Belize Times April 10, 2016 by Belize Times Press

SCAN HERE

The Belize Times

Established 1957

The Truth Shall Make You Free

10 APRIL 2016 | ISSUE NO: 4988

www.belizetimes.bz | $1.00

Who will be the 3rd Candidate??

Gapi Vega

Carla Barnett

Mark Espat

Godwin Hulse

Faber and Saldivar launch campaigns, but Barrow noh happy A UDPINDUCED RECESSION

Leaked BDF report reveals Guatemalans could poison key water source

Pg. 14

Banana workers protest loss of jobs in 2015

Pg. 7

Shyne Barrow

Accident victim, Dean Dawson

FAMILY OF ACCIDENT VICTIM DEMANDS JUSTICE!

Anwar Barrow

PILFERING Dorian Pakeman

Pg. 4

BTL Pg. 23

Pg. 9

TOP MODEL

0 22 The Garifuna Response

10 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

By Michael Polonio Culture refers to the cumulative deposit of knowledge, experiences, beliefs, values, attitudes, meanings, hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of the universe, and material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people in the course of generations through individual and group endeavors. Culture is a way of life of a people and it encompasses in totality each member of the group. All of the above applies to the Garifuna culture and to us Garinagu. The Garifuna culture has been in existence for thousands of years, even prior to our acceptance and use of modern Judea-Christianity, because it served a purpose and provided all elements of life that the Garinagu required to live, to strive, and be happy. The culture of the Garinagu is what enabled our people to survive the attempted genocide that occurred on the island of Balliceaux in 1797, to survive the harsh conditions of the early years of enforced expulsion to the island of Roatan, to survive the social isolation when forced to move to the mainland of Honduras in search of arable land, and to survive the prejudice in our Belizean homeland. We have come a long way since that period and Belize has come to learn, to appreciate, and to honor the Garifuna culture and our contribution to national development. These contributions have been recognized by the highest honor that a society can bestow, which is a national day of celebration, the 19th day of November. We Garinagu are a proud element of the Belizean tapestry and we love and will defend every part and parcel of this land and every one of our Belizean citizens. UNESCO has also recognized and honored the Garifuna culture at the highest international level as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. The late great Andy Palacio, from the humble village of Barranco, took Belize and Garifuna music to international recognition. The most powerful songs on that album, which touched the souls of audiences worldwide, were those songs performed to the rhythm traditionally used in honor of God and the ancestors. Many publications have been written of the Dugu and of Garifuna

LOCAL 7 Apr

spirituality, but one of the best is that written by Father Jerris Valentine, a priest and a proud Garifuna. Garifuna spirituality is but one aspect, albeit an important aspect, of the Garifuna culture. Spirituality is important because whereas our physical bodies may die, the spirit lives on in perpetuity. Spiritualism caters to the needs of the human spirit; needs which are far greater than the physical needs of the human person. Garifuna spiritualism is part and parcel of the Garifuna culture and has played and continues to play a pivotal role in the survival of our people. Our spiritual celebrations and gatherings bring people of similar bloodlines, and the wider community, together. They serve as a powerful force of unity, a reminder of who we are and reinforcement and dispersion of ancestral knowledge. The preparation and the ceremony itself reminds us to be grateful and to be thankful to those who have lived and have sacrificed so that we may live, to be appreciative of those who are alive, and to prepare us for our obligations to future generations of those not yet born. As with most native cultures, Garifuna spirituality is also closely entwined with medical practices and serves to heal the medical conditions and afflictions of the physical body, as well as to reinforce spiritual wholesomeness. A Buyei is a servant of the people and is chosen to serve by the Ahari. A Buyei may choose to accept, or not to accept, the burden of being a servant, but once he/she accepts the chosen path, they are then groomed, prepared, and taught all that they need to know to become an effective Buyei by the ancestral Ebu assigned to provide guidance and to show them the way of servitude. Those who criticized and ostracized the Garinagu in the past did so out of ignorance and misunderstanding of our great culture. Those who criticize Garifuna spirituality, criticize the Garifuna culture of which this spiritualism is part and parcel. Those who criticize the Garifuna culture today are criticizing the wisdom of the Belizean nation, criticizing the wisdom of UNESCO and criticizing those millions of musical aficionados who were moved by the music and continue to be moved by the rhymes and rhythm of Garifuna musical expression. The Garifuna have embraced Christianity. It harmonizes with our beliefs seamlessly. Garinagu recognize and acknowledge that there is ONE creator, and we refer to him

SALDIVAR/FABER CAMPS GET PARANOID

Patrick Faber

John Saldivar

City of Belmopan, April 05, 2016 Paranoia is setting into both camps of the candidates of the United Democratic Party race for First Deputy Leader. Both camps have prohibited their close supporters from being seen or even contacting the other candidate, in an effort to prevent possible buyout of support. Saldivar’s camp sent out text messages to his close delegates this week, threatening to cut them off if they are caught even thinking of Patrick Faber. It appears that Saldivar and his Belmopan ‘bossom buddies’ are experiencing full blown loyalty issues with his own people. Now an investigation has started to find out how the news of the text messages went out. Saldivar’s camp has become nervous because there are reports that the Faber camp, flushed with money, is offering big bucks to persons who

pledge their support to him. Much more is offered to those who are willing to do political ads for him. It doesn’t even matter if they can vote. But Saldivar has reportedly told his supporters that they can take the money and vote for him. That seems to be what many of those who have pledged for Faber candidacy plan to do. We note of interest that Faber is parading as his support team persons who are deeply loyal to Gaspar Vega. Persons such Phillip Willoughby, Elodio Aragon, Denny Grijalva and Evan Cowo. But watch what happens when Gapi issues marching orders in favour of his preferred candidate, Saldivar. Things will get very interesting in the UDP in the upcoming weeks. Watch as the ruling party turns belly up.

as Wáguchi Bungui (Our Father God), among other names. But we are also cognizant of the role our forbearers have played, and we are grateful to them and give them recognition for their sacrifice and for the cumulative knowledge that they passed down to us. Our ancestors have taught us how to treat one another as family and to remain united, and for our spirituality we have apologize to no one. I say to those ignoramuses that spew bigotry and disrespect as a part of their fund raising gimmick, to put that in your pipe and smoke it and may God have mercy on your soul for you sorely are in need of wisdom and a great deal of humility. Judge not that you may not be judged.

9 Apr

SCAN HERE

The Belize Times

Established 1957

14 APR 2013

ISSUE NO: 4840

The Truth Shall Make You Free

www.belizetimes.bz

$1.00

serving Belize since 1957 as the longest continuous newspaper. Founder: Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price, People’s United Party Leader Emeritus EDITOR

Alberto Vellos LAYOUT/GRAPHIC ARTIST

Chris Williams

OFFICE ASSISTANT

Roberto Peyrefitte Printed and Published By TIMES NEWSPAPER LTD.

WEATHER 8 Apr

2016

10 Apr

2611Mar Apr

Tel: 671-8385 #3 Queen Street P.O. BOX 506 Belize City, Belize

27 Mar Apr 612 Feb

Email: belizetimesadvertisement@yahoo.com

editortimes@yahoo.com

Exchange rate of One Belize Dollar

United States (USD): $ 0.50

Barbados (BBD): $ 1.00

Eastern Caribbean Euro (XCD):$ 1.35 (EUR) : $ 0.46

Sterling Pound Guatemala Quetzal CANADIAN DOLLAR (GBP): $ 0.35 (GTQ): $ 3.85 (CAD): $ 0.67

CHINESE YUAN (CNY): $ 3.28

Trinidadian (TTD) : $ 3.27

INDIAN RUPEE (INR): $ 33.71

10 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2016

Who will be the 3rd Candidate?? Faber wants it, Gapi got Saldivar’s back, but Barrow noh happy

Belize City, April 6, 2016 Is there going to be a third candidate for Deputy Leader of the United Democratic Party? The answer is yes and it will be Barrow’s choice for who he wants to succeed him. Rumours and speculation have been flying within the UDP rank and file. Faber may have jumped out first in the race, but Saldivar got the Gapi northern connection and the West is all locked up. Those in the “inner circle” have been too silent but at this weekend UDP national party council meeting, sparks might fly when the UDP oligarchy reveals their hand-picked candidate who has the Party’s blessings to succeed the current leader. Some say it’s Mark Espat, who Barrow credits as his foremost economic guru and political genius, but the UDP insiders say they cannot trust a PUP-backstabber and they will have nothing of that, so it’s down to Carla Barnett. At the last Senate meeting, Carla Barnett pulled a Mark Espat-signature move when she lambasted her own Party’s position on the composition of the Senate. She called for an elected Senate, which Dean Barrow and the UDP had campaigned against in the 2008 elections. Barnett launched her campaign platform for Deputy Leader, portraying herself as a reformist. Like Godwin Hulse, however, she has been heavily painted with thick brushes of hypocrisy from which neither can ever come back. There will be a third candidate. This is because so far the options are between a woman-beater and wanna-be playboy, and a shameless hustler in Government. It was UDP ground-commander Anthony “Boots” Martinez in an interview this week who confirmed this. Boots made it very clear that he is NOT with his constituency neighbour, Collet representative Patrick Faber. “…this dah noh about ‘oh dah mi neighbor so yo must support mi’,” Boots mumbled in media interviews. According to Boots, while there are two horses in the race “maybe by weekend” he could have a candidate that is “super excellent”. Here comes Carla. An upper-class, neck-tie faction of the UDP has also been vigorously lobbying for scientist Arlie Petters to take over the Party. Petters seems to have suffered cognitive disorder when he chose to appear and deliver a speech at the UDP’s undemocratic convention held two weeks ago to crown Dean Barrow as leader for four more years. If he was launching some sort of political career, he has terrible timing. His introduction as a pro-UDP professional comes at a time when the UDP is slipping down the proverbial creek. Even Gaspar Vega chose to boycott the event and draw a line between him and Barrow’s leadership. Within the UDP some believe that

Dean Barrow does not care who replaces him, as all he ever cared for was to become Prime Minister and satisfy his ego of getting a third term as PM and then ride off into the sunset. But not so. The power-hungry Barrow we know for the

last three decades will not loosen his grip on the Party at all. This is believed to be the reason for the “beef” between him and Vega and others, who wanted him to step down in two years. Barrow also holds some around him in the Cabinet room with very little regard for their in-

03 3 tellectual capacity. He suffered embarrassment for being surrounded by dodo birds for the past eight years, forcing him to reach outside the established political circles for oxygen. In deciding who will be leader, the same principle will apply as Barrow would choose an outsider such as Barnett and Hulse over Faber and Saldivar any day. The question is: what will Faber, Saldivar and their supporters do about the looming disrespect? The UDP’s predicted crisis is here.

