Belize Times 100627

Sunday, June 20, 2010

THE BELIZE TIMES

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Jaguar Declared Extinct

SUNDAY JUNE 27, 2010

The much ballyhooed Operation Jaguar, launched in mid-May has now been officially declared extinct, even as the city descends once more into violent lawlessness and unchecked crime. Mr. Barrow lauded the initiative as his own, a bold move to put a stranglehold on crime and control the streets by sheer force and presence. But even as the leader of the nation patted himself on the back and preened in front of the cameras, logical minds maintained that Jaguar could be nothing more than a stopgap measure, a finger in a dyke with a thousand cracks.

Political observers speculated that Jaguar was only so much dramatic posturing from the master of grand gestures, with no real substance behind it and no real plan to ensure efficiency and durability.

While the operation has for some time now shown signs of faltering badly, it was emphatically placed on the endangered species list with the broad daylight execution of Southside Gang leader Andre Trapp in front of the Court in downtown Belize City

Issue No. 4699

What Next?

PUP to GOB – YOU MUST DO MORE!

In the wake of a National Executive meeting held at Independence Hall on Wednesday, June 23, the People’s United Party issued a scathing release in which it reiterated its position that the issue of crime transcends the political divide, but chastised the Barrow administration for adding ‘to the causes of crime by increasing poverty and unemployment.’ The greatest crisis facing Belize today, stated the release, is ‘undeniably a persistent wave of crime and violence. The death toll from cold-blooded murders has shocked the nation. Citizens have never been as unsafe and unsecure as they are today.’

In a meeting on June 9 between

$1.00 www.belizetimes.bz

Prime Minister Dean Barrow and PUP Leader John Briceno, Barrow had requested the unequivocal support of the PUP for Operation Restore Belize, which had been crafted by the Barrow administration with no input from the Opposition. Even though seeing the document for the first time, Briceno had maintained that the Opposition had the constitutional responsibility to examine the initiative, but he would need to present the document to his Executive for further analysis and input.

Following the meeting, political observers speculated that Mr. Barrow had not been sincere in his intentions, since just hours after, the UDP’s news(Continued on page 35)

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with heavy Police presence nearby. Since that time, the fragile seams of the operation have burst wide open, as the defanged Jaguar has been powerless against the spate of murders, shootings, robberies and other major crimes. In just the past week, two teenage girls have been murdered, one shot in the head and the other brutally killed and dumped; a popular cyclist was gunned down and another man lies in the hospital after being riddled by bullets. Gunshots are ringing out all over the city.

Belizeans quite justifiably are asking what next. Mr. Barrow spoke most forcefully about Jaguar, but now that the death knell has rung he has gone ominously silent. The leader of the nation has made no public statement to reassure citizens that there is some concrete plan in place to stave off this surge of criminal violence. Just as he patted himself on the back for Operation Jaguar, Mr. Barrow is now lauding the socalled Operation Restore Belize, which so far has shown itself to be nothing more (Continued on page 35)

The BTL Trust is for Real!

See Story on page 35

Murdered & Dumped!

Shoot Hoops NOT Guns 3rd Annual Rennick Reneau Basketball Tournament

See Story on page 35

Leave The Judiciary Alone!

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 20, 2010

What is the GOB doing about the Sugar Crisis?

FIRST RESTORE YOURSELF

When past PUP governments sought bipartisanship on issues of national importance, for example the Guatemalan Claim, the place to start was always at the House of Representatives. It is in the House, where the people’s Representatives sit, that this UDP government should have tabled its Restore Belize Proposal. After mature and rigorous debate, and after showing good faith by taking into account the priorities of the Opposition, the government should then have commissioned the House Committee on National Security, a bipartisan group that can also accommodate community representatives and public officers, to oversee execution of the plan.

Instead, the Barrow administration has sought to play petty politics with the most urgent issue facing this nation – the safety and security of its citizens. It is not bipartisanship or shared responsibility that Mr. Barrow craves but a chance to deflect the blame for rampant crime, a chance to diminish the Opposition; what he seeks is a cheap storyline for the UDP media to flog and a photo opportunity to placate his prospective international funding agencies.

The record shows that no sooner had Mr. Barrow stepped out of the offices of the Leader of the Opposition after their crime summit than he, Barrow, launched an attack on the previous government, and on the Opposition Leader himself. The UDP newspaper, in a headline story subsequently distorted the PUP posture. Next, Mr. Barrow launched his broadside against the Chief Justice and the Judiciary. How can the PUP, in the face of these unmistakable acts of bad faith and in the ongoing UDP campaign of victimization against PUP supporters and perceived supporters, countenance any real partnership with this administration?

Throughout the ten years that Mr. Barrow was Leader of the Opposition, he rebuffed any overture at bipartisanship. Not even the constitutional amendment for Belize to join the Caribbean Court of Justice fell outside the gambit of partisanship, according to the Barrow Doctrine. Barrow opposed every single PUP attempt to toughen crime prevention laws. He spoke against every new funding measure for the Police and the BDF. He resisted any collaboration without blinking an eye. Now that he is in the hot seat, skewered daily by the orgy of violent crime afflicting the nation, Barrow wants nothing more than to share the blame for his administration’s abject failure in providing any sense of security to the Belizean people. He will not have that luxury. He does not deserve this.

It is his government that rightfully must bear the burden of producing results.

And what positive results can come when the UDP slashed the national security budget by more than $6 million this year? How can the PM chop spending on police officers, on intelligence gathering, on the Training School, on the forensic laboratory and then expect that crime can be controlled? How can he accuse police officers of operating a crime ring, yet to date bring no officer to justice for this activity? How can he tap an inexperienced and puppet Senator to stand in as Public Security Minister and expect to be taken seriously?

Barrow has moved from failure to greater failure. The much vaunted Operation Jaguar, the precursor to Restore Belize, has already fizzled, defanged by the criminal elements. Established as a stage for the UDP’s Commissioner-in-waiting to shine, the curtains came down prematurely on Jaguar and on the pitiable Aragon. Murder after brazen murder has ‘restored’ mayhem to the streets, not law and order. Since Jaguar was launched, the PM’s law partner was gunned down, two teenaged girls have been murdered, a popular cyclist was assassinated and the steps of the Courthouse became the scene of the most sensational gang murder of the decade.

When Mr. Barrow gets serious, when he behaves as though crime transcends party politics, then he will discover a willing and capable partner in the PUP. But he cannot be sincere when he will appoint an unelected UDP politician as Attorney General. He cannot be sincere when he will disrespect the Chief Justice and the Bar Association. He cannot be sincere when police officers whom the Mothers for Justice have fingered as complicit in murder are allowed to intimidate their victims’ families while in uniform.

Having ascended to the highest political office in the land, the Prime Minister, for the first time in his career, confronts problems that his prodigious tongue cannot solve. Effective governance is much more about work than about words while Mr. Barrow is so much more about words than about work. The PM finds that he cannot intimidate criminals into good conduct; in many instances, these youth are forced into a life of crime and hustling because there are no other options. When someone’s best friend is hungry, when hopelessness shades his life and only juggling makes ends meet, how can the bluster of a Prime Minister, especially one so vain and narcissistic, induce a pause to your conduct?

Sadly, the murders, maiming, raping and robberies will continue. The UDP have spat in the face of all the social partners long before inviting them to support Restore Belize. To the business community, Barrow gave the finger as he levied $110 million in new taxes in March of this year. With the unions, he ignored their pleas for constructive engagement. With the Bar Association, he rejected any notion of consultation. To the NGO Coalition advocating an offshore ban on oil drilling, he has unilaterally decided that their case has no merit. And to the Opposition, he has now made it clear that scoring political points is more important than meaningful engagement.

First restore yourself, Mr. Barrow. Only then can you Restore Belize!

Dear Editor As a resident of the Corozal District, one whose livelihood depends on the sugar industry, I am compelled to write and sensitize Belizeans about the plight of the cane farmers.

During this entire “safra” we have been having endless problems with BSI who is unable to grind the allotted amount of tons of cane that would enable farmers, drivers, cane cutters and all those that depend on this industry, to make a decent living. Because of the inability of BSI to get their co-generation plant up and running, the poor people of the North are now suffering. It takes more than three days, and sometimes up to a week, for a truck load of cane to be delivered. Never before were things that bad here in the North.

The people here in the Corozal District now fear that this will cause our District, once a very prosperous one, to become the poorest district in our country. Noteworthy is the fact that we don’t see any meaningful intervention by the Government. The GOB has been silent on this matter and the Ministers of both the Orange Walk and Corozal Districts have been especially quiet on this matter.

And as to the cane farmers, well when you hear them talking about the situation it is done in a hush hush manner as they are afraid to talk. One older cane farmer told me the other day that the people are afraid to demonstrate or say anything because they already know that this government is a very vindictive one. They are scared that if any movement is planned, the GOB will send the Police and the Army to deal with them as they did with Atanasio Gutierrez.

I must end by stating though that it is obvious that while the poor cane farmers sweat out their days trying to deliver their cane and while the poor drivers end up making a meagre $60.00 per week and while the norteños keep getting poorer, the top management of BSI can relax on the deck of their swimming pool while enjoying the scene of a well manicured lawn at the spacious complex at the Tower Hill compound.

Something needs to be done to end the suffering of the cane farmer.

Sincerely, Esmeralda Romero

Is The Forestry Department Turning a Blind eye?

Dear Editor, Please give me space in your newspaper to bring to the attention of your readers a matter which is important to all Belizeans. In last weekend's edition of your newspaper, some brave and proud UB students 'spilled the beans' on the destruction occurring in the Mountain Pine Ridge caused by unsustainable logging practices. By exposing the raping of our natural resources, the letter also brings into question the level of corruption occurring in the Forestry Department.

If your readers will recall, over the past years there have been a sustained assault on the Forestry Department in both the printed and televised media. The question is how is it possible that a government agency can be dragged through the media so often in a bad light? The answer that I have found is that the rank of the Forestry Department is riddled with corruption from top to bottom.

Recently, residents of the San Jose village have been complaining of xateros stealing xate leaves from their land and calling upon the Forestry Department to do something. How can a misguided and ineffective organization do anything to help? A credible source has mentioned that there are no officers within the Forestry Department willing to go on patrols in the jungle to protect our natural heritage. However, officers of that department are more than willing to issue logging licenses which destroy our environment. Is the Forestry Department turning a blind eye to the destruction it is causing and yet unwilling to remedy it? Why is the Chief Forestry Officer not able to do anything about the mess his department is creating?

Going back to the logging in the Mountain Pine Ridge, I have been following the situation closely and so far there have been no attempts by the Forestry Department to visit the area and stop the destruction. Perhaps by providing lunch for the officer who signed the license, the logger has guaranteed himself immunity? Why is the Forestry Office taking away thatch leaves from poor Mayas and letting them rot in the sun, and yet they turn a blind eye to the destruction in the Mountain Pine Ridge? I am sure that people in the conservation field know the answer to these questions.

I call upon your readers to continue to apply pressure on the Forestry Department so that changes may occur in the ranks and finally the corruption which is destroying our natural resources may go away or at least decrease. Something has to be done about this situation as we Belizeans cannot continue to give away our resources to Guatemalans.

We cannot sit by while the Forestry Department continues to de-reserve our Protected Areas as is occurring this moment. We the poor people need a change and it may start with a new organization like a statutory board which can manage our trees, wildlife and xate responsibly. I call upon the Minister and the authorities to do something to fix the Forestry Department.

Signed, John Mesh

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Help please…

The people of Belize, or at least those who travel on the Northern Highway have a concern and they’d like to ask baldy for help. See, a couple months ago the big cheese announced that he was anointing

a group of big thinkers and brilliant minds from abroad, a sort of PM’s Deli Select, if you will. This group was supposed to apply the latest innovations in science and technolog y to enhance our economy and take Belize to the next level. Well what we’d like to ask, see, is if before doing all that highfallutin stuff the group could be loaned to Boots so they could teach he and Cadet how to fix a piece of road. Right by mile 7 on the Northern Highway there’s this little ¼ mile stretch of road that’s been driving the minister and his CEO crazy – it’s been about 6 months now and they still can’t seem to figure out how to pave it and how to fortify the riverbank.

Obviously this job is too much for Boots and his sidekick, so we figured there must be something really complicated about this particular little piece of road. So hell, let’s call in the big thinkers cause our people sure ain’t getting the job done…

If Da Noh Soh! Dickens my bottom…

Last week mini-Mugabe told graduating students that ‘these are the best of times and the worst of times.’ The media ate it up and attendees applauded the fellow for his eloquence and fabulous oratorical skills.

But let’s break down what baldy was really telling students – let’s see, these are the best of times. This can be translated from Barrow-speak fairly easily

– for the graduating students, the sense of achievement after

THE BELIZE TIMES

years of dedicated study must be monumental and they must be feeling pretty damned good about themselves. And as for the worst of times – well that can be translated fairly easily as well. Baldy was telling the students that when they get over that euphoric high of achievement, they’ll get the sense that there ain’t no jobs out there. The UDP messed up everything and destroyed the economy and killed industries so be prepared to sit at home and live off your parents if they can afford to feed you. Yup, the best of times and the worst of times! Baldy was absolutely right… If Da Noh Soh! Layoffs…

Mini-Mugabe has been very busy lately travelling to foreign locales, attending a bash here and a bash there, a ball there or a cocktail somewhere else.

Seems baldy gets a rash every time he stays in our tropical climes for any length of time. I think he’s in South Florida right now, incidentally. You know what they say about disasters striking where there is plenty corruption, so if those people

know what’s good for them they should get him the hell out of there in a hurry. Anyway, the fellow has been silent on the economy lately. Guess there’s no reason for him to say anything since his own economy is so robust and thriving. Word from the business sector is that a major local/regional airline is announcing layoffs effective immediately and is asking management to take pay cuts between $300 - $500. And that’s only one company. Things are bad all over Belize, baldy, but maybe you haven’t noticed since you and wifey are always somewhere else. The time will come, baldy, when you’re going to have to say something, because things sure don’t seem to be getting any better out here. If Da Noh Soh! From the bowels of BTL… This columnist has received word that poor beleaguered Karen from BTL was instructed to call in all her department heads and advise them to

tell employees that they were attending Dean Boyce’s meeting on Wednesday at their own risk.

Karen’s been looking tired lately as she tried to carry out orders from the first son and the first wife. Apparently employees are being asked why they think they have rights to any money from any shares cause they didn’t pay anything toward it anyway. Word out of the big green (sorry, red) machine is that employees are pissed off that their bosses have resorted to threatening their jobs if they attend the meeting with Boyce. Lately the common cry has been – ‘they told us to get rid of the white man, but the white man never got this personal and petty with us.’ Hmmm… If Da Noh Soh! Using the union…

Even the union at BTL has come under fire lately since the UDP bosses are using them to push the word that the money from shares is just a pipe dream.

The union heads didn’t expect the reaction they got, however.

Employees are already pissed at the whole UDP takeover of BTL

because they haven’t seen any of the promised benefits. And with all that’s happening right now, employees are calling for the removal of Mark and Paul and if not then the removal of the entire leadership of the union.

Things are very, very volatile at BTL right now. Something’s gotta give… If Da Noh Soh! Mayor naming streets…

Lawd have mercy…Mayor Zenaida Moya is back in the spotlight and this time her big project is naming the streets in the city which don’t have names yet. Mein somebody needs to escort this lady out of City Hall in a hurry because she’s just one big joke. The clowns in City hall can’t get anything right, so the

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naming streets thing is just a ploy to let people think they’re doing something, anything. The bogus Mayor announced that she’ll be putting together a committee to select names. I hear that she has already personally submitted a few of them. Pretty soon people will be living on DJ Dalla Drive and Silvino Street and Zenaida

Boulevard. You don’t believe me, just wait and see. Hey, the Mayor has done much more scandalous things. Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised to see a couple new roundabouts springing up on Half a Dalla Avenue right across from Hustle Alley. You read it here first… If Da Noh Soh! Chancey Barrow…

The multi-millionaire who by some fluke of the ballot became the leader of this small nation is one chancey, neglectful, highminded sucker.

Apparently there’s a basketball just down the street from the royal mansion in front of the sea which was utilized by hundreds of the city’s youth. Crime being what it is under mini-Mugabe, the floodlights over the court were stolen, but did Barrow replace them, seeing as how sports is so important to our youth. Oh no he didn’t! What Mr. Barrow

did was pave the street leading to Seashore Drive which he uses to reach home. Then he piled sand on the football field, turning it into a volleyball court which absolutely nobody uses.

Then he painted the basketball court red. Yup, that’s right, red. But he didn’t replace the lights so the court is still in darkness…a perfect spot for youth to congregate and smoke weed. Mr. Barrow really doesn’t have a clue…not a clue. If Da Noh Soh!

