Sunday, April 4, 2010
The
The Belize Times
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Belize Times The Truth Shall Make You Free
SUNDAY APRIL 4, 2010
Issue No. 4687
$1.00 www.belizetimes.bz
Barrow’s April Fools Bukut
When you read this article on Wednesday, March 31, you will be only hours away from feeling the first crushing blows of the new taxation regime imposed by Mr. Barrow. Those taxes, calculated to bring in somewhere around $110M in new revenue for GOB’s coffers, will take effect on April 1 – April Fool’s Day. The day of its implementation is fitting, because the Prime Minister is indeed taking Belizeans for fools when he blithely refers to the worst budget Belizeans have even seen as ‘Recovery Today… Prosperity Tomorrow!’ Under this Barrow administration, there is little hope for recovery and the only prosperity being enjoyed is by Mr. Barrow and the
Senators Veto Barrow’s Budget
UDP. As Belizeans head out to celebrate the first day of the Easter Holidays, the price of goods and services will have already gone up. As we go to press, businesses have already started adding a note on invoices stating that as of Thursday, General Sales Tax of 12.5% will be implemented on all goods. Shopkeepers have already started to increase the cost of basic goods on their shelves. Professionals are already preparing to increase the cost of services offered. Barrow claims that his increase in tax will somehow be good for the poor of Belize. But the reality is that the 25% increase in (Continued on page 35)
Scotiabank Jacked
Security Guard Murdered
When 32 year old Stephen Lopez received instructions this morning to report to the Spanish Lookout branch of Scotiabank, he had already sensed that something bad was going to happen. Lopez had worked all night at Belize Natural Energy, where he is normally stationed, but after a foiled robbery
attempt last week at a business in the community, the firm assigned him to the location to cover for another officer who did not show up. So at around 8:30 when five masked armed men entered the bank and ordered everyone on the floor the moment that he (Continued on page 35)
Together we will build back our party, back to the beginning. Sound the call, for I say to you now, throw open the big blue and white doors! Open the windows and let the sun shine in. For it is the dawn of a new day. A PUP for all and a time to sing again “Welcome, Welcome to the Party, PUP fi all ah we.
– John Briceno (March 30, 2008) Exactly two years ago, John Briceno was victorious at a convention held by the People’s United Party in the nation’s capital, Belmopan. He emerged as the new leader of the Party and on that day, March 30, 2008, committed to PUP (Continued on page 35)
Real Unity... Real Change!
Senators Godwin Hulse and Paul Perriot, the business and union representatives in the Senate, joined People’s United Party representatives Eamon Courtenay, Corona Villafranco and Lisa Shoman in voting to reject the General Revenue Appropriations (2010/2011) Bill, 2010 at a today’s meeting of the Senate. All six senators appointed by the ruling UDP and Senator Henry Gordon, who represents the Belize Council of Churches, voted to ensure its passage. In a debate which featured contributions from all twelve senators and lasted six hours, the dissenting senators were spirited but cogent in making their arguments. Senator Godwin Hulse may have jumped the gun in being the first to speak and concentrating on the Income and Business Tax (Amendment) Bill 2010 whose primary objective is to raise that tax from 1.75 to 6.5% on electricity suppliers. In a very precise presentation Hulse, who is a member of the board of directors of Belcogen, Belize’s cogeneration electricity project lambasted
the Government for its utter lack of consultation and said electricity suppliers felt that they were being “unfairly targeted and singled out.” He predicted that the increased tax will cause Belize Electricity Limited to increase rates. In rejecting the Budget the National Trade Union Representative Paul Perriot said it was not consistent with reality, and that he did not believe that anyone would be bold enough to suggest there was anything strategic about the Budget. Not only was it long on rhetoric and short on substance, he opined, but it did not live up to expectations because Belize’s position on the United Nations Human Development Index had declined the past few years from 80th to 93rd. In a surprisingly detailed presentation he not only pointed out the Bill’s shortcomings, but offered some recommendations. PUP senators Eamon Courtenay and Lisa Shoman were blunt in their condemnation of the Bill, with Courtenay (Continued on page 35)
Are YOU Better Off Today?
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The Belize Times
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Questions to Ministers
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Tuesday’s Hangover
So the budget was passed last Friday and when Belizeans return from the Easter weekend holiday, the new taxes will go into effect. What everyone needs to understand is that even with the new taxes, Belmopan is dealing with an estimated budget shortfall of about $80 million and it could get higher. This could mean that if the budget isn’t realigned as the economy shrinks or grows, government can be out of cash by November, maybe earlier. Since the Prime Minister already passed the banking bills to increase Treasury bills and Treasury notes, it is likely that he will look to this to finance the gap. The other alternative would be even more unpopular than the banking bills. It would also send alarm bells to more than just those in banking and finance. Imagine how much more unpopular this administration would be if it had to make cuts in education, health and other important programs that help the poor? Already Belizeans are angry over the cuts in the budget of National Security. In his presentation during the debate Minister of Education Patrick Faber said that they cut about 700 scholarships in the past year alone. His reason was that some of these people were in the system for far too long. Belizeans should also expect cuts in other services provided by the government. Here are suggestions for how we can avoid bringing more pain on the Belizean people: Revisit the windfall tax threshold. Don’t be frightened by BNE, it is not as if they can pack up and go to Costa Rica. If we are asking Belizeans to give more, then ask our biggest corporate citizen to give more as well. Set the windfall at $60 a barrel and to show Belizeans you care, take the earnings from this and use it to give the $300 tuition grant to all high school students. If more is left, then put it towards the NHI Programme so that you can roll out NHI to some of the people in the villages in the north. Let us pay more for our booze. Neither party wants a fight with the two main rum producers in Belize, but at the same time neither party should appear to be afraid of liquor producers. Increase the price of a quart of locally produced rum by $1 and on all imported liquors by $3. Then use this money to pay for the feeding programmes in our schools and for after school programmes. When you revise the budget, cut fairly not politically. Education is an investment so we must never cut education, however we can cut substantially from the press office and get rid of the half a million in administrative costs that you will be giving to the Ministry of Tourism. Also reduce the travel budget by $200,000. If the Conference will not be sponsored by the host country then we do not have to go. The CARICOM Secretariat attends most of these conferences anyway, so we can ask them to represent us and forward all the important documents. Reduce the Government’s Fuel Bill – Every morning hundreds of Senior Public Officers commute to Belmopan from Belize City and elsewhere. Enter into a contract with one of the bus companies to provide buses to move senior officers to Belmopan. Keep the government vehicles for movement in and around Belmopan. You can have more than one bus run in the mornings and in the evenings to facilitate movement of people to and from the Capital. To help public officers and teachers plan for the future, provide them with a tuition credit to attend courses in areas like sustainable development, environmental planning, budget management, leadership and other career enhancement initiative. If there is one thing about tough times, it is that they don’t differentiate PUP from UDP. When haad times come they hit everyone, except of course for the few that profit from their proximity to the political leadership. But save and except these precious few, this “tax wap” is going to hurt all of us. Let us try and weather the storm together.
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Would the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance please say what was done with the $7.5million realized after the close of BTL’s financial year, since shareholders only received minimal dividends and a fraction of the profits? Would the Minister of Education be willing to provide a list of those 700 persons whose scholarships were taken away? And would the Minister be willing to admit that they were all cases of political victimization? Would the Minister of National Security please explain why the budget for the Police and the BDF was cut when this is one of the areas which need the most attention from GOB?
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Would the Minister of Works please say why his ministry has abandoned the stretch of road near mile 7.5 on the Northern Highway? Would the Minister be willing to say if that portion of road will take as long to repair as the Kendall Bridge is taking to replace?
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Would the Minister of Foreign Affairs please say why it was necessary for the ministry to open another office in Belize City when there are already adequate facilities in Belmopan?
Hypocrite of the Week
This week’s hypocrite par excellence is none other than Minister Pig, the fat fellow from Belmopan who is utterly lacking in mental or physical agility but is bulging at the seams with duplicity and backstabbing tendencies. John Saldivar has caught our attention in a most unfavourable light even as the UDP’s political rag last week placed him on the front page in all his flabby glory, hailed for halting a land grab. What the article didn’t mention is that Saldivar was the one who set the play in motion before he ran behind the skirts of the Minister of Lands and tried to imitate Pompous Pilate. It is in fact Minister Pig who dispatched some of the youth from Belmopan to mile 41 to occupy land which was privately owned. It was Minister Pig who pointed out
that the owner was either dead or in jail so it wouldn’t be a problem. What Minister Pig couldn’t foresee is that the mini-movement to mile 41 would turn into a full-fledged exodus, as hundreds upon hundreds of Belizeans have jumped on the ‘opportunity’ to claim a piece of the jewel for their own. Now that it has turned into a media circus, Minister Pig wants to place himself in the position of upholder of law and order. He has gotten the Cabinet to issue a stop order on all development on the land, claiming that GOB will do things the right way – acquiring the land and then parceling it out as they see fit. Except that the people don’t want to hear that. They don’t trust Minister Pig, and some of them are saying that the fat one is involved in a deal to sell off the land to wealthy interests including the oil company. Minister Pig isn’t fooling anybody. He is caught between a rock and a hard place in Belmopan and will no doubt get the shaft for his duplicity. Because of the hypocrisy of Minister Pig, the land issue at mile 41 has turned into a national crisis. No matter what pedestal he hops on, Belizeans know the truth – whatever happens now will be on the head of this issue’s premiere hypocrite, Minister Pig.
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Roberto Peyrefitte
Sunday, April 4, 2010
The Belize Times
If Da Noh Soh…
Desperately seeking physical agility… Shame on our deputy leader for pointing out Minister Pig’s obvious lack of physical and mental agility! Apparently fatty took the insult seriously, especially after he was the butt of jokes from his colleagues
and friends. As I was heading out of Belmopan early this morning, there was the large fellow decked out in neon spandex running the ring road and working up a sweat. Seems like he was told by persons close to him that while it’s far too late for him to do anything about his mental agility, (lost cause) he can still do something about his physique, or lack thereof. We wish Minister Pig loads of luck, because by any estimation the job task that he has taken on is gargantuan…If Da Noh Soh!
some 70 days of leave which he has accrued. This comes on the heels of Barrow informing the Bar Association that he has decided not to renew Conteh’s contract and is important in the context of allegations that Barrow is interfering in the judiciary. According to reports, this leave is it for CJ Conteh, and he will not set foot on the bench again. Remember Sedi’s bold-faced endorsement of Justice Manuel Sosa for the position of Chief Justice…well word is that Sosa is indeed on the very short list of those being considered for the post. The brother of the prime minister was also reportedly on that list, but his name has been bumped down after the recent decision in the BEL vs. PUC case in which his impartiality came into question…If Da Noh Soh! Firing imminent… The UDP has been proudly boasting about some 500 persons who were allegedly hired under the rejuvenation project and the deliberate insinuation by Mr. Barrow and Mr. Boots was that
Sloppy drunk… Did anybody manage to get a close look at the saturated minister from up north last week Thursday in the House?
He arrived late for the debate and all indications were that he was either drunk or still sodden from the night before. He managed to hold out for an hour or so, throwing stupid comments across the floor before falling into a deep sleep. Apparently the fellow didn’t learn his lesson from the week or so before when he and his driver were caught in the ministerial ride drunk out of their minds. Coincidentally, the policeman who filed the report and arrested the saturated minister’s driver has been transferred from his post in San Narciso to way out west in Bullet Tree. The bald leader better do something about the saturated minister before the fool kills somebody while under the influence…If Da Noh Soh! New Chief Justice… Word reaching this columnist late this evening is that the Chief Justice Abdulai Conteh has been forced to take
this project would continue. That is, until our very own deputy pointed out in the House that there is only a small allocation in the budget for that project as opposed to the $5million last year. Gotcha! Look out for it, people. There is no money available to pay for the so-called rejuvenation of the city, so all those people who were hired will be given the axe sooner rather than later. Wonder who will explain that one? Our guess is it won’t be the golden-tongued wonder who’ll be conveniently busy when that time comes around…If Da Noh Soh! Tiptoe Ceasar… Net ‘Tiptoe’ Vasquez earned his nickname from his posture while using
the urinals at BTL (those damned adult urinals) but the little fellow hasn’t let his stature get him down. According to reports, every morning at 8:15 promptly his driver and a secretary must report to his office bearing platters of seedless grapes and apples for his pleasure. Talk about doing it like a little emperor. Wonder who pops the grapes in his mouth and who stands behind him fanning while he enjoys his repast…If Da Noh Soh! More firings at BTL… And just to set the record straight, the firings continue at Barrow
Telemedia Limited. A source tells us that three employees were let go last week, with another scheduled to be
axed by the end of this week. Did you think we were joking when we made reference to the list of suspected PUP supporters which was requested by the Board of Directors…If Da Noh Soh!
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position. I got some bad news for you, Marcy. Gapi has already put out a hit on you and there is no way in hell that you’ll get the nod in the north. But hey, nothing beats a trial but a failure and if you’re in the mood for kissing a$$, I hear there’s a certain businessman in hardware supplies who just might entertain you…If Da Noh Soh! Elrington’s nephew… Does anybody know if there’s a reward being offered for the nephew of Attorney General Sedi Elrington? The guy is a fugitive from justice in the US, where he is wanted in connection with a home invasion and kidnapping. We hear that an application for his extradition was handed in to the AG but oops,
No show Coy… Apparently since his public flogging by his boss Mr. Barrow the area rep from down south Juan Coy has been keeping a low profile. He’s been content to harass villagers who do not support him by using the police force
which for some reason seems to have been placed at his disposal. Rumour has it that Mr. Coy is also busy most days imbibing the forbidden beverage and at times does not even remember where he is much less that he is the area representative. That must have been the case on Saturday, when the Tumul Kin institute held the grand opening of its expansion. Mr. Coy was to have been the guest of honour, we hear, but up to now nobody has seen him so everybody assumed he was just a little confused and got lost, poor fellow…If Da Noh Soh!
he seemed to have lost it somewhere. Blood is thicker than water or justice, right Saint Sedi? Anyway, talk about hiding in plain sight. The gentleman who has eluded and continues to elude the authorities in the US is living the high life in Belize. In fact, he was at a party on Saturday night lamenting the fact that the Belize Times has been so brazen as to put the finger on him. Hell, he should stop worrying about being fingered in the media. If there is a reward being offered for him, we’d lead the authorities to his house for sure…If Da Noh Soh! Sissy-boy Joe… We’d like to take this opportunity to offer just a word of advice to our friend Joe from Wave Radio, the fellow
He left his balls at home… Jeez, but Orange Walk area rep Marcel Cardona was a pitiful picture as he came hat in hand to the budget debate and sang for his supper in a high pitched falsetto. Somebody close
to me leaned over and remarked that it appeared that Cardona forgot to put on his balls when he left home. I would tend to agree, but sure as hell I’m not going to go verify that. Anyway, after Cardona frittered and fluttered and did everything but curtsey and kiss Mr. Barrow’s feet, it occurred to me that the PM has announced that he will be reshuffling Cabinet after village council elections and if there is anything that Marcel loves more than his pride is his
with the 20 year old hair and 100 year old face. It seems that the fellow has been bitten by the homophobic bug and has started calling people derogatory names. But the thing is that if Joe really wants to find some sissyboys, as he calls them, he doesn’t have to look too far from home at all. We’ll leave it at that because we’ve decided to take the high road and leave family out of the gutter, but don’t test us, Joe, cause we’re not afraid to get down and dirty…If Da Noh Soh!
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The Belize Times
May the glory and the promise of this joyous time of year Bring peace and happiness to you and those you hold most dear,
Sunday, April 4, 2010
History teaches us about an annual procession entering Jerusalem to mark the beginning of the week of Passover, the most sacred week of the Jewish year. Like Passover for the Jews, Christians mark the start of Holy Week on this same day, which we all know as Palm Sunday. For many, this week, which ends with Easter, is the most sacred week of the Christian year. This Easter, Christians in Belize will mark the occasion by going to Church, giving candy and Easter eggs to the children and especially by giving thanks to God for the great sacrifice of his beloved son. Christians believe that to make ready for Easter, to celebrate the Resurrection of the Christ, one must first enter a period of reflection and repentance. The period of Lent, which is this time of reflection and repentance, is a time of sacrifice, of cleansing, and preparation for the moment when we believe redemption comes. In a more secular Belize, Easter is our extended weekend. It is a time when Belizean families get together to go on a trip or to attend the numerous events planned around the country. The two extra days of holiday provide for much recreation, but for some it provides an opportunity for rest and relaxation. Of course the Easter Weekend or Semana Santa, is also the occasion of the Annual Cross Country Classic, one of Belize’s most prestigious events and a race that tests the endurance of its participants. Whether Belizeans will use this Easter weekend to mark the religious events or simply as our version of a spring break, this Easter weekend will be like no other, for it will come at a time of great unnerving. On Thursday, 1st April, which is the start of the financial year, a series of new taxes will roll out. With these new takes will come new demands on our people, especially the poorest among us; it will also come with more job cuts and less opportunity for Belizeans to prosper. We all know that there are times in life when we must sacrifice, when we are required to give more. Often we do this willingly, but when the purpose is just and the reward is improvement. These new taxes which Belizeans are being asked to pay will be burdensome and will come at a time when we are already making do with less. There will be no real reward at the end of this period of sacrifice, which for us is disheartening. As a nation we have faced adversity and oppression before, and with the grace of God, and because of our love of country and liberty, we endured. We in the PUP will always believe this because we believe in the strength and determination of the Belizean people. So as we prepare for the start of the new financial year, as we brace for the new challenges ahead, we are every mindful of the formidable strength we Belizeans possess. Like our Cross Country Riders, we will endure the hardship and weather the storm, always moving forward. May the glory and the promise of this joyous time of year bring peace and happiness to you and those you hold most dear, and may Christ, Our Risen Saviour, always be there by your side to bless you most abundantly and be your loving guide. On behalf of the People’s United Party, I wish all Belizeans a safe and blessed Easter.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
The Belize Times
UDP Politics as usual
No protest you say… The Prime Minister on Friday very smugly stated that there was nobody outside on Independence Hill protesting against the United Democratic Party and their budget for 2010/11. He said it as if to state that all is well, then, with his administration and with the budget. I guess the prime minister thinks that his ad saturation campaign and his flowery words coupled with the distraction antics of the rest of the UDP bunch worked wonders. And of course Mr. Barrow has this dandy trick where he buries his head in the sand and just pretends that all is honky dory. His head must have been firmly immersed when the business community lashed out at the budget, claiming that it lacked thought and cohesion. And of course the prime minister did not notice when the NTUCB threatened boycotts if the budget is passed, because he did not mention that at all. And when tourism stakeholders claimed that the new taxes would cripple the industry? Well, the prime minister must have been asleep when that happened. But no worries, Mr. Barrow, in another week or so when the prices start going up at the shops and stores across the country, you’ll get the sense of the Belizean people for sure. Perdomo must go… As this is being written, word is that there were two more murders over the weekend and more than a dozen shootings. That’s actually no real news, because the violence on the street is so bad that it has become almost commonplace. Besides that, the latest spate of robberies are ample evidence that the criminals do not respect or fear the police department and feel that they can prey on law-abiding citizens with impunity. Nobody believes the statistics being circulated by the police, which consistently show a reduction in crime despite what is obvious on the streets. Crime is out of control, the police are considered the enemy and morale within the department and the community at large is at an all time low. Carlos Perdomo as the Minister of National Security is an abject failure. Everybody knows that. Yet the sense we get whenever the subject of crime is raised around the minister is that he doesn’t really realize how bad things are. He just mumbles some crap about the hard work the department is doing and how it will take time to clean things up – cold comfort for Belizeans. In the House on Friday, Perdomo’s contribution to the issue of crime was to point out that there were rogue politicians in the past PUP administration. That was it, his two cents worth of glory. His colleagues snickered and giggled and patted him on the back. Belizeans need more than that, Mr. Minister. It’s obvious that you can’t do the job. You should just leave. Gapi pats his own back… Even the media reported it as a shameless round of self-praise. While Belizeans are out here suffering, the UDP members in the House spent Friday patting themselves on the backs. Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega was in typical form, praising himself for a whole series of imagined achievements in the Ministry of Natural Resources. Everybody knows that the Ministry has never been more corrupt than it is under Gapi. Everybody knows that victimization has become a buzzword at the Ministry. Gapi should stand up and tell the honourable House how many parcels of land he has arbitrarily taken away from poor Belizeans – how many leases have been cancelled for no reason other than political malice. Gapi is like the rest of his clueless colleagues. They have completely lost touch with the reality out here. That is why they can sit in the House and laugh and run jokes like this is a time of plenty. But poor Belizeans out here don’t get the joke. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again. Frustration is mounting out here. These are desperate times. Land is one of the more volatile issues in the country. Gapi should be very careful how he messes with people’s land. What now John? In the House of Representatives, Minister Pig was accused of lacking mental agility. Perhaps that’s why he still hasn’t figured out what to do about the mess he created at mile 41 on the Western Highway. According to the Minister, he only gave instructions for a couple people to go out there and grab a piece of land. But he underestimated how many people would try to hold onto their piece of the jewel. Now that land is being claimed and cleared hand over fist, Minister Pig has backtracked and is seeking sanctuary in the bureaucracy of the Ministry of Natural Resources. But Mr. Saldivar’s backward behavior isn’t flying in Belmopan. More and more Belizeans are heading out to mile 41 to make their claim, putting Minister Pig in a serious pickle. See, Minister Pig, people don’t trust you or your minister of natural resources. People have no confidence in you or your minister of natural resources. People don’t want to wait for you or your minister of
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natural resources because they know that only UDP cronies will get land then. Next time you get up in the House, Minister Pig who is lacking in mental and physical agility, perhaps you could tell the truth about the land at mile 41 and inform the nation just what you intend to do about what is a growing concern. Why another MFA? Can anybody explain why the Government is opening another branch of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Belize City? Can anybody explain the necessity of that move when the economy is in recession and Mr. Barrow has just informed Belizeans that we need to find $110M more to give to them this year? The new MFA office will be housed in the Turton Building on Coney Drive, a very pricey piece of real estate. Not only that, but the office of the First Lady will also be located in that building. Why does there need to be an office for the First Lady? And if reports are true, why is it that taxpayers are paying for that office for the First Lady? In what capacity will she serve Belizeans, pray tell! Maybe the new MFA office will be used to handle the career of the Prime Minister’s rapper son. That’s not so farfetched, especially since the Director of International Affairs Protocol and staff and resources from MFA were used to facilitate a multi-million dollar deal recently signed by Shyne. Belizeans are still wondering why we had to pay out of our already lean pockets so that Shyne could be smiling all the way to the bank. Saint Sedi has a lot of explaining to do. Perhaps he should have done so at the House on Friday rather than joining the back-patting brigade. And what about BTL? It’s been seven months since Mr. Barrow hit his head one morning and decided to take over BTL – seven months since he put his exwife and son at the helm; seven months since he hailed brimstone and fire on the private owner of BTL while banging his chest and pledging to do all sorts of wonders with the company. Access to VOIP is a certainty, said Mr. Barrow. BTL will now belong to Belizeans, claimed Mr. Barrow. Through efficient management BTL will be able to offer better rates, stated Mr. Barrow – just jump on my red bandwagon and presto abracadabra voila – it shall be done. Yeah, well Belizeans are still waiting for all that but so far nothing. No cheaper rates, no access to VOIP. The company is losing money and Barrow still has not been able to say how much he will pay the previous owner for jacking his company. Seven months and Barrow is clueless. The international community is watching. It was bad enough that Mr. Barrow would jack a private company on a whim. It is worse that he hasn’t been able to come up with the money to pay compensation. But the worst thing by far is that Mr. Barrow doesn’t seem to know what to do with BTL now. But if Mr. Barrow ran the country’s economy into recession in a little over a year, what did we expect him to do with BTL? New government vehicles… The other day when the talk of official recession first surfaced but when Belizeans had already been suffering for a long time, Mr. Barrow spit in our faces by buying a brand new late model Toyota Land Cruiser with heated seats for his minister of health (conservatively valued at $160,000). Now that we’ve been told that we need to find $110M more to pay in taxes, word is that Mr. Barrow has again just purchased new vehicles, one of which has been given to the Belize Rural Central area representative Mike Hutchinson. At a time when Mr. Barrow should actively be looking at ways to cut his administration’s spending, he is instead incurring new expenses to make his colleagues more comfortable. This is typical Barrow, expecting the masses to suffer and take the brunt of the punishment while the select few enjoy the sweets.