4 04 Family of accident victim demands justice!

10 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

GOB Press Office Director getting special treatment after killing cyclist

Belize District, April 04, 2016 The family of fatal traffic accident victim, Dean Dawson, is livid after the man behind the wheel of the vehicle involved, Director of the Government Press Office Dorian Pakeman, has been getting special treatment. Pakeman was driving his Government-assigned Isuzu D-Max towards Ladyville from Orange Walk Town when he knocked down the 44 year old mechanic in Gardenia Village around midnight on Wednesday March 30th. The scene of the accident shows thick brake marks on the opposite side of the road from where Pakeman was driving. Pakeman claims that Dawson swerved unto his lane, forcing him to drive off the road in an attempt to avoid the collision. Meanwhile, Dawson’s family says that he was riding his bicycle towards his home when Pakeman attempted to overtake a vehicle, but lost control and barrelled into him at full impact. The driver of the second vehicle can

Dorian Pakeman

Accident in 2013

Dean Dawson verify this, they say. The Police have served Pakeman with a Notice of Intended Prosecution, which is a sort of warning, while their investigations continue. They are also awaiting the results of a urine sample taken from Pakeman on the night of the accident. Pakeman is a free

2016

man, however. The damaged vehicle was moved from the Police’s custody and taken to Belmopan where it is being concealed from the public. Dawson’s family has accused Pakeman of enjoying a level of protection because he works directly under the Prime Minister’s Office and is also connected to Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega. Diana Stevenson, the sister of the deceased, had scathing remarks as she demanded justice for her loved on. “If it was Pakeman dead and Dean the driver, would he have received preferential treatment and would I have been allowed to take him [Dean] in my private vehicle? Isn’t it prohibited to overtake in a village or inhabited area? Isn’t the speed limit for buses 15 miles per hour and 25 miles per hour for all other vehicles in towns and villages? I googled “skid tracks against skid speed” and Pakeman was going approximately eighty miles per hour. Oh how I wish Google Earth can replay that unfortunate accident. I have been a driver for over 20 years and I know an accident is an accident, but how unjust this is unfolding, one can only Continued on page 23

Accident in 2016

10 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2016

5 05

EDITORIAL

A Castrated Leadership

his United Democratic Party government has always been considered by the vast majority of the Belizean populace as a party lacking the wherewithal to govern and lead Belize to the majestic heights it deserves to reach. This nation is becoming threatened by Guatemalan military aggression and its encroachment by its civilians in the western and southern frontiers. Danny Conorquie’s death and now Staff Sergeant Richard Lambey of the Belize Defense Force being shot underscores the severity of the border situation with Guatemala. Another serious challenge facing the Jewel is the approaching economic storm from various fronts: the recent “banking Armageddon”, i.e. the de-risking banking crisis, the matter of the world “sliding back into recession” cited by Prime Minister Dean Barrow. There is also the force of globalization and trade liberalization, as well as the winds of climate change, all of which is affecting Belize’s Agro Industry. The budget debate two weeks ago became a missed opportunity for the United Democratic Party to render some sense of responsibility and caring for the nation and the Belizean people. The “abhorred publicans” on the red side of the aisle once again did an injustice to the citizens of Belize. Instead of engaging a meaningful debate in dealing with the harsh realities facing Belize, this heartless poco tiempo, UDP government cunningly resorted to gossip, political rhetoric, idiotic spewing and the sophistry of specious arguments regarding what a castrated pig is. The interpretation was laid to rest, unchallenged, by Mayor Zenaida Moya. She has been among the few brave enough to lambaste the UDP leadership without “balls”; one of impotence relating to the service to this beautiful nation by the UDP. Infected with the rear-view mirror disease, Dean Barrow and his minions transformed the debate into a circus utilizing the trickery of blindman’s bluff to steer from the harsh realities facing this tiny nation: Truth died a lonely soul! With respect to the attack on the nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, the Foreign Minister Wilfred “Sedi” Elrington in his debate contribution to the Guatemalan issue, became patronizing to Guatemala’s aggression laying blame on the civilians of the Belize Territorial Volunteers (BTV) for provoking the situation. Elrington thereafter ridiculously began to fashion his own history regarding Guatemala’s claim. The Foreign Minister deceivingly suggested that the man characterized by the New York Times as the “Pilot for a Free Belize”, the Leader Emeritus of the People’s United Party, the Father of the Nation, the Rt. Honourable George Cadle Price, intended to cede land to settle the Guatemalan claim. “Sedi” conveniently and deceptively drew on straws from Assad Shoman’s “13 Chapters” in an attempt to establish that view. However, in the very pages of Shoman’s book it is clear that “[the] PUP was not about incorporation into or subservience to Guatemala”. On the contrary, Shoman states that “PUP policy had always been complete independence”. Additionally, Assad Shoman in his con-

tribution “2000: A Guatemalan Odyssey”, in the Sunday, March 13, 2016 of the Amandala Newspaper, points out that in 1980 George Price chastisingly told the representatives of Guatemala’s President Romeo Lucas Garcia, one of the most blood thirsty of a string of dictators Belize had to deal with, “In the last century maybe it was possible to get land from the [UK]; but they no longer own Belize, so they cannot give land. It is up to the Belizean people and [we] do not want to give land…so, like good politicians, go back and take this message: CHANGE THE CONSTITUTION”. Price and the PUP have always maintained that Belize would not cede even a square centimetre of Belize to settle the claim. Shoman’s 13 Chapters has recorded the red party as a “one issue” party that has been extremely pre-occupied with dividing the people of Belize with the nonsense that Price wanted to sell out Belize to Guatemala. Fast-forward today as we are witnessing Guatemala’s military invasion of the Sarstoon, under Barrow and the UDP. It is clear that the UDP has acquiesced to the invisible powers to land cessation. To accomplish this traitorous act Sedi and the UDP are employing nonsense upon stilts to deceive the sensible people of Belize that the PUP is to be blamed for the UDP’s mismanagement of the Guatemalan issue. Frankly, the red party has always wanted to remain under the “frocktails” of the colonial master Gran Britannia. This position Belizeans must become aware of. Another vital issue that the survival of the Jewel hinges on is the recovery of our Agro industry. However, the importance got shrouded under UDP “shady palm” charade during the national debate. The UDP continues to ignore the recommendations proffered by the experts in the Agro industry. Although this government had been forewarned that restructuring at the policy, the institution and firm levels is vital to the very survival of the Agro industry, the recommendations have gone unheeded. The result is the waning of our traditional export crops – sugar, citrus, banana and the death knell of the papaya industry. Papaya was one of the nontraditional export crops contributing in earnings to the economy since the inception. The revival of the Agro industry is dependent on three objectives which were submitted in the Medium Term Economic Strategy Paper (1994) (a) Ensuring growth in an increasingly competitive international environment, (b) ensure that growth is translated into improvement in living standards through the development of human resources and the alleviation of poverty, and (c) to protect the environment. Apparently this paper is gathering dust in the relevant Ministry. With the budget debate behind us it is imperative that Belizeans demand from this UDP Government the leadership this nation in crisis requires. Belizeans cannot allow their country to go up in flames under this UDP government. It might necessitate ousting in a radical fashion. Remember it should be a government by the people for the people, not against. The time to save Belize is now. Power to the people.

06 6

THE BELIZE TIMES

“No self-respecting Government behaves like this”

Hon. Cordel Hyde on Princess parking lot at MCC

“Now it becomes clear the conspiracy at the MCC Garden, cause if you had millions to spend on the Marion Jones and millions to spend this year, you mean fi tell me that you couldn’t find your own money to fix your own parking lot, to put in some proper lighting and fix some bleachers. No self-respecting Government behaves like this just for a measly $2,500 a month, not when you’re spending $10 and $15m on a Marion Jones complex that nobody uses. It seems that the Government doesn’t really care about the MCC and the budding footballers in Belize City. It’s all about business.” Hon. Cordel Hyde during 2016/2017 Budget Debate

The Princess Ramada parking lot being built inside the MCC

Condolences The People’s United Party Marshalls Service Corp Unit records its condolences to the Williams family on the passing of our long serving member, Ms. Mignonette Philipa Williams, who left us on March 31, 2016. She was laid to rest after funeral services held at the Trinity Assembly of God Church, located at 2 ½ Miles George Price Highway on April 5th 2016. The Marshalls thank the family for sharing her with us. You are gone Ms. Williams but your zeal, commitment, service and loyalty are not forgotten.

10 APR

2016

Quotes of the Week!

“When the Mayor of Belize City talks about doing streets, he is not talking about doing your streets but his list of show time streets” – M. Jackson “We don’t have cane farmers in the north under the UDP, we have been reduced to cane cutters” – Tomas Garcia, Cañero “Nepotism is not the granting of a favour to a family member or a close relative. Nepotism is what I say it is!!” – Dean Barrow “It does not matter how much press conference you have every month. IF you don’t tackle the root causes of crime the problem remains…” – Mose Hyde, Krem WUB Morning Show Host “The time to save your country is before you lose it” – Philip S.W. Goldson “Rev. Stirm, Chester’s curfew, Panama papers are distractions. Focus, Belize. We have bigger to fry. The Barbarians are at the gates. We have more serious things to talk about. We already lost the Sarstoon. What’s next, the country?” – Papi Bishop “The BDF don’t use 22 bullets. We know that is pure foolishness. Somebody is trying to cover up for Guatemalans. First against Danny Conorquie, now BDF Sergeant Lambey. What a bend over crowd.” – Caller to Vibes Radio

10 APR

2016

THE BELIZE TIMES

Leaked BDF report reveals Guatemalans could poison key water source

Cayo District, April 04, 2016 A leaked Belize Defence Force report dated March 31, 2016 has revealed how the security challenges along the western border could exacerbate as incursions by illegal Guatemalans are expected to continue and become even more dangerous for our security officers. Over the last two years, the lives of two security officers have fallen in jeopardy. There was the September 2014 murder of Tourism police officer Danny Conorquie at the Caracol tourist site at the hands of an armed Guatemalan, and now the Holy Saturday March 26, 2016 shooting of BDF Staff Sergeant Richard Lambey, some 334 meters east from the western border. Lambey was ambushed by a group of Guatemalans near a water supply area. The leaked BDF report containing the findings of an internal investigation into the shooting, explains that Lambey’s ambush and shoot-