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Go Team Belize

Over the past few weeks, a sports frenzy has taken over the country. First it was the NBA finals and now it is the king of all sporting events, football’s World Cup. In the midst of all this hype, however, a sporting controversy is brewing over Belizean basketball and that is the appointment of Coach Marques Johnson as Head Coach for the Belize National Basketball Team (Team Belize). There has also been a lot of talk about the donation of over $100,000 to send team Belize to play at CentroBasket in the Dominican Republic.

For the past nine years Mr. Kevin Siroki has been coaching Team Belize and our team has been doing quite well internationally.

Under his leadership, we have won gold in 2001, silver in 2006, gold in 2008 and silver in COCABA in Cancun in 2009. Everyone will tell you that Siroki has earned the respect and loyalty of many of his players.

While no one questions Mr. Johnson’s talent as a basketball player, some are concerned about his lack of coaching experience as well as the timing of this appointment, since we are so close to the competition in the DR. Anyone who know about team sports will tell you that good coaches take time to build good teams.

So for many of us who love basketball, the million dollar question is will Coach Johnson have the time to build a relationship with his players and put together a team that can bring back gold?

A few years ago, the national team was comprised of six foreign based Belizeans and six local Belizeans. Today we have ten foreign based Belizean players and only two local Belizean players and this is of concern to many Belizeans who are asking: Where are our local players? Why is it that we are not producing good enough players here at home? Where are the guys like Pulu Lightburn and Duck Garnett who went away, developed their skills and returned home to share their talents?

Every Belizean citizen will agree that sports are an important part of national pride. More directly, sports build discipline among athletes, are an excellent part of healthy living and provide recreation for everyone. Many life skills are learnt through sporting activities, skills like team work, cooperation, a spirit of excellence and the ability to manage victories as well as defeats.

Regrettably, as important as sports are to our nation, we have not been treating them as a priority. I know of no politician who gets excited about the thought of being made Minister of Sports.

The truth is however, that sports is a lucrative industry all round.

It creates employment not only for semi professional athletes but for food vendors, entertainers, security personnel and many others. It provides jobs and it provides clean entertainment.

Belizeans on a whole are talented; we have plenty of space and lots of sunshine to develop our athletic skills and talents.

We have many friends who would be more than willing to assist us with the technical knowledge to make us competitive in many sporting discipline.

It is the role of government then to take a hard look at where we can excel, develop a plan in cooperation with the stakeholders for athletics and put forward the blueprint for achieving success.

We need to start in our primary schools, teaching our children the fundamentals of a various sports, developing their skills from an early age and helping them appreciate gamesmanship.

We also need to develop regular summer sports program such as the one developed by Cordel Hyde when he was Minister of Sports. This program catered for over 1,000 kids for the entire summer in Belize City alone. Here is where we start to harvest talent and recognize the best of the best.

Next comes the secondary schools programmes, where the development continues and then onward towards greater mastery of a sport.

This is how we will develop our home grown talent and this is how in the end we will make any “Team Belize” a true reflection of ourselves. It has to begin with the political will to make it happen.

In the meantime, we must lend support to anyone who wears the Belize jersey for they represent our national pride. Go Team Belize!

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Sunday, June 20, 2010

THE BELIZE TIMES

UDP Politics as usual

Red alert…

Last week we received word that the Prime Minister had received threats on his life in connection with the shooting of his law partner and the execution of Andre Trapp. We didn’t carry the story then because politics being what it is, the media animals over that side would immediately have accused us of instigating violence against Mr. Barrow.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Any attempt on the life of the leader of this nation would set an appalling precedent and would signal that Belize is a nation operating completely outside the rule of law. If the criminals are willing to attack the Prime Minister, then indeed none of us are safe. So we don’t want anything to happen to that gentleman. We understand that he now travels with a contingent of Special Branch officers in Secret Service mode and that security has been enhanced at his home and his office. We understand that even his wife who we refuse to refer to as the First Lady because she isn’t moves around the city with Police protection. We offer every hope that he and his family remain safe.

But then again…

Mr. Barrow will never publicly admit to the mistakes which he has made. He’s just not built that way. But we are ever hopeful that when he does manage to get in some alone time, he realizes that the responsibility for the crime situation, even for the threats on his life, lie squarely on his shoulders. The PM had the option of leading the country the right way but instead he chose to play politics with the restructuring of the Police Department. He chose political expediency over efficiency and the results of that move were clear. Months and months ago, when every Belizean including the Prime Minister knew that Carlos Perdomo could not handle the job, Barrow still left that gentleman at the helm. Things got progressively worse, and still our leader ignored the cries of the people. Murders became daily occurrences, and still the leader ignored the demands of the people. In the end, for Mr. Barrow, it wasn’t about doing things the right way, but about politics. What we see now, the murders on the streets, the threats to the life of the PM, the shootings, the robberies, the home invasions, the unchecked criminality – all that is because Mr. Barrow chose to play politics rather than do the right thing.

Case in point…

Barrow will accuse the Opposition of crying out for some sort of plan from GOB and then not supporting it. That’s just the way the leader of the nation plays politics. The fact of the matter is that Barrow’s Operation Restore Belize is seriously flawed from the onset…and we all know that garbage in equals garbage out. Case in point the Director of Public Prosecutions! Word this week is that Shirley-Biscuit will be confirmed as the DPP, moved up from acting status. Hell, the Office of the DPP plays a crucial function in the war against crime, and every Belizean knows for sure that Shirley-Biscuit can’t hack it. Jeez, her conviction rate is somewhere around 7%, I’ve heard, and her record is deplorable. I have nothing against the woman personally because I’ve never met her, but her record speaks for itself. When murder cases do reach the courts on the rare occasion, more often than not criminals come bounding down the steps of the Court smiling from ear to ear. I challenge anybody to name one sterling accomplishment of ShirleyBiscuit in office…just one. ANYBODY! That’s right…you can’t because there isn’t any. But Shirley Biscuit does have one redeeming quality – she has some good friends in high political places. Because of those friends, and certainly not because of her record or work ethic, Shirley Biscuit will now be rewarded. The conviction rate is directly tied to the rise in crime…criminals know that there is every likelihood that they will walk, so they are not afraid to commit the crimes. Mr. Barrow doesn’t care about all that. See why Operation Restore Belize won’t work?

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Extinct…

It appears that the reprieve from violent crime, as welcome as it was, was a very temporary one.

For the past weeks Operation Jaguar has been on the endangered species list, but I think after the last weekend it’s safe to say that Operation Jaguar is extinct. We must say kudos to the men and women of the Police Department and the Belize Defense Force who were able to maintain it as long as they did. It can’t have been an easy job. But we all knew that Jaguar couldn’t be maintained and there would need to be something else, some bright gem from Mr. Barrow’s administration, to carry on the fight against crime. But there has been nothing. The effete Mr. Singh was sworn in as the new Minister of Police, Mr. Barrow’s new wunderkind and answer to crime, and there has been NOTHING, which is actually just what we expected from Mr. Singh. What next, Mr. Barrow, do we just descend back into the depths of lawlessness and despair and chaos and anarchy?

There’s weather coming…

There’s a storm out there, and while it’s not a serious threat it could be by the time this paper comes out. If this one doesn’t give us a scare, then the next one might…or the next. We haven’t seen Mr. NEMO since the reshuffle/expansion of Cabinet.

We do know that after every bit of heavy rain at least two bridges down south are impassable.

One in Belize Rural North also becomes impassable. We haven’t heard about any plans to deal with these problems. We haven’t heard any plans to get a new bridge for the Kendall crossing. Mr. NEMO needs to wake up because forecasters say this will be an above average year for tropical weather activity. Are the hurricane shelters ready for mass occupation? Have food stores been identified? Have evacuation plans and the resources necessary for mass evacuation been identified and made ready for any disaster? The best advice I can give any Belizean at this time is to do your own thing, make your own plans and take care of your own families. Mr. NEMO fell asleep the last time and seven people died during a tropical storm. Imagine what will happen if Mr. NEMO falls asleep during a category five hurricane?

The Music Ambassador Our comments about Shyne are never personal and are never meant to reflect negatively on his talent or abilities in the hiphop world. Yes, the man had a following who loved his music.

Yes, he made a lot of money playing the role of gangster and that’s his thing. But Shyne knows nothing about Belize but what he’s seen in the past couple months since he was deported. His music is not our music. His culture is not our culture. Mr. Barrow was seriously demented when he appointed Shyne as Music Ambassador of Belize. Even taken by itself independent of the other crap our PM has done, this act speaks to something which is not quite right in the head of Mr. Barrow. A few weeks ago, he mentioned that Shyne is making a song about Belize. So we did a little research and we came up with Shyne’s latest release called the Roller Song. If you ask me I’d say that indeed it is about Belize because it talks about all the broken promises made by the government. The song talks about the social ills which have been brought down on the people by the administration.

Shyne talks about the level of desperation on the streets, the fact that the youth have nothing to eat and no money to take care of their families.

According to our Music Ambassador who is supposed to be a role model to all our children (so says Mr. Barrow), F@#K the law cause he’s got no money but he’s got his gun. Okay then. A role model for our children you say Mr. Barrow? Like I said, I’ve got nothing against Shyne or his music.

That’s his thing. But it sure as hell isn’t our thing. It’s not fair that Shyne’s music will be identified with Belize because he represents us as our Music Ambassador. It is an affront and an insult to those many Belizeans like the recently deceased Mr. Peter’s who gave his life to music and culture in Belize. Mr. Barrow should be flogged for his ‘wutlessness.’

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PARTY PAGE

PUP Executive Meets

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 20, 2010

THE BLUE MACHINE

We Are The PUP

Sunday, June 20, 2010

THE BELIZE TIMES

Who is Barrow's Favorite Judge that he wants as the new CJ?

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Sunday, June 20, 2010

THE BELIZE TIMES

DUDUS Captured in Jamaica

One of the United States of America’s most wanted men, Christopher "Dudus" Coke, who was on the run for more than a month, is in police custody in Jamaica. Coke was arrested on Wednesday afternoon in Spanish Town in Jamaica, less than half an hour away from Kingston.

During a press conference in Kingston on Wednesday evening, JA Police Commissioner Owen Ellington confirmed that Dudus had been arrested and that his apprehension occurred at a checkpoint 15 minutes outside of Kingston.

Coke was wanted for the alleged smuggling of illegal firearms and drugs into the US and he went into hiding when an extradition order was taken out for his arrest last month.

Since then, bloodshed in Tivoli Gardens was the order of the day when his henchmen protested the extradition order. Over 70 persons were killed during the uprising and it caused the popularity rating of Prime Minister Bruce Golding to drop to its lowest ever, especially since he refused to entertain the extradition request. The reward for his arrest

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Neisa Pipersburgh

tripled over that time, from US20,000 to US60,000. But that was still just a drop in the bucket compared to the estimated M$100 in damages since the violence erupted. Coke surrendered himself after Reverend Al Miller, who also had a hand in the handing over of sister Sandy and brother Leighton, convinced him to do so, after which Coke was taken to a safe location.

Some media report are that the US DEA Air Wing is on standby for the all clear that Coke will be handed over to them. If that happens, he will be taken to the Southern District of New York.

Jamaican police had searched several homes, including those of the former Mayor for JLP in Saint Mary, Hyacinth Knight, the Mayor of Kingston Desmond McKenzie and several others in Saint Catherine.

Teenager Shot Dead

While Neisa Pipersburgh's mother was still conducting investigations over her missing daughter's whereabouts last Thursday, another young woman the same age as Neisa was killed. This time, the victim, Joyce Mitchell, was shot at close range by a gunman who apparently rode on her lane with the intent to kill.

The incident happened shortly after 6:00 pm when the gunman, dressed in black with a black cloth covering his face, rode by on Sibun Street and as he reached in front of number five, where Mitchell and another teen were sitting on a car, he opened fire at Mitchell. The gunman did not stop after he shot the girl in her head. He continued to empty the gun of at last ten more shots as he rode past residents of the area.

Speculation is wild that the killing was in retaliation for previous murders linked to the local gangs.

Only the week before five men who were remanded for the October 2009 murder of Randy Coye were set free after the DPP’s office could not produce a case file. It is suspected that the gunman was one of those five men who was released and wanted to send a message to a brother of Joyce Mitchell for the previous week's murder of South Side Gang leader, Andre Trapp and to that of Nelson Henry.

Mitchell's relatives say that she was just about to leave her mother's home to go to her house and was sitting on a car in front of the yard talking to her sister-in-law when she was shot.

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Joyce Mitchell

She collapsed onto the street and was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where she clung to life for two hours before she died. Police had detained Jervis Valencia on Friday in connection with the killing but by Saturday they had released him for lack of evidence.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Soldiers of the Revolution…

Carolyn Trench-Sandiford Party Chairman This week a friend of mine from Belize City called me all the way from Punta Gorda Town where she had gone to attend the funeral of a family friend, Camilla Bonnel. She expressed in animated language, and I am assuming gestures, although I could not see, her fascination at the political flavor of the funeral, and the undiluted outpouring of support and participation of the PUP leaders and the rank and file of the Toledo East Constituency.

She was truly awestruck. She found it unbelievable.

As I listened to her I smiled, because it is always difficult for someone who is not a PUP, and she is not, and who has not grown up in a PUP family, to understand and appreciate the deep love and connection many people feel and have for their party and the extreme lengths they would go to make it known. Their party is their life. They live and breathe the PUP. For many, they know nothing else, and before they die, they even leave instructions as to how their funeral is to be managed, ensuring that even in death and the afterlife, everyone knows that they are a PUP. My friend avidly described how the curtains, the furniture and even the marley on the floor in her home were blue and white and how blue and white were also the colours of the funeral and that the PUP supporters sat and made the blue and white wreaths. In life she surrounded herself with the colours of her Party, and it was her request that she so be laid to rest.

This brought to my mind the programme of activities currently under preparation for the 6oth anniversary of our party, and the introduction of the Wall of Fame….Soldiers of the Revolution that we are working on to adorn the walls of Independence Hall, to recognize those persons who made unselfish sacrifices during the journey of the revolution.

Many, like Ms. Bonnel, are unsung heroes and heroines. They never ran for office, held no lofty position, and had no desire to accumulate any wealth or status in society, but it is upon their backs, blood, sweat and tears that the PUP is what it is today. But had anyone ever heard about them or

remembered them, and who really are they?

They are the people who were thrown in “piss house” and who sang we shall overcome when the revolution was under attack. They are the people who campaigned with their heart and soul, not for material gain, but because they believe in the principles of social justice, which is the battle cry of the People’s United Party. They are the women who left their pots and families when the trumpet sounded the call to assemble to defend the revolution.

They are people who stood firm in their convictions that

oppression and marginalization was not a way of life, and that under the People’s United Party deliverance was possible, that they only had to reach out and grasp it. They are the people who paddled the canoe across the river, or guided the horse along trails, travelled on bumpy roads, and walked many miles so that the leader of the party could spread the revolution. They are the ones who sold the Belize Times and walked around the constituencies and collected the dues to keep the revolution alive. They are the ones who paid their dues, out of the slave wages they earned, so that

the Party can survive.

Let us honour them…let us revere them… Let us send a signal to their children, grand children and great grandchildren, that a Party and a country will forever be in their debt…for they are the true heroes and heroines of the revolution…Let us unveil the Wall of Fame…Soldiers of the Revolution on this our 60th Anniversary, for only if we do so, can the revolution continue….and only so will we be able to create a NEW BELIZE, which will bring to all Belizeans a better life and a just share of the national wealth……

Sunday, June 20, 2010

on the WALL

THE BELIZE TIMES

s g n i t i Wr

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E. M. says:

Friday, June 18, 2010, 12:08

PM Barrow is dangerously seizing/grabbing power thus misusing his position of power taking the jewel in a direction that appears to be simular to that of some of our now defunct leadership style that once existed throughout most of Latin America. Apparently the PM is hell bent on taking the jewel down a slippery slope of Nepotism and Dictatorship. He has single handedly named his ex-wife, biological son, brother and other cronies to some of the most powerful and most influential positions in the jewel. Now then it appears as if he wants to control the Judiciary and replace one of the best Chief Justice Belize has ever had, granted he has reached retirement age, however, while there is search for his replacement he should be allowed to continue working thus bringing his tenure to an appropriate closure. Imagine the possibilities, who knows who he wants to appoint as the new Chief Justice? I can recalled briefly, meeting Chief Justice Conteh, and from talking with him he appears to be truly a man commited to do justice in the jewel. Clearly, we are expereincing an era where there is no justice in our once called tranquil heaven of democracy, coupled with the apparent miscarriage of justice thru the actions of PM Barrow. In the name of Juatice where is this arrogant PM leading this Nation. Clearly, Belize is expereincing a serious Leadership crisis. PM Barrow is very dangerous for Belize.

fatima says:

Saturday, June 19, 2010, 14:47

Tek Belize Bak says:

Saturday, June 19, 2010, 21:40

This man is very dangerous. Belizeans wake up! What is scary too is corruption is rampent in Belize especially with politicians, even more so than when the PUP were in but no one is saying anything .

