crushed the Crushers in 3 sets: 25-18, 25-18 and 27-25 with Sherika Burton, Marika Zuniga, Shelmadine Cacho and Precelia Hoare spiking home points on plays set by captain Lupita Quan and Sherlene Johnson. The Ushers Crushers tried for a comeback in the 3rd set as Tanya, Jane, Bobby-Dee and Jamie Lee Usher get in their own kills and Krystal Jones and Kesilyn Lizama served and blocked, forcing the Stars to extra points. The Stars had also won first game of the playoffs in 3sets 25-7, 25-11 and 25-14 on Thursday.

Both San Cas Seven Seas and Scotiabank kept their championship dreams alive by recovering from losses in the first games of the playoffs to tie their respective series at 1-1 and force the playoffs to a third game in each case.

Allison Rivers, Marconi Leal, Enoch Hercules and Krystal Anderson led the San Cas’ attacks spiking at the net on plays set by Sherylee Thurton and Raul Arnold to win 25-18 and 25-12.

The Police had won the 1st game of playoffs with Ian Galvez, Japhet Young and Ian Lennon and Shel-

took the 3rd set 15-9.

The Mirab men quelled the Home Protector Rebels: 25-19, 25-18 and 25-22 on in Saturday’s nightcap, with Larry Bennett, Ernest Broaster, Keith Castillo and Patrick Bennett spiking home points on plays set by the Thompson brothers, Kevin and Frank who also got up the vertical to trick the ball over the net as they won the first two sets 25-19 and 25-18.

Tariq Campbell, Kleon Coleman, Orel Leslie and Victor Hernandez had led the Rebels to a gruelling 5-set win over Mirab in the first

don Williams spiking on plays set by Christine Jacobs, and Martha Rhys, taking the first set 25-18. The San Cas squad won the 2nd set 25-7, but the cops took the 3rd set: 15-10.

Scotiabank upset Belize Telemedia in 2 sets on Saturday: 25-21 and 25-14 with Oscar Salazar, Oscar Arnold and Michael Hernandez hammering kills to finish plays set by Bryan Williams, Roselia Bailey and Sharmaine Augustus.

The Belize Telemedia team had won the 1st game of playoffs with Otis Clother, Adrain Mahler and Jay Chavarria spiking on plays set by Emily Audinette and Shanti Roches to take the 1st set:

Westlake wins Smart Challenge Cup 1st division football champs Belize

City,

June

3,

2011

The West Lake boys won 2011 Smart Challenge Cup 1st Division football championship 2-0 over the Brown Bombers 2-0 in the Game 3 of the finals at the M.C.C. garden last on Friday night.

MVP Jarret Davis and Leon “Lem” Jones led the Westlake offensive supported

by Michael “Soup” and Melhem Hernandez, Leon Cadle and Akeem Faber.

Jarret Davis broke through the Bombers defense anchored by Chris Gilharry, Felipo Alario, Matthew Leal and Rasheed Pollard to embarrass the goalie with the first winning goal. Davis came back for more with a 2nd goal in the 2nd half.

Bombers’ Francisco Briceno and Tyrone Muschamp tried to get an attack going with the help of Clinton Jorgenson and Travis Eiley on the wings and Avian “Chic-chis” Crawford and Felipo Alario at midfield, but nothing seemed to jell. The Westlake defend-

ers Reynaldo Duran, Jose “Shaggy” Caceres, Eric Avila and James Welch gave up no goals, and the final whistle sounded to a Westlake 2-0 win.

The championship team trophy and individual trophies were presented to the winners in the award ceremony after the game and the Bombers also

25-17. Scotiabank won the 2nd set 2521, but with the help of Eli Ovando, Jason Lamb, Andrew Kelly, Kimani Williams and Amir Arnold, Telemedia

game of the playoffs last Thursday, scoring on plays set by Khalid Encalada and Robbie Gongora to win 2325, 25-23, 25-22, 15-25, and 15-9.

James Garbutt 7th Day Adventist girls win in primary schools football the James Garbutt 7th Day Adventist

School girls in their 1-0 win over the Queen Square Anglican School girls.

The Holy Redeemer School and St. Mary’s Primary School girls played to a 1-1 draw on Monday when Jada Parchue scored for Holy Redeemer, and Vanessa Flowers scored 1 goal for St. Mary’s Primary School.