Map shows the increasing number of Guatemalan communities near Belize’s border with Guatemala

ing was in retaliation to the March 3rd 2016 shooting and arrest of two Guatemalan nationals near the Cebada area of the Chiquibul National Park. In that incident, the BDF found 56 year old Luis Dias Alballeros and 51 year old Francisco Torres Sucup, Guatemalan nationals, almost 600 kilometers inside Belizean territory. The BDF reported that as they prepared to destroy marijuana plantations, Sucup charged at them with a 9mm pistol while Alballeros attempted to assault them with a 12 gauge shotgun. In defense, Sucup was shot in his leg. The leaked document also points that the acts of retaliation are expected to worsen, placing the lives of the BDF security soldiers in even greater danger. The document cites qualified suspicions that Guatemalans might take the extreme retaliatory action of poisoning a key water supply used by BDF soldiers for

07 7 drinking water and bathing. The investigation report recommends that the Government of Belize lobbies through the Organisation of American States (OAS) for the Government of Guatemala to carry out raids of Guatemalan communities near the western border to “minimize the number of illegal firearms in the area” Lacking any action, the lives of BDF soldiers will be in peril. NO EXCUSES Unlike the first leaked BDF document, the one which revealed that the nation’s military along the Southern border has been under constant threat from Guatemala’s military who utilises antagonistic tactics, Foreign Minister Sedi Elrington cannot claim ignorance of the facts. The recent leaked report was copied to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Security Council Secretariat headed by Prime Minister Dean Barrow and Belize’s Military Attaché to Guatemala. None of the high government officials have made public comments on the latest border assault on a security officer. The BELIZE TIMES’s atContinued on page 19

08 8

THE BELIZE TIMES

10 APR

2016

10 APR

2016

THE BELIZE TIMES

Belizean Beauty

Olivia

• • • • • •

TOPMODEL 09

Career Plan: Nurse Sign: Virgo Favourite Food: Split peas, pigtail, white rice and fry plantain Likes: Softball Lives in: Esperanza Village Fav. Quote: “Don’t let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.”

visit us at www.belizetimes.bz or Facebook/ Belize Times

TOP MODEL Clothing and Accessories provided by CATWALK FASHIONS

Cor. North Front Steet & Queen Street Belize City

10 SPORTS

THE BELIZE TIMES

Corozal Rising Stars lead U-13 football Corozal Rising Stars

Blackwater defends

Corozal top 3 strikers, 4 goals each

Daniel Cano wins Weekend Warriors Cross Country Classic Belize City, April 3, 2016 Team Santino’s Daniel Cano won the 6th annual Weekend Warriors Cross Country Cycling Classic, a 68mile ride from the La Loma Luz clinic in Santa Elena, Cayo District to the finish line in front of Leslie’s Imports on the George Price Highway on Sunday, April 3.

A Division 1st Daniel Cano – Team Santino’s 2:44:45 - $300 prize & a trophy 2nd Robert Mariano - Team DigiCell 4G - $200 prize & trophy 3rd Kent “Bob” Gabourel – Team Kulture Megabytes - $150 prize & a trophy 4th Kareem Flowers – Team Santino’s 2:47:07 - $100 prize & a trophy 5th Preston Martinez – Team Kulture Megabytes - $50 prize & a trophy 6th Gilroy Robinson - Team Santino’s 7th Isaiah Willacey – Team F.T. Williams 8th Fitzgerald “Palas” Joseph – Team Lampaz 9th Kirk Sutherland – Team DigiCell 4G 10th Kenny Gladden – Team Scotiabank B Division: 49 miles from Roaring Creek to Leslie’s Imports 1st Ryan Willoughby – Team SMART Zoom 2nd Santino Castillo – Team Santino’s 3rd Steven Robinson – Team Caribbean Tires 4th Col. George Lovell Sr. – Team Santino’s 5th Salvador Alvarado – Team F.T. Williams 6th Manuel Equiliano - Truckers Posse 7th Elden “Stone Jam” Hyde - Team Lampaz 8th Hector Tzuelta – Truckers posse 9th Charlie Slusher - Team Santino’s

Daniel Cano wins

10th Kevin Hope – Team DigiCell 4G C Division: 40-miles from Cotton Tree to Leslie’s Imports 1st Ed Blank - Stationery House 1:53:12 2nd Hewald Humes – Team DigiCell 4G 3rd Enrique Morales – Team Caribbean Tires 4th Steve Gill – Team SMART 5th Alejandro Morales – Team Caribbean Tires 6th Ivan Tesecum – Team DigiCell 4G 7th Wayne Arnold - Team Sugar City United 8th Sydney Thurton – Team Kulture Megabytes 9th Lisa Berger – Team Stationery House 10th Elvis Perez – Team Scotiabank

Robert Mariano, 2nd

Kent Gabourel, 3rd

10 APR

2016

Orange Walk, April 2, 2016 The undefeated Corozal Rising Stars are leading the under-13 football with 7 wins, 1 draw in the tournament organized by Orange Walk Deputy Mayor Ladrick “Mad Bull” Shephard and the O.Walk Sports committee at the Orange Walk Technical High School field on Saturday, April 2. The Corozal Stars won 1-0 over Centaur Minions. Nigel Williams, Drnell Morgan and Alton Thompson have each scored 4 goals so far in the tournament and they led the attack, supported by Jair Williams and Fernando Vellos at midfield. The host’s defense held up to a scoreless draw at intermission, but they got no break from the Corozal defenders: Ian Velasquez, Jordan Casanova and Carlos Mendez who held them scoreless the entire game. Eventually the Corozal boys won a corner kick; and Alton Thompson centered the ball to Jair Williams, who flicked it into the net for the 1-0 win. Other Matches: Trial Farm Jaguars vs. Black Water White Eagles - 3-0 (Win by Forfeit) Orange Walk Central Stars “B” vs. Corozal Rising Stars U-15 - 1-0 Goal by Freddy Lopez Orange Walk ITVET vs. Blackwater United U-19 – 1-0 Goal by Andres Muy Tower Hill Rising Stars vs. Carmelita Juniors U-19 – 0-0

Kulture Megabytes’ Kent Gabourel wins Weekend Warriors tour Belize City, April 3, 2016 Team Kulture Megabytes’ Kent “Bob” Gabourel won the Weekend Warriors’ Cycling Club’s 2016 national tour series with the most points: 130pts in 5 races. The Santino’s team proved the most successful scoring 696pts for best team standings overall, the DigiCell 4G team ranked second with 609pts, while the F.T. Williams team was third with 535pts. 1st Kent Gabourel – Kulture Megabytes – 130pts 2nd Daniel Cano – Team Santino’s - 126pts 3rd Robert Mariano – Team DigiCell 4G - 110pts 4th Warren Coye – Team Santino’s - 102pts 5th Isaiah Willacey - F.T. Williams - 99pts 6th Gilroy Robinson - Team Santino’s - 99pts 7th Ronald Sutherland – Team DigiCell 4G - 98pts 8th Preston Martinez - KulContinued on page 11

27 10MAR APR

2016 2016

THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES THE BELIZE

11 SPORTS 11

BDF eliminates Verdes 1-0 in PLB football Belize City, April 1, 2016 The Belize Defence Force virtually clinched their berth in the playoffs of the Premier League of Belize (PLB) closing season tournament by eliminating last year’s champions Verdes FC 1-0 at the MCC grounds on Sunday, April 3; in the last of a series of back matches played over the weekend. Verdes FC desperately needed the win to qualify to the playoffs, and Marlon Molina and Gilroy “Bredda” Thurton led their offensive supported by Richard “Cheety” Jimenez and Garrett Bermudez on the wing, and Jamil Cano and San Leobardo Mendez at midfield. But they got no reprieve from the BDF defense anchored by Vallan Symns, along with Ricky Ricketts, Leon “Chow” Cadle and Mark Arzu. The league leaders, Police United, picked up four more points from a win over Wagiya at the Michael Ashcroft Stadium in Independence last Thursday night; and a 1-1 draw with the Placencia Assassins also at the Michael Ashcroft on Saturday night.

James Flores vs Jahron Myvette

Verdes’ Ricky Jimenez attacks

SMART Hurricanes lead NEBL basketball 10-2 Belize City, April 1, 2016 The SMART Hurricanes continue to dominate the National Elite Basketball League’s (NEBL) 2016 competition with 10 wins and only two losses. The Hurricanes enjoyed their 10th victory in a 74-65 romp over Belize City No Limit at the Belize Elementary School gymnasium on

Friday night, April 1. Farron Louriano led the Hurricanes with 23pts and 8 rebounds for a 20-16 lead in the first quarter. The Hurricanes were without the services of Brian “Brybo” White, who was sitting out a suspension, but Leroy Louriano stepped up with 11 pts and two boards for a 39-33 lead at intermission. Akeem Watters tossed in 10pts

Kulture Megabytes’ Kent Gabourel wins Weekend Warriors tour Continued from page 10 ture Megabytes - 95pts 9th Fitzgerald “Palas” Joseph – Team Lampaz - 87pts 10th Kirk Sutherland Team DigiCell 4G - 82pts B Division (Top 5) 1st Santino Castillo - Team Santino - 127 pts 2nd - Steven Robinson Team Caribbean Tires - 127pts 3rd - Clarence Tesecum – Team F.T. Williams - 126 pts 4th - Ryan Willoughby - Team SMART - 118 pts 5th - Santiago Cus – Team SMART - 92pts C Division (Top 5) 1st - Steve Gill - SMART team - 121pts 2nd - Enrique Morales - 119pts 3rd - Alejandro Morales - 105pts 4th - Hewald Humes - 105pts 5th - Alphonso Morales - Caribbean Tires - 101pts

Top 5 A Division: (l-r) Isaiah Willacey – 5th; Robert Mariano – 3rd Kent “Bob” Gabourel – 1st, Daniel Cano – 2nd; Warren Coye – 4th

and snagged 11 boards, while Jacob Leslie drained in a long 3-pointer to add eight points. Randy Usher also drained in two 3-pointers as he and Darwin “Puppy” Leslie each scored six points for a 55-51 leqaby the end of the third quarter. Jamal Augustine led No Limit with 17pts, five boards; and Michael Babbles added 13pts, three rebounds. Lennox Bowman added 11pts, while Greg Rudon had seven points and Keith Acosta chipped in six points. Other matches: No Limit vs. Belmopan Bandits -

82-67 Dangriga Warriors vs. San Pedro Tigersharks - 63-55 Cayo Western Ballaz vs. Orange Walk Running Rebels - 88-58 Upcoming matches: Cayo Western Ballaz vs. Belmopan Bandits, University of Belize Gymnasium Belize City No Limit vs. San Pedro Tigersharks Smart Belize Hurricanes vs. Independence Thunderbolts, Saturday San Pedro Tigersharks vs. Orange Walk Running Rebels

Chato’s 3 A Side results April 3, 2016 Here are the results of the games played at Sandy Field in Carmelita, April 3, 2016. Spanish Town vs. Untouchables – 2-0 Goals: Ricky Gonzalez, Edwin Reyes Respected Ones vs. Spanish Town Vipers - 5-1 Goals: Kevin Rhaburn (2), Leonardo Chiac, Christian Aguilar, Wilson”Chato”Perez, Khirion Miranda Los Unicos vs. All Stars - 2-2 Goals by Jayner Moralez, Daniel Magana, Rigoberto Moralez

THE BELIZE TIMES

10 APR

2016

10 APR

2016

THE BELIZE TIMES

The SARSTOON Belize Guatemala

UNDER PUP The SARSTOON Belize Guatemala

UNDER UDP

THE TIME TO SAVE OUR COUNTRY IS NOW!

