Belize Times February 28, 2010

Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

The

ThE BElizE TimES

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Belize Times The Truth Shall Make You Free

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 28, 2010

Issue No. 4682

$1.00 www.belizetimes.bz

Lois’ WINDFALL Belizeans poor…Lois RICH$$$ $1.5 million over two years was paid to Lois Young’s Law Firm.

This was and remains the government’s firm of choice because it is one of the very litigation firms in this country. It had a record of public service legal action against PUP perfidy before the change of government, it is utterly dedicated to the government’s legal work for and on behalf of the people of Belize and most important of all because that firm gives us value for money. – Hon. Dean Barrow While Lois Young has certainly experienced a windfall because of her ex-hubby’s largesse, Belizeans have yet to see even one cent of the PM’s so-called oil windfall tax. If you’re keeping score so far, the tally after two years is Lois - $1,500,000…Belizeans ZERO! Belizeans are now asking how much more is owed to Lois Young’s firm, a question which Prime Minister Barrow refused to answer when it was posed to him in the House of Representatives.

Minister’s Arrogance Meets Teachers’ Contempt

$1,507,307.37 . . . r e h et g o T e m o C

Last Friday, 19th February, almost two thousand disgruntled teachers – all of them members of the Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU) – congregated outside the House of Representatives in Belmopan to demonstrate against multiple aspects of the Education and Training Bill.

Perhaps the greatest angst was that although members of the BNTU were approached for their opinions and sug gestions on the Bill, their amendments were never presented in front of the decision-making committee, and they were fobbed off with some halfhearted lie that their submissions had

been received too late to be presented.

Not true, as their amendments and suggestions were provided even before the Minister’s technical team presented theirs. And so, despite empty rhetoric that “the unions matter” and their opinions will be listened to and acted upon, the BNTU has experienced nothing like what they were promised by the UDP administration.

Not only was the Bill passed – without even considering the suggestions from teachers themselves – but even more offensive to the BNTU is that the second and third readings for the Bill (Continued on page 35)

It's Time For The PUP!

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Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

Questions to Ministers DISCIPLINING OUR CHILDREN

Since the exchange in the House of Representatives between a former minister of education and the current minister, the issue of corporal punishment has taken center stage in the national discourse. Strangely, the comments by former education minister the Hon. Cordel Hyde were not specifically about the merits and demerits of corporal punishment, but more about procedure and the handling of the proposed legislation on the Education and Training Bill (2009).

Perhaps the discussion is focused mainly on corporal punishment because most Belizeans still haven’t seen the legislation, especially the 5000 teachers, which is exactly the Hon. Cordel Hyde’s point. What would have been bad about giving the teachers time to study the 75 new amendments to the legislation?

The discussion over corporal punishment is only one aspect of the 2009 Education Bill and while it is an important issue, there are other aspects of the legislation that should also result in serious discussion.

As to whether schools should do away with corporal punishment, the argument is pretty much like the abortion issue, people have strong feelings either way. Those who support corporal punishment reach as far back as those biblical expressions about sparing the rod and spoiling the child to support their points of view. Those in opposition, like Minister Faber, believe that alternative methods of punishment are better.

Whatever the position, the reality is that as a nation Belize signed on to international conventions which call for the removal of corporal punishment from schools. Whenever corporal punishment is issued in any Belizean school, it is a violation of our treaty obligation.

Some will quickly argue so what, every day in Belize people break laws with impunity. A recent example of this is the severe beating of a 16 year old boy by two adults, one a doctor, who so badly brutalized the boy that he had to be out of school for two weeks. There is still no arrest in this case and many believe it is because of Doctor John Gough’s political connections.

Of course when people break rules or for that matter the law and there is no consequences, then the system breaks down.

In the case of the nation’s schools, the teachers have a point. The responsibility to set the terms and conditions of what is appropriate learning for our children rests with the Ministry of Education. Since school discipline is an integral part of education, it is for the Ministry to determine what methods of discipline are appropriate.

In carrying out its functions in the name of the state and on behalf of the people, the Ministry of Education must ensure that school managers put in place the kinds of systems that bring out the best in their teachers. When this occurs, teachers will in turn bring out the best in their students.

Teachers who possess a passion for teaching try to develop students who are compassionate, responsible, always improving their skills. They develop students who long for knowledge and who are independent thinkers. These are values that build character, but instilling these values should not start in the classroom, they should start in the home.

What this means is that for Belizean children to develop into law abiding citizens, contributing to the growth and development of the nation, parents and teachers must work together. It also means that teacher training and support, together with community and parental involvement must be an integral part of the education system. No teacher should be allowed into a classroom without some training in classroom techniques. Equally important, no parent should leave their child in the care of a teacher they haven’t met personally.

Meaningful education is the total development of a student. To develop each human being requires knowledge. Discipline is a branch of knowledge.

Through discipline students learns self-control, efficiency and orderliness; they learn the rules. Discipline is also about control and punishment.

In any good learning institution, educators want their students to behave not because they are afraid of them, but because they respect their authority and want to be a part of the process of learning and growing.

School psychologists often say that teachers run into trouble with discipline when they fail to understand the difference between preventative and punitive discipline. Often the latter comes too late.

Social habits such as punctuality, courtesy, good manners, and cleanliness are all a part of good discipline; they are preventative measures and must be taught at home and carried over in schools.

Where institutions couple these social habits as a part of the daily routine with clean classrooms, proper playgrounds, adequate ventilation, proper space and respectful teachers and administrators, punitive measures are far less required then in schools where these characteristics are absent.

For us to do right by the children of Belize, we must put this all in perspective. It is important to appreciate that children learn best by watching how adults live and manage the day to day challenges of life. When we do the right things, the issue of whether or not to whip, lash, beat, scream at a child, suspend, expel or try them in court as adults will make this issue of corporal punishment inconsequential.

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Would the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance be willing to stop dodging the question and say truthfully just how much GOB has paid to his ex-wife’s law firm and how much is still owing at this point?

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Would the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance please say if it will be his ex-wife, his law partner or his learned UDP

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Would the Minister of the Public Service please confirm or deny credible reports that he will be replacing Carlos Perdomo as the Minister of National Security in a soon to be announced reshuffle of the Cabinet?

And would Carlos Perdomo, the current Minister of National Security, care to comment?

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Would the Minister of Foreign Affairs please say why the Director of International Affairs Protocol and the resources of the Ministry were placed at the disposal of Shyne Barrow during his recent signing of a multimillion dollar recording deal? Would the Minister please say, since taxpayer dollars were used, how Belizeans will benefit from that deal?

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Would the Minister of Works please give Belizeans an update into the status of the investigation into the missing grader? And would the Minister please say if he has asked his Minister of State about the whereabouts of the grader?

Hypocrite of the Week

I thought I’d start this week’s column with a very funny joke circulating around town. This one is guaranteed to leave you holding yu belly bottom. Ready for it? Okay, here goes! Patrick Faber wants to be the Prime Minister of Belize. How hilarious is that? And with that bit of comic relief out of the way, we can focus on this week’s premiere hypocrite bar none, the boy who would be a man who would be the prime minister of Belize someday, little Patrick Faber.

Faber’s disrespect, disingenuousness, ignorance (in every sense of the word) and arrogance have rendered him not only a near perfect hypocrite, but a fool and one of those persons you just love to hate (just ask the teachers).

On Friday in the House of Representatives, Patrick Faber cried great big crocodile tears as he whimpered and whined about how sad he is because teachers don’t like him.

He shook his head in disbelief and anguish, claiming that he was once a teacher too, and is a teacher at heart

so he should be accepted into the club just because of that. And in the blink of an eye, he turned ugly and lashed out at those very same teachers he claimed to love so much, using the dirtiest, most insulting and degrading terms to refer to those thousands of teachers who do not think that he is the greatest thing since white bread.

According to Patrick, who has the best interests of the teachers at heart (snicker, snicker), the thousands who protested are either ignorant or politically motivated. See, said Patrick, the teachers are too stupid to know better. If they weren’t so ignorant, simpered the little boy minister, teachers would be prostrating themselves at his feet and singing Glory Hallelujah! And it got much worse than that. Patrick who cares for the teachers so much started bashing those same teachers without mercy, bashing their work ethics and characters. As if that were not enough, Patrick went so far as to accuse some teachers of making students uncomfortable, going to work with their ‘panties’ showing.

The demented little fellow has become versed in the art of double speak like his boss, and that has earned him his righteous place in this column.

Just a note to Patrick – the teachers also want to give him an award, but you can bet that it’s not one that he’ll enjoy. And judging from how artfully Patrick dodges the bullet, it’ll be some time before the teachers and his transgressions catch up with him. But catch up with him they will.

Minister of Education Patrick Faber is this issue’s hypocrite of the Week.

Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

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If Da Noh Soh…

Back off…

The sissy boy editor of the Guardian has been playing some really ‘funny’ games lately. He’s

been throwing some homophobic jabs all over the place, which leads me to think that he’s become a wee bit confused about his own sexual orientation. But see, the sissy boy thinking he’s now straight is kinda like locking the gate after the horses have already gotten out; a bit like pulling up the pants after the goods done been plundered, so to speak – get the sense. Listen, the policy here is strictly to each his own! Me no mind nobody business cause I no want anybody to mind my own. I’ve known a lot of homosexuals who are real men, and a lot of homosexuals who are not real men – sissy boy definitely falls into the second category. As way of warning, let me just say this – I’ve got this video clip of sissy boy in his ‘days before confusion’ and I’m itching to become part of the ‘youtube’ movement. All it’ll take is a click of the button… If da noh soh!

Cash reward…

Word coming out of the red headquarters over on that side is that Big Momma is offering a cash reward

for the name of the person who wrote this very column last week. Hmmm!

Now why would Big Momma be interested in last week’s column?

Could it be that the hairy Senator is furious because a certain name of a certain CEO who is a certain special friend of hers was mentioned in If Da Noh Soh last week? Could be!

Hell, fat one, give me a call and I’d be happy to provide you with the name of the person who wrote this column…hahahahaha… If da noh soh!

Bad bad Badi…

And now that’s we’ve taken out the trash, let’s deal with the rubbish. This is not the first time we’ve had cause to write about the very ‘funny’ and hopelessly incompetent Ambassador Said Badi Guerra. Reports have been

flooding in from Cuba about some very animated parties involving young boys. But like we’ve said, that’s neither here nor there. Word out of the foreign ministry is that the UDP’s bad boy has been recalled from Cuba as part of an ongoing investigation into irregularities with the issuing of Belizean visas. Seems like Guerra’s name came up after a recent planeload of Chinese entered Belize from Cuba and their documents were kosher.

Jeez, and here we were thinking that the worst that could come from Badi’s appointment was some lurid sex scandal… If da noh soh!

A monopoly on blackness…

A column written by my friend the Patriot last week seems to have pissed off some people over at the Amandala. Their Tuesday editorial is

all about the Patriot and his dubious lineage, so to speak. To be truthful, it made his day. But I’m not so inclined.

I guess somebody forgot to send us the memo or royal decree which states that only residents of the zinc fence are authorized to speak about blackness. Guess they have exclusivity on blackness, or so they believe. To be really black and qualified to write about blackness, I’m assuming from what they wrote, there is a requisite amount of hours which must be spent under the tutelage of those most eminent blacks behind the zinc fence. Whoever writes the editorial claims that Kremandala is the southside’s most authentic institution.

Ha! Okay buddy, if you say so. Just letting you know though, that if saying something is so would make it so I’d be rich, handsome, slim and a sex god. None of that has happened yet. On Friday, Patrick Faber basically said that the zinc fence is nothing but a rusty fence. According to Faber, those behind the zinc fence are nothing but a bunch of punks and he’s ready for them whenever they want to step. Like the proverbial man who gets slapped silly in a bar by a bully and then runs home to beat up on his defenseless wife and kids, the zinc fence used its editorial to beat up on the Patriot after being slapped silly by Patrick. Say it ain’t so… If da noh soh!

Shyne who?

So Shyne, the estranged son of Dean Barrow, got himself a record deal worth a reported US$7million.

Big deal and bully for him. Got

nothing against the fellow, but I don’t see how his record deal will benefit anybody living in poverty in Belize, and I sure as hell don’t see how it will help me to put food on my table tonight. Don’t see it alleviating the problems in health or crime either. So forgive me if I say that I put Shyne way way back on the list of important things facing this people and this nation. But I’ve got to say this. There’s no way in hell that our Director of International Affairs Protocol should have been dispatched complete with protocol staff and vehicles to facilitate Shyne’s multi-million dollar record deal. No way no how. So here we are with the economy in recession and with the Prime Minister telling us that if yu tink things bad, yu no see nothing yet! Yet our taxpayer dollars can be used to facilitate making the Prime Minister’s son a rich man from a deal that ain’t got nothing to do with us.

That just plain wrong. Like we’ve said many times before, while the economy for the rest of us may be in recession, the economies for the Barrow family and friends are robust and performing. For them, these are the best of times…If da noh soh!

And talking bout that…

Since we’re on the subject of foreign affairs, can somebody explain why it is that whenever the Minister of Foreign Affairs Sedi Elrington

is travelling anywhere, an entire protocol team has to leave Belmopan just to escort him to the airport, walk him out to the apron and to his seat and stow his carry-on in the overhead compartment? Seems like the man is living in an artificial world in which he is somebody special who deserves the pampering allotted to a king… If da noh soh!

Somebody’s listening…

For the week leading up to the BNTU protest in Belmopan, the high-tech vehicle brought in by the Government of Belize was seen parked in strategic spots in Belmopan, even as members of the unions held meetings to organize their demonstration. According to the PUC, the multi-million dollar vehicle will be used to monitor frequencies, a job which the PUC failed to mention could be done with small handheld units costing a couple hundred dollars each. So nobody’s buying that bogus story. Hell, the Prime Minister stated openly that he supports eavesdropping on private conversations and communications.

They even brought in a team of

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Israelis to train them in snooping, though they say that it is in the interest

of national security. Newsflash to Barrow, the biggest threat to national security is the bumbling drunken minister Carlos Perdomo. And as for the multi-million dollar vehicle, we hear that in some neighbourhoods there’s a bounty on its head, so to speak. Word of advice to the snoops and sneaks - be careful where you drive and careful who you snoop on. That multi-million dollar vehicle could very well be made into a multi-million dollar hunk of scrap, in a heartbeat – the same time it takes for you to tap into a private conversation… If da noh soh!

Somebody listened…

Could it be that somebody heard our cries for somebody who is at least functionally literate and able to disseminate police reports with a modicum of coherence? Maybe!

Word is that our bally stiletto has

been given the ax, the boot, the old heave ho. We’re not sure what led to this joyous occurrence. It could be the fact that with stiletto at the helm of PR, the police department is at the bottom of the public confidence and public appreciation barrel (though to be honest that’s not all stiletto’s fault). It could be that he could barely produce legible police situation reports. Yeah, that could be it, thought the higher ups knew from the beginning that he wasn’t up to the job. It could even be the fact that he ran over a guy with his car and then left him on the ground for dead and the public outcry and outrage was reaching the right ears. Any or all of the above, we don’t care. We’re just happy that he is gone. Is it too much to ask that his replacement possess at least basic knowledge of English and at least a hint of communications skills? If da noh soh!

PUP Think Tanking Sessions Every Thursday, Independence Hall at 7:30pm

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Out Spoken

Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

We Demand Respect!

From the Desk of the Party Leader

Running out of options…

Avoid the elaborate, the pretentious, the coy and the cute. Do not be tempted by a twenty-dollar word when there is a ten-center handy, ready and able.

Elements of Style by Strunk and White Have you noticed that whenever the Prime Minister cannot provide the right answers for the failures of his administration, he uses a big word to obfuscate (hide) the reality?

At the Prime Minister’s recent press conference, during what was termed as the state of the nation, he presented what Belizeans now call that unsatisfactory UDP report card. In his report on everything he tried to give reasons for the terrible state of the economy, about unemployment and under employment.

He spoke of the struggles in tourism and the total loss of investor confidence in Belize.

He was also preparing Belizeans for those harder times still to come; to explain why crime continues to spiral out of control, and why the cost of living continues to go up, So how did he explain all this? He announced that Belize is in a deflation.

Prices in Belize are going down and as far as the Prime Minister is concerned, that’s a good thing. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister has no clue what he was talking about.

Deflation is a phenomenon when prices start to contract and it happens for two basic reasons: 1) People are losing jobs and have no money to buy 2) The people who have money don’t spend it, instead they wait for prices to decrease even further, which in turn reduces overall economic activity.

This creates a deflationary spiral, which explains the reason why our economy has contracted for the last three consecutive quarters. This was what led to the “great depression” in the 1930s in the United States.

The reality is that Belize is suffering from an economy that is contracting.

As unemployment and underemployment continue to increase, the purchasing power of Belizeans is reducing. According to the Belize Institute of Statistics, in September 2009, unemployment stood at 12.5 percent. It is estimated that 25 percent of women and our youths are unemployed. More worrisome is that the Country Poverty Assessment reported that the average Belizean family spends 90 cents of every dollar earned just to pay for food and utilities.

In the North, the Commercial Free Zone is about to collapse. In 2003, there were over four hundred businesses. Today that number has shrunk to under 200. Imports have reduced by 50 percent, down by $130 million. There were over 2,000 people employed at the Zone, today less than 1,000 Belizeans are employed full time.

The shrinkage in the economy is also evident in our domestic exports.

Reports are that in 2009 our domestic exports shrunk by 20 percent. This means that there will be less foreign currency available, which is actually evident now with the long queues at the banks for US currency.

This also has a direct impact on government revenues. With less economic activity, there are fewer imports. The latest figures from the government are that imports will contract by 23 percent. This will erode between 20 to 30 cents of every dollar the government forecast to collect in revenues from import taxes.

This explains why the government has announced that we will have a budget deficit. At last year’s budget presentation, the Prime Minister announced a new fuel tax that was to collect $30 million. He also announced that Belize would get grants from Taiwan and from Trinidad and Tobago. This, he claimed, will help him balance the budget. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister announced that we would experience a budget deficit of $60 million!

Unfortunately the economic picture looks bleak for Belize. According to the Inter-american Development Bank, Belize is already paying approximately 23 cents of every GDP dollar in taxes and cannot afford to pay any more taxes.

The Prime Minister promised to remove the fuel tax if the prices at the fuel pump were to go up above $7.00. The price is over $9.00 and the Prime Minister conveniently doesn’t remember making that promise.

How the Prime Minister will cover this $60 million hole in the budget, will be anybody’s guess. He is certainly running out of options.

What Belizeans know for sure is that they have given the Prime Minister enough time to fix the problems he promised to fix.

Ask any of the 142,272 Belizeans that live below the poverty line whether deflation has been good for them. Every one of them will tell you no. The time for understanding and patience is over; it is time for the Prime Minister to present a clear plan of action!

Dear Editor, Kindly allow me a space in your newspaper and please print this letter.

I was not at all surprised to listen how the Minister of Education vilified, ridiculed and called the teachers of this nation ignorant during the House meeting last week Friday! Neither was I flabbergasted when yet another Minister, member of this incompetent Cabinet, appeared on a television morning show trying to instruct us on the meaning of words. This time it is the Minister of Education who is telling us teachers that we are not only ignorant but perhaps we do not know how to use a dictionary. Belizeans, I could not in my wildest dreams …imagine this possibility three years ago!

As if that was not bad enough the Minister of Education, in one his presentations at the House last week Friday, stated, among other things, that our teachers lack deportment in the class room and it is common practice to exhibit their underwear (panties) making their students very uncomfortable. What is wrong with this charlatan? Does he like to hear himself so much that he has lost respect for the very professionals he professes to love? Or has his ambition clouded his thoughts?

How can teachers and Belizeans allow the Minister of Education, now wannabe Prime Minister, to get away with this type of talk? This chauvinist lad ought to be reprimanded by his Prime Minister and sanctioned by his government. Perhaps, for the purpose of rehabilitation, the National Women’s Commission or WIN Belize ought to give the honorable Minister, at the very least, a one day crash course on politically correct and gender sensitive discourse.

As teachers and developers of our nation’s most important resource, our children, we demand respect!

Sincerely, Ernestina Martinez Teacher

CRY FOR HELP FROM THE FIREFIGHTERS Dear Editor We are firefighters of the National Fire Service where things have gone from bad to extremely worse. We’ve been trying to get answers from our supervisors, the National fire Service and the Ministry but nobody seems to care.