People are living in fear, scared to speak their minds. Belize doesn’t seem to be free anymore. Belizeans, like I said, need to wake up.

Well it is working pretty fast in chasing away investors. A friend of mine just lost a business deal with a foreign investor who, upon hearing about what GOB is doing with the Judiciary, pulled the plug and is off to another country to invest over $5MUS. I never cared for PUP or UDP too much, but I can attest to this: When PUP was in power at least the butter was being spread around a lot wider; with this UDP crowd, the butter barely makes it from the center of the bread.

The Nepotism is so obvious that Barrow must laugh his ass off to himself all the time when he thinks about all the crap he is doing right in public’s view and he can’t be touched. Hell, if I was a sinister man and was doing such things and no one could/would touch me, i would have myself a good laugh too.

This country is not heading for the reef…it is on the reef; it is now being torn apart by the thrashing waves…

Janet says:

June 23, 2010 at 10:44 am

Invest in our safety says:

June 23, 2010 at 10:36 am

I agree the DPP is a waste of time and money. She is a qualified attorney but is unable to win her cases under her there has been too many nolle pros, I guess that is the way the government wants it.

Persons in the position to fight the criminal elements are rewarded for incompetence.

Why is it that every time suggestions are made to update the resources of any public institution (Health, Education, Or Criminal Justice) we always talk about “financial restraints” or “cash – strapped”. Are we the only ones who need to tighten our belts ‘til we suffocate? Our Ministers and their cronies are still driving “ gas-drinking, government-issued SUVs” outside normal working hours. They are seen at public and private functions such as clubs, weddings, free zone and Chetumal in these vehicles. They rack up very large utility bills and are in no mood to curtail. GOB officials and family members, travel first class all over the world at taxpayers’ expense.

If our so called cash-strapped government want to keep insisting that the placing of street cameras around the city is not cost effective, or updating the Forensic and Police Departments is too expensive, then we will never invest in these worthwhile resources.

If GOB continue to act like providing our people with the safe environment we so deserve and long for is too costly, then try living in a crime ridden society evaded by tourists, Belizeans living abroad, and WELL EDUCATYED, LAW ABIDING, TAXPAYERS, who may end up migrating, in search of a better life for their families

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Get Thee Behind Me Satan!

By: Mike Rudon Jr. “Yes I am a politician, yes there are political pressures, and yes I will try to do things in terms of getting benefit for sake of politics – Patrick Faber, September 2008 I am certain that if the tenets of the Church weren’t so firmly etched in stone, religious scribes would be hard at work on some new exorcism rites for our Minister of Education, Patrick Faber. I don’t mean to make a serious matter seem blasé or frivolous, because it isn’t. Our Minister of Education is an arrogant, egotistical prick…a young punk who is so caught up in the glory of his ministerial position and blinded by masturbatory illusions of ascension into the top post that he’s completely lost sight of reality. And to make a bad situation worse his boss has also lost sight of reality and is himself arrogant and egotistical and incompetent, so they both seem to be holding hands and staring off into a bright new world only they can see.

Last night I almost fell off my chair when I heard that idiot minister spouting off about there being rules governing the transfers of teachers, and those rules have to be observed at all times cause you know how the rules are sacrosanct.

For the love of God! This can’t be the Patrick Faber we all know and

hate, the disgusting little man who has ridden roughshod over the rights of so many Belizeans, the arrogant little fool who doesn’t give a damn about anybody as long as he gets his own way. Man, say it ain’t so! Sure as hell Patrick didn’t get the memo from the 1500 teachers who stood in the sun-hot to tell him that because of his arrogance he will never make it past this term in office, that because he doesn’t like to listen he should receive some corporal punishment.

To reassure myself that I wasn’t just bashing the boy because I think he’s an idiot, I took a trip back to the archives. Sure nuff there it was, back in 2008 a few months after the UDP took office.

Patrick Faber came under fire from the unions because he orchestrated the transfers of teachers and

school boards across the country, for no reason other than politics.

In Orange Walk alone there were nearly a hundred transfers with no reasonable explanation. Career teachers were being kicked off the job just because they supported the PUP. Husband and wife teaching teams were being broken up – the husband sent from Orange Walk all the way to Dangriga to teach while the wife was sent to Corozal, even though both lived in Orange Walk.

That is what Patrick Faber did to teachers all over this country – he played games with their lives and with the lives of their children, all because of politics. And he made no apology about it. In fact he bragged about it. Back then, Patrick Faber didn’t give a damn about the rules.

In Corozal, an exemplary Principal and Vice Principal were taken off the job just because of politics. The record showed that under their tenure, the school had risen to unprecedented heights.

The institution held a place of pride in the country, even receiving the award for school of the year.

Despite all that, these exceptional persons were removed from their positions. Patrick Faber didn’t give a damn about what was right or wrong then.

Now suddenly Patrick Faber gives a damn, because it is said

that the teachers who are being transferred are supporters of the UDP. Suddenly now Patrick Faber wants to tell the Catholic Management about the rules, and wants to threaten that management with the weight of the Ministry at his back. Suddenly Patrick Faber is concerned because teachers are being transferred to postings 10 miles from where they live, from Guinea Grass to Orange Walk Town. Maybe he should have showed some concern when he transferred teachers to other districts many miles away, like from Orange Walk to Dangriga.

Maybe he should have shown some concern when he broke up families by sending the mother to one district and the father to another district just out of petty political malice.

Some concern for the fired school wardens and the suffering which he caused would have been nice. Some concern for the single mothers and the elderly he fired would have been welcome. If this sounds personal…well it is. I’m no religious man but Patrick Faber should burn in hell for the suffering he has wrought on the people in whose lives he has tampered. If I get lucky I’ll be the one kicking him down that deep hole and the one heaping burning coals on his head.

Damned hypocritical jerk!

Sunday, June 20, 2010

THE BELIZE TIMES

Get Serious Dean…We Need a New DPP!

We the people did not have a say in the Prime Minister the Honorable Dean Barrow’s selection of Mrs. Cheryl-Lynn Branker Taitt Vidal to succeed Lutchman Sooknandan as the Director of Public Prosecutions in 2008. But now is the time for us to vehemently insist that he not appoint her permanently and that he removes her immediately for the public good. After all, she was not a popular choice to fill the post even among her colleagues, given that perhaps Mr. Sooknandan was forced to demit office to make way for her ascendancy, although she was not proven.

It is nothing personal against Mrs. Vidal, but one of the major concerns is her mediocre legal skills that have hampered the dispensation of justice.

In fact, there are doubts over whether she can hold her own against the best defense attorneys in the courtroom, notwithstanding her remonstrations to the contrary. At the same time, she has far too many outstanding case files gathering dust at her office, awaiting ruling on culpability that results in unwarranted delays. Therefore, she is not able to properly instruct the Police Department on how to proceed with their cases even when the suspects have been identified.

She clearly lacks the capacity to apply the law as it should be applied.

But it is not only Mrs. Vidal’s legal acumen that has raised concerns over the way in which she does her job. It is widely held that she is not an effective manager as she has not been able to build a badly needed strong prosecuting team which is dedicated to serving the public interest and to bolstering the rule of law, nor has she been ready to face her office’s challenges such as the lack of resources, human and otherwise, to efficiently do their jobs. And then there are the lingering questions about possible

Executive interference in the execution of her duties that perhaps has compromised her independence. It has truly been a tragedy to have her as the DPP. Since Mrs. Vidal assumed the post of the DPP, the nolle prosequi submission has fast become a part of our vernacular, emphasizing her ineffectiveness. It is hard to believe that even the senior crown counsels repeatedly employ the submission in their murder trials, instead of arguing their cases relentlessly to the end. While its application is not an acquittal but an entry not to proceed any further at the time, it may as well be as in practice she often unwisely opts not to proceed with any action in the future. This is certainly not the right way to reduce the Supreme Court’s severe backlog of cases or to improve her office’s conviction rate that is outrageously low.

Furthermore, it is not acceptable that aside from Mrs. Vidal not reinstituting the charges on the murder suspects who are set free by her office to continue wreaking havoc on the law abiding public, she persistently fails to give any reason in respect of her decisions to prosecute or not to prosecute them any further. There is consequently a lack of accountability and transparency in her decision making

process. Sad to say, there is no way that this can be considered justice for the victims or their grieving families. And it is surely not a deterrent to the future commission of crime. No wonder that she does not inspire public trust and confidence in the judicial system.

Given Mrs. Vidal’s record, it seems to us that she does not share in our urgency to convict and to put the murder suspects behind bars in order to drastically reduce the appalling murder rate that has traumatized us and left us wondering who the next victim will be.

There have unfortunately been many examples whereby a murder suspect has been set free only to be rearrested for killing someone else shortly thereafter. It is common sense that if a person believes that he can commit murder and that the chances that he will be convicted are slim, he will not think twice to do it again.

Besides, a few years on remand at the Kolbe Foundation will increase his life expectancy.

In all fairness to Mrs. Vidal, many murder cases have fallen apart because the witnesses have refused to testify, but we cannot hold them accountable for their refusal. After all, it is they who have to live in the crime ridden areas whose residents

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have an “informa fi dead” mentality. They keep consequently quiet not because of any loyalty to the criminals but because of fear for their lives. And they have every reason to be afraid. Indeed, there are many examples of witnesses who have talked to the Police or who have testified and then been murdered, or who have had their families intimidated by the murder suspects’ “homies” who operate with seeming impunity.

As a consequence, Mrs. Vidal and her crown counsels must have less reliance on the witnesses’ testimonies in arguing their cases. They clearly would have better results and even stronger cases if they relied more on forensic evidence, rather than on the witnesses whose accounts may become sketchy as their memories fade with time. But this would entail a greater collaboration between the Office of the DPP and the Police before cases are presented for trial.

There would undoubtedly be an urgent need to vastly improve the credibility and the efficiency of the Police’s investigative process, particularly as it relates to the collection of material evidence.

All things considered, perhaps Mrs. Vidal does not realize that her ineffectiveness facilitates the criminal behavior in the country. It seems to us that her office’s penchant for the nolle prosequi submission creates an environment in which the criminals, particularly the marauding gunmen, believe that they can behave with seeming impunity. And no one will argue that the violent crime situation is out of control presently and getting worse quickly, notwithstanding the Police’s Operation Jaguar. We desperately need a DPP who is highly capable and highly competent to head our prosecution service in which people have faith. Mrs. Vidal is clearly not that person.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 20, 2010

19 Year Old Remanded For Robbery Kyle Chaplin and Jamal Neal Sentenced To 5 Years for Robbery and Aggravated Assault BELIZE CITY, Tues. June 22, 2010 Emmerson Skyers, 19, one of the two persons who the Police believe were involved in a case of robbery and aggravated assault was charged with aggravated assault and robbery when he appeared yesterday in the #1 Magistrate’s Court. Skyers pled not guilty to the charges. Chief Magistrate Margaret McKenzie explained to him that the Court could not offer him bail because the offences were committed with a firearm. She remanded him into custody.

The incident occurred at around 11:00 a.m. on Monday, June 14. Allison Garoy, 27, reported to the Police that he was at a garage on Caesar Ridge Road when two men entered, each of them armed with a firearm. Garoy said one of the gunmen pistol whipped Moses

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

Kyle Chaplin

Emmerson Skyers

Hernandez, 49, while the other stole his gold chain, gold bracelet, gold ring, peak cap and $150.

Garoy said that after they robbed him the gunmen rode away.

Skyers was detained last weekend by the Police. The second suspect is still at large. None of the stolen items have been recovered.

BELIZE CITY, Wed. June 23, 2010 Two teenagers, Kyle Chaplin, 18 and Jamal Neal, 18, who were charged with robbery, were both sentenced to 5 years yesterday in the #2 Magistrate’s Court after they were found guilty of the charge.

Magistrate Sharon Fraser who imposed the sentences said she gave them the minimum custodial sentences because neither of them had anything to tell her before she passed sentence to invoke a provision for a non-custodial sentence since it was their first conviction for robbery.

The incident occurred at around 3:00 p.m. on September 3, 2009. BTL technician Ronald Dominguez reported

Jamal Neal

to the Police that he was working on Vernon Street when he was approached

by Chaplin and Neal. He said Neal had a firearm and Chaplin was armed with a knife. Dominguez said they stole his gold chain, gold bracelet, gold ring and $90. Chaplin and Neal testified and gave alibis.

Neal said that he was at the house of his aunt who lives on Mayflower Street. He called his aunt as a witness and she corroborated his testimony. Chaplin said he was at home playing cards with his family. But Magistrate Fraser did not believe them. She was convinced that the prosecution had proved its case against Chaplin and Neal and she found them guilty.

‘Drive’ and 4 Others Re-Arrested And Charged

Edwin "Drive" Flowers

Kenroy Humes

Brendon Smith

Leon Gray

BELIZE CITY, Wed., June 23, 2010 Five persons who were freed of charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the death of Randy Coye, 21, were rearrested and brought to Court on Monday, June 21. They are: Edwin “Drive” Flowers, 27; Kenroy Humes, 20; Deshawn Mena, 23; Brendon Smith, 23; and Leon Gray, 21.

All five of them were charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder, the same charges

that were struck out against them last Tuesday, because the case file was not available. Flowers alone was charged with abetment to murder.They were remanded into custody until July 23.

Coye left home on Friday, October 2, 2009. His decomposed body was found in Lord Ridge Cemetery on Monday, October 5, 2009. He was shot and bludgeoned to death. The five were first arraigned on October 9, 2009. The Police believe that Coye was a victim of gang violence and his homicide was an act of revenge.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

THE BELIZE TIMES

15

Shaw Remanded To Prison On Owners of Pitbulls Charged In Connection With Death of Edmund Spain Firearm and Ammo Charges

Thomas "Tommy" Shaw

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mike_rudon@hotmail.com

BELIZE CITY, Tues. June 22, 2010 Hotelier Thomas “Tommy” S h a w, 3 7 , t h e o w n e r o f H o t e l M o p a n , l o c a t e d a t # 5 5 Re g e n t Street was charged with 2 counts of keeping a firearm without a gun license and 2 counts of keeping ammunition without a gun license when he appeared yesterday in the #2 Magistrate’s Court. Shaw pled not guilty to the charges. Magistrate Sharon Fraser explained to him that the Court could not offer him bail because of the nature of the offences. She remanded him into custody until July 21.

T he incident occur red at around 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 19. The Police reported that they went to Shaw’s house, located in Belama Phase II and when they s e a r ch e d i t t h e y f o u n d o n e 1 2 gauge shotgun, 30 live rounds of 12 gauge cartridges Eley brand, one .22 revolver and 167 live rounds of .22 calibre ammunition. The Police said that when they asked Shaw if he had licenses Shaw was unable to produce any. As a result, Shaw was detained and charged.

The firearms and ammunition were labeled as exhibits.

Leon Lopez

BELIZE CITY, Wed. June 23, 2010 A common-law couple, BDF soldier Leon Lopez, 25 and salesclerk Shelda Patnett, 26, were charged with manslaughter by negligence in connection with the death of Edmund Spain, 64, when they appeared yesterday in the #1 Magistrate’s Court.

They were also charged with causing death by careless conduct and keeping un-muzzled ferocious dogs. Chief Magistrate Margaret McKenzie offered each of them a bail of $4,000 and they met bail. Their case was adjourned until September 7.

The incident occurred on May 31 at Tropical Park on the Western

Shelda Patnett

Highway. According to Police reports, Spain was walking past the house of his neighbor when he was attacked by two pitbulls, one of them a 2 year old male and the other an 18 month old female.

Apparently, it was the male who did the serious damage. The Police reported that when they arrived at the scene they saw Spain being mauled by the dogs and they had to fire a number of shots in the air before the dogs released Spain and ran back into the yard. Apparently, the dogs came through a hole in the fence.

Spain was admitted to ward at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where he died one week later.

Accused Child Molester aquitted Of Burglary and Aggravated Assault

Marlon Moya

BELIZE CITY, Wed. June 23, 2010 Marlon Moya, 31, charg ed with burglar y and ag g ravated assault of an indecent nature, was found not guilty of both charg es yesterday in the #6 Magistrate’s Court. Moya, who resides in Hattieville had alleg edly entered a house as a trespasser between 2:30 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. on December 12, 2009. One of the complainants, a 12 year old girl who was 11 at the time, testified en camera that she was awakened t w i c e f r o m h e r s l e e p. S h e s a i d the first time she thought it was her brother and she went back to

slee p. She said the second time the person fondled her g enitals and when she awoke she saw that it was Moya.