A UDP-induced Recession Belize’s leading papaya exporters Fruta Bomba is shutting down Belize City, April 5, 2016 The philosophy of the UDP is an interesting one, but not a surprising one considering that the party’s leader, Dean Barrow, has been referred to as ‘glitter and no substance’ for years. Nobody denies that he talks pretty. Nobody denies that he’s a great storyteller and a great magician, but apart from that, is there anything of substance really? Just look around us, and there’s no need to look too far. The UDP is building streets and roads and roundabouts and sporting complexes. We won’t get into the fact that the roads have potholes just weeks after being paved, or that the cemented streets are cracking up, or that the roundabouts take months and months and months to complete. We won’t mention that the work done is lousy, and we won’t mention that the majority of the contracts are being given to friends and family. We won’t talk about bloated contracts. We won’t even talk about multi-million dollar projects like the Memorial Park given to special companies and then it just deteriorates because nobody can figure out what the hell was built in it or what those state of the art structures are for. We won’t mention a multi-million dollar water-taxi terminal built in San Pedro – then closed for years because the water is too shallow for water-taxis to get to it. We sure won’t mention the Marion Jones Sporting Complex and the UDPs who got rich off it building fences before actual sporting facilities. But you know what? It’s all glitter and no substance. I went down South the other

10 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

day and drove by the Mayan King banana-farms. It is a heartbreaking sight. Thousands of banana trees in overgrown bushes, fruit rotting – a significant part of an industry dead, almost a thousand laborers let go. The UDP did nothing. Papayas gone… Shrimp gone… Sugar-cane dying… Citrus in trouble… Banks in crisis… Farmers going out of business… Fuel costs rising… Cost of goods rising… Health-care facilities failing… No rollout of NHI to our poorest Belizeans… So many critical issues - So many! And this UDP administration just rolls along like it couldn’t be bothered. Six hundred workers in shrimp industry let go – hey no problem…we’ll fix a street. Farmers in the north losing millions and millions in crops – hey no problem, we’ll build a roundabout and give the contract to Cousin Imer so that he can get richer. Mr. Barrow laughs when the suggestion is made that Belize is in a recession. Look at all the roads, he says. Look at those roundabouts. Look at that bridge we built. How can you say that Belize is in a recession? See the problem is that Mr. Barrow likes the bright lights and carnival music. He doesn’t have to live the reality. When his term is done he’ll jump on a jet plane with his family and fly away. But what happens to us. While Mr. Barrow is spending millions on cement for roads, our entire agriculture sector is crashing. It’s not recovering. It’s on life support. Without food secuContinued on page 19

2016

Ariel Rosado Annual Bike Ride 2016 March 30, 2016 The 2016 Ariel Rosado Annual Bike Ride will be held on Saturday 16th April 2016 starting at Galen University Campus in Central Farm and ending at Hour Bar and Grill in Belize City. Ride for Scholarships, Ride for your health, Ride for Fun. Registration and further information available at: Ordonez Bike Shop on Pelican Street or Smiling Meats on New Road. Or call 223-5674/600-6665.

SECURITY VACANCY Security- Local Premises Belize City, Belize Qualifications: • Candidate must possess minimum, a high school diploma • 2 years’ working experience in the field • Good command of the English language • Bilingual would be an asset Duties and Responsibilities: • Patrol of Premises • Control of entry and exit points of the premises • Other applicable responsibilities Salary Scale: Will be in accordance with experience and qualifications.

Hundreds lost their jobs after major banana exporters shut down operations last year

To Apply: Kindly submit letter of application, resume, two recent reference letters, valid police record and a copy of a valid Social Security Card. Deadline for submitting application is Friday, April 15th, 2016 All Documents must be submitted to: The Manager P.O. Box 1074

10 APR

2016

THE BELIZE TIMES

The Sarstoon A COMEDY OF ERRORS

By the Voice of the Common Man Twixt thy seditious countrymen and us, It hath in solemn synods been decreed Both by the Syracusians and ourselves, To admit no traffic to our adverse towns. - The Comedy of Errors, Shakespeare Jimmy Morales a career actor and comedian has become Guatemala’s new president. His rise to success in Guatemalan politics was realized through the lobbying efforts of an anti-corruption campaign, an anomaly that plagued Guatemala. Subsequent to President Morales’ success in the first round of the presidential election, Morales expressed statements that aroused both rage and concern throughout the Belizean populace. Morales as Guatemala’s President intended to revive the Guatemalan unfounded claim on Belize. The Prime Minister Rt. Honourable Dean Barrow in an attempt to quiet the riotous sentiments that were engulfing Belizeans, assured them there was no need to be concerned. Although the statements made by Morales were troubling. If elected, he would come under the guidance of the Guatemalan foreign policy establishment, the Guatemalan political elite and, most importantly, the international community in his pursuit of Guatemala’s claim to Belize. At this juncture the question must be asked: who guides the Belizean Government regarding the Guatemalan issue? Post election, President Morales was again asked the question of whether it is worthwhile for Guatemala to recover Belize. In response, he said “I think that it is worth anything has to do with natural resources and of benefit to this nation. Like I said, it is deplorable, anything that is a loss for Guatemala”. Upon the statement reaching the attention of Belize’s Prime Minister he soundly characterized Morales as a neophyte and adamantly declared that Belize will not be bullied. However “words are easy like the wind”, as Guatemala has ratcheted up its military presence in the mouth of the Sarstoon. Recently, Belizeans have become victims of the bullying by Guatemalan military which has hogtied the BDF and somewhat the Belize government. Apparently, the Barrow administration and the UDP sympathizers took Jimmy Morales to be a joke. Seemingly, the joke is on Belize and a serious one at that. The majority of the Belizean populace have become dissatisfied over the manner with which the Foreign Minis-

Guatemala’s military has taken control of Sarstoon River and Sarstoon Island

Guatemala’s President Jimmy Morales ter Wilfred “Sedi” Elrington and the Government with Dean Barrow at the helm has handled the Guatemalan issue. This government has made a comedy of errors that has relegated Belize to appeaser status as Guatemala continues its aggressive bullying. Belize has become somewhat silent in the face of aggression. “Silence encourages the tormentor never the tormented”. The Leader Emeritus of the People’s United Party and Father of the Nation Rt. Hon. George Price knew that resorting to silence would allow Guatemala to utilize the “thin edge of the wedge” to work its way in bending Belize to its knees. Facing strong opposition from the local political party, the National Independent Party, the imperial masters in the United Kingdom and Guatemalan might, he echoed the heralded words that “we will not surrender even one centimetre of our national territory” and warned Guatemala that it was expected to “acknowledge our right to self-determination to be a nation”. When the imperial masters attempted to barter away parts of Belize to settle the Guatemalan claim this great leader, in October 1980, scoldingly issued that “in the last century maybe it was possible to get land from the UK; but they no longer own Belize, so it cannot give land. It is up to the Belizean people, and we do not want to give land”. In the face of Guatemala’s military might, George Price engaged steadfast diplomacy, unwavering bravado, in the defence of the Jewel. The Leader Emeritus was cognizant of the strength and the support of nations Belize had, against the backdrop of Guatemala’s view when they look to claim Belize. This government cannot continue to cower to Guatemalan pressure. If we believe in the Battle of St. George’s Caye and the Flowers 11 then it is time to take up the sling and the stone. Otherwise the legacy left to us is a Belize carved up in tiny shards. The solution to this Guatemalan problem has been embedded in the vision of George Cadle Price. The vision of a New Belize. This great leader understood independence would serve a dual purpose: the dismantling of colonialism and Belize’s right Continued on page 19

For Sale By Order of the Mortgagee Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a Company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Mortgage made the 18th day of July, 2011, between TAHEERA AHMAD & BRUCE CODRINGTON of the one part, and Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. of the other part , and recorded in Deeds Book Volume 17 of 2011 at folios 85 to 156 over the property Firstly described in the Schedule hereto. By way of a Deed of Release made the 13th day of May, 2014, and recorded at the Land Titles Unit as Instrument LTU-201400778 the property Secondly described in the Schedule hereto was released from the Deed of Mortgage. The said SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property Firstly described in the Schedule hereto SAVE AND EXCEPT the property Secondly described in the Schedule hereto. All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD. THE SCHEDULE ABOVE REFERRED TO FIRSTLY ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Block No. 6 comprising 10 acres situate to the North of the Sibun River in the vicinity of Freetown, Belize District, bounded and described as shown on a Plan attached to Minister’s Fiat (Grant) No. 12 of 1964 TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon. SECONDLY SAVE AND EXCEPT ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being part of Block #6, Grant #12 of 1964, now or formerly the property of Taheera Ahmad and Bruce Codrington, situate north of the Hattieville/Sibun Road near the Sibun River Area, Belize District and bounded on the North and West by portion of said Block #6 Grant #12 of 1964, on the South by portion said Block #6 Grant #12 of 1964 and an existing road to the Hattieville/Sibun Road, on the East by a 66 feet road reserve, containing 1.00 acre, more or less as shown on a plan of survey by Kenneth A. Gillett, Licensed Land Surveyor, dated August 11, 2011 registered at Entry 13486 Register 16 lodged at the Offices of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys, Belmopan and more particularly described as follows: Commencing at a concrete pillar labeled #1 at the South Westerly Corner of the herein described parcel having UTM coordinates of Eastings 355967.160 and Northings 1927346.046; thence on a grid bearing of 90o 24’ 23” for a grid distance of 86.523 meters to another concrete pillar; thence on a grid bearing of 00o 24’ 23” for a grid distance of 46.759 meters to another concrete pillar; Thence on a grid bearing of 270o 24’ 23” for a grid distance of 86.523 to another concrete pillar; thence on a grid bearing of 180o 24’ 23” for a grid distance of 46.759 meters, more or less, back to the point of commencement. DATED this 31st day of March, 2016. MUSA & BALDERAMOS LLP 91 North Front Street, Belize City Attorneys-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.