We think this is the only way our concerns will be looked at. The concerns are: 1. Is it because Orin Smith is the Deputy Fire Chief, Ted Smith’s brother, the reason he goes on almost all the overseas studies (there is a spot in the PSR that says something about family members working in the same department. We don’t have a copy of the PSR but we know it speaks against it.)

2. Promotions? Why are some of the guys being promoted who have failed their promotional exam and no such exam was never retaken. Why are some jumping ranks while others are being passed over? Why are others being promoted without even sitting the exam? Correct us if we are wrong, but promotion does not give you knowledge and it sure does not upgrade the operational readiness of the NFS. (In order to get promotion in the NFS you must sit and pass promotional exam.

Both theory and practical.)

3. Who is advising the Chief in his decisions because I think they are incompetent as he is because junior firefighters are being placed in locations such as Caye Caulker to cause havoc. A resort burnt down out there because a private job to pump out a pool was done and the pump was never refueled. The Officer in Charge was allegedly drunk in a bar and the resort owner had to take fuel from his boat for the pump during the fire. After that incident a junior firefighter was sent to work out there; he had a problem with alcohol here in Belize City and guess what, the problem followed him to Caye Caulker. He crashed the fire truck while drunk.

4. And last but definitely not the least, what happened to the missing $16,000.00 from the NFS? We love being firefighters but because of poor management we are being demoralized. This letter is not personal but fair is fair. So please Mr. Minister and Mr. Fire Chief, take a closer look at the NFS and you’ll see that there are a few good men left there that are being stifled and frustrated. It is completely difficult to take a stand because if we do, we become subject to victimization.

We’ve already lost two of our good men; one went naturally with the maker (God Bless His Soul) and the other to resignation because he was demoralized.

Please don’t let us lose any more of our men because of your incompetence.

Firefighters for Life

THE BELIZE TIMES DESKTOP PUBLISHER

EDITOR

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Mike Rudon

TYPIST

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Printed & Published By The Belize Times Ltd. #3 Queen Street P.O. BOX 506 Belize City, Belize Tel: 224-5757

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Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

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UDP Politics as usual

Everybody but Loisy…

About two weeks or so ago, the Prime Minister of Belize Dean Oliver Barrow stood up and basically called all the members of our Bar Association (with the exception of precious Loisy) sellouts. According to the leader of this nation, all our attorneys except ex-wifey who in his mind and only in his mind is a bastion of blinding-white purity are in Lord Ashcroft’s pocket – translation, their legal and personal ethics have been compromised by the almighty dollar. Dean Barrow didn’t make this malicious and pointed statement while under the influence of alcohol; he didn’t make it at a private cocktail party with friends; he didn’t whisper it in first wifey’s ear in lieu of sweet nothings on the marital bed. Nope. The Prime Minister stated that the entire Bar Association (bar Loisy) has been compromised by Lord Ashcroft’s money in front of the entire nation at a press conference – national radio, television, newspaper. That’s a completely messed up assertion. Hell, I’m no attorney, but damned if that isn’t a clear case of slander by the Prime Minister of this country. But while that’s a messed up comment from the PM, it’s not surprising for two reasons – (1) he shows no respect for any institution in Belize if it’s not Barrow owned or operated, and (2) he has demonstrated before that he is completely Lois-struck and will go to any and all lengths to deify the glorious and saintly ex-wifey. What is surprising, though, is that the Bar Association has said nothing and has accepted the glaring insult without murmur. Seems like all those 100 plus attorneys don’t really care that the leader of this nation says that they are all sellouts and have all been compromised by the almighty dollar. Okay then! That’s messed up. No wonder the Prime Minister is firmly convinced of his own omnipotence.

I make no apology…

I make no apology when I say that the Prime Minister is an arrogant, ignorant, egotistical, narcissistic and cold-hearted buffoon. He of the vastly inflated perception of his own self-worth feels that all he has to do is preface every ludicrous and hideous thing he does with ‘I make no apology’ and the Belizean people will say, okay, that’s fine then. Well it’s not fine, Dean. It’s not.

Yes, we all know that you make no apology for hiring your ex-wife to handle all cases on behalf of government, but it’s still completely wrong. It smacks of nepotism, to say the least. And yes, we all know that you make no apology for paying your wife exorbitant sums (more than the $1.5million you claimed in the House, you liar) to represent GOB, but that doesn’t make it right. You are raiding the already dwindling public coffers to make your ex-wife rich when GOB has other attorneys already on its payroll that can and should handle those cases. So apology or not, you are doing something wrong – end of story. And pray tell Dean, why you didn’t want to answer the question posed in the House of how much is outstanding to Lois Young? We’d really like to hear the answer to that one (and be sure to include how much is being paid to your daughter for her representation in the Westerhaven case). Then again, you lied about the $1.5million so maybe we shouldn’t even expect the truth when it comes to the outstanding balance…

Who’ll get lucky…

Amid all the hullabaloo on Friday over the Education and Training Bill, a very important amendment to the legislation may have slipped under the public radar.

See, Dean Barrow pushed through an amendment which states that the Attorney General of this country does not have to be a sitting member of the National Assembly and can be selected at the whim of the PM from outside the House. Anybody care to make any bets on who will be the next Attorney General of Belize? Lois, maybe? That wouldn’t be a surprise because the PM has handed her just about everything else on a platter, so it’s the next logical step. Nepotism, you say. Well, we didn’t think he would make his brother a Justice of the Court of Appeal either, and look what happened. And we didn’t think that he would give Loisy millions to represent GOB in everything under the sun even as our economy is in recession, but he did that too. So our pick is certainly Loisy. But there have been rumblings about Michael Young too, and we all know he is an unabashed Barrow fan, so that rumour shouldn’t be discounted. And late word reaching us is that Rodwell Williams (Barrow’s law partner) has been thrust into the mix. Hey, Dean, didn’t you say in the House that your law firm would never benefit from any GOB case

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– seems like I saw Rodwell Williams in Court just the other day subbing for Loisy in a BTL case. But that would mean you lied again, and in the House, since we all know that GOB and BTL are one and the same, right? Anyway…Loisy, Mike or Rodwell? Our money is on the much favoured ex-wifey.

Patrick’s panties on display…

While the behavior of Minister of Education Patrick Faber inspires me to be downright rude when writing about him, I will exercise superhuman refrain and just leave it at this – to say Patrick Faber was acting like a woman in the House of Representatives on Friday is an insult to the women of this country. There is no doubt that Faber will live to rue his words and his actions when it comes to our educators and caregivers, those who must mold our children day in and day out. Patrick was disrespectful, callous and bitchy when referring to the thousand plus teachers who stood outside of the House in the sun to get GOB’s attention. According to Patrick, they were either all PUPs or were all too ignorant to know better. That pompous little fool stood in front of the nation and denigrated our teachers, cast aspersions on their characters and basically called them stupid. See, Patrick can’t fathom that there are people who actually have concluded that he is an idiot. Like his prime minister, he has become convinced that high drama and theatrics make him a man of substance. Just like his prime minister, who is a little, little man, Patrick will have the sense forced unto him, since he doesn’t want to grasp it on his own. And to top it off, the miniscule minister turned catty and confided to the nation that there are teachers who go to work with their panties showing. That was way overboard, Patrick. Out of order completely! My only wish is that Patrick would have had the balls to go down to those teachers on Friday and make some of those comments to their faces, instead of in the safety of the House. But what is it that the teachers were saying…?

They were right…

As the thousand plus teachers heard via radio how Patrick was insulting them in the House, they shouted that the little man had no ‘cojones,’ since he refused to deal with them face to face. Patrick felt safer taking jabs at them from the House before scurrying into his ministerial ride and departing the premises. But the teachers had a message for ‘princess Patrick’ anyway. See, the little fellow has been all over the place saying that he has big plans to be the next prime minister of this country. But if teachers have anything to do with that, and they do, Patrick will be lucky to last out even this term. Little one, people don’t like you. There’s nothing wrong with having ambitions. Hell, my ambition is to be king of the world, but it’s not like that’s gonna happen. Ain’t no way that the miniscule moron will get a shot at leading this country. Teachers are already advertising the vacancy for Minister of Education – qualifications – COMMON SENSE! Remember the Hippocratic oath…

Last week Monday, it was reported that cardiologist Dr. John Gough and another person beat a 16 year old SJC student to a pulp.

That student, allegedly pistolwhipped and battered almost beyond recognition, had to be rushed to the hospital in a very serious condition. As we understand it, the good doctor is claiming that it was all a mistake, a misunderstanding. The parents of the 16 year old went to the Police and reported the matter, but nothing was done for some time. Finally, after repeated demands from the parents, the Police went for Gough and took him to the Police Station. Gough is the brother of former UDP political aspirant George Gough and well-known UDP crony Sandra Bedran. Those two apparently arrived at the Police Station shortly after their little brother was taken in. After ‘discussions,’ we understand that a senior police officer who we chose not to name right now met with the family and tried to intimidate them into leaving the matter alone, going so far as to infer that their son would be charged if they persisted.

For some reason which we won’t speculate about, Dr. John Gough was sent home – no arrest, no charges – and that’s where the matter is now. This is just plain wrong. If this is all true, and we are sure it is, then the higher ups in the Police Department have truly been politically compromised. The beating and alleged pistol-whipping of the minor would in the normal and just course of things have resulted in a battery of charges including aggravated assault, grievous harm and from the critical condition of the minor, maybe even attempted murder. Is Dr. John Gough’s proximity to the UDP shielding him? Are the Police higher ups spitting in the face of law and order and justice to please their political masters?

We have nothing against Dr. John Gough, but wrong is wrong. He needs to face justice for what he did, politics and political affiliations notwithstanding.

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PARTY PAGE

ThE BElizE TimES

PUP Women Power the Senate

Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

THE BLUE MACHINE

PUP Senators Carolyn Trench-Sandiford, Corona Villafranco, & Lisa Shoman

PUP Chairman - Carolyn Trench-Sandiford

Meet Your PUP Constituency Chairmen

Name: Jaime Brice単o Constituency: OW Central Contact No.: 671-0260 email: jeb@centaurcablenetwork.com

EVENT

Name: Roberto Pasos Constituency: Czl Bay Contact No.: 678-9982 email: ropasos@yahoo.com

Name: Ramiro Ramirez Constituency: Czl South West Contact No.: email: ramiro7440@yahoo.com

Name: Rafael Avila Constituency: OW North Contact No.: 322-3024 email: rafiabz@hotmail.com

Diary of Events DATE

PLACE

TIME

Budget Consultations

Thursday, March 4

Dangriga Town

7:00pm

Thursday Think Tanking

Thursday, March 4

Independence Hall

7:30pm

ANNOUNCING

PUP National Consultations on 2010/2011 Budget (Coming Soon Belize City)

We Are The PUP

Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

The Belize Times

7

GOB - Shut-up and Deliver the Basics

The Purpose of Government

People by nature do not like to be told what to do. In fact there are even more people who despise being coerced into acting a certain way! However there are thousands of Belizeans who obey the laws of our country, whether it is driving on the right-hand side of the road or paying their taxes on time. Why do you think that the masses obey the laws of the country?

Government can be defined as the legitimate use of force – including imprisonment, fines and even executions – to control human behavior in a sovereign nation. The only way governments can govern is if the people relinquish some of their rights and freedoms into the hands of the lawmakers. Throughout history, there seem to be three primary functions of government: maintaining law and order, providing public goods and services, and promoting equality.

The reality is that this UDP

and all social systems are in ruins, and when the Prime Ministers and a few members of his Cabinet can publicly say that it is time for UDPs to eat, it is clear that there is no fairness or equality in Belize. This article will expound on each of these three key responsibilities.

Maintaining Order

government is struggling to provide these basics requirements to the Belizean people. If one were to use these three basic responsibilities to define the success or failure of this UDP Government, the report card would show F’s for all.

Crime and violence are out of control with no end in sight, our infrastructure

Maintaining order is the oldest function of government. People entrust their government with the power to protect their lives and property. For the seventeenth-century philosopher Thomas Hobbes, preserving life is the most important function of a government. In his classic philosophical treaties, Leviathan (1651), Hobbes described life without government as life in a “state of nature.” Without rules, or the respect of law, people would live like animals, stealing and killing for benefit.

In Hobbes’ classic phrase, life in a state of nature would be “solitary, poor, nasty,

brutish, and short.”

We at this newspaper are of the opinion that crime and violence have become one of the leading issues in our country today. The Belizean people are so scared that this past Sunday when there was a loud bang from the Space Shuttle, most Belizeans believed that another grenade had been detonated.

If you ask any Belizean if they believe that the government is doing a decent job fighting crime, the answer would be a resounding no! Carlos Perdomo and his advisors have not even come close to finding any serious solutions for the country’s crime problems. Two years are enough Mr. Prime Minister; Honorable Perdomo has got to go.

Providing Public Goods and Services

After a government has gotten a handle on law and order, they can pursue other objectives on behalf of the people.

By using their powers, they can tax us to generate revenues that should be utilized on public goods and services – such as education, health, sanitation, and infrastructure. For example, in ancient Rome, the government constructed aqueducts to channel fresh water from the mountains to the city.

Take a look around Belize today and it is very evident that our country’s infrastructure is in a deplorable state. And it is not only the country’s infrastructure that is falling apart, take a look at our education, health, and other social systems and you will find them on the brink of collapse. Our government is just not getting the job done!

Promoting Equality

The promotion of equality has not always been a major objective of governments in the developed as well as the developing world. For some reason, governments across the world have been unable to bridge the gap between those that have and those that do not have; women still find it difficult to advance in the workplace even though the maybe qualified; and political victimization is common place in Belize today.

The unfair treatment of his wife was what Mr. Charles Good fought for until he passed away. There are also many Belizeans, like Mr. Good who would want to fight the government to get back their land, scholarship or contract. In fact, there are many Belizeans who have no option but to use the court system to try to get justice. As was mentioned before, it is incomprehensible to hear a Prime Minister state that it is time for his people to eat. What the Prime Minister meant is that those people who are considered to be PUPs will punish for the next five years. As far as we understand it, a government is supposed to be for the people, by the people and of the people! Racism due to one political colour is just as bad as racism based on the colour of one’s skin. Mr. Prime Minister, it is about time you start representing all Belizeans.

Two years have gone under this UDP government and to be honest the time has felt much longer. Every single aspect of life has taken a few steps backwards and all the Prime Minister has to say that it will get worse. Mr. Prime Minister, the Belizean people gave you and your dodo birds the opportunity to govern, so it is about time you begin to get the people’s work done. Stop the bitching and get some damn work done!

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The Belize Times

Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

PUP Think Tanking and the Senate…..

Carolyn Trench-Sandiford Party Chairman As I sat in the Senate on Tuesday February 23, 2010, representing the People’s United Party, I could not help but marvel at the level of discussion and the contributions made by most of the Senators, and the gender representation, particularly on the side of our party.

Once again, we were represented by three women.

This brought to the forefront of my mind in a most prolific way, of being a member of the Political Reform Commission in 1999-2000. At that time, I was representing the Association of Public Service Senior Managers, of which I was the president. The role of the Senate in an independent Belize was a topic of vigorous and spirited discourse.

Three main streams of arguments were forwarded. The conservatives and “status quoers”, argued vehemently for things to remain the same. They were contented.

Then there were the radicals [of course I was in this group], who wanted to liberate the Senate, and have members be elected directly by the people, so they can speak on behalf of the people, and not be confined to any political or special interest. They hammered in the point that that was what democracy was all about. They were about rocking the boat.

Of course, there is always the in “betweeners”, who did not necessarily want to let go of the umbilical cord tied to the past, even though they accepted it was not working. As usual, this is normally the group with the biggest percentage representation, and in the Political Reform Commission, this was no different. Their compromise was proportional election of the Senate,

such that the Senate would compose of 13 seats, of which all were to be appointed by the Governor General in such a way that 1 would be at the Governor General’s discretion, and the other 12, based on the proportion of the popular vote. [I still cannot see how appointments can be equated to election].

The mathematically minded members, for only they could devise this, presented a scenario for 13 seats representing 100 points. Of this 100 points, 4 points were to be reserved for the 1 Senator the Governor General was to appoint, and the remaining 96 points were to be divided by the other 12 Senatorial seats, which would give each seat a value of 8 points, and each point will represent 1.04% of the total 100 % votes casted. [100% divided by 96 = 1.04%]. This was recommendation #43 of 103.

The commission also recommended giving the Senate more clout, recommendation #44, such that it was not a rubberstamp, and could have a greater say, tempered yes, in the affairs of the nation, including their consent on amendments to the constitution, issues of national security and territorial integrity, and supreme court appointments. A 2/3 majority was required for the first three.

The PUP administration embraced the need for a greater role of the Senate to enhance our democracy, but instead of accepting in full the recommendations of the commission, also compromised, and while not supporting the proportional election of the senate, agreed and passed constitutional amendments to expand the Senate to 13, 12 members and 1 President, with all being appointed by the Governor General as follows: 6 on the advice of the government, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and the remaining 3 on the advice of the churches, the business community and the unions respectively. They also supported the requirement of the senate’s approval for constitutional amendments and appointments of justices to the Supreme Court, amongst others.

As I listened to and participated in the contributions of the social partners and our side of the bench in the debate, and as I voted on the 7th Belize Constitution Amendment Bill, the appointment of two Supreme Court Justices, and the Education and Training Bill, amongst other bills, I found yet another reason to believe in the People’s United Party. For it is through their conviction of political, social and economic transformation and reform to create the New Belize, that the Senate is no longer merely a rubber stamp, but rather elevated in its position to be a sounding board and a space for

discussion and debate on issues that have far reaching implications to our nation.

The 7th Amendment Belize Constitution Bill and the Education and Training Bill passed with a 2/3 majority vote, 8 [6 from the government side with the representatives for business and church] supporting and 4 [3 from the opposition and 1 from the unions] not supporting, and all supported the appointments of the two justices of the Supreme Court.

PUP Think Tanking represents the space for the discourse to continue on creating the New Belize, which will bring to all Belizeans a better life and just share of the national wealth of this country. Its objective is to be a forum for discussion, information sharing and solution searching on issues, concerns and challenges confronting our party and nation, such that consensus can be forged on the way forward.

It has four goals: Firstly, to reorient the party to been visionary and one of ideas and solutions; Secondly, to be a sounding board on the current and emerging issues and concerns that are significantly important to our people and country; Thirdly, to be a source of information from which the party could draw from as it will provide guidance and will influence our party’s position in the process of developing policy and position papers and our manifesto; Fourthly, to have a broad tent approach to solution searching, and Fifth, to create a space and an opportunity for the engagement of any person concerned about the growth and development of Belize . I have no doubt that one day in the future the ideas that will take root at PUP Think Tanking will be on the Order Papers of the House of Representatives and the Senate. This is how the Revolution shall continue……

Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

The Belize Times

The Beginning of the End!

By: Mike Rudon Jr. Those teachers out there and those who have refused to see what we are saying are guilty of one of two things: one they are playing the fool because of politics because they have set up their operatives or two, they are ignorant in the true sense of the word ignorant; they don’t know any better. – Hon. Patrick Faber It is highly likely that Dean Barrow is too deeply engrossed in lurid fantasies of his own greatness and brilliance to get the sense. His love of self is so firmly entrenched that he cannot grasp the fact that he is nothing but an empty barrel. The UDP cast of ministers and back-benchers, with the exception of a few like minister of education Patrick Faber, do not share Barrow’s absolute megalomania. For the most part, they’re just too stupid and uncaring to get the sense. They are so busy trying to handle portfolios for which they are not qualified while living the high life to which they are not accustomed that they are ignoring the writing on the wall. And make no mistake about it – the writing is on the wall, in bright glowing neon letters. On Friday, more than 1000 teachers stood in front of the National Assembly to draw notice to that writing. Neither huge egos nor miniscule intellects can shield the UDP from the truth – this is the beginning of the end of Dean Barrow’s one term administration.

On Friday, the issue was not about corporal punishment or lack thereof.

One thousand teachers stood up to demand GOB’s respect, to demand that government desist from ignoring their voices; to demand that government

treat them as partners in the education of the children and to demand that Dean Barrow and his cocky minister of education Patrick Faber ease up on the high handed behavior. The crowd would have been larger if so many teachers were not afraid of the victimization which has become a very real threat under the UDP. But in the end, GOB did as it wanted, as it intended to do all along. Completely disregarding the cries of the teachers, Barrow and the UDP passed the Education and Training Bill – end of story. Not only that, but Barrow sicced his dogs at WAVE radio on the teachers who dared to stand up for what they believed in.

According to the UDP bunch, the teachers were all wrong, all ignorant, all too stupid and misguided because they refused to roll over and play dead on command.