S h e s a i d s h e c o u l d m a ke out Moya clearly because the light in the living room was on. But the girl’s guardian, a 25 year old woman, testified and said that all the lights were tur ned off.

As a result, magistrate Dorothy Flowers g ave Moya the benefit of the doubt regarding the issue of identification and found him not guilty. It was also alleg ed that Moya had stolen a DVD p l ay e r a n d t h e Po l i c e r e p o r t e d that they found it at his house.

Moya g ave a statement from the dock in which he denied he committed the offences.

He said the DVD player was loaned to him by a resident of the house he had allegedly burglarized.

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16

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Sunday, June 20, 2010

THE BELIZE TIMES

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748

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Holloway suspect stays silent after retracting confession

LIMA, Peru (AFP) -- The Dutch suspect in last month's killing of a young woman in Lima refused to answer a Peruvian judge's questions on Monday after his lawyer claimed a confession to the crime was made under duress.

Joran van der Sloot "made no statement before the judge" who questioned him at the maximum-security Miguel Castro Castro prison, his Peruvian attorney Maximo Altez told AFP. Altez said he was awaiting the outcome of the habeas corpus petition to release van der Sloot and allow him to challenge the charges.

The defense has called for the proceedings to be suspended until a decision is reached.

A longtime prime suspect in the 2005 disappearance of American teenager Natalee Holloway in Aruba, van der Sloot confessed earlier this month to killing 21-year-old Stephany Flores, who was found beaten to death in his Lima hotel room.

But in an interview with the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, van der Sloot said he signed papers admitting the crime only because police intimidated him and told him he would be extradited to the Netherlands if he confessed.

"In my total panic, I signed the papers even though I didn't understand what was written on them," the 22-year-old said. "During the interview, I was horribly afraid and I felt increasingly depressed. I just wanted to leave."

He met both women in casinos and Flores was killed exactly five years after Holloway's disappearance, a case that has attracted huge attention in the United States, Europe and the Caribbean.

The judicial proceedings at the prison took place behind closed doors and were also attended by a court clerk, prosecutors and Altez, the defense attorney.

A court statement confirmed that van der Sloot "would not make a statement" and was awaiting the decision on his habeas corpus petition which seeks "to invalidate statements before the police because,

he said, they would compromise his right of defense."

Defense attorney Altez said van der Sloot avoided responding to Judge Carlos Morales's questions in a bid to invalidate the police investigation.

"Adequate proceedings were violated because no lawyer was present (during the interrogation), his computer was searched without a warrant, among other things," Altez said earlier.

But police officials say their interrogation was conducted in accordance with established standards, in the presence of a prosecutor and a government-appointed attorney.

In quotes released by Peruvian authorities, van der Sloot said he was motivated to kill Flores, the daughter of a prominent Peruvian entrepreneur, after she used his laptop without his permission and saw information linking him to the Holloway case.

"How all this happened, I will say later. My lawyer is interested in the first place in all the procedural errors that have taken place," van der Sloot told De Telegraaf.

He has been charged with firstdegree murder in the Flores case, along with aggravated robbery for allegedly taking more than 10,000 dollars of gambling money from Flores.

"She had no right" to see the computer, he said, according to police. "I approached her, she was frightened. We discussed it and she tried to escape. I grabbed her by the neck and hit her."

Van der Sloot was twice arrested in connection with the disappearance of Holloway, who was 18 at the time. He spent three months in jail but was never charged.

Foreign attorneys are expected to arrive in Lima in July to join van der Sloot's defense team. One of the lawyers is Joseph Tacopina, who defended the Dutchman in the Holloway case.

The investigation stage of the Flores case could last three to 12 months before moving to a public trial.

The court has also sought psychological and psychiatric evaluations of van der Sloot, whose mother told De Telegraaf that her son is "sick in the head."

Van der Sloot has told Peruvian police that he knows where to find Holloway's body, and Peruvian officials said they would contact authorities in Aruba if new information surfaced.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Dudus surrenders

KINGSTON – Former Tivoli strongman Christopher “Dudus” Coke is in police custody.

The businessman, who had been on the run since the Jamaican government signed an extradition request May 18, was turned over to the police yesterday afternoon.

According to the Gleaner newspaper, the Reverend Al Miller facilitated his surrender to the police.

The pastor was instrumental in the surrender of Coke’s sister, Sandy and brother, Leighton.

The one-month manhunt for Coke stretched from inner city communities in West Kingston to upscale neighbourhoods in St Andrew. Houses of past and present politicians have also been searched, as the quest to find Coke fanned out to rural communities in Manchester, St Mary and St Ann. The Labour Day military assault on Coke’s heavily barricaded Tivoli Gardens stronghold led to bloody clashes which claimed the life of one soldier and 73 civilians.

In their bid to find Coke, the police also placed a J$5 million (US$62 500) bounty on his head.

Coke is wanted in the United States on drug and gun-running charges.

One murder every three days so far this year

For the first 172 days this year there has been approximately one murder every three days. Guns have been responsible for 33 per cent (all figures are rounded) of all deaths so far.

As at June 21, statistics compiled by Stabroek News revealed that there have been 55 murders. Chopping and battering together accounted for 25 per cent of murders while stabbing, burning, strangulation and other were responsible for 22 per cent, five per cent, four per cent and 11 per cent of killings, respectively.

There were 32 murders during the first quarter of the year and with only nine days left of the second quarter there have been 23 killings.

Among the cases which have sparked much interest and remain unsolved are

(in order of occurrence) the executionstyle murders of Vibert Weekes, Nicholas Hoyte, Rajendra Motilall Sonilall, Sidwell Dexter Collins and Jamal Beete.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana -- The United States State Department said its findings in the 2010 Trafficking in Persons Report, which has placed Guyana on tier two for another year, are accurate and there is no need for any correction.

This came as the Guyana government rejected the report last Monday, claiming that it was riddled with inaccuracies and does not present a true picture about the country’s human trafficking situation.

In a statement, the government said human services minister Priya Manickchand was discussing Guyana’s concern with Luis De Baca, Ambassador-at-large and head of the GTIP office via telephone The statement said that, during a telephone conversation on Monday, De Baca insisted that the conclusions and recommendations in the report are based on an earlier inaccuracy about large numbers of traffickers and trafficking victims existing in Guyana.

“Minister Manickchand said she observed that, despite sincere and comprehensive efforts, the US State Department failed to have the inaccuracies corrected and continued basing their conclusions and recommendations on those inaccuracies,” it added.

Manickchand pointed out how ridiculous the finding is that children from the country who come to town to go to school are potential victims of domestic servitude and therefore trafficking.

“Equally senseless was the recom-

mendation that Guyana establish trafficking specific shelters to provide accommodation, care and counseling without credible evidence of a scale of trafficking to warrant more than what currently exists through Government supported NGOs like Help and Shelter,” Manickchand said.

She explained that Guyanese across the board are upset that isolated, anecdotal accounts of trafficking in persons in Guyana were given such unusual significance as to generate many of the recommendations by the US State Department in its report.

The minister added that countered the Ambassador’s invitation for Guyana to work in a partnership with the US by pointing out that the US State Department did not see fit to have the glaring inaccuracies and baseless accusations against Guyana corrected.

"The US State Department’s stubborn refusal to acknowledge Guyana’s contentions and their insistence on not changing anything in the report, makes a favorable response by Guyana to their offer of partnership difficult,” the statement noted.

The Guyana government, according to the statement, continues to insist that the reports are misleading and based on fabrications designed to make the GTIP office appear competent. The Administration intends to approach higher levels of the US Government and members of Congress to correct these misleading reports.

When Mon Repos businessman Sonilall was executed on April 4 (the first of seven killings that month) the question of contract killings resurfaced.

The murders of Weekes, Hoyte, Collins and businessman Terry Bacchus are also suspected cases of contract killings.

Meanwhile, police have charged the reputed husband and an alleged hit man for the May 29, murder of Bibi Raffina Saymar.

It is alleged that Dennis Persaud paid accused hit man Troy Greene a quantity of money to kill the woman.

US refuses to correct 'inaccuracies' in trafficking in persons report

Sunday, June 20, 2010

THE BELIZE TIMES

Ascienden a 54 los cuerpos recuperados de la mina de carbón colapsada

Los organismos de socorro rescataron hasta la fecha un total de 54 cuerpos de la mina de carbón de Amagá, en la que se registró una explosión la semana pasada provocada, al parecer, por una acumulación de gases.

Según confirmaron fuentes del Instituto Colombiano de Geología y Minería (Ingeominas), la cifra de cadáveres recuperados asciende a 54, por lo que se calcula que aún faltaría una veintena de cuerpos por rescatar.

La mayoría de mineros que quedaron tras la explosión se encontraban trabajando a unos 2.600 metros de profundidad, sector en el que hubo varios derrumbes y al que estos días intentan acceder las brigadas de rescate.

La tragedia se inició hacia la medianoche del pasado miércoles, cuando se registró una explosión, presumiblemente por acumulación de gases en la mina San Fernando, en el

municipio de Amagá.

En el momento del accidente, que se produjo cuando se realizaba el cambio de turno de los trabajadores, había unas 160 personas en el túnel de la mina, de las que 90 lograron salir y cerca de 70 quedaron atrapadas.

En noviembre de 2008, una inundación en un túnel de esa mina causó la muerte a cinco personas, mientras que en 1977 perdieron la vida otras 86 a causa de una explosión en otra mina de carbón en Amagá.

En esa localidad del departamento de Antioquia hay unas 20 minas legales de carbón y otras 120 ilegales, sin permiso del Gobierno para operar.

En los últimos cinco años han muerto 71 mineros, 80 han resultado heridos y cuatro desaparecieron como consecuencia de las 18 explosiones ocurridas en minas en Colombia, según datos del Sistema Nacional de Emergencias.

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Gobierno de Ecuador prohíbe venta de bebidas alcohólicas los domingos

QUITO (AFP) – Ecuador prohibió la venta de bebidas alcohólicas los domingos, en el marco de un plan para restringir este tipo de consumo debido a su vinculación con casos de asesinatos, informó el martes el ministro de Gobierno (Interior), Gustavo Jalkh.

“El 10% de los asesinatos cometidos tienen relación con el consumo de alcohol, solamente estas cifras justifican que vayamos hacia una regulación”, dijo el funcionario a la prensa.

“Las sanciones implican la clau-

sura del local que irrespete estas disposiciones”, añadió Jalkh.

La medida también establece que de lunes a jueves está permitida la venta de bebidas de este tipo hasta las 22H00 locales (03H00 GMT), a excepción de discotecas y bares, donde se podrá comercializar licores hasta las 00H00 (05H00 GMT) y los viernes y sábados hasta las 02H00 (07H00 GMT).

Asimismo, prohíbe la venta de licores en las estaciones de distribución de gasolina.

Más de 40 muertos dejan lluvias en Brasil

Guatemala, Honduras y El Salvador, los más afectados por narcotráfico

Si bien la violencia por el narco en México recibe gran atención de los medios de comunicación, el informe sostiene que los tres países centroamericanos "tienen tasas de homicidios entre tres y cinco veces mayores a las de México, y tanto sus economías como sus Estados son bastante menos robustos y resistentes".

Este llamado Triángulo Norte de América Central tiene "la mayor tasa de homicidios en el mundo, y tasas muy altas de otros crímenes violentos", dice el informe.

Añade por otra parte que "los principales traficantes son bastante más sofisticados que pandilleros callejeros, y están vinculados con algunos miembros de las élites gobernantes y no de las clases pobres".

El informe, difundido por la Oficina de la ONU para el Crimen y la Droga (Unodc por sus siglas en inglés), dice que la tasa de homicidios por cada 100 mil habitantes entre 2003 y 2008 es de 12 por ciento en México, muy inferior a las de Honduras (61%), El Salvador (52%) y Gua-

temala (49%).

Según la Unodc, las muertes en México relacionadas con el narcotráfico pueden atribuirse a la caída del consumo y del precio de la cocaína en Estados Unidos, donde el costo al detalle "ha disminuido dos tercios durante la década de 1990 y casi un cuarto durante la última década".

"Un motivo de la violencia en México relacionada con la droga es que los carteles están luchando por un mercado que se reduce", dijo Antonio Costa, director de la Unodc.

El Gobierno guatemalteco sostiene que el 40 por ciento de los homicidios ocurridos en el país están relacionados con el negocio de las drogas.

Ayer, la ONG International Crisis Group aseveró que Guatemala es un "paraíso" para el crimen organizado, por culpa de las estructuras oscuras enquistadas en el Estado que no habían podido ser tocadas sino hasta la llegada de la Comisión Internacional contra la Impunidad en Guatemala (Cicig).

(AFP) - El número de muertos por las lluvias e inundaciones que azotan el nordeste de Brasil ascendió este martes a 41, al tiempo que sigue la incógnita sobre el número de desaparecidos, en medio de un escenario de devastación que mantiene aisladas varias localidades.

Ciudades arrasadas por torrentes de agua, zonas anegadas y lodazales entre los que se descubren apenas algunos techos de viviendas o campanarios de iglesias, eran las imágenes que mostraban los canales locales de noticias y las fotografías divulgadas por la AFP. En el tropical estado de Alagoas el número de víctimas fatales pasó a 29, declaró a AFP un vocero del cuerpo de Bomberos local, mientras que en el vecino Pernambuco la cifra de muertos es de 12, según una portavoz de la Defensa Civil.

Ante esta catastrófica situación, la mayor preocupación ahora es definir correctamente el total de personas consideradas desaparecidas, una cifra que el gobernador de Alagoas, Teotonio Vilela Filho, llegó a calcular en mil, aunque la Defensa Civil menciona a unas 600 personas y aclara que muchos de ellos son ciudadanos que no están siendo localizados.

"Hasta el inicio de la tarde (del lunes) eran 26 muertes (en

Alagoas) y más de 1.000 desaparecidos. Estamos rezando para que ellos estén con vida. Pero estamos preocupados porque los cuerpos ya comienzan a aparecer en las playas y los ríos", dijo Vilela Filho el lunes a la prensa.

Este martes, un vocero del Cuerpo de Bomberos en Alagoas dijo a la AFP que "el número de personas desaparecidas fue estimado a partir de personas que llamaban para denunciar que no lograban localizar a determinado familiar". "Pero desde el lunes a la mañana no hemos recibido más llamadas", añadió.

Esa estimación "fue montada en la fase de socorro de la operación, pero ahora estamos en la fase asistencial. Para el Cuerpo de Bomberos es muy difícil calcular el número de desaparecidos. Un tío mío fue considerado desaparecido y luego hallado refugiado en casa de otros familiares", agregó el portavoz.

Los bomberos indicaron a la AFP que hubo poblados a la orilla del río Mundaú en Alagoas que fueron "borrados del mapa" por la crecida, mientras que hay otros que quedaron "aislados".

El acceso a esos lugares para acercar ayuda sólo puede realizarse por medio de la Fuerza Aérea (FAB), que destinó cinco helicópteros a esa tarea, indicaron.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Summer is here…

A Day at the Beach

BEACH BEACHBAG BEACHBALL GAMES LEMONADE SANDWICHES SNACKS

SODAS SUNGLASSES SUNSCREEN SWIMMING TOWELS WATER WATERJUG

Connect the Dots!

Sunday, June 20, 2010

“On Di Road” We went out district to celebrate Father’s Day with my Dad. We had visited the zoo.

Mom drove and made us lunch to carry. Dad was very happy, he loves being outdoors. What did you do for Father’s Day with your Dad? Write and tell us and we’ll share your story.

Email 501kidsclub@gmail.com!

Sunday, June 20, 2010

THE BELIZE TIMES

Grace

Amazin

Burglar Bars for your Life Every time we turn on the evening news, we worry that the violence crime and senseless killings in Belize will not stop. Sometimes we are concerned that it will come to our homes or affect our loved ones. This week, I wish to offer you comfort to know that God has his arms of protection around you and the ones that you love.

Even to the point where in Psalms 23:5 David reminds us that: “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” This means that God does not only protect us but that he further publicly shows the world that His hands are on us by anointing our heads, our thoughts and our paths. In the face of all the commotion, chaos and turbulence of this world, we will prosper and be nurtured. This is what is meant by the portion which says that my cup runneth over. We can boldly live with the fear of evil because God has promised to be with us.

The first metaphor for the protection that God gives to us is that of a Shepherd taking care of his sheep. Although it is hard for me to find a modern day equivalent to this, we can all appreciate that it must be like a mother protecting her children from harm on a busy street.

God’s promise of protection to you is far reaching and very personal.

We are reminded of the parable of the lost sheep in Matthew 18:1214: 12"What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off ? 13And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the 14 ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.”

You are important to God and He will protect you.

The second image of God’s protection is during times of war or strife. War is surely the most dangerous time for humans but even then God has his protection on us. His protection is stronger than any armor, burglar bars or security guards could ever be. Remember the Bible says: “A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.” Psalms 91:7 So remember these verses of scripture and recite them. Do it loudly on your verandah and in your hammock wherever you are.