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It’s been days since the Kendall Bridge was washed away. How much longer must we wait for a new bridge, Mr. Prime Minister?
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PARTY PAGE
The Belize Times
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Women in Politics THE BLUE MACHINE
PUP Village Council Conventions held in Cayo North
ANNOUNCING
the 60th Anniversary Celebrations of the People's United Party Coming Soon
We Are The PUP
Sunday, April 4, 2010
The Belize Times
Two More Murders in the City‌
Two men joined the growing list of names on the Police blotter of unsolved murders. While they were allegedly good friends, they reportedly led very different lives. One was a "no nonsense, let's settle it now" kind of person while the other was the neighbourhood's errand man, willing to do almost any favour to make a living. Their killings happened less than 12 hours apart and leave a trail of questions for police to answer. First, 32 year old Winston "Baja" Jones, who lives on East Canal, was gunned down not far from his home as he stood waiting to get served at around 8:30 on Saturday night at Fu Fu Shop at the corner of the canal side and Dean Street. His killer, a youth who waited for him at a nearby alley entrance just feet away, came from through the other side of the alley, which also adjoins another section of Dean Street. Jones, who was hit in the chest and the lower abdomen, died shortly after at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Jones was no stranger to the law.
On January fifth 2005 he and three others were charged for the Christmas Eve murder of off-duty Police Constable Nedi Reymundo, who was gunned down shortly after getting a haircut at Dale's Barbershop on East Canal. Jones was never convicted. But his killer did not appear to be satisfied with that. Police believe that
For the past three weeks now there has been a stir at mile 41 on the Western Highway, prompted when a group of Belizeans who have invested monies to developed an abandoned piece of private land were ordered to "cease and desist" by personnel from the Ministry of Natural Resources. The land is owned by a Taiwanese businessman who left the country several years ago and is said to have passed away since. His land taxes have soared with the years of abandonment and over the last few years, several families, including Belizeans and Guatemalans have squatted on the 1,300 acre property.
Originally called Capital Gardens, the immigrants who settled there renamed the area Valle Nuevo. On Sunday the Belizeans who have invested on the land held a meeting to organize a way forward. Headed by Nigel Petillo, the group has collected over 2,000 signatures of interested Belizeans who want to farm the land. Petillo and his supporters, including surveyors, have been marking off portions of the land and assigning them to people whose names are on the list. And now the Chairman of Cotton Tree Village where the area falls, Florentino Baeza, says he too supports the idea. Baeza says he will write, if
Winston "Baja" Jones
Philip Roches
either he or someone connected to him went back to Jones' house the following morning, spraying bullets at anyone in sight. Unfortunately for 36 year old Philip Roches, who was chopping grass for Jones' wake, he stood right in the line of bullets and was shot four times, The shot that claimed his life ripped through
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his brain, entering from the back of the skull and lodging in the front. Jones' brother and nephews who were at home dodged the hail of bullets. The killer is described as a small-bodied male who wore a dark cloth over his face and hopped the zinc fence to Jones’ yard. The killings of Roches and Jones have left cops without a trace or a lead or anyone in sight of an arrest. This does not auger well for a government whose proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year has a sharp cut in all the major ministries, including the sadly lacking Ministry of National Security which is responsible for the police. But what makes matters is that the police are now expecting people to identify hard core murderers on the street, when this puts their lives in direct danger. It is clear that the police cannot deter crime not yet committed, and worse, they can't solve the ones already committed. Where is the Minister responsible?
Why are Belizeans being prevented from settling at Ml 41?
Nigel Petillo
necesssary, to the Ministry to implore help for the people of his village. Some of the Guatemalans who have relocated to the area say they were promised their parcel by Cayo South Area Representative, Ramon Witz, when he campaigned in the area leading up to the 2008 General Elections. Since then, Witz has been a rare sighting in the area. While the government maintains that the land will be distributed on a first come first serve basis, Petillo and the 2,000 supporters plan to hold another meeting shortly to continue their process of attaining their land.
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The Belize Times
Sunday, April 4, 2010
COURT NEWS BDF Corporal Remanded on Ammunition Charge
Cpl. Dennis Ireland
BELIZE CITY, Mon. March 29, 2010
B e l i z e D e f e n c e Fo r c e Cor poral Dennis Ireland, 24, who was allegedly found with one round of 5.56 ammunition, was charged with keeping ammunition without a gun license when he appeared today in the #5 Magistrate’s Court. Ireland, who wa s r e p r e s e n t e d by a t t o r n e y Sharon Pitts Robateau, pled not guilty to the charge. Magistrate
Albert Hoare explained to him that the Court could not offer him bail because of the nature of the offence. He remanded Ireland into custody until April 29. The incident occurred on Saturday, March 27. Ireland at the time was detained at the cell block at the Queen Street Police Station pending investigation for ag gravated assault. The Police r e p o r t e d t h a t t h e y s e a r ch e d Ireland and the search resulted in the discovery of one round of 5.56 ammunition and 27 expended 7.62 shells in the back pocket of his pants. Ireland, who had just come from camp, was in uniform at the time. The 5.56 ammunition was labeled as an exhibit.
PUP Think Tanking Sessions Every Thursday, Independence Hall at 7:30pm
Cal Charged With Murder Freed By Nolle Prosequi
Pedro Cal
BELIZE CITY, Mon. March 29, 2010 Pedro Cal, 19, charged with
the murder of Dison Diaz who was fatally stabbed in his abdomen with a chisel, was freed of the charge today in the Court of Justice Troadio Gonzalez when a nolle prosequi, indicating that the prosecution could not proceed, was entered by Crown Counsel Yohhahneh Cave. The nolle prosequi was entered because 7 witnesses, including the
father of the deceased, could not be located. At the trial which began last week two witnesses testified. One of the witnesses was Scenes of Crime technician Bernard Cayetano. The other witness was Ricky Herrera. Herrera testified that at around 8:00 p.m. on February 3, 2007, he was at the DFC Housing Area in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye when he saw Cal and Diaz arguing. Herrera said Diaz punched Cal in his chest then Cal pulled out a chisel and inflicted the fatal stab wound. Diaz died shortly afterwards. Cal was represented by attorney Lionel Welch. A nolle prosequi is not an acquittal. Therefore if the prosecution can locate its witnesses it is quite likely that Cal will be re-arrested and charged.
Visit Us Online at: www.belizetimes.bz
Sunday, April 4, 2010
The Belize Times
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COURT NEWS Freelance Reporter Beaten and Robbed At Gunpoint
Lawrence Dawson
BELIZE CITY, Mon. March 29, 2010 Two men who allegedly jacked freelance reporter and photographer Roy Davis, 56, at gunpoint, were charged when they appeared today in the #1 Magistrate’s Court. Lawrence Dawson and Michael Forman, 27, a.k.a “Popeye” were charged with robbery. Forman was also charged with wounding. Chief Magistrate Margaret McKenzie explained to them that the Court could not offer them bail because the offences were committed with a firearm. She remanded them into custody until May 27. The incident occurred at around 3:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 27. Davis reported to the police that he was riding his bicycle on Cemetery Road on his way home. When he reached by First
Michael Foreman
Choice Pharmacy two persons riding on bicycles pulled up beside him, one on each side. Davis told police that the person on the left side whom he recognized as Dawson said “you” then punched him on the left side of his face and knocked him off his bicycle. Davis fell to the ground and when he got up a second man pointed a firearm at him. Davis said when he looked he saw a third person. Davis ran but he did not get far. By the time he reached the lumber yard on cemetery Road, Dawson knocked him down again. When Davis got up he saw a taxi stop. But before the driver of the car could get out to render aid the gunman pointed his gun at the driver and he
UNDP/Agriculture Enterprise Development for Rural Belize Project BID NOTICE Invitation to bid for the procurement of the following items: 1. Automatic laser level control with horizontal plain (AED Item1) Quantity: One Location: Irrigation and Drainage Unit Acculine Pro Electronic Self Leveling Dual Grade Horizontal Rotary Laser Level or equivalent Acculine Pro 16ft Aluminum Rod or equivalent Acculine Pro Aluminum Tripod or equivalent 2. Drying Oven (AED Item 2) Quantity: One Location: Central Farm Gravity Convection Drying Oven Size: 3.2 cu. Ft. Temperature Uniformity: +/- 2oC @ 100oC Power: 115V/230V, 60Hz External Temperature Display Temperature Range: 15o C to 250o C 3. Tanks for Water supply macro structure (AED Item 3) Quantity: Four Location: Central Farm Type: Poly Tanks (Plastic) Capacity: 5,000 US gal each Inlet Size: 3" Outlet Size: 3" With tank fittings BIDS can be for one item or all three items. Bids should be delivered to the UNDP/Belize Office at the address below during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday and no later than 9th April 2010. Bids must be submitted in a sealed envelope marked “AED Item 1, AED Item 2, AED Item 3 or AED All 3 Items”. Addressed to:
Environmental Programme Analyst UNDP Belize Constitution Drive Belmopan Phone: 501-822-2688 Fax: 501-822-3364 E-mail: diane.wade@undp.org
Note: Bids must be delivered to the above office on or before 5:00 p.m. on 9th April 2010. Late bids shall be rejected. Please note that if you are not selected, a response will not be given.
Palmer Charged With 2 Counts of Theft and
BELIZE CITY, Mon. March 29, 2010 Michael Usher, 33, a.k.a. “Palmer”, was charged with 2 counts of theft and 1 count of threatening words when he appeared today in the #4 Magistrate’s Court. Usher pled not guilty to the charges. He was offered bail of $3,000.00 and his case was adjourned
until May 13. But because Usher owed court fines he was taken to prison to serve time in default of payment. The first theft occurred on December 17, 2009, the same day he allegedly threatened Rhonda Cattouse, an employee of Horse and Carriage business at the Tourism Village. Cattouse reported to the police that she and her friend, Brenda Tillett, who Usher allegedly stole $8 from, were at a Chinese establishment on Central American Boulevard when Usher approached them. She said Usher and Tillett got into an argument and she drew Tillett to one side and told her to walk away. Cattouse said Usher then approached and pointed his finger in her face and told her that he will burst open her head and take a charge for her. The second count of theft occurred on January 30, 2010. The complainant, Kenroy Skeete, reported to the police that Usher stole his beach cruiser bicycle.
drove off. Davis believes that it was the taxi driver who called the police. But before the Quick Response Team arrived at the scene, Davis was robbed of his Salco brand wristwatch, his black leather wallet containing $50.00 and his silver ring with gold and coral. When the Quick Response Team arrived they saw two persons at 109 Cemetery Road, Dawson’s address, sharing the proceeds
from the robbery. The police reported that they fired two shots at the men and although none of them were shot one of them, Dawson, was apprehended. The police reported that when they searched Dawson they found a Salco brand wristwatch which Davis identified as his property. The other stolen items have not been recovered.
Michael Usher
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r e t s a E Happy The Belize Times
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Hon. John Briceño & The People's United Party wish all Belizeans a Happy and Safe Easter Holidays.
vul·gar
[vuhl-ger]
–adjective 1. characterized by ignorance of or lack of good breeding or taste: vulgar ostentation. 2. crude; coarse; unrefined: a vulgar peasant.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
The Belize Times
In Barrow’s Budget ‘Pay Today, Poorer Tomorrow’
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Mr. Barrow WILL tax Poor Belizeans $110M MORE…
$110 Million MORE in taxes on the backs o f poor Belize ans
T BU Mr. Barrow is only taxing the oil company $1.8M
$1.8 Million
Mr. Barrow…IS THERE SOMETHING WE DON’T KNOW?
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The Belize Times
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Time to clean up the airwaves Manning puts T&T
PRIME Minister David Thompson says that Government may soon have a “talk” with local radio stations about the type of messages and lyrics being streamed on the nation’s airwaves. The Prime Minister’s comments came during a recently held press conference where he expressed concern about some of the negative messages that may be reverberating in the ears of the nation’s youth, even though there may be an attempt to filter the lyrics. According to Thompson, “And where you have radio stations operating under Government-sanctioned licences who appear to be regurgitating that in the ears of our young people, there are people who would say, ‘Does the Government sanction this – if not, why don’t they do something about it?’ And there is going to be a point in time that we are going to have to talk to radio stations and CBC has to take the leading role because it is a Government-owned station.” The Prime Minister added that this not only relates to music, but also television programming. “I keep saying that the idea of CBC bringing in from the networks everything that anybody can watch in America is not my view of what CBC should be
about. But since that is difficult to stop, what needs to be done is that our local programming and programming are consonant with our national development; pushing things that are positive is what needs to be developed in Barbados. “So there is not enough countervailing cultural and social programming to offset the impact of the negativity that we are getting otherwise and that is something that we need to invest in because, according to the experts, it is not financially viable, so we are going to have to make those decisions.” Prime Minister Thompson stressed that while radio stations must be aware of their responsibility, parents must monitor what their children are listening to on a daily basis. “One of the things I have raised concern about is that even on radio stations, deejays play these bridges or breaks to drown out the bad language, the children still sing the bad language because they have heard the words on the iPod, they hear them on their computer. “…And so you have to take the iPod from them and listen to what they are listening to and you have to surprise them in the bedroom or the study and see what they are watching or looking at the computer; you really have to do that because our children have unlimited access to things that even in my day were very restricted. “It isn’t to say that we didn’t also try as young boys to watch things we didn’t watch, to look at magazines we shouldn’t look at and do some other things that we should not do. We can all tell stories about that, but in this day and age from the time a child gets on a computer at any age they have a world of negativity, violence, pornography available to them, on demand. And this is something that we need to be extremely concerned about,” he stated. (JH)
Value Added Tax in St KittsNevis to be shaped by public
BASSETERRE, St Kitts (SKNIS) -The percentage rate of the Value Added Tax (VAT) and the type of items that will attract those rates have not been determined and residents of St Kitts and Nevis will have the opportunity to share their opinion on the matter. On Friday, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Denzil Douglas told the Federal Parliament that Government’s consideration of VAT has been an issue that has been debated with stakeholders for the last three to four years. He mentioned that the Ministry of Finance had interactions with members of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce over the years on the matter. Other quarters have also been engaged in such consultations including the youth, which discussed the matter with members of the Cabinet in 2007 at a National Youth Dialogue. The Prime Minister took issue with statements by various individuals who suggested that VAT was being introduced “like a thief in the night,” and would complicate the tax structure. He emphasized that the VAT would have the opposite effect as it would replace at least 10 nuisance taxes and modernize the tax system in a new and diversified economy. These taxes include the Consumption Tax, Hotel and Restaurant Tax, Vehicle Rental Levy, Parcel Tax and others. Douglas expressed in discussions with SKNIS that “economic and social partners
in election mode
Prime Minister Patrick Manning put the country in election mode yesterday, when he announced that April 7 would be the start of screening of 41 new candidates. The screening will begin in Manning’s San Fernando East constituency, with the other 40 electoral districts following. Though he did not announce the general election date, Manning said screening would begin two days before Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is expected to file a motion of no confidence against him in Parliament. Manning was delivering the feature address during the People’s National Movement’s special convention at Chaguaramas Convention Centre, causing a packed hall to erupt and chant: “Long live Manning.” Manning said the same day the Opposition intended to file the motion, the PNM would make an application to the acting Commissioner of Police, James Philbert, to have a demonstration against their move. Manning said though the PNM had the majority of seats in Parliament, if the motion succeeded in Parliament, he would have to resign in one week. Should he fail to step down, Manning said President George Maxwell Richards would dissolve Parliament and a general election would be called. “Those are the laws. So when they file the motion of no confidence, what they are really saying is that they want an election. “But, my dear friends, the methods they use can’t work,” Manning said. “If they feel that the time has come for a general election, then I agree with them, my dear friends,” teasing his supporters, who danced and waved their balisier, buntings and flags. As a consequence of the Opposition’s persistent calls for a general election, Manning said: “I now want to direct the PNM to commence the nominations of candidates exercise for a general election with immediate effect.” As Manning dropped the bombshell, PNM supporters went into
a frenzy. “Screening will begin, ladies and gentlemen, on Wednesday, April 7, beginning in the constituency of San Fernando. Then we will screen all the others.” Insisting that the PNM was ready and prepared for elections, Manning warned the Siparia MP that she should not “count her chickens before they are hatched.” Manning said it was not for Persad-Bissessar to decide who led this country. “It is a matter for the people. It is time for the people to decide. When they go to Parliament, we marching,” Manning insisted. Describing the convention as a special day, Manning said he had full confidence that when the election bell was rung the PNM “will beat them” in the East, West, North and South. Manning also blew his trumpet, outlining all the PNM had done since taking up office in 2001, among them the number of jobs created, a reduction in taxes, free tertiary education, medication and training programmes. “Yet they say the PNM has done nothing for the small man.” After Manning’s address, PNM chairman Conrad Enill told flagbearing supporters, who spilled onto the corridor and aisles of the hall: “We have an election to win. Our party is in election mode. Our work is not yet done. Let us go and get it done and win the election.”
St Kitts-Nevis meets international standards on tax information exchange will be continuously consulted on VAT as a number of decisions are yet to be made.” The Tax Reform Team is currently designing a series of advisory visits to businesses to ensure that they understand relevant issues. Public consultations will also be held throughout the Federation – and residents are strongly encouraged to participate. Consultations will begin in the month of April. Legislation for VAT, however must be drafted and enacted several months before the introduction of the tax. This will allow for meaningful consultations and facilitate timely registration of VAT taxpayers as well as effective dissemination of information to taxable persons and the general public. As such the VAT Legislation is expected to be passed by May 2010. Consultations on the draft legislation will commence and recommendations will be taken on board and submitted for consideration before the Act becomes law in time for its scheduled implementation in November.