Unfortunately, there is little or no sympathy for the union leaders, many of whom were content to jump hoops and fetch sticks at Dean Barrow’s command before elections. Those union leaders were compromised to the extent that they became weak and ineffectual, greedy and agenda driven. It is hard to muster feelings of compassion or even respect for those leaders who bowed to Barrow’s whims. It is no fault but their own that they were so swayed

by Barrow’s brilliance that they forgot to sup with long spoons when dealing with the devil. They fed from his hand, the same hand that is slapping them silly today.

But this is not about the union leaders, but about Belizeans – the thousand plus teachers who stood in the sun for what they believed in and the thou-

sands more who believe in the cause but are too afraid of victimization to stand on the front line. The casual and malicious disregard of the teachers of Belize will certainly come back to haunt the disrespectful prime minister and his disrespectful underling Patrick Faber. The straw that broke the camel’s back? Maybe! The final nail in the political coffins of the UDP…? Perhaps!

Barrow and his goons have consistently ignored the cries of the people.

Upon entering office, they immediately transferred hundreds of teachers out of sheer political malice, and then scratched their heads in confusion when the PSE results were the lowest ever. When the UDP kicked the unions to the curb in the Venezuala grant distribution, Barrow was not only acting out against two or three people; it was an act of betrayal of the thousands upon thousands of Belizeans who demanded transparency and accountability in the distribution of funds.

The airwaves continue to reverberate with the cries of teachers, caregivers and educators of our children, who feel that they have been wronged and excluded and completely disregarded in the passing of legislation which will affect their vocations. The reality is, though, that Dean Barrow and Patrick Faber really don’t give a damn. That much is clear from their continued ignoring of the teachers and from their arrogant presentations in the House of Representatives.

So what happens now, after more than 1000 teachers marched and Barrow and Faber spit in their faces? Will the union leaders fold as they have done so many times before, or will they

9

be bolstered by the thousands of their members who are standing strong? One thing is certain – GOB doesn’t want to hear it. They have done their thing and that’s it, to hell with all the rest.

Just something to think about – Barrow and his crew have ignored the voices of Belizeans who disagree with their high handed decisions at every turn. They have done so since February of 2008 and show no sign of changing their modus operandi. Belizeans are at a tipping point, with the single biggest turnout of protesters last week. Will they up the intensity and continue to demand a say in the decisions that affect all of us, or wither away in silence.

If it is second option, then Barrow and his goons will never stop doing what they want and only what they want, bar none. But if it is the first option, then for sure it is the beginning of the end.

Only time will tell.

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A Public Service Message Courtesy of The Belize times.

10

The Belize Times

Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

We Need a Competent & Qualified DPP

Contributed by: A Former Prosecutor I am a former prosecutor and I wrote to bring to the attention of the Prime Minister, the Attorney General and the Belizean people a serious problem in the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

There are allegations and I emphasize the word that the present DPP was passing information to the UDP before the general elections.

If so, this would possibly have been done to obtain favor from the UDP if they won the elections. The UDP won the elections and the Attorney General almost immediately started a public lobby to remove the then DPP Mr. Latchman and replace him with Miss Branker-Taitt.

The Attorney General under the law has no say in the appointment of the DPP. Such is done by the Judicial Services Commission consisting of Judges, Members of the Bar Association and ranking officials in the Public Service.

The Attorney General succeeded in removing an experienced and mature Mr. Latchman and the said Miss Branker-Taitt was made to act as DPP for a period of two years.

To have a person acting in such an important office for two years smacks of political machinations. It creates the impression that the person can be manipulated because their getting the job depends on pleasing the political directorate. The other issue is the uncertainty an acting DPP will cause in the office.

The public needs to recall that it is under Miss Branker-Taitt that the former two time Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Said Musa was arrested and charged for theft of monies which were at the Belize Bank. Senior Counsel for Mr. Musa pointed out that there never was any investigation conducted by the Government or the Police.

The DPP charged Mr. Musa solely on the basis of his political enemy Hon. Dean Barrow writing a report. There was nothing else in the file. The case against Mr. Musa collapsed. The DPP lied to Belizeans when she stated that she could not appeal. She could. Her real problem is she had no case from the outset.

The situation was similar with a false allegation against former Minister Jose Coye. There was no evidence of any crime. The person should have sued in civil court. There was no evidence of any cheques totaling half a million dollars. There were no receipts. There was no suggestion the

person even gave monies to Mr. Coye.

He claimed he gave such large monies to a driver. In the end the person himself withdraw the false allegation and the court threw out the charges.

For the DPP to bring such high profile charges against former ministers without ANY EVIDENCE is an indictment against her. A DPP is part of the administration of Justice, not a political tool of the UDP politicians.

Inside the office of the DPP there is demoralization of the staff.

Upon being given the job Miss Branker-Taitt immediately set about to get rid of Audrey Matura, a competent and dedicated prosecutor. Tracy Sosa was also given ill treatment causing one of the best prosecutors to leave and she is now a Magistrate. Mrs. Merlene Matute was a Belizean and has far more experience and knowledge than Miss Branker-Taitt and was told she was not wanted in the office. She left.

Nadine Palacio has written to Belmopan asking for a transfer. A prosecutor recently recruited from overseas has indicated he is leaving. Mrs. Purcell from overseas, another foreigner has applied for a transfer. If unsuccessful she will leave. Mr. Cecil Ramirez, a Belizean with over twenty years experience who should be the DPP has indicated he is leaving.

Miss Branker-Taitt is on maternity leave for the second time in two years. She has refused to relinquish her Acting appointment and is running the office from her home by telephone. This alone speaks volumes

of irresponsibility to think she can operate such a vital institution as the prosecution directorate by telephone and treat all those experienced and qualified attorneys as if they are her messengers.

I need make no mention of the utterly disgraceful situation that has become known to the public as nolle prosequi. There is even the joke making the rounds that rapists and murderers have their best attorney in the person of the DPP who can almost guarantee their acquittal with shoddy case files and nolle prosequi.

I am retired from these matters and have no axe to grind. I call on the Bar Association, the Crime Control Council and the Judicial Commission to seek a suitable and competent person to be the Director of Public Prosecutions if we Belizeans ate to regain some faith in the fight against crime.

I am signing this article but must ask that my name not be printed for obvious reasons.

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Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

ThE BElizE TimES

11

The Realities of Educating our Children

After looking at the theatrics of Minister of Education the Honorable Patrick Faber in the House of Representatives this past Friday, the obvious conclusion is that he acted like a spoilt, petulant child who was upset because he could not have his own way vis-àvis the abolition of corporal punishment in our country’s schools. But Belizeans, especially teachers, should not be distracted by his act because his choice of words clearly demonstrated that he remains condescending, belittling, and vindictive as ever.

And what a performance it was from the prima donna, complete with crocodile tears. Faber’s pride and ego were on full display as he seemed to believe that his word is somehow “God’s Word” and that he is somehow preordained to do as he wishes when

it comes to matters that concern educating our children. To make matters worse, the cries of the teachers, the very persons whose authority in the classroom will be undermined by the abolition of corporal punishment, just do not seem to matter to him.

On Friday, Faber had the opportunity to allay the fears of our teachers and embrace them as equal partners in the education process, but once again he demonstrated his inability to say the right thing when he cannot have his own way. Instead of addressing the thousands of teachers from across the country who had gathered in Independence Plaza to ask that he hold off on the second and third readings of the bill that would abolition corporal punishment and asking for their assistance in searching for suitable al-

ternatives, it seemed that he set out to purposefully antagonize them.

In his address to the House, he declared that “those teachers out there and those who have refused to see what we (himself and his sycophantic Ministry of Education technocrats who worship at his feet) are saying are guilty of two things: one, they are playing the fool … or two, they are ignorant in the true sense of the word ignorant; they don’t know any better.”

My dear boy, your words were just plain nasty and clearly demonstrate that you are intolerant of constructive criticism.

But Faber and his technocrats seem to be out of touch with what

teachers have to endure in the classroom daily. And no dear boy; hitting the talk show circuit with your minions is not meaningful consultation with stakeholders. Meanwhile they are so hell bent on removing corporal punishment that they have failed to suggest suitable alternatives and have left teachers at the mercy of those students whose behavior mirror the general disregard for law and order in society today. No pedagogical training such as standing by the side of a disruptive student as the Minister suggests can prepare teachers to deal with the new reality in our classrooms.

Teachers at Southside Belize City primary and high schools can testify to the spectrum of behavioral problems manifested by students in our classrooms. But if we were to listen to Faber and his minions we would believe that teachers only have to deal with talkative students. Not so. Teachers frequently have to deal with students fighting each other in classrooms just because they come from rival neighborhoods. Teachers have to take away weapons such as knives and guns from students who carry them for their protection. And let us not forget those

enterprising students who peddle drugs such as marijuana and cocaine to their schoolmates. No wonder that police officers are stationed at various Southside high schools.

All of us would agree that corporal punishment, especially the whipping of a child, should be a last resort when dealing with behavioral problems in a classroom, but it is the only deterrent for wayward children in our schools. Surprisingly, many principals wrestle with the idea of imposing corporal punishment given the violent tendencies of some students and the overreaction of parents who are not above physically assaulting administrators and teachers whenever their children are disciplined at school.

But the timing and the haste of the abolition of corporal punishment is strange. It seems that Faber and his government have an ulterior motive and we were told that it may have to do with international funding. It seems that a United Nation’s organization that deals with the rights of a child has allocated a substantial amount of funds to the cash strapped Government of Belize for various social programs but it has refused to disburse any money until the so-called barbaric methods of corporal punishment are abolished from our schools.

The leaders of the BNTU should stand tough and fight Faber on the ab-

olition of corporal punishment for if they yield to his whims, they may place many of their teachers’ not to mention those innocent students’ physical well being at risk. Besides, the Minister is cocky not stupid. He is unwilling to upset the main stakeholders of the education system because he is well aware that their union is very powerful politically and there is no evidence that it needs the assistance of anyone to make them more effective. He got a preview of that power this past Friday, and he took notice.

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ThE BElizE TimES

Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

INFLATION VERSUS DEFLATION: A DOWNWARD SPIRAL

The PM in his most recent State of the Nation address reiterated that inflation was at an all time low at -1.1% for 2009 when compared to 6.4% in 2008. Likewise the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB), upon release of data for third quarter 2009 noted the decline.

There is this perception that negative inflation is a good thing; however it is important to have a clear understanding of the implications of negative inflation and not simply make the assumption that because high inflation is bad then low inflation is good. In this piece we will review the difference between inflation and deflation and what are some of the effects of a deflationary situation prevailing within the economy.

Inflation is most easily defined as a general rise in price levels, but to be more precise it is a decline in the value of money. Inflation is measured through the use of price indexes. In Belize the SIB collects data to determine the Consumer Price Index (CPI). This is then used to calculate inflation rate.

The CPI is an index that uses a base year and a given basket of goods and services to track price changes over a period of time. It is compiled and made available for periods ending in February, May, August and November of each year. So for example the process would identify how much a basket of goods and services would cost in one period compared to another period.

As at August 2009 inflation was -3.6%.

February 2009 was the last period it remained positive at 1.5%.

When inflation is negative or falls below 0% it is then identified as deflation. Based on the definition of

inflation, one can deduce that deflation is a general decrease in price levels; however it is actually an increase in the real value of money. So one therefore begs the question why would persistent deflation be a bad thing and not one to brag about, that is because deflation has the reverse effect of inflation. It is first important to understand the types or cause of deflation. This situation can arise from either an increase in the supply of goods and services or decrease in CPI. In the case of Belize, it has been a decrease in the CPI since 2009. Deflation can also occur if there is a build-up of savings alongside a slower rate of growth in money supply coupled with increased demand for money. This situation is also evident, by reviewing the holdings of savings and term deposits. In Belize, since September 2009 quasi–money (savings and term deposits) has increased from $1,344M to $1,383M in January

663-7288,

2010; a noted 3% increase. Deflation may also occur if there is a reduction in economic activity due to reduced demand. This is quite evident in Belize from the negative growth recorded as at September 2009 at -0.2%.

If deflation is persistent, the value of people’s income will increase as banks stand to benefit at the expense of borrowers and those who were previously willing to save would be more inclined to spend due to the increased purchasing power resulting from declining prices. The possibility of a liquidity trap becomes apparent, if Central Bank is not able to reduce interest rates so as to provide an incentive for investments to be undertaken. As in

a period of high deflation investments are not seen as profitable. It would therefore be useful to examine the most recent amendment to the Central Bank Act to determine the effects of those proposed changes. This examination will be done in a subsequent piece.

In conclusion, this writer makes the point that if Belize were to experience a high level of deflation; unprecedented action would then be required by Central Bank to intervene in the market.

So it is incumbent on government to ensure that this situation does not spiral downwards.

Gwyneth Sydney Nah Send comments to GwynethNah@ gmail.com

Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

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Mariposa'sKid's Corner

“501 KIDS’ CLUB” Black History Month Special

This is the last week of Black History Month and I had fun learning a little bit about famous Black persons. I hope you found learning along with me. My Dadi says it is important to learn about the good things that people do in our world. No matter our colour or gender we can all give our best and do well. God has blessed us with many talents and we should always try to use them to do good things. I am working on doing my best to overcome the problems I have in school especially with Mathematics. Dadi told me though to go slowly but surely because with practice I will improve. I just want to “big up” all the teams who were part of the Math Olympiad! You guys are so cool! One day I know I will be just as good. Until next week, remember do your best and be happy!

Black History Month Puzzle

DID YOU KNOW? Patricia Bath – She is well known in the field of ophthalmology (science of healing eyes) she created a laser-based device to perform cataracts surgery.

Henry Brown – Created a strongbox in 1886 which allowed people to store important documents at home.

George Washington Carver - Created hundreds of products from the peanut and sweet potato and developed many methods of helping revitalize soil and fight pests.

Mark Dean – Created many devices for the personal computer and helped to complete change the computer industry.

Thomas Elkins – created a refrigerated device for keeping perishable foods from spoiling.

Connect the Dots & Colour Me!

Across

6. She made hair products for Black people and became the first Black female millionaire.

Down

1. This doctor discovered ways to store blood and developed blood banks.

2. He was the first Black President of South Africa.

3. He developed the first clock built in the USA. 4. Nancy Green became the beloved face for this famous pancake mix. She was everyone's favourite "aunt".

5. In which South American country was St. Martin De Porres born?

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Answers: 6. Madame CJ Walker 1. Charles Drew 2. Nelson Mandela 3. Benjamin Banneker 4. Aunt Jemima 5. Peru

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The Belize Times

Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

Haiti port capacity boosted, Caribbean community pushing repairs advancing for recognition in US census

Published on Thursday, February 25, 2010 By Pascal Fletcher ABOARD THE USS CARTER HALL (Reuters) -- Haiti's main seaport at Port-au-Prince has managed to handle container traffic at a level higher than before the January 12 earthquake, and full repairs to damage should be completed in April, a senior US military officer said on Wednesday.

The Caribbean country's main maritime terminal for import and export shipments was badly damaged in last month's quake, especially its south pier, initially blocking off a key entry point for urgently needed humanitarian supplies and imports.

Divers from the US Navy and other countries have been working for weeks on repairs to clear debris and wreckage from blocked channels and berths, and contractors brought in floating piers to help unload containers.

"We've had several days where we've delivered 600 containers in a single day, so their capacity is ahead of where they were before the earthquake," said Major General Daniel Allyn, deputy commander of the US military Joint Task Force participating in the international relief effort in Haiti.

This compared to the 200-250 containers the port was handling a month ago, following the disaster.

Repairing the main seaport was seen as a critical step to bring in sufficient volumes of humanitarian supplies and equipment needed to help the victims of the quake, which may have killed up to 300,000 people, according to the Haitian government. More than a million people were left homeless and in need of assistance.

"The really good news story is that the Haitians are running port operations at Port-au-Prince, from the ship's pilotage to the offloading of the ships,"

Allyn told Reuters.

He said the majority of incoming port traffic in the last week had been commercial cargo, while humanitarian aid cargo had tapered off from previous levels.

Off Port-auPrince, both warships and commercial container ships could be seen.

"I think that's a sign that we're past the immediate emergency response window and we're sort of in that phase in between, when the reconstruction cargo starts coming ashore in large numbers," the US general said.

He expected repairs on the south pier, the port's primary pier before the quake, to be completed about April 10.

Allyn was speaking aboard the USS Carter Hall, a US amphibious warship which played a key role in putting ashore US Marines and heavy earth-moving equipment west of Port-au-Prince in the days following the Jan. 12 earthquake.

After President Barack Obama mobilized US armed forces to assist the Haiti relief effort, US military personnel have carried out a wide variety of roles, ranging from protecting aid distribution and patrolling dangerous slums, to providing medical services and assisting with the complex planning and logistics of the humanitarian operation.

From a peak at one point of about 22,000 US military personnel involved in the Haiti operation, Allyn said the US presence was being adjusted according to the needs of the Haitian government and its relief partners.

"Our footprint is down in the 6,000 range ashore and about 6,000 afloat and obviously we'll continue to adjust that as the mission requires as we go forward," he said.

"We will remain committed as long as we are needed, as the president of the United States has announced," he added.

The USS Carter Hall, stationed off the coast near Petit Goave and Grand Goave, was pulling back and reloading heavy equipment and other vehicles which had been used to clear debris and assist survivors in Haiti's western region.

JamaicaObserver.com Wednesday, February 24, 2010 MIAMI, United States — Black people of Caribbean descent are being asked by their community's leaders to write in their nationalities on the upcoming United States Census.

Those leaders wanted the Census Bureau to treat Caribbean immigrants and their children like Hispanics, who get to note whether they are descended from another country, like Mexico. But the Census form doesn't allow that for black citizens and residents of Bahamian, Haitian or other Caribbean descent.

Some Caribbean-American leaders are urging their communities to write their nationalities on the line under 'some other race' on the forms arriving in mailboxes next month, along with checking the racial categories they feel identify them best.

It's another step in the evolution of the Census, which has moved well beyond general categories like 'black' and 'white' to allow people to identify themselves as multi-racial, and, in some cases, by national origin.

The wording of the questions for race and ethnicity changes with almost every Census, making room for the people who say, "I don't see how I fit in exactly," Census Bureau director Robert Groves told reporters in December.

"This will always keep changing in this country as it becomes more and more diverse."

In another push tied to the 2010 Census, advocates are urging indigenous immigrants from Mexico and Central America to write in groups such as Maya, Nahua or Mixtec so the Census Bureau can tally them for the first time.

The campaign in the multiethnic Caribbean community reflects a tendency, born from multiple waves of

Published on Wednesday, February 24, 2010 HAVANA, Cuba (ACN) -- Cuban President Raúl Castro, said on Monday the decision taken at the Summit of the Unity to create the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States is of

historic importance.

Cuba considers conditions exist for rapid progress in establishing a purely regional Latin American and Caribbean organization that integrates and represents the 33 independent nations of the region, said the Cuban president in the summit that wrapped up on Monday morning at the Mayan Riviera, Mexico.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon (R) receives Cuban President Raul Castro upon his arrival in Cancun, Mexico. AFP PHOTO Speaking at the last session of the summit, the Cuban president said the celebration in Caracas for the next summit in 2011 would be the right

time to complete the preparatory work of the organization and implement it, according Prensa Latina news agency.

Being an independent nation is a prerequisite for being part of this entity, which will be characterized by the respect for cultural diversity, the different geographic and economic dimensions, the political system that each country adopts, the disparity of natural resources and social development, he said.

The Cuban president expressed the aspiration that the document establishing that body is efficiently drafted in order to deliver it during the next summit and he added that Cuba will work with dedication in this endeavor.

Castro acknowledged the adoption of a special document that demands for

migration, to establish identity first by country, then by race.

"We are completely undercounted because there isn't an accurate way of self-identifying for people from the Caribbean," said Felicia Persaud, chairwoman of CaribID 2010, a New York-based campaign to get a category on the census form for CaribbeanAmericans or West Indians.

About 2.4 per cent of the US population — more than 6.8 million people — identified on the 2000 Census as belonging to two or more races. A little less than 1 per cent of the population — more than 1.8 million people — wrote in their West Indian ancestry.

And about 874,000 people — or 0.3 per cent of the population — ticked boxes for Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders that year. If those islanders could get their own categories on the form, Caribbean-American leaders say, why not their communities?

Their lobbying efforts led to a bill in Congress requiring a box to indicate Caribbean descent on the census form, but it did not pass.

Accurate counts in the once-adecade survey ensure recognition from the federal government and the fair allocation of resources to state and local governments, advocates say.