Declare to the world: “1The LORD is my light and my salvation; I will fear no one. The LORD protects me from all danger; I will never be afraid. 2When evil people attack me and try to kill me, they stumble and fall. 3Even if a whole army surrounds me, I will not be afraid; even if enemies attack me, I will still trust God. 4I have asked the LORD for one thing; one thing only do I want: to live in the LORD's house all my life, to marvel there at his goodness, and to ask for his guidance. 5In times of trouble he will shelter me; he will keep me safe in his Temple and make me secure on a high rock. 6So I will triumph over my enemies around me. With shouts of joy I will offer sacrifices in his Temple; I will sing, I will praise the LORD.” Psalms 27:1-14 Finally know that God is more powerful than any criminal that may want to try to come to your gate and harm you. These are not promises that you need to go to an obeah man to claim or to pay some voodoo doctor to get, it is there available to you by the amazing grace of God the Father.

So don’t worry about any ill will that is being plotted by any burglar, murderer or thief, God is with you now and until the end of time. The prophet Isaiah keeps us grounded to know that: “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.” Isaiah 54:17 We believe in this and we offer it to you so that you may also believe and be protected and blessed.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Sunday, June 20, 2010

THE BELIZE TIMES

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Chan Chen girls win national primary schools football championships

T he Chan Chen Gover nment School girls, the Corozal District champs, won the 2010 National Primary Schools football championship tournament held by the National Sports Council at ITVET and at the MCC garden last Friday.

In Game 1, the Chan Chen girls won over the Cayo district champs, the St. Martin Government School 1-0, when Chan Chen’s Gladys Williams scored the winning goal.

In Game 2, the Stann Creek district champions, the Sacred Heart School girls of Dangriga blew away the Toledo district champs, the Silver Creek RC School girls, in a penalty

shootout that went into sudden death after the game was tied 0-0 in regulation time. Shayana Caliz, Tawani G o n z a l e z , K a m i s h a Ro d r i g u e z , Noemie Gamboa and Zandy Sabal converted their penalty kicks for Sacred Heart, but the score was tied at 5-5 when Velloria Choc, Bernadita Yatz, Petrona Cal, Anna Chub and Lorencia Choc equalized for Silver Creek. Sacred Heart’s Earlyn Palacio scored the winning goal.

In Game 3, the Chan Chen girls won over the Belize District champs, the St. Martin de Porres School girls: 3-0, when Wendy Yam, MVP Delcy Ruiz and Gladys Williams scored 1

goal each for Chan Chen.

In Game 4, the Sacred Hear t School girls won their 2nd game 3-0 over the Orange Walk district champs, the Chan Pine Ridge Government School girls: 3-0. Shayama Caliz scored 2 goals and Delta Flores scored 1 goal.

In Game 5, the St. Martin de Porres School girls won 1-0 over the Cayo champs, the St. Martin Government School girls, when Janell Grinage scored the winning goal.

In Game 6, the Silver Creek RC School girls won 1-0 over the Chan Pine Ridge girls when Petrona Cal scored the winning goal.

In Game 7 in the semifinals, the Sacred Heart School girls won against the St. Martin de Porres School girls in a penalty shootout that went into sudden death. Shayana Caliz, Zandy Sabal, Tawani Gonzalez and Noemie Gamboa converted their penalties for Sacred Heart, but then St. Martin’s Shamika Augustine, Kedidra Tunn, Gilda Moguel and Kimberly Garcia also converted their penalties to tie the score at 4-4 at the end of 5 tries each. In sudden death, Earlyn Palacio and Ashanti Roaches converted for Sacred Heart, while St. Martin’s Vivian Noralez and Delcia Figueroa tied the score. Sacred Heart’s goalkeeper K a m i s h a Ro d r i g u e z s t o p p e d 2

penalties for them to take the win when Shewana Miranda converted the winning penalty.

In Game 8 in the semifinals, the Chan Chen girls advanced to the finals undefeated, coming from behind to post a 2-1 win against the Silver Creek RC School girls who at first led 1-0 when Petrona Cal scored her 3rd goal for the Toledo girls. MVP Delcy Ruiz equalized 1-1for Chan Chen, and Luz Clarita Escobar scored the winning goal.

In Game 9, Petrona Cal scored her 4th goal of the tournament to give the Silver Creek RC School girls the 1-0 win against the defeated St. Martin de Porres girls in the consolation game for 3rd place.

In game 10 of the championship finals, the Chan Chen girls won a penalty shootout against the Sacred Heart girls 3-1 when in penalty kickout. In regulation time the game was tied 0-0. The goal scorers for Chan Chen School were Wendy Yam, Luz Escobar and Delcy Ruiz with 1 goal each, while only Shayama Caliz converted her penalty for Sacred Heart School.

The champions, 2nd and 3rd place winners received team trophies and individual medals, while the Most Valuable Player Award went to Delcy Ruiz of Chan Chen.

Mt. Carmel boys win national primary schools football championships

The Mount Carmel RC School boys of Benque Viejo del Carmen, the Cayo District champs, won the 2010 National Primary Schools football championship tournament held by the National Sports Council at ITVET and at the MCC garden last Friday.

In Game 1, the Mount Carmel RC School boys won 2-0 against the Corozal champs, the Mary Hill RC School boys, when MVP Darvin Lopez scored 2 goals for the win.

In Game 2, the Holy Ghost School boys won 3-1 over the To l e d o d i s t r i c t c h a m p s, t h e Toledo Methodist School boys in a penalty shootout, after regulation time ended with the game tied 0-0. Ar vin Lorenzo, Keith Francisco and Brandon Murillo each conver ted their penalties for Holy Ghost School, while only Benny Baiza converted for Toledo Methodist School.

In Game 3, the Belize district champs, the St. John Vianney RC School boys eliminated the Mary Hill RC boys, by a 2-0 win with goals by Shemar Moore and Calvin Reneau.

I n G a m e 4 , O r a n g e Wa l k district champs, the Trial Farm

Government School boys won 3-2 against the Holy Ghost School boys in penalty shootout, when regulation time ended with the game tied 1-1. Aldana, Ian Uh and Ernest Arnold converted for Trial Farm while only Arvin Lorenzo and Keith Francisco converted for Holy Ghost School.

In Game 5, the Mount Carmel boys won 1-0 over the St. John Vianney School boys, when MVP Darvin Lopez scored the winning goal.

In Game 6, the Trial Farm boys eliminated the Toledo Methodist School boys 1-0 when Ian Uh scored the winning goal.

In Game 7, the semifinals began with the Mount Car mel boys relegating the Holy Ghost School boys to the consolation game for 3rd place after Darvin Lopez scored his 4th winning goal for the 1-0 win.

In Game 8 in the other semifinal, the St. John Vianney boys eliminated the Trial Farm boys 1-0, when Brandon Flores scored the winning goal.

In Game 9, Holy Ghost School won the consolation game for 3rd place against Trial Farm in a penalty shootout, after regulation

time ended with the game was tied at 1-1. John Sabal had scored first for Holy Ghost, but Alejandro Rivera equalized for Trial Farm w i t h a h e a d e r. T h e p e n a l t y shootout went into sudden death, in which Corey Zuniga scored the winning penalty for Holy Ghost School.

In Game 10, the championship final, Mount Carmel RC School boys won 4-0 ag ainst the St. John Vianney School boys with Darwin Lopez scoring the 1st

goal, Genny Reyes added a 2nd goal and Darvin Lopez scored a 3rd goal to lead 3-0 at the half.

A 2 n d h a l f s u b s t i t u t e, A k i m Menjibar added a 4th goal for the 4-0 win.

The champions, 2nd and 3rd p l a c e w i n n e r s r e c e ive d t e a m trophies and individual medals, while the Most Valuable Player Award went to Darvin Lopez of Mount Car mel RC School who had scored 6 goals!

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Excellence CC wins thru to 2010 Smart Harrison Parks cricket finals

Defending champs Excellence C.C. of Double Head Cabbage will get to take on Surprise of Lemonal in the 2010 Smart Harrison Parks cricket championship finals, which begins in Ber mudian Landing on Saturday, June 26, after they outlasted the 4 -times national champs, Brilliant C.C. of Crooked Tree 115-103 in Game 3 of the semifinal series in Ber mudian Landing last Saturday.

Excellence batted first, but Brilliant bowler Howell Gillett dismissed the opening batsman Marlon “Camala” Nicholas for 8 runs. The next Brilliant bowler

Brian Lewis took the next 3 wickets for 8 runs. The Excellence team captain Percy Flowers had scored only 7 runs, before Brilliant bowler Howell Gillett bowled him a ball that got him to pop up for the easy catch. Howell also took the next wicket for zero runs.

The Excellence wicketkeeper Brandon Broaster batted 2 fours to score 11 runs, before he was caught on a ball bowled by Rodwell Conorquie. Orson “Big Dawg” Flowers managed to hit a six and score 14 runs before he fell victim to Arturo Wade’s bowling.

The Man of the Match was Eian

Broaster who hit 3 sixes and 2 fours to score 34 runs, remaining Not Out; he also took 2 wickets.

Rodwell Conorquie took the next wicket for 1 run and Brilliant bowler Varron Westby got Kevin Flowers to pop up for an easy catch after he had batted 10 runs. Even with 18 extras, the Excellence side had scored 115 runs, all out.

Brilliant thought they had victory in the bag, but they reckoned without the Excellence bowling.

Landis “Ciego” Wade opened for Brilliant and he hit 5 fours to score 50 runs, would remain not out but he was the only one in double digits.

E xc e l l e n c e b ow l e r Ke n n y Broaster took the first wicket for only 1 run, while his big brother Eian Broaster took the 2nd wicket for 3 runs. Orson “Big Dawg” Flowers dismissed the 3rd batsman for 6 runs, and Eian Broaster took the 4th wicket for 9 runs.

Marlon “Camala” Nicholas took the next 3 wickets for 9 runs, Orson Flowers took the next wicket for zero runs, and Camala took the next wicket for 3 runs, so that when the last wicket fell Brilliant had scored only 103 runs, even with 16 extras.

SanCas Seven Seas wins Interoffice volleyball championship

San Cas Seven Seas won the 2010 Belize Volleyball Association interoffice volleyball championship finals at the Belize City Center last Saturday night, upsetting the defending champs Belize Telemedia in the best of 3 sets.

First seed San Cas Seven Seas

earned their position in the finals by a win in the sudden death (loser goes home) playoffs last Thursday, June 17, when they defeated a feisty and determined 4th seed Atlantic Bank in 2 straight sets 25-21and 25-19.

I n t h e s e c o n d m a t ch , t h e defending champs Belize Telemedia

brought in their big guns to take on BATSUB, who has always proven very difficult for them. BATSUB although missing one of their very key players battled hard but lost 2517 and 25-22.

Belize Telemedia played against San Cas Seven Seas at 7:00 pm on Saturday night for the championship, which was a thriller. San Cas jumped out to a lead in the first set and held off BTL winning 25-15. But Telemedia showed why they are the defending champions by coming back in the second set 25-18. Eros Dawson, Paul Perriott, along with Emily Audinette and Melanie Blake stepped up their game and came through for Telemedia.

In the deciding set, Raul Arnold, Marconi Leal and Sherylee YoungThurton of San Cas once again took over and they won 15-8 winning the 2010 championship.

The Belize Volleyball Open competition also started this past

Saturday evening with the Division 1 male and female sub-champions and champions of 2009 playing against each other.

In the female match, Barbara Cadle and Shantell Arnold led Lady Jaguars to victory over their nemesis from last year, the defending champs: Moen Stars. The Jaguars brooked no opposition, dominating in 3 straight sets: 25-20, 25-17, 27-25. Both teams have some new young players taking over leading roles as the others retire.

In the men’s match, Mirab was short handed with players, but still won the first set 25-23. They lost the match 3 sets to 1, as Scorpions showed their champion's form by wining the next 3 sets: 25-11, 25-22 and 25-12.

The competition continues on Thursday, June 24, with 2 matches in the Mixed Division: Team 313 vs.

First Caribbean Diamonds and Police vs. Kauss. In the men’s competition, the Jaguars take on the Rebels.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Millennium girls tame Pumas 3-1 in Women’s football

Millennium Girls of Belize City lead the National women’s football competition with 11pts from 3 wins and 2 draws in 6 outings, after they posted their 3rd win: 3-1 against Puma’s Auto Rentals of Dangriga at the MCC garden last Saturday.

S h e r y a n n “ B a b y ” Tr a c y and Miriam Villamil led the Millennium offensive, with the help of Shinelle Gentle and Geanny Cayetano on the wings,

s u p p o r t e d by K ay a C a t t o u s e and veteran Adelma Broaster at midfield.

Shinelle Gentle razzle-dazzled her way thru the Pumas’ defense blast in the 1st goal for a 1-0 lead early in the first half, but the Pumas’ top striker Nykemah Kuylen ran through the Millennium defenders: Helen Flowers, Melony Tasher, Kara Kisling and Sara Arzu to embarrass goalie Ermine Ferguson with the equalizer before

the half time break.

In the 2nd half, Marg arita Aguilar replaced Adelma Broaster at midfield and Araceli Lambey took over from Helen Flowers on defense, closing up shop to deny the Pumas any more goals.

Shinelle Gentle meanwhile continued with her winning ways, bombing in 2 more goals to complete the hat trick to give the Millennium Girls the 3-1 win.

Out west, Gentle Touch of

Esperanza came back from a 2-0 deficit when they hosted t h e P l a c e n c i a Pe a r l s a t t h e Norman Broaster Stadium also on Saturday, to post a 3-2 win at the final whistle.

The fastest woman in Central America, Kaina Martinez launched a blitzkrieg attack on the Gentle Touch goal to seize a 1-0 lead early in the first half, and Maylin Martinez demonstrated her expert ball control as she danced a 2nd goal into the net as the Placencia girls led 2-zip at the half time break.

The Placencia girls held off the ‘Ranza attacks until late in the 2nd half when Nataki Alvarez scored the ‘Ranza girls 1st goal in the 55th minute. Nataki added a 2nd g oal for the equalizer and Kimberly “Brazilian” Perez delivered the game winner in money time.

The playoffs begin on Saturday, with Millennium taking on the Pearls in a home and away series while Gentle Touch will take on the Pumas in a home and away.

T he winners advance to the finals.

Brown Bombers win 2 back to back in BDFA football The Brown Bombers posted back to back wins when the Belize District Football Association’s summer football competition kicked off at the MCC garden last Saturday.

The Brown Bombers blasted an under-manned Alberts 4-0 in the under-15 male competition.

Alberts’ 7 player team was forced on the defensive as they took the field, and the Bombers’ attack forced an Alberts’ defender to goof in kicking the ball into his own goal for that dreaded autogoal that gave the Bombers a 1-0 lead at the half time break.

The Bombers’ Jarron Myvett added a 2nd goal early in the 2nd half, Dejon Thompson booted the ball right thru the goalie’s legs to add a 3rd goal and 12-year-old sensation Naim Wilson nailed home long 30-yard missile to make it 4-0 before the long whistle.

The Bombers also won 3-1 against Burrell Boom in Game 4 of the day. Naim Wilson scored the Bombers 1st goal and Shawn Young soon added a 2nd goal.

Eugene Henderson scored a consolation goal for Burrell Boom, but the Bombers added a 3rd goal for the 3-1 victory.

The SCA girls str uck a 1-0

win against the Ladyville Rural Strikers in the Game 1 of the day.

Leanne Murray and Kursha Pollard led the SCA offensive, backed up

by Samauri Samos and Christian Rodriguez at midfield. Kursha Pollard soon eluded the Strikers’ defenders to score the winning goal before the break.

The Strikers counterattacked in the 2nd half, but made no impression on the SCA defense anchored by Ashley Pelayo, Inga

Woods and Deandra Gill which held off their attacks to post the 1-0 win at the long whistle.

In Game 3, the Ladyville Tech boys won 4-1 over Hattieville United, who had scored first when Leon Smith blasted the ball past the Ladyville goalie and the Hattieville squad was still up 1-0 at the half.

In the 2nd half, Oscar Ponce tied the score for Ladyville at 1-1. Leon Sedacey added a 2nd winning goal, Tyrel Parchue added a 3rd goal and

Marco May added a 4th goal for the 4-1 win.