Queen Square Anglican School had done better when Kayla Bowen scored received the 2nd place trophies. 2 goals as she led the Queen Square Westlake’s Leon Jones won the Anglican School to a 2-0 victory over Best Forward award, Francisco the girls of Belize Elementary School Briceno won the Best midfieldOn Friday afternoon, the Belize Elementary School girls had held off the er award and Alexander Belisle fo Ebony lake won best defense. St Mary’s Government School girls to a scoreless draw. The Belize Elementary Ebony Lake’s Ejoil Burgess won girls also drew 0-0 with the James Garbutt best goalkeeper, Bombers’ coach 7th Day Adventist girlslast Wednesday Wilhelm “London” White won Best The Muslim Community School girls Coach and Jarret Davis won the burned the St Ignatius RC School Most Valuable player award and the girls 3-0 on Friday, when Elizabeth award for the most goals scored.

Pinkard scored the 1st goal in the 2nd half and Shanifa Waller added a 2nd and a 3rd goal for the 3-0 win.

The Nashus’ girls did better last Monday when they held the girls of Calvary Temple School to a scoreless draw.

Alina Aguet had scored the winning goal as in the Holy Redeemer girls’ 1-0 win over the Queen Square girls last Wednesday.

The St. John’s Anglican School girls also played to a scoreless draw against the Muslim Community girls on Monday.

The girls of St. Mary’s Primary School had also struggled to a scoreless draw against the James Garbutt School girls in Monday’s third game.

Belize City, June 6, 2011 The James Garbutt 7th Day Adventist School girls and Muslim Community School girls posted their 1st win when the Belize City Primary Schools football competition organized by the National Sports Council continued at the MCC grounds on Monday, June 6.

Reina Guardado scored 1 goal for

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Sunday,June 12th, 2011

Mirage Lady Rebels win 2 back to back in Belize City softball Belize City, June 3, 2011 Defending Belize City women’s softball champs, Mirage Lady Rebels, posted back to back wins in the Belize City softball competition at the home of softball at the Roger’s Stadium in Belize City last week.

Lady Rebels spanked 11-times champs, BTL, 15-4 on Friday night. The Rebels were up 3-0 when Sharette Vernon, Lisa Jones and Ashanti Anderson came home in the 1st inning, Anderson rounded tha bases again in the 3rd inning to lead 4-0, before Lydia Cacho scored BTL’s first run in the bottom of the 3rd.

The Rebels led 7-1 when Lisa, Alphia and Lanisha Jones and Christine Jacobs scored 4 runs in the 5th, then Cacho, Elaine Humes, and Mary Flowers scored 3 runs in the bottom of the 5th to trail 4-8.

BTL pitcher Mary Flowers struck out 3 batters, but this did not stop Lisa Jones from scoring her 3rd run in the 6th inning. Lanisha Jones also struck out 3 batters, while Martha Cassasola.

Vernon, Lisa, Ashanti, Sherette Jones, and all came home for the 15-4 win.

The BTL ladies got the easy bye to a 7-0 win when the Orchid Blazers failed to take the diamond for their scheduled game on Sunday afternoon.

The Lady Rebels tamed the Hurricanes 13-3 last Wednesday. Janelle Smith and Sharette Vernon scored 2 runs in the top of the 1st inning. Kiri Lizama scored for the Hurricanes in

Belize

Kremandala win thru to Digicell U-20thebasketball finals end of the 3rd quarter. Thunder’s City,

June

5,

2011

The Kremandala boys are into to the Belize Telemedia “Digicel Ballin for Life” under-20 basketball championship finals after back to back wins in the playoffs at the Belize City Center over the weekend.

The Kremandal boys cruised to a 87-76 win over Thunder in Game 2 on Sunday. Kremandala’s Raheem Gaynair led Kremandala with 17pts, 17 rebounds Thunder’s Alejandro Baptist answered with 19pts and 13 rebounds to tie the score 19-19 at the end of the 1st quarter.

Krem’s Jonathan Walker added 16pts, 13 rebounds and Elvis Olivera added 16pts, 17 rebounds to lead 41-35 at the half.

Thunder’s Luis Barcelona hit a long trey to add 23pts, 10 rebounds, but Krem’s Andrew Ortiz’s 13pts, 7 rebounds and Michael Ryan’s 12 pts, 2 rebounds put Krem ahead 66-58 at

Vince Young hit 2 treys to score 10pts.

On Friday night, Kremandala Jonathan Walker drained in 2 long treys to score 22pts Thunder’s Alejandro Baptist hit 3 treys for 20 pts ad thunder led 18-17 in the first quarter. Elvis Olivera and Peter Mckoy each scored 13pts, but with Raheem Flowers 18pts and Luis Barcelona’s 15pts 10 rebounds, Thunder led 30-29 at the half.