While most Caribbeans are expected to at least check the box for 'black,' lumping them together with all African-Americans means corporations and politicians won't see the political, economic and social issues specific to their immigrant communities, Persaud said. They also won't see the size of those communities or get a sense of the diversity of experiences among AfroCaribbean groups.

Persaud plans to check the "some other race" category and write in her nationality, Guyanese. Her father is Asian-Indian, and her mother is black and Asian-Indian, but she doesn't feel those categories reflect her blended Caribbean identity.

"We've always been able to say we're a mix, and then you come to this country and you're not sure where you're fitting under, so I figured that we're 'other,'" Persaud said. "That's how everybody feels."

Raul Castro stresses agreement to create a regional community

the ending of the unjust US economic, commercial and financial blockade, against Cuba and the expressions of solidarity with his country expressed in the presidential meeting.

The president began his speech with a fraternal message of the brother people of Cuba to Mexico, whose land has nurtured so many Latin Americans, including the leaders of the Cuban Revolution.

At the end of the morning, the Mexican President Felipe Calderón, the event’s host, closed this Summit, historical because of the range of integration for the region and the agreement to establish a regional organization without the presence of US or Canada, which shall be constituted in Caracas in July 2011.

Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

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COURT NEWS Ex-Cop Vidal Campos Freed of Ham Remanded To Prison on Charge of Auto Theft Aggravated Assault Charge Auto Rentals, located at #42 Ebony

Vidal Campos

BELIZE CITY, Wed. Feb. 24, 2010 Former Police Officer Vidal Campos, 42, from whom a charge of obtaining property by deception was dismissed about 2 weeks ago, was freed of a charge of auto theft on Monday, February 22 in the #4 Magistrate’s Court when it was withdrawn by the complainant, Mrs. Myrna Varela, the Manager of Varela

Street.

Campos, now a building contractor, rented a 2005 grey Jeep Cherokee Laredo from Varela Auto rentals on August 5, 2009. Campos said that initially he rented the vehicle for one day and he deposited $1,500. He said when the time had expired he called Mrs. Varela and told her that he wanted to rent the vehicle for 20 more days. Mrs. Varela reported the vehicle stolen when Campos did not return it on the day he was supposed to.

Police recovered the vehicle in Caledonia after Campos had it for over a month. Campos produced a receipt which showed that he paid $1,900 plus the deposit money for the rental fee. Campos said that $280 which he paid for a water pump for the vehicle was deducted from the rental fee.

Campos’ is still faced with a charge of forgery for a parcel of land in Hopkins.

The charge of obtaining property by deception was for the same parcel of land which he pawned to Fair Brothers for $30,000.

CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEBSITE at www.belizetimes.bz We are the most visited newspaper website in Belize

Michael Young

BELIZE CITY, Wed. Feb. 24, 2010

Michael Young, 25, a.k.a. “Ham”, a resident of #165 West Canal Street, one of two persons who the Police alleged pointed a firearm at Dennis Tillett, 24, was charged with aggravated assault when he appeared in the #1 Magistrate’s

Court on Monday, February 22. Young pled not guilty to the charge. The Chief Magistrate Margaret McKenzie explained to him that the Court could not offer him bail because the offence was committed with a firearm. She remanded him into custody until April 14.

The incident occur red on Saturday, February 20. Tillett, a Tour Guide of #7379 Elston Kerr Street, reported to the Police that he was on Antelope Street Extension conversing with some friends when his attention was drawn to a dark complexioned man known to him as Anthony “Tonao” Soberanis. Tillett said Soberanis pulled a pistol from the waist of his pants and pointed it at him. Tillett said he ran towards the cemetery and he met Young who also pulled out a pistol and pointed it at him. Tillett said he ran into a neighbor’s yard and jumped a fence and while he was doing so he heard several shots behind him.

The second suspect, Soberanis, is still at large.

Tour Guide from Camalote Charged With Arson Belize City, Wed. Feb. 24, 2010 Ryon King, 31, a Tour Guide of Camalote Village who allegedly set fire to three mattresses, was charged with arson when he appeared in the #1 Magistrate’s Court on Monday, February 22. Chief Magistrate Margaret McKenzie explained to him that the Court could not take a plea from him because the offence is indictable. She offered him bail of $3,000 and adjourned his case until April 27.

The bail was offered on the condition that King does not interfere with the witnesses for the prosecution and that he reports to the Clerk of Court every Monday until the case is concluded in the Magistrate’s Court.

The incident occurred on Friday, February 19. Kendra Pennil, 28, a Tour Guide of Mahogany Heights, King’s ex-common law wife, reported to the Police that King set fire to 3 mattresses which were in a bedroom of her concrete bungalow house. Fortunately, the fire was

Ryon King

put out before it could do further damage.

The mattresses were the property of King. One of them was a spring mattress while the other two were foam.

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Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

COURT NEWS Second Sister Charged with Burglary with Intent to Cause Bodily Harm

Shantel Robateau

BELIZE CITY, Wed. Feb. 24, 2010 Shantel Robateau, 20, the sister of Sherae Robateau, 26, who was charged with burglary about 2 weeks ago, was

herself charged with the offence when she appeared in the #6 Magistrate’s Court on Monday, February 22. Shantel pled not guilty to the charge. Magistrate Sharon Fraser offered her a bail of $5,000 and adjourned her case until March 31.

The incident occurred around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, February 7. Marcia Bowen, 16, who resides at #20 Sittee Street, reported to the Police that she was walking at the corner of Sittee Street and Nargusta Street when she was approached by Shantel and Sherae.

Bowen said Sherae and Shantel attacked her and she ran to her house. Bowen said Shantel and Sherae pursued her and entered her house and beat her in front of her mother, Sharlene Foster.

After she reported the incident to the police, Bowen was given a medicolegal form. She was taken to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where the doctor who examined and treated her classified her injuries as harm.

Wood Carver Charged With Indecent Assault on Female Special Constable

Calvin Gilharry

BELIZE CITY, Wed. Feb. 24, 2010

Calvin Gilharry, 44, a woodcarver of Rock Stone Pond located on the Maskall Road was charged with indecent

assault upon a female Special Constable when he appeared today in the #6 Magistrate’s Court. Gilharry pled not guilty to the charge. Magistrate Sharon Fraser offered him bail of $1,500 which he met. Gilharry is to return to Court on April 22.

The incident occurred on Monday, February 222 at Altun Ha Site, located on the Maskall Road. Special Constable Sonia August, 33, reported to Police that she was walking on Altun Ha site when she got a report of an argument between two male persons.

She said she confronted both males and she advised them to go to her booth and cool off.

She said that a few minutes later when she went to the booth one of the men approached her and touched her on the right side of her breast.

Gilharry was identified as the person who committed the offence. He was taken into custody and charged.

They Are Listening To You!

Three Men Charged With Aggravated Burglary at Sandhill Gas Station

Ryan Barnett

BELIZE CITY, Wed. Feb. 24, 2010

Three men were charged with aggravated burglary and conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary when they appeared in the #1 Magistrate’s Court on Monday, February 22. They are Ryan Barnett, 23; Andy Williams, 25; and Andrew Baptist, 23. They pled not guilty to the charges. Chief Magistrate Margaret McKenzie explained to them that the Court could not offer them bail because of the nature of the offences.

She remanded them into custody until April 19.

The incident occur red on Thursday, February 18 at the Sandhill Gas Station, located at Mile 16 on the Northern Highway. Eliseo Moralez, 20, the Manager of Sandhill Gas Station, reported to the Police that a man entered the gas station and purchased one pack of Bambu. Moralez said the man then

Andrew Baptist

took out a black pistol and put it to the head of his brother, Elias Moralez. Eliseo said the man stole $350 from Elias then the man ordered him, who was behind the counter, to open the door.

Eliseo said he complied and the gunman went behind the counter and stole $800 from the cash register.

According to Eliseo, the gunman then went to the back of the gas station where the dwelling quarters of his family is located and where his family was tied.

Eliseo said the culprits stole $3,000 from a drawer in the bedroom. The culprits also stole assorted liquor, one carton of cigarettes and 3 phones, 2 of them cell phones.

The Police reported that when they detained the three defendants on Friday, February 19, they recovered $668.15, some of the liquor and cigarettes and one of the cell phones.

Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

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Belize Times l o ñ a p s En E

¡El principio del fin!

DOMINGO FEBRERO 28, 2010

Issue No. 4670

”Los Maestros que están allí afuera y los que se han negado a ver lo que estamos diciendo son culpables de una de dos cosas: una es que se hacen los tontos por la política, que han creado sus agentes, o dos, son ignorantes en el verdadero sentido de la palabra ignorante, que no conocen nada mejor.” - Excmo. Patrick Faber Es muy probable que Dean Barrow este demasiado inmerso en las fantasías morbosas de su propia grandeza y su propio brillo para obtener el sentido. Su amor propio es tan arraigado que no puede comprender el hecho de que no es más que un barril vacío. El elenco de ministros y los UDP Marginados del banco trasero, con la excepción de unos pocos, como el ministro de educación Patrick Faber, no comparten la megalomanía absoluta de Barrow. En su mayor parte, son demasiado estúpidos e indiferentes a la sensación. Ellos están tan ocupados tratando de manejar las carteras para las que no están calificados, mientras que viven la gran vida a lo que no están acostumbrados, por lo están haciendo caso omiso de la escritura en la pared. Y no nos equivoquemos al respecto - la escritura está en la pared, en brillantes letras de neón brillante.

El viernes, más de 1000 profesores estaban de pie delante de la Asamblea Nacional para la divulgación de dicha escritura. Ni la inteligencia mas grande ni los minúsculos egos puede proteger al UDP de la verdad - Este es el principio del fin de la administración de un plazo de Dean Barrow.

El viernes, la cuestión no era sobre el castigo corporal o falta de ello. Un millar de profesores se puso de pie para exigir el respeto de GOB, para exigir que el gobierno desista de ignorar sus voces, para exigir que el gobierno los trate como socios en la educación de los hijos y de exigir que Dean Barrow, y su engreído ministro de educación Patrick Faber afloje su conducta altanera. La multitud habría sido mayor si los maestros no tuvieran miedo de la victimización que se ha convertido en una amenaza muy real en virtud del UDP. Pero al final, del GOB hizo lo que quería, que era su intención de hacer todo el tiempo. Ignorando por completo a los gritos de los maestros, Barrow y el UDP aprobaron el proyecto de ley de Educación y Formación - Fin de la historia. No sólo eso, sino que Barrow soltó a sus perros de la radio WAVE a los maestros que se atrevieron a defender lo que creían. Según el grupo UDP, los maestros estaban equivocados, todos son ignorantes, muy estúpidos y equivocados porque se negaron ante el comando de den vuelta y háganse los muertos.

Lamentablemente, hay poca o ninguna simpatía hacia los dirigen-

$1.00

tes sindicales, muchos de los cuales saltaron aros y buscaron palos a la orden de Dean Barrow antes de las elecciones. Los dirigentes sindicales fueron comprometidos en la medida en que se convirtieron en débiles, ineficaces, codiciosos y con un programa conducido. Es difícil reunir sentimientos de compasión o incluso de respeto hacia los dirigentes que se inclinaron a los caprichos de Barrow. No es culpa suya, pero su voluntad estaba tan influida por la brillantez de Barrow, que se olvidaron a cenar con cucharas largas cuando se trata con el diablo. Se alimentaron de su mano, la misma mano que los está golpeando como tontos hoy.

Pero no se trata de los dirigentes sindicales, sino de Belice - los más de mil maestros que estaban de pie en el sol por lo que creían y los miles que creen en la causa, pero tienen demasiado miedo a la victimización de pararse en la línea del frente. El desprecio casual y maliciosos hacia los maestros de Belice sin duda se volverán en contra del primer ministro, por su falta de respeto y una falta de respeto de parte de su subalterno Patrick Faber. ¿La gota que colmó el vaso? ¡Quizás! ¿El último clavo en el ataúd político de el UDP ...? ¡Tal vez! Barrow y sus secuaces han hecho caso omiso de los gritos de la gente. Al entrar en oficina, inmediatamente trasladado a cientos de maestros por pura malicia política, y luego se rascó la cabeza confundido cuando los resultados del PSE fueron más bajos que nunca. Cuando comenzó el UDP a los sindicatos se les pateo hasta la otra esquina en la distribución de subvenciones de Venezuela, Barrow no sólo actúo en contra de dos o tres personas, fue un acto de traición a los miles y miles de beliceños que exigieron la transparencia y la rendición de cuentas en la distribución de fondos.

En las ondas radiales siguen resonando los gritos de los maestros, cuidadores y educadores de nuestros hijos, que sienten que han sido tratados injustamente y excluidos totalmente

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The Truth Shall Make You Free

en cuanto a la aprobación de leyes que afectan a sus vocaciones. La realidad es, sin embargo, que a Dean Barrow y a Patrick Faber, realmente les importa un comino.

Esto se desprende de su continua ignorancia hacia los profesores y de sus presentaciones arrogantes en la Cámara de Representantes.

Entonces, ¿qué ocurre ahora,

después de que más de 1000 docentes marcharon y que Barrow y Faber les escupieron en la cara? ¿Los dirigentes sindicales se retractaran como lo han hecho tantas veces antes, o serán reforzados por los miles de sus miembros que están de pie fuertes? Una cosa es cierta - GOB no quiere oír. Ellos han hecho lo suyo y eso es, al diablo con todo el resto.

Sólo algo en que pensar - Barrow y su equipo han ignorado las voces de los beliceños que no están de acuerdo con sus decisiones de alto mando a cada paso. Lo han hecho desde febrero del 2008 y no muestran signos de cambiar su modus operandi. Belice se encuentran en un punto de inflexión, con el mayor índice de participación individual de los manifestantes la semana pasada. ¿Van a aumentar la intensidad y siguen exigiendo algo que decir en las decisiones que nos afectan a todos, o se marchitaran en silencio? Si la opción es la segunda, a continuación, Barrow y sus secuaces nunca dejaran de hacer lo que quieren y lo que ellos quieren, sin excepción. Pero si es la primera opción, entonces, para asegurarse de que es el principio del fin. Solo el tiempo lo dirá.

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Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

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UDP Políticas, como siempre

Todo el mundo, menos Loisy...

Hace como dos semanas mas o menos, el Primer Ministro de Belice, Dean Oliver Barrow se puso de pie y, básicamente, llamó a todos los miembros de nuestro Colegio de Abogados (con la excepción de su preciosa Loisy) vende patrias. Según el líder de esta nación, todos nuestros abogados, salvo exmujercita, que en su mente y sólo en su mente es un bastión de la blanca pureza ciega, están en el bolsillo del señor Ashcroft - la traducción, su ética jurídica y personal se han comprometido por el todopoderoso dólar. Dean Barrow no hizo esta declaración y señalamientos maliciosos bajo la influencia del alcohol, no lo hizo en una fiesta privada con amigos, no lo susurro en al oído de su primera mujercita en lugar de algo inexistente en la cama matrimonial. Nop. El Primer Ministro declaró que toda la barra de la Asociación (Loisy barra) se ha visto comprometida por el dinero de Lord Ashcroft en frente de toda la nación en una conferencia de prensa – radio nacional, televisión y periódico. Esa es una afirmación totalmente inapropiada.

Demonios, yo no soy abogado, pero maldita sea si que no es un caso claro de difamación por parte de el Primer Ministro de este país. Pero mientras que es un inapropiado comentario de parte de el PM, no es sorprendente por dos razones (1) el no muestra respeto por cualquier institución en Belice si no es propiedad o esta siendo explotada por Barrow, y (2) ha demostrado antes que es completamente dispuesto a todo por Loise y esta dispuesto a ir a cualquiera ya cualquier distancia para defender a la gloriosa y santa esposa francamente. Lo que es sorprendente, sin embargo, es que el Colegio de Abogados no ha dicho nada y ha aceptado el insulto flagrante sin protestar. Parece que todos los más de 100 abogados no les importa que el líder de esta nación, diga que todos son vende patrias y todos han sido comprometidos por el todopoderoso dólar. ¡Está bien, entonces! Esto esta jodido. No es extraño que el Primer Ministro esté firmemente convencido de su propia omnipotencia.

sería decir que mintió otra vez, y en la Cámara, ya que todos sabemos que el GOB y BTL son uno y lo mismo, ¿verdad? De todos modos... ¿Loisy, Mike o Rodwell?

Nuestro dinero está en la muy favorecido ex-mujercita.

No me disculpo...

No me disculpo al decir que el Primer Ministro es un bufón de corazón arrogante, ignorante, egoísta, narcisista y frío. El tiene la percepción inflada de su propio valor, se siente que todo lo que tiene que hacer es usar el prefacio “No me arrepiento” antes de cada absurdo y horrible comentario que dice y el pueblo de Belice tiene que decir, bueno, está bien entonces.

Bueno, no está bien, Dean. No lo es. Sí, todos sabemos que no tiene ningún reparo en contratar a su ex esposa para manejar todos los casos judiciales, en nombre del gobierno, pero sigue siendo totalmente equivocado. Suena a nepotismo, por decir lo menos. Y sí, todos sabemos que no tiene ningún reparo en pagar sumas exorbitantes a su mujer (más que los $ 1.5million que reclamó en la Cámara, tu mentiroso) por representar al GOB, pero eso no lo hace correcto. Usted está arrasando con las arcas públicas ya disminuidas para hacer a su ex-mujer rica cuando tiene otros abogados de GOB que están en su nómina de pago que pueden y deben manejar estos casos. Así que disculpa o no, usted está haciendo algo muy malo - Fin de la historia. Y dígame Dean, ¿por qué no quería responder a la pregunta planteada en la Cámara de lo mucho que está pendiente de pagarle a Lois Young? Realmente nos gustaría escuchar la respuesta a esa pregunta (y asegúrese de incluir cuánto se le paga a su hija para su representación en el caso Westerhaven). Por otra parte, ya que mintió acerca de los $ 1.5million así que tal vez ni siquiera debería esperar que la verdad en lo que respecta al saldo pendiente ...

Tenían razón...

A medida que el millar de profesores escuchaban por la radio cómo Patrick los insulto en la casa, gritaron que el hombre pequeño no tenía 'cojones', ya que se negó a tratar con ellos cara a cara. Patrick se sentían más seguro pinchándolos desde la Cámara antes de correr en su vehiculo ministerial y salir corriendo. Pero los maestros tenían un mensaje para la “princesa Patrick” de todos modos. Véase, el pequeño ha ido por todo el lugar diciendo que él tiene grandes planes para ser el próximo primer ministro de este país. Pero si los maestros tienen algo que ver con eso, y lo hacen, Patrick tendrá la suerte de incluso terminar este termino.

Pequeño, la gente no te quiere. No hay nada de malo en tener ambiciones. Diablos, mi ambición es ser el rey del mundo, pero no es así que va a suceder. No hay forma de que el imbécil minúsculo tendrá una oportunidad de dirigir este país.

Los profesores ya están anunciando la vacante de Ministro de Educación – requerimientos - ¡SENTIDO COMÚN!

Que tenga suerte...

En medio de todo el alboroto el viernes sobre el proyecto de ley de educación y formación, una modificación muy importante que la legislación puede haber deslizado por debajo del radar público. Véase, Dean Barrow ha empujado a través de una enmienda que establece que el Procurador General de este país no tiene que ser un miembro activo de la Asamblea Nacional y se pueden seleccionar según el capricho de el PM de fuera de la Cámara. ¿Alguien quiere hacer apuestas sobre quién será el próximo Procurador General de Belice? ¿Lois, tal vez?

Eso no sería una sorpresa porque el PM le ha entregado casi todo lo demás en un plato, así que es el siguiente paso es lógico. Es nepotismo, dice usted. Bueno, no creíamos que iba a lograrlo su hermano un juez de la Corte de Apelación tampoco, y mira lo que pasó. Y no pensamos que iba a dar a millones a Loisy de GOB para representar en todo caso bajo el sol, así que mientras nuestra economía está en recesión, todavía lo hacen. Así que nuestra selección es sin duda Loisy. Pero ha habido rumores sobre Michael Young también, y todos sabemos que es un fan descarado de Barrow, de modo que los rumores no deben ser descartados. Y la palabra que nos llega recientemente es que Rodwell Williams (Socio abogado de Barrow) ha sido empujado a la mezcla. Hola, Dean, no dijiste en la Cámara de que tu firma no se beneficiarían de cualquier caso del GOB - Parece que vi a Rodwell Williams en la Corte sólo el otro día apoyando a Loisy en un caso de BTL. Pero eso

Los calzoncillos de patrick al descubierto…

Si bien el comportamiento del Ministro de Educación Patrick Faber me inspiro a ser francamente grosero al escribir sobre él, requiere un esfuerzo sobrehumano para abstenerse , pongámoslo así - a decir la verdad Patrick Faber estaba actuando como una mujer en la Cámara de Representantes el viernes, lo que es un insulto a las mujeres de este país. No hay duda de que Faber vivirá sus palabras y sus acciones cuando se trata de nuestros educadores y cuidadores, quienes deben moldear a nuestros hijos día a día.