The competition continues o n S a t u r d ay, Ju n e 2 6 , w h e n Hattieville United takes on Burrell Boom. Alberts challenges Yabra, Ladyville Tech faces MSV, and the Brown Bombers will try to survive against Survival. On Sunday, the under-19 competition kicks off with the Bombers taking on Yabra and BWEL Flames challenging San Pedro.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

THE BELIZE TIMES

Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory…

By: Mike Rudon Jr. “Come with me and you'll be in a world of pure imagination…We'll begin with a spin traveling in the world of my creation.” – Pure Imagination Lyrics I’ve always liked that movie – the Gene Wilder version of the 1970s much more than the more recent Johnny Depp remake. I put it into the Forrest Gump and Shawshank Redemption category… movies that you can watch over and over again and still find amazing. But I hadn’t thought about Mr. Wonka and his factory for years till this morning listening to Love FM’s morning show while driving down to the city. The hosts were lamenting the state of the country, the many issues facing us as a people. Oh God, they said, look at the shootings and murders and little kids getting killed by monsters out there. Things are really bad, they said, our kids are graduating and there are no jobs out there for them. Our city is in a mess, they said, with a dysfunctional City Council. Oh what are we to do? What can we do? But you know what? Not once on today’s show or any other previous show have these hosts made the next obvious link, the next natural connection, the next rational step. IT’S THE GOVERNMENT, STUPID! So many things are going wrong and our nation is falling down around our ears because this government that was voted in to make things better is bogus…end of story!

But these hosts and others from other media houses who are dependent on GOB’s advertising dollar will never take that next step to blurt out the next logical conclusion. See, they are living in Mr. Barrow’s world of pure imagination and taking a spin in a world of his creation.

Yeah I’m pissed. I’m pissed a lot of the time now because things are getting much worse for our Belizean people.

NOTHING is better. EVERYTHING is worse. The media played a huge part in bringing down the past administration, more so than they would probably now want to admit. But those same vigilant watchdogs turned bloodhounds that chased whiffs of corruption on the breeze back then are now snoring blissfully in their kennels. Back then if any member of the PUP passed wind the fourth estate rottweilers would be straining at the leash with jaws snapping. Now they just roll over and play dead. It’s a damned travesty.

Listen, things are going wrong, really wrong. I’m not making that up – just look around. Some of us want to play stupid, some want to play along for whatever reason. But the reality is that the responsibility for the way things are

rests squarely on the shoulders of that blissfully rich, blissfully ignorant, blissfully selectively blind leader in name only Mr. Barrow.

Let’s take crime, for example. The Jaguar has gone from being an endangered species to now being declared officially extinct. It gives me no pleasure to say – we told you so! None at all! Operation Restore Belize will never work. Never! What that fails, it will give me no pleasure to say I told you so. See, crime can’t be controlled by something Mr. Barrow came up with in his air-conditioned study while sitting in a leather recliner in a red smoking jacket in his mansion in front of

the sea. We all knew it would be brilliantly written – Mr. Barrow is book smart if nothing else. But closer analysis of Mr. Barrow’s actions predict in true Nostradamus fashion that any plan originating from that gentleman can be nothing more than a beautifully packaged, carefully crafted, gloriously etched bundle of bulls@#t.

Let’s make this really short and definitely not sweet. Take a look at our DPP. Some people are citing conviction statistics in the last 2 years of about 7%. I think they’re being too nice to her. She’s done nothing to distinguish herself during her term. She’s been consistently accused of being in political pockets, so to speak, and she’s been referred to as the new poster girl for criminals on remand waiting for their day in Court. Oh, and she’s been on extended maternity leave two times in the past two years. Yeah I know it’s not exactly politically correct to mention that and some people are frowning right now, but the fact is that we are desperately in need of an effective DPP and an efficient DPP’s office. This one ain’t it.

Mr. Barrow spoke at length about the caliber of man who would be needed as the new Attorney-General. He would need to be a pit-bull, said our leader…a dynamic, energetic, active legal wunderkind who would spare no time or effort in this war facing us. And then he gave

26 us UDP crony B.Q. Pitts. Come no man!

Mr. Pitts has no experience in the legal area in which an AG must be expert.

Friends of Mr. Pitts have claimed that he is in the twilight of his years…others have said that he is half-senile and about ready to be put out to pasture. Really now Mr. Barrow!

And then there’s our new Minister of Police. Mr. Barrow removed the old minister because he was weak, ineffectual and could not earn the respect of his officers. He also had a bad habit which I am certain did not gain him any respect from the rank and file in the Police Department. But Mr. Barrow replaced him with a man who has no qualifications for the job, nothing to bring to the table in the area of law enforcement and who also is said to have a habit which will not earn him the respect of the rank and file of the Police Department.

This is all crazy. The things that Mr. Barrow does and gets away with boggle the mind, really. Some of us can continue to tour Willy Wonka’s Chocolate factory, but the fact of the matter is that we’re living in Belize, Jack. If you look up and see any oompa loompas with bright orange faces coming your way singing a song, you better get the hell out of there in a hurry. They’ll probably be packing 9mms and will more likely jack you than take you for a magical ride on a chocolate stream.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

THE BELIZE TIMES

Can Belize survive 2 more years under the UDP?

This week I had the opportunity to speak to a personal friend of mine who happens to be one of San Pedro’s most prosperous businessmen. It was nothing to do with politics; we were just hanging out at his business watching the world cup games. But somehow the critical discouraging investor confidence situation came into the conversation.

Then came perhaps one of the most worrying questions - can this country survive another two years under the UDP? The question came from someone I personally know has been a financial friend to the barefoot minister and the other ruling elected officials on the island; a man who had big hopes in the ruling Barrow government.

From our conversation, I realized that not only is his business hurting from the slow economic activities on the island, but like him, so many other businesses across the country are also experiencing ‘goma’ under the watch of the UDP. For months I have been hearing from business people that “things haada out yah.” But to hear one of the biggest and most powerful businessmen with good UDP connections admitting that “things are really, really dread,” then it must be so.

The businessman said to me that never before has the real estate business on the island been in such a terrible condition. With one of the largest hotels on the island in his business empire, the businessman said to me that never before in his experience have bookings been so low. In fact, he explained that in many instances he has to dig into his savings to cover operational expenses and meet payroll. And to top off the slow business climate, the businessman complained that the crime situation just adds more problems to the tourism crisis that we are experiencing. Then he made an alarming statement that I will quote verbatim - “one would thing that even after Williams was shot, the PM would introduce a realistic and clear plan as to how he plans to tackle crime in Belize.”

Boom! Then another statement - “the only ones making it right now are the Barrows and the Vegas while we (businessmen) are getting screwed every second!”

To put things into perspective, one just needs to travel north of Ambergris Caye and they will realize what the businessman is really speaking about.

Large resorts have been forced to close down and abandon their business, retired persons are selling their properties, real estate companies are selling closed vacation homes, properties on mortgages are being auctioned by commercial institutions, businesses are going into receivership, apartments and rooms are closed and a high number of building are unfinished.

San Pedro was not prepared for

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the economic crisis brought into play by the UDP. Because of the bloom that Ambergris Caye enjoyed under the previous PUP government, many Sanpedranos and business people

invested their hard earned money or went into the banks to borrow money and built apartments and rooms for rental, expanded their businesses and constructed hotels, opened restaurants, purchased vehicles for taxis, purchased boats for tours and even improved the infrastructure of their dwellings. But now that things are not working out as they were, things are becoming stressful for the islanders and investors.

Sure the UDP are quick to blame the past administration and the global economic indicators; but that is just another political excuse to hide their incompetence and inefficiency. Just ask the following questions - what has the UDP done for you since elected to office? After 2 ½ years, what has the UDP done for Belize? Is the UDP capable of moving Belize out of the economic mess that they have put us in?

Does the PM really know how to run this

27 country or is he governing by trial and error? Can the UDP bring some level of stability into the business sector to ease the high interest rates from commercial banks? Can Belize survive another 2 ½ years in this crippling economic atmosphere? Just take time to reflect on the questions and you will realize that the mess the country finds itself in is thanks to the UDP. When we hear our investors making theses types of statements and asking those types of questions, it is a strong indication that businessmen and investors have lost confidence in their government. And when investors lose confidence in a government, it can spell disaster for an already struggling government. Then it is time for the government to put up and make things happen or to shut up, leave and make way for capable minds to run the country.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

S

PON DI GULLY No Rule of Law

D E

jacks, the thief (white collar or common thief)), the drug dealer or the corrupt government Minister or official. At the end of the day, it comes back to the question my friend asks: “how ah wah mek mi money fi live?”

And therein, seems to me, lies the problem.

By anthony sylvestre He stood at the corner of Tigris Street and Basra Street, one of these commonly referred to hotspots in Belize City, seemingly unfazed by the gunfire that had barked out just minutes earlier. He had the DVDs he was selling neatly displayed on the ground for the passersby who were interested in the Bob Marley or Peter Tosh or Burning Spear genre of music.

Less than 24 hours earlier, a nineteen year old girl, in the prime of her youth, was shot in her head for no reason: she was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. The body of another teenage girl, it would be learnt later, was found partially decomposed near the Mile 5 Bridge on the Western Highway.

“Yuh brave tho,” I said to my friend, as I drove up slowly, trying to make light of a very serious matter.

“You nuh hear how people di get kill just di hang out pon streetside?”

“So weh yuh expect mi fi do?” he asked rhetorically. “Stay home? How ah wah mek mi money fi live?”

My friend is right. What is a man to do?

The streets of Belize City are dangerous, cold, treacherous and unforgiving right now. There is no gender, ethnicity, age group or social class which is immune from the vices of the cold, treacherous streets. Man, woman and child; prominent people and people of straw, at any given time, can be victims of the cold, treacherous streets.

But, a man has as his first priority- to take care of himself and those dependent on him. He must live so he must plod on through these same dangerous, cold, treacherous and unforgiving streets in order to survive. And so, my friend being consumed with his own personal issues of survival was hardly troubled by the shootings and killings around him. So long as it was not someone close to him or someone he knew personally, my friend could hardly be bothered by the personal misfortune of others in the society. His personal survival took priority over anything else.

And I suppose there is nothing outrageously wrong with that. Just that, it seems to me, that that psyche of personal survival trumping everything else, is having a debilitating and regressing effect on the society at large.

When you think about it, this psyche of personal survival over everything else is what drives the gunman who is given a hit to take someone’s life. This is what drives the person who

When the economy of the country is comatose as it is right now; when citizens (especially the young) cannot make an honest living doing legitimate work, then illegal and criminal activities mushroom and spiral out of control; the psyche of personal survival over everything else also spirals out of control.

The government has launched an initiative called “Restore Belize” which it says is a crime prevention initiative.

The best known crime prevention strategy is to give people opportunities in life. To do this the government of course needs the money and resources.

But this cannot come from an economy which is almost dead. It has to come from without. It has to come from an economic boom brought on by foreign investment.

This government has shown that it cannot do that. All it continues to do is spit out plans and initiatives that are bu-

Sunday, June 20, 2010 reaucratic layers of committees.

The only way to restore Belize is to for government to attract foreign investors. This government has shown that it cannot do that. Far from that, this government has shown an intention to keep foreign investors away.

In the meantime, the rest of us, who don’t have the luxury of police security, continue to live on the edge, not knowing if we will be the next victims of the cold treacherous streets.

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Sunday, June 20, 2010

THE BELIZE TIMES

29

3 Asesinatos en la Vieja Capital DOMINGO 27 de JUNIO , 2010

Issue No. 4699

La última semana ha sido sangrienta en la vieja capital, y ha dejado a tres familias en aflicción por la pérdida de sus seres amados que fueron asesinadas brutalmente y en sangre fría. Comenzamos con el asesinato de la joven de diecinueve años Neisa Pipersburgh, la muchacha que recién se había graduado el domingo 13 de junio, de la secundaria del colegió Pallotti y que desapareció en un miércoles. Su madre, Alicia Williams, dijo que ella dejó a su hija minutos antes de las diez de la mañana para ir a la escuela y cuando volvió, Neisa había desaparecido. Extrañamente, la casa fue dejada al descubierto y solamente un monedero pequeño en el cual ella portaba sus tarjetas de identificación y celular faltaban. Por días no se supo nada del paradero de la joven a pesar de llamadas numerosas a su celular y suplicas del público para su regreso a casa sin novedad alguna.

Entonces en la mañana del sábado, alguien aviso a la policía que había

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algo envuelta en una sabana blanca y un bolso plástico grande cercano al Burdon Canal en la milla 6 en la carretera occidental. El cuerpo de la occisa fue percibido por el olor a descomposición que emitía. Cuando llegaron las autoridades y el equipo forense, descubrieron que era el cuerpo de descomposición de una joven.

Porque la descomposición estaba ya en una etapa avanzada, Neisa se podría identificar solamente por la ropa

que llevaba puesta, que eran los mismos que ella llevaba puestos cuando su madre la dejó en casa. El pintauñas verde que ella usó en los dedos del pie en su ceremonia de graduación, junto con una pista de la armadura en su pelo todavía estaba allí. Una autopsia no podía confirmar la causa de la muerte la adolescente. Ella tuvo que ser enterrada el mismo día debido al estado avanzado de descomposición.

Su madre no tiene evidencia contundente sobre quien pudo haber perpetuado el crimen contra su hija pero tiene una sensación que la persona que asesino a su hija era un conocido de ella y una persona cercana. Williams agregó que Neisa acababa de terminar una relación con un policía y había comenzado a recibir mensajes amenazadores de texto de un vecino.

Williams dice que la mañana que la joven desapareció ella estaba en la yarda con sus mascotas cuando esta persona condujo muy lentamente en un vehículo con el cristal tenido. El día

siguiente, Williams dijo ella le pregunto al vecino si la había visto o había tenido contacto con ella y él lo negó, diciendo que él no sabía el número de celular de Neisa porque ella lo había cambiado. Pero cuando Williams fue a BTL a comprobar en los expedientes del teléfono de su hija, demostró que por varios minutos, el vecino y Neisa intercambiaron mensajes de texto.

Mientras que Williams se encuentra convencida de la identidad del asesino de su hija, las autoridades han detenido a tres personas hasta ahora, aunque no han levantado cargos contra nadie.

Este pasado lunes, estudiantes y la facultad de Pallotti, vestidos de uniforme, sostuvieron un monumento en la memoria de Neisa dentro del auditorio de la escuela. Su muerte conmovió a sus compañeros graduados, el saber que en la noche de sábado ella también participó en una procesión con candelas en la calle North Front antes de que atendieran a su prom.

El incidente sucedió poco después de las 6:00 P.M. cuando el pistolero, vestido de negro con un paño negro que cubría su cara, paso cerca de la calle de Sibun y al llegar frente del número cinco, donde Mitchell y otros adolescentes se encontraban sentados en un coche, él abrió fuego contra Mitchell. El pistolero no paró hasta terminar de descargar el arma asesina inclusive después de asestar el tiro mortal en la cabeza de la joven.

Hay mucha especulación en cuanto al asesinato, supuestamente fue

en venganza por asesinatos anteriores ligados a las cuadrillas locales.

Solamente la semana anterior de que cinco hombres fueron puestos en libertad por el asesinato en Octubre del 2009 de Randy Coye después de que la oficina del DPP no pudo producir un archivo del caso. Se sospecha que el pistolero era uno de esos cinco hombres que fue liberado y deseó enviar un mensaje al hermano de Joyce Mitchell por el asesinato de la semana anterior del líder del sur de la cuadrilla, Andre Trapp y al de Nelson Henry.

Los parientes de Mitchell dicen que ella estaba a punto de dejar la casa de su madre para ir a su residencia y se encontraba sentaba en un coche delante de la yarda platicando con su cuñada cuando fue asesinada.

Ella se derrumbó sobre la calle y fue llevada al hospital conmemorativo del Karl Heusner en donde la victima se aferró a la vida dos horas antes de que falleciera. Las autoridades habían detenido a Jervis Valencia el Viernes con respecto al asesinato pero Sábado fue liberado a causa de carencia de evidencia.

Neisa Pipersburgh

Adolescente Asesinada

Joyce Mitchell

Mientras que la madre de Neisa Pipersburgh todavía conducía investigaciones sobre el paradero de su hija el Jueves pasado, asesinaron a otra mujer joven de la misma edad que Neisa. Esta vez, la víctima, Joyce Mitchell, fue baleada sin misericordia a boca de jarro por un pistolero que al parecer la atrapo en su carril con el intento de asesinarla.

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Sunday, June 20, 2010

La fabrica de Chocolate de Willy Wonka

Por: Mike Rudon Jr. "Venga conmigo y se encontrará en un mundo de pura imaginacion… empezaremos con un giro viajando en el mundo de mi creación." – Pure Imagination letras Siempre me ha gustado esa película – la versión de Gene Wilder de la década de 1970, mucho más que la más reciente con Johnny Depp. Usualmente pongo en la categoria de Forrest Gump y Shawshank Redemption …peliculas que se pueden ver una y otra vez y aún encontrar sorprendente. Pero no habia pensado acerca del Sr. Wonka y su fábrica de chocolates durante años hasta esta mañana escuchando el matutino de Love FM mientras conducia a la ciudad.