10 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2016

EULOGY LOUIS EDMUND HUMPHREYS 13th November, 1926—28th March, 2016

Words cannot express how much it means to me and my family that all of you are here today to commemorate our father’s returning home to Our Creator and Eternal God, to dwell in the more Beautiful Beyond. In summing up our father’s life, we seemed to keep coming back to one thought. Never have we known a man who more faithfully lived and fulfilled his God given intellect and potential. In fact, in his lifetime, he never failed to amaze us as his boundless energy found yet another outlet from which to provide some service to his community, or engage in some business venture! Our father’s potential seemed endless. Please allow us to share a few of these with you. Our father was strong in body, in spirit, in mind, and in commitment. He was a self-made and self-reliant man who, within the family, referred to himself as “the Boom boy”. Indeed, he had very humble beginnings. From his hard won education to his career with the United Nations, from his skill in diplomacy with the many different cultures with which we were privileged to live thanks to his intellect, our Dad engaged with the world as a man who would be its master. Our father left his home in Burrell Boom at the age of 13. With great sacrifices and determination, he worked and studied his way to becoming the first Belizean to be employed with the United Nations, in World Health Organization’s Malaria Eradication Program. During his time with the UN, he took his family all over the world - 2 of us were born in Asia, and 1 of us graduated from high school in Afghanistan! Where-ever we traveled, airline personal referred to us as “the 7 Humphreys”. Whenever we were paged in airports or hotels, it was “will the 7 seven Humphreys please report to…” and Dad would herald all of us to where we needed to be: we moved together as a unit! Where-ever we lived, my father was greatly respected, and held in high regard. As maturing young adults we were acutely aware of the high standard of profes-

sionalism and competence our father exemplified. From Indonesia, to Nicaragua, from Afghanistan to Sudan, every country we lived in, there was always a constant flow of his international colleagues meeting with Dad in our home, seeking his knowledge, or his leadership in some aspect of the malaria eradication program. Our Father loved his work. He had great respect for the people of the countries he worked in, and because of that, when he suffered a near fatal automobile accident in a remote part of Afghanistan, it was Afghans who rescued him and took him to the American Aid Base. Thank you Dad, for our youths filled with experiences so unique. (that) When we share our memories of those experiences with others, we find ourselves forever thankful! Because of Our Father’s achievements, we have been privileged to live a sort of story-book life - filled with the discovery of the beauty of other countries and cultures of the world! We are who we are today because we had a father like him. Thank you Dad! But as successful as Our Father was during his time with the UN, his life’s dream was to return to his own country, and to become involved in the growth of the New Belize. He was a great admirer of the Prime Minister of the time, The Honorable Mr. George Cadle Price. So upon our return home, my father became a true believer in Mr. Prices’ visions for Belize and a committed member of the People’s United Party. The years following our return home, Our Father became (completely ) immersed in many community projects. None was too big or too small. Among these were his voluntary service as the Chairman for the Development Finance Corporation, and becoming an aspirant for political office in 1989. In 2012, he was awarded the George Price Award for Service. The one thing he was most proud of, however, as Governor of The Lion Club in Belize City, was his involvement in the spearheading of vision testing of underprivileged elementary school children. That project gave those children the opportunity to succeed in school by providing them with the relatively simple solution of glasses, or, in cases of more serious diagnoses, surgery here in Belize, or abroad if necessary. Our God did not send us here to be perfect. Only God is perfect and He does have a perfect purpose for our lives. I believe He sent us here to use the talents He has blessed us with to honor His Name. We believe Our Father, Louis Edmund Humphreys, accomplished that mission. Thank you for listening.

For Sale By Order of the Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under an Assignment and Transfer of Mortgage made the 6th day of June, 2013, recorded as LTU-201301050 between DEVELOPMENT FINANCE CORPORATION (the Assignor) SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD., and EDWARDO G. PINSEAU, which said property was mortgaged by the said EDWARDO PINSEAU to the said DEVELOPMENT FINANCE CORPORATION on the 24th day of January, 2001, and recorded at the General Registry in Deeds Book Volume 41 of 2001 at Folios 1169 – 1210, the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the schedule hereto. THE SCHEDULE All that leasehold interest in all that piece or parcel of land being Lot No. 252 situate in Independence Village, Stann Creek District and bounded on the Northeast for 100.00 Feet by Lot No. 253, on the Southeast for 50.00 Feet by A Street, on the Southwest for 100.00 Feet by Lot No. 251; and on the Northwest for 50.00 Feet by Lot No. 240 containing 555.6 Square Yards of land as shown on Big Plan 35 at the Office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys, Belmopan TOGETHER with all buildings and erections and developments standing and being thereon. DATED this 22nd day of March, 2016.

MUSA & BALDERAMOS LLP 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorneys-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.

10 APR

2016

Trump Card By G. Michael Reid

The challenge that Plato’s critique of democracy still poses is the question whether the citizens of today’s democracies are interested and informed enough to participate meaningfully in the democratic process. Are today’s self-proclaimed democracies in fact societies where people are “their own governors”-- where they are well enough informed to be effectively in control of their commonwealth and their lives? Do the citizens of these societies really understand why wars are declared, resources committed, debts incurred, relations denied, and so forth? Could it be that a majority of citizens live in a cognitive haze that reduces them to voting on the basis of uninformed convictions, catchy slogans, and altogether vague hunches and feelings? - From Jorn K. Bramann: Educating Rita and Other Philosophical Movies “We believe that the issue of Donald Trump is greater than an issue of party. It is an issue of morals and character that all Americans, not just those of us in the conservative movement, must confront” - Joint statement from a US conservative group. I take a break this week from our local politics and problems to touch on a situation that is developing in the U.S. that will likely have huge implications; not only for the Republican party or the American people but indeed for the entire globe. A man who has become known simply as “The Donald” is making huge waves in the sea of politics of the world’s only remaining super power. Donald Trump however, is a dangerous man; he is bigot and a lunatic and has become concerningly popular. A columnist in the Global Times, an English language Chinese newspaper recently wrote: “The rise of a racist in the US political arena worries the whole world.” It does and it should! Whether you like Donald Trump (remarkably, even some Belizeans

THE BELIZE TIMES

good character to show the deficiencies of the democratic system, that such a person could become president. It is just unbelievable”. An editorial on a government-run website suggested that Trump has “humiliated” the US political system and that “he has turned the election into a prank.” There are many in the United States, and do) or dislike him (many absolutely even Trump’s own Republican parabhor the man), what this man has ty who believe that the Chinese done is nothing short of incredible might not be altogether off on this. and he has turned American politics The biggest problem is that on its ear. Trump’s rhetoric has reDonald Trump has put the US and sulted in what many consider to be indeed, all of democracy, squarely a “demographic conundrum”, havon the horns of a dilemma. Ratioing offended just about every memnal thinking Americans understand ber of the United States’ diverse that Donald Trump cannot be alethnic groups. His main target has lowed to become president but been Mexicans, even threatening to they cannot thwart the democratic build a wall along the entire length system that they have pledged to of America’s southern border with uphold and live by. If democracy Mexico. According to Trump, his really means that the people have wall would be “taller than the Berlin a right to choose who they wish wall and grander than the great wall to lead them, then Donald Trump of China” and has even pledged to is putting this principle to a stern make the Mexicans pay for the wall. test. The Republican Party has been pulling all the plugs to pull the rug from under Trump but he keeps gainIf Trump wins the Republican nomination, ing more support. Trump as he seems quite likely to do, then voters has promised widespread of that party who recognize the dan- riots if his candidacy is undermined and few doubt gers that he poses will have a seriit, given the rowdy nature ous decision to make. Many are sug- of hisIf supporters. Trump wins the gesting that they will have no choice Republican nomination, he seems quite likely but to vote for Democrat Hillary Clin- as to do, then voters of that ton or not vote at all. party who recognize the dangers that he poses will have a serious decision to make. rious challenge for the presidency This prompted a quick response from Many are suggesting that they will of the most heralded democracy in former Mexican President Vicente have no choice but to vote for Demthe world, the Chinese believe that Fox, who publicly declared, “I’m not ocrat Hillary Clinton or not vote at their point has been proven. going to pay for that f&#king wall.” all. “It is really damn simple,” wrote US-based democracy activist Trump has also publicly declared conservative activist Erick Erickson Zhou Fengsuo, who fled his native war on Islam, threatening to ban all in an open letter to former House China following the 1989 TiananMuslims from immigrating to or even Speaker Newt Gingrich, “There’s men Square Massacre, said revisiting the US. He suggests that he no reason for you or anyone else to cently in an interview, “Beijing is would go so far as to close down complicate it. Donald Trump’s nomidefinitely gloating over this. They some mosques and monitor whichnation will give you Hillary Clinton’s are relishing this moment, are very ever ones remain open. He has flirted presidency.” This should be very inhappy and are laughing over this”. with the idea of creating a database teresting. “To them”, says Zhou, “(Trump] is a that would require all American Muslims to register and regularly report to authorities. Trump drew alarm and criticism when he announced that he would “take out the families of terrorists” in order to win the war against terror. Now of course, few rational thinkers believe that Trump could get away pulling off even half of what he has been bragging about, but the fact that his ridiculous notions and ideas have been able to attract hundreds of thousands of supporters is indeed scary and eye-opening. Trump’s meteoric rise in American politics is believed to be exposing not only the deep underbelly of America’s racial segregationism but also the perils and pitfalls of the system that we call democracy. Winston Churchill once opined that “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” Churchill once remarked, facetiously or not, that “the best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter”. My problem with democracy is that a man can go to school for twenty years, become eminently qualified in any field and effectively have his vote cancelled by one crack head who accepts a five dollar note to vote. Pardon the pun but the “dumb vote” has effectively trumped the intelligent vote and has literally dumbed down our democracy. Critics of democracy point to the fact that both Adolph Hitler and Benito Mussolini were democratically elected and we need no reminder of how those regimes turned out. Many are now comparing The Donald to both Hitler and Mussolini. Authoritarian countries like China have long condemned democracy and are always trying to prove that their system is better claiming that democracy is “economically inefficient, politically idealistic and morally corrupt”. Now with Donald Trump mounting a se-