BASSETERRE, St Kitts (CUOPM) -St Kitts and Nevis has been placed on the white list of the OECD countries. The twin-island Federation was among three Caribbean jurisdictions – the others being St Vincent and the Grenadines and Anguilla – who now meet internationally agreed standards on exchange of tax information, the OECD said Wednesday. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said the entities had signed a total of 14 tax information exchange agreements with other countries and are now considered to have “substantially implemented” an international reporting standard. The standard, developed by the OECD in 2002, was designed to combat harmful tax practices through the sharing of tax data among nations. “We continue to see a great deal of progress as jurisdictions move to sign agreements,” said Jeffrey Owens, head of the OECD’s center for tax policy and administration. “With Anguilla, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines now
reaching this benchmark, almost all the Caribbean jurisdictions have substantially implemented the standard, and we will be working with the remaining jurisdictions -- both in the Caribbean and elsewhere -to encourage them to follow this trend.” St Kitts and Nevis were scheduled on March 24 to sign tax information exchange agreements with six Nordic countries. Previously Tax Information Exchange Agreements (TIEA’s) were signed with Australia, Monaco, The Netherlands, The Netherlands Antilles, Aruba, United Kingdom, Denmark, Belgium, New Zealand and Liechtenstein. St Kitts and Nevis has already initialed or concluded negotiations with and are awaiting dates for signature with Canada, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Greenland, Faroe Islands, Iceland, Finland and San Marino. The Federation has commenced discussions with India, Japan, the Republic of Seychelles and the United States on Tax Information Exchange Agreement but has not yet confirmed the text for these agreements.
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Sunday, April 4, 2010
The Belize Times
WAYS BARROW COULD BALANCE THE BUDGET
1. Fire the firm of Lois Young and Company and use the services of the Solicitor General instead 2. Stop giving tax breaks to UDP cronies 3. Cut down on the Ministerial vehicle fleet 4. Stop subsidizing Belize City and Town Council Mismanagement 5. Stop the useless spending on spy-mobile and other espionage equipments 6. Stop awarding sweetheart contracts to SoBs1, FoBs2 and RoBs3 of Dean Barrow 7. Crack down on the blatant Ministerial hustling 8. Collect lawful taxes due from all goods flowing as contraband from the Free Zone and the Northern and Western Border of Belize. 9. Collect the $80,000 from Juliet Thimbrel, the $90,000 that Zenaida Moya overpaid herself and the extra legal tax breaks granted by Councilor Leila Peyrefitte. 10. Conduct a forensic audit of Housing for the Poor and recover all misappropriated funds 1
Supporters of Barrow,
2
Friends of Barrow, 3 Relatives of Barrow
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LEAD OR LEAVE! The Belize Times
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Budget Debate Speech by: Hon. John Briceño Leader of the Opposition Belmopan, Belize, Thursday, 25 March 2010 All across this nation Belizeans are saying that there is something terribly wrong in our country. All across the nation our people are saying that the government cannot deliver on their promises. All across the nation Belizeans are saying this administration is failing to move our country forward. If this government was something you bought off the shelf, Belizeans would be demanding a refund. It is not difficult to see what’s wrong with this year’s Budget: it is one that offers no hope to the Belizean people; there in not a single initiative that will move the nation forward and once again it falls way short on those 21 pledges promised to Belizeans by this UDP administration. With all the Prime Minister’s verbosity; he could not stop Belizeans-those who watched and listened to his two hour presentation--from coming to the obvious conclusion that this is the biggest tax ‘wap’ handed to the Belizean people since independence. The saddest part of this is the fact that this could not have come at a worst time in our Nation’s development, a time when Belizeans are struggling at home to make ends meet; when they are being held hostage by the crime and violence that rule our streets; when the productive sector is fighting to keep its competitive edge; the private sector is at its most vulnerable; the middle class disappearing and when our people are getting poorer and poorer each day. For Belizeans who were promised that this budget would mark the beginning of a recovery from the pain and suffering of the last year there is no silver lining. For the single mother whose education bills continue to grow each school year, that promised $300 you hoped you would get this year will once again not be there for you. For the poor in the north, in the villages along the Belize River Valley and those in the west of the country who were waiting in hope that NHI would come their way this year, you will just have to wait another year. And for every Belizean whose food bill, light bill, water bill and house rent are higher, this budget from a government that promised people that they would “realize the possibilities,” offers neither relief nor recovery. For the thousands who have lost their jobs, for those whose land were taken away, for the boledo vender who will soon have no means of income, there is nothing in this budget for you either. For all those Belizeans farmers, and day workers, pensioners, school teachers and the few remaining sanitation workers whose cost of living has gone up by 30 percent and for all those who are struggling to make ends meet; there is nothing to hope for in this budget other than more pain and more sorrow with the compliments of Mr. Barrow. Budget Framework Mr. Speaker, like last year, the Prime Minister started his speech with a list of excuses for his government’s poor economic performance. And just as he did last year, the Prime Minister set the backdrop for his budget by saying that the world economy was in a crisis, caused by what he termed as financial chaos in industrialized economies. This is not news; everyone knew that the world was in a recession and all across Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, governments large and small alike braced for the worst. What they also did was bring together their brightest minds, they consulted with their producers, manufacturers, economists and other specialists so that together they could find a way to lessen the pain and make ready for the recovery. But not this government Mr. Speaker, not this Prime Minister Mr. Speaker! At a time when more than ever our Government needed to talk
to the experts, meet with those in the productive sector, listen to the Belizean people and plan for the recovery, they chose to forgo consulting with the Belizean people. Of course we in Opposition know full well why there was no consultation by this administration. After failing once again to bring down the cost of living, after failing to keep our cities and towns clean, after failing to grasp control of the crime situation, after failing to deliver on their promise of cheaper utilities, this government could not face suffering Belizeans. They knew only too well that this time the people would not accept the same lame excuses and they know that two floods and volatility in the price of oil is no consolation for the people’s pain. Under the PUP administration there were 4 hurricanes in 5 years, the price of oil went so high it hit $130 US per barrel; there was a major war, terrorists were using planes to blow up buildings in New York and bombing trains in Europe. The financial markets were crashing all over the world and through all this we doubled the Belizean economy from 1 billion to over two billion dollars. We created jobs and for sure Belizeans were better off than they are today. In his presentation, the Prime Minister told us about all those things he had no control over, however, what he didn’t tell us in his speech was why he reneged on taking off that $1 tax on fuel once the price of fuel jumped $7, for sure he had control over that. How about the stimulus package? Nowhere in his presentation did the Prime Minister mention about his stimulus package. Last year he said that it was in the stimulus that we would “realize the possibilities, where we would “go for broke, it was Prometheus unbound.” Of course for Belizeans this never happened. It is at these moments that the words of his former colleague Hubert Elrington ring through, that famous quote that the man is “all glitter, no substance.” And while he went on record and told us that the overall deficit would be $60 million, it was actually $81 million, 33 percent higher than projected. The Prime Minister also said he had the money to cover the deficit— he never did. So the real backdrop for this year’s budget Mr. Speaker is: higher taxes, a higher cost of living, high interest rates, and low economic growth. It will mean more Belizeans losing their job and more pain and suffering for the Belizean people. Those are the facts and this Prime Minster cannot disguise it with fancy words and his vulgarity. Recent Economic Developments The UDP came to office in 2008 fully aware of what was going on in the world economy, and although they knew what was going on, they offered 21 unrealistic promises which we now know was just a pie in the sky. By now all of us know why things are this “dread” in Belize. This administration rode into Belmopan without a plan and more so without a clue about how to run a country. So now we are in the grips of a major crisis and there is a serious lack of leadership. The Prime Minister is out there on his own trying to work with a team that lacks the competence to give him the support he needs to put things right. And the few who may have some idea of what is going on he can’t trust, and we all know why. The true test for any government is not how well they do in the good times, but how they manage through the pain and the struggles. When the PUP had to deal with hurricane Mitch then Keith, then Iris and later Chantal, we did what was necessary, we fixed what was broken, rebuilt what was torn down and we made it better. This crowd still can’t figure (Con't on pg 15)
Sunday, April 4, 2010
The Belize Times
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The Elimination of the Working Class
Like the ethnic cleansing that is occurring in Africa and that took place in the former Yugoslavia, Belize seems to be having its own version of the elimination of an entire people. Over the last two years, there has been a constant, methodical elimination of the working class in our country. For a country that once boasted a strong working class, Belizeans are left to wonder what has gone wrong and why so many of us have become poor. The recent poverty report underscores what we at this newspaper have been saying for some time now the working class in this country has shrunk and it is glaringly evident when one looks at the growing disparity between the rich and the poor. To understand what is going on with and who makes up the working class we have to first look at what is going on with and who makes up the poor. There are 143,000 people
in Belize who are considered poor and another 14 percent who are on the verge of becoming poor. What this means is that there are over 150,000 people who do not have or are struggling with the daily cost of living of approximately $11.00 per
day or $330.00 per month. With this reality coupled with the skyrocketing cost of living and a high unemployment rate, one would think that our government would take a serious look at these statistics and develop the necessary programs that would reduce the cost of living and put people to work. But these buffoons continue to run the economy into the ground at a time when we can least afford to do so. Raising taxes during a serious recession is like giving us “Kool Aid” with cyanide poison. At some point this government that promised so much to the people of this country will have to deal with the harsh realities of a country that is in serious, serious trouble. The economic security of working class Belizean families today rests largely on their ability to weather an economic emergency. Will they be able to keep their homes if a breadwinner is suddenly
unemployed or the family encounters a serious medical emergency? Do they have sufficient wealth to withstand one or both types of emergencies? Today a greater number of families are more susceptible to unexpected events such as an increase in taxes, layoffs or medical emergencies. These are only a few of the stark indicators of the predicament many of our working class families find themselves in. More Belizean families today feel a lot less economically secure compared to two years ago and many say that they are not financially prepared to deal with any of these issues listed above. Over the past two years, the number of families with enough resources to weather a layoff or a medical emergency has declined dramatically, wiping out the gains in financial security that many families acquired during 1998 to 2008. Realistically speaking, two years into an economic free-fall and the unemployment rate in Belize is hovering close to 20 percent, and wages are flat when inflation is factored into the equation. At the same time, the cost of families’ top five expen¬ditures—medical care, housing, food, household operations and cars—have risen more than twice in some instances. To maintain their day-to-day consumption, families have had to take on a record amount of debt equivalent to try to survive these trying times. There are also many Belizeans who do not have the accumulated financial wealth equal to three to six months’ income (counting all fi¬nancial assets, including retirement savings accounts minus debt). This trend is particularly pronounced among typical working class families—dual income couples between the ages of 30 and 50 who earn between $24,000 and $60,000 per year. Families in this bracket have declined significantly over the last two years. Just browse through one of the major newspapers and one can find pages of homes up for sale. Many of them are people who have worked for a long time to develop their wealth but who just cannot cope with the financial meltdown in Belize. Caught between rising prices and stagnant and declining income, families are obliged to borrow more money to make ends meet. This worrisome development is also reflected in a sharp decline of the personal saving rate. With personal savings declining and even becoming negative, and household debt mounting, fami¬lies have fewer resources to fall back on if anything should go wrong. Under this Barrow administration, it has become more realistic to refer to an upper poor class, middle poor class and indigent than it is to refer realistically to a middle class in the real sense of the word. If things continue in this trend, sooner rather than later there will be no middle class in Belize – only the very rich and the very poor.
Insert B B
The Belize Times
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Street Preacher in Belize – JESUS SAVES!
Last week like a breath of fresh air the street preacher breezed into the Belize Times to offer his simple words of hope; especially important as we head into this Easter weekend and even more important as our nation lies on the brink of utter lawlessness. He travelled with no rant or rave and no spiel guaranteed to offer eternal salvation. He was armed with just his own belief in his message and the confidence of a man on a mission. Known as the street preacher around the world, Duane H. Lyon has travelled to 47 nations in 27 years spreading the simple mes-
sage, “JESUS SAVES!” He is currently on a 5 nation Easter outreach stopping first in Belize then unto Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. He was recently in Mexico and Puerto Rico. The street preacher believes that with these two words we can change the world, “Jesus saves,” he said, and that’s why he left home in Jordan, Kentucky, USA, a village of 30 people, nearly 3 decades ago. First trav-
elling throughout America, now bearing his cross throughout the streets of the world according to Luke 14: 21, 23. Lyon is currently accompanied by his Spanish interpreter and fellow missionary, Jerry W. Turner, who he met 3 years ago on outreach in New Mexico. Lyon is married to Gina Lyon, a high school classmate, and they have six children: Jessica, Rebekah, Israel, Alesha, Christina, and Torah. The Belize Times wishes the street preacher all success in his travels at a time when the words he offers are needed the most.
Resurgence of Tuberculosis (TB) in Belize!
On March 24, 2010, the Director of Health Services (DHS) reported the shocking news of Belize ranking #5 in the Caribbean for the highest rate of a deadly dis-
ease known as Tuberculosis (TB). This is not a “new” disease; it has been affecting our population for quite some time probably in less numbers but has been exis-
tent, so why have we not seen any health promotion on this matter? Is there more access to medications and testing facilities? If TB is preventable then where have
the strategies for prevention been stored? Other than the printing of information and health education as the first response to decrease the spread of the bacteria what will be the government’s response towards the health determinants of this disease? The DHS pointed out the need of social participation to combat TB, but there is only a limited amount we can do. The squalid conditions of our streets full of garbage continue to be unattended by our local authorities; poverty is on a rise as per the recent poverty assessment; homelessness and malnutrition heightens, so how can we be at ease to such a deadly disease! The Ministry of Health has gained popularity in the local newspapers for their so called achievements and attended seminars; maybe they should be thinking of some sort of social protection to improve our health status so we can be able to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). It is necessary to take into account that a country´s development and progress requires a healthy population and if we are not granted good health care, especially to the productive sector, then how can the Minister of Health present such cynical achievements?
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Sunday, April 4, 2010
The Belize Times
Mariposa'sKid's Corner
Insert C C
THE STORY OF EASTER
By Linda Edwards
What an awfully sad day it had been for the friends of Jesus! They had stood watching sorrowfully, as Jesus hung on the cross dying. They didn't fully understand why it had to happen. They believed that Jesus was the Son of God, and they remembered how He had healed the sick and made blind people see. They remembered how He had fed thousands of people with just a few loaves of bread and fish. They even remembered how He had caused dead people to come back to life. He was such a good, kind man; why did He have to die? Just before the sun was beginning to sink into the west, Joseph, one of Jesus' friends, noticed that Jesus was no longer breathing. He hurriedly went to ask Pilate if he could have the body of Jesus so he could bury Him. The next day, the Pharisees started thinking about Jesus. They were the people that had wanted to kill Jesus. They remembered how He had taught them, saying that He would rise again after three days. They were worried that it might be true! They also thought that Jesus' disciples would remember and might try to steal the body from the tomb just so they could say that Jesus rose again. They went to Pilate, suggesting that the tomb be closed up with a huge stone and that guards be placed all around the tomb. Just before daylight the next day, the most amazing thing happened! There was a GREAT EARTHQUAKE! An Angel from the Lord came down from heaven, moved the gigantic stone away from the door of the tomb and sat on it. The guards began to shake with fear! They fell down to the ground as if they were dead! Mary and some other women had decided to get up very early in the morning and go to visit the tomb where Jesus was placed. What a surprise they found when they reached the tomb! The stone had already been moved! And . . . there was an Angel sitting on the stone! The women were quite afraid, but the Angel spoke gently to them: "Don't be afraid. I know that you have come to see Jesus. He is not here; for he is risen just as he said. Come inside and see the place where he lay." The women went inside the tomb and found it empty, just as the angel had told them. The angel spoke to the women one more time: "Go quickly and tell the other disciples that Jesus has risen from the dead; and he is going into Galilee where you will see him." The women did just as the angel had told them. They ran quickly from the tomb, with fear and great joy, to tell the good news to the other disciples...Jesus was alive.
Easter Reflection: Easter always reminds me of how much we are loved. I don’t think I could do what Jesus did for us. I would be scared. I know I would have gotten
angry about how I was being treated especially when I had done nothing wrong. I really don’t think I would have had it in my heart to be forgiving. Every Easter, especially Good Friday, I feel so thankful for the blessing of God’s love and his forgiveness. This Easter I hope you remember you are loved. Have a blessed Easter.
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NOTICE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC THIS IS TO INFORM YOU THAT PURSUANT TO THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT – S.I. 110 OF 2002 , THAT SPEEDNET COMMUNICATIONS LTD. OF 2 1/2 MILES NORTHERN HIGHWAY HAS APPLIED TO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION FOR THE USE OF FREQUENCY SPECTRUM TO PROVIDE MICROWAVE RADIO BACKHAUL SERVICES IN THE COUNTRY OF BELIZE.
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VACANCY NOTICE PROJECT OFFICER, COMMUNICATION OFFICER (NO-2) The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is seeking qualified Belizean Nationals for the position of Communication Officer in the Belize Country Office.
Responsibilities:
Under the supervision of the Programme Coordinator and in close coordination with the programme team, the successful applicant will be accountable for technical support and assistance in the design, formulation, management, execution, monitoring and evaluation of a behaviour and social change strategy, plan of action and programme activities in support of the country programme:
Specifically the successful applicant will: •
Spearhead the development, management and facilitation of a strategy to get children’s issues into the public domain and a programme communication strategy, plan of action and activities for strategic communication and promotion for social and behaviour change in support of country programme delivery. • Provide technical support and assistance in the research, development, pre-testing, and production of culturally relevant communication materials. • Develop and enhance strong partnerships with community groups, leaders and other partners in the community and civil society for promotion of participation in social and behaviour changes supportive of programme goals. • Develop training materials and activities to build capacity for participatory and behaviour change communication. • Facilitate coordination and provide technical support to government counterparts and other partners in the development and strategic use of communication for social development. • Exchange findings, experiences, lessons learned and new methods with partners using culturally relevant communications platforms. • Contribute to the budget planning and ensure the compliance and the optimal use of funds allocated from communications across programme areas.
QUALIFICATION and COMPETENCIES Education
• University degree in the Communications, Communications for Development, Social and Behaviour Change Communication or any of the social/behavioural sciences, (Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, Health Education) with emphasis on strategic communication planning for behaviour development, social mobilization, participatory communication, and research.
2.Knowledge and Work Experience
• Minimum of five years relevant professional work experience in the planning and management of social development programmes with practical experience in the adaptation and application of communication planning processes to specific programmes. • Knowledge of current developments in the fields of: communication theory, motivational psychology, adult learning theory, indigenous media, community organization and participation, strategic communication planning, behaviour analysis, formative research and evaluation of communication interventions. • Computer knowledge, skills and practical experience, including internet navigation and social media. • Fluency in English; knowledge of Spanish an asset.
Core Values and Competencies
Commitment, Diversity and Inclusion, Integrity, Communication, Working with People, Drive for Results, Formulating Strategies and Concepts, Analyzing, Relating and Networking, Persuading and Influencing, Entrepreneurial Thinking. Please visit our website http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_apply.html to access the Personal History (P11) Form to be sent by e-mail with a detailed résumé to belize@unicef.org, attention: Operations Officer, no later than 15 April, 2010.
UNICEF OPERATES IN A HIV RESPECTFUL AND SMOKE-FREE ENVIRONMENT & IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
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Fruit Price Submission Dear Members ,
Grapefruit Second Payment Members are informed that second payment for grapefruit will be made on Wednesday, March 31, 2010 (Please note that checks will be dated April 1, 2010 as per price formula agreement). The grapefruit estimated final price per pound solid is $1.2233. The second payment to growers for grapefruit delivered will be $0.2614 per pound solid. CPBL will make deductions from Members for payment to the Pound Solids Authority at a rate not to exceed $0.03 per box per grower. Growers are reminded to multiply their average amount of pound solids per box by the price per pound solid to get their price per box. For example if your yield is 4 pound solids per box then your second payment would be 4 pound solids per box x $0.2614 = $1.05 per box, gross.