Los anfitriones se lamentaban del estado del país, los numerosos problemas que tenemos ante nosotros como pueblo. Oh Dios, dijeron, mire los tiroteos y asesinatos y niños muriendo por monstruos ahí fuera. Las cosas son realmente malas, dijeron, nuestros hijos se graduan y no hay trabajo para ellos. Nuestra ciudad está en un lío, con un ayuntamiento disfuncional. Ah ¿qué debemos hacer? ¿Qué podemos hacer? Se preguntaban.

Pero, ¿saben que? Ni por un momento en este show o en cualquier otro se les ocurrio hacer el siguiente vínculo obvio, la siguiente conexión natural, el siguiente paso racional. ¡ ES EL GOBIERNO, ESTÚPIDOS! Tantas cosas van mal y nuestra nación está cayendo alrededor nuestro debido a que este Gobierno, que fue puesto en poder para mejorar las cosas es bogus…final de la historia!

Pero estos anfitriones y otros de otras casas de medios de comunicación que dependen de los dólares para fines de publicidad de GOB nunca tendrán

"Sí soy un político, sí existen presiones políticas, y sí intentaré hacer las cosas en términos de obtención de beneficio por el bien de política – Patrick Faber, Septiembre de 2008 Estoy seguro de que si los principios de la Iglesia no estaban tan fir memente grabados en piedra, escribas religiosas se encontrarian en la dificil tarea de inventarse nuevos ritos de exorcismo para nuestro Ministro de eEducación, Patrick Faber. No es mi intencion en hacer de un asunto grave algo frívolo, porque no lo es. Nuestro Ministro de Educación es un tipo arrogante, egoísta, que se encuentra atrapado en la gloria de su cargo ministerial y cegado por ilusiones de ascension que ha perdido completamente la nocion de la realidad. Y para hacer una mala situación peor, su jefe también ha perdido de vista la realidad y tambien es arrogante y egoísta e incompetente, por lo que ambos parecen estar tomados de las las manos y mirando fijamente a un brillante nuevo mundo que solo ellos parecen ver.

Anoche casi caigo de la silla en donde me encontraba cuando escuché al Ministro idiota hablando sobre la existencia de nor mas que rigen las transferencias de los profesores y esas nor mas tienen que ser obser vados en todo momento porque todos saben que las reglas son sagradas.

Por el amor de Dios! Esto no

el valor de decir la siguiente conclusión lógica. Porque vea usted, ellos están viviendo en el mundo del Sr. Barrow de la pura imaginación y dando un giro en un mundo de su creación. Si estoy enojado, me la paso muy enojado porque las cosas van de mal en peor ahora, NADA HA MEJORADO, AL CONTRARIO TODO ESTA PEOR ! Los medios de comunicación desempeñaron un papel enorme en derribar la administración pasada. Pero esos mismos guardianes vigilantes convertido en perros rastreros bloodhounds que persiguieron corrupciónes imaginarias son ahora los mismos que se encuentran dando ronquidos en sus perreras, haciendose de la vista gorda. Entonces, si cualquier miembro del PUP comitia un error, los rottweilers se volvian locos y rabiosos.

Ahora sólo se dan la vuelta y se hacen lo desentendidos. Es una maldita farsa!!.

Escucha, las cosas van mal, realmente mal. No estoy exagerando – solo basta mirar alrededor. Algunos de nosotros deseamos hacernos de la vista gorda, algunos prefieren ignorar lo que esta aconteciendo a lo largo y ancho de nuestro pais. Pero la realidad es que la responsabilidad por la forma en que las cosas están recae directamente sobre los hombros de ese líder dichoso, enriquecido, ignorante, que sufre de ceguera selectivamente y que lleva el nombre de Lider como adorno solamente. El Sr. Barrow. Analicemos la delincuencia, por ejemplo. El Jaguar ha pasado de ser una especie en peligro de extinción y ahora se declara oficialmente extinto. No es para mí ningún placer decirlo – pero se los advertimos! Operación de Restauración Belice nunca funcionará. Nunca! Lo que falla, y me da pesar decirlo es que como

les he dicho antes, el delito no puede ser controlado por algo que le surgió al Sr. Barrow mientras se encontraba en su studio con aire acondicionado sentado en un reclinador de cuero vestido de chaqueta roja de fumar en su mansión frente al mar. Todos sabíamos que sería algo brillantemente escrito – El Sr. Barrow tiene proeza para las palabras, de eso no cabe duda, pero al final del dia son palabras nada mas. Pero análisis más de cerca las acciones del Sr. Barrow, prediciendo el futuro tipo Nostradamus, cualquier plan procedentes de este Señor no puede ser nada más que un paquete bellamente empaquetado, cuidadosamente diseñado, gloriosamente grabado de bulls@#t.

Hagamos esto corto y definitivamente no dulce. Eche un vistazo a nuestro DPP. Algunas personas han citando estadísticas de convicción en los últimos 2 años de alrededor del 7%. Creo que estan siendo demasiado agradables con nuestra DPP. Ella no ha hecho nada para distinguirse a sí misma durante su mandato. Ha sido constantemente acusada de estar en los bolsillos de los politicos, por decirlo así, y se le denomina la nueva chica póster de los criminales en prisión preventiva en espera de su día en corte. Ah, y ha estado en “maternity leave” dos veces en los últimos dos años. Sí, sé que no es exactamente políticamente correcto mencionar estoy y puedo ver algunas personas frunciendo el ceno, pero el hecho es que estamos desesperadamente necesitados de un DPP eficaz y Oficina de un eficiente DPP. Este difinitivamente no lo es!!

El Sr. Barrow habló largamente sobre el calibre de hombre que sería necesario para ocupar el puesto de Fiscal

General. Él tendría que ser un pit-bull, dijo…dinamico, activo, enérgico y un prodigio legal que no escatimará tiempo ni esfuerzo en esta guerra al que nos enfrentamos. Y,a continuación, nos dio a su compinche del UDP, B.Q. Pitts. ¡ No hombre!! El Sr. Pitts no tiene ninguna experiencia en el área legal, en el que un AG debe ser experto. Amigos del Sr. Pitts han afirmado que él esta en el crepúsculo de sus anos …otros han dicho que él es medio-senil. Vamos Sr. Barrow! Pero que tipo de broma es esta?!

Y, a continuación, hablemos de nuestro nuevo Ministro de la policía. El Sr. Barrow elimino al antiguo Ministro, porque era débil, ineficaz y no podría ganar el respeto de sus oficiales. También tenia una mala costumbre que estoy seguro no le hizo ganar el respeto de sus subalternos en el departamento de policía. Pero el Sr. Barrow lo reemplazó con un hombre que no tiene calificaciones para el trabajo, nada para llevar a la mesa en el ámbito de aplicación de la ley y que también se dice que tiene un hábito que no le va ganar el respeto del rango y archivo del departamento de policía.

Esto es una locura! Las cosas que hace el Sr. Barrow en realidad nos déjà todo atolondrados. Algunos de nosotros podemos seguir el paseito alrededor de la fábrica de chocolate de Willy Wonka, pero la realidad de los hechos es que es que estamos viviendo en Belice, Hermano! Si por casualidad mira a un oompa loompas con caras naranjas brillantes y entonando una cancion, huya lo mas rapido que pueda, porque probablemente lleven consigo un embalaje de 9mms y será más probable que le asalten y luego le lleven a dar un paseo mágico sobre una secuencia de chocolate.

puede ser el Patrick Faber que todos conocemos y odiamos,este hombrecito repugnante que ha abusado de los derechos de tantos beliceños , ese tonto arrogante, que no tiene respeto por nadie cuando se trata de conseguir lo que quiere!

Estoy seguro que al Ministro de Educacion no le llego el Memo de mas de 1500 profesores que debajo del sol caliente le dijeron que debido a su arrogancia jamas pasara este tér mino en el cargo, y que es un nino necio que se le debe aplicar algunos castigos corporales.

Para tranquilizar mí consciencia de que no estaba siendo injusto con este “ Caballero” solamente porque creo que es un idiota arrogante, tomé un viaje de vuelta a los archivos. Y que creen, alli estaba, fue en 2008, unos meses después que el UDP tomara posesión del cargo. Patrick Faber

llegó bajo el fuego de los sindicatos porque orquestó a las transferencias de profesores y consejos escolares en todo el país, por ninguna razón mas que política. En Orange Walk hubieron transferencias de casi un centenar con ninguna explicación razonable.

Muchos profesores fueron despedidos sólo porque apoyaban al PUP. Marido y mujer, equipos de enseñanza fueron siendo desguazados – el marido se le envía desde Orange Walk hasta Dangriga para enseñar mientras que la esposa es enviada a Corozal, a pesar de que ambos vivian en Orange Walk. Eso es lo que Patrick Faber hizo a los profesores de nuestro país – jugó sin clemencia con sus vidas y las vidas de sus hijos, todo debido a la política.Y jamas se ha disculpado por éllo. De hecho, se jactó acerca de él. En aquel entonces, a Patrick Faber le valia un pepino las reglas.

En Corozal, un director ejemplar y vice director fueron despedidos del trabajo sólo debido a la política. Los archives demuestran que en virtud de su mandato, la escuela había aumentado a alturas sin precedentes. La institución ocupaba un lugar de orgullo en el país, incluso recibio el premio a la escuela del año. A pesar de todo esto, estas personas excepcionales se les quito de sus posiciones. A Patrick Faber parecia no importarle hacer lo correcto o no hacerlo!

Ahora de repente Faber de Patrick se encuentra consternado, porque se dice que los profesores

que se están transfiriendo son partidarios del UDP. De repente ahora Patrick Faber quiere decirle a la administración Católica acerca de las reglas y quiere amenazar la gestión de la Gerencia apoyado por su Ministerio. De repente Patrick Faber está preocupado porque los maestros se están transfiriendo a localizaciones 10 millas de donde viven, de Guinea Grass a Orange Walk Town. Tal vez debería haber demostrado cierta preocupación cuando transferio a los profesores a otros distritos muchas millas de distancia, como de Orange Walk a Dangriga. Tal vez él debio haber demostrado cierta preocupación cuando él separó a familias enviando al padre y la madre a distintos puntos solamente por malicia política.

Cierta preocupación para los guardianes de la escuela despedidos y el sufrimiento que causó hubiera sido bueno. Cierta preocupación para las madres solteras y ancianos que despedio habría sido bienvenido. Si esto suena personal…bueno pues dejenme decirles que lo es. No soy ningún fanatico religioso, pero Patrick Faber debe quemarse en el infierno por el sufrimiento que ha forjado en las personas cuyas vidas ha alterado de manera tan negativa.

Si tengo suerte sere yo el que lo empuje hacia abajo de ese agujero profundo y asignarle una quema de carbones en la cabeza. !Es un imbecil hipocrita!

!Alejate Satanas!

Sunday, June 20, 2010

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THE BELIZE TIMES

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Ayuda por favor…

La gente de Belice, o por lo menos las que viajan en la carretera norteña tiene una preocupación y le quisieran pedir al Calvito ayudar.

Vea usted… hace algunos meses nuestro gran Líder anuncio que estaría trayendo del extranjero a un grupo de mentes brillantes y innovadoras.

Este grupo supuestamente aplicara las últimas innovaciones de la ciencia y de la tecnología para realzar nuestra economía y para llevar a Belice el siguiente nivel. El caso es que lo que le quisiéramos pedir a nuestro Primer Ministro de una manera encarecida es si antes de hacer todo esas cosas complicadas si podría prestar a su grupo de mentes brillantes a enseñar a nuestro bien ponderado Boots y a su “cadete” como arreglar un pedazo de la carretera. Por la milla 7 en la carretera norteña hay este pequeño estiramiento de ¼ del camino está volviendo al Ministro y a su CEO locos - ha sido cerca de 6 meses ahora y todavía no pueden pavimentarlo y resolver cómo fortificar el riverbank. Este trabajo es obviamente demasiado para Boots y su ayudante, así que calculamos que debe haber algo realmente complicado sobre este pequeño pedazo particular del camino. ¡Así que ni modos que llamar a los grandes pensadores! porque nuestra gente simplemente no tiene la capacidad para desempeñar el trabajo… Si No Es Asi...

Dickens mis Nalgas…

La semana pasada Mini-Mugabe les dijo a los estudiantes que se estaban graduando que estamos viviendo en lo mejor de las “épocas y el peor de las épocas”. Los medios y los asistentes aplaudieron a nuestro compañero por su elocuencia y habilidades oratorias

fabulosas. Pero déjenos analizar lo que El Calvo realmente decía a estudiantes - veamos, éstos son el mejor de épocas.

Esto se puede traducir fácilmente para los estudiantes que se gradúan, el sentido del logro después de años de estudio dedicado debe ser monumental y deben sentirse bastante satisfechos por sus logros. Y en cuanto al peor de las épocas - Se traduce de una manera bastante fácil también. Lo que en realidad nuestro Calvito decía a los estudiantes que cuando se les pase el efecto eufórico del logro, se darán cuenta que allá fuera no hay trabajo para los que recién se graduaron. El UDP se ha encargado de destruir la economía y las industrias así que esté preparado para sentarse y para vivir de

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sus padres si pueden permitirse el lujo decir algo, porque las cosas van de mal de mantenerlo.. ¡Yup, el mejor de las en peor ¡ Si No Es Asi... épocas y el peor de las épocas! ¡Tiene usted toda la razón Sr. Calvo… Si No De las entrañas de BTL…….

Es Asi...

Este columnista se ha enterado que enviaron a pobre Karen de BTL Recortes… llamar a todos los jefes de servicio Mini-Mugabe ha estado y aconsejarles a los empleados que últimamente muy ocupado viajando si asisten a la reunión de Boyce el a locales extranjeros, atendiendo miércoles, correrían con propio eventos por dondequiera. Pareciera riesgo. Karen que parece estar cansada que a nuestro Primer Ministro le hace últimamente intentando realizar mal o le da alergias el estar mucho órdenes del primer hijo y de la primera tiempo en nuestro paraíso tropical. Me parece que se encuentra en el sur de la Florida en estos momentos.. Usted sabe lo que dicen sobre los desastres que pulsan donde hay corrupción en abundancia, así que si esa gente sabe lo que es bueno para ellos deben sacarlo de allí muy prisa De todas formas, nuestro Primer Ministro se encuentra esposa.Al parecer están preguntando los empleados porqué piensan que tienen derecho a cualquier dinero cuando no han aportado. Lo que se sabe de la maquina verde, perdón, maquina roja es que los empleados se encuentran molestos porque sus jefes han recurrido a amenazar sus trabajos si asisten a la reunión con Boyce. La queja común ha sido últimamente `nos dijeron que nos deshiciéramos del muy silencioso en referencia a nuestra hombre blanco, pero el hombre blanco economía últimamente. Claro que no nunca fue tan personal y mala onda tiene razón alguna para mencionar con nossotros.' ¡Hmmm… Si No Es nada puesto que su propia economía Asi... es tan robusta y próspera. La palabra del sector de negocios es que una Usando la unión… línea aérea local/regional importante Incluso la unión en BTL ha estado está anunciando los despidos eficaces bajo fuego últimamente puesto que inmediatamente y está pidiendo que los jefes del UDP lo están utilizando la gerencia lleve acabo reducciones para decir que el dinero de las partes salariales entre $300 - $500. Y ésa es es solamente un sueno. Las cabezas de solamente una compañía. Las cosas la unión no contaban con la reacción están mal por todas partes en Belice, lo que obtuvieron, sin embargo, los que sucede es que el Sr. Primer Ministro empleados que se encuentran molestos y su esposita no se han percatado desde la toma de posesión del UDP de de cómo esta nuestra economía de BTL porque no han visto las ventajas deteriorada. Pero el el tiempo vendrá, que se les prometieron. Y con todo que Sr. Calvo cuando usted va a tener que esté sucediendo ahora, los empleados

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están llamando para el retiro de Mark y de Paul y si no entonces el retiro de la dirección entera de la unión. Las cosas están muy, muy volátil en BTL… Si No Es Asi...

Alcalde nombrando calles…

Misericordia Señor… Nuestra honorable alcaldesa ha vuelto a los escenarios y este vez su proyecto grande está en nombrar las calles de la ciudad que no tienen nombres todavía.

Caramba! alguien necesita escoltar a esta señora fuera de la ciudad de prisa porque se la pasa haciendo cada payasada. Como Los payasos del Concilio de la Ciudad no tienen nada que hacer ahora se les ocurre esto para hacer que los ciudadanos piensen que en realidad están haciendo algo en beneficio de la ciudad. La Alcaldesa

anunció que ella juntará al comité para seleccionar nombres. Me he enterado por fuentes fidedignas que ella ha sometido ya personalmente a algunos de ellos. Bastante pronto la gente vivirá en la calle de DJ Dalla y de Silvino y el bulevar de Zenaida. Usted no me cree?. Bueno solo espere un poquito mas y vera! Pero hey! Esta Alcalde ha hecho cosas mucho mas escandalosas.