10 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

MY PERSPECTIVE By Dolores Balderamos Garcia

Thuli Madonsela Part II On May 4, 2014 I wrote a piece for the BELIZE TIMES called “Belize Needs a Thuli Madonsela.” She is South Africa’s Public Protector, and in March of that year she had called out South African President Jacob Zuma for serious corruption in that he had used over 216 million rand (US $23 million) to provide “security” upgrades to his home at Nkandla in KwaZulu Natal province. I know it is wishful thinking that Belize could have an Ombudsman who would be able to use constitutional power and moral suasion to demand integrity and the highest standards from public officials. But we should not give up on wanting this. Ms. Thuli is back in the news, because this past week on March 31, 2016 the Constitutional Court of South Africa ordered President Zuma to repay some of the multi millions in public funds that he had spent on lavish personal expenses. The court delivered a stinging rebuke to Zuma, who for two years flouted Ms. Thuli’s findings and dug in his heels. The arrogance of his refusal to heed her call is incredible, but this only proves the impunity with which so many political leaders operate and the hubris that so often results from the wielding of great power. Right here at home there is widespread flouting of the Prevention of Corruption in Public Life Act. The Government of Prime Minister Barrow seems not to care whatsoever whether there is wrongful enrichment of his people in public life. There is no functioning Integrity Commission and therefore no proper accountability. Look at the blatant enrichment of themselves by so many in the Barrow administration. I will not go into details here, that’s for another time. But there are very many instances that would be so easy to list. In looking in more detail at the dramatic turn of events in South Africa, there was a unani-

mous ruling by the eleven members of the Court, who held that President Zuma failed to uphold, defend and respect the Constitution by ignoring Ms. Thuli’s findings on his sprawling residence. Zuma tried to call a swimming pool, cattle enclosure, chicken run, amphitheatre and visitor center items that were security measures. And parallel investigations that his own public works and police ministries conducted in order to circumvent Ms. Thuli’s findings that Zuma had “benefitted unduly,” made a declaration that the swimming pool was a fire prevention reservoir!! Chief Justice Moegoeng’s stated position is that Ms. Thuli’s findings are legally binding. He said: “It would be pointless if the Public Protector’s findings could be ignored.” Yet this is just what Zuma did for two years, until the highest court in the land caught up with him. The judges held that Zuma deliberately flouted the Constitution in using public money to upgrade his private residence and that he must repay. This has been described as “an unprecedented rebuke” to his long defiance. There have now been calls for his impeachment and certainly for a vote of no confidence in the South African Parliament. It is unlikely that these would succeed, however, as his political party, the African National Congress, has a large majority. The verdict is nonetheless damning, and Zuma was forced to issue an apology on Friday, April 1, 2016. Ms. Thuli’s work on this matter, her findings two years ago, and her quiet persistence and fearlessness are now being hailed as the embodiment of the Biblical David fighting against the Goliath of state corruption. She never backed down or wavered in her strongly held position, despite threats, and she has now been fully vindicated. Indeed she has become Jacob Zuma’s nemesis. After the Constitutional Court’s ruling she responded: “The Court has restored hope in the constitutional dream for a man or woman on the street to hold government accountable.” In “Thuli Madonsela Part 2” I say that we should be able to do likewise here at home.

2016

10 APR

2016

THE BELIZE TIMES

The Sarstoon A COMEDY OF ERRORS

Continued from page 15 to self-determination as a nation. This PUP Leader also recognised that the successes of Belize’s independence would be hindered if the development of a Belizean identity was not made a priority. The Belizeanness would be the foundation to our country’s sovereignty. George Price tackled the invisible crisis, a state of flux within the people’s psyche the results of the myriad of cultures which have divided the people. The frontier culture of north where the Mestizo look to Mexico as their mecca and the frontier culture on the west and south where the Mestizo is sentimentally leaning towards Guatemala, the Maya, the Garinagu, the East Indians, the faultlines of the political culture where the red part feels more Gran Britannia rejecting the embrace of an independent Belize holding on to residual culture of the colonial past has created a ripping effect on the country’s fabric of nationhood. George Price begun the repair of a people torn apart with the call for National Unity! A Unity that would weld our people into a united, solid front. This was the dream of the Peaceful, Constructive Belizean Revolution. However, the dream was never fully understood and appreciated. Consequentially, we find ourselves at the forkroads where there is a lack of economic order, development of people harnessing the intrinsic capabilities with their cultural valves, and the threat to our sovereignty and territorial integrity. Also, the lack of mutual respect and social justice has led to disequilibrium within society. There must be a re-alignment to

the Peaceful Constructive Revolution and the dream of the Father of the Nation in order to chart the course forward in the fight to make Belize truly the Land of the Free where tyrants no longer linger and despots must flee. Free Belize. No to the ICJ.

A UDPinduced Recession

Continued from page 14 rity we become another struggling third-world under-developed country with nothing to offer. While Mr. Barrow is building roads, children are falling out of school because education is too expensive. While Mr. Barrow is building roads, our productive sector punishes because there is no assistance from government – that assistance goes only to billionaire foreign entities who are already poised to rape our country. While Mr. Barrow is building roads, our poverty level is approaching the 50% mark because the UDP thought that if you hire some people to work temporary jobs on those roads that poverty will go down. Mr. Barrow doesn’t have a clue about poverty. Just look at what is happening around us, and look at yourself. Are you better off today? The writing is on the wall, even if the UDP refuses to admit it. Belize is in a recession and those in power have no clue how to get us out. We are in real, serious trouble.

Leaked BDF report reveals Guatemalans could poison key water source

Continued from page 7 tempts to get answers went ignored. NO CONFIDENCE The leaking of classified documents, such as the March 31 2016 report, on a matter of national security makes it plain to see that there is a leadership crisis in the Ministry of National Security. It is apparent that the leaders do not enjoy the confidence of the security personnel who must face Guatemala’s aggressions first-hand. This is the second leaked document on such high stakes matters. The first document was leaked last year in an attempt to confront and counter the lies of the Barrow Administration on the real situation at the Sarstoon River. The Government and the BDF

Brigadier General David Jones were singing off the same song sheet, dispelling reports that Guatemala’s military aggravates Belize’s security officials who conduct patrols along Belize’s southern mainland coast. The report, leaked in the name of the truth, exposed that the Guatemalan military had become very aggressive and were creating fomenting tension with the Belize’s military. The Guatemalans have also prohibited Belize’s military from entering the Sarstoon River unless a “protocol” is followed, which requires that the Guatemalans are informed prior. Brigadier General Jones condemned the leaking of the report, describing it as a national security threat.

NOTICE I Saturino V. Juarez hereby apply for the replacement of a lost Vessel Registration Certificate from the Belize Port Authority being “MV Get Hooked-2” Registration # BZ0704. PUBLIC AUCTION SALE BY ORDER OF THE CHARGEE HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED, a Licensed Public Auctioneer will sell the property described in the schedule below at the time as listed. At the Parking Lot across the street from the office of Holy Redeemer Credit Union Limited, No. 1 Hyde’s Lane, Belize City on Thursday 21st April 2016 at 9:00a.m. ALL THAT piece or parcel of land comprising 328.818 S.M. being Parcel 3100, Block 16 in the Caribbean Shores/Belize Registration Section, a Corner Lot, situate at the Corner of Albert Hoy Avenue and Supt. George Arthurs Street, Belama Phase III, Belize City, Belize District, the freehold property of ADRIAN LESLIE DATED this 7th day of April 2016 All sales are strictly cash and deemed final. For more information contact: HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED 1 HYDE’S LANE, BELIZE CITY, BELIZE Phone: (501) 224-5644 Fax: (501) 223-0738

10 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2016

BELIZE TIMES WEEKLY

SCIENCE & TECH R

Scientists get first-ever glimpse of ‘teenage’ HIV-neutralizing antibody April 5, 2016 in Medicine & Health / HIV & AIDS Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) and collaborating institutions have described the first-ever immature or “teenage” antibody found in a powerful class of immune molecules effective against HIV. “This is actually the first example of how we can go back to the really early stage to see how this antibody lineage was born and can develop,” said TSRI biologist Jiang Zhu, who served as co-senior author of the study. The research was an international collaboration, also led by Yuxing Li of the University of Maryland, Yiming Shao of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), Peking University and Nankai University and Ian Wilson of TSRI. The new knowledge of the evolution and key traits of anti-HIV antibodies could help researchers design a vaccine to prevent AIDS. The study, published April 5, 2016, online ahead of print, will be featured as the cover story of the journal Immunity. Targeting the Virus HIV has been hard to beat because the virus mutates rapidly and has a sturdy set of defenses—including a “shield” of glycan molecules on the surface of its envelope glycoproteins. These glycoproteins are the viral machinery used to make initial contact and subsequently infect human host cells. Because HIV presents such a challenge to the immune system, scientists can’t use traditional methods to create a vaccine. Instead, Zhu explained, they have to “reverse engineer” the right vaccine candidates using rare effective antibodies from HIV-positive patients as guides. The antibody in the new study came from a patient in China who was what scientists call an “elite” controller, meaning the patient’s immune system had managed to create antibodies with some ability to fight the disease. The patient was among the top 5 percent of neutralizers assessed in a screening of hundreds of Chinese HIV patients by China CDC scientists. Genetically, the antibody found in this donor resembled members of the VRC01 class of antibodies, which are

“broadly neutralizing antibodies,” named for their ability to target a key site of vulnerability on many strains of the virus. Yet the new antibody also lacked one of the key structural traits of VRC01 antibodies. “There was something a little bit weird about this antibody,” said Zhu. Further studies into the antibody’s genetics and structure showed that it was a precursor to mature VRC01 antibodies—in other words, it represented a middle stage in the evolution of this class of HIV killers. Zhu called the antibody a “teenager” and said it gives scientists a unique view of the steps needed to prompt

the immune system to effectively target HIV. Guiding Antibody Development The researchers studied samples taken from the patient over five years, starting in 2006 when Zhu said the antibody was a “toddler.” Each sample showed the antibody in a different stage of development, giving researchers a possible guide for how to elicit these antibodies with a vaccine. Zhu and his colleagues were surprised to find that the antibody evolved rapidly between 2006 and 2008, gaining many of the traits it would need to fight HIV. This finding contradicts previous studies suggesting that it can take up to 10 to 15 years for VRC01 antibodies to develop useful traits. “That was a solid theory—until we saw the antibody from this donor,” said Zhu. “Now we know these specialized antibodies can evolve in just one or two years,” added TSRI Research Associate Yajing Chen, who served as co-first author of the study with Leopold Kong (formerly of TSRI, now at NIH), TSRI Staff Scientist Linling He, and Bin Ju, Jiandong Liu and Li Ren of the

Mexico City limits private car use to battle pollution Despite criticism, authorities take drastic measures to tackle the city’s first environmental emergency in 14 years 06 Apr 2016 Mexico City is taking drastic measures to tackle its first

environmental emergency in 14 years. Private cars must now

China CDC. Zhu said this discovery is encouraging, since an HIV vaccine will also need to prompt the body to make antibodies quickly. The scientists also spotted a hurdle they will have to overcome as they engineer their own antibodies: The teenage VRC01 has a slightly longer amino acid chain at one site than the mature version, and this chain clashes with part of the glycoprotein shield (gp120) on HIV and prevents the antibody from effectively neutralizing the virus. The researchers managed to tweak the immature antibody to make it into a broadly neutralizing antibody. “As long as you have some of those VRC01 signatures, a teenage-stage antibody can become a killer for HIV,” said Zhu. The researchers also noted that this is the first time a VRC01-like antibody has been isolated from a patient of Asian descent—the other VRC01s had come from African or Caucasian patients. This means people with different genetic backgrounds may benefit from a vaccine that harnesses a person’s ability to make VRC01s. “This could be important for developing a universal HIV vaccine,” Zhu said.

remain off the roads for one day a week, and one Saturday each month, in the Mexican capital. “How can I agree with the policy when so many people are going to be left without a way of getting around?” one man told Al Jazeera. And environmental groups such as Greenpeace say that such a programme is not a long-term solution to the peak levels of pollution not seen in the city since the 1980s. These critics say that this car-limiting programme does not address other factors contributing to the pollution, such as factories.