Revised Fruit Price Submission - Orange Further to a 10% increase in the six month average future prices for FCOJ (frozen concentrate orange juice) on the New York Board of Trade (NYBOT formerly known as the New York Cotton Exchange) and in line with the Price Formula agreement between the CGA and CPBL, on Monday March 15l 2010 the CGA requested a new price submission for orange. On Friday March 19th the CGA received a price submission from CPBL that was submitted late in which CPBL informed that despite an increase in prices on the NYBOT over this crop year and at a current price of US$1.53633 per pound solid that the price now being paid to growers ($1.6078) will be decreased by $0.0851 per pound solid ($1.6078 - $1.5227 new price). CPBL further advised that because its first payment to growers was $1.0451 per pound solid (65% of $1.6078) that in fact it needs to recover $0.0553per pound solids ($0.0851 x 65%) from growers. CPBL stated that it will delay the deduction of $0.0553 per pound solid for now and will reassess the price at the time of the second payment (July 1st 2010) and decide whether to make a deduction and if so how much per pound solid based on the price at that time. Although on the high side, a review of the submission showed that the cost of shipping and selling expenses were not the reasons for suggesting a decrease in the price to growers. Despite an increase in the average six month future prices on the NYBOT from US$1.3955 per pound solid (at which time CPBL was selling for US$1.3140 per pound solid) at the December 22nd 2009 submission for orange to US$1.53633 per pound solid on March 12th 2010 the price at which CPBL has been selling product declined from US$1.31040 per pound solid to US$1.25182 per pound solid. Members this is the first time that while the NYBOT prices are showing a strong upward trend over the crop year the factory has managed the sale of product in such a way that it proposed a reduction in the price paid to growers. The singular reason for this most disturbing situation is that CPBL has sold product for far less than the going market prices. The decision to sell product at such low prices as compared to the NYBOT was unilaterally taken by the management of the CPBL without any consultation with CGA. This price submission is of grave concern not only from the perspective of the price being paid to growers but also for the economic performance of CPBL. By selling product for low prices it is potentially putting CPBL in a position to operate at a loss despite historically strong market prices. It is not clear what is the rationale or motive behind such a sales strategy on the part of CPBL's management but what is clear is that such a strategy is counterproductive to stimulating an increase in production on the part of growers, earning profits for CPBL and in the process generating less foreign exchange for the national economy. Your Committee of Management has rejected this submission and promises to do all that is possible to get to the bottom of this situation and make sure growers are paid the best possible price as per the price formula. As a first step the CGA has requested a thorough investigation into the why product was undersold. CGA reminds its members that together and in unity they can bring about the necessary change in the industry to prevent things like this from continuing to happen. CGA where the interest of all members are equal, there should be no potential for conflict of interest between your association and the one responsible for selling your product at discounted rates despite a strong market for frozen concentrated orange juice.
Factory Opening Growers are reminded that both the CCB and BFP factories will re-open on Wednesday, April 7th at 7:00 am. Growers who have schedule for Wednesday will be allowed to part their fruit trailers in the CCB fruit compound on Tuesday, April 6th 2010 after 12:00 pm in advance for fruit receival and processing the following day. CGA office will be closed at noon on Thursday, April 1st and will re-open on Tuesday, April 6th at 8:00 am. CGA takes this opportunity to wish all Growers and their families a Safe and Blessed Easter.
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On Thursday, March 25th, Leader of the People’s United Party John Briceno and the members of the Opposition blasted the Government for its misguided and woefully inadequate budget which will take away more than $110M more from Belizeans while giving back little or nothing. At a time when the economy is in recession and Belizeans have already been told that this year will be worse than the last, Barrow’s budget - ‘Pay Today…Poorer Tomorrow’ will serve to further burden poor Belizeans when Mr. Barrow and his government should be seeking to lighten the load on our citizens and stimulate the economy. The following are excerpts from Thursday’s budget debate.
Hon. John Briceño
By now all of us know why things are this “dread” in Belize. This administration rode into Belmopan without a plan and more so without a clue about how to run a country. And so on behalf of the quiet masses I say that the People’s United Party unequivocally rejects the proposal by the Government for a 25 percent increase in GST. We reject any call for the introduction of any new tax which will result in added and undue hardship on the Belizean people. To create jobs and prepare for the recovery we would invest in new information and communication technologies to attract new industries and support the expansion of existing ICT based businesses. We would cut taxes, increase capital investments and make affordable credit to the productive sector.
Rt. Hon. Said Musa
When the Prime Minister presented his first budget in 2008 the global recession was already in full force…. But the euphoria of the UDP victory was such that the Prime Minister and his newly installed Governor of the Central Bank told us there was nothing to worry about. Last year the Prime Minister boasted that “we will bring the Belizean nation out of this global crisis with minimum discomfort.” After all said he, he had become “Prometheus Unbound.” This same Prometheus Unbound is now telling the people that “more sacrifices will have to be made.” The cry on the street is for bread and justice. Hungry people beg for bread. Grieving mothers cry out for justice. And when there is no justice there can be no peace.
Hon. Mark Espat
Mr. Speaker, when you look at the numbers, the government is proposing to collect from this year to next year and additional $110 million … This $110 million is a real figure, Mr. Speaker. Of the $110 million dollars more Mr. Speaker, $62.5 million comes from brand new taxes, fresh taxes. The centrepiece of which is a 25 percent increase in the general sales tax which will affect every man, woman and child in this country. I don’t know of any government since independence that has collected $110 million more from one year to the next. There has never been a government that has collected $110 million from one year to the next. I have to question whether there is any mathematical sanity to this budget. How can it be that in an economy that the Prime Minister projects will only grow by 1.5%, how can it be that in such an economy. 1.5% is not much growth Mr. Speaker, how can you collect $110 million more in an economy that will only expand by 1.5%? It seems impossible to me.
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On Thursday, March 25th, Leader of the People’s United Party John Briceno and the members of the Opposition blasted the Government for its misguided and woefully inadequate budget which will take away more than $110M more from Belizeans while giving back little or nothing. At a time when the economy is in recession and Belizeans have already been told that this year will be worse than the last, Barrow’s budget - ‘Pay Today…Poorer Tomorrow’ will serve to further burden poor Belizeans when Mr. Barrow and his government should be seeking to lighten the load on our citizens and stimulate the economy. The following are excerpts from Thursday’s budget debate.
Hon. Cordel Hyde
”Last year they budget four and a half million in cap three on the Marion Jones Sports Center. They spent nothing, not even a dollar. But what they spent? Weh deh spend da Marion Jones stadium is a million of cap three is on a fence. They spend one million forty-five thousand on a fence. I have never…I have never in all my years on this earth, seen anybody build a fence before they build a house bredda. Build a fence before they build the stadium. Not a fence in Belize bigger than the one at Marion Jones stadium.” “With all the crime that is happening in this country and with the prime minister and National Security Minister on record saying that they are declaring war on crime you would think the budget for national security would have gone up… you would think. But the budget of national security has gone down. So if you weren’t solving crime with the money you were getting last year, how will you solve it this year with less. I want figure dat out. Now dah no one or two units of departments get cut inna di ministry ah national security; dah noh one or two, dah all ah dehn. All these cuts under Ministry of National Security so yoh could she mein things really hard inna dis ministry. But yoh know which unit or department inna di Ministry ah National Security noh get cut? Di prisons; di prison noh get cut, dehn get wah raise. Dehn get wah raise. Dah deh dehn want di people dehn go. Dehn prefer fi spend five thousand dollars fi feed and shelter each prisoner every year rather dan keep dehn out ah prison inna di first place. Seven point two million dollars fi prison.
Hon. Francis Fonseca
“As I had the opportunity to meet with Belizeans across the country, the resounding message was very, very, clear. For a great majority of Belizeans, these are the worst of times for a great majority of Belizeans, these are the worst of times for the many Belizeans who are already having a very hard time making ends meet.” “The Budget presentation confirmed our worst fears for the state of the Belizean economy. It confirmed, regrettably, what the great majority of the Belizean People have been feeling and experiencing in their own lives, in their own homes each and every day. The UDP has brought pain and suffering to the Belizean People.” “What does this new budget have to offer? Regrettably it offers no solutions, just more pain, more hard times. The new UDP Budget projects an overall deficit of 64.7, and just how does the UDP Government intend to meet this shortfall in revenues? Well we heard it loud and clear from every member on this side of the House, they will do it on the backs of the Belizean people.” “Crime is a national issue and we have been consistent on this issue, all Belizeans, all of us have a responsibility to put our energy, our recourses into this fight for our society, but we have made it absolutely clear: the government and the ministry of National Security in particular, must lead this effort, to build consensus on the way forward and to inspire confidence in the process. This regrettably you have failed to do so far.”
Hon. Florencio Marin Jr.
The Belizean people are asking a few things, the are asking: “weh di jobs deh? They are asking if anything has materialized from this government? They were promised low cost of living no matter what, but we all know prices are going up. We were promised that the windfall tax would help finance the budget but nada. We were promised that fuel prices would not rise about $7 but again nada. And they come again this year with a heap of new promises. After two years Belizeans are becoming sceptical about whether they will deliver on their promises.” “In the area of lands, we keep hearing about “quitar” and they want to take away our people’s land. I want to assure those land owners that if they come after our lands, we will put up a fight. And where we don’t succeed in our fight, when the PUP return to power, we will de volver those land.”
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La resaca del martes
Así que el presupuesto se aprobó el viernes pasado y cuando los belicenos regresen de las vacaciones de la semana santa, los nuevos impuestos entrarán en vigencia. Lo que cada uno tiene que entender es que incluso con los nuevos impuestos, Belmopan enfrenta un déficit del presupuesto estimado en 80 millones de dólares y podría llegar más alto. Esto podría significar que si el presupuesto no se ha adaptado cuando la economía se contrae o crece, el gobierno puede quedarse sin efectivo en noviembre o tal vez antes. Dado que el Primer Ministro ya ha pasado la ley bancaria para aumentar los bonos del Tesoro, es probable que él estará atento a este para financiar la brecha. La otra alternativa sería aún más impopular que la ley bancaria. También sería enviar señales de alarma a algo más que los de la banca y las finanzas. Imagínese ¿cuánto más impopular de este gobierno sería si tuviera que hacer recortes en educación, salud y otros programas importantes que ayudan a los pobres? Ya los beliceños están enojados por los recortes en el presupuesto de la Seguridad Nacional. En su presentación durante el debate el ministro de Educación Patrick Faber dijo que recortará cerca de 700 becas en el último año. Su razón fue que algunas de estas personas han estado en el sistema durante demasiado tiempo. Los beliceños también deben esperar recortes en otros servicios prestados por el gobierno. He aquí algunas sugerencias sobre cómo podemos evitar traer más dolor al pueblo de Belice: Revisar el umbral de los impuestos extraordinarios. No se asuste por BNE, no es como si fueran a hacer las maletas e irse a Costa Rica. Si estamos pidiendo a los beliceños para dar más, a continuación, hay que pedir a nuestros ciudadanos corporativos más grandes para dar más también. Establecer la bonanza de $ 60 por barril y asegurar que los beliceños tomen las ganancias de esta y usarla para otorgar la concesión de colegiatura de $ 300 a todos los estudiantes de secundaria. Si sobra mas, ponerlo hacia el Programa NHI para que se pueda desplegar el NHI a algunos de los habitantes de las aldeas en el norte. Vamos a pagar más por nuestra bebida. Ninguna de las partes quiere una pelea con los dos principales productores de ron en Belice, pero al mismo tiempo, ninguna de las partes debe tener miedo de los productores de bebidas alcohólicas. Aumentar el precio de un litro de ron de producción local por $ 1 y en todos los licores importados por $ 3. Y utilizar este dinero para pagar los programas de alimentación en nuestras escuelas y programas para después de la escuela. Al revisar el presupuesto, corten razonablemente no políticamente. La educación es una inversión por lo que nunca debe cortarse la educación, sin embargo, podemos reducir sustancialmente la oficina de prensa y deshacernos de medio millón en los gastos administrativos que le va a dar al Ministerio de Turismo. Además de reducir el presupuesto para viajes por 200.000 dólares. Si la Conferencia no será patrocinada por el país anfitrión, entonces no tienes que ir. La Secretaría de CARICOM atiende la mayoría de estas conferencias de todos modos, por lo que podemos pedirles que nos representen y nos remitirá todos los documentos importantes. Reducir la cuenta de combustible del Gobierno - Cada mañana cientos de altos funcionarios públicos viajan a las ciudades de Belmopan, Belice y otros lugares. Deberían entrar en un contrato con una de las compañías de autobuses para ofrecer autobuses para desplazar a los oficiales superiores a Belmopan. Mantenga los vehículos del gobierno para el movimiento en y alrededor de Belmopan. Pueden tener más de un autobús que los lleven en las mañanas y por las tardes para facilitar el movimiento de personas hacia y desde la Capital. Para ayudar a los funcionarios públicos y los docentes a planificar el futuro, se les puede proporcionarár un crédito de matrícula para asistir a los cursos en áreas como el desarrollo sostenible, la planificación ambiental, gestión presupuestaria, el liderazgo y cualquier otra iniciativa para el perfeccionamiento de su carrera. Si hay una cosa acerca de los tiempos difíciles, es que no diferencian entre PUP y UDP. Cuando los tiempos vienen muy duros nos llegan a todos, excepto, por supuesto, a los pocos que se benefician de su proximidad a los dirigentes políticos. Sin embargo, con excepción de muy pocos de estos, este "golpe fiscal" nos va a perjudicar a todos. Vamos a tratar de soportar el temporal juntos.
NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the Company named
“ALERTA CONSULT LTD.” has been dissolved and struck off the International Business Companies Register with effect from the 26th day of March, 2010.
Global Consultations and Services (Belize) Limited Liquidator
NOTICE The General Public is notified that
Maureen Leslie Staine And
Steven Staine Jr.
are no longer employed at
Occasions Boutique
and they are not authorized to conduct business on its behalf.
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Que la gloria y la promesa de ese tiempo feliz del año Traiga la paz y la felicidad para ti y a tus seres queridos, La historia nos enseña acerca de una procesión anual que entra en Jerusalén para marcar el comienzo de la semana de la Santa, la semana más sagrada del calendario judío. Al igual que la Pascua de los Judíos, para los cristianos marca el inicio de la Semana Santa en este mismo día, que todos conocemos como el Domingo de Ramos. Para muchos, esta semana, que termina con la Pascua, es la semana más sagrada del año cristiano. Esta Semana Santa, para los cristianos en Belice marca la ocasión para ir a la iglesia, dar dulces y huevos de Pascua a los niños y sobre todo dando gracias a Dios por el gran sacrificio de su amado hijo. Los cristianos creen que al prepararse para la Pascua, para celebrar la Resurrección de Cristo, primero hay que entrar en un período de reflexión y arrepentimiento. El período de la Cuaresma, que es este momento de reflexión y arrepentimiento, es un tiempo de sacrificio, de la limpieza y la preparación para el momento en que creemos que la redención viene. En una Belice más secular, la Pascua es nuestro fin de semana extendido. Es un tiempo cuando las familias de Belice se reúnen para ir en un viaje o para asistir a los numerosos actos previstos en todo el país. Los dos días extra de vacaciones facilitan más la recreación, pero para algunos es una oportunidad para el descanso y la relajación. Por supuesto, el fin de semana de Pascua o Semana Santa, es también la ocasión de la carrera ciclística anual de Cross Country Classic, uno de los eventos más prestigiosos de Belice y una carrera que pone a prueba la resistencia de sus participantes. Ya sea que los beliceños utilizarán este fin de semana de Pascua para celebrar los acontecimientos religiosos o simplemente como nuestra versión de un receso de primavera, este fin de semana de Pascua será como ninguno otro, porque vendrá en un momento desconcertante. El Jueves, 1 de abril, que es el inicio del ejercicio presupuestario, una serie de nuevos impuestos se desplegaran. Con estas noticias vendrán nuevas demandas sobre nuestro pueblo, especialmente para los más pobres entre nosotros, sino que también vendrá con más recortes de empleos y menos oportunidades para los beliceños para prosperar. Todos sabemos que hay momentos en la vida cuando debemos hacer sacrificios, cuando estamos obligados a dar más. A menudo lo hacemos de buena gana, pero cuando el propósito es justo y la recompensa es la mejora. Estos nuevos impuestos que a los beliceños se les pide pagar serán onerosos y se presentarán en un momento en el que ya están haciendo con menos. No habrá verdadera recompensa al final de este período de sacrificio, para nosotros esto es desalentador. Como nación hemos enfrentado la adversidad y la opresión antes, y con la gracia de Dios, y por nuestro amor a la patria y la libertad, hemos sufrido tanto. Nosotros, en el PUP siempre lo vamos a creer, porque creemos en la fuerza y la determinación del pueblo de Belice. Así que mientras nos preparamos para el inicio del nuevo año fiscal, a medida que se preparan para los nuevos desafíos por delante, estamos todos conscientes de la formidable fuerza que poseen los beliceños. Al igual que nuestros ciclistas del Cross Country, vamos a sufrir las penurias y a resistir el temporal, siempre hacia delante. Que la gloria y la promesa de este momento feliz del año traigan paz y felicidad para usted y a tus seres queridos, y que Cristo, nuestro Salvador resucitado, siempre este a tu lado que te bendiga abundantemente y que sea tu guía amoroso. En nombre del Partido Unido del Pueblo, deseo a todos los beliceños una segura y feliz semana santa.
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New ATM Services at LICU
Address by: Yolanda Gomez Credit Unions were materialized by visionary shareholders who saw a need to make available to each and every one, no matter the cultural, political or religious preferences, the possibility to access credit and other services, at very, very affordable costs. This democratically operated system, the credit union, is unique through its very mere existence. Those who use our services are not customers, rather owners as they enjoy in the profit sharing of the surplus. They are entitled to one vote, no matter the amount of shares and each can dictate or steer their business, their credit union, through making their input at the annual general meetings and having equal opportunities to serve on the different governing committees. This diverse, skilled and willing group of individuals, our Board of Directors and Officers of the Supervisory and Credit Committees, serve in the real spirit of voluntarism. Today LICU proudly boasts an asset base of $25,206,363 and serve some 11,661 shareholders. Within the
past 5 years, we increased our shares by 93%, asset base by 98%, membership by 64%, and our profits by 99%. LICU offers affordable credit at 1% per month on the reducing balance that translates to an actual percent rate averaging between 7 to 9% per annum. Our shareholders enjoy attractive rates of return on their shares. Additionally, they also enjoy free savings insurance coverage up to $8,000 and free loan protection up to $40,000 all year round and benefit from a group burial scheme up to a maximum of $4,000. LICU offers flexible repayment plans to meet the individual needs of our shareholders. We conduct free evaluations for the properties being held as collateral. In addition, we also offer in-house services such as executing legal instruments used as collateral for loans or otherwise, at affordable prices and at a minimum turnaround time. We have established excellent partnerships with many entities such as securing handsome discounts with RF&G and managing a successful
student loan portfolio through the Belize Natural Energy Trust investment. We are also engaged with the Caribbean Technical Support Facility, a training facility in disaster preparedness. Our most recent enrollment is with the Caribbean Microfinance Capacity Building Project that will allow for training in the methodology of microfinance, something that is of paramount importance to reduce poverty within our community as it endorses entrepreneurship and generates income. Our assessment has been conducted by a MicroRate Agency of Washington, USA, and they have recommended us as their findings have proven that we do have the capacity to deliver. This has qualified us to receive specific training and technical assistance in the area of managing micro credit. In line with this, our project with the European Union, LICU-SSEDAT, has further created a learning curve as we have defined and created an operation of assessing and monitoring micro grants in non-traditional agricultural activities,
small scale livestock, and in-land fish farming. This project has not resulted in direct financial rewards; however, the knowledge and exposure gained is by far more significant. This is also in keeping with our social consciousness in serving the more challenged, especially in the rural sector. This has wet our appetite to eagerly participate in the Belize Rural Finance Program that should further enhance our preparedness in the delivery of this new service. Other services soon to come will include the on-line banking, checking accounts and the most recent one in Belize’s market, the cell phone banking. An added facility within the coming 3 to 4 months will include spacious parking that is desperately needed, am sure you will all agree. LICU is also very actively involved with all other credit unions in many training, activities and capacity building through the IDB/IFAD/CABEI Projects as we are an active member of our League. Today, we are now partnering with Heritage and our sister credit unions, namely, HRCU, SJCU, SMCU & TTCU in allowing you convenience, not only to access your depository funds here at your own ATM, but also at the ATMs at TTCU, SMCU, SJCU, HRCU and any Heritage ATMs throughout the country. We are humbled and grateful to all our shareholders who have made the right choice in investing in La Inmaculada Credit Union Limited and we applaud those who are part of this network as only through collaboration will we achieve economy of scales and make available convenient services at an affordable cost.
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EASTER MESSAGE – 2010
By Dr. Oliver Ottley District Superintendent Emeritus Church of the Nazarene
Now, brothers (and sisters), I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise you have believed in vain. (parenthesis added) For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ
died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:1-4, NIV). I am persuaded to preface this message with an “editorial” comment. It is with reference to the Editorial in the March 7 Amandala titled “Big up, Seventh Day Adventists.” It was both complimentary and challenging.