Patrick fue irrespetuoso, insensible y malicioso cuando se refirió a los miles de maestros, que estaban fuera de la casa bajo el sol para conseguir la atención del GOB. Según Patrick, todos eran PUPs o eran demasiado ignorantes para saber mejor. Ese tonto pomposo de pie delante de la nación y denigrado a nuestros maestros, en entredicho a sus personajes y básicamente los llamó tontos. Véase, Patrick no puede comprender que hay personas que realmente han concluido que él es un idiota. Al igual que su primer ministro, él se ha convencido de que el drama y la teatralidad harán de él un hombre de sustancia. Al igual que su primer ministro, que es un hombre pequeño, poca cosa Patrick tendrá que forzársele la idea, ya que no quiere comprender por su cuenta. Y para colmo, el ministro minúsculo se volvió malintencionado y confeso a la nación que hay profesores que van a trabajar mostrando los calzoncillos. Hoy si que se te pasó la mano, Patrick. ¡Fuera de lugar por completo! Mi único deseo es que Patrick hubiera tenido las pelotas para ir a los profesores el viernes y hacer algunas de esas observaciones en sus caras, en lugar de en la seguridad de la Cámara. Pero, ¿qué es lo que los maestros estaban diciendo ...?

Recuerdas el juramento hipocrático…?

La semana pasada, el día lunes, se informó de que el cardiólogo Dr. John Gough y otra persona, golpearon brutalmente a un estudiante de SJC de 16 años. El estudiante, al parecer golpeado con una pistola y maltratado hasta el punto de dejarlo casi irreconocible, tuvo que ser llevado al hospital en estado muy grave. Según entendemos, el buen doctor afirma que todo fue un error, un malentendido. Los padres del niño de 16 años de edad acudieron a la policía e informaron del asunto, pero no se hizo nada durante algún tiempo. Finalmente, después de las repetidas peticiones de los padres, la policía fue a Gough y lo llevaron a la comisaría de policía. Gough es el hermano del ex aspirante político UDP George Gough. El y su conocida compinche UDP Sandra Bedran. Estos dos aparentemente llegaron a la Estación de Policía poco después de que su hermano pequeño fue llevado y después de "discusiones", entendemos que un oficial de policía de alto rango que no proporcionaron su nombre ahora se reunió con la familia y trataron de obligarlo a dejar el asunto solo, yendo tan lejos como hasta inferir que su hijo sería acusado si persistía. Por alguna razón que no vamos a especular, fue enviado el Dr. John Gough – sin ninguna detención y sin cargos a su casa - y ahí es donde el asunto está ahora. Esto es simplemente erróneo. Si todo esto es cierto, y estamos seguros de que es, entonces los altos jefes en el Departamento de Policía han sido verdaderamente comprometidos políticamente. Los golpes y pistola supuestamente utilizada durante la golpiza de un menor que en el curso normal y justa de las cosas se debería de haber traducido en una serie de cargos, incluyendo asalto agravado, lesiones graves y debido a la crítica situación del menor, incluso de intento de asesinato. ¿Esta la proximidad del Dr. John Gough al UDP blindándolo a el? , ¿Son los superiores de la Policía, capaces de escupir en la cara de la ley y el orden y la justicia para complacer a sus amos políticos? No tenemos nada contra el Dr. John Gough, pero está mal muy mal. Él tiene que enfrentar a la justicia por lo que hizo, no obstante la política y las afiliaciones políticas.

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DISCIPLINANDO A NUESTROS NIÑOS

Desde el intercambio en la Cámara de Representantes entre un ex ministro de Educación y el actual ministro, la cuestión del castigo corporal ha tomado un lugar central en el discurso nacional. Extrañamente, los comentarios del ex ministro de Educación, el Excmo. Cordel Hyde no fue específicamente acerca de los méritos y deméritos de los castigos corporales, pero más sobre el procedimiento y la tramitación de la legislación propuesta sobre el Proyecto de Ley de Educación (2009).

Tal vez la discusión se centro principalmente en el castigo corporal porque la mayoría de los beliceños que todavía no han visto la legislación, sobre todo los 5000 profesores, que es exactamente el punto que dio a conocer el Excmo. Punto Cordel Hyde. ¿Que hubiera tenido de malo en dar mas tiempo a los maestros a estudiar las 75 nuevas enmiendas a la legislación? El debate sobre el castigo corporal es sólo un aspecto de la Ley de Educación 2009 y si bien es una cuestión importante, hay otros aspectos de la legislación que debe conducir también a una discusión seria.

En cuanto a si las escuelas deben acabar con los castigos corporales, el argumento es muy parecido a la cuestión del aborto, la gente tiene sentimientos muy fuertes en ambos asuntos. Los que apoyan el castigo corporal llegar tan lejos como las expresiones bíblicas de poner el látigo a descansar y a echar a perder al niño para apoyar su punto de vista. Los que están en la oposición, como el ministro Faber, creen que los métodos alternativos de castigo son mejores.

Cualquiera que sea la posición, la realidad es que, como nación, Belice, ha firmado los convenios internacionales que exigen la eliminación de los castigos corporales en las escuelas. Siempre que el castigo corporal se emite en alguna escuela de Belice, es una violación de nuestra obligación en virtud de dichos tratados.

Algunos argumentan rápidamente que cada día las personas violan las leyes de Belice con la impunidad. Un ejemplo reciente de ello es la paliza que se le propino a un niño de 16 años por dos adultos, uno es un médico, el niño fue tan brutalmente atacado que tuvo que estar fuera de la escuela durante dos semanas. Todavía no hay detenidos en este caso, y muchos creen que es debido a las conexiones políticas del Doctor John Gough. Por supuesto, cuando la gente rompe las reglas o en el caso de la ley y no hay ninguna consecuencia, entonces el sistema se viene abajo.

En el caso de las escuelas nacionales, los maestros tienen un punto. La responsabilidad de establecer los términos y condiciones de lo que es un aprendizaje adecuado para los niños recae en el Ministerio de Educación. Dado que la disciplina escolar es una parte integral de la educación, es trabajo del Ministerio para determinar qué métodos de disciplina son los adecuados.

En el desempeño de sus funciones en nombre del Estado y en nombre del pueblo, el Ministerio de Educación debe garantizar que los administradores de la escuela pongan en práctica los tipos de sistemas que dan lo mejor de sus maestros.

Cuando esto ocurre, los profesores a su vez sacan lo mejor de sus alumnos.

Los profesores que poseen una pasión por la enseñanza trata de desarrollar estudiantes que son compasivos, responsable, y siempre tratan de mejorar sus destrezas. Se desarrollan los estudiantes que anhelan poseer el conocimiento y que son pensadores independientes. Estos son valores que forman su carácter, inculcar estos valores no deben comenzar en el aula, donde se debe iniciar es en el hogar.

Lo que esto significa es que para los niños de Belice, para convertirse en ciudadanos respetuosos de la ley, que contribuyen al crecimiento y el desarrollo de la nación, los padres y los maestros deben trabajar juntos. También significa que la formación docente y de apoyo, junto con la comunidad y participación de los padres debe ser una parte integral del sistema educativo. Ningún maestro debe permitirse en un salón de clases sin algún tipo de formación en técnicas de aula. Igualmente importante, ningún padre debe dejar a su hijo en el cuidado de un maestro que no han conocido personalmente.

Educación significativa es el desarrollo total de un estudiante. Para el desarrollo de cada ser humano se requiere de conocimientos. La disciplina es una rama del conocimiento. A través de disciplinar a los estudiantes aprenden el autocontrol, la eficiencia y el orden, y aprende las reglas. La disciplina es también sobre el control y el castigo.

En cualquier entidad que proporciona un buen aprendizaje, los educadores quieren que sus alumnos se comporten no porque tienen miedo de ellos, sino porque el respeto de su autoridad y quiere ser parte del proceso de aprendizaje y crecimiento.

Los psicólogos escolares suelen decir que los profesores tienen problemas con la disciplina cuando no entienden la diferencia entre la disciplina preventiva y punitiva.

A menudo, este último llega demasiado tarde.

Hábitos sociales, tales como la puntualidad, la cortesía, buenas maneras, y la limpieza son parte de una buena disciplina, son medidas preventivas y deben de enseñarse en el hogar y prorrogarlos en las escuelas.

Cuando mayor cantidad de estos hábitos sociales forman parte de la rutina diaria con aulas limpias, patios de recreo adecuado, ventilación adecuada, el espacio adecuado y respetuoso a los maestros y administradores, las medidas punitivas son mucho menos necesarias, que en las escuelas donde estas características están ausentes.

Para nosotros poder hacer lo correcto por los niños de Belice, tenemos que poner todo esto en perspectiva. Es importante apreciar que los niños aprenden mejor al ver cómo los adultos viven y gestionan el día a día los retos de la vida. Cuando hacemos las cosas bien, la cuestión de si procede o no el látigo, golpes, gritos a un niño, suspenderlo, expulsarlo o juzgarlo en un tribunal de adultos harán de esta cuestión de poca importancia el castigo corporal.

El Bejuco Ignorancia

Inmundo e ignorante chango Que de educación no tenéis nada A ti parece que todo te viene guango No cumpliste con la negociación entablada A maestros y líderes habéis ofendido Nada te costaba prestar un oído Quizá hubieras comprendido Que no los has entendido Ningún maestro disfruta de azotar un niño La preocupación es como se les da el riño Guiarlos es parte del menester del mentor Reprimir su inquietud es parte de la labor El pesar del maestro al infringir dolor Tan grande es, como del mal comportado, Que sin otra tuvo que ser castigado No es ser abusón, el mismo se siente fustigado Del maestro se espera al niño dar dirección Como hacer si no hay método de corrección Y los niños siendo como son hay que entender Que de vez en cuando hay que reprender El maestro igual que todo padre desea Que todo niño se torne una gran presea Pero para eso necesita de instrumentos Para corregirlos en los malos momentos De los padres es sabido Que los maestros han pedido Que en ellos confiemos Y que algún sistema les demos De este ministro y gobierno ¿Cuál es el apuro?

Llamar a los maestros ignorantes es muy duro Por su querencia a su profesión han sido insultados Al final se verá que tenían la razón y serán indultados La ambición llevará a la perdición Este gobierno ha perdido la noción Los maestros una vez más dan indicación Han emprendido una vez más la moción...

Hablando

Francamente

!Exigimos respeto!

Estimado Editor, Le ruego me permita amablemente un espacio en su periódico y por favor imprima esta carta.

Yo no estaba sorprendida en absoluto al escuchar cómo el ministro de Educación vilipendio, ridiculizo y llamó a los maestros de esta nación ignorantes durante la reunión de la Cámara, la semana pasada el dia viernes. Tampoco me sorprendió cuando otro Ministro, miembro de este Consejo de Ministros incompetentes, apareció en un programa de televisión por la mañana tratando de ensenarnos sobre el significado de las palabras. Esta vez es el Ministro de Educación, que nos está diciendo que los maestros no sólo somos ignorantes, pero quizás no sabemos cómo usar un diccionario. Belicenos, ¡ni siquiera en mis sueños mas salvajes... me pudiera haber imaginado estas posibilidades tres años atrás!

Como si eso no fuera suficiente el Ministro de Educación, en una de sus presentaciones en la Cámara el viernes de la semana pasada, afirmó, entre otras cosas, que los maestros carecemos de comportamiento en la aula de clase y es una práctica común de que exhibimos nuestra ropa interior (calzones) que pone a sus estudiantes muy incómodos. ¿Qué le pasa a este charlatán? ¿Le gusta escucharse a sí mismo tanto que ha perdido el respeto a los profesionales a los que él profesa amor? O ¿su ambición ha nublado su pensamiento? ¿Cómo pueden los profesores y los beliceños permitir que el Ministro de Educación, ahora aspirante a Primer Ministro, salga con este tipo de comentarios?

Este muchacho machista debe ser reprendido por su Primer Ministro y sancionado por su gobierno. Tal vez, con el propósito de rehabilitación, la Comisión Nacional de la Mujer o WIN Belice deberían de darle al señor ministro, por lo menos, un curso intensivo en lo que es políticamente correcto y como ser sensible a los géneros.

Como profesores y desarrolladores del recurso más importante de nuestra nación, nuestros hijos ¡exigimos respeto!

Atentamente, Ernestina Martínez Profesora

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Si No Es Así…

Hazte para atrás ...

El editor de The Guardian, el chico afeminado se ha realmente divertido jugando algunos juegos “graciosos” recientemente. Él ha estado tirando

algunos golpes homófobos por todos lados, lo que me lleva a pensar que esta un poquito confundido acerca de su propia orientación sexual. Véase, sin embargo, el chico afeminado pensando que el es ahora derecho, es un poco como cerrar la puerta después de que los caballos ya han salido, un poco como subirse los pantalones después de que la mercancía ya ha sido saqueada, por así decirlo - la sensación. Escucha, la política aquí es que ¡cada quien estrictamente con lo suyo! Yo no me preocupo de los asuntos de los demás porque yo no quiero que nadie se preocupe de los míos. He conocido a muchos homosexuales que son hombres de verdad, y un montón de homosexuales que no son hombres de verdad – este chico afeminado definitivamente entra en la segunda categoría. Como modo de advertencia, déjenme decir esto - yo tengo el video de un niño afeminado en sus "días antes de la confusión “y esta muy impaciente por formar parte del movimiento youtube.

Todo lo que tomara es un clic al botón ... Si no es así...

muchachos muy jóvenes. Pero, como hemos dicho, que no es ni de aquí ni de allá. Palabra de la Cancillería es que el chico malo del UDP ha sido retirado de Cuba como parte de una investigación en curso sobre irregularidades en la expedición de pasaportes cubanos.

Parece que el nombre de Guerra, surgió para investigación después de que recientemente un avión lleno de chinos entró en Belice procedente de Cuba y sus documentos no estaban muy correctos. Vaya, y aquí estábamos pensando que lo peor que podría provenir de el nombramiento de Badi era un escándalo sexual espeluznante...

Si no es así…!

El monopolio de la negrura...

Una columna escrita por mi amigo el Patriota la semana pasada parece haber enojado a algunas personas en el Amandala. Su editorial del martes

está ofreciendo una recompensa en efectivo por el nombre de la persona que escribió esta columna la semana pasada. ¡Hmmm! Ahora, ¿por qué Big Momma esta interesada en la columna de la semana pasada? ¿Podría ser por que la senadora peluda está furiosa porque un cierto CEO que es cierto amigo especial de ella fue mencionado la semana pasada en esta columna de sino es así...? ¡Pudiera ser! Demonios, gorda, llámame y yo encantado te daré el nombre de la persona que escribió esta columna... hahahahaha ... Si no es así…!

fue todo acerca del Patrioto y su linaje dudoso, por así decirlo. Para ser sincero, le alegraron su día. Pero no estoy tan inclinado. Supongo que alguien se olvidó de enviarnos la nota o real decreto que establece que sólo los residentes de detrás del cerco de zinc están autorizados a hablar de la negrura.

Supongo que tienen la exclusividad en la negrura, o así lo creen. Para ser realmente negro y tener la capacitada de escribir sobre lo negrura, estoy asumiendo que es lo que escribieron, hay una cantidad mínima de horas que deben ser gastados bajo la tutela de esos negros más eminentes detrás del cerco de zinc. El que escribe el editorial afirma que Kremandala es la institución más auténtica de la zona sur de la ciudad. ¡Ja! Bueno amigo, si usted lo dice. Solo para que lo sepas, sin embargo, que si con solo decir algo sucediera, así que sería rico, guapo, delgado y un dios del sexo. Nada de eso ha ocurrido aún. El viernes, Patrick Faber, básicamente, dijo que los del cerco de zinc no son más que un cerco oxidado. Según Faber, quienes están detrás del cerco de zinc no son más que un montón de afeminados y que está listo para cuando lo deseen.

Como el proverbial hombre al que un malvado lo golpea en un bar y luego corre a su casa a golpear a su esposa y sus niños indefensos, los de el cerco de zinc utilizaron su editorial para golpear al patriota después de ser abofeteados por el tonto de Patrick. Díganme que no es así... Si no es así!

Malo, malo, Badi ...

Y ahora que ya sacamos la basura, vamos a tratar con los desechos.

Esta no es la primera vez que hemos tenido motivos para escribir sobre el muy "divertido" e irremediablemente incompetente Embajador Said Badi Guerra. Los informes nos han inundado desde Cuba acerca de algunas fiestas muy animadas, con la participación de unos

Shyne quién?

A sí Shyne, el hijo alejado de Dean Barrow, consiguió un contrato para grabar con un valor reportado de 7 millones de dólares de los EE.UU...

Gran cosa. No tengo nada contra el compañero, pero no veo cómo su contrato de grabación beneficiará a nadie que vive en la pobreza en Belice, y le aseguro que no ven cómo les

Recompensa en efectivo...

Conseguimos información que salio de la sede roja que Big Momma

ayudará a poner comida en su mesa esta noche. No veo como proveerá alivio a los problemas de salud o de crimen.

Así que perdónenme si pongo a Shyne

pequeñas unidades de mano que cuestan un par de cientos de dólares cada uno.

Así que nadie comprar esa historia

hasta atrás, atrás en la lista de las cosas importantes que enfrenta este pueblo y esta nación. Pero tengo que decir esto.

No hay forma en el infierno que nuestro Director de Asuntos Internacionales de Protocolo quien envió a un completo personal de protocolo y que facilito vehículos para el contrato millonario de grabación de Shyne. De ninguna manera, no veo cómo. Así que aquí estamos con la economía en recesión y con el Primer Ministro que nos dice que si creemos que las cosas están mal ¡no hemos visto nada todavía! Sin embargo, nuestros dólares de los contribuyentes pueden utilizarse para facilitar que el hijo del Primer Ministro, un hombre que se hace rico por un acuerdo que no tiene nada que ver con nosotros. Que simplemente está mal hecho. Como hemos dicho muchas veces antes, mientras que la economía para el resto de nosotros puede estar en recesión, las economías de la familia y los amigos de Barrow son robustas y escénicas. Para ellos, estos son los mejores tiempos... Si no es así!

falsa. Demonios, el Primer Ministro declaró abiertamente que apoya las escuchas de conversaciones privadas y las comunicaciones. Incluso se trajo a un grupo de israelíes para capacitar en espionaje, aunque dicen que está en el interés de la seguridad nacional. Noticia de ultima hora para Barrow, la mayor amenaza para la seguridad nacional es el torpe borracho ministro Carlos Perdomo. Y en cuanto al vehículo de varios millones de dólares, nos enteramos de que en algunos barrios hay una recompensa por su cabeza, por así decirlo. Palabra de asesoramiento a los curiosos y se escabulle - Tenga cuidado donde usted maneja y cuidado a quién husmea. Que el vehiculo de varios millones de dólares podría muy bien convertido en un trozo de chatarra de varios millones de dólares en un instante - el mismo tiempo que se necesita para que usted pueda escuchar una conversación privada... Si no es así…!

Y hablando de eso...

Ya que estamos en materia de asuntos exteriores, puede alguien explicar ¿por qué es que cada vez que el Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores Sedi Elrington viaja en cualquier lugar, un

equipo de todo el protocolo tiene que dejar Belmopan sólo para acompañarlo hasta el aeropuerto, lo llevan a la plataforma, hasta su asiento y guardan su equipaje de mano en el compartimiento superior? Parece que el hombre vive en un mundo artificial en el que es alguien especial que merece el cuidado de todo un cuerpo asignado a un rey... Si no es así..!

Alguien está escuchando...

Para la semana previa a la protesta del BNTU en Belmopan, el vehículo de alta tecnología que fue aportado por el Gobierno de Belice fue visto estacionado en lugares estratégicos en Belmopan, incluso cuando miembros de los sindicatos se reunieron para organizar la manifestación. Según el PUC, el vehículo de varios millones de dólares será utilizado para controlar las frecuencias, un trabajo que el PUC no menciono que se puede hacer con unas

Alguien escuchó... ¿Podría ser que alguien escuchó nuestros gritos de que alguien que esta por lo menos alfabetizado y capaz de difundir los informes de la policía con un mínimo de coherencia? ¡Quizás!

