SCAN HERE
The Belize Times
Established 1957
The Truth Shall Make You Free
10 AUGUST 2014 | ISSUE NO: 4907
www.belizetimes.bz | $1.00
Darrel Bradley Must Resign!!!
Pg. 6
PUP Councillors & newly elected Mayor Candidate Alfredo Kuylen taking oath
UDP Jails
Sanitation Workers
Pg. 23
Pg. 2
PUP DYNAMIC 7 READY IN BENQUE
SEDI GONE Pg. 3 MAD
2 02
10 AUG
THE BELIZE TIMES
2014
Alfredo Kuylen elected as PUP Mayoral Candidate for Benque Viejo del Carmen
Deputy Leader Hon. Julius Espat, PUP Cayo North East Standard Bearer Orlando Habet and PUP Cayo West Standard Bearer Dra. Lesbia Guerra Cocom
ed, Mr. Kuylen was elected as the PUP Mayoral Candidate. He will join the team of Councillors candidates which include Mr. Antonio Ochaeta Jr., Mrs. Clemencia Araceli “Colocha” Martinez, Mr. Victor Manuel Mendez, Mr. Edgar Cocom, Mr. Juan Salas and Mr. Salvador Iglesias. The PUP 7 team will now begin its work to reach out and engage in
Benque Viejo del Carmen, August 5th, 2014 On Sunday August 3rd 2014 a delegate convention was held in Benque Viejo del Carmen town to elect its mayoral candidate for the People United Party. Mrs Elisa Guerra and Mr Alfredo Kuylen were the two candidates. After the counting of votes end-
dialogue with the community. Residents of Benque Viejo del Carmen are clamouring for change and improvement in the town. It is time for that change!! El Partido Unido del Pueblo llevo a cabo una Convención de delegados en Benque Viejo del Carmen para elegir al candidato que se postulara para alcalde. El Sr Alfredo Kuylen
fue electo y se unió con candidatos conciliares: Sr Antonio Ochaeta Jr., Sra Clemencia Araceli “Colocha” Martinez, Sr. Victor Manuel Mendez, Sr Edgar Cocom, Sr Juan Salas y Sr Salvador Iglesias. Delen la bienvenida y únase al dialogo con el equipo del Partido Unido del Pueblo ya que en los meses próximos meses estarán visitándole.
PUP DEFENDS SANITATION WORKERS Hon. Francis talking with attorney Audrey Matura-Shepherd
SCAN HERE
After learning of the arrest of 41 sanitation workers and Albert Vaughan, Opposition Leader Hon. Francis Fonseca joined other Belizeans in demanding their release
Lt. Albert Vaughan, Ret’d
LOCAL 8 Aug
Furthermore, the BELIZE TIMES also condemns the Police’s abusive and illegal behaviour of searching through Vaughan’s cellular phone and deleting pictures that were in his digital camera. A dangerous line was crossed! We demand that the Police end this charade against Vaughan and apologise for the illegal actions and abuse of authority.
10 Aug
The Truth Shall Make You Free
ISSUE NO: 4840
www.belizetimes.bz
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$1.00
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 9 Aug
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serving Belize since 1957 as the longest continuous newspaper.
Police Dept Crosses the Line! The BELIZETIMES condemns the actions of the Police Department towards our media colleague Albert Vaughan. Officials of the Department, under manipulation from its political bosses, arrested and imprisoned Vaughan who was doing journalism work during Monday’s sanitation workers’ protest on North Front Street.
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Established 1957
14 APR 2013
11 Aug
2612Mar Aug
Tel: 671-8385 #3 Queen Street P.O. BOX 506 Belize City, Belize
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10 AUG
THE BELIZE TIMES
2014
UDP Jails
Sanitation Workers Belize City, August 6th, 2014 It is the most cold and callous act in recent times by the UDP. For simply standing up for their rights and defending their jobs, 41 sanitation workers were rounded up through orders of the UDP and thrown in the Queen Street ‘pisshouse’. Mothers, grandmothers, fathers and grandfathers, some with medical ailments
SEDI GONE MAD TIME TO GO!!
Belize City, August 5, 2014 The normally mouthy and opinionated Wilfred Sedi Elrington was nowhere to be seen or found following the public disclosure of a US Office of Inspector General’s notice declaring that his brother, Dr. Glen Elrington, is a wanted fugitive. The allegation against Glen Elrington is that he may somehow be involved through his medical business interest in Michigan, USA, in medicare or Medicaid fraud. He has thus far denied any such involvement. Finally on Sunday at the UDP Belize CitCo convention, Sedi surfaced and gave UDP friendly TV 7 an interview on the matter. That interview was broadcast on the Monday evening news and revealed a confused, irrational, and clearly incompetent Minister of Foreign Affairs and Attorney General. Sedi launched a vicious attack on the US Government and disclosed that he himself had travelled to Michigan, the site of the alleged criminal activity, to investigate the allegations against his brother and further, that he had advised his brother to come to Belize because the US justice system could effectively not be trusted. Now this would all be fine and good if Sedi were not the Foreign Minister and Attorney General of Belize but he is. He is attacking Belize’s largest and strongest trading and national security partner all in an effort to defend his family interest. Once again this UDP government puts its party and personal interests ahead of the national interest. Sedi has gone mad! It is time for him to go!
like asthma and high blood pressure were all stuffed in cells by the Police, waiting for their criminal charges to be prepared and for tickets written out by the UDP Belize City Council. Two of the mothers who were victims of the horrifying treatment described the dreadful experienced. “We get lock down da piss house from yesterday…from nine o’clock yesterday till nine o’clock last night…some of we gat asthma, we pressure raise, dey one deh look fu faint weh inna the cell, we vomit up…weh wrong with dey people. Da soh they wah handle the poor people deh?
They can’t handle we soh. We da poor people. Yu hafto look out fu the poor people,” said Helen Samuels. “I was ill-treated there…I was sick with asthma and they left us there in that cell, twenty-two of us…no lights, no fan, no nothing,” explained Faith Flores. The UDP is used to abusing Belizeans. They arrest our people at will using draconian laws meant to oppress people. They use the Police to harass families and children when they want to evict persons from lands and tear down homes. UDP is callous and dangerous for Belize.
03 3
Sanitation workers being held at the Queen Street Police Station
4 04
THE BELIZE TIMES
on the
Cold and Dangerous
By Francis W. Fonseca The cold heart and heavy hand of the UDP Government was on full display this past Monday in Belize City where workers of Belize Maintenance Limited Co. (BML) once again took to the streets to protest against Mayor Darrel Bradley and the UDP Belize City Council for consistently failing to meet its financial obligations to BML who in turn is then unable to pay their worker’s salaries. Yes these humble, tired and frustrated workers were in violation of
the letter of the law but there was absolutely no justification for them being rounded up, detained at the Queen Street Police Station for some 10 hours, and then profiled like common criminals. If ever a clear warning at the Police Station would suffice this was the occasion. This over-reaction to the protest of very poor Belizeans exposes a cold, heartless and very dangerous UDP Government. These BML workers are faced with poverty and uncertainty each and
every day. When they don’t get paid, they and their children don’t eat. It’s as simple as that. They have every right to stand up for their jobs and their families and all Belizeans must stand with them! The heavy political hand of the UDP also swooped down on our own Lt. Albert Vaughan who was covering the protest for Vibes Radio and the BELIZE TIMES. Albert is not a journalist. He is the Chairman of the Freetown Division and the very
10 AUG
2014
popular co-host of Vibes Radio’s Morning Buzz alongside Marshall Nunez. He was targeted, detained and later charged with loitering. His phone and camera were taken away and searched by the Police. All of the photos on his camera were deleted. This is a scandalous attack on his personal freedom and constitutional rights as a Belizean Citizen. Lt. Vaughan is a veteran of the Belize Defense Force who has served his country with dignity. His detention and treatment at the hands of a few UDP officers in the Belize Police Department should concern all right thinking Belizeans. The UDP strategy is to BUY those who are for sale and to INTIMIDATE those who refuse to be bought. We in the PUP will not be intimidated! We stand in solidarity with our workers and our brother Albert Vaughan! Touch one Touch all!!
