Sunday, January 9, 2011
The Belize Times
1
Belizeans Shafted AGAIN! SUNDAY JANUARY 9, 2011
Issue No. 4726
During a time when cruise tourism stakeholders should be working and bulking up for the dreaded “dead season” Belizean investors and workers are instead fighting for their jobs and livelihoods. As one tender owner said, “If I lose my job, I lose my house and my ability to feed my family.” Late last week a secret and sinister plot that was concocted in Belize Belize 506 role Box WhatP.O. is this man's in City, the new company? the cozy confines of Tel: 671-8385, Fax: 223-3476 some meeting room in Miami came who have ties to people in very high called for to light here in Belize. This move places in the government Contact: Narda Garcia 2010 individuals the total monopolization Thursday, 06 January of the cruise orchestrated by greedy
People’s United Party
For Immediate Release
PUP Demands Real Intervention from GOB The People’s United Party calls on the Government of Belize to immediately engage in constructive and ‘real’ intervention on behalf of local Belizean tender operators who are in danger of losing their sizable investments and the security offered by their critical roles in the cruise tourism industry. GOB must act decisively to ensure that the livelihoods of these local operators be protected and that Belizeans not be victimized in order to benefit a foreign interest allegedly working in collaboration with a well-placed UDP insider.
$1.00 www.belizetimes.bz www.pup.org.bz
jobs and a means to earn a decent living. Information gathered by this newspaper is that a foreigner by the name of Rick O’Shea along with Belizean counterparts has made a deal with a few of the cruise lines that call on Belize to take over all tendering operations. In fact we have confirmed that two tender boats were shipped Says he knew nothing about it. from Hawaii and tender operations here in Belize. If are now at the port in Big Creek. The this plot was not uncovered, many tenders were imported under the name Belizeans would be out of their (Continued on pg. 3)
TO HELL WITH THEM… says PM Barrow!
At a meeting held with the Leader of the Opposition Hon. John Briceño, local operators confirmed that over the past 22 years they have offered safe and reliable servicing of all cruise ships entering Belizean waters with an impeccable and unimpeachable record. Through continued investment, these local operators have managed to keep pace with the demands of the industry and their contributions to that industry cannot be overstated. It is ludicrous that these important local tourism stakeholders, who employ over a hundred Belizeans, were given just a few days notice that they had been replaced and their services would no longer be needed. It defies credibility that the government and tourism authorities claim that they were completely unaware of the impending crisis. The People’s United Party maintains its position that the roles of Belizeans in the tourism industry be protected, fostered and enhanced at all costs. The Party will follow with interest the promised negotiations between tourism stakeholders, the Prime Minister and cruise company representatives. If the outcome of those negotiations is not favourable to our established Belizean tender operators, the PUP stands ready to join forces with these tourism stakeholders to do whatever is necessary to protect local interests. Ends.
‘To Hell with Them’ was how Prime Minister Dean Oliver Barrow in an interview on Wednesday dismissed all those who have opposed certain aspects of several new amendments to the Crime Control and Criminal Justice Act. The PM appears comfortable in his assertion that any appearance of action by his government in the fight against crime, no matter how draconian or misguided or simpleminded or ludicrous, should be lauded and embraced with almost religious
fervor. But Mr. Barrow’s comfort zone aside, there are sections of the amendments which appear to be the brainstorms of a kindergarten student with no knowledge of the law, either its application or ramifications and certainly no knowledge of basic human rights. Under the amended law, for example, if an illegal firearm or even a single round of ammunition is found on the compound of a house, business or other establishment, each (Continued on pg. 3)
WE SUPPORT OUR LOCAL TENDER OPERATORS…