The Adventist Church is indeed to be applauded for their response to that senseless crime which took the life of a very promising young Belizean belonging to that church. The tremendous show of solidarity at the very impressive funeral service, the beautiful eulogy, the forceful sermon (SDA manner and tenet), and all the other items in the Order of Service, not to mention the closing of their schools for a day, speak of a united and most meaningful response to the heart-rending, shooting death of Teddy Murillo. However, I would hesitate to concur with the Amandala’s comment regarding all the other Christian churches in Belize. There were many shooting deaths before Teddy’s, and some of the victims were also considered innocent. Yet there had never been a response like that one before. Perhaps it has to happen to one of our own. Notably, there are Christian churches located in almost every corner of this country and there are various kinds of ministries by those churches, so that there is hardly any lack of Christian witness in the land. Therefore, the kind
Sunday, April 4, 2010
of generalization as was made in the Amandala may be unwarranted, granted that there is the constant challenge facing the Church in terms of a decadent society and a sense of “oughtness” to do more. Crime is rampant, and fear stalks the land. Law enforcement at its best is inadequate to stem the tide of evil. The march for justice in Belize City by citizens on March 22 in pouring rain was indeed a demonstration and determination to send out a passionate cry for peace. Many have spurned the only means of salvation. Yet once again the message comes to us afresh with an Easter emphasis. Holy week climaxes with Easter Sunday marking the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It is the apex on the calendar of the Christian Church. The Church of Jesus Christ has had no doubt about the Resurrection of our Lord. Beginning with the apostles and the many others to whom He appeared during the post Resurrection period of forty days up to the day of His Ascension, followed by the waiting period of ten days in Jerusalem, the stage became fully set for the inauguration of the Church at Pentecost. In the early settings of the stage there were cases of uncertainty as was that of the two who on their way to Emmaus were questioningly talking about what they had been hearing. Jesus appeared incognito, opened the Scriptures to them, and later at the village He revealed Himself as He blessed and broke the bread. In another setting, Thomas doubted until Jesus appeared and convinced him. Then, in anticipation of a believing Church, He proclaimed: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” I remember reading a story many years ago; I think it was one of Robert Ripley’s “Believe It or Not” stories. It told of a man who would not believe in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. But before he died he presented a proposition that at his death they would bury him with a single seed in his hand. He suggested that if the seed germinated and grew visibly it could be an authentication of the Resurrection. So they did as he suggested. When he died he was buried with the seed in one of his hands, and a usual tombstone was built over his grave. In time that seed germinated, grew, burst the tombstone and became a tree for all to see; a strange fact, incredible but identified and verified. The Crucifixion of our Lord which was the price of our redemption is central to our Christian faith, and the Resurrection is pivotal to the certainty of that faith through which we find grace that brings salvation, the only remedy for crime - and sin. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins (1 Cor. 15:17, NIV). On the other hand, though it is true, if we do not believe the result is the same. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep (1 Cor. 15:20, NIV). Up from the grave He arose, With a mighty triumph o’er His foes. He arose a Victor from the dark domain, And He lives forever with His saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose! “Christ Arose” -Robert Lowry This is our faith, reflected in both homily and hymnody. On behalf of the Church of the Nazarene in Belize A Blessed Easter! God Bless you!
Sunday, April 4, 2010
The Belize Times
Insert 7VII
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The Belize Times
FOR RENT Lower flat of #5 Pelican Street. Suitable for business or office. For more information please call 207-1129 anytime.
FOR SALE Double lots located on a hill in the Contiki/Maya Vista Area of San Ignacio Town. The lot is approximately 70 feet x200 feet. Serious enquiries call 663-6245. 1-93 Suzuki Dr 650 Enduro Motorcycle. Good condition. $3600 BZ OBO. Call 6071090 or 605-8467. Serious enquiries ONLY. Prayer To The Holy Spirit O Holy spirit, you who are the fountainhead of all knowledge, who illuminate the pathway which enables me to reach my goal. You who share your divine gift permitting me to forgive and forget past insults and injustices, and who are always at my side within reaching distance. I desire in this short supplication to thank you for all that you have done for me, and to assure you once more that I never want to be separated from you under any circumstances, no matter what the incentive. I want to be with you, I along with my loved ones, cradled in your unending love. Thank you for your never failing kindness towards me and those I call my own. (Prayer to be offered for three consecutive days; faith in the Holy Spirit will cause him to respond to your request no matter how difficult the problem might be.) Publish prayer as soon as request has been granted.
R.E.R.
Prayer To The Holy Spirit O Holy spirit, you who are the fountainhead of all knowledge, who illuminate the pathway which enables me to reach my goal. You who share your divine gift permitting me to forgive and forget past insults and injustices, and who are always at my side within reaching distance. I desire in this short supplication to thank you for all that you have done for me, and to assure you once more that I never want to be separated from you under any circumstances, no matter what the incentive. I want to be with you, I along with my loved ones, cradled in your unending love. Thank you for your never failing kindness towards me and those I call my own. (Prayer to be offered for three consecutive days; faith in the Holy Spirit will cause him to respond to your request no matter how difficult the problem might be.) Publish prayer as soon as request has been granted.
R.E.R.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Liquor License Notice Notice is hereby given that Lydia Coyoc is applying for a Renewal of a Publican Special Liquor License to be operated at “The New Location”, #2 Pelican Street, Belize City under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Prayer To The Holy Spirit O Holy spirit, you who are the fountainhead of all knowledge, who illuminate the pathway which enables me to reach my goal. You who share your divine gift permitting me to forgive and forget past insults and injustices, and who are always at my side within reaching distance. I desire in this short supplication to thank you for all that you have done for me, and to assure you once more that I never want to be separated from you under any circumstances, no matter what the incentive. I want to be with you, I along with my loved ones, cradled in your unending love. Thank you for your never failing kindness towards me and those I call my own. (Prayer to be offered for three consecutive days; faith in the Holy Spirit will cause him to respond to your request no matter how difficult the problem might be.) Publish prayer as soon as request has been granted.
VACANCY NOTICE
R.E.R.
Social Policy OfficerPosition (NO-2)
Prayer To The Holy Spirit O Holy spirit, you who are the fountainhead of all knowledge, who illuminate the pathway which enables me to reach my goal. You who share your divine gift permitting me to forgive and forget past insults and injustices, and who are always at my side within reaching distance. I desire in this short supplication to thank you for all that you have done for me, and to assure you once more that I never want to be separated from you under any circumstances, no matter what the incentive. I want to be with you, I along with my loved ones, cradled in your unending love. Thank you for your never failing kindness towards me and those I call my own. (Prayer to be offered for three consecutive days; faith in the Holy Spirit will cause him to respond to your request no matter how difficult the problem might be.) Publish prayer as soon as request has been granted.
V.Y.R.
ST. JUDE NOVENA May the Sacred heart of Jesus be adored, glorified, loved and preserved throughout the world now and forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us. St. Jude worker of miracles, pray for us. St. Jude, helper of the helpless, pray for us. Say this prayer nine times a day for nine days. It had never been known to fail. (Publication must be promised.)
F.C.M.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is seeking qualified Belizean Nationals for the position of Social Policy Officer in the Belize Country Office. Background and Rationale: The 2007 – 2011 Government of Belize (GOB) - UNICEF Country Programme (CPAP) is designed to support the GOB to meet development priorities, the targets of the Millennium Development Goals and Declaration, and to fulfill the human rights of children and adolescents. Under the framework of the Belize National Plan of Action for Children and Adolescents (NPA), the Country Programme addresses ongoing threats to MDG achievement by focusing on nutrition, child survival, safe motherhood, quality education, HIV, positive adolescent development, violence and disaster preparedness and response. Country Programme implementation is multi-sector, integrated and coordinated. Key human rights principles underlie the approach of the CPAP. The principles of universality and non-discrimination are applied at the policy level and through programme implementation designed to promote user friendly and accessible services for children living in the most disadvantaged communities. The principles of the child’s right to survival, development, protection and participation are incorporated in each programme, designed to respond to specific age group and gender specific characteristics and to the evolving capacities of the child. Within this context, UNICEF emphasizes knowledge and evidencebased advocacy to support informed decision-making in children’s best interests with the ultimate goal of ensuring the well-being of children and adolescents. The formulation of recommendations for the development of new approaches, methods and practices in social policies and strategies, in line with MDG and human rights obligations and on the basis of analyses of the evolving socio-economic environments is increasingly necessary to enhance strategic alliances between local interventions and sector wide specific programmes and allow for the strengthening of child friendly public policy formulation and implementation capacities to improve the volume, targeting and overall accountability of social investments.
Responsibilities:
Under the supervision of the Programme Coordinator: • Provides high level technical advisory services to promote social policy development from a human rights perspective. • Evaluates socio-economic and qualitative data, identifies key indicators and undertakes related policy analysis making recommendations for the development and/or introduction of new approaches, methods and practices including participatory practices in social policies. • Provides oversight/coordination, monitors and reports on progress of the UNICEF supported integrated projects in Toledo and south side Belize City as well as at the national level. This includes providing technical support to achieve an improvement in the quality of social services, the coverage with community participation as well as improving community engagement, ownership and capacity. • Provides technical support to strengthen the policy and planning spaces, including the key national coordination mechanisms and the initiatives with the academiaPolicy Observatory. • Designs and undertakes capacity building and advocacy with partners in areas from human rights based approach to child-friendly and gender sensitive budgeting and programming to effective results based planning, monitoring and evaluation. • Performs other duties as required.: • Performs other duties as required. (More detailed TOR available on request.)
Minimum Qualifications:
Advanced University Degree in Social Policy or Economics (Applied /Development) required.
Knowledge and Work Experience:
• Eight years of progressively responsible professional work experience at national and/or international levels in social or economic policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation, and project administration, monitoring and evaluation. • Knowledge of key international human rights instruments and a sound understanding of the development sector is a pre-requisite. • Fluency in English; knowledge of Spanish required. Core Values and Competenciesmpetencies and Other Skills: Commitment, Diversity and Inclusion, Integrity, Communication, Working with People, Drive for Results, Leading, Formulating Strategies and Concepts, Analyzing, Planning and Organizing, Relating and Networking, Deciding and Initiating Actions, Persuading and Influencing. Please visit our website http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_apply.html to access the Personal History (P11) Form to be sent by e-mail with a detailed résumé to belize@unicef.org, attention: Operations Officer, no later than 15 April, 2010.
UNICEF OPERATES IN A HIV RESPECTFUL AND SMOKE-FREE ENVIRONMENT & IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Sunday, April 4, 2010
LEAD OR LEAVE! The Belize Times
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Budget Debate Speech by: Hon. John Briceño Leader of the Opposition Belmopan, Belize, Thursday, 25 March 2010 out how to measure a bridge or fix a simple stretch of road, they can’t even fix potholes. When the economic crisis started to affect us the Prime Minister changed his reading list to include a few economics books, he talked about Keynesian economics and said we would spend our way out of the problem. Willing to give the government a chance, Belizeans waited for this spending to commence, but it never really did and government came up short on many of the very things he said would stimulate the Belizean economy. Remember the solid waste management programme? How about the tourism project, and how about the fixing of streets in Belize City? By his own admission the Prime Minister said the problem his government faces is one of capacity. He said: “some of the Cap III under-spending for the year just ending is a clear result of capacity constraints locally that must be corrected.” This is nothing new for this administration, I want to remind the Prime Minister that some of the very projects he is putting forward in his 2010-2011 budget are the same ones he presented in his first budget back in July of 2008, projects like the Kendall Bridge, and the completion of the Placencia Road and the solid waste project, these were all a part of “realizing the possibilities,” then in 2009 they were supposed to help us “overcoming the challenges pursuing the opportunities,” and once again they are back with “recovery today, prosperity tomorrow.” Three UDP Budgets in a row and the same list of incomplete projects. This is why we say this government lacks the competence to get the job done. Once again Mr. Speaker we are reminded of Hubert Elrington’s other famous quote that “this crowd will land us right on the reef.” Budget Performance in 2009/2010 Each time the Prime Minister gets an opportunity he likes to run out and blame everything on the past administration. One of the issues he loves to hurl at his predecessors is the issue of the super bond. He calls it the “dreaded super bond.” Well let me say this, the Superbond was not the problem, it was the solution to a problem and what it did was to allow government, including this UDP Government, to manage our debt. It is allowing us to spread out payments over a longer period of time so that we can meet our payments and not have to default. Mr. Speaker, last year the government made payment in respect of the Superbond in the amount of $48 million that was actually 6 percent of the Government’s total spending last year. This year, the government will have to pay $65 million towards the Superbond that will amount to 8 percent of government expenditure for 2010. This is what the Prime Minister is calling “onerous.” But I continue to wonder Mr. Speaker, if the Prime Minister believes that what was done with respect to the Superbond under the PUP was so bad, then why hasn’t he gone out and renegotiated the package? Why did he not dispatch his advisors to New York to renegotiate? Perhaps it is because they can do no better. In fact looking at what was passed in this House last week some are saying the Prime Minister has created his own super bond, only this time with the savings of the Belizean people. Let’s look at revenue performance. Lousy, Mr. Speaker! The Prime Minister in his budget speech said revenues fell below budget expectation by 10.2 percent. He attributes this to shortfalls in both tax revenue and nontax revenue. But here is the real mind-numbing thing Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minster expects to collect more money in taxes in the coming year, a year he himself declared will be worse than this year. We were wondering how this will work if under current conditions
Belizeans are buying less? Perhaps this economic policy will return us to the mid 90’s when Belizeans would go in greater numbers to Chetumal or Melchor in an effort to stretch their dollar. Last year the Barrow Administration approved about $170 million for Capital expenditure. In introducing his plan the Prime Minister said: “this is where we enshrine the luster of a comprehensive, progressive and people-centered UDP development agenda.” It was in these projects that we would “Overcome the Challenges and Pursue Opportunities.” This was the “planned step-up in Capital Spending,” his version of a “Stimulus” Package. This included $30 million in municipal streets and drains, $4 million for Belize City Streets, $6 million for rehabilitation of feeder roads, streets, and drains, $10 million for solid waste management Project; $7 million for upgrading of the Western Highway, $3 million for permanent replacement bridge structure at Kendall and the list goes on. But the true extent of the Cap II and III spending is that many of these projects never materialized, so that while the people continued to suffer because of a slumping economy, government left $43 million dollars that could have been used to create economic activity, untapped. That is the consequence of the Barrow stimulus package; it never made it from imagining to realizing and as a result of that, the productive sector is today worse off and the Belizean economy is worse off than it was a year ago. Budget Proposals for 2010/2011 Turning now to the 2010/2011 budget, I want to begin by supporting the government’s proposal to spend $10 million helping the poor and the marginalized. I also want to lend support to the government for its decision to relieve 3,000 Belizeans who earn between $19,000 and $24, 000 from paying taxes. As I said before, any relief we give to the Belizean people is welcomed by those of us on this side of the House. Mr. Speaker there is not a person on this side of the House who would not want a budget that would result in prosperity for the Belizean people. We love this country, so when we stand here we are not only doing so in fulfillment of our electoral mandate, but also out of our love for Belize and from a sincere desire to move this nation forward. Over the past two years, we in the opposition have stepped forward and offered a number of suggestions, on issues from crime to the economy, we made recommendations on managing our local governments and we have actively engaged with government on issues involving foreign policy. Each time we have done so, our recommendations were met with insults and condemnation, except for the rare occasion when the Prime Minister would give consideration on an amendment to a legislative issue. Of course we will not abandon our oath to the Belizean people, nor will we flinch with respect to our commitment to Belize, even in the midst of insults and personal attacks, the PUP will stand up and speak for those who are not able to speak for themselves. And so on behalf of the quiet masses I say that the People’s United Party unequivocally rejects the proposal by the Government for a 25 percent increase in GST. We reject any call for the introduction of any new tax which will result in added and undue hardship on the Belizean people. Mr. Speaker we heard the Prime Minster talk about his tax relief, I hope that in his speech it was a genuine mistake and not some trick that he is playing on the Belizean people when he said that anyone earning $500 per week will not pay income taxes, for if the threshold is $24,000 then indeed someone earning $500 weekly will be paying income tax. The annual salary for someone earning $500 weekly is $26,000. I trust someone (Con't on pg 16)
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LEAD OR LEAVE! The Belize Times
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Budget Debate Speech by: Hon. John Briceño Leader of the Opposition Belmopan, Belize, Thursday, 25 March 2010 on the government’s side will correct this. When a government really cares for the people they do everything possible to avoid raising taxes, they cut government spending, NOT government jobs, stimulate the productive sector, and they do all possible to encourage foreign investments. This is what I would do if we were the government, instead of quarrelling with the productive sector, I would work with them. Instead of quarrelling with the utility companies I would encourage them to find ways to work with us to ease the burdens on those in the productive sector and the poor. We would be looking for new markets to sell our tourism product instead of creating division by making inappropriate racial comments. And we would go as far as we need to go to ease the burdens on the poor. More specifically, with the implementation of the Partial Scope agreement we would have given priority to the opening of the Export Processing Zone in Benque Viejo. To create jobs and prepare for the recovery we would invest in new information and communication technologies to attract new industries and support the expansion of existing ICT based businesses. We would cut taxes, increase capital investments and make affordable credit to the productive sector. Now Mr. Speaker, we are all happy to hear that import duty will be removed from cereals, but we would have preferred that the tax relief on items like luncheon meat and potted meat be given to products with better nutritional content. While we have nothing against the importers of Dak pork luncheon meat, we have to note that this is a product high in salt and carries three kinds of sodium, sodium triphosphate, sodium ascorbate and sodium nitrite. This product also carries starch. Armor Potted meat contains 620 milligrams of sodium, 9 grams of fat of which 2.5 grams is saturated fat and 20 percent of this is cholesterol. When you consider these products in the context of healthy living, whatever Belizeans gain today from the removal of duty and GST from these products could very well be lost tomorrow when we continue to have more of our children and young people diagnosed with diabetes and hypertension. The very ingredients I mentioned earlier add to these kinds of complications and while we are getting relief to buy these products that are making us sick, the cost of the very medicine we use to help Belizeans suffering from diabetes and hypertension will see no relief from GST, in fact these very products will see a rise in GST by 25 percent. On April 1, 2010, metroprol, a drug used for patients suffering from hypertension will go up in price, metformin used by diabetic patients will go up in price, lanoxin used for patients with heart problems will go up come April 1st and Lipitor a drug used to lower your cholesterol will also go up dramatically on all fools day. Need I remind this honourable house that sugar and high blood pressure are the two leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Belize? We have to stop looking at things in isolation and see them all as a part of a bigger picture. We cannot be banging the table in approval of 10 million dollars in relief when at the same time we are sucking $110 million from the poor. The hypocrisy of all this Mr. Speaker is that this is the same Prime Minister who got up in this house just three years ago and decried the collection of $21 million in additional taxes, calling it a “monster” and going further to say that we were squeezing this from Belizeans with “ already
empty pockets.” Well, after squeezing $30 million in fuel taxes alone in 2009, he intends to squeeze an additional $110 million from these already “empty pockets.” SHAME! So the Prime Minister, in good conscience, should not be asking Belizeans to bear the additional burden of $110 million dollars in taxes, when his government shows no sign of making the slightest sacrifice and instead is increasing its operating expenses. This year he is increasing the budget for the Foreign Ministry by another $900,000. Since the UDP took office they have increased spending in the Foreign Ministry from 10 million to 13 million dollars. They are also increasing spending in the Ministry of Tourism by another half a million dollars on administration alone. We need to lead by example and stop wasting government’s money on fancy vehicles and the like. Since this administration came to office they have increased government spending by $123 million in recurrent expenditure. This year, which is supposed to be the worst ever, they intend to increase recurrent expenditure by another $32 million. And of this $32 million, he is contemplating putting $3 million on what he terms a “place holder” what he calls a modest improved incentive he is determined to give to our teachers and public officers. What would this contemplation amount to? Is this the 30 percent cost of living adjustment that the teachers were marching for? It cannot be! This incentive, “if ” materialized, would amount to 8 cents a day for each teacher or public officer. So when the Prime Minster talks about big government as a practical imperative, this is just fancy speak for tax and spend. After looking at this budget, we respectfully submit that indeed the UDP subscribes to an “ism” which can only be described in the words of the Calyposnian Lord Laro as “sufferism” For this is what this budget will do the Belizean people. Conclusion Mr. Speaker we on this side concluded our consultation with the Belizean people on Tuesday. Whether we were listening to business executives in the board room or to the man on the street, the message was the same. We are in the worst of times. In such times everyone looks to their leaders for hope and for direction. The Prime Minister, in his budget is promising recovery now and prosperity tomorrow. For a people already, battered, broken and bruised, tomorrow’s prosperity is just too late. For the people who must bear the brunt of the suffering—the poor, the government must be compassionate and show that they care. For those in the middle they must inspire confidence. From those at the top they must demand sacrifice. I believe in the strength and good will of the Belizean people. Likewise, I believe that if we effectively support the productive sector the Belizean economy will grow. I know that Belizeans are prepared to work harder if it will mean success, prosperity and development. I believe that our people are prepared to do their part. The time has come for the Prime Minister and his government to stop the quarrelling and start to work so that they can deliver on their promise to the Belizean people. If we are to develop this nation, government must encourage job creation, make our communities safe, provide opportunities for our young people, provide adequate health care and they must grow the Belizean economy. Mr. Speaker it is time for the UDP to lead or leave. We on this side say it is time for the PUP. Thank you.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
The Belize Times
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Efectivos del Ejército catean Fariñas rechaza viajar a España con la anuencia de las autoridades cubandos narcoguaridas en Cancún as, pero que en la primera ocasión “Pérez-
El Ejército Mexicano logró asestar un duro golpe a la delincuencia organizada en dos narco-residencias de Cancún, con el aseguramiento de 13 armas largas (cuer nos de chivo), más de un centenar de car tuchos útiles, 2 kilogramos y 574 dosis de cocaína, 270 dosis de mariguana, más de 300 mil pesos, 5 mil 855 dólares america nos y 85 canadienses, chalecos antibalas y un arma corta. La Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional (Sedena), a través de la 34ª Zona Militar, informó que el aseguramiento se reali zó en dos residencias, una ubicada en la Región 105, de la colonia Tierra Maya y en Residencial Villas Marino de la Súper Manzana 317. Estas actividades, informó la fuen te en un comunicado, forman parte de la campaña permanente contra el narcotráfi co y la aplicación de la Ley Federal de Ar mas de Fuego y Explosivos y en atención a una denuncia ciudadana, en la ciudad de Cancún, municipio de Benito Juárez. En una residencia ubicada en la calle Amanecer, número 25, Región 105, de la colonia Tierra Maya, lograron el asegura miento de 270 dosis de mariguana y una motoneta Italika 150 centímetros cúbicos. Mientras que en una residencia de la calle Privada Porto Benedetti, número 13, en Residencial Villas Marino, Súper Man zana 317, lograron asegurar, 12 fusiles AK47 calibre 7.62x39 milímetros (mm), de las conocidas como cuerno de chivo, un fusil calibre 5.56 mm, una pistola calibre 0.45, 20 cargadores para fusiles AK-47, 5 para fusiles AR-15, un cargador para pistola ca libre 0.45 mm, 143 cartuchos de diferentes calibres y tres chalecos antibalas. En esa misma residencia, personal del
Ejército Mexicano logró el aseguramiento de dos ladrillos de cocaína, con un peso cada uno de un kilogramo, 574 dosis de la misma droga, 300 mil 320 pesos mexica nos, 5 mil 855 dólares americanos y 85 ca nadienses, así como una notebook marca Hewllet Pakcard, modelo 110. Cabe hacer mención que no se infor mó de la detención de personas relaciona das con dicho aseguramiento. Las armas, cargadores, cartuchos úti les, droga, numerario y demás artículos, fueron puestos a disposición de la agencia del Ministerio Público de la Federación de la Delegación Regional de la Procuraduría General de la República (PGR) de Cancún, para las investigaciones conducentes. Estas acciones, que realiza el Ejército mexicano, son con estricto apego al estado de derecho, y con plena observancia de las garantías individuales, contribuyendo con ello, a garantizar el clima de bienestar y paz social que demanda el pueblo de México, y la sociedad quintanarroense, así como en cumplimiento a las órdenes giradas por el alto mando, informó la propia Sedena.