10 AUG
2014
THE BELIZE TIMES
05 5
EDITORIAL Darrell’s Legacy of FAILURE! The television images of over forty sanitation workers being arrested and locked up in overcrowded and unsanitary cells at the Queen Street Police Station in Belize City from Monday morning until Monday night was ugly. The charge: littering and some other frivolous misdemeanors. It was heavy handed Police behavior by UDP Superintendent Edward Broaster. The workers could have been issued summons and sent home. The sanitation workers, former City Council employees absorbed into the workforce of Belize Management Limited, were protesting in front of the City Council office Monday against the insensitive statements to their only means of livelihood. The aggression to their jobs had been coming fast and furious from the mouth of Mayor Darrel Bradley; who let it be known is ending BML’s contract come January and has not shown concern in the least bit with what happens to the over hundred workers at BML. No doubt, the Mayor would then go on a hiring spree to take on two to three hundred new workers in time for the March 2015 City Council elections. Not to mention using the seventy eight thousand dollars weekly that the Mayor claims he spends on BML. The Mayor, as has been his history, owes BML one and a half million dollars in arrears. He is always in arrears to the two sanitation companies who collect and dispose of Belize City garbage. Belize City Council retains the jobs for upkeep of the cemetery; digging and cleaning drains and street repairs. In these three areas, the Mayor has been a dismal failure. The physical evidence of neglected drains and broken streets frustrate residents on a daily basis. The Mayor ignores these and points to the 100 streets that he claims to have cemented since taking office. We know for a fact that CISCO Construction had pioneered the cementing of several city streets using gang members as the labor force. We also know for a fact that the Mayor borrowed TWENTY MILLION dollars through a Municipal bond for his street projects. Any City Council employee or Sanitation Supervisor who gets a loan of TWENTY MILLION dollars could have cemented 100 streets. Chances are they would have done more than 150 streets and done it better coordinated than the chaos Mayor Bradley unleashed on the city’s motorists, pedestrians and school children as well as the dust clouds residents in their homes are forced to inhale. The TWENTY MILLION dollars is a loan with interest that city residents will have to repay. The Mayor, who has raised every tax at the City Council including the fee for grave spaces for the dead, collects SEVENTEEN MILLION dollars each year at the City Council. He squanders every last dollar and still remains in arrears to the tune of millions of dollars to the sanitation companies. Seventeen million for two and a half years under Mayor
Bradley amounts to FORTY million dollars plus the Twenty million loan is SIXTY million dollars. There needs to be some serious accounting. With sixty million dollars, Belize City could have been a shiny, brand-new, beautiful city that we could all take pride in. Even as the Mayor was telling the media the plight of hundreds of sanitation workers facing the loss of jobs was not his concern, he has been signing fat checks for ten city councilors and dozens of crony staff at City Council- accounting to over a million dollars. This includes his father, the vile and hatefilled Joe Bradley who already pulls in a salary from Wave Radio, gets a pension from government and collects a full time salary from the Mayor although he crawls into work hours late each day. The Mayor, himself on a fat fulltime salary, only gets to work part time as he spends most of his time at his law firm and in Court. The same goes for City Councilor Alifa Elrington. She collects a fulltime salary but spends most of her time in her law office. The same goes for the nine other City Councilors. They all have their full time personal jobs but collect a full time salary from the City Council. ALL these cheques are certified and signed by the Mayor. Another of the Mayor’s responsibilities is attending to abandoned/ overgrown yards and parks and playgrounds. Here again he is a woeful failure. Millions of dollars have been spent on BTL Park with loan/grant money which is not from City Council. BTL Park which has been increased in size by filling in the sea has a bar selling alcohol. This is unheard of. This bar is owned by one of the City Councilors. Millions more have been wasted on a concrete, tiled over Battlefield Park at Albert Street. Every other park in the city remains in shambles, abandoned and neglected. The Mayor and his decrepit Councilors have not built a single park in the whole Belize City since taking office. Neither has a single new playground been established. Let the record also show that in boasting about the 100 cement streets the Mayor succeeded in breaking up over two hundred otherwise good, functioning streets in the City. And despite public outcry, the Mayor refused to build any drain in the city. Now he is asking his Prime Minister for ten million dollars to do drains. No doubt with an election coming he will get it. As for the TWENTY MILLION worth of cement streets, there has not been a single accounting for the waste, hustling and corruption that took place. There was no transparent tendering process. Hand-picked UDP cronies have suddenly become wealthy off cement streets. This is the very sad state of affairs. This is what our country and our city have come to under Dean Barrow and Darrell Bradley.
6 06
10 AUG
THE BELIZE TIMES
Darrel Bradley Must Resign!!!
Belize City, August 6th 2014 Darrel Bradley is a major Mayoral mess! He has proven to be worse than Ms. Underdeposits, Zenaida Moya. At least she ran the city without Dean Barrow babysitting her along the way. Not Darrell. He brought shame and disgrace unto himself and more unnecessary burden unto poor Belizeans, with his terrible handling of the recent dispute between the City Council and the sanitation company
Belize Maintenance Limited over the Council’s refusal to pay for sanitation services. The result of this was the shameful mistreatment and jailing of sanitation workers after they protested in front of the Mayor’s office on Monday morning. Then Barrow did the unexpected-usurped the Mayor’s power and responsibility. This is equivalent to stripping him bare for the world to see and laugh at him. Continued on page 22
Estella Ltd. # 82,591 (“the Company”) Pursuant to Section 102(4) of the International Business Companies Act, Chapter 270 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, notice is hereby given Estella Ltd.:
2014
NOTICE
ARTEMOR EXPRESS LIMITED (“the Company”) Notice is hereby given that ARTEMOR EXPRESS LIMITED, incorporated under the Belize IBC Act (Chapter 270), commenced on dissolution on July 30, 2014. And Mr. Renan Castillo of 9 Barrack Road, Belize City, Belize is the liquidator of the company, and any claims against the company should be forwarded to the liquidator by 30 days from commencement. Summit Corporate Services Limited Registered Agent
VACANCY NOTICE UNICEF is seeking qualified Belizean Nationals for the position of Project Assistant in the Belize Country Office (GS-4 level). Within the delegated authority and under the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be assigned the primarily, shared, or contributory accountabilities for all or part of the major duties. Under the supervision of the Early Childhood Development Officer: Duties & Responsibilities:
a) is in dissolution b) commenced dissolution on the 1st day of August, 2014; and c) Cititrust International Inc. whose address is 35 Barrack Road, Third Floor, Belize City is the Liquidator of the Company Cititrust International Limited
•
Collects information mainly from records and reports and prepares periodic and ad hoc reports on programme and project activities.
•
Organizes data and information, prepares and maintains records, documents and control plans for the monitoring of project/programme implementation.
•
Contributes to the preparation of reports, project documents and submissions to governments by providing information, preparing tables and drafting relatively routine sections. Prepares background information for use in discussions with governments and other organizations. Participates in the briefing and debriefing of project personnel.
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Verifies the authenticity and correctness of documentation submitted by Government and NGO’s on programme expenditures according to the established procedures. Maintains the accounts for such documentation and assists programme officers in the follow-up of outstanding supporting documentation by direct contact with Government and NGO counterparts.
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Scrutinizes plans of operations, exchanges of letters and takes appropriate follow-up action. Assists in the administrative process of government requests for assistance.
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Provides logistical support to programme staff in relation to meetings/training and workshops being organized for partners.
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Assist in carrying out specific administrative operational/control tasks for project/programme activities.
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Performs other duties as required.
Registered Agent
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 a Deed of Mortgage made the 21st day of February, 2012 between NARCISO GABRIEL TUSH of Bella Vista Village, Toledo District, Belize, of the one part, and Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., of the other part, and recorded in Deeds Book Vol. 4 of 2012 at Folios 1005 – 1032, 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. 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. SCHEDULE ALL THAT LEASEHOLD INTEREST IN ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Lot No. 143 situate in Maya Mopan Village, Stann Creek District, Belize and bounded as follows:- On the North for 22.858 metres by a street; On the South for 22.858 by Lot No. 148; On the East for 30.478 metres by Lot No. 142; On the West for 30.478 metres by Lot No. 144, containing 689.982 square metres of land as shown on Entry No. 3798, Register No. 2 at the office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon. DATED this 30th day of July, 2014. MUSA & BALDERAMOS LLP 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorneys-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.
Qualifications and Work Experience: • • • • •
Completion of secondary school, preferably supplemented by technical or university courses in a field related to the work of the organization. Four years of progressively responsible clerical or administrative work, of which at least one year is closely related to support of programme activities. Fluency in English; Strong communication skills, written and oral. Knowledge of Spanish would be an asset. Thorough knowledge of modern office administrative and record-keeping procedures. Fully computer literate. Competent in Microsoft Office Suite of products.
Competencies: i) Core Values (Required) Commitment Diversity and Inclusion Integrity ii) Core Competencies (Required) Communication [II] Working with People [II] Drive for Results [II] iii) Functional Competencies (Required) Analyzing [II] Applying Technical Expertise [II] Following instructions and Procedures [II] Planning and Organizing [II] Other Skills and Attributes: Ability to work in an international, multicultural & team-based working environment. Closing date of submitting applications is 15 August, 2014. Late applications will not be considered and regret letter will only be sent to short-listed candidates. Please visit our website http://www.unicef.org/videoaudio/PDFs/P11.doc to access the Personal History (P11) Form to be sent by e-mail with a detailed résumé to belize@unicef.org, attention: Operations Assistant; subject - Vacancy Project Assistant. UNICEF OPERATES IN A SMOKE-FREE ENVIRONMENT & IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER & AN HIV/AIDS RESPECTING WORKPLACE.