7 MAR FEB 27 10 APR

2016 2016

THE BELIZE THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES

REGIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

NEWS

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watches a ballistic rocket launch drill in March [Reuters]

North Korea to pursue more ‘nuclear deterrence’ North Korea pledged to pursue its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes in defiance of the United States and its allies with a top envoy saying there is now a state of “semi-war” on the divided peninsula. So Se Pyong, North Korea’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, made the statement on Friday as the US and South Korea held military exercises, which he said were aimed at the “decapitation of the supreme leadership of the DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea]”. “If the United States continues, then we have to make the counter-measures also. So we have to develop and we have to make more deterrence - nuclear deterrence,” So said in an interview with Reuters news agency. The ambassador’s statement came as North Korea fired a new short-range missile into the sea on Friday and tried to jam GPS navigation signals in South Korea, according to Seoul officials. The latest missile firing took place just hours after US, South Korean and Japanese leaders agreed to work together to counter North Korea’s nuclear threat.

Panama Papers: Mossack Fonseca says leak came from hack

BP ordered to pay $20bn over 2010 oil spill Pyongyang fires new missile as its ambassador to the UN in Geneva says a state of “semiwar” is now ongoing

Arsenic-laced water affects millions in Bangladesh Government promised to clean up the water supply but a rights group says poor governance has hampered those efforts. Nearly 20 million people in Bangladesh are still drinking water contaminated with arsenic, even though the toxin was discovered in it nearly two decades ago, according to a report. The Human Rights Watch (HRW) launched a report on Wednesday which revealed that the government failed to take the basic steps needed to tackle the problem which kills an estimated 43,000 Bangladeshis every year. “Bangladesh isn’t taking basic and obvious steps to get arsenic out of the drinking water of millions of its rural poor,” HRW researcher Richard Pearshouse told the AFP news agency. “The reasons why this huge tragedy has remained so pervasive are due to poor governance.”

US federal judge approves settlement that covers environmental damage and other claims by five states along Gulf coast. A federal judge in the US state of Louisiana has granted final approval to an estimated $20bn settlement over the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, resolving years of litigation over what caused one of the biggest ever environmental disasters. The settlement, first announced in July last year, includes $5.5bn in civil Clean Water Act penalties and billions more to cover environmental damage and other claims by the five US states along the Gulf coast, including Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Louisiana. The money is to be paid out over roughly 16 years for what has been called the biggest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry. The US Justice Department has estimated that the settlement will cost the oil giant as much as $20.8bn, the largest environmental settlement in US history as well as the largest ever civil settlement with a single entity. US District Judge Carl Barbier, who approved the settlement, had set the stage with an earlier ruling that BP had been “grossly negligent” in the offshore rig explosion which killed 11 workers and caused a 134-milliongallon spill.

Co-founder of Mossack Fonseca firm denies leak was an inside job, saying his company was victim of hackers from abroad One of the founders of Mossack Fonseca, the law firm at the centre of the Panama Papers revelations on offshore holdings, said his company was hacked. Ramon Fonseca said the leak was not caused by an insider but that the company was hacked by servers abroad. The leaked documents from Mossack Fonseca showed how the world’s rich and powerful are able to stash their wealth and avoid taxes. The law firm is based in Panama and has more than 40 offices worldwide. “We rule out an inside job. This is not a leak. This is a hack,” Fonseca, 63, told Reuters news agency at the company’s headquarters in Panama City’s business district. “We have a theory and we are following it.” Fonseca said that the firm had lodged a criminal complaint with Panamanian prosecutors on Monday over the alleged server breach. Fonseca also said that in all the reporting on the Panama Papers so far “nobody is talking of the hack, and that is the only crime that has been committed”.

Protests in Peru against Keiko Fujimori’s campaign Tens of thousands of Peruvians have marched against presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of former leader Alberto Fujimori, forcing her to suspend campaign events in advance of Sunday’s elections. Protesters fear that if she were to win the election, people who collaborated with her father will come back to power.

Protests in Lima force daughter of jailed former leader Alberto Fujimori to suspend election campaign

Alberto is serving a 25year sentence for corruption and crimes against humanity committed during his 19902000 government. At least 30,000 took part in Tuesday’s march in Lima - a sign of the stiff opposition to Fujimori that could make her vulnerable to defeat in a runoff. Fujimori is expected to win the biggest share of votes on April 10, but not the simple ma-

jority needed to win outright. Many demonstrators derided Fujimori’s recent promise never to repeat her father’s “self-coup” on April 5, 1992, when he ordered the military to shutter Congress and intervened in the courts. Fujimori had previously defended the move as needed to enact economic reforms.

THINK ABOUT IT

BRITAIN DEFIES UNITED NATIONS Last week a report appeared in the British media concerning a decision of the United Nations. The United Nations has a Commission set up to determine the continental shelf of various countries as part of the overall law of the sea. The Commission is made up of 21 distinguished persons and experts. The Commission, after very careful study, reached a determination that the Continental shelf of the nation of Argentina stretched out from 200 odd miles to 350 miles. This decision has major implications for the country of Argentina apart from increasing its potential for oil and other mineral resources findings. It also means the tiny island of the Malvinas is part of Argentina. The British have been holding on to the island, which they call the Falklands, as part of their colonial legacy. They have started drilling for oil in the surrounding waters. They and Argentina fought a bitter war over Malvinas. The British Government last week quickly rejected the decision of the United Nations. This decision of the United Nations and the British, have implications for Belize. Firstly, in South America and the rest of Latin America, the arrogant response of the British is not greeted favourably. The British can expect a loss, or further loss of respect and support from the Latin countries. In the U.S.A. (the most powerful country on earth) which has to tread softly with its Latin neighbours, Latinos are a growing force, demographically and politically. Secondly, the British decision represents an opportunity for Guatemala in its long standing claim to a part of Belize. The Guats will get stronger support from the Latin countries in its argument that the British wrongfully took a portion of Guatemala and continues to deny returning it to Guatemala, the same as they continue to illegally hold on to the Falklands. By defying a decision of the United Nations, the British is setting a recent precedent for Guatemala in the event Belize and Guatemala end up at the International Court of Justice and Guatemala become dissatisfied with the Court’s decision. It should be pointed out that the dispute between Guatemala and the British was thrown on Belize when we became independent in 1981. The crux of the dispute is that a Treaty signed by Guatemala and the British in 1859 was violated by the British, according to Guatemala. It is for the Guatemala and the British to resolve that dispute, without Belize having to give up part of its land. Belize, being naïve in 1981, got suckered by the British into accepting that the dispute was between Guatemala and Belize. That is wrong. Belize violated no treaty with Guatemala. Belize land and sea cannot be used to settle a colonial dispute dating back 122 years ago. The British has to be put on the spot as the party which violated the Treaty. It is the British who should be going to the International Court of Justice with Guatemala. If the I.C.J. finds that Guatemala is the victim then the British should be the one to compensate Guatemala. How Belizean territory is to be taken and given away for someone else’s decision is out of the question. WASTING GOOD TALENT Merlene Moody is the Senior Mag-

10 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

istrate presently in charge of the Orange Walk Court. She is a trained, qualified Attorney-at-Law. A former Prosecutor in the office of the Director of Public Prosecution, a Crown Counsel in the Attorney General’s Ministry, Head of the Family Court and Director of Legal Aid Services. She also worked at the Caricom Secretariat in Guyana as representative of Belize. Miss Moody comes from one of those large, industrious families with roots in Manatee, Northern Lagoon area. All her many brothers and sisters are successful in their various professions in Belize and Los Angeles. Miss Moody, we are told, is leaving her job because the Government does not wish to renew her contract. This at a time when there is a shortage of Belizean Magistrates. In the mornings you can see people crowded around the Courts in Belize City where there used to be six Magistrates, now there are only four. We have never heard that the Magistrate in Orange Walk takes chance of people in that Court or that she misses Court, or is rude to people or her decisions are unfair. We hear this about some other courts. It is disturbing to hear that such an experienced Belizean is allowed to fall along the wayside at a time of urgent need for experienced persons in the public service, in the Magistrate Courts and the Supreme Court. We recall a Minister of government repeating how the great Gian Ghandi was so impressed with Miss Moody’s dedication and competence that he had requested her to work with him. The present government, which reemploys retirees and cronies way past their retirement age, must really don’t care a damn about the betterment of the country or have some sinister design to be employing foreigners while our blood is treated with such disrespect. GROSS INJUSTICE There are presently 1,418 persons in prison. More than 300 are awaiting their day in Court. The prison department cost more than 11 million dollars each year. The law requires that at the close of each session of the Supreme Court, the Judges are to review the status of persons sitting in jail awaiting trial. Belize has reached the scandalous situation where persons have been left to rot in jail for up to eight years without a trial. In nine known cases the persons have been in jail for ten years without a trial. Ten Years. In the name of God what is our country coming to? How did the situation get this terrible? One reason is the jail or bail delivery system is not working. The January session of the Supreme Court which opened with such a bang and a ceremony, ended with a whimper this Monday 4th April. We found only Judge Gonzalez in his Court facing a gallery of some thirty odd prisoners in need of review of their status. There was no bail review in any other Judge’s Court in Belize City. None in Corozal and Orange Walk and none in Cayo and Stann Creek. This is unacceptable. Part of the problem is the obvious shortage of Judges, especially on the Criminal side of the Court. But this is exactly where there should no such shortage. Human beings, by the hundreds, are locked away in that dungeon they call prison, without having their situation reviewed, while awaiting trial. Many of these persons are unfairly and unnecessarily denied bail by Magistrates and cannot afford lawyers to get them out of hell. The prison