Tenemos palabra de que nuestro amigo stiletto lo cortaron, lo patearon, lo

echaron. No estamos seguros de lo que llevó a este acontecimiento alegre.

Podría ser el hecho de que con el stiletto a la cabeza de relaciones públicas, el departamento de policía está hasta el fondo del barril de la confianza y reconocimiento público (aunque para ser sinceros, no todo es culpa de stiletto). Podría ser porque apenas podía producir informes legibles de la policía. Sí, eso podría ser, pensaba que la mayor de los altos jefes sabían desde el principio que no estaba a la altura.

Incluso podría ser el hecho de que él atropello a un hombre con su coche y lo dejó en el suelo muriendo y la protesta pública y la indignación esta llegando a los oídos correctos. Cualquiera o todas las anteriores, no nos importa.

Estamos contentos de que se ha ido. ¿Es demasiado pedir que su reemplazo posea por lo menos conocimientos básicos de inglés y al menos un poco de habilidades de comunicación? Si no es así...!

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NATION BUILDERS

PASTOR PERCIVAL SLUSHER

Elizabeth Pridgeon Last week, Belize said goodbye to a truly remarkable nation builder: Pastor Percival Slusher, who departed this life on Sunday, 14th February 2010, aged eighty-two years old.

Pastor “Percy” was husband to adoring wife, Guiller mina (nee Baizar), father to fourteen children (eleven of whom sur vive him), grandfather to 34, great-grandfather to 6, leader to hundreds, more likely thousands of Evangelical followers, and an exemplary role model to every Belizean who had the privilege of knowing him.

Few would believe that Pastor Slusher’s home had not always been in Belize, for he was known as a patriotic Belizean. However, the Pastor’s early roots lay in Honduras, where he remained until tragedy befell him at the tender age of sixteen, when his mother died (his father having abandoned the family when he was still nursing). And so it was all change for the young Percival, who headed to Belize to find support from distant family members in Stann Creek. However, unaccustomed to Belizean life, and struggling to find a job, Percival soon moved northwards to accept the first employment opportunity he was granted, at Salt Creek Estate on the (now Old) Northern Highway.

In late 1951, as though a symbol that his end of suffering had come, Percival met his future wife, Guillermina, who later became the ‘rock’ of stability that would hold the family together when Percival found his calling preaching the Word of God, a calling which frequently took him away from home for long stints at a time. By 1959, Percival’s whole outlook on life – and his entire future – was changed forever when he met Teacher and Pastor Ed Blomberg and his wife, who had recently established the New Hope School at Boston Village. The Slusher couple were both baptised in the Northern River near New Hope, joining the family of the Gospel Missionary Union (which later became the Union Evangelical Churches of Belize – UECB). As the couple’s family grew, so too did Percival’s role at New Hope, and having started as a menial labourer, willing to undertake any job, be it chopping the yard or running errands for the Church’s leaders, he slowly grew to be one of the most trusted workers on site. By the late 1960s, he enrolled in Bible School and by the 1970s he was officiated in his new capacity as Pastor. His first Ministry covered the parish at New Hope and Maskall, after which he was promptly relocated to the Stann Creek district.

which left him partially disabled in his upper body. Over the following nine years, his body was rippled with repeated strokes, and despite trips abroad to seek medical treatment, he was unable to reverse the downward spiral of deteriorating health. On 14th February 2010 his suffering ended and his family rejoice that he was at last taken by angels to the house of his Lord.

His extraordinary life – the life of a true Belizean nation builder – was celebrated by hundreds at Orange Walk Bible Chapel on Friday 19th February, and the community of Orange Walk can only Praise the Lord that the town was blessed to be home to such a remarkable man for so many years of his life.

And so the whole family moved to Stann Creek, and just as they had completed building a house and settling into their new ‘home’, Pastor Percival felt a calling to Orange Walk.

And once again the family relocated, residing for a brief interim period at King’s College while they sourced accommodation in Orange Walk, and then being blessed with the donation of a house from an ardent admirer, Mr. Celestino Cawich.

And this ‘blessing’ was the first of many such events that would distinguish the life of this beloved Pastor, who it was often said found favour wherever he went. His first undertaking in Orange Walk was preaching house to house to anyone who sought spiritual guidance or support. Rapidly, his followers grew in number and he was able to create a makeshift church in a small house on Queen Victoria Avenue. Then, the mission began its first great challenge: building the Orange Walk Bible Chapel. All the while, Pastor Percy continued his missionar y work, and travelled throughout the district’s villages preaching the Word of the Lord, returning home with stories of his adventures to tell his children: from sleeping in a stable in San Estevan, to navigating the Rio Hondo between San Roman and San Antonio in the hope of selling Bibles. Soon afterwards, due to persecution suffered by his children in the regular schools, the mission dedicated its energies to creating a new, non-discriminatory educational establishment, Chapel School.

In the late 1970s, Pastor Percy chose to continue his studies of the Bible in Michigan, USA, but after six months his physical separation from his wife proved too much for the couple to contend with, and he returned to his family in Belize, never

begrudging the personal sacrifice he made for the sake of his family.

In keeping with this kindly nature, his wife says she always considered him “another Job”, having saintly patience and an unwavering faith.

Sadly, in 2001, Reverend Percy suffered the first of many strokes,

with

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Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

VOICES Village

from the

LUCKY STRIKE Elizabeth Pridgeon Mid-way up the Old Northern Highway is the quaint, yet ever changing, village of Lucky Strike. Once the stopping point for transport networks from the northern regions of the country to the City, Lucky Strike made a good enroute breaking point for trucks and the earliest buses. Situated equidistant to the Northern River Lagoon and Midwinter’s Lagoon, Lucky Strike is only a few miles from the coast, which was also reason for fishermen and mariners to stop at the village.

However, what really determined the development of Lucky Strike more recently is its close proximity to the Mayan archaeological site at Altun Ha. Since various tourist trails opened up in the region, encouraging international visitors to delve into the area’s ancient history, Mayan sites such as this have become an increasingly focal point on traveller’s itineraries. Lucky Strike has, for several years, benefitted from the passing trade of such tourists. However, the Old Northern Highway is now in such disrepair that most visitors to the site reach the location on accompanied tours, meaning that the busloads of tourists (including passengers from cruise ships) are no longer given the opportunity to stop in Lucky Strike

support both male and female athletes, and also depict a glowing record of local victories. Many villagers join sports teams in their school years, and sustain membership and involvement for decades afterwards.

It is this entertainment and extra activity provision within the village that has enabled problems such as drug abuse and anti-social behaviour to stay at negligible rates. Although the village boasts a bar, and occasional over-indulgence is recognised as a problem, the perpetrators are happily sent on their way before their behaviour reaches anything above nuisance levels.

Perhaps it is the familial ties that connect most residents to their neighbours which maintain the peace of the village.

Various youths of the village respect the area’s tranquillity and state that “the only gunshot is that of the hunterman”; the reality is that various villagers partake in game hunting, and local food specialities often feature armadillo, gibnut and deer.

The village is offered constant access to the city through two public buses daily, and two student buses too. However, many villagers reveal that they only travel to the city when absolutely necessary, due to the increasing perception of danger and fear on the City’s streets.

village and experience the charm of the quiet hamlet. Whilst this has reduced revenue for village businesses, some villagers have managed to adapt to the new reality and several now take their commodities to Altun Ha for sale on the market stalls there.

T h e v i l l a g e s t r e t ch e s f r o m approximately Mile 29 of the Old Northern Highway to Mile 32, within which limits a Government Primary School and the prestigious King’s College lie. The Lucky Strike Primary School fosters in children a sense of community pride and ambition in the sports field, and the village boasts several sports teams, including the Lucky Strike Eagles football team, which made the Super League last year. Volleyball teams

A few villagers make daily trips to the City in order to sell their farm produce (principally salad products, maize, melons and seasonal fruit) although they report that they are always happy to reach the tranquillity of home at the end of the day.

The residents themselves, however proud of their village, refuse to be ‘left behind’ on account of their geographical isolation, and the village boasts higher levels of phone and internet connections than many other village localities in Belize. Similarly, before potable water was offered to residents, a group of villagers teamed together to provide water pumps for the village, to ensure that sanitary standards were maintained well above national averages.

Lucky Strike may seem to have a mountain of challenges confronting its development, but somehow its residents persistently seem to succeed in promoting initiatives for the village.

[In fact, some elderly residents believe that the standard of living improved once the main traffic network transferred from the village to the new Northern

village, it seems that the ‘lucky’ aspect at least is true.

Lucky Strike village has defied all geographical odds and become a sustainable and active community in Belizean affairs. And it is encouraging to know that, amid Lucky Strike youth at least, very few of them have any intention of leaving the ‘haven’ where

Highway, as villagers were left in peace to look after themselves.] Thus, whether the village was called after its apparently “lucky” charm, or whether it is true that a road-worker helping to construct the very first (Old) Northern Highway found a Lucky Strike cigarette in the

they were born and have grown up.

Thus for Lucky Strike at least, future generations are already committed to continuing the work of past generations, and strive to maintain Lucky Strike as a village poised ever-ready to lunge into a successful future.

Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

The Belize Times

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Sober

Reflections Closer to home…

By: Mike Rudon Jr. I’ve been out of work for the past two weeks, a sort of ‘forced vacation’ if you will, and that time provided me the opportunity to think a lot about a lot of things. Already cursed with a mind that won’t easily shut down and makes me a borderline insomniac, I was these past weeks cursed with the time to allow my mind to wander freely, and that it did. And yeah, as much as I detest the type of politics currently in play in our small country, I am a political animal at heart, so much of what I thought about centered on those damned fools running this country, led by a brilliant megalomaniac incompetent who appears morally and ethically challenged.

Aw hell, let’s be real – the nation is being led by an idiot whose eloquent ramblings amount to just so much crap and a whole bunch of stupid ministers who wouldn’t know good governance if it bit them on the butt.

I just had to get that out of the way, but it’s not what this is about. See, politics is important and all that but there are many more things of much greater importance. This Sunday I went to mass in Burrell Boom (yes, smirk you heathens, I’m trying to change my evil ways) and something struck me in the priest’s homily. He was giving a report on the past week’s collection which, like the collections in weeks back, was being sent to Haiti to help the recovery effort in the wake of last month’s massive earthquake which devastated the nation. As I understand it, the Catholic Church is doing the same with collections across the country.

As it often does, my mind started wandering in the middle of mass (sorry, Father) and I remembered that the Red Cross had collected an amazing $350,000 in just the week or two after the disaster. Across this nation individuals and organizations cooperated in a massive and perhaps unprecedented outpouring of support for our brothers and sisters in Haiti. From small individual donations of $1 up to larger corporate donations, our people showed heart and compassion and gave freely.

It is a gesture even more poignant and meaningful because we as a nation are going through the worst times in recent memory and have precious little extra to give. But give we did. As I did in a previous column, I salute all who reached deep and helped a little or a lot.

But yeah, okay fine, but how about those right here at home who are in dire need of assistance? How about those right around the corner from us, or down the street who need some of that same heart and compassion which we poured out so selflessly to those in Haiti. See, I remembered that right around the time we were reaching deep into our pockets for Haiti there was this guy called Jose Cruz who needed $15,000 for urgent surgery or his limbs would have to be amputated. Somehow he couldn’t seem to be able to raise that

little bit of money. In fact, I believe some of his fingers were amputated before some decent soul or souls came up with the $15,000 he so desperately needed.

And there are many stories like this right in our neck of the woods – heartbreaking and real stories of our Belizean brothers and sisters who have nowhere else to turn. There’s the vibrant youth who jumped in the river and broke his neck and will now face a lifetime of paralysis; the 7-year old girl who was the innocent victim of gun violence on our streets; the little boy who suffers from a rare disease and needs urgent medical attention; the single mother of six whose home and all her possessions were consumed by fire; the homeless man with his hand outstretched on nearly every major street in downtown Belize; the hungry and the impoverished. These are real social crises which are in our faces each and every day – as real as any disaster natural or manmade.

Hell, I’m not saying that we should empty our pockets for every Belizean who is going through a little difficulty or needs a little handout to pay off that overdue cable bill or some weekend change to splurge on the next drink-

Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010 ing or drug binge. We see that everyday too. But can’t we do something about the REAL tragedies which exist in our midst. Can’t we form an organization or something to vet these cases and organize some help for our own? Something? Anything?

Don’t get me wrong here, all you people who are shaking your heads because you misinterpreted what I wrote and think I’m against helping those in Haiti. Hell, I contributed my lee two cents too. But I’m just saying that if we can open our hearts and pockets for those far away in Haiti, then we should do the same each and every day for those much closer to home.

In mass when I heard that my little collection money and that from the other parishioners would be sent to Haiti to help in the recovery efforts, I felt good about it. But there is an aging nurse and midwife who lives in Burrell Boom who is struggling with the deadly effects of cancer. She has given decades of her life in service to Belizeans in communities across the country and in her home of Burrell Boom.

She is in need of help. I would have felt very, very good if that collection money would have gone to help her instead.

That’s all I’m saying.

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Strictly Personal Barrow is bogus!

By: glenntillett@yahoo.com As someone who attended four of the public consultations held by the House Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee on the Seventh (Belize) Constitution Amendment Bill, I can say categorically that almost as many people objected to the provision to allow for the Attorney General to come from outside of the National Assembly as those who objected to the proposal to repeal the dual nationality disqualification for members of the National Assembly.

I make the point because I heard Prime Minister Dean Barrow say in the House of Representatives last Friday that the reason they were deleting the dual nationality provision from the Bill was because of its manifest unpopularity. If that is the case then clearly the Attorney General provision should also have been deleted.

But this is the bogusness of Dean Oliver Barrow. This is how he continues to divide the nation. Although it is clear that the vast majority of the persons who cared to offer an opinion on the matter at the constitutionally mandated consultations clearly opposed the proposal, he will do it anyway.

For me it was clear from the very first consultation held at the Bishop Sylvestre Memorial Hall in Belize City that this was very obviously the case.

The very first person to speak was Arthur Saldivar and he asked a question that is still being asked today, because as of yet there has not been a satisfactory answer. In fact in this week’s Senate debate, the Senator representing the business community, Hon. Godwin Hulse asked the very same question: Why is this necessary?

He postulated aloud that that he could see no “pressing or urgent need” for this amendment, and speculated that it could not be because of cost since ministerial salaries are fixed.

He concluded by saying that it should have been part of a more comprehensive package if it is an attempt at political reform.

Indeed his echoed the comments I heard at the consultation meetings.

That night in October 2009 at the Bishop Sylvestre Memorial Hall, Lisa Shoman, Yvonne Harshorn, Jihad Nedal, Carolyn Trench-Sandiford, Carmen Silva, Lincoln Gillett, Thomas Greenwood, Rufus X, Street Vibes, Danalyn Myvett, Harlan Barrow, Sylvanna Udz, Moses Sulph and Sharon Marin all in some form or fashion asked the same question. All objected to the proposed amendment, criticizing it as creeping Republicanism, and as weakening our tradition of parliamentary democracy.

Sure some of the persons who spoke out that night speculated that this

was being done to accommodate the Prime Minister’s ex wife Lois YoungBarrow becoming the Attorney General and I believe that in the absence of a credible explanation, that speculation has to be considered fair comment.

If it should become reality, well, then how now brown cow?

Hon. John Saldivar, a member of the House Committee panel tried to argue that because the Government was having, in his words, “so much trouble finding a Solicitor General,” they needed the amendment because “… imagine the trouble finding an Attorney General.”

That was almost immediately countered by one of the speakers who pointed out that perhaps the Solicitor General’s long search had more to do with how the last Solicitor General had been forced to demit office, than with anything

else. And if the Attorney General was to be subjected to the same kind of “discipline” … well you can imagine the possibilities.

The only member of the audience to speak in support of the amendment that night was Senator Henry Gordon, who explained that he preferred a Republican system of government, and he was consistent in supporting it in the Senate, for the same reason.

He also opined that the despite the fact that the Attorney General would come from outside the National Assembly, in his view that individual would still be answerable to the National Assembly.

He was critical of the process, though, and agreed with Senator Lisa Shoman that the government should resort back to using the procedure of writing and circulating a “White Paper” for discussion on all proposed constitutional change. And this goes to the heart of my opposition to Dean Barrow’s policy of deliberate division and discord.

Either you regard our constitution as sacred or you don’t. Barrow, I would opine, does not. I also believe that if you

Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010 do not regard the constitution as sacred, you are at best a hypocrite for solemnly swearing to uphold the constitution.

You should not be so cavalier when it comes to any proposed changes to our constitution to declare a committee headed by two of your most confrontational ministers having poorly advertized meetings with small groups as adequate consultations. It is also offending to incorrectly declare that based on those inadequate consultations that the changes have been green lighted by the people and nation of Belize.

Last Friday Dean Barrow again divided the people of Belize between the FOB’s, SOB’s and ROB’s, and the rest of us.

Barrow is bogus.

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Run Over, Run Over Send Patrick Right Over!

A few weeks ago in this column I pointed out to the Minister o f E d u c a t i o n Pa t r i ck Fa b e r that teachers were not ready for him. I cautioned, however, that when they were ready for him they would “juk him out of his cave.” Do you remember? Well at Friday’s sitting of the House of Representatives, Faber got a small dose of the teacher’s power. This “little boy,” as George Frazier put it, decided to push forward in the House the Education and Training Bill regardless of the teachers’ request for more time so that the stakeholders could look over the bill and recommend changes. Faber tried to put a different spin on the teachers’ objection, insinuating that the teachers were against elimination of Corporal Punishment as a disciplinary measure at school.

The tr uth of the matter is that the teachers are not against eliminating corporal punishment; they are dissatisfied with various sections of the bill and the way the Minister of Education went about ramming the proposed law down their throats. You see, the teachers are no fools; in fact some of the teachers who went to protest Faber’s bill have been in the teaching profession before the Minister himself was born. Hence the reason Frazier referred to him as “a little boy.” The young minister almost broke down in tears when he saw and heard what his teachers thought of him and how they felt about him.

Not that I want to add insult to Faber’s injury, but I want he and his technocrats to get the sense, hence I will provide a list of things shouted at him through a bullhorn and on placards. While some signs stated that Patrick has no “cojones,” we will not agree or disagree because we don’t have definitive proof; hence we will stick with the less offensive ones. Here goes: -“Who need fi get lash so he could listen?” “Faber!”

-“Who is selling the cookie jar?” “Faber!”

- “Faber: we want democratic leadership not dictatorship!”

- “Faber: Teachers will not be moved!”

- “ B N T U - ke e p u p t h e pressure!”

-“TRAITOR: MoE and FABER” -“Run over run over, please send Princess Patrick over!”

-“Patrick come down; Faber come now!”

-“Patrick Faber was never a real teacher; a real teacher listens.

We demand respect!”

-“MoE and PM, the teachers a r e t a l k i n g t o yo u . B e t t e r listen!”

-“How many times will the teachers send Patrick to office?

ONE TIME!” - Va c a n c y – M i n i s t e r o f Education…Qualifications – Common Sense!

You see, the more Patrick says

that he is a teacher at heart, the more pissed the teachers are with him. You know why the teachers feel that way about “Princess Patrick”? The answer is simple as one, two, and three. When Patrick and the UDP were in opposition, he and his bally Dean Barrow used and misused the BNTU and the teachers to gain political mileage.

Now that he is in office, they are abusing the teachers. It doesn’t matter how much Patrick bitches and moans and cries. He will remain a traitor in the eyes of the teachers.

In fact Patrick even went fur ther and disrespected the teachers. He had the face of brass to say that the teachers on Independence Hill were either ignorant or politically motivated.

That’s a slap to the face of our educators and for that he will surely pay dearly.

In closing, I want to once more caution the little boy from Collet - the teachers will be back on Independence Hill! And guess what, Patrick? When the teachers

26 come back, they will wring every ounce of tears from your watery eyes.

If you were listening to the teachers Patrick, you would have heard that there is a vacancy. The teachers are in the process of receiving applications for the position of “Minster of Education.” The qualifications teachers are looking for is simple, to have “common sense.” Other duties are to “listen to us (teachers).” In other words Patrick, you, your incompetent colleagues along with the main clown (Barrow) are members of a ONE TERM government. UNO! Get the sense, ONE TERM! Do you like the teacher’s fum-fum?