10 AUG
THE BELIZE TIMES
2014
WOMAN IN THE HOUSE By Dolores Balderamos Garcia
A Seine Bight/Lord’s Bank Wedding On Saturday, August 2, 2014 Franisha Thomas of Lord’s Bank and Albert Augustine of Seine Bight tied the knot in an exquisite wedding Mass and ceremony at Saint Alphonsus RC Church in Seine Bight Village on the Placencia Peninsula. It was a very festive and gala affair. Family and friends filled the seaside church to overflowing, and the Mass and marriage ceremony were officiated by Deacon Alvin Lambey of Our Lady of the Way RC Church in Ladyville. The newlyweds made a beautiful couple, and it was clear that much love, cooper-
ation, planning and just sheer joy went into the proceedings. Franisha and her family are originally from Punta Gorda. They settled in Lord’s Bank years ago and have been in the Ladyville/Lord’s Bank area for many years. Albert has remained a Seine Bight boy, and as a couple he and Franisha have embraced all aspects of Belizean culture and the best of family values. At the start of the ceremony, Albert and his brother and best man Marlon Augustine first took their seats at the front of the church. Next, the mothers of the bride and groom, Francisca Thomas and Caroline
PUBLIC AUCTION SALE BY ORDER OF THE CHARGEE HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED, a Licensed Public Auctioneer will sell the following property at the place and time 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 Monday August 11, 2014 at 10:00a.m. ALL THAT piece or parcel or lot of land being Lot No. 7 comprising 415.515 square metres situate on Sister Therese Sparks Street (formerly Raccoon Street Extension), Belize City, Belize District now Parcel 322, Block 45, Port/Loyolaville Registration Section as shown and described on a Plan of Survey No. 1012 of 1999 drawn by Licensed Surveyor J.V. Hyde dated 25th October 1999 and being lodged and recorded at the Lands & Surveys Department in Belmopan as Entry Plan No. 3186 TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon, the freehold property of ROY SUTHERLAND DATED this 28th day of July 2014 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
Moreira, preceded the ring bearer and flower girls up the aisle, and then a small army of bridesmaids and groomsmen, dressed impeccably in blue, yellow and gray, flanked the aisle and raised their outstretched arms as the father of the bride escorted her up to the front of Saint Alphonsus Church. The Mass and all the singing and parts of Mass were done in English and Garifuna, as the Garifuna drums and guitar provided pulsating accompaniment. Ms. Ivy Palacio led the choir and the responses to the liturgy, while Deacon Lambey did the honors as marriage officer. A near party atmosphere of cheering erupted after the exchange of vows and Deacon’s invitation for Albert to kiss the bride. And most impressive was the manner in which the ceremony featured the best aspects of the Catholic liturgy and Garifuna cultural expression. The high spirits continued at the wedding reception at Palacio’s beachside residence, a fitting venue, as seemingly half or more of village residents and various families and friends from Ladyville, Lord’s Bank and elsewhere raised their glasses in a toast to the bride and groom. Family members also participated in speeches
07 7 and words of advice, congratulation and encouragement to the Franisha and Albert, and wedding guests young and not so young enjoyed the food and drinks and one another’s company for the festive occasion. In all it was an exciting and delightful wedding ceremony and reception. The newlyweds and their families and all those who played a part in the preparation and execution of the events are to be highly commended for interweaving traditional and modern wedding practices with many aspects of Garifuna culture, from prayer to song to dance to camaraderie. Franisha and Albert chose as the overarching theme a quote from an author unknown which represents their way of expressing their new bond: “Love is a symbol of eternity. It wipes out all sense of time. It wipes out all memory of a beginning and fear of an end.” The timelessness of love indeed supersedes temporal considerations. I wish them only the very best that their life together can bring and heartily congratulate them on their marriage and a most enjoyable wedding and reception. A good time was had by all!!
PUP NOTICE
PUP NOTICE
Municipal Elections Corozal Town
Municipal Elections Belize City
The People’s United Party is inviting persons who are interested in contesting the upcoming Corozal Town Council Elections to submit their applications. Completed applications must be returned to the Secretariat and Chairlady Thea Garcia by Monday August 18th, 2014.
The People’s United Party is inviting persons who are interested in contesting the upcoming Belize City Council Elections to submit their applications. Completed applications must be returned to the Secretariat on or before 4:00 p.m. on Friday August 22nd, 2014.
The date of the Convention is Sunday, October 5th 2014. Applications are available from Constituency Executive Members or the PUP Secretariat, Independence Hall, #3 Queen Street, Belize City.
Applications are available from the PUP Secretariat, Independence Hall, #3 Queen Street, Belize City.
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10 AUG
THE BELIZE TIMES
VOTER FRAUD
2014
IN QUEEN’S SQUARE!!!
142 East Collet Canal, Phillip Willoughby family home. 15 Voters
Partial structure No. 6518 CA Blvd. 20 Voters
Empty Lot No 122 Euphrates Ave. 12 Voters
No 13 Tanoomah 16 Voters
Wooden dilapidated structure No 65 Amara Ave. 20 Voters
Overgrown partial structure No. 10 Tanoomah. 10 Voters
Overgrown empty lot Cor 13 Mex & Amara Ave. 9 Voters
Overgrown Vacant Lot No 21 Kraal Road. 33 Voters
Empty Lot No 122 Euphrates Ave. 12 Voters
BARROW IS BOGUS!
10 10 AUG AUG
2014 2014
THE BELIZE THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES
9 TOPMODEL 09
ENTERTAINMENT
NEWS Belizean wins
Houston Caribbean
It might be a bit of old news, but it’s worth mentioning and celebrating that Belize-born Rheisha Shol won the recently held Caribbean Queen Pageant in Houston, Texas, U.S. Caribbean Queen Pageant in Houston was billed as “a cultural, educational, and festive event that seeks to celebrate the talent and intellectual abilities of young Caribbean women”. It was held on June 28, 2014. Rheisha was born in the City of Belmopan and raised in Punta Gorda, then moved to Houston, Texas with her family. She currently attends Texas State University. In addition to possessing poise and the other qualities judges were looking for, Rheisha is an intelligent young woman, having graduated in the top 10% of her high school class, winning numerous awards and serving on the cheerleading squad and as vice president of the graduation class, according to the HCQ website, which also tells us she has been active in various school and community organisations. Rheisha has been back to Belize with her church group, and said she plans on becoming a community activist to raise awareness about domestic violence towards women and hopes to continue as a positive role model for adolescents. Congratulations, Ms. Shol, and we wish you continued success in the future.
Location: Best Western Belize Biltmore Plaza
Queen Pageant
Belizean beauty
Michelle
TOP MODEL Clothing and Accessories provided by CATWALK FASHIONS
visit us at www.belizetimes.bz or Facebook/ Belize Times
Cor. North Front Steet & Queen Street Belize City
10 SPORTS BDF & Scotiabank
10 AUG
THE BELIZE TIMES TIMES THE BELIZE
2014
win in BDVA interoffice volleyball Belize City, August 2, 2014 On Saturday, the Scotiabank crew dueled with the S.Q. Dragons’ Alex Evans, Antonio Quan, Peter Quan and Fenton James who won the 1st set: 25-18 with Sherlene Johnson and Karen Quan receiving and setting the ball. Veteran captain/coach Lupita Quan and Nelissa Ramirez joined the party but Scotiabank won the next 2 sets: 25-21 and 15-13. The BTL squad put up a valiant fight, but the Belize Bank Bulldogs’ Adrian Garbutt, Chris McGann, Francis Arzu and Curtis Bradley spiked their game with Judy Hoare and Kimberly Burns helping to receive and set the plays to win the 1st set 29-27. BTL bit back, taking the next 2 sets: 25-15 and 15-10. On Friday night, the Belize Defense Force had to go to 3 sets to win over Scotiabank in the Belize District Volleyball Association (BDVA) interoffice competition at the Belize Elementary auditorium.
Scotiabank’s Arthur “Fish” Neal, Michael “Suit” Hernandez, Bryan Williams and Oscar Arnold, hammered home kills at the net on plays set by Sharmaine Augustus and libero Robbie Gongora to win the 1st set 25-19. The BDF’s Ernest Broaster and Bobby Dee Usher rallied their squad: Tench, Flowers, Jones and Coleman to win the nest 2 sets, 25-18 and 17-15. In Game 2 Friday, the BTL Digicel squad of Rasheed Pollard, Juan Marin, Adrian Mahler and Jael Ottley took no prisoners in their match against the Customs/Central Bank Jabirus to win the 1st set 25-15. Customs’ Kareem Michael, Edward Baptist and Martin Carrasco did better in the 2nd set with Tyola Casimiro and Janelle Lord receiving and setting the ball, but BTL dominated: 25-21.