AFP/LA HABANA Guatemala El disidente cubano Guillermo Fariñas rechazó este lunes una propuesta española de viajar a Madrid para recibir tratamiento y pidió que en su lugar viajen los 26 presos políticos enfermos, cuya excarcelación exige con su huelga de hambre de 33 días, dijo su portavoz, Licet Zamora. En conversación telefónica con el embajador de España, Manuel Cacho, y el secretario Político, Carlos Pérez-Desoy, Fariñas “ratificó que no se va, que él nunca ha dicho que se va de su país”, dijo Zamora telefónicamente desde Santa Clara, 280 km al este de La Habana, donde reside Fariñas y realiza su protesta. Fariñas les dijo a los diplomáticos españoles “que le hagan esa propuesta, del avión ambulancia, a esos 26 presos que están mal en las cárceles de Cuba” , agregó Zamora. La portavoz dijo desconocer si esta reiteración de la propuesta española (ya se había hecho antes de ingresar Fariñas al hospital el 11 de marzo último) cuenta
Desoy le dijo a Guillermo que el gobierno de Cuba le había pedido al gobierno español en aquel momento que lo sacaran aquí de Cuba” . La negativa de Fariñas fue comunicada públicamente este lunes por el canciller español, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, quien dijo en conferencia de prensa en Madrid que Fariñas “la ha rechazado y prefiere continuar la huelga de hambre” . “El está muy débil, extremadamente débil porque ayer fuimos a verlo a la visita y no abrió ni los ojos, muy adolorido”, añadió Zamora, al detallar que el viernes le fue retirado el catéter por donde lo alimentan debido a la presencia de un estafilococo dorado, que los médicos están combatiendo con antibióticos. Su madre, la enfermera jubilada Alicia Hernández, quien no apoya la protesta ni comparte la ideología de su hijo, advirtió el domingo recién pasado que Fariñas está “muy mal y podría caer en un shock séptico” . Fariñas, un sicólogo y periodista de 48 años, pide la excarcelación de 26 reos políticos en mal estado de salud, fue ingresado el 11 de marzo, tras sufrir un segundo shock hipoglucémico, debido a su protesta de hambre y sed, que comenzó tras la muerte del preso Orlando Zapata, el 23 de febrero, tras dos meses y medio de huelga de hambre por mejoras de las condiciones carcelarias.
El ministro de Relaciones Exteriores de Chile, Alfredo Moreno, aseguró este domingo que se creará una oficina exclusiva para tratar todos los temas de integración con Argentina, Bolivia y Perú. En declaraciones que difundió ayer el diario El Mercurio, Moreno sostuvo que el Ejecutivo chileno considera a estos tres países como prioritarios en sus relaciones diplomáticas. Afirmó que la Dirección Vecinal, como se llamará la nueva oficina, “es simplemente la expresión práctica de lo que hemos conversado”. “Si vamos a tener una predilección en los temas vecinales, queremos que haya gente que trabaje en eso de forma exclusiva. Hay que invertir recursos en ello porque tenemos una agenda importante”, añadió Moreno. Sin dejar de reconocer las diferencias que se puedan tener con esos tres países, el Canciller chileno aseguró que actualmente se tienen muy buenas relaciones con ellos. “Creemos que podemos avanzar en asuntos de interés mutuo con una mirada de futuro”, comentó. Respecto de la demanda peruana ante la Corte Internacional de La Haya, Moreno dijo que ha habido gestos positivos como el hecho de que el presidente Alan García haya venido personalmente a Chile acompañando la ayuda para los damnificados del terremoto y que
luego estuviera en el traspaso de mando presidencial. Con la demanda en La Haya, Perú pide modificar a su favor el límite marítimo con Chile y obtener unos 35.000 kilómetros cuadrados de territorio que ahora están bajo soberanía de su vecino del sur. Lima basa su demanda en el argumento de que los límites nunca han sido fijados, lo que Chile contesta sobre la base de dos tratados, suscritos en 1952 y 1954, que Perú reconoció durante 50 años, además de una serie de acuerdos complementarios posteriores. También se refirió a las relaciones con Bolivia, país que reclama una salida soberana al mar, asunto sobre el que el canciller Moreno reafirmó que entre ambos países existe una agenda de 13 puntos, uno de los cuales se refiere a una salida al Pacífico. Bolivia perdió su litoral en el Océano Pacífico en una guerra que, junto con Perú, libró contra Chile a fines del siglo XIX. “En algunos puntos hay avances y en otros no tanto. Hasta ahora ha habido conversaciones, pero eso prefiero informarlo cuando existan cosas más concretas”, añadió el canciller chileno, que agregó que el gobierno del presidente Sebastián Piñera ha privilegiado en el caso de los embajadores a los funcionarios de carrera para lograr resultados./Santiago de Chile, EFE
Bolivia no ofrecerá gas hasta saber las reservas
Piñera anuncia plan de US$2.543 millones para reconstruir viviendas
Esta mañana, el presidente de la República, Sebastián Piñera, en conjunto con la ministra de Vivienda, Magdalena Matte, anunció un plan de subsidios para viviendas que hayan sufrido daños de diverso tipo como consecuencia del terremoto del pasado febrero, el que apunta a la reparación definitiva de las mismas por un costo de US$ 2.543 millones. Sobre lo anterior el jefe de Estado dijo que este plan beneficiará a 195.950 familias vulnerables y de clase media. Piñera precisó que el beneficio comenzará a ser efectivo entre el presente año y 2011, y se enmarca en la segunda etapa en la reconstrucción del país, orientada a enfrentar la emergencia ante la llegada del invierno. "Llegó el tiempo de anunciar un plan definitivo para reparar las viviendas dañadas por el terremoto", afirmó el mandatario en el municipio santiaguino de Lo Prado. En la ocasión, el mandatario detalló que a la fecha, el catastro realizado sobre
los daños en inmuebles arroja que hay un total de 370.540 casas afectadas. Dentro de esta cifra global, indicó que 81.444 resultaron destruidas totalmente. De este modo, el plan del Ejecutivo está dividido en dos tipos de subsidios. El primero estará dirigido a la reconstrucción de 133.994 viviendas dañadas que quedaron inhabitables, será prioritario y será entregado "en los próximos 24 meses", indicó el gobernante. En este caso, el Estado aportará el 100% del financiamiento cuando se trate de familias de "gran vulnerabilidad social". El segundo tipo será para la reparación de inmuebles que resultaron menos afectadas y que pueden ser reparadas. "No queremos solamente reconstruir lo que se cayó, sino que más que eso, con mayores tecnologías, queremos reconstruir un país mejor y no sólo en lo material, sino también en lo espiritual, estamos pidiendo actuar con generosidad y con respeto", sostuvo el presidente.
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The Belize Times
Sunday, April 4, 2010
After holding consultations across the country, we’ve still been unable to come up with even ONE POSITIVE THING which this UDP Government has done for the country since February 2008.
So we decided to ask YOU. What has this Barrow Administration done for YOU since it took office more than TWO YEARS AGO? Name one thing… JUST ONE!
????????????????????
Sunday, April 4, 2010
The Belize Times
In February of 2008, the UDP under Dean Barrow promised to – Ease the cost of living by lowering electricity rates and telephone rates. It is now March of 2010, and the people of Belize are still waiting patiently… In February of 2008, the UDP under Dean Barrow promised to – provide greater spending power by reducing GST and reduce fuel costs by replacing RRD with a lower flat tax. It is now March of 2008, and the people of Belize are still waiting patiently… In February of 2008, the UDP under Dean Barrow promised to – create a minimum of 5,000 new jobs in the tourism industry. It is now March of 2010, and the people of Belize are still waiting patiently… In February of 2008, the UDP under Dean Barrow promised to – ensure private sector prosperity by achieving an economic growth of at least 6% per annum. It is now March of 2010, and the people of Belize are still waiting patiently… In February of 2008, the UDP under Dean Barrow promised to - build 1,000 quality, affordable houses annually. It is now March of 2010, and the people of Belize are still waiting patiently… In February of 2008, the UDP under Dean Barrow promised to – increase crime detection, successful solving and prosecution of offenders by installing a fully equipped DNA-testing facility. It is now March of 2010, and the people of Belize are still waiting patiently. In February of 2008, the UDP under Dean Barrow promised to – offer shares in a National Oil Company to ordinary Belizeans so that the masses could have a personal stake in the national petroleum wealth.
It is now March of 2010, and the people of Belize are still waiting patiently…
MR. PRIME MINISTER – HOW MUCH LONGER SHOULD WE WAIT?
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The Belize Times
Sober
Reflections This ain’t a game Jack…
By: Mike Rudon Jr. I’ve come to the conclusion that the people we elected to represent us in the House of Representatives don’t take us very seriously at all. Before elections, we’re very, very important. On Election Day, from the opening of polls to the closing of polls, we’re the most important and valuable commodity in this whole world. After elections, we’re worth just about as much as that brown stuff your dog leaves behind at the most inconvenient locations. Don’t take my word for it – examine your own particular situation. Before elections our representatives could be reached 24-7… hell, before elections we saw them more than we needed or wanted. We only had to blink two times rapidly and they were there like some weird manifestation, dripping camaraderie and doling out goodwill and promises. Try that s@#t now, after we put them in office. You can go around blinking until your neighbours think you’re afflicted with St. Vitus Dance and your representatives in government couldn’t give a damn. They’ve reached…they’re there! See you next election, stupid. I listened to Mr. Barrow in the House of Representatives last week for the budget debate. You’d be right to think I don’t like our prime minister. I think he is that most dangerous animal in the kingdom – a smart fool. I think that our prime minister has been convinced by those around him that eloquence and pretty speech add up to good leadership. Nothing could be further from the truth. Mr. Barrow is in a unique position to wreak serious damage to our nation and our people. Just look around us. Our prime minister makes an empty barrel look bursting at the seams. He has unlimited power, unlimited authority, nobody around him with any brains or will to point out mistakes and the thing is – Mr. Barrow wouldn’t listen even if they did. This dude thinks he is the greatest thing since white bread. That is a recipe for disaster, Jack! Mr. Barrow stood up in the House on Friday and smugly pointed out that there was nobody outside on Independence Hill protesting his budget, so that meant everything was cool. Bring in the taxes. Our prime minister was smiling when he said that. But see, he can afford to smile because he is a millionaire many times over. He is living in the best of times. He has ensured that his family members are enjoying the best of times.
The Prime Minister threw that one out there as if to say – see, I dropped the hammer on you idiots again and because sweet music was playing from the speakers you didn’t even notice. I fooled all of you again, simpered our prime minister. All his colleagues snickered and pounded on the desks and roared with laughter because they shafted us yet again, and nobody was on Independence Hill protesting. The House of Representatives has turned into a joke. With all due respect, Mr. Speaker, you need to close down that circus before one of the clowns meets with an unfortunate accident on the trapeze. The House has turned into a staging ground for the ‘bestest and brightest and most brilliantest.’ Mr. Barrow must rehearse endlessly before he steps onto the stage to deliver his lines with verve and foppish finesse. It’s become all about who can deliver the best sound bites, be it pretty phrase or near blasphemous insult. I watched as clown after clown performed his act – Patrick with eyes bulging and voice hoarse as he ranted and raved and gesticulated hysterically…Bravo! Then there was the fat clown with the red nose, John I think his name was who jiggled and bobbled through his act, his pretense at mental agility so obvious it made the crowd roar. And the show went on and on. Because show it was…nothing more. And what of the people’s business…well, who gives a s@#t? We all got a chance to see how bright our prime minister is. We all got a good dose of the macabre, the bizarre and the grotesque from the rest of the UDP crew. In the end there were superb sound bites good for endless laughs but precious little attention to the people’s business. Seems nobody cares about the people’s business anymore. In the end, Belizeans will still have to pay out $110M more in taxes and we still don’t really know why. We still don’t really know what lies ahead for us, since our prime minister says the worst is yet to come. We should have gotten the answers to those questions and others during the House debate, but the circus hadn’t left town yet so the serious business of the House was apparently postponed. It would be nice to see the prime minister get up and tell Belizeans what’s what, minus the flowery bullshit and minus all the convoluted speak. It would be nice to see our representatives get up and have constructive, rational and informative discussions in the House on matters which affect us. We don’t need to know whose great granny used to drink whiskey out of the bottle and whose twice removed cousin pays regular visits to the brothel. Leave that crap at home. Discuss that over drinks at Brads. We put you in the House to represent us, gentlemen, and so far you’re doing a piss-poor job. Would it be too much to ask that you all get back to the people’s business?
Background
Sunday, April 4, 2010
VACANCY AD
Irrigation today is one of the most important activities sustaining the human civilization. Advancements since the 19th century have led to a rise in population and life expectancy through the development of medicines and food supplies. Food supplies were increased mainly due to improvements in crop genetics, herbicides, fertilizers and irrigation technology. Generally, lands that are irrigated have double the yields of lands without irrigation. Also improved are crop quality, diversity and the ability to extend the growing season (especially for tropical climates). Because of irrigation much of the world’s undisturbed lands are spared the fate of agricultural development. As such, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the Government of Belize (GoB) seeks to support sustainable economic growth of rural Belize through the enhancement of current agriculture production practices namely irrigation, and the creation of new employment opportunities in this sector. Specifically, the aim of this project is to establish policies and strategies that will form the framework for future development in irrigation and drainage to contribute to sustainable agricultural production. Under this Irrigation and Drainage Development Initiative, these enhancements will be realised through a set of legislative policies and regulations that will govern these systems.
I. Description 1.1 1) 1.2 1.3 1.4
In an effort to develop and implement the necessary beneficial systems, the individual will serve as: a Policy Consultant under the UNDP to develop a Draft Irrigation and Drainage Policy document and a draft five year strategic plan to support the Agriculture Sector of Belize, and Conduct an assessment of the present situation of the irrigation and drainage in the agriculture sector of Belize. The individual will work closely with and be responsive to the requests of the United Nations Development Programme and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in Belize. The individual shall receive payments as per the UNDP Guidelines on a monthly basis.
II. Tasks
2.1 As the Policy Consultant for drafting the Irrigation and Drainage Policy and the draft five year strategic plan, the individual is expected to conduct the following activities over a five month period: a) Conduct a Desk Study of Belize’s Water Resources; b) Conduct an assessment of present status of irrigation and drainage in the agriculture sector, using primary and secondary information sources. c) Develop guiding principles for the consultancy; d) Establish and manage committees/groups; e) Conduct extensive consultations with industry experts, farmers and stakeholders to ensure pwide-sector participation and buy-in for any proposed policy and strategy; f) Liaise with officials from various Government and Non-Government organisations; g) Plan and organise all meetings, seminars or workshops related to the consultancy; h) Establish and manage Work Groups for conducting consultations, preparing and revising White Papers as well as organising the preparation of a Strategic Plan for Irrigation and Drainage in Belize. i) Be responsible for preparing a Draft Irrigation and Drainage Policy document and strategy; j) Liaise with a legal draftsperson to develop a draft Bill and a set of regulations that can be submitted to Parliament for approval. k) Conduct other relevant activities related to the consultancy in an effort to expedite the process.
III. Qualifications of the Consultant 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.3.1
The consultant must be an experienced expert in irrigation and drainage with experience in policy and strategy formulation. The expert should also have at least 5 years experience working in this field that has included designing and installation and management of irrigation and drainage projects. The individual will have previous experience in the Caribbean and/or in Latin America. Previous experience within Belize will be an asset. The individual will have good inter-personal, organizational and management skills and fluent in both written and spoken English language. A working knowledge of Spanish can be an asset. Specifically for the Policy Consultant, the individual is expected to complete the consultancy in a maximum of five months.
IV. Deliverables
• As the Policy Consultant, the individual will plan and facilitate all activities related to the drafting of an Irrigation and Drainage Policy document. The individual will generate periodic Highlight Reports to inform the Project Management Unit (PMU) of the ongoing activities related to the consultancy. • At the end of the consultancy, the individual will present to the PMU, a draft policy document and a five-year strategic plan for Irrigation and Drainage for the agriculture sector of Belize.
V. Methodology
In undertaking the tasks described above, the National Trade Institution will employ a combination of research, interviews and direct observation at MAF and BAHA offices, selected district offices as agreed in the proposed methodology. The Consultant will liaise and consult widely with relevant officials both within MAF, MFT, BAHA and the BBS and externally as required. Attention should be paid to obtaining the views of retired professionals, producers, importers and exporters. The Consultant will also liaise with the Project Execution Group of the EU funded Agricultural Enterprise Development for Rural Belize Project. The consultant needs to obtain approval of final report from MAF prior to submission of final report to the Project Management Unit of the Agriculture Enterprise Development Project.
VI. Timetable
The Consultant will be expected to complete the consultancy within 5 months after the signing of contract.
IX. Bidding
Applicants are asked to submit an application package which includes a minimum of: • 7 pages technical proposal outlining: o the suggested methodologies and work plan o Mechanisms for efficient engagement of stakeholders in the exercise. • Curriculum Vitae of the professional (s) involved • Financial proposal Applications should be addressed to: Environmental Programme Analyst Ref.: Irrigation and Drainage Policy UNDP Belize Constitution Drive Belmopan Phone: 501-822-2688 Fax: 501-822-3364 E-mail: diane.wade@undp.org Note: Applications must be delivered to the above office on or before 5:00 p.m. on Friday 9th April 2010. Late applications shall be rejected. Please note that if you are not selected, a response will not be given.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
The Belize Times
Strictly Personal Barrow is bogus!
by glenntillett@yahoo.com The violent crime situation in the old Capital is so bad that nearly everyone I have spoken to over the past few months that don’t live in Belize City have expressed some reser vations about visiting the City. Some have told me that they no longer go to the City to shop or for entertainment, and only go out of necessity. Now please don’t run away with the conclusion that I think I am telling you something you don’t know. I sincerely doubt that almost anyone reading this article doesn’t know that this is a fact. It may be that there are
people who do not appreciate how extraordinar y this simple fact of life is if only because it is so unprecedented to our way of life, and how at odds it is with our cultural “picture” of Belize as one of the most peaceful and friendly places on the face of the earth. For people like me, and the g eneration that came just before me, and that includes Dean Barrow, the 21st Century Belize is so at odds with the 20th Century Belize we grew up in that back then, it now appears so surreal when I start thinking about those good old days. The number one problem we face when attempting to deal with the significant increase in violent crime first on the streets of Belize City, and latterly in other areas of the nation is attitude. Barrow’s budget will cut the money allocated to our national security services by $6.5 million. I don’t know, other than from what I heard said in the House by Lake Independence area representative Hon. Cordel Hyde, but if he is correct there are not only no new initiatives but it seems most of the
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brunt of the cuts will be made to the Police Department. It hardly seems logical that in a time when citizens all across the country are terrified of the City’s violent crime problem that you would allocate even less money to the Police Department. I am sure that there is some rationale at work, but Police Minister Hon. Carlos Perdomo’s remarks on the subject at the House meeting were, to be as charitable is possible, markedly unhelpful. This is the problem, the Barrow administration’s attitude seems to be that escalating violent crime is not an anomaly and a source of persistent concern if not anxiety for us, but it requires even less attention and thereby effort at curbing. If you think about it you may even ag ree with me that reducing the policing budget’s fiscal appropriation amounts means if you’re not throwing in the white towel, (or at least waving the white flag), that you are satisfied with the effort to stem the rising tide of ever more violent crime. I think that I got the memo when Barrow refused to relieve Carlos Perdomo of his policing portfolio and has refused to take him to task for his decided lack of success in that regard. Now I suppose the rest of the nation has “gotten it” too. Excuse me if I am ver y much a product of the past. It
was now Justice Denys Barrow, then brother Dean’s unofficial campaign manager, who wrote the media following their loss in the 1998 General Elections to say sarcastically that it seems the Government was no longer responsible for crime. Denys, (and I call His Honour by his first name now as I did then, and in no way intend to portend any disrespect), was reacting to what he termed then was a torrid torrent of criticism of the then UDP administration’s total failure at curbing violent crime. See, his older brother was the Minister of National Security then, and was perturbed by the political message that “BARROW IS IMPOTENT on crime.” See, from way back then we knew that Dean Bar row didn’t really give a rat’s a$$ about crime and incredibly he seems to care even less now. See, the one person who could really do something about curbing violent crime is Dean Oliver Barrow. But Barrow is bogus.