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Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

The Belize Times comes apparent that the teacher in the classroom must have the utility to chastise a student if she is to adequately manage the classroom - which brings me to this matter of corporal punishment which has consumed our national consciousness of late. I think even the little toddler in pre-school is fully aware of this heated tug & war about corporal punishment. But all of us, it seems, have our own idea of what corporal punishment is. Listening to the talk-shows and people speaking generally about the issue, most think of corporal punishment ingenious ways to impart lessons, but as the “lashing” or “chancing” of a the inability of a teacher to properly child. But that is not what corporal manage the students’ roller coaster punishment is defined as in the law; emotions, hyperactivity, attention defi- specifically, in that new Education & cit disorder, ‘subduedness,’ disruptive- Training Act that was passed in the ness, mischievousness, inquisitiveness House of Representative last Friday. and the like make the job of teaching Corporal punishment in the new nightmarish. Lump onto this the al- law refers to “anything done to a child ready heady and heavy responsibility for the purpose of punishing a child of teaching, the fact that in the class- (whether or not there are other rearoom, in real time, the teacher has to sons for doing it) which apart from be a counselor and psychologist, who any justification, would constitute a must on her feet quickly assess a stu- battery.” It’s a mouthful that needs dent who is sleeping or daydreaming to be broken down and analyzed. or slouching in class and not only reTo put it plainly, the new law is alize something is wrong, but act. Be- saying that a teacher cannot punish or ing able to give of herself to those (at chastise a student if that punishment the very least) twenty or so students is a battery. And battery (not the kind in this way is demanding and if you those Jamaican dancehall artists sing think of it, it is a little undue hardship, about) is said to be committed when to the students and the teachers. The you, without the other person’s constudents may never get the full atten- sent, and with the intention to cause tion of the teacher, and the teacher him pain, fear or annoyance, forcibly will never be able to give her all to all touch him. the students all the time. Rather than That sounds to me that a teachbeing “ignorant” then, the teacher er cannot hereafter pat a student on more than anyone is knowledgeable his shoulder and tell him to behave about deficiencies in classroom man- himself. And it doesn’t have to be a agement. hard pat on the student’s shoulder Within this context then, it be- either. The law says that the slightest

S

PON DI GULLY

D This Corporal Punishment thing… E

By anthony sylvestre Reasonable chastisement of children by parents or others is lawful at common law. It seems almost incomprehensible then, that this boiling debate about corporal punishment has come to this; with the Minister of Education condescendingly calling the teachers names, amongst other things, being “ignorant”.

Anyone who has been in the classroom fulltime for a little while (myself, I taught for three years) will readily tell you that classroom management is the most critical part of teaching. You can prepare all the lesson plans with the most creative and

27 touch suffices if the intention was to put the student in fear. That teacher could now be charged with a criminal offence. I don’t know about you, but that just sounds like craziness to me.

What is a teacher to do now then?

And therein lies the teachers’ legitimate grouse and the reason for their protest in Belmopan last Friday.

I think a great many teachers, particular in the primary school, have had to, at some point, go up to a student and correct him by tapping the student and tell him to behave or chill out. To suggest that type of class room discipline is barbaric and needs to be abolished is as crazy as the definition of corporal punishment in the new law. Which has me wondering, by the way: was any actual study done to find out to what extent corporal punishment has been abused by teachers in Belize, if at all? Seems to me that the Minister of Education here (to paraphrase Hon. Cordel Hyde) is transplanting first world norms without regards to our third world realities.

I agree with the teachers: a little more time was needed to flesh out these details. Issues such as the definition of the word “corporal punishment” may seem superficial or trivial to many who are not in the classroom, but for those 5,000 plus teachers it is a matter of their safety and effective classroom management. Corporal punishment as defined in this new law will put a further strain on teachers. It will make their classroom management more difficult. It will in the end, create more undue hardship on the teachers. That can only, in the final analysis, have a negative correlative effect on the students.

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Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

G.O.B. - MARK MY WORDS: YOU FIGHT - YOU LOSE, GUARANTEED!

I have been toying with the idea of writing a piece with reference to unions ever since the change of government in February 2008. Of course my hesitation rested in the fact that I do not want to put myself out there as some specialist in the trade union movement in Belize. It did occur to me; however, that one of the pitfalls of governments in a pre and post independent Belize has been how best to relate to trade unions, once the power pendulum shifts in favour of political aspirants. I had hoped that the experience of being in opposition for such a protracted period together with the people’s desire for a better way of doing business, would have tempered all sides as they engage, seeking to resolve conflict in the interest of everyone.

I am always mindful that it could be said that it is precisely because of these facts that the UDP government has chosen to carryout consultations. In which case I would say don’t bother to read on. Before you go though, allow me to say to you that the calls and public statements by the leadership of both BNTU and PSU for positive inclusion and respect are not to be ignored or taken lightly; there should be no doubt that workers’ memories remain sharp.

Things just do not pass over.

In this vein the entire nation of Belize awaits the findings of the investigations into the unfortunate incident at the Tower Hill Factory in Orange Walk Town that resulted in the death of a unionist. It is the job of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize in the main and by extension every trade union organization in Belize to continually register its condemnation of this event and demand that it should never again happen in this country of ours. The NTUCB should renew its call for a transparent investigation and the release of the findings of such an investigation. NTUCB should further require that full disclosure of the process used in the investigation be released within a definite timeline. Be very mindful that every time a union asks its member to protest, that spectacle of a possibility exists that extreme force will be used and unions need to give the assurance that such an incident will never happen again or will not be tolerated. BNTU, PSU and the other members of the NTUCB should urge the redress of this issue. I will advance my arguments for trade unions demanding a place as equal partners at the development table by recounting a brief history of the movement in Belize.

There could be absolutely no doubt, in the minds of any Belizean rooted in knowledge of

things Belizean, of the importance of the role the trade union movement played in the history of this beautiful jewel of ours.

We cannot fail to give cognizance of the relevance of Antonio Soberanis Gómez or the Labourers and Unemployed Association (LUA) he founded in 1934. Antonio Soberanis In 1943 legally registered the British Honduras Workers and Tradesmen’s Union as a trade union. The British Honduras Workers and Tradesmen’s Union would change its name to the General Workers’ Union (GWU). The era of the modern labour movement therefore predates political parties in Belize and certainly was instrumental in the rise of the Peoples United Party (PUP) in 1950. It is instructive to recall that history relates that in the late 1940’s the GWU’s provided accommodation to the People's Committee (forerunner of the PUP) and in so doing lost their political capital and control to the PUP. This cooperation benefitted the PUP’s in that they were able to gather strength from the Union’s credibility with the workers all across this country and the utilization of the Union structures to their benefit and development.

On the other hand the leaders of the Union acquiesced and the leadership was effectively passed to the political party which in an effort to widen its appeal to Belizean departed from the Union’s so-called socialist ideology. As unionists we are aware that the GWU as a result of this collusion lost what was significant political clout and thereafter their role in the anti-colonial movement waned. This decline in influence and membership was exacerbated by the emergence of the Christian Workers’ Union, a rival Union to the GWU and sympathizers of the PUP in addition to the PUP’s reduction of the need for reliance on the GWU partnership, as they say the rest is history. By the mid 1950’s the PUP had its own countrywide organization and therefore needed no reliance or support from other organizations.

But which student of the history of the Belize trade union movement could forget that it was by the amalgamation of the Southern Christian Union and the Belize General Development Workers’ Union that the United General Workers Union (UGWU) was formed in the late 1970’s (1979).

Along with the emergence of the UGWU a new breed of union activist rose to prominence on the Belizean landscape and it was clear that they aimed to regain labour’s independent political voice. Their presence was felt loud and clear but of course any such attempt to regain a political voice would from a political standpoint reek. History tells us that the UGWU came under severe criticism for its ideology from unions, political parties, politicians, and from its own branch in Corozal who formed a new union contested and won UGWU for bargaining rights for sugar workers. These pressures were among what eventually lead to the waning of the UGWU political influence.

History will also reveal that at that time the Public Service Union of Belize (PSU) had significant sympathy/ties to the United Democratic Party. These sympathies held, for the most part, over these many years. Suffice to say that this author makes the point that the vigor of the UGWU to regain a political voice

still resonates and perhaps causes politicians on ascending power to curtail the Unions’ possibility of reclaiming this voice and with it a true role as equal partners in Belize’s development process. There are many political leaders who were in the fray of things during this era and they remember.

For the record the PM of Belize in 1983 entered electoral politics as a candidate for the Belize City Council elections. This was of course on the heels of the massive Union led protest over the infamous Heads of Agreement in 1981. There can be absolutely no doubt of the awesome force for change that a truly united workers movement possesses. The National Trade Union Congress of Belize needs to understand that it is only by reclaiming its’ political voice will any respect flow. It can be seen from this brief look (Continued on Pg. 29)

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G.O.B. - MARK MY WORDS: YOU FIGHT - YOU LOSE, GUARANTEED!

(Continued from Pg. 28)

at the history of the Belize trade union movement that no political force can stop unions that are acting in solidarity. That our greatest weakness lies in surrendering our people’s support and political voice in the hope that it will allow for a place at the table as equals.

This will never happen as long as we will approach the table as beggars; if before we engage we will be subjected to tactics reserved for bullies and if we will cower

under the treats of our own. The UDP who just a little over two years ago were courting us with humility and who but for our support would not have gained the mandate to work for us; now finds difficulty in simply treating us as equals to the extent provided by their oath to the nation and under the provisions of the Constitution of Belize. Simply to respect the fact that if the people of Belize could think before elections, why is it that once elected politicians

become the only ones with brains and mouth, which may not always be coordinated.

Mark my words: a fight with the Unions for any reason always ends one way, that’s just the way it is and always will be. The trade union movement of Belize has roots and many persons who have gone through its classrooms doors. Teachers are no ‘paidagogos ‘and if you doubt their resolve you will pay the price. Unions were here before you, they may

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take abuse but I guarantee that they will be here long after we are gone. There is no way in which the calls of the union should be taken lightly. There should be absolutely no way that anyone, not PM not the Minister of Education not the minister of housing, no political parties should feel that the discourse of the Union should be discounted.

The president of the Public Service Union Mrs. Jackie Willoughby-Sanchez said in a recent interview with Love FM that “Government is government.

They are always going to sensitize and highlight the politics. They highlighted the issue of the salary increase so as to hide the disrespectful way in which they have been treating the unions... We say they are disrespectful. Come to the table… “.

Mr. Panti, president of the BNTU on Love FM morning show February 24, 2010 indicated and called out the UDP Minister of Education for what he refers to as Minister Faber’s insulting and degrading words in reference to teachers at the House of Representatives meeting of February 19, 2010. ‘It boils down to disrespect’ said Mr. Panti. He however revealed that there was a meeting of the Joint Staff Relations Council on February 22, 2010. This is commendable but Mr. Panti further stated that this engagement must be base on respect… ‘If the minister of education wants to be respected he must show respect’.

The Government is playing games said Mr. George Frazier, Executive Secretary of the BNTU. I say again MARK MY WORDS: YOU FIGHT YOU LOSE, GUARANTEED! You can’t see this now, you will later.

You have been served a public notice. I opine it is in the interest of political parties to review their commitment to the workers of Belize and their Unions and that this review be premise on the history of this great movement and as equal partners in Belize’s development process.

Godwin Bernard Sutherland I. P. Eng, Q.S. Former PSU President (2 terms UDP & PUP)

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Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

Belize #1 Sports Page

Team Caribbean Pride wins Haulover to Boom canoe race

Burrell Boom Village, Feb 20, 2010 Team Caribbean Pride: Chris Guydis, Jermaine Sanchez and Justin Sanchez clocked 1:59:55 as they paddled from the Haulover Bridge against the current to the Burrell Boom tourism village to win the elite men’s division and 1st place overall in the 1st ever Haulover to Burrell Boom race held on Saturday, February 20.

Team Cruise Solutions lost one of their crew, Henner Cruz, but the other 2 paddlers Jerry Rhaburn and Efrain Cruz dug paddles to outsprint Team Belize Bank, the defending Ruta Maya champs Daniel Cruz, Amado Lopez and Erwin Cruz, for 2nd place in 2:03:18 seconds.

Belize Bank veteran Armin Lopez was missing in action, but his team still won 3rd prize.

Team Reagan International: Nolberto Seguro, Jeremy Sanchez and Sheldon Seguro clocked 2:06:15 as they paddled their canoe into 4th place; while the N.I.C.H. team: Oscar Cardona, Jimmy Valdez and Manuel Rodriguez paddled their canoe into a 5th place finish in 2:07:33.

Team Lost & Found: Janise Leslie, Eldon and Derwin Sanchez clocked 2:18:19 as they finished 6th overall to win 1st prize in the Mixed Division. The “Just Do It” team: Anthony Rodriguez, Orlando Habet and Francisco Coleman paddled their canoe to place 7th in 2:18:33.

Team Print Belize: Evelio Flores, Javier Guardado and Rudolph Gentle continue to dominate the Pleasure division, clocking 2:19:44 for their 9th place finish.

Team “Grumpy Old Men”: Jerry Wilken, Francis Codd and Stanley Bailey clocked 2:21:58 as they paddled their canoe into 10th place overall, also winning the Masters Division, over Team Jonkunu: Mike Searle, Johnny “Watt” Searle and Rupert Harris from Cristo Rey, who clocked 2:24:45 to finish 12th overall, the 2nd Masters team.

The 4-H Training Center canoe sponsored by the Ministry of Youth won the Junior Division, placing 13th overall.

This was the last of the preliminary races organized by the Belize Canoe Association, the final dress rehearsal in preparation for the annual Ruta Maya River Challenge, March 5 -8.

UB men win ATLIB national football champs

The University of Belize men won back to back to repeat as the Association of Tertiary Level Institutions of Belize (ATLIB) national football champions, at the tournament hosted by E.J.C. at the Carl Ramos Stadium on Sunday.

In Game 1 the Northern champs, the Belize Adventist Junior College (BAJC) men won 4-3 over the southern subchamps, the Sacred Heart Junior College (SHJC) men. Erwin Pott drilled home BAJC’s 1st goal and Edmer Petillo beat 2 defenders to slice the ball past the Sacred Heart’s goalie to lead 2-0.

SHJC’s Julian Maldonado’s cross in front of the goal found Carlos Vasquez who blasted the ball into the empty net vacated by BAJC goalie Antonio Aguilar who came out of his goal to challenge Maldonado’s play: 2-1.

BAJC’s Ardon Budna set table for Edner Petillo right in front of the center of the goal at the edge of the 18 yard box, and Petillo drilled the hapless SAJC goalie to lead 3-1 at the half time Erwin Pott blast in BAJC’s 4th goal early in the 2nd half to lead 4-1; then Bernel Valdez and Carlos Vasquez teamed up to narrow the deficit, serving to Julian Maldonado who scored SHJC’s 2nd goal. Maldonado returned the favor for Shannon Defour to score a 3rd goal for SHJC before the final whistle.

In Game 2 the southern champs the UB men blew away the Northern sub-champs, the St. John’s College Junior College (SJCJC) 5-0. UB’s Norman Elrington outran the SJCJC defense to bomb SJCJC goalie Armand Luna with the 1st goal and Dwayne Sampson soon

added a 2nd goal; then Sampson crossed to center for Elrington to finish for a 3rd goal before the half time break. Hugo Castillo came off the UB bench in the 2nd half to take over from a banged up Elrington and created the play for Zebedee Moore to score UB’s 4th goal.

Dwayne Sampson outran the SJCJC defense to drill home a 5th goal for the 5-0 win.

In Game 3, the championship final, the UB men blew away the Belize Adventist men 3-0. Danilo Marcelo scored the 1st winning goal and Dwayne Sampson drilled home a 2nd and a 3rd to lead 3-0 at the half. BAJC’s Ariene Swazo, Ardon Budna and Alwin Belizaire had their work cut out, but could not stop the UB strikers from drilling goals past the hapless goalie Antonio Aguilar at will.

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Belize #1 Sports Page

EJC girls win ATLIB national football champs

Dangriga, February 21, 2010 The Ecumenical Junior College (EJC) girls won the Association of Tertiary Level Institutions of Belize (ATLIB) national football championship, hosted

by E.J.C. at the Carl Ramos Stadium on Sunday.

In Game 1 the Northern champs, the Corozal Junior College girls, moved up to the finals by a 1-0 win against the University of Belize girls. CJC’s Patricia Espinoza and Yasmin Cob led the attack, backed up by midfielders Adrienne Kuylen, Shani Ucan, Yvonne Carcamo and Tanisha Ferguson. UB’s Florence Sue Cayetano and Jackie Pou led the offensive backed up by midfielders Yudy Augustine and Katrina Gotz, but the Corozal defenders Varsha Clarke, Cecilia Pech, Kristy Marin and Sandra Martinez held them to a nil-zip draw up to the half time break.

CJC’s Melanie Cummings and Kristy Marin entered the ball game for Cecilia Pech and Nori Vallejos, and the CJC coach introduced Ashanti Rowland and Danielle Mendez to take over from Tanisha Ferguson and Adrienne Kuylen and keep his team on the offensive.

Midfielder Shani Ucan took the initiative

to bomb the UB girls with the 1st goal on UB goalie Tamera Martinez, which proved to be the game winner.

In Game 2 the southern champs, the EJC girls also moved up to the finals by winning the penalty shootout 3-1 against the Northern sub-champs, the Muffles Junior College (MJC) girls from Sugar City Orange Walk, when regulation time ended in a 1-1 draw. EJC’s Tyler Savery and Janet Martinez led the Griga offensive, backed up by midfielders Nykemah Kuylen, Mildred Calderon, Earth Lopez and Isis Mendoza.

But it was Ruby Marin’s long free kick that beat EJC goalie Sandra Arzu to give the Sugar City girls a 1-0 lead up to the half time break. The Sugar City goalie Carla Stamp had been taking care of business to shut out the Griga girls, but she could not get up the vertical to stop Meredith Marin’s shot when the Griga sweeper launched a long lob from a free kick that sailed over Stamp’s outstretched gloves and just under the crossbar to tie the ball game 1-1.

In the penalty shootout, Tyler Savery and Daisy Montero converted EJC’s first 2 tries, but Stamp read EJC’s striker Nykemah Kuylen right and stopped her try.

For her part, EJC’s Sandra Arzu stopped

2 shots and the Sugar City girls missed their 2nd try, with only Zaira “Hannah” Bustillos scoring for the Sugar & Spice girls. EJC’s Meredith Marin delivered the coup de grace when she converted her try for the 3-1 win.

In Game 3, the championship final, the EJC girls won the final in a penalty shootout 3-1 over the CJC girls, when regulation time and 10 minutes of overtime ended in a nil-zip draw as the CJC goalie Keilin Sanchez had handled all challenges to shut out the Griga girls. The CJC girls had no better luck when they came up against the EJC defense of Daisy Montero, Monique Lamb and Meredith Marin, and goalie Veronica Arzu was on her toes, coming out of goal to forestall many attacks. The CJC girls got an opportunity to take a 1-0 lead when the EJC defense goofed into giving up a penalty, but Veronica Arzu collected the ball.

EJC’s Isis Mendoza and Tyler Savery converted their tries, but CJC goalie Keilin Sanchez stopped EJC’s 2nd try. The CJC girls missed their first 3 tries before Patricia Espinoza converted her try; then EJC’s Nykemah Kuylen stepped up to seal the deal by blasting the ball into the net for the 3-1 win.

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The Belize Times

Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

Luke Espat, Belizean Investor

The return of Michael Moses Leviy, better known as “Shyne” and also once known as Jamal Barrow to Belize, coupled with the arrival of well known celebrity Antonio “L.A.” Reid, a Grammy Award winning songwriter and record producer, as well as the Chairman/C.E.O., Island Def Jam Music Group, which has just signed Shyne to a multi-million dollar recording deal, has occasioned the Barrow administration’s dysfunctional tendency to attack genuine investors for no other reason than they are not UDP, to display itself again in the schizophrenic Guardian.

In its last week’s edition the Barrow administration and the UDP again attacked Belizean businessman Luke Espat in the pages of the Guardian, denigrating his investments with lies and smears. Though carefully worded, the attacks are clearly intended to damage Espat’s reputation and investments.

This is not news since Luke Espat has been a favourite target of the UDP for more than two decades now, but it was mildly surprising that it has continued since he has held absolutely no position in the PUP the past two years.

In the article the anonymous writer alleges that Espat gained control of the Port of Belize by convincing “Ralph to let him play a shell game that netted him the control of the Port.”

In an interview with the Belize Times today, Luke asserted that not only was this not true, but nearly

everything else that followed was also deliberately misleading, inaccurate and libelous.