Sagitun & All Stars
win in FFB President’s Cup football Ladyville, August 3, 2014 Sagitun and the Belize District All Stars both posted big wins in Week 11 of the FFB President’s Cup football competition over the weekend; while Benque United and San Antonio FC also won by default. In Ladyville, the Belize District All Stars hosted Roaring Creek United for 4-2 blowout. Brian Martinez scored first for the hosts in the 3rd minute, but Roaring Creek’s Kenney Williams equalized in the 5th minute. Delroy “Thinman” Andrews scored Belize District’s 2nd goal in the 14th minute, but again Orin Reneau equalized for the visitors in the 31st minute for a 2-2 draw at the half. In the 2nd half, Albert Thurton headed in the 3rd goal to finish a free kick by Andrews in the 48th minute. Belize’s midfielders Dalton “Chicken” Cayetano, Jason “Paxon” Young and Mark “Kelo” Leslie looked for more goals, but it was Brian Martinez who delivered the coup de grace in the 89th minute for the 4-2 win. At the Michael Ashcroft Stadium in Independence on Saturday night, Sagitun drilled Progresso 3-1. Rollin Burgess scored Sagitun’s 1st goal in the 4th minute, but Marlon Miranda equalized for Progresso in the 35th minute. Ashley Torres scored Sagitun’s 2nd goal in the 40th minute and Dellon Torres put the game on ice with a 3rd goal in the 74th minute.
BTL’s Emily Turner sets a play
Team Santino’s James Frampton wins Weekend Warriors’ cycle race
Brian Martinez scored the 4th goal
Other games: Benque United vs. Estrellas FC – 3-0 San Antonio vs. Pomona – 3-0 Upcoming games: Ladyville vs. Sagitun Progresso FC vs. Estrellas FC San Antonio vs. Roaring Creek Benque United vs. Pomona
Belize City, August 3, 2014 Team Santino’s James Frampton won the Weekend Warriors’ A category the race on the Philip Goldson and George Price Highways on Sunday, August 3, while Team BCB/FT Williams’ Lawrence Tesecum won the B category race and Stationery House’s Ingmar Perrera won the C category race. The A and B categories rode 40 miles from the Crooke Tree junction on the Philip Goldson Highway, through the Burrell-Boom Hattieville bypass to the George Price Highway to the finish line in front of Leslie’s Imports, while the C Category rode 30 miles staring from the Sand Hill junction with the Maskall road. Week 2 of the race series continues on Sunday, August 10 with a ride from La Democracia on the George Price Highway to the Sibun Bridge on the Hummingbird Highway and return to finish in Armenia Village.
A Category 1st James Frampton – Team Santino’s – 1:59:10 2nd Mark Gentle – BCB/F.T. Williams 3rd Barney Brown – Team Scotiabank 4th Wilbert Jones - Benny’s Megabytes 5th Colin Maheia - BCB/F.T. Williams B Category 1st Lawrence Tesecum - BCB/F.T.
James Frampton won the “A” Category Williams - 2:06:15 2nd Francis Cassasola – Team Santino’s 3rd Ray Cattouse – Stationery House 4th Nehru Gilharry – Team Santino’s 5th Isaiah Willacey – Team Digicel 4G 6th Santino “Chief” Castillo – Team Santino’s C Category 1st Ingmar Perrera – Stationery House/Medina’s Jewelry - 1:33:36 2nd Elton Robinson – Team Big Blade 3rd Curtis Bradley – BCB/F.T. Williams 4th Camille Solis – Team Lampaz 5th Glen Sheppard – Team Big Blade 6th Frank “Buttah” Ferguson – Team Santino’s 7th Denys Barrow – Team Lampaz 8th Dennis Mckoy 9th Sheldon Arnold 10th Valentine Sosa – Truckers Posse
10 10 AUG AUG
THE BELIZE THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES
2014 2014
11 SPORTS 11
Atlantic Bank, Complex Admirals, COURTS & BWS win in Firms basketball Belize City, August 3, 2014 The Atlantic Bank, Belize Water Services, COURTS Belize and the Complex Admirals all posted big wins in the Belize City firms’ 2nd round of basketball competition at Bird’s Isle on Friday and Saturday, August 1-2. Atlantic Bank vs. BTL Digicel 4G – 60-56 Top scorers: Ty Bradley, 25 pts; Lupito Acosta, 18pts BWS vs. Belize Bank Bulldogs – 54-40 Top scorers: Luis Barcelona, 14pts; Terrique Gabb, 8pts Complex Admirals vs. Central Health Region – 66-57 Top scorers: Rhetton Belisle, 17pts; Alejandro Baptist, 19pts COURTS vs. Heritage Heats – 54-50 Top scorers: Keith Pollard/Jamal Pollard, 15pts; Devon Defour, 14pts
Atlantic’s Ian Lennon scored 16pts
Orchid Girls
stop Arrows Reloaded 16-14 Sand Hill, August 3, 2014 The Burrell Boom Orchid Girls spanked Bermudian Landing’s Arrows Reloaded 16-14 in the Belize Rural women’s softball competition at Sand Hill Village on Sunday afternoon. Kelsey Robinson led the Orchid Girls’ attack with 4 runs, while Sabrina Campos and Lynese Alvarez scored 3 runs a-piece, Rebecca Nicholson and Kristy Terry scored 2 runs apiece while Arneek Baptist and Mardy Nicholson scored a run each. Arrows’ Malthia Garbutt and Turcia Ferguson scored 3 runs apiece, while Dian Baldwin and Georgia Joseph scored 2 runs each and Cindy Mae Lodge, pitcher Shana Avilez, Trecia Joseph and Marilee Garbutt scored a run apiece. In the male competition, Willows Bank men clobbered Bermudian landing 18-zip led by pitcher Milton Flores who struck out 6 batters. Milton Flores, Shaquille Moody and Brian Cassasola scored 3 runs each and Carlyon Flores, Earl Weir, Patrick Rowland, Norman Rivers and Derek Mcfadzean scored 2 runs apiece.
Mardy Nicholson hit 1 run
Arrows’ Shana Avilez
Vince Estrada scored 6pts
CUSTOMS TAKE ON BEL POWERSOcKETS IN SOFTbAll FINAlS Belize City, August 2, 2014 The Customs/Central Bank will challenge the 3x champs BEL Powersockets in the 2014 Belize City interoffice softball championship finals at the Rogers Stadium on Friday, August 2 as both teams eliminated their rivals in 2 games each of playoffs over the weekend. Customs/Central Bank pulled a huge upset against the Guardian/NSC by a 13-6 mercy rule victory on Saturday night. Kay Mcfadzean led the Customs’ attack with three runs, while Kareem Michael, Luis Alpuche, and Marlon Garnett each scored two runs, and Gilroy Gordon, Elbert Neal, Shannon Gordon and pitcher Carol Leslie scored one run each. The Custom hitters collected 16 hits off the Guardian pitchers, even though they left seven runners on base. Shane Williams had led Guardian’s attack, scoring two runs, while Rodney Lord, Shaquille Moody, Charlie Slusher and Brian “Yellowman” Audinett each scored once. The Powersockets stunned the Belize Bank bulldogs 13-7 by mercy rule on Friday night, Jason Bennett scored for BEL in the bottom of the first, but the Bulldogs led 2-1 when Mike Rivero and Kenroy Young scored in the top of the second inning. The Bulldogs extended their lead 5-2 as Rivero, Norman Middleton and Young scored in the top of the third inning, but only Reynaldo Duran scored for BEL in the bottom of the third.
BEL’s Melissa Foreman pitches Shane Pollard for the Bulldogs in the top of the fourth, but BEL took over the lead 10-6 in the bottom of the fourth inning as Duran, Denise Gillett, Godsden Ferguson, Greg Kerr, Melissa Foreman, Glenford “Mac-10” Flowers, pitcher Sylvan Sutherland and Stacey Wade scored. The game was called by mercy rule when Miriam Dawson, Flowers, Foreman and Sutherland scored in the bottom of the sixth inning. Other matches: Powersockets vs. Bulldogs 10-7 Customs/ Central Bank vs. Guardian/NSC - 16-14
12
THE BELIZE TIMES
10 AUG
2014
FRANCIS FONSECA
REAL: not imitation or artificial; genuine
FRANCIS is a REAL LEADER
He cares for Belize and is committed to working to improve the lives of Belizeans.
FRANCIS HAS A VISION FOR BELIZE #real.change.now.
10 AUG
2014
THE BELIZE TIMES
13
DEAN BARROW
FAKE: a thing that is not genuine; false or a sham
DEAN is a FAKE
After 7 years of Dean and the UDP in office Belize has become worst.