No debemos sorprendernos. Quizá pronto veamos cruces giratorios nuevos originarse en mitad de Half a Dalla Ave, o cerca de Hustle Alley. ¡Usted lo leyó aquí primero… Si No Es Asi...

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Políticas UDP, como siempre

Alerta Roja…

La semana pasada nos enteramos que el Primer Ministro había recibido amenazas contra su vida con respecto al atentado contra su Colega y la ejecución de Andre Trapp. No pasamos la historia entonces porque la política por ser lo que es, nos habría acusado inmediatamente de instigar violencia contra el Sr. Barrow. Nada podría estar más lejos de la verdad. Cualquier tentativa en contra de la vida del líder de esta nación fijaría un precedente que aterra y señalaría que Belice es una nación que funciona totalmente fuera de la regla de la ley. Si los criminales están dispuestos a atacar al Primer Ministro, entonces imagínese que nosotros los ciudadanos no estamos a salvo..

No deseamos que le suceda cualquier cosa a este caballero. Entendemos que él ahora viaja con un contingente de oficiales especiales del servicio secreto y que la seguridad se ha realzado en su hogar y su oficina. Entendemos que incluso su esposa a quien rechacemos referirnos como la primera Dama porque no lo es, no pone un pie fuera de su casa sin la protección policial. Esperemos y deseamos que las cosas no pasen a más y El Primer Ministro y su familia se encuentre a salvo siempre.

El otro lado de la moneda….

El Sr. Barrow jamás admitirá públicamente a las equivocaciones que él ha incurrido. Pero tenemos la esperanza que cuando se encuentre solo y tenga un momento para reflexionar él realice que la responsabilidad de la situación del crimen, incluso por las amenazas en su vida, recae sobre sus hombros. El P.M. tenía la opción de conducir el país de la manera adecuada pero por el contrario él eligió jugar a la política con la reestructuración del departamento de policía. Él eligió conveniencia política sobre eficacia y los resultados de ese movimiento estaban claros. Meses y meses atrás, cuando cada Beliceño incluyendo el Primer Ministro sabía que Carlos Perdomo no podría hacer el trabajo, todavía Barrow decidió dejarlo en el timón. Las cosas se pusieron progresivamente peores, y todavía nuestro líder no hizo caso de los gritos de la gente. Los asesinatos se convirtieron en ocurrencias diarias, y todavía el líder no hizo caso de las demandas de la gente. Para el Sr. Barrow no se trataba de hacer cosas de la manera adecuada, sino sobre política.

Ahora vemos los asesinatos en las calles, las amenazas en la vida del P.M., las balaceras, los robos, las invasiones locales, la criminalidad desenfrenada – todo esto porque el Sr. Barrow eligió jugar a la política más bien que hacer lo correcto.

Ejemplo…

El Sr. Barrow acusará a la oposición de estar pidiendo para cierta clase de plan del GOB y después de no apoyarlo. Eso es justo la manera que el líder de la nación juega a la política. El hecho es que la operación Restauración Belice del Sr. Barrow fue mal planeada desde el principio ¡Ejemplo! El tema de la DPP. Las oficinas del DPP juega una función crucial en la guerra contra el crimen, y cada Beliceño sabe que la Shirley-Biscuit no es la indicada para combatirlo. Pero por el amor de Dios! su tarifa de la convicción está en alguna parte al alrededor del 7% y su expediente es deplorable.

No tengo nada contra la mujer porque no la conozco personalmente pero su expediente habla para sí mismo. Cuando los casos de asesinato alcanzan las cortes en ocasiones raras, a menudo los criminales salen de las cortes sonriendo de oreja a oreja. Desafío a cualquiera a nombrar una realización esterlina de la Shirley-Biscuit. Una nada mas! ¡CUALQUIERA! Eso es correcto… usted no puede porque no lo hay. Pero la Sra. tiene la capacidad de redimirse ante el UDP por los lazos políticos y inquebrantables que pareciera que tiene con ellos. Debido a esos lazos, y ciertamente no debido a sus éticas del expediente o del trabajo, la Sra. ahora será recompensada. La tasa de convicciones se ata directamente al incremento de crímenes y criminales. Pues ellos saben que con la flexibilidad que se les juzga siempre terminan liberados! Así que cometen crímenes a diestra y siniestra. El Sr. Barrow no le interesa eso. ¿Ve usted por qué la Operación Restauración Belice no funcionara?

Extinto…

Parece que la paz fue muy temporal que experimentamos en relación al crimen que invade nuestra sociedad Por semanas la Operación Jaguar ha estado en la lista de peligro de extinción de la especie, pero pienso que después del fin de semana pasado podemos asegurar que la Operación Jaguar está extinto. Debemos felicitar a los hombres y a las mujeres del departamento de la policía y de la fuerza de la defensa de Belice que pudieron mantener la paz mientras lo hicieran. No pudo haber sido un trabajo fácil. Pero todos sabíamos que el Jaguar no podría ser mantenido y necesitaría algo mas con sustancia, alguna gema brillante de las oficinas Administrativas del Sr. Barrow para continuar la lucha contra crimen. Pero no ha habido nada. El Sr Singh fue juramentado como el nuevo ministro de policía, y que respuestas positivas hemos obtenido hasta ahora?

NADA, que es realmente justo lo qué esperábamos del Sr. Singh. Qué sigue Sr. Barrow?

Acaso solo nos queda esperar descender nuevamente dentro de las profundidades de la desesperación, caos y anarquía?

Tendremos Temporada…

Hay una tormenta circulando y mientras que no es una amenaza podría convertirse en una en el momento que salga esta edición. Si éste no nos da un susto, entonces el siguiente quizá lo haga… o el siguiente. No hemos visto al Sr. NEMO desde la modificación/la extensión del gabinete. Sabemos que después de cada lluvia pesada por lo menos dos puentes abajo al sur son infranqueables. Uno en el norte rural de Belice también esta infranqueable. No hemos oído hablar sobre ningún plan para ocuparnos de este problema. No hemos oído nada sobre como obtener un puente nuevo para la travesía

del Kendall. El Sr. NEMO necesita despertar porque los meteorólogos dicen que esto será un año crucial para la actividad tropical del tiempo. ¿Son los abrigos de huracanes lo suficiente grandes para la ocupación total o en masa? ¿Se han identificado los almacenes de alimento? ¿Los planes de la evacuación y los recursos necesarios para la evacuación total se han identificado y se encuentran preparados para el desastre? El mejor consejo que puedo dar a cualquier Beliceño en este tiempo es hacer su propia preparación, hacer sus propios planes y tomar el cuidado de sus propias familias. El Sr. NEMO se durmió la última vez y siete personas fallecieron trágicamente en una tormenta tropical. Imagínese qué sucederá si El Sr. ¿NEMO se durmiera durante un huracán de la categoría cinco?

Nuestro Embajador a laMusica Los comentarios sobre nuestro embajador a la música sobre Shyne no son personales y no significa reflejar negativamente sobre su talento o capacidades en el mundo del hip-hop. si es cierto que obtuvo mucho dinero desempeñando el papel de gánster y ése es su problema. Pero Shyne no sabe nada sobre Belice sino lo qué él ha visto en los últimos meses desde que fue deportado. Su música no es nuestra música.

Su cultura no es nuestra cultura. El Sr. Barrow estaba seriamente demente cuando él designó a Shyne como embajador de la música de Belice. Otra de las tonterías que nuestro Primer Ministro ha hecho. Hace algunas semanas, él mencionó que Shyne se encontraba componiendo una canción sobre Belice. Hicimos una pequeña investigación y dimos con el último lanzamiento de Shyne llamado la canción del rodillo. Si usted me pregunta diría que está de hecho sobre Belice porque habla de todas las promesas quebrantadas hechas por el gobierno. La canción habla de las enfermedades sociales que han sido traídas por la administración. Shyne habla del nivel de la desesperación en las calles, el hecho de que la juventud no tiene nada que comer y dinero para cuidar de sus familias. Según nuestro embajador de la música que se supone ser un modelo a todos nuestros niños (así dice el Sr. Barrow), le vale un reverendo pepino la ley, y aunque no tenga dinero tiene su arma. Dígame usted respetable ciudadano? ¿Un modelo para nuestros niños Sr. Barrow? Como dije, no tengo nada contra Shyne o su música. Ésa es su problema. Pero lo cierto es que no es nuestro estilo! No es justo que la música de Shyne sea identificada con Belice porque él nos representa como nuestro embajador de la música. Es una afrenta y un insulto a esos muchos Beliceños como el Sr. Peters recientemente fallecido que dio su vida a la música y la cultura en Belice. Se le debe azotar al Sr. Barrow por esta insensatez!

Sunday, June 20, 2010

THE BELIZE TIMES

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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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THE BELIZE TIMES

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Sunday, June 20, 2010

THE BELIZE TIMES

Jaguar Declared Extinct

(Continued from page 1) than a well-written, brilliantly worded intellectual exercise.

And even as blood is running in the streets and business owners are declaring

that they cannot wait for Mr. Barrow to get serious but must take steps to ensure their own protection, the public is bombarded with ads promoting Restore Belize, created by the Government’s Press Office at

taxpayer expense, of course. Perhaps these ads are designed to offer some sort of hope or comfort, but there is none of either as gunshots ring out all over the city and residents become prisoners in their homes once more.

Mr. Barrow must provide Belizeans with some real relief sooner rather

than later. His record has shown that his eloquence is exceeded only by the lack of substance enshrined in his offerings.

Operation Jaguar is no more. Operation Restore seems nothing more than a public relations exercise and Belizeans once more have been left without real hope in a city paralyzed by crime and violence.

management had just about forbidden employees to attend, and of course there was the sustained propaganda that the Trust was an Ashcroft ploy. At last night’s meeting Boyce and his representatives patiently answered all questions and presented all relevant documents.

The union representatives left in a state of mild confusion and no doubt reported back to management. It is unknown what, if anything, they have reported to BTL’s 487 employees. While BTL has been forced to ease back from its earlier assertions about the existence of the Trust, it is now disputing its ownership and has sought to downplay its significance and value in a bulletin to employees and in two front page articles in the Guardian this week.

In the first instance BTL and the Barrow administration now claims that the BTL Employees Trust only “consists of two issued shares in Sunshine Holdings Limited.”

And they further claim: “Employees should be aware that no Trust was created

over the 23% shares in Belize Telemedia Limited.

BTL’s management is also claiming that Dean Boyce and Keith Arnold cannot be the trustees because “Both of them should be well aware of the fact that this is a false position. The two issued shares in Sunshine Holdings Limited are now owned by the Government of Belize. Keith Arnold and Dean Boyce have no authority over Sunshine or Telemedia shares.”

BTL sought to downplay the value of the shares by claiming that they are only worth around $34m because “… in July 2007, under the management of Dean Boyce, Telemedia shares were offered to shareholders at $3.00 per share. Thiermon Limited, a company in the Ashcroft group of companies, purchased 8,216,725 shares at this price. Assuming this as a basis, with the issued share capital of Telemedia being 49,552,000 the total value of the shares would be equal to $148,656,000. 23% of this figure would be $34,190,880.”

At this point all this may be premature since employees cannot immediately benefit from their shareholding while the

entire company remains the subject of litigation. Employees will no doubt continue to proceed with caution, intimidated by an executive management that has shown it has no compunction in firing employees, such as Keith Acosta, with not even a pretense of pretext, if they’re perceived to be PUP. The significance of the existence of the Trust, however, is undeniable. By anybody’s valuation the Trust represents a large amount of money, and a significant interest in BTL. Politically the Barrow administration is now seeking to deny the company’s employees, the ones most responsible for BTL’s accomplishment as Belize’s most successful private company, their just share in its glory, equity and yes, profits.

It follows predictably that the continued effort to cheat the men and women of BTL of their rightful share of this legacy will eventually backfire. This is Dean Barrow and the UDP at their most extreme, and a textbook example of the desperation that has overtaken them and now has them shoveling futilely against the tide.

tipped off cops that something wrapped in a white sheet and a large plastic bag in the dredging off a dirt road near Burdon Canal at mile 6 on the Western Highway was giving off quite a stench. When police and the forensics team arrived, they discovered that it was the decomposing body of a young girl. Because decomposition was already in an advanced stage, Neisa could only be identified by the clothing she wore, which were the same ones she had on when her mother left her at home that fateful Wednesday morning. The green nail polish she wore on her toes at her graduation ceremony, along with a track of weave in her hair were still there. An autopsy could not confirm the cause of the teen's death.

She had to be buried the same day because of the advanced state of decomposition.

Her mother does not have convincing evidence but she has a gut feeling that her daughter was killed by someone who not only knew her but someone she was used to.

Williams added that Neisa had just ended a relationship with a Police Constable and had started to receive threatening text messages from someone else, a neighbour. Williams says that the morning when the girl went missing, Neisa was in the yard taking care of her pets when the same person drove past very slowly in a vehicle with dark tinted glass. The following day, Williams said she went to the neighbour and asked him if he had seen her or been in contact with her and he denied it, saying he did not know Neisa’s cell number because she had changed it.

But when Williams went to BTL to check on her daughter's phone records, it showed that for several minutes that same morning she and the neighbour were exchanging text messages. While Williams is convinced of the identity of her daughter’s killer, the police aren't and while they have detained three people so far, they have not laid any charges against anyone.

On Monday students and faculty of Pallotti High, in full uniform, held a memorial in Neisa's memory inside the school's auditorium. Her death came as a shock to her fellow graduates, who on Saturday night also took part in a candlelight procession on North Front Street before they attended their prom, an event which the teen herself was supposed to have attended.

petence and dedication of judges and magistrates is an attack on the judicial arm of our democratic system. Now the very Prime Minister, who has tampered with the independence of the Judiciary and the Constitution, the Supreme Law of the Belize, is calling for a bipartisan

approach to restoring Belize.’

The PUP release concluded by reminding the government that ‘before Belize can be restored as a nation at peace with itself, safe and secure, we must restore confidence in ourselves as law-abiding citizens, where our laws

and institutions are honoured, where our government is accountable to the people and where the politics of hypocrisy and vindictiveness is replaced by a genuine political undertaking involving the participation of all committed to a vision of national renewal.

The BTL Trust is for Real!

The Dean Barrow administration and its sycophantic BTL Board of Directors have embarked on a full court effort to convince Telemedia employees that they have nothing to gain from the existence of the BTL Employees Trust which claims to own 23% of BTL shareholding.

For months Barrow and his board had sought to deny the very existence of the Trust, but last week the Belize Court of Appeals ruled that the BTL Employees Trust does exist and that it is legitimate.

Last week one of the trustees, former BTL CEO Dean Boyce estimated that the Trust’s shareholding may be worth as much as $85,000,000 and the Trust’s principals are now asking BTL’s employee representatives to come to the table to decide on how their lucrative business will be conducted. To that effect they called for a meeting last night at the Radisson Fort George and hardly seemed nonplussed that only union representatives and two former employees attended.

The word had gotten out that BTL’s

Murdered & Dumped!

Police have so far come up with few leads in the brutal murder of nineteen year old Neisa Pipersburgh, who graduated on Sunday June 13th from Pallotti High School and who went missing three days later on Wednesday. Her mother, Alice Willaims, said that she left her daughter home just before ten that morning to go to school and when she returned, Neisa was gone. Strangely, the house was left open and only a small purse in which she carried her identification cards and cell phone was missing. For days there was no word of the young graduate's whereabouts, despite numerous calls to her cell phone and public appeals for her safe return home.

Then on Saturday morning, someone

PUP to GOB

(Continued from page 1) paper headlines made light of the very critical bipartisan approach to fighting crime, reducing the meeting to nothing more than political mischief.

Still, after the meeting with the National Executive, the PUP asserted that as a responsible Opposition it would continue to give support to all meaningful initiatives to combat crime, with emphasis on the meaningful. The Party called on government to be tough on crime as well as the causes of crime – ‘We are convinced that Government must give greater attention to attacking the causes of crime such as growing unemployment especially among school leavers and other young people, alcohol and drug abuse, lack of family and community cohesion and children left behind in educational opportunities.’

The PUP also lashed out at the Barrow administration for its actions which belie its stated intention of a meaningful approach to the issue of crime. Last week the Bar Association came out strongly against the Prime Minister for his determined effort to remove Chief Justice Abdulai Conteh, a move which has all appearances of a private agenda and which the Association called ‘unseemly.’

The release stated – ‘The present crisis that is consuming our nation goes to the heart of the entire justice system and the rule of law. It is regrettable that the Government has been on a verbal assault on the Judiciary. The fact that last UDP Attorney General publicly questioned the integrity, com-

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Sunday, June 20, 2010