Krem’s Ryan Michael added 12pts and Andre Ortiz – 9pts as Krem to lead 5148 in the third quarter. Thunder’s Vince Young hit 2 treys to add 10 pts, 9 rebounds and Rashawn Lainfiesta added 7pts, but Krem’s Akeem “Timmy” Trapp scored 5pts for the 78-75 win.

The finals begin on Monday, June 13, when Kremandala take on the winner of the Running Rebels – Smart playoff series which begin this week.

the bottom of the first, but the Rebels led 6-1 when Christine Jacobs, Alphia Jones, Marsha Cassasola and Janelle Smith came home in the top of the 2nd.

Lanisha Jones struck out 6 batters and gave up no more runs over the next two innings, while Cassasola, Janelle, Lisa, Ashanti, Sherrete Jones, Lanisha, and Jacobs scored 7 more runs to lead 13-1.

Sasha Brown and Tiffara Welch scored 2 more runs for the Hurricanes when Welch homered in the bottom of the 4th.

San Pedro Tigersharks win thru to Digicell Senior basketball finals Belize

Queens University award for frog skin cancer research tain size before they need blood vessels to grow into the tumour to supply it with vital oxygen and

Scientists at Queen’s University Belfast have won an award for work on frog and toad skins which could lead to treatments for over 70 major diseases.

The researchers received the commendation at the Medical Futures Innovation Awards in London on Monday.

The research, led by Professor Chris Shaw at Queen’s School of Pharmacy, has identified two proteins which can regulate how blood vessels grow.The team are the only entry from NI to win at this year’s awards.They discovered that a protein from the waxy monkey frog can inhibit the growth of blood vessels and could be used to kill cancer tumours.Professor Shaw said that most cancer tumours can only grow to a cer-

nutrients.“Stopping the blood vessels from growing will make the tumour less likely to spread and may eventually kill it,” he said.“This has the potential to transform cancer from a terminal illness into a chronic condition.”The team have also discovered that the giant firebellied toad produces a protein which can stimulate blood vessel growth and could help patients recover from injuries and operations much more quickly.

Serendipity “This has the potential to treat an array of diseases and conditions that require blood vessels to repair quickly, such as wound healing, organ transplants, diabetic ulcers, and damage caused by strokes or heart conditions,” Profes-

City,

June

5,

2011

each and Leroy Louriano added 6pts.

On Friday the Tigersharks had also The San Pedro Tiger Sharks are clobbered the Maxboro Mavericks into to the Belize Telemedia “Digi- 84-68, with Gene Myvett leading cel Ballin for Life” senior basketball with 23 pts, 18 rebounds. Ian Lenchampionship finals after back to non scored 26 pts to give the Maverback wins in the playoffs at the Be- icks a 20-17 leadin the first quarter. lize City Center over the weekend. Tigersharks’ Leroy Louriano added On Sunday, the Tigersharks won 84-69, 22pts, 6 rebounds to take over the lead with Gene Myvett leading with 25pts, 13 46-33 at the half. Doug Penland added rebounds. They were up 23-8 in the 1st 12pts and Alex Carcamo - 11pts, 6 requarter. Alex Carcamo had 25 pots and bounds, to lead 66-43 in the 3rd quar4 rebounds as they led 43-1 at the half. ter. Mavericks’ Dwayne Davis shot Maxboro’s Dwayne Davis answered 22pts and Devon Defour added 12pts with 30pts, 25 rebounds and Ian Len- The finals begin on Monday, June 13, non had 18 pts, 10 rebounds but the when the Tigersharks will take on the Tigersharks were up 56-37 in the winner of the UB Jaguars – Black Mam3rd quarter, as Doug Penland and bas’ playoffs which begin this week.

Kevin Siroki each hit 2 treys for 8pts sor Shaw said.According to the professor, scientists and drugs companies around the world, despite an investment of around $45bn, have yet to develop a drug that can effectively target, control and regulate the growth of blood vessels.“The aim of our work at Queen’s is to unlock the potential of the natural world - in this case the secretions found on frog and toad skins - to alleviate human suffering. We are absolutely convinced that the natural world holds the solutions to many of our problems, we just need to pose the right questions to find them.“It would be a great shame to have

something in nature that is potentially the wonder drug to treat cancer and not aim to do everything in our power to make it work.”Commenting on the work of Professor Shaw and his colleagues, Professor Brian Walker and Dr Tianbao Chen, the judging panel said they wanted to encourage the researchers to take their work to “the next level”.“Many of the great discoveries have been through serendipity and Professor Shaw’s idea is indeed very innovative and exciting in an area of much unmet need,” the panel said“It is important to realise that the innovation is at an early stage and much work needs to be done to turn this in to a clinical therapy.”

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Sunday, June 12th, 2011