DEAN DOES NOT CARE FOR BELIZEANS
Thanks to Dean more Belizeans are poor and jobless than ever before
#dean.is.fake
14
THE BELIZE TIMES
Scales of JUSTICE
by anthony sylvestre
Dangerous for Belize We are happy that our hardworking resilient brothers and sisters at BML will no longer be persecuted. For persecution was what they were being subjected to ever since they were hauled off en-masse from the bus near the Queen Street Police station a little after 9:00 a.m. Monday morning August 4th. Thereafter they were crammed in the holding cells at the Queen Street Police station for over 10 hours in conditions that many expressed outrage about following their release. The images of the workers crammed in the cells of course also went viral on Facebook and other social media. All of this was done to them, merely because they went en-masse in front of the City Hall and expressed their outrage with the Mayor, and understandably so. The Mayor’s refusal to pay BML monies owed to it put the managers of that company in a precarious position: they could not pay their workers. The workers decided to take matters in their own hands: confront the Mayor, who was “playing” with their livelihood. For this, as said before, the BML workers were persecuted. They were all detained for over ten agonizing hours in an extremely hot cell when there was no reason for this. One of the workers described what they went through best: Helen Samuels, Sanitation Worker “We get lock down da piss house from yesterday…from nine o’clock yesterday till nine o’clock last night…some of we gat asthma, we pressure raise, dey one deh look fu faint weh inna the cell, we vomit up… weh wrong with dey people. Da soh they wah handle the
poor people deh? They can’t handle we soh. We da poor people. Yu hafto look out fu the poor people.” They could have all been sent home with a warning. Or they could have all been processed much quicker and taken to court and allowed to go home. But the authorities, it was clear, had to prove a point. They would let these BML workers know who ran the city: and so, they would be kept there. And it is also clear that had it not been for public pressure which was building up outside the Queen Street police station, the workers perhaps would not have been released at all and spent the night in the holding cell. After an entire day in lock up the workers were informed that they had to return to court the following day to be arraigned (read their charge by the magistrate). This process took another entire day, as the workers were not arraigned until after three the following day. So two days of work was lost for this minor infraction. Thing is, what these workers do on a daily basis can never be over-stated. Most of them rise at around 3:00 in the morning and leave the safety of their family and home to set out on a day’s work keep our city clean and habitable. In more developed countries, they would be paid much better; yet, they toil and work without complaint of this fact. And this is the thanks Darrell Bradley and the police repaid them with on Monday. These matters, of course, created a political crisis for Dean Barrow and the UDP on the Southside of the city. After all, these BML workers are voters too, many of them, strong supporters of the UDP. Indeed, the newscasts showed several
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2014
of the workers showing their index fingers stained with redink as they had, less than 12 hours earlier, gone and participated in the UDP City Council convention held at the ITVET on Sunday. So the matter, as said, created unease for the UDP politicians in the CityBarrow, Boots, Faber, Finnegan, King and Longsworth. Dean Barrow therefore had to do damage control. He was flanked at his press conference on Wednesday by no less than his Southside ground general, Boots Martinez, whose constituency most of the BML chanced on Monday come from. Barrow announced that his central government would step in to sort out the financial crisis and assist with payments to BML. Now, as Minister of Finance, this was within his remit, something he could do. But then, he continued, explaining that he called Edward Broaster and that the police would withdraw the charges against the BML workers. And this is where it became clear, that Barrow has lost it and that he will do
anything to keep his political currency. Any first year law student will tell you that once a person is charged and before is the court, only the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) can direct that charges be dropped. No minister (it doesn’t matter if he is the Prime one) can call a police officer and request (which is code for instruct) him to drop charges. This is unheard of in a real democracy. And the reason is simple. For if this were permissible, the same way he can call and instruct the police to drop charges for his political benefit, he can call the police and instruct them to lay charges, if it suits him politically. This is stuff which is done only in dictatorships which we read about in history, the likes of the Papa Docs and the Saddam Husseins. Some years back, before the 2008 general elections, the PUP had warned the country that Barrow is dangerous for Belize. Wednesday Barrow reminded us (though we needed no such reminder) of how dangerous he is.
PUP NOTICE
PUP NOTICE
Municipal Elections
Standard Bearer Albert Constituency
- Councillor Candidates -
San Ignacio/Santa Elena Towns The People’s United Party is inviting persons who are interested in contesting the upcoming San Ignacio/ Santa Elena Town Council Elections to submit their applications. Completed applications must be returned to the Secretariat by 4:00pm on Friday, August 22nd, 2014. The date of the Convention is Sunday, October 12th 2014. Applications are available from Constituency Executive Members or the PUP Secretariat, Independence Hall, #3 Queen Street, Belize City.
The People’s United Party is inviting persons who are interested in contesting the upcoming General Elections as the PUP Standard Bearer for the Albert constituency to submit their applications. Applications are available from Constituency Executive Members or the PUP Secretariat, Independence Hall, #3 Queen Street, Belize City. Completed applications must be returned to the Secretariat by 4:00pm on Friday, August 15th, 2014.
10 AUG
THE BELIZE TIMES
2014
In my perspective Life is so unfair, but for some it’s never been better!
By Rayford Young My recent visit to Belize was probably the most enjoyable and I was able to do quite a lot of traveling and enjoyed the beauty of our Country. After so many years I was able to visit Chetumal and boy, what a change from the days when I was a youngster growing up in Corozal! Chetumal is like any major city in the USA with huge stores like Walmart and Sams making it an attractive place for so many Belizeans to visit and shop. I was able to visit Cayo many times, Corozal, Orange Walk, Caye Caulker and even went over to Melchor in Guatemala. Belize City is coming along nicely with the paved streets especially Central American Boulevard. It will be a great improvement to the traveling public when completed. The BTL Park is finished and looking very nice. People are out every day walking as I did or just sitting enjoying the cool breeze. Yes there has been some progress but what’s on so many Belizeans’ minds is the high crime rate. Too many of our young people are dying in the streets for no good reason and no one seems to have a solution for these senseless murders. The Prime Minister and the Minister of National Security are silent on this issue and for good reason. These random shootings are hard to solve so for now they ignore the problem hoping it will fade into the sunset like everything else. Despite some progress another major problem facing so many Belizeans is unemployment. Too many people cannot find a job. For the last seven years this has been a major problem for this administration and they just don’t know how to create jobs or how to attract businesses to this Country. I was at home in Belize City one evening and a young kid stopped by and asked me if he could pick up the trash in my yard. As I looked around there wasn’t too much trash to pick up but knowing that the young man needed some cash I told him to go ahead. In less than five minutes he returned wanting his pay. I thanked him and he moved along. The second day the same kid was back asking if he could clean the yard again. I reminded him he just cleaned it yesterday. I could see the disappointment in his face so I gave him a few dollars. The third day the same kid showed up again. This time I had to tell him that he was abusing my kindness and I’ll give him something but this was the last. Early one morning I was at the Radisson picking up some breakfast sandwiches and as I was leaving a young kid approached me wanting to know if he could recite a poem for me. Right away I knew this was not about a poem but about money. I told him sure and he did a super good job. I didn’t quite un-
derstand much of what he said as the creole is different now than when I was growing up, especially when it’s spoken fast. I thanked him and gave him some money for his effort. His parents were sitting in their car watching their youngster perform. Then there’s the washing of cars. I always go to the Bliss area to have my car washed but it’s always a challenge who to chose to wash my car. Sometimes it almost comes to blows between the guys jockeying for these jobs. But people have to do what they have to do to earn some money so they can survive in an economy that is under-performing. Then it seems like everyone I know is a security guard. Belize has so many security guards because of the high crime. These jobs are very low paying jobs and extremely boring. You sit, stand and sit for ten hours a day six days a week for about $150.00 a week. But again that’s the only job people can find at this moment. Then there’s a lot of talk about these Call Centers coming to Belize. These are low paying very stressful, high turnover jobs that China and India are giving up. I’m not suggesting we should not go after these jobs but these are not the kind of jobs Belizeans need so they can earn a living wage. We cannot build a 21st century economy on poems, security guards and washing cars. We need jobs that will lift people into the middle class so they can go out to restaurants and travel abroad and buy cars and flat screens, etc. For too long our people have been struggling to pay the rent and buy food while the politicians are living large off the tax payers - living in mansions and driving SUV’s and having bank accounts abroad. Grown men have to go and sit all day doing nothing as a security guard just so they can have a few dollars at the end of the week. While I was in Belize one politician and his family was in London for the games. While his people are struggling to make ends meet, he and his family are enjoying the best of life at the expense of the Belizean people. This is life in Belize. So while we have a few paved roads, life is harder than ever for too many. Life seems so unfair for too many while others have it so good and don’t know what it’s like to be hungry or lose your dignity because you can’t find a decent job. Life is so unfair, but for others it’s never been better. “It’s our time” said one Belizean politician. It’s our time. When will it ever be the people’s time? Rayford Young is a Belizean-American, who currently lives in Michigan, U.S.A. Send comments to rayfordyoung@comcast.net
15
CitCo and Police trample on the rights of BML and its employees
By Gilroy Usher, Sr. The treatment of Belize Maintenance Limited (BML) and its employees by the Belize City Council and the Police for standing up for their rights is totally unfair, distasteful, and appalling. On Tuesday forty-one employees of the company were taken to Court for taking part in a protest in front of City Hall and littering the area with garbage. This situation developed as a result of two things: first, the Council’s refusal to make proper arrangements to pay BML over $1.5m for 19 weeks of arrears that would enable them to pay its employees, and second, although the council has decided not to renew its sanitation contract with BML when it expires in January 15, it has refused to meet with the employees to discuss the future of their jobs when it begins cleaning the city itself at that time. During the peaceful protest the Mayor refused to meet with either the management of BML or its employees to reach a compromise on the issue. He has insisted that the council isn’t responsible for their problem. The Mayor said that since BML was aware that payment from the council wasn’t forthcoming on a regular basis, “just as how the City Council is planning, it needs to plan” how to pay its employees and keep its operation going. That’s the height of arrogance. How can the council hire BML to do a job, not pay it for weeks, and then turn around and blame the company for not having the funds to pay its employees? The Mayor was equally cold with the employees saying, “Those people,
while I am sympathetic with them, are not City Council employees. You work for a company that has a contract with the Belize City Council. That contract is coming to an end. Part of the responsibility is saying that some of the workers we can take on, not all of them, but we haven’t reached that point yet and also that you as a worker need to think what you are going to do when January 2015 comes up.” With that statement the Mayor tried to absolve himself and the Council from any responsibility for the fate of the BML employees, who cannot provide food and other basic things for their families due to nonpayment at the end of their work week. To add insult to injury despite the protest, the Mayor dismissed the urgency of paying BML the long overdue arrears which it needs to pay its employees in stating that he will pay the sanitation company whenever the council has the money. That approach of my way or the highway is no way to reach an amicable solution to any dispute. That is also dreadful news for the employees of BML as the company will have to send more of them home, if it doesn’t receive payment from the council on its arrears shortly. It should be noted that while the Mayor says that it’s too burdensome to pay BML for its sanitation service, the entire contract was negotiated between BML and the previous UDP Belize City Council with Zenaida Moya as the Mayor and then attorney Darrel Bradley as the Council’s legal advisor. Most employees of BML are grassroots single mothers, who earn approximately $150 dollars per week to care for their families. You can therefore imagine the financial hardship many families will face when all 41 employees of BML who participated in the impromptu protest at City Hall are charged $500 each. The massive arrest, jailing and prosecution of protesting BML employees also smacks of selective punishment. That’s because when a group of people spontaneously blocked Regent St. in front of the Supreme Court to protest the terrible crime situation in the city, none of them was arrested, jailed, or prosecuted.