The article continued by asserting that: “A sales agreement was drawn up that allowed for the sale of the Port at its depreciated book value, (not including the value created in the form of deep water access and abundant filled waterfront land paid for by GOB in the amount of some $40 million …”

The cowardly author not satisfied that that particular canard was enough goes on with malice to further assert: “Luke somehow was able to fudge a bond from a mysterious Bank in Miami guaranteed by Government and

took the port with no money down.

Somehow, with no explanation, that bond was retired by some unknown benefactor/lender, and lo and behold, the government supposedly got paid, but still the entire transaction even today remains shrouded in mystery, and even the government of today has not concluded definitively that the port was actually paid for.”

Espat goes on record to note that the Port of Belize was bought after an open tender process that saw it advertized for sale. “I am the only one who was brave enough to buy it,” he says, “because I was the only who saw where the potentialities were.”

As for whether or not it was bought and paid for Espat’s answer is straightforward: “As the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance all Mr. Barrow has to do is ask his Financial Secretary, he got the cheque in his hand, or check with the Central Bank.”

Despite the fact that Luke Espat has been building and investing in Belize for nearly three decades, the author “congratulates” him by not only attempting to list what he considers his “failures,” but also by his proclaiming that Luke is a miracle maker. For Espat, he opines, despite the controversies, secrecies and failures, “Other assets seemed to continue to miraculously appear.”

This is done without even a trace of sarcasm at this delusion. Why would his mysterious financier continue to bankroll this obvious “failure”? No financial institution that finances this size of investment portfolio would be so irresponsible as to not continually analyze and verify its long term viability,

and assure itself of its sustainability, if not profitability.

According to the unnamed author, although his blood relative Shyne has chosen to live in one of Luke’s other grandiose projects, the Renaissance Tower is another symbol of failure, even though there is nothing to match it in Belize and in the near future. The music princeling having eschewed the supposed opulence of every other habitat, including that which was purpose built by another uncle, must have lost his bearings to pay to be stared at by the bust of George Price.

Unwittingly the article ties together the investments--the cruise tourism port, the condominium luxury of Renaissance Tower, the entertainment attraction that is Crocland, and a health tourism concept--in a way that those who do read the article will believe that this is visionary. A born and bred Belizean investor has put together a remarkable package, and sure enough, his efforts are not without their critics.

The telling conclusion smells of the malice and envy and jealousy.

“Surely,” writes the poisoned pen in judgment, “it is time for the Cabinet to force legislative change to release the country from the exclusive agreements that bind Belize when it comes to dockage of cruise and other ships.”

Surely someone else wants to build a cruise tourism port, and want to bet they also want to build luxury condominiums, and attractions, and so on too? Want to bet they’ll be betting other people’s money? Who are these shadowy people? Who are the mysterious financiers? Who are these anonymous investors and where are they coming from?

But the more important question is why is the Barrow administration not interested in assisting and facilitating the development of the port, when there are literally thousands of jobs at stake for Belizeans, and hundreds of millions of dollars to be had by local tours and guiding operations and other ancillary services?

The article raises questions: who has access to the intimate knowledge and privileged information the author purports to have provided, and how is this possible?

“What they have forgotten is that I am here to stay,” says Espat in regards to this latest attack. “I have weathered worst storms before, and I’ll weather this one too.”

Luke Espat’s message is simple: “I am here to stay.”

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THE PATRIOT

Black? History?

Month? Part II

With only two days remaining, it is no surprise that up until my noisy grandfather clock makes it rendezvous with tonight’s eleven o’clock hour, there has not even been the pretense of an effort to give meaningful pause for Black History Month in Belize. But while the inconvenient issue of blackness is being ignored, the latest cast of black-lipped deviants is still jealously guarding their starring roles in the evening newscast.

The state of affairs is troubling.

I mean, in yesterday’s choking heat I strained with three heavy bags of groceries from the steps of Publics Supermarket, relieved only by the passing of a Nigerian taxi man. But as I waddled towards the back door of his taxi, urged on by the annoyed tooting horns of the line of cars backed up on the kennel side, I was accosted by a stocky, black male who could be no older than twenty five. With a healthy sternness in his voice he requisitioned, “A wah work wit wah lee smalls, boss. Anything, anything. I easy fi undastan.”

Aside from my surprise at the request from a “big strappin man” and my confusion as to why there was not even an attempt to assist me to load the capacity filled bags into the cab, there was a moment of despair which weighed heavily between us as he said with a measure of entitlement, “Ok, next time, right?”

The unsettling fact is that urban black neighborhoods recklessly or inadvertently, expend great energy encouraging black youths to become criminals and beggars. Gosh, there is a middleaged black man with one foot who shines shoes for money. What stops a healthy young male from finding ways to earn money? Well, as a society – parents, teachers, preachers and even social workers, beat into black youngsters that they are “victims of the ‘man’” which is code for “nothing is your fault, you can blame everything on “white/rich pipple”. No specifics are necessary; in fact, it is such an attractive pitch that in trying to qualify and detangle the sense of helplessness it fosters, the messenger is bound to be stained as racially insensitive. Our young black males quickly learn that they can find a community of solidarity among blacks of any age, including strangers, if only to complain about their victimization at the hands of an actively malicious force called “dehn”.

But “dehn” is no illusory giant with unmatchable and pernicious powers. Yes, society has failed these delinquent black males; but we, Belizean-blacks, have failed ourselves. The formula of black delinquency is as well known as its antidote. The solutions must be institutionalized, genuine and penetrating. Anything other than solutions is the hot air of self-serving and opportunistic exploitation.

Genuinely concerned blacks have been suckered by commercially and politically expedient agents to stick band-aid solutions on the injury of black male delinquency. Band-aids like CYDP, and gang truces which are two days thin. There almost seems to be a

conspiracy to keep young black males distracted and in conflict.

Why do I say this? Because we keep throwing money to programs on black adults, normally of voting age, rather than to strategically build resources in preventative programs for black boys.

When we ask ourselves, sometimes unfairly, how dehn man could just heng pan di block? Why dehn just di kill up one a nada?

Why dehn no go work? We really are asking the wrong questions and asking those wrong questions ten to twelve years too late.

The mid-year population census for 2009 showed that there are more male children born in Belize than female. In fact, it is a ratio of almost 1.04 males to every one female. Yet by the age bracket of 25 – 29 years, females out number males by a whopping ratio of 1.16 females to every one male. Weh gawn on between that time?

For sure dah no school, boss.

In fact, one of the most telling testimonials of our misplaced attempts at a solution is the educational matrix. Male and female children all start off bright and equal in primary school; a UNICEF study showed that primary school enrolment in Belize is above 95 per cent, but rates of drop-out, grade repetition and failure remain high.

Only a quarter of poor children continue on to secondary school and graduate.

Another government study supervised by outside observers revealed that up to one-third of primary school students dropped out before they turned 14. The shocker for me was that on top of that only 60 percent of students completing primary school attended a secondary school and it is almost twice as likely that the drop out will be a male.

Hold on. Bruk that down fi me inna small change. Using the data from a UNESCO study and taking the average classroom size in the city, of a class of 37 students who start out at Calvary Temple Primary School, statistically only 25 of them will make it to graduation night.

Then only 15 of that lot will attend Sadie Vernon High School but almost 11 of them will not make it to Prom Night. Get this, only one of the four who sit in those hot gowns listening to graduation speeches, is likely to be male. That is some sick math.

By the time we see them on the news at 14 - 21 they have already been destroyed. If there is to be an honest effort to get at this problem, we need to work with these boys between the ages of 0-9.

The other falsehood which has guaranteed that the black male community continues to fail is that we have bought into some feminist fad that we need to pump our resources to other groups; particularly, females!

What??? How we get deh? I don’t get that maths. Watch yah!!!

For every 30 man you see “holding” a charge there is maybe one female. But just to make sure, the Kolbe Foundation statistics answered any doubt, because of the 1432 inmates there, only 32 are fe-

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THE PATRIOT

Black? History? Month?

Part II (cont'd from pg 33)

male. Get that, family? 97% of the inmate population is male.

Look, it is widely accepted that there are far more programs and institutions for females. Darn, there is even a Women’s Department, a very active YWCA, an organization called Women’s Issues Network, and a plethora of other organizations that, in name, are at best unisex but in practice, female focused.

No one is complaining about helping women. But fact is fact.

Dah di man dehn deh inna crisis, big man. Society went the lazy and down right “facey” route of forcing women to correct our male problems. Why can’t we fix our own mess? Women are supposed to wash our clothes, fix our beds, iron our clothes, make our food, have we pickney and pan tap a dat fix our problems? That is surely the most pig headedly chauvinistic form of male narcissism.

Fixing it, ourselves is no easy task. There are no institutions monitoring youth of color and the needs specific to this crisis and at-risk group. But to be fair there are no real institutions, apart from Kolbe, for men period. Check this.

When looking at institutions for males, only two came to mind immediately; the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) and St. John’s College. Now imagine finding out that both, and I mean two of them, are headed by females. Wow. You can’t be serious.

What makes it worse is that according to the 4th World Conference on Women held in Beijing, the conservative figure is that 33.1% of households are headed by single females. Where are the black male role models?

Truth is that it takes a man to raise a man. With all these deadbeat Dads, there are no positive male figures to give black male boys direction. The men that have been raising our black boys are the older members of gangland who substitute as father figures.

Have u listened to the very endearing way gang members refer to each other? Coded into these references is a longing to belong, to matter, to be recognized and supported by a cause. It is a craving to be claimed by a “family” with male figure-heads that offer them some assistance.

One gang calls members of its set “blood”, an indirect reference to common blood line and the other calls its peers “cuz” which is the short for cousin. But the stinger is that most youths, in and out of gangs, call each other, “dog” or “family”. This is surely a sustained plea for loyalty and acceptance; something which has been deprived of them by almost half of their fathers, churches, and schools. Out here, you deh with who gat yuh back. The streets know this and have been recruiting all these stones that the society builders have rejected.

Yo, what happened to scouts, Brown Bombers, rangers, karate?

Mrs. Pat, what happen to little league baseball? Why we can’t recruit too? Shifting the value system and level of hope for these boys. Currently, young Black men articulate their visions of a better

life in almost purely materialistic terms. There is a preoccupation with the attainment of material goods like cars, clothes, jewelry, and other items that signify high social standing. Rarely are their images of loving relationships, long term constructive agendas or personal self-expression included in their visions of the ideal life.

We simply are waiting too long to develop black boys into black men. By the time we pay them any mind, they have already cuddled up with their resignation to live lives of delinquency. For many, deviant or criminal behavior is seen as the only alternative that they have, since continued poverty is out of the question for them.

In a skewered and uncorrected way, these young men are trying their hand at living. They are trying to exert themselves in the world. However, their world has presented them with notions about what it means to live meaningfully, while denying them access to the means that they need to live in that fashion. Thus, they either struggle against the opposition to fulfill the given ideal life, or they seek alternative, subversive ways of living that allow them to live meaningfully by denying the dominant culture’s portrayal of meaningful life.

My year long, Black History Month challenge for us, is to bite the bullet and reach our black boys; to fix our black families; to find our God; to create institutions and role models as guardians of their positive contributions to Belize’s Future. Black males have a constructive role to play and an unequivocal contribution to make to Belize’s future. Black males can contribute to Belize’s success shoulder to shoulder with our Mayan, Indian and Mestizo brothers, rather than enriching drug lords, lawyers, locksmiths, undertakers and politicians.

Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010

The Belize Times

Ministry’s Arrogance Meets Teachers’ Contempt

(Continued from page 1) were also introduced last week, with the single intention of rushing through legislation to secure foreign funding.

The BNTU accuses Minister Faber of consciously taking the decision to hurry the bill simply to secure US $15 million – despite knowing full well that widespread dissatisfaction among teachers would be a direct result of his actions. Thus the Minister – whose vision, according to the Ministry’s website, is to “work in collaboration with all education stakeholders,” seems (somewhat ironically) to have forgotten the single largest group of stakeholders in the entire education sector – the teachers themselves. According to President of the Orange Walk branch of the BNTU, Ms. Susie Vega, if he had simply delayed the second and third reading and presented the BNTU amendments alongside his team’s amendments, he probably wouldn’t have had teachers demonstrating at the steps of the House of Representatives

sitting.

However, others are even less forgiving of Minister Faber’s actions.

According to numerous participants, the demonstration was critical to thousands of teachers because, quite simply, the government’s behaviour signals utter disrespect for members of the profession. Representatives of the BNTU have been campaigning for peaceful dialogue with the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Education for months. BNTU members complain that as a group, teachers were portrayed at the House of Representatives sitting as being unwilling to relinquish corporal punishment within schools, whereas the reality is that teachers have for a while now been very open to discussion on alternative disciplinary action. A six-month timeframe to completely eradicate corporal punishment from our schools is utter ridicule, particularly in light of the poor training structure and almost non-existent alternative disciplinary methods currently offered

to teachers. According to the BNTU, the union should not in any way be held responsible for the inadequacies of the current system; the Minister has known for a long time that a focussed task force was required to deal with the issue of corporal punishment: the blame for the Minister’s inability to provide one can in no way be shifted onto the shoulders of the BNTU. Quite simply, to quote the BNTU, “the buck stops at the Ministerial level”.

In addition to this, according to Jaime Panti, BNTU President, it is not simply an issue of re-training staff and promoting different approaches to discipline (which is a huge undertaking in itself) – it is also an issue of defining what corporal punishment is in the first place, which is an issue that has not even begun to be tackled by the Minister.

Aside from these principal issues, several other complaints were voiced by the BNTU at Friday’s demonstration.

The BNTU categorically rejects a tribunal system which will be forced

upon its members without any guarantee of independence, nor any protective measures against bias. Another concern involves the apparent use of criteria in the appointment of the Chair of the Teaching Services Committee, which is unconstitutionally and undemocratically poised to destroy the very fundamentals of the education system.

There is no denying that thousands of teachers are downright disturbed by the course of events unfolding within the Ministry of Education at the moment.

While the demonstration was for the large part peaceful (except for some offensive name-calling), there is no guarantee that teachers’ pacifism will endure further mismanagement from the Ministry.

Already certain branches of the BNTU are vocally critical of the Minister, citing him as “stubborn” and “very arrogant”.

The next demonstration (whenever it may be) will doubtless by far less ‘gentle’ than the last, and far less forgiving of Minister Faber’s mismanagement of the situation.

LOTTO Impasse – Ministers Square Off!

In yet another example of the dys-functionality of this Dean Barrow administration there was no BEL 3 draw Monday and no draw again the following Tuesday night.

Word soon leaked out that there would not only be no BEL 3 draw Wednesday night, but there would be no Lotto draw either. For the first time in nearly two decades not only wouldn’t there be any numbers drawn, but no official would say anything.

By Wednesday afternoon the media

was reporting that Tropical Gaming’s license to operate the games had expired at midnight February 23rd, and had not been renewed and that rather than risk breaking the law, the company which has had an unblemished twenty year record of operations was closing down.

The following day Thursday brought word that after hectic negotiations Tropical Gaming has reached an agreement with the Government of Belize and would soon resume operations.

However, reliable reports today are that

while there is an agreement, no one has as yet signed on the bottom line.

The big hold up it turns out is that Minister of Economic Development Hon. Erwin Contreras was opposed to renewing the license. The sticking point is that Contreras may have “promised” the “Bradsledo” people that they would be able to get into the Lotto action too in Belize, but the Tropical Gaming people are saying that the country’s small market isn’t big enough for two to share.

Reports are that Cabinet was split down the middle with Patrick Faber, John Saldivar and Edmund Castro fighting hard against Tropical Gaming’s exclusive license being renewed and wanting Brads and its partner to have the right to also operate in Belize.

Tropical Gaming’s shareholders include several prominent UDP stalwarts, reportedly headed by Attorney General and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Wilfred “Sedi” Elrington.

It is being said that Brads is having problems getting Boledo sellers, including

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his own Chinese countrymen to sign up for his version of the Boledo and Sunday Lottery because he is asking for as much as $40,000 as an annual licensing fee.

They have been paying virtually little or next to nothing in fees the past several years to the Government of Belize so they don’t see why they should pay him that amount of money.

They also complain that it will still be a manual system, meaning that they will be selling chances from books, and that they are being told it will be at least three years before the game is digitized.

At last Friday’s House of Representatives meeting Contreras introduced an amendment to the Lotteries Control Bill that will give him the right to set lotteries fees and licenses and quite possibly abolish the Lotteries Control Board.

Some astute political observers believe that that may be a way of legitimizing certain practices for the minister, and could even be his retirement ticket.

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Tiger Woods bound for Arizona to continue sex addiction rehab: report

Tiger Woods is basking in the Valley of the Sun, according to a report by RadarOnline.com.

Three days after publicly apologizing in Orlando for serially cheating on wife Elin, the family has retreated to Scottsdale, Ariz.

The apology on Friday broke three months of silence for Woods - who remained mum while evidence mounted that the superstar golfer played around with more than a dozen buxom women behind his wife's back.

Woods said during the apology that he had completed 45 days of therapy "for the issues I'm facing," and said he was slated to begin "more treatment and more therapy."

Woods, his wife and their two Woods originally underwent rehab children later boarded a private plane amid heavy security and flew out of at the Pine Grove Behavioral Health and addiction Clinic in Hattiesburg, Orlando, RadarOnline said.

Rael to Tiger Woods: ‘Divorce and enjoy Polyamory!’

LAS VEGAS, Feb. 22 – Rael, leader of the International Raelian Movement, has sent an open letter to Tiger Woods urging him to stop making his life a model of guilt, sadness and conformism to antiquated Judeo-Christian values.

Such a model is a poor example to set for the younger generation, Rael advised the world-renowned golfer.

Some excerpts from the letter: “Adultery is not mental disease but a very normal behavior among both humans and animals. The Hite report shows that 70 percent of women in America and 72 percent of men married for more than 5 years say they’ve had at least one extramarital sexual relationship during their lives.

“The real disease of our society is the Puritanism and politically correct Judeo-Christian conformism that almost nobody actually follows in private life. Those trying to misguide others into condemning you in a kind of public flagellation are the ones who need therapy, not you. They are judging you through the lenses of their primitive education.”

“The only person close to you who needs therapy is your wife, who enjoys the fact that you spend time talking, partying and dining with other people as long as there is no insertion of your penis. Those few inches of flesh make her feel betrayed. If she doesn’t get therapy, you will be better off divorcing such a jealous partner to freely enjoy your sexual partners. I encourage you to explore what more and more people are calling ‘polyamory,’ which means loving many people simultaneously and with no jealousy.”

“Stop saying you dishonored your

sport. Your sport is one thing and your sexual life is another. In your sexual life, you don’t have to conform to any politically correct model.”

You pretend to be returning to 'normality' thanks to therapy and spirituality. What kind of normality is that? Which is normal: the happy, radiant and successful Tiger Woods or the selfflagellating, publicly guilty and desperate new Tiger Woods? And what kind of spirituality is helping you? Is it the old Judeo-Christian version that makes sex sinful and calls such pleasures 'a path to hell'?

A true spirituality never spawns guilt or social normalization. Instead, it promotes freedom and happiness by encouraging you to be different from others, not a robot conforming to repressive traditions.

I invite you to attend my next seminar, where you can experience an authentic spirituality that eliminates all guilt and fear and encourages you to fully enjoy your life, including sex with multiple partners or polyamory. The Raelian philosophy is supported by recent scientific research that proves human beings were created for pleasure.”

“I personally invite you to attend my upcoming, weeklong Happiness Academy in Las Vegas. The Happiness Academy will bring you back to the person you really are: a happy man with a healthy sexuality, always ready to enjoy new partners.”

Those sharing this spirituality of freedom can attend this seminar given

by Rael himself at the Alexis Park Hotel from March 27 to April 3” said Brigitte Boisselier, spokesperson for the International Raelian Movement.

Miss., but instead of returning there, the gossip site said Woods and wife surfaced in sunny Scottsdale.

They are planning to stay in Arizona for only a week, the Web site said. "Elin may not stay the entire week with him," a source told RadarOnline.com. "She (is) taking the marriage one day at a time."

Woods wants to take things slowly, too, apparently: "Tiger wants time with his family and he wants Elin to be part of his recovery," the source said. "He knows it's a long road to getting her to trust him at all again but he's taking it one step at a time."

That could make sense. The Grand Canyon State is home to several wellknown rehab clinics, including The Meadows in Wickenburg, where Woods was rumored to seek treatment late last year. The clinic is about an hour northwest of Phoenix, and has reportedly treated other celebrity sex addicts such as David Duchovny.

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The Belize Times

Sunday, FEBRUARY 28, 2010