PUP Think Tanking Sessions Every Thursday, Independence Hall at 7:30pm
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY The Central Bank of Belize, the statutory body responsible for fostering monetary stability, especially the stability of the exchange rates and the promotion of credit conditions, is seeking to recruit an Economist.
The Central Bank is interested in persons with background in the following areas: • • • • •
Economics Economic forecasting Monetary economics Statistical analysis Macroeconomic management
The successful candidate will be expected to conduct/assist in economic research projects, engage in economic analysis, assist in the formulation of monetary policy,. Produce economic forecasts and produce/contribute to reports generated by the Research Department.
Applicant should possess: • • • • •
A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree from a University of international standing with emphasis in any of the above subject areas; Excellent writing and communication skills; Strong quantitative , analytical and computer skills; Results oriented focus with good interpersonal skills and Working experience in an economics related position would be an asset.
The remuneration package is commensurate with qualifications and experience. Applications together with curriculum vitae, copies of transcripts and certificates must be submitted by Monday, 12 April 2010 to: Director Human Resources Department Central Bank of Belize P.O. Box 852 Gabourel Lane Belize City BELIZE Email: cbbhrd@btl.net Ref: Economist Website: www.centralbank.org.bz All applications will be treated in strict confidence.
BELIZE AUDUBON SOCIETY 41st ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Invitation to attend and
NOMINATIONS CALL The Belize Audubon Society is holding its 41st Annual General Meeting on Saturday 17th April 2010 at 9:00 am at Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary. Elections will be held for the Board of Director. Eight director positions are to be filled for a 2-year term. Voting members of the Society are invited to make nominations for any of the above positions by submitting the nomination with biography, by letter, to the Nominations Committee, Belize Audubon Society, PO Box 1001, Belize City, and email to executivesecretary@belizeaudubon.org or by telephone 223-5004. The nominations must be received no later than April 9th, 2010. Please be advised that according to the Articles of Association, we cannot accept nominations from the floor at the AGM. To be eligible, persons must have been a member for at least 1 year and must be in good standing. • 8 positions are available namely: 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Treasurer, 1st Secretary and 2nd Secretary and 3 directors. Our members’ presence at our AGM is of utmost importance. We look forward to seeing you there. Contact:
Anna Dominguez Hoare Executive Director Telephone:223-5004/4987/4988 Fax: 223-4985 Email: executivesecretary@belizeaudubon.org
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The Belize Times
The
Belize Times ol
ñ a p s E n E
ditorial
Siga la Luz
Pocas horas después de la presentación del Primer Ministro sobre el presupuesto de su Gobierno el momento clave del día fue la rabieta e insultos hacia los miembros de la oposición. Las imágenes que se han visto en la televisión durante las noticias son las de un proceso legislativo reducido a una pelea callejera. Para los beliceños que tienen edad suficiente para haber seguido el proceso legislativo en los últimos 20 años, dirán que las personas como Phillip Goldson, Harry Courtenay, Curl Thompson, Lindy Rogers, la Señora Liz y otros legisladores que han fallecido deben de estar dando de vueltas en sus tumbas. Estas personas eran reconocidas por su estilo apasionado de debatir en el Parlamento, pero nunca redujeron sus presentaciones en la Cámara a insultos personales y a la vulgaridad Si se compara la contribución de estos al proceso parlamentario con lo que sucedió en el Parlamento la semana pasada, hay que lamentar que ese sí que fue un día triste para Belice El aspecto más lamentable es que en la historia de la nación, el viernes, 19 de marzo 2010 fue uno de los días más importantes en la historia de este país. Fue en este día que el Primer Ministro presentó un presupuesto que amarró a Belice con un proyecto de ley imponiendo impuestos de $ 110 millones. También fue el día en que la Cámara debatió una serie de proyectos de ley cambiando la política monetaria del gobierno. Esto le aprobó al gobierno una legislación permitiéndoles la emisión de cientos de millones de dólares en bonos del Tesoro y notas adicionales. Pero lo que ha resonada por todo el país ha sido el comportamiento del Primer Ministro y con eso se perdió el enfoque a estos proyectos de ley y el gran impacto hacia los beliceños. Al tratar de explicar su berrinche en la Cámara, el Primer Ministro dijo, en una entrevista en KREM, que lo que lo perturba es cuando el ex primer ministro se levanta y habla en la Cámara. Dijo que él cree que después de todo lo sucedido en la administración anterior que el Sr. Musa no debe hablar. Pero esto no es razón para ser vulgar. El Sr. Musa fue elegido por los votantes de Fort George y debe hablar siempre y cuando sea para representar adecuadamente los intereses de la gente de Fort George en la Asamblea Nacional. Ayer, cuando el Líder de la Oposición abrió el debate en la Cámara, revirtió la conversación a donde tenía que haber estado, enfocándola en el presupuesto y su impacto en la vida de la población beliceña. En su argumento contra el proyecto del presupuesto el Líder de la Oposición puntualizó que el 1 de abril en Belice se despertará con un aumento del 25 por ciento en el GST. Esto significa que cuando los beliceños vayan a la tienda con la misma cantidad de dinero en sus bolsillos como lo hicieron el día anterior, no tendrán lo suficiente para pagar los mismos productos y servicios pudieron comprar sólo unos días antes. Se darán cuenta de que su gobierno les ha cargado el peso de su incompetencia en los hombros. La triste realidad de todo esto es que mientras el pueblo tiene que pagar un adicional de $ 110 millones en impuestos no encontrará alivio a la agobiante situación de la delincuencia, o a las calles rotas. Este incremento en los impuestos no ayudará a educar a más niños o asegurar el expansión del Seguro Nacional de Salud a las áreas como Corozal, Orange Walk, Cayo y el lado norte de la ciudad Belice. Estos nuevos impuestos no traerán alivio alguno a la alza en el costo de vida. Los beliceños están enfadados con el comportamiento de algunos de sus representantes, pero más aún, están encolerizados acerca de estos nuevos impuestos. Ellos sienten que no pueden aguantar más aumentos en el costo de vida. La comunidad empresarial, a través de su organización la Cámara de Comercio e Industria se ha pronunciado contra el tono en Belmopán. Han dicho que quieren que los insultos personales se acaben. También han declarado que no pueden estar de acuerdo con el presupuesto porque la carga no se comparte. En la política hay aquellos que prefieren la oscuridad; prefieren mantener la verdad sin luz, pero lo cierto es que la verdad es testaruda, siempre encuentra su camino hacia la luz. A esta administración de Barrow se le está acabando muy rápidamente los lugares oscuros donde se pueda esconder del pueblo.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
El Bejuco Atol con el dedo… 110 millones más recaudará el pelón A costillas nuestras los sacará el cabrón Sera un año difícil y lleno de trabas Que al pobre ayudará son puras guayabas El ingrato subió el 25 % al GST El impuesto incluye hasta el macabí A este pelón le falta cordura Estos son actos de dictadura Este caradura al pobre desamparó Para taparle el ojo al macho Programitas sociales declaró Migajas, para el pobre el hilacho Por un lado de centavos nos exime Con la otra mano el jugo nos exprime A este pelón el pueblo le importa un bledo Nos está dando atol con el dedo…
Leprosos y Burros
Rábido y con una cara de perro el primer Ministro hostigo al líder de la oposición y al ex primer ministro del gobierno anterior. Tanta saña nunca antes demostrada en una función del parlamento. En su afán de ofender, demostró su verdadera cara de farsante, de amargura abundante, memez sobrante, su alma despiadada, mentalidad retardada, líder inepto, gran bajeza en concepto. Su proceder es producto de su incompetencia, falta de decencia, de su impertinencia, de sus deficiencias. Dos infructuosos años han pasado. En todo se ha baboseado. Este hombre es un fracasado… Durante su campaña a bajar el GST se comprometió, dos años después el 25% le subió… a un 6% de incremento anual en el GDP se comprometió pero el año pasado la economía se contracto. 5,000 nuevos empleos prometió hoy todos saben que nos mintió… Mil casas pensaba construir, 2 años después nadie las puede conseguir… Nacionalizar el petróleo juro y perjuro, hoy todo eso ya se le olvido, como todo lo que dice y piensa, nunca maduró… El futuro es inseguro, este pelón por el pueblo nunca procuró, ahora está el apuro, dicen que a la bruja visito, hasta el puro se fumo y al diablo conjuro… sabe en su fuero interno que su luz ya se apago..en la próxima elección se le acabó.. Y eso lo angustia, lo lleva a la mustia, se vuelve bestia, lo hace trastornar, lo hace berrinchar, y en sus rabietas nada discretas se comporta como un vil proxenetas…. Y cuando sobre sus impuestos le preguntaron sus diablos internos se le revolcaron, la calma y la razón le abandonaron, los cables se le atravesaron, los ojos se le chipotearon, sintió que lo violaron, de la boca las ofensas e insultos se le reventaron. Lastimado porque en la llaga se lo zamparon, los de la oposición con su paciencia acabaron, le estallaron los diablos, irrumpió con sus terribles vocablos, como que estuviera en los establos hablo de burros pero también de enfermos y aquí fue que acusamos que dijo muchas cosas que repudiamos… La forma en que se dirigió a los líderes de oposición realmente no sorprende, y ni nos trae ni nos lleva. Como políticos con gran madurez sabrán sobresalir a la politiquería… Lo que sí es lamentable es la manera ofensiva en que el primer ministro utilizo la referencia a enfermos de malatía, es deplorable que el líder máximo de este país haga despliegue de calificativos aduciendo al sufrimiento de enfermos de enfermedades infecciosas agregando al estigma que sufren los que padecen de la lepra y afecciones afines. Nuestro Primer Ministro le debe disculpas al pueblo Beliceño por su recién conducta en el parlamento, pero sobre todo le debe una disculpa a los doce millones de enfermos de dicha enfermedad a través del mundo y a muchos millones más que sufren de el estigma de otras enfermedades…
Sunday, April 4, 2010
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Políticas UDP, como siempre
No hay protestas dice usted ... El Primer Ministro el viernes muy presuntuosamente declaró que no había nadie afuera, en Independence Hill protestando contra el Partido Democrático Unido y su presupuesto para 2010/11. Lo dijo como si fuera a decir que todo está bien con su administración y con el presupuesto. Creo que el primer ministro piensa que su campaña de saturación de anuncios y sus palabras de flores junto con las travesuras de distracción del resto del pelotón UDP hicieron maravillas. Y, por supuesto, el Sr. Barrow tiene este truco maravilloso según el, donde entierra su cabeza en la arena y sólo pretende que todo esta color de rosas. Su cabeza debe haber estado firmemente enterrada cuando la comunidad empresarial arremetió contra el presupuesto, alegando que carecía de pensamiento y de cohesión. Y, por supuesto, el primer ministro no se dio cuenta cuando la NTUCB amenazo con boicots si se aprueba el presupuesto, porque él no lo mencionó en absoluto. ¿Y como cuando los agentes del turismo afirmaron que los nuevos impuestos paralizaran la industria? Bueno, el primer ministro debe haber estado dormido cuando eso sucedió. Pero no te preocupes, el Sr. Barrow en una semana mas o menos, cuando los precios empiecen a subir en las tiendas y almacenes de todo el país, va a saber lo que los Beliceños están pensando por seguro. Perdomo debe irse... Mientras que estas líneas están siendo escritas, se sabe que hubo dos asesinatos durante el fin de semana y más de una docena de disparos. Pero en realidad no hay noticias reales, porque la violencia en la calle es tan mala que se ha convertido en algo habitual. Además de eso, la última ola de robos son abundantes pruebas de que los criminales no respetan o temen al departamento de policía y sienten que pueden aprovecharse de los ciudadanos respetuosos de la ley con total impunidad. Nadie cree que las estadísticas se distribuyen por la policía, que muestran consistentemente una reducción de la delincuencia a pesar de lo que es evidente en las calles. La delincuencia está fuera de control, la policía se considera el enemigo y la moral dentro del departamento y la comunidad en general está en su punto más bajo. Carlos Perdomo, como el Ministro de Seguridad Nacional es un fracaso absoluto. Todo el mundo sabe eso. Sin embargo, el sentido que recibe cada vez que el tema de la delincuencia se produce alrededor del ministro es que en realidad no se da cuenta de lo mal que están. Él sólo murmura alguna basura sobre el duro trabajo que el departamento está haciendo y cómo va a tomar tiempo para limpiar las cosas - consuelo para los beliceños. En la Cámara el viernes, la contribución de Perdomo a la cuestión de la delincuencia fue señalar que hubo políticos deshonestos en la administración pasada del PUP. Eso fue todo, sus dos centavos de gloria. Sus colegas se rieron y se rieron y le dieron una palmadita en la espalda. Belice necesita más que eso, señor ministro. Es obvio que usted no puede hacer el trabajo. Usted sólo debe irse. GAPI se da una palmadita en su propia espalda... Incluso los medios de comunicación lo reportaron como todo un acto descarado de auto-elogios. Mientras que los beliceños estamos aquí sufriendo, los miembros del UDP en la Cámara pasaron el viernes dándose palmaditas en la espalda. El viceprimer ministro Gaspar Vega, en forma típica, alabándose a sí mismo por toda una serie de logros imaginados en el Ministerio de Recursos Naturales. Todo el mundo sabe que el Ministerio nunca ha sido más corrupto que está ahora bajo GAPI. Todo el mundo sabe que la victimización se ha convertido en una palabra de moda en el Ministerio. GAPI debe ponerse de pie y decir a la honorable Cámara, cuántas parcelas de tierra ha tomado arbitrariamente de los beliceños pobres - ¿cuántos contratos han sido cancelados por ninguna otra razón que por malicia política? GAPI es como el resto de sus colegas no tienen ni idea. Ellos han perdido todo contacto con la realidad aquí. Por eso es que se pueden sentar en la Cámara y se ríen y ejecutan bromas como que están en una época de abundancia. Sin embargo, los beliceños pobres aquí afuera no entienden el chiste. Lo hemos dicho antes y lo diré de nuevo. La frustración está creciendo aquí. Estos son tiempos desesperados. La tierra es uno de los temas más volátiles en el país. GAPI debe tener mucho cuidado cómo se mete con la tierra de la gente. ¿Y ahora John? En la Cámara de Representantes, el ministro cerdo fue acusado de falta de agilidad mental. Tal vez por eso todavía no ha descubierto qué hacer con el lío que creó en el kilómetro 41 de la autopista occidental. Según el Ministro, que sólo dio instrucciones a un par de personas para salir y tomar un pedazo de tierra. Pero subestimó cuántas personas podrían tratar de aferrarse a su pedazo de la joya. Ahora que la tierra se
reclama y liquida a manos llenas, el Ministro cerdo se ha echado atrás y busca refugio en la burocracia del Ministerio de Recursos Naturales. Sin embargo este comportamiento de hacerse para atrás de parte del Sr. Saldívar , no esta siendo muy bien aceptado en Belmopan. Los Beliceños están saliendo a 41 millas a hacer su reclamo, poniendo al ministro cerdo en un lío serio. Fíjese Ministro cerdo, la gente no confía en usted o en su ministro de recursos naturales. La gente no quiere esperar a usted o a su ministro de recursos naturales, porque saben que sólo compinches UDP recibirán la tierra entonces. La próxima vez que te levantes en la Cámara Ministro cerdo, que carece de la agilidad mental y física, tal vez usted podría decir la verdad sobre la tierra en el kilómetro 41 e informar a la nación lo que usted piensa hacer al respecto, lo que es una preocupación creciente. ¿Por qué otra AMF? ¿Alguien puede explicar por qué el Gobierno esta abriendo otra sucursal del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores en la Ciudad de Belice? ¿Alguien puede explicar la necesidad de que se muevan cuando la economía está en recesión y el Sr. Barrow acaba de informar a los beliceños que tenemos que encontrar $ 110M más que dar a ellos este año? La oficina del AMF nueva se instalará en el edificio Thurton en Coney Drive, una pieza muy costosa de propiedad inmobiliaria. No sólo eso, pero la oficina de la Primera Dama también se encuentra en ese edificio. ¿Por qué tiene que haber una oficina de la Primera Dama? Y si los informes son ciertos, ¿por qué es que los contribuyentes están pagando para que la oficina de la Primera Dama? En calidad de qué le va a servir a los beliceños, ¡díganme! Tal vez la oficina AMF nueva será usada para manejar la carrera del hijo rapero del Primer Ministro. Esa idea no es tan descabellada, sobre todo desde que el Director de Asuntos Internacionales de Protocolo y el personal y los recursos de AM se utilizaron para facilitar un acuerdo de varios millones de dólares firmado recientemente por Shyne. Los beliceños siguen preguntándose por qué teníamos que pagar de nuestro bolsillo y a apoyar de manera que Shyne pudiera estar sonriendo todo el camino hasta el banco. Santo Sedi tiene mucho que explicar. Tal vez debería haberlo hecho en la casa el viernes en lugar de unirse a la brigada de palmadas en la espalda. ¿Y qué hay de BTL? Han pasado siete meses desde que el Sr. Barrow se golpeó la cabeza una mañana y decidió hacerse cargo de BTL siete meses desde que puso a su ex esposa y a su hijo a la cabeza, y siete meses desde que hecho azufre y fuego sobre el propietario privado de BTL, mientras que se golpeaba el pecho y se comprometió a hacer todo tipo de maravillas con la empresa. Acceso a VoIP es una certeza, dijo el Sr. Barrow. BTL ahora pertenecen a los beliceños, afirmó el Sr. Barrow. A través de una gestión eficaz de BTL será capaz de ofrecer mejores tarifas, declaró el Sr. Barrow - salto justo en mi carro rojo y presto abracadabra Voila - así se hará. Sí, los buenos beliceños están a la espera de todo eso, pero hasta ahora nada. No hay tarifas más baratas, no tienen acceso a VOIP. La empresa está perdiendo dinero y Barrow aún no ha sido capaz de decir cuánto pagará al propietario anterior por el secuestro de su compañía. Siete meses y Barrow esta despistado. La comunidad internacional está observando. Ya era bastante malo que el Sr. Barrow tomo una empresa privada en un capricho. Es peor que no haya sido capaz de conseguir el dinero para pagar la indemnización. Pero lo peor, es que el Sr. Barrow no parece saber qué hacer con BTL ahora. Pero si el Sr. Barrow arruino la economía del país en una recesión en poco más de un año, ¿qué podemos esperar que lo haga con el BTL? Vehículos nuevos para el gobierno... El otro día cuando se hablo oficialmente de la recesión por primera vez, pero cuando los beliceños ya habían estado sufriendo durante mucho tiempo, el Sr. Barrow escupió en la cara cuando compro un nuevo Toyota Land Cruiser ultimo modelo con asientos con calefacción para su ministro de salud (en forma conservadora valorado en $ 160.000). Ahora que nos han dicho que tenemos que encontrar $ 110M más para pagar los impuestos, la palabra es que el Sr. Barrow ha vuelto a adquirir vehículos nuevos, uno de los cuales se le ha dado a la representante Belice rural central Mike Hutchinson. En un momento en que Barrow debe activamente buscar maneras de reducir los gastos de su administración, el incurre en nuevos gastos en lugar de hacer sus colegas más cómodos. Esto es típico de Barrow, esperando a que las masas sufran y lleven la peor parte del castigo, mientras que los pocos elegidos disfrutan de los dulces.
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The Belize Times
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Belize #1 Sports Page
Belize national football U-21 advances to CAC Games Team Belize advances to the next round to qualify for the Central American and Caribbean games to be held in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico in July of this year, despite a 1-2 loss to Nicaragua in the rematch of the home and away series in Managua, Nicaragua on Sunday, March 28. Team Belize returned home on Monday, March 29 knowing that they advance on goal aggregate 3-2 over Nicaragua, since their away goal counts as 2 under FIFA rules and they had won 1-0 at home at the FFB field in Belmopan on March 21. Representing the jewel on the Male
U-21 National Selection were from Corozal: Asrel Sutherland and Clifton West; from Toledo: Devon Makin, Marvin Centeno, Frank Lopez, Mario Villanueva, Edwin Palma, Allen Armstrong, Eduardo Martinez and Byron Ferrell; from Dangriga: Thomas Suazo; from Cayo: Windell Trapp, Julian Maldonado, Amin August and Luis Mendez; from Belize City: Glenford Chimilio and Romario Amaya; and from Orange Walk: Luis Cunil and Orlando Castillo. Times Sports says “nuff respect” to our U-21 footballers and wishes them good luck in Puerto Rico!