is a hell hole for criminals, much more for innocent citizens caught up in the system. A female minor, 17 years old, was sent to jail by the Belmopan Magistrate from January, despite the Juvenile Law expressly stating that everything should be done to avoid putting minors in jail. Judge Gonzalez gave her bail. As he did for another female, again from Belmopan, from February, for trespassing. Remember that the accusation is an allegation and the law says expressly they are innocent until proven guilty. There were several “crazy” persons brought before the Judge. He gave none of them bail. Why are mentally disturbed persons not at a mental hospital? The bigger question is why only thirty odd persons got a chance out of three hundred to have their jail status reviewed? The system is not working because no one gives a damn. The situation is even worse when it comes to the system which requires a review for persons who are convicted and spending time in hell. The law requires a Parole Board. But this Board is made up primarily of the same persons who send persons to jail or who are wardens inside the jail. This is incredible but it is true. It is a sick joke. Canon Leroy Flowers and Maria Zabanneh and such persons with conscience should be on the Parole Board with a youth representative and social workers and teachers. Now we know why hardly anyone is granted parole. The persons who are appointed are there to keep the poor and unfortunate people in jail. The Jamaican street poet, Mutabaruka, put it tellingly in his poem, “the system is a fraud”,” the system is like a graveyard”. Oh NO – IT’S WORSE! Oh no! Just when we thought it couldn’t get worse, our attention was drawn to an article in the April 3rd issue of the Amandala newspaper. Pages 6 and 7. In essence the story is a man is in jail for three years on a serious allegation of murder. He wants his trial to take place. He applied to the Supreme Court for bail because three years is a violation of his constitutionally guaranteed right to be tried within a reasonable time. Incredibly, the Judge disagreed. According to the article, reported by journalist Rowland A. Parks, the Judge is purported to have said that the person’s “constitutional right to be tried within a reasonable time has not been violated.” What! “I have the unhappy but firm view that in the present circumstances, three years plus three months that the Petitioner has waited to be tried, is not an unreasonable delay when a person is charged, with murder in contemporary Belize.” Listen to this. Instead of supporting the application, the Prosecutor from the D.P.P. office opposed it and is reported to have submitted to the Judge “that it takes between 5 to 7 years for a murder trial to commence…” What a shameful thing to say in the Court of our country. That it is okay for a human being to languish in jail 5 to 7 years waiting for trial. Especially because the conviction rate for murders is so miserable at less than ten per cent. Thankfully, the Judge rejected this stupid submission, but the Judge fell down in saying under the present circumstances in Belize 3 years 3 months is not a violation of a person’s right to a trial within a reasonable time. This is a very wrong decision. An unjust decision. The Chief Justice should find occasion to reverse it at the earliest opportunity. Indeed the Judge had guidance from the Chief Justice, who as recent as January this year put new Criminal Rules in ef-

2016

fect. Rowland A. Parks reported “Under the new rules of the Supreme Court, the period leading up to a murder trial from when an accused person first appeared at the Magistrate’s Court should not be longer than two years,” Wow! How did the Judge manage to overlook that? Judges in the Supreme Court are by law the guardians of our constitutional rights. When a Judge says it is acceptable in Belize for a human being to be forced to rot in jail for three years waiting for a trial, we are in deep trouble. Our human rights mean nothing. DIS STORY This story has nothing to do with what is written in this column. This story is not a warning, or a threat or a lesson to be heeded. Once upon a time in a country called Belize, a foreign Magistrate named Gaznabbi was doing a maintenance hearing in Court. He was humiliating and harassing the person who showed his salary slip that he couldn’t pay more. When he got enough, the person pulled out a gun in Court and fired several shots at the chancy Magistrate. The Magistrate, fattish with a pot belly, turned into a rabbit and was dodging shots. The shooter, one Charles Good, was a trained marksman in the B.D.F. He obviously didn’t intend to kill his tormentor. Back then when Belize was still kind of law abiding. This story is not a threat, or a warning or a lesson to anyone in any office, Court, Department or Ministry who di chance people. DID YOU KNOW Did you know the government squandered, wasted, stole and embezzled over three million dollars of Petro Caribe money? HAVE YOU HEARD Have you heard - Guatemala took over thirty miles of our Sarstoon River and Belize government di play simple, while taking the rest of us for fools. BRUTAL BEATING Not one, but two students have complained of Police brutality at the Ladyville Police Station. A sixth form student told Magistrate Deborah Rogers of the brutal beating he received from officers attached to the Station. He was seen washed in blood being pulled out of a Police pickup in the station yard. His jaw was swollen. His mouth busted at two places. He had bruises all over his body, arms and face. The other person, a minor attending college was stomped, kicked and gun -butted. He was scheduled to take surgery next week. None of the students, or their families, was given the Medical Forms from the hospital after a Justice of the Peace intervened when the students were sent from Ladyville to Queen Street Station bleeding and in pain. One “Sutherland” is accused of withholding the medication prescribed by the doctor. This behaviour is called Community Policing, Ladyville style. None of the Ladyville officers who behaved like criminals have been investigated, interdicted or fired. They know the whole matter will be covered up, as usual. What they don’t know is what will happen when the law suit comes up. JESUS IN BUTTONWOOD The Roman Catholic Church has erected a six feet statue of Jesus in the compound of Divine Mercy Church in Buttonwood Bay. Impressive.

10 APR

2016

THE BELIZE TIMES

This Poco Time PILFERING BTL UDP Government Belize City, April 5, 2016 Ever since Belize Telemedia Limited was taken by force by the Barrow Administration in 2009, the company has been slowly pilfered away by the politically connected. The BELIZE TIMES has reported several instances in which the publicowned company has been making certain UDP-connected individuals rich. Some are given special contracts to sell BTL phones at a higher markup price than the original cost of the devices. The company loses. Others in very high places are given exclusive contracts to sell top-up credit to key ministries. Just another get-rich scheme. In other cases, services which were produced internally by the company are slowly being privatized through one-sided lucrative contracts. Several years ago, BTL decided to privatise the design of its Yellow Pages section. Now, inside sources tell the BELIZE TIMES that the company’s Operators department will be sourced out to a private contractor. So who will benefit from this new privatisation deal? Our sources say that it’s another case of serious conflict of interest and major hustling by a “big man” at BTL. That “big man”, we are told, appears to have mastered the art of being “tek” savvy at the expense of the public’s interest.

LIQUOR LICENSE NOTICES Notice is hereby given that DIANI CHAN is applying for a Malt and Cider Liquor License to be operated at “El Descanso”, situated at San Narciso Village, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that JIN MING MA is applying for a Shop Liquor License to be operated at “M&Y Shop”, situated at 7th Avenue, Corozal Town, Corozal District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that BETTY ALICE BACAB is applying for a Shop Liquor License to be operated at “Betty’s Store”, situated at Caledonia Village, Corozal District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that ERMELINDA NOVELO is applying for a Malt and Cider Liquor License to be operated at “Xaibe Golf Club”, situated at Xaibe Village, Corozal District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

By the Voice of the Common Man The reality that this UDP government insists on disregarding the gravity of this impoverished society. The Belizean Jewel has become poorer which speaks volumes to the POCO TIME government in office – the UDP. The 2016 Budget engenders no meaningful programs catering to alleviate the lives and conditions of the poor, the marginalised, the elderly, the sick and the youths on the OUT SIDE. Except for the old vested interest of the UDP: BOOST, FOOD PANTRY and the CONDITIONAL CASH TRANSFERS (CCTs). In 2008 in its first term UDP launched its “pro-poor” policy. This was not a novel idea of this government. Organizations such as the World Bank, the International Labour Organization (ILO), World Health Organization (WHO), Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and recently, the access to $325 through the generosity of the late Comandante Hugo Chavez and the Petro-Caribe program bought into those programs. However, nothing has changed in the lives of the poorer class of Belizeans. This is the result of a porous Poverty Alleviation bureaucracy where waste and corruption is rampant, almost a billion dollars collected from the various agencies to better the lives of the downtrodden, siphoned by this corrupt government. Minister Boots Martinez has not headed to the call for a

CARTOON

proper census to be taken to pinpoint the extreme poor taking into account the neediest communities. Instead the BOOST programs continue to soak taxpayers and continue to contribute less to help the more unfortunate. This political spigot (faucet) continues to be controlled by these heartless UDP political godfathers and unscrupulous government functionaries. This was exactly what Honourable Kareem Musa directed the nation to at the 2016 Budget debate. In 2015 this government allocated monies to the disabled to which proper accounting is non-existent. Plain heartless!! This was exactly the reasoning proffered by one Panamanian advisor associated with the BOOST program in Belize and its failings. He declared that there were “errors of inclusion” and “errors of exclusion”. He then specified that some people who were not qualified for the program got on whilst others who should have been enrolled into the program were left out. The political pandering continues. The social and economic disenfranchisement of the destitute continues to “fester like a sore”. The dreams of a better life for many poor Belizeans has “dried up like a raising in the sun”. In concluding, I must caution the Rt. Honourable Dean Barrow and this UDP Government’s infrastructural development is meaningless if there is no development of people, especially the ones at the bottom run of the societal ladder. Unless you, Prime Minister, want to leave a legacy of “ruins” called Belize, as the next tourist attraction.

23 Family of accident victim demands justice! Continued from page 4 ask… how can one get justice in Belize? But I want to congratulate Pakeman. You were in an accident; took the life of a human being, a brother, a husband, an uncle, a nephew and a friend. And you simply got up, brush his blood off your vehicle and moved on. But if you read the bible, his blood is still on your hands,” Stevenson stated Last week the Police claimed that they had sent an investigative file to the Director of Public Prosecution for advice on whether they should charge Pakeman. The DPP has indicated though that she received no such file. This is not the first time Pakeman wrecks a Government vehicle, or is in a traffic collision. The BELIZE TIMES keeps a special record of these UDP special individuals and our record shows that in December 2013 Pakeman badly damaged another Government press office vehicle when he recklessly drove into a barricade that blocked entry into a section of Princess Margaret drive near Pallotti high school. Luckily no one was injured then. In a matter of weeks after that accident, Pakeman had been allotted a new vehicle to drive around.

THE BELIZE TIMES

10 APR

2016