16
THE BELIZE TIMES
Home Economics The building of a vibrant youth-oriented economy By Richard Harrison The population of Belize in July 2013 was estimated at 334,297 persons. Of this, 56.9% or 190,215 persons were under the age of 24, and 35.8% at the age of 14 or under. A youthful and vibrant economy should be seen, felt, heard, smelt and tasted with the vast majority of the young people positively engaged among their peers and with the rest of society and a wide range of avenues for participation in education, socio-cultural activities, sports, business, employment, charity, arts and talent development, entertainment, spiritual development, leisure, travel and exposure, rest and recreation…and where necessary, rehabilitation. If Belize viewed itself as one organization….then the youth would be like the new and future workers who will grow up within and eventually manage the organization in the future. Like any other organization, it would invest as much as it can in building this resource so that it can have the greatest fighting chance to grow within the organization, developing a range of skill sets that allow everyone who wants to, to participate in helping the organization to achieve its ambitious PLANS and objectives….and allowing those who demonstrate the best leadership potential to rise in the organization… and eventually take up the mantle. Youth unemployment is 19.5%, with 13.8% for males and 28.8% for females. 76.9% of persons over 15 are literate, as in able to read and write….which means that 23.1% are illiterate, and likely unskilled…or almost 1 out of every four persons of working age. There is a plethora of organizations oriented to youth….from sex education, to vocational training, drug education and rehabilitation, peer and professional counseling, entrepreneurial skills development, sporting, cultural and artistic expression (as in arts, dance, music, etc), charity and volunteer opportunities, religious/spiritual development opportunities, environmental and ecological awareness and exposure opportunities, among others. These efforts need double the investment, or another 20 million annually….half from the public and half from a more robust private sector. Below are some general observations, analysis, conclusions and recommendations that could make the economy more vibrant and youth-oriented: I. NATIONAL VISION – PLAN The lack of a widely accepted national economic development plan is hurting not only the youth, but every actor in the economy. Government is so big in the economy….accounting for anywhere from 30 percent to over 50 percent of the economy….that since there is no national plan to stick to…when governments change, it changes even who can buy pampers. Even with no change of government, there can be overnight changes to laws, policies and practices, with far
reaching consequences, including who become winners and losers, since most government decisions and actions are in response to special interest lobby or pressure. In many cases taking from Peter to give Paul. Without a national economic development plan adopted by the major political forces as their blue print everyone is at higher risk but especially the youth who are at the bottom of the economic ladder. The development and adoption of such a plan would allow the entrepreneurs to better choose where to invest, to increase the scale and scope of their investments and to make better forecasts for those investments, reducing overall country risk and allowing/challenging financial institutions to be able to work with lower interest rates and longer terms and even to work with alternative means of collateral. It would also help give direction to the youth in making more realistic choices for relevant education and skills training, for leadership preparation, investment planning and execution, and most importantly, determining what role they can and should play in the economy, other than as consumers. Elsewhere, I have made recommendations for fiscal reforms that would make Belize much more competitive and productive, with a robust private sector and middle-class, which should be the horse, chariot and warrior of our blazing, vibrant, youth-oriented, long-term economic strategy. II. THE ROLE OF HOME CONSTRUCTION AND IMPROVEMENT ‘Errors’ that were made in efforts to grow the home construction and improvement sector do not preclude the important role that this sector can and should play in our economy. We already know that governments should not get directly involved in anything that can be done efficiently and effectively by private citizens….this is a basic premise of the mixed economy…which should be the driving economic philosophy that guides our thoughts and actions on the economy. Government should act as regulator and facilitator in this sector, rather than as planner and executor. This is the avenue through which the youth can and should build collateral rapidly. The income of the vast majority of our youth range from BZ$150-250 per week. Thus monthly mortgage payments need to fall within this range…. so that housing costs are around 25% of monthly income. With this formula, the demand for new homes with land titles valued at between BZ$50 - 100,000 would increase by 20,000 overnight….financed at 6.25% p.a. over 30 years….requiring BZ$1.5 billion in new home mortgage financing over the next 10 years. This amount of money can and should come from the private banks and credit unions….and from workers’ participation in the ownership of a Workers Bank of Belize (WBB)…a natural
evolution of the National Bank of Belize Ltd. (NBB), buttressed with government residential land transfers through grants. Pooling of local resources is a much more stable, long-term means of financing home mortgages than debts and supplier credits, as is currently the positive experiment at the NBB. The Belize diaspora should be allowed and encouraged to participate in the ownership of the WBB. Public sector debts alone will never be able to realize this scale and scope of new home construction and improvement… without causing us other problems with the fundamentals of the economy….and most of all, does not allow for the kind of empowerment that the people need to build things other than homes that the country requires to transform itself into a vibrant youth-oriented economy. Even if the roll-out is only 3000 new mortgages per year, it offers the potential to add 6,000 new permanent jobs to the economy….especially relieving pressure on the illiterate, unskilled and semiskilled….with around 78 million dollars per year going into their hands….mostly accruing to the youth population....which would ripple across the economy to grow all other sectors....especially more local construction materials that should be given preference by law, policy and practice. As an alternative to BIL, set up to build expensive, unnecessary buildings in all major towns with no return-on-investment criteria….consideration should be given to forming a group of south-side Belize City business leaders...who would be encouraged and facilitated with forming an Urban Development Corporation, which should focus on rebuilding their neighborhoods using the lessons learned from such efforts as Rebuild South-Central Los Angeles…including creative provisions for local ownership. We should think about the investment as a sort of compensation for the many years of neglect that has created this depressed corner of our economy. Thus, the youth will gain from cash for their labor….and the capital gains converted in growing collateral as they make monthly payments to their mortgages….. but more importantly, they will be building self-esteem, self-worth, self-confidence and all that comes along with those. The political leaders owe it to the youth of Belize to come together and agree on a national economic plan…. which is the only way that this proposed strategy could be realized. The youth and youth-oriented organizations should organize themselves, to demand that this plan be adopted at least one year before the 2017 general elections….and threaten to boycott the polls in mass if this demand is not met. III. FEMALE UNEMPLOYMENT The 28.8 percent female unemployment is a luxury the country is not able to afford. This is so important an issue that it requires a rapid assessment of the nature of this unemployment….so that realistic and practical projects and programs can be directed towards this deficiency of the economy. While we wait for the results of such scientific in-depth study…which should not take more than three months to complete….allow me to make four assumptions based on observation…..1. that the rate of youth female unemployment is much higher than the total female unemployment , in all categories of unskilled, semi-skilled , high school, sixth form and
10 AUG
2014
university graduates 2. That a major contributor to this has to do with pregnancy, childbirth and early care, mostly outside formal family structures 3. That much has to do with mismatch of education/skill sets with the jobs types that the economy is creating and/or the mismatch of the location where the job is and where the suitable person reside 4. That the solution to this will involve, among other things, increasing allowance for part-time jobs and scheduling, such as would allow young single mothers to only work 4-6 hours per day, for 3-5 days per week…. which would require a major push to educate and encourage employers about the need for this adjustment. The government could provide the incentive of paying the social security contributions for qualified employees employed under these conditions, as an incentive for the employer to appropriate for the administrative and cost adjustments required. Major investments that should be encouraged and which would open up new opportunities for female employment are garment industry for uniforms, bed covers, curtains, etc, agro-industry and especially processing, biscuits and snacks manufacturing of all kinds, home-based hand-made arts and craft production pooling for local and export market with centralized e-marketing and sales, self-employment in such sector as alternative public transportation via targeted financing of Bajaj three wheelers and golf-carts taxis, much more sophisticated investment and management in the beauty and fashion industry, forging stronger linkages to the more successful agencies in the developed markets, and investments in environment protection and sustainable development projects that involve young people, especially women…such as massive reforestation of riparian and pine forests, and propagation and planting of timber and flowering forest species. The raising of minimum wage hurts unskilled women more than anyone else…because a lot of the domestic employment that they would otherwise get is not there. What minimum wage ‘experts’ failed to take into account….is that domestic workers get at least one meal at the home where they work, and some get two meals….which makes up for more than the meagre increase in minimum wage. At least another 2,000 middle class families would be willing and able to afford domestic help if the minimum wage for domestic workers were 2 BZ dollars per hour….with a lower social security contribution for this category of employee. Our vibrant youth-oriented economy should be realistically as much about what employers are willing and able to afford…as about our ambitions and desire for what employees should earn….it should not only take salary into account, but also benefits, such as meals, pick-up from home and drop-off from work, training, exposure, insurance, uniforms, etc. Richard Harrison is a local businessman and investor in the manufacturing and service industries. Mr. Harrison holds a Masters in Business Administration degree from Lancaster University, United Kingdom. Send comments to harrisonbz@yahoo.com
10 AUG
2014
Reid The economics of Barrow & Bradley By G. Michael Reid “If the Treasury were to fill old bottles with banknotes, bury them at suitable depths in disused coalmines which are then filled up to the surface with town rubbish, and leave it to private enterprise on well-tried principles of laissez-faire to dig the notes up again (the right to do so being obtained, of course, by tendering for leases of the note-bearing territory), there need be no more unemployment and, with the help of the repercussions, the real income of the community, and its capital wealth also, would probably become a good deal greater than it actually is. It would, indeed, be more sensible to build houses and the like; but if there are political and practical difficulties in the way of this, the above would be better than nothing.” ~ Book 3, Chapter 10, Section 6 pg.129 “The General Theory…” In his 1936 book “The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money”, British economist John Maynard Keynes presented the theories that formed the basis for what was to become the popular economic strategy that bore his name. The whole concept of Keynesian economics is quite complex, and not being an economist I will not claim to fully understand, nor will I attempt to explain. Suffice to say, Keynes (rhymes with brains) felt that it was not only government’s responsibility but in government’s best interest to create jobs, even if those jobs were meaningless. Keynes economics took traction during the Great Depression and served as the standard economic model for many of the developed nations up until and around the time of the oil embargo and resulting stagflation of 1973. The advent of the global financial crisis in 2008 caused resurgence in Keynesian thought and interestingly enough, 2008 was also the year that saw the emergence of Dean Oliver Barrow as Prime Minister of Belize. Keynes solution for stimulating an economy was through some combination of two approaches; a reduction in interest rates and Government investment in infrastructure. Judging from what we have seen so far, it is fair to
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THE BELIZE TIMES
say that Mr. Barrow has wholly embraced the Keynesian principle. He has invested heavily in infrastructure and has created a National Bank in an attempt to influence a downward turn of interest rates from the commercial banks. Keynesian economics is risky however, and usually results in huge fiscal deficits. While the developed nations have the ability to print their way out of such financial deficits, Belize can only borrow. As it is, Belize is in a deep financial rut which caused the IMF to send a serious note of warning. Mr. Barrow has given them the finger but make no mistake, Belize is in trouble. Interestingly enough, at the local government level, Belize City mayor Darrell Bradley seems to have gone in different direction. He seems to think that raising taxes and firing people is the way
line with the Classical Economics school of thought, the apparently confused mayor has decided to now tax and downsize his way out of his debts and depression. This would seem to put Bradley’s local government plans at complete odds with the policies of Barrow’s central government. At the end of the day, it seems that Barrow has plunged headlong into a pecuniary plan that could produce some very undesirable results while Bradley seems to have taken an equally deleterious path of making things up as he goes along. In the end, both seem to be digging themselves, and the rest of us, into some very deep holes. Both men are lawyers and neither are economists so as can be expected they are both better at talking and tricking their way out of situations than working and thinking out of problems. We the people unfortunately, are too easily had and make it way too easy for them. Darrell Bradley appeared on Krem’s WUB talk show on Tuesday morning and after a full three hours of almost non-stop talking, still wound up saying absolutely nothing. He was there to explain his decision to retrench over a hundred workers that will be out of a job when the Belize Management Limited (BML) contract comes to an end in January. According to the mayor, these people aren’t his respon-
has been able to do so with much less revenue at their disposal. Under Darrell Bradley, property tax has gone up, business tax has gone up and just about every other license and fees charged by the city has gone up. Working with a friendly central government, Bradley has also received much assistance from that end. Bradley claims that a lot of the money he receives goes to a “sinking fund” to service his municipal bond. Should this not have been a consideration then, before venturing into this extravagant squandering of money? These cement streets are yet to pass the test of time and many are already breaking up in some very key areas. There was also very little consideration given to drainage and the slightest of drizzle cause unhealthy and problematic flooding throughout the city. Did we really get value for money? To his credit, host Mose Hyde pulled no punches and put the tough questions to the mayor. Unfortunately, Bradley bobbed and weaved and ducked the entire morning and in the end, very few answers were given. He spent a lot of time praising the host and declaring how much he loved to be on the show. According to Bradley, it is the only place where he gets to have meaningful conversation on the issues. One wonders what is really discussed in Council meetings and how much respect Bradley has for his ten useless councilors. The question was asked about the need for those very councilors who each receive a grand salary and perks while still holding other jobs. According to mayor, if we want to change that and other things that we see wrong in our society, we need to be vigilant and impassioned like the BML workers. Of course, all that the BML workers got were fines and confinement and really; are we to expect the same? There is an old quote from Keynes that seem to fit this situation; “When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do?” The facts have changed for Barrow, Bradley and for Belize. Let us make the necessary change and free ourselves from these incompetent despots. GOD bless Belize!
According to the mayor, these people aren’t his responsibility and the job that they do, should not be paid for by his council. According to Bradley, building streets is his first and seemingly only priority. to get his council out of the doldrums that he himself has caused. Darrell Bradley, cheered on by Barrow, floated a municipal bond and proceeded on a cementing tear. Barrow himself has thrown another twenty million into the city’s kitty and all told, Bradley has poured some fifty million dollars worth of concrete into the city streets. This would have seemed in line with Mr. Barrow’s plans and policy but then Bradley took an about turn. More in
sibility and the job that they do, should not be paid for by his council. According to Bradley, building streets is his first and seemingly only priority. This begs the question then as to who really gets credit for building these streets, since Mr. Barrow keeps pointing to them as his crowning accomplishment. Bradley keeps repeating that his council cannot afford to pay for sanitation. Interestingly enough, every previous mayor
18
THE BELIZE TIMES
10 AUG
2014
GOVERNMENT OF BELIZE MINISTRY OF WORKS AND TRANSPORT CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING STUDY FIFTH ROAD (PHILLIP S.W. GOLDSON HIGHWAY UPGRADING) PROJECT REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST The Government of Belize (GOBZ) has received financing from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) in an amount equivalent to US$29,830,000 towards the cost of the Fifth Road (Phillip S.W. Goldson Highway Upgrading) Project and intends to apply a portion of the proceeds of this financing to eligible payments under a contract for which this invitation is issued. Payments by CDB will be made only at the request of GOBZ and upon approval by CDB, and will be subject in all respects to the terms and conditions of the Financing Agreement. The Financing Agreement prohibits withdrawal from the financing account for the purpose of any payment to persons or entities, or for any import of goods, if such payment or import, to the knowledge of CDB, is prohibited by a decision of the United Nations Security Council taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations. No party other than GOBZ shall derive any rights from the Financing Agreement or have any claim to the proceeds of the Financing. The Ministry of Works and Transport (MWT), the Executing Agency, wishes to procure consultancy services to undertake an Institutional Strengthening Study. The objective of the assignment study is to assist GOBZ to develop a comprehensive plan encompassing the organisational structure, legal framework, institutional and financing mechanisms for the efficient management and maintenance of public roads in Belize. It is expected that the consultancy services assignment will be completed over a sevenÂmonth period. MWT now invites interested eligible consulting firms to submit Expressions of Interest for the provision of these consultancy services. Consultants shall be eligible to participate if:
(a)
in the case of a body corporate, it is legally incorporated or otherwise organised in an eligible country, has its principal place of business in an eligible country and is more than 50 percent beneficially owned by citizen(s) and/or bona fide residents of eligible country(ies) or by a body(ies) corporate meeting these requirements.
(b)
in the case of unincorporated firms, the persons or citizens or bona fida residents of an eligible country; and
(c)
in all cases, the consultant has no arrangement and undertakes not to make any arrangements, whereby any substantial parts of the net profits or other tangible benefits of the contract will accrue or be paid to a person not a citizen or bona fide resident of an eligible country.
Eligible countries are member countries CDB. In the assessment of submissions, consideration will be given to technical competence, qualifications and experience, local and regional experience on similar assignments, financial capability and existing commitments. All information must be submitted in English. Further information may be obtained from the first address below between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. Two hard copies of the Statement of Capability must be received at the first address below no later than 10:00 a.m. on Friday, August 22, 2014, and one hard copy must be sent simultaneously to CDB at the second address below. The sealed envelope containing each submission should include the name and address of the applicant and shall be clearly marked “Consultancy Services for Institutional Strengthening Study, Fifth Road (Phillip S.W. Goldson Highway Upgrading) Project. Following the assessment of submissions, a short-list of not less than three and not more than six applicants will be provided with full terms of reference and invited to submit technical and financial proposals to undertake the assignments. GOBZ reserves the right to accept or reject late applications or to cancel the present invitation partially or in its entirety. It will not be bound to assign any reason for not short-listing any applicant and will not defray any costs incurred by any applicant in the preparation and submission of statements.
1. Project Execution Unit 2. Procurement Officer Project Service Division Ministry of Works & Transport Power Lane Caribbean Development Bank Belmopan P. O. Box 408, Wildey Cayo District St. Michael BELIZE C.A. BARBADOS, W.I. Tel: +501-822-0562 Fax: +501-822-0563 Email: peumow@yahoo.com
Tel: +246-431-1600 Fax: +246-426-7269
Email: procurement@caribank.org
10 AUG
2014
19
THE BELIZE TIMES For Sale By Order of the
The Tomorrow Syndrome For many people, ‘tomorrow’ is more than just a term describing the day after today. “I’ll do it tomorrow” has become synonymous with “This is never going to happen”. Time is short and to-do lists are long so it only makes sense that certain tasks are pushed to the back burner, the tomorrow pile. I can understand the ‘tomorrow’ excuse because I also feel that there are sometimes not enough hours in the day to accomplish everything I need to. Unfortunately, daily hassles often create a perfect environment for humans to distance themselves from God. It’s easy to discount the benefits that come with setting time aside for studying the Manual and prayer, when more pressing and tangible issues are on your mind. But never fear! There is a way to fight the tomorrow syndrome and this principle applies to all areas of life. Discipline. This cure for the tomorrow virus is not a new concept to us, but like common sense… it is not too common. Discipline is not just reserved for those in the military. In normal, everyday things of life, discipline is simply not eating that cheesecake slice because it’s unhealthy. Discipline is putting the car keys where they belong because you know if you don’t, you won’t remember where you put it. And for young people, discipline is as simple as keeping your room clean. The rigidity and uncompromising standards of discipline may appear overwhelming and even impossible, but we are already applying this principle in certain areas of our life. In the things that matter, discipline is not only a smart choice, but a necessary one. Think of your favorite actor, athlete, musician or singer. This person probably has superb skills in his or her area. We sit at home and watch them on the television screen and cannot help but esteem them. But our admiration is sometimes misplaced. We are often prone to inaccurate thinking, believing that these people are just “gifted”; as though they woke up one day and suddenly sang notes that could produce goose bumps on people’s skin or randomly picked up a basketball and could suddenly make every basket. I’ll let you in on a little secret. There is no such thing as a ‘gifted’ person. Everyone who has made it big put in the time to develop their ‘giftedness’. They’ve discovered and applied the principle of discipline. So maybe you’ve figured that placing your prayer and Bible study time in the evenings is not working because you’re always tired. Applying the principle of discipline would mean changing the schedule to include Manual study in the morning. Another hindrance could be your inability to be consistent. Applying discipline could mean including a friend or an accountability partner that will encourage you every day in your pursuit. If someone offered you a million dollars to simply study the Word every day, no matter how packed your schedule, I can guarantee you would have found a way to do it. Thankfully, the reward is so more than money. It is access to the unlimited funds of the Kingdom of Heaven. I encourage you to take important tasks off the tomorrow train by applying discipline and be blown away by the results. Until next week, God bless
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 9th day of December, 2003 between DARWIN REYMUNDO of Pomona Village, Stann Creek District, Belize of the one part, and Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., of the other part, and recorded in Deeds Book Vol. 45 of 2003 at Folios 339 – 366, 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. 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. SCHEDULE ALL THAT LEASEHOLD INTEREST IN ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Lot. No. 68 situate in Pomona Village, Del Oro Site, Stann Creek District, Belize and bounded as follows:- On the North for 15.238 metres by a street; On the South for 15.238 metres by now or formerly national lands; On the East for 30.476 metres by Lot. No. 69; On the West for 30.476 metres by Lot No. 67, Containing 461.849 square metres as shown on Plan No. 2175 at the Office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys TOGETHER with buildings and erections standing and being thereon. DATED this 30th day of July, 2014. MUSA & BALDERAMOS LLP 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorneys-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.
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 a Deed of Mortgage made the 14th day of March, 2008 between EMOGENE YOUNG RAMCLAM of Lord’s Bank Village, Ladyville, Belize District, Belize of the one part, and Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., of the other part, and recorded in Deeds Book Vol. 9 of 2008 at Folios 1359 – 1388, 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. 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. SCHEDULE ALL THAT LEASEHOLD INTEREST IN ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Lot No. 37 situate in the vicinity of Lord’s Bank Village, Belize District and bounded as follows: On the North for 27.423 Metres by 40 feet street; On the Northeast for 4.310 Metres by a Truncation; On the South for 30.475 Metres by Lot No. 38; On the East for 21.333 Metres by a 50 feet street; On the West for 24.380 Metres by Lot No. 36, containing 883.33 Square Yards of land as shown on Entry No. 6040, Register No. 23 at the office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon. DATED this 24th day of July, 2014. MUSA & BALDERAMOS LLP 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorneys-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.
20
THE BELIZE TIMES
10 AUG
2014
GOVERNMENT OF BELIZE MINISTRY OF WORKS & TRANSPORT CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISION FIFTH ROAD (PHILLIP S.W. GOLDSON HIGHWAY UPGRADING) PROJECT REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST The Government of Belize (GOBZ) has received financing from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) in an amount equivalent to US$29,830,000 towards the cost of the Fifth Road (Phillip S.W. Goldson Highway Upgrading) Project and intends to apply a portion of the proceeds of this financing to eligible payments under a contract for which this invitation is issued. Payments by CDB will be made only at the request of GOBZ and upon approval by CDB, and will be subject in all respects to the terms and conditions of the Financing Agreement. The Financing Agreement prohibits withdrawal from the financing account for the purpose of any payment to persons or entities, or for any import of goods, if such payment or import, to the knowledge of CDB, is prohibited by a decision of the United Nations Security Council taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations. No party other than GOBZ shall derive any rights from the Financing Agreement or have any claim to the proceeds of the Financing. The Ministry of Works and Transport (MWT), the Executing Agency, wishes to procure consultancy services to undertake the construction supervision of the Fifth Road (Phillip S. W. Goldson Highway Upgrading) Project. It is expected that the consultancy services assignment will be completed over a 36Âmonth period. MWT now invites interested eligible consulting firms to submit Expressions of Interest for the provision of these consultancy services. Consultants shall be eligible to participate if:
(a)
in the case of a body corporate, it is legally incorporated or otherwise organised in an eligible country, has its principal place of business in an eligible country and is more than 50 percent beneficially owned by citizen(s) and/or bona fide residents of eligible country(ies) or by a body(ies) corporate meeting these requirements.
(b)
in the case of unincorporated firms, the persons or citizens or bona fida residents of an eligible country; and
(c)
in all cases, the consultant has no arrangement and undertakes not to make any arrangements, whereby any substantial parts of the net profits or other tangible benefits of the contract will accrue or be paid to a person not a citizen or bona fide resident of an eligible country.
Eligible countries are member countries CDB. In the assessment of submissions, consideration will be given to technical competence, qualifications and experience, local and regional experience on similar assignments, financial capability and existing commitments. All information must be submitted in English. Further information may be obtained from the first address below between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. Two hard copies of the Statement of Capability must be received at the first address below no later than 10:00 a.m. on Friday, August 22, 2014, and one hard copy must be sent simultaneously to CDB at the second address below. The sealed envelope containing each submission should include the name and address of the applicant and shall be clearly marked “Consultancy Services for Construction Supervision, Fifth Road (Phillip S.W. Goldson Highway Upgrading) Project. Following the assessment of submissions, a short-list of not less than three and not more than six applicants will be provided with full terms of reference and invited to submit technical and financial proposals to undertake the assignments. GOBZ reserves the right