El Salvador Cricketers to tour Belize over Easter The Belize National Cricket Association will host the National Cricket Team of El Salvador which will be touring Belize over the Easter
weekend. The visitors will play two matches against Belizean teams. On Holy Saturday, the Belize National Cricket Team will play against the
El Salvador National Cricket Team. On Easter Sunday, the defending National Cricket Champions, Excellence of Double Head Cab-
bage, will see action against the visitors. Both matches will be played in Burrell Boom starting at 10:00 a.m.
FC Belize is No.1 in Caribbean Motors Cup football
FC Belize rules the 2010 Caribbean Motors Cup football competition held by the Belize Premier Football League, with 16 pts from 5 wins and 1 draw after their 5-0 victory over Georgetown Ibayani in Week 6 at the M.C.C. garden on Sunday. Jerome “Jaro” James and Delwin Jones led the FC Belize attacks with the support of wingers Chris Gilharry and Brian Martinez and midfielders Harrison Tasher and Roberto Bernardez. The Georgetown squad had not had time to get settled before Jerome James razzle-dazzled the ball past defenders Allan Flores, Vicente Acal and Bernard Linares to drill the winning goal past the visitors’ goalie Elias Pelayo in the 2nd minute of play. Darwin Castillo and Alexander Peters led the Georg etown counterattacks, with the help of Jeffery Apolonio and Kenroy Arthurs, but the FC Belize defense anchored by Albert Thurton, with the help of Ian Gaynair, Leon Cadle and Byron Usher held the Georgetown squad scoreless to take a
1-0 lead to the locker room at the half time break Jaro James did it again early in the 2nd half in the 58th minute of play, and Elias Pelayo had no time to shake the dust of the field off his jersey before Delwin Jones embarrassed him again with the 3rd goal in the 64th minute. Pelayo had no pause to reflect on this as Jaro James served the ball to the feet of Harrison Tasher who bombed a 4th goal into the back of the net in the 70th minute. The visitors were still reeling from this barrage of goals, when Chris Gilharry brought the ball up the right flank, and Leon Cadle overlapping from the defense caught up with Gilharry’s pass to center and outran the defenders who were caught flat-footed as Cadle blasted in a 5th goal in the 77th minute to complete the 5-zip rout. The Belize Defence Force now ranks 2nd in the BPFL standings with 16pts also, but FC Belize has the better goal average. The BDF drilled cellar dwellers BRC Blaze 3-zip at the FFB Field on Sunday. Lisbey Castillo booted in the 1st
goal in the 45th minute to lead 1-zip at the half time break. Orlando Jimenez added a 2nd goal after the break in the 50th minute and Castillo added a 3rd goal in the 75th minute. Out west in Cayo at the Norman Broaster Stadium, the Hankook Verdes remained 3rd in the BPFL standings with 13pts from 4 wins and a draw after they spanked Shanaiah Corozal, ranked 2nd to last with only 4pts, 5-1. Verdes seemed not to miss the presence of U-21 players Julian Maldonado, Amin August and Luis Mendez as Richard “Cheety” Jimenez scored Verdes’ 1st goal in the 34th minute, but Shanaiah’s fireplug forward Merlin Teck equalized in the 39th minute to hold on to an uneasy 1-1 draw at the half time break. Daniel Jimenez exploded on the visitors with the winning goal in the 51st minute and Marlon Meza bombed in a 3rd goal in the 54th minute. Daniel Jimenez came back for his second goal to make 4-0 in the 80th minute, and Windell Trapp drilled home a 5th goal in the 82 minute to complete the
rout. Out on la Isla Bonita at the Ambergris Stadium, the San Pedro Sea Dogs moved up to 4th place in the rankings with 10pts after they mauled the Paradise/Freedom Fighters 5-1. Jason Valladares scored the 1st goal in the 35th minute, Angel Cantun scored the winning goal in the 51st minute; Olvin Serano made it 3-0 in the 58th minute; Kent Gabourel Jr. added a 4th goal in the 83rd minute and the Sea Dogs led 5-zip when Angel Cantun scored again in the 87th minute. Ralph Flores scored a consolation goal for the visitors from PG in the 88th minute. The competition continues on Wednesday night, March 31, when Georgetown Ibayani hosts the San Pedro Sea Dogs at the Michael Ashcroft Stadium, Shanaiah Corozal await F.C. Belize at the Ricalde Stadium, Hankook Verdes hosts BRC Blaze at the Norman Broaster Stadium and the Paradise/ Freedom Fighters return to the MCC garden to take on the Belize Defence Force.
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The Belize Times
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Belize #1 Sports Page
Kraal Road FC wins 1st Division Football Champions goal to tie the score at 2-2, forcing the game into overtime when regulation time ended with no one getting a 3rd goal. Dalton Zuniga gave Kraal Road the goahead goal in the first 15 minute period, and Johnson Semexant added a 4th goal in the 2nd 15 minutes of overtime to lead 4-2. Kraal Road recovered to score a 3rd goal, but the final whistle announced a
Kraal Road FC are the 2010 first division champs after winning Game 3 of the championship finals series 4-3 against Ebony Lake at the M.C.C. garden on Friday night. MVP Dalton Zuniga, Johnson Semexant, and Raymond “Killa” Gentle, led the Kraal Road offensive, but it was Densmore Edwards who drew first blood for Ebony Lake early in the first half. Ebony Lake found themselves playing
4-3 win for Kraal Road. Ebony lake had won Game 1 of the finals 4-3 in a penalty shootout but Kraal Road tied the series by a 2-1win in Game 2. Kraal Road’s Dalton Zuniga won both the Most Valuable Player award and the Most Goals award.
a man short when the central referee ejected Jack Dawson from the ball game with a red card. Even with the numerical disadvantage, Ebony Lake continued to mount their attacks on Kraal Road with John Castro driving in a 2nd goal to take a 2-zip lead to the locker room at the half time break. Kraal Road’s Haitian import Johnson Semexant scored their 1st goal early in the 2nd half, and it was a whole new ball game when Dalton Zuniga added a 2nd
Deezan Spence wins 11th Junior Cross Country
Team Clear Di Land’s 15-year-old Deezan Spence rode into cycling history on Sunday, as the youngest rider to ever win the Junior Cross Country Cycling Classic in the 11 years that the Belize Cycling Association has held the race. Some 46 riders signed up for the race of which 42 lined up at the starting line beside the ferry in San Jose Succotz village for the start of the race. Deezan Spence clocked 3:43:31 as he led the 19 riders who finished the race, completing the 72 mile ride to the finish line in front of Leslie’s Imports in Belize City to win a trophy and $300.00 cash prize from the Belize Cycling Association, a $250.00 cash prize from the Darwin Initiative in collaboration with UB’s
Environmental Research Institute and Panthera, a $500.00 prize plus a Blackberry Pearl Cell Phone with $75.00 Credit, 1 month free Internet and 100 SMS from Smart Speednet, the champion’s garland of roses from Florasol, one Kobletz Washing Machine valued $650.00 from Leslie’s Imports and a $600.00 Gift Certificate from the UWI Open Campus. Team Cayo High Road’s Kyle Gentle was 2nd in the sprint for the finish to win $200 Cash and a trophy sponsored by Mr. & Mrs. Dean and Isuara Williams and a $150.00 cash prize from Darwin Initiative in collaboration with UB Environmental Research Institute and Panthera. N a t i o n a l j u n i o r Ro a d ch a m p Richard Vera of Team Clear the Land
was 3rd to claim $100 Cash and a trophy sponsored by Chris Edward Reyes (former junior cyclist) and a $100.00 cash prize from the Darwin Initiative in collaboration with UB Environmental Research Institute and Panthera. Joel Borland of the Indeco Junior Team was 4th in the sprint, while the defending champ Austin Armstrong, also of the Clear the Land team took a spill 100 yards from the finish line and had to settle for 5th. Christopher Andrews of the C-Ray Cycling team was 6th, Daniel Choto of the Cayo High Road team was 7th, Darren Williams also of the Cayo High Road team was 8th, Oscar Quiros of the Crystal Cycling Team was 9th and Steven Dixon of
the Clear the Land team rounded out the top 10. At the award ceremony after the race BCA President Emil Moreno also made a special presentation, in keeping with the spirit of Women’s Month, by honoring the special women who contributed to the development of Junior Cycling in Belize: Mrs. Gladys Spence, Ms. Paula Cattouse, Ms. Edith Bejerano, and Ms. Isuara Williams. Deezan Spence also won a trophy for first place in the Youth category, Joel Borland of the Indeco Junior Team was 2nd and Oscar Quiros was 3rd. The next event on the BCA calendar is the 82nd “run for the roses”, the Annual Holy Saturday Cross Country Classic on Saturday, April 3.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
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David Jones wins RF&G national ranking Table Tennis tournament
David Jones won the RF&G 2010 - 1st. National table tennis ranking tournament held by the Belize Table Tennis Association (BTTA) at the Belize Elementary School auditorium over the weekend. Yuming Li, Orlando Habet and Victor Quan came out winners in the B, C and Cadet Categories of the tournament respectively. David Jones won national table tennis champ when he won over Nelito Ayuso who ranked 2nd in the finals of the Senior Category A. Ayuso qualified to the finals with a win over BTTA founder and president Arturo “Tux” Vasquez in the semifinal round. Vasquez ranked 3rd after taking out
the grandfather of the sport, Ernesto Sunday. Rivero, who ranked 4th. At the end of the day, Yuming Li of A total of 47 senior players began the San Ignacio won 1st place over Daniel tournament in Saturday, 5 in caterory Habet also of San Ignacio, who ranked A, 30 in Category B and 12 in Category 2nd. Carlos Cui finished 3rd and Jorge C. David Jones moved up from the Espat ranked 4th. Category A first round with a 3-1 record. The C – Category began with 12 Nelito Ayuso moved on to the 2nd players divided into 6 groups for the round double elimination with a 3-1 round robin 1st round on Saturday, record while Arturo Vasquez had a 2-2 from which the top player from each record and Ernesto Rivero ranked 4th group- 4 players advanced to the double with a 1-3 record. elimination 2nd round. The B Category was divided into 8 Landy Habet of San Ignacio emerged groups for the round robin competition the victor in the final over Orlando 1st round, from which the top 2 of each Gentle of Orange Walk who placed group, 16 players advanced to the 2nd 2nd, while Wilfredo Chang ranked 3rd round in double elimination format on and Ted Marin was 4th.
Victor Quan of SJC was undefeated in the Junior Cadets Category for ages 10-13 years, winning 3-2 over Steve Flowers of Holy Redeemer Primary School who ranked 2nd. Matthew Usher of Belize Elementary School ranked 3rd when he forfeited his match with Flowers and Harim Ochaeta of Holy Redeemer Primary School ranked 4th. In the Junior Cadets consolation round, Raheem Pitzold of Holy Redeemer Primar y School placed 1st and Trey Guy of Holy Redeemer Primary School was 2nd. The tournament concluded on Sunday with medals awarded to all of the winners.
Belize Bank Bulldogs & Junior Bulldogs win in Digicell “Balling 4 Life” basketball
The Belize Bank Bulldogs are 2-0 when the Digicell “Balling 4 Life” basketball tournament continued at the Belize City Center last Friday, while the
Belize Bank Junior Bulldogs romped to their 3rd back to back to back win on Sunday afternoon. Friday’s junior game featured the Ghetto Ballers who held basketball clinic for NHI 66-48. Albert Tasher led Ghetto Ballers with 15pts and Kadeem Courtenay added 12pts. For NHI, Raheem Franklin led with a game high of 25pts and Dennis Brown chipped in 8pts. The Belize Bank Bulldogs bombed the Brothers Habet Berger Boys 78-68, Paul Swasey led the attack with 21pts, while Darwin “Puppy” Leslie added 17 pts and Lennox Bowman tossed in another 14 pts. Greg “Chippy” Rudon led the Berger Boys with 16pts, while Lennox Cayetano finished with 12pts, and Keith Pollard and Elsworth Itza added 11pts each. The Junior Belize Bank Bulldogs coasted to a 72-55 win over the Lake I Boys on Sunday. Matthew Young led the Bulldogs with 15pts, while Alejandro Baptist added 12pts and Akeem Trapp tossed in 11pts. Alberto Cuellar led the Lake I Boys with 16pts, while Michael Murrillo added 14 pts and Daren McFadzean finished with 11pts. In Sunday’s other junior game, Hold-on Smart outshone the Rising Stars 76-48. Russell Staine led the Smart boys with 14pts, Jamaal Kelly
added 12pts, and Marshall Nunez and Hughson Tillett each tossed in 10pts. Hakeem Arzu led the Rising Stars with 18pts and London Reneau finished with 8pts. The San Pedro Tiger Sharks lost a heartbreaker by one point to Ebony Lake 61-60 in Sunday’s first senior game. The San Pedro Tiger Sharks led in the first two quarters led by Lester Cadle with 15pts and Brandon Rogers with 10 pts Ebony Lake tied the score at 4242 in the third quarter and seized the lead, with the help of Brandon White who scored 15pt and Nigel Burgess with 14pts. The Tigersharks tied the game at 56-56 and seized the lead when Doug Penland, 8pts scored a layup in money time. Zafir Harris added 9pts and a single 3-pointer in the lst 17 seconds which gave Ebony Lake the win. The Belmopan Bandits raided Jamboree 88-69 in the nightcap, with Kurt “Chengo” Burgess leading the assault with 20pts, while Jay Chavarria added 18pts, Aubrey Lopez tossed in 12 and Christian Rodriquez finished with 11pts. Jamboree had a new American import Judson Stubbs, who top-scored the game with 28pts, while Mike Staine finished with 10pts and a limp and Mike Tzai added 8pts.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
The Belize Times
Barrow’s April Fools Bukut
(Continued from page 1) GST will directly and negatively impact those that can least afford another hit in their pockets. On Thursday, March 25th, Leader of the People’s United Party John Briceno and the members of the Opposition blasted Mr. Barrow and tore apart his budget which will hurt poor people and further cripple the economy. Not one of the members on the UDP side was able to provide a credible defense of the budget. Instead they ranted and raved hysterically in an
attempt to distract from the dismal reality. On Friday, Mr. Barrow smugly defended his budget, claiming that nobody was outside on Independence Hill protesting. Since then, the NTUCB, the Chamber of Commerce and tourism stakeholders have issued releases condemning the budget, claiming that it revealed a lack of planning and consultation and will be an unbearable burden on taxpayers. Only a fool would attempt to take something from those who do not have. Because of Barrow’s April Fools Budget, it will be the worst of times economically.
It will be the worst of times socially. It will be the worst of times in every respect. Life has become hard and brutal for a majority of Belizeans. Crime and violence are at an all time high. As we go to press the most violent bank robbery in Belize’s history has taken place. The prison is packed to overflowing with young, strong men who have no hope under the UDP. Barrow’s budget now guarantees that there is no future for young Belizeans. A plate of rice and beans has gone up from $5 to $7. Under the UDP everything has gone up. Food, transportation, services and even water has gone up.
Not a single item of food or needed material has gone down. The lame excuse that a few items will not be increased is no consolation. We repeat – nothing has gone down. In fact, whenever taxes are increased prices will be increased by the sellers to recover their cost. Barrow, with a smile on his face, told the nation that he will be spending more money than the government will be collecting. He will be spending millions more than he has. What a way to manage a nation. Those who know Barrow well had always maintained that Mr. Barrow would be bad for Belize. On All Fool’s Day that belief will become a brutal reality.
disaster never before seen in Belize.” Senator Shoman emphasized the absurdity of gutting the Ministry of National Security’s allocation by $6.5 million at a time when violent crime continues to rack the nation, and porous borders.
On Friday in the House Mr. Barrow stated that there is no protest to his budget. Perhaps now he will be forced to get his head out of the sand and acknowledge that his budget is bogus at best. Senator Courtenay summed it up aptly by stating – “we anticipated that he would have offered a economic prescription to
cure the sick economy that we have today, but no, alas, we were offered a toxic cocktail of taxes, taxes and more taxes. We are forced to ask: which of the geniuses in the UDP cabinet came up with the idea that you can tax an economy out of recession and back to recovery?
the scene. Later when she recouped she told reporters that her husband was eagerly anticipating the birth of their child. She angrily lashed out at the bank which hired unarmed security guards. When the incident happened, a customer who was inside the bank was also robbed of $10, 000. The startled customers were all ordered to lie down as the robbers went about their business. Tow customers who tried to drive off in a small black car were also fired on by the robbers,
and one unidentified person in the car is hospitalized in critical condition, while another was apparently injured, though not as seriously. Within minutes the five masked men were gone in a white Suzuki sidekick that they stole. Chairperson of Spanish Lookout Community, Allen Reimer, told the media that last Friday five robbers attempted a similar robbery at a business in the community. He said that the Mennonite community will look at ways to screen visitors to the place.
San Ignacio Police Chief, Superintendent Paul Wade said they are now reviewing video images which the bank’s surveillance camera picked up. With help from a private citizen who provided a chopper, they are also looking for the getaway vehicle. The robbers escaped with an undisclosed amount of money from the bank’s vault as well as the $10,000 from a customer who was making a deposit. The bank has put up a sign saying it will be closed until the police investigation is completed.
it is largely through the efforts of the Opposition that Belizeans are realizing the true substance (or lack thereof) of the United Democratic Party. It is because of the Opposition which has remained vigilant, that Belizeans are now taking the full measure of Barrow the man and Barrow the Prime Minister. Mr. Barrow has been examined by the Belizean people and has been found wanting, thanks to the efforts of the Opposition. Can the Opposition do more for its people? Of course it can. The leader has at all times remained fully engaged in bringing together all the bright minds and energies of all PUPs. That is the measure of a leader – working to emphasize the strengths of its people and minimize
the weaknesses. It has not been an easy task. There have been those who have criticized from afar and those who have criticized from up close. There have been those who have demanded inclusion and those who have demanded exclusion. The Party Leader has listened and has acted, but in all times has remained true to the words he spoke two years ago – ‘We are one Party, one family.’ As we pass the two year mark of this Barrow administration and of the leadership of John Briceno, the PUP is poised to win the next general elections. A claim like this would have been unthinkable in February 2008. Our supporters who had left us for whatever reason are coming back in droves because they have seen the real change in the Party and they have been given new hope. Every day on the streets people
who voted for the UDP are realizing that they made a mistake and are ready to rectify that error NOW. People who have steadfastly claimed that the UDP is a one-term administration are now expressing doubts that the UDP will even make it to a complete term. The PUP has risen like the phoenix from the ashes under the leadership of John Briceno. The United Democratic Party can never hope to match the intellect and skill and talent and drive of those who are willing to serve the Belizean people under the PUP. A PUP which is united and working with one concerted purpose can never be defeated. The Belize Times congratulates the Party Leader for remaining focused, strong and committed to service of our PUP supporters and all Belizeans. The march to Belmopan continues.
Senators Veto Barrow’s Budget
(Continued from page 1) pulling no punches by stating – “having read and studied the budget speech of the Hon. Prime Minister and Minister of Finance we are obliged to declare: that it is a recipe for an economic
Scotiabank Jacked
(Continued from page 1) had dreaded had arrived. He ran but was not lucky because as he tried to reach the Spanish Lookout Police Station right beside the bank, he was shot five times. Lopez fell to the ground and died minutes later, his blood gushing onto the pavement. Lopez' pregnant wife, 23 year old Shaily Lopez, is due to have their first child any day now. She was overwhelmed when she received the news. At first, Lopez could not talk, and only sobbed uncontrollably at
Real Unity…Real Change!
(Continued from page 1) supporters and to Belizeans that the PUP would rise again – united, strong and with one common purpose. Today that commitment is as strong as ever and the fight continues to ensure that the People’s United Party will return to Belmopan whenever the next general elections are called. The road to rebuild the Party has been a rocky one. There can be no getting away from that. It has been a constant struggle to regain the confidence of the Belizean people after February 2008. The first step was to organize a National Executive which is representative of persons across this great nation – independent minds, opinionated thinkers and visionary members of the PUP all committed to the service of Belizeans. The next step was to rebuild executive committees across Belize, a blend of the stalwart older and wiser heads and the younger blood which is essential in any successful and viable Party. Finally then, the Party was ready to re-emerge as an effective Opposition, tackling the issues which affect Belizeans each and every day; taking the Barrow administration to task for its misguided and vindictive policies and at every turn reassuring our supporters that we will be there for them every step of the way, fighting for them in the Courts or in the streets. Is the Party more united today than it was two years ago? Perhaps it could better be said that the Party is today in a better position to achieve that unity which at times has seemed fleeting. Under the leadership of John Briceno, the PUP is stronger than it has been for a long time - that is for sure. The Barrow administration has realized that it will not be allowed to run unchecked over the rights of Belizeans, victimizing our people simply out of political prejudice. The Opposition is today an active one, an effective and energetic one. In fact,
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The Belize Times
Sunday, April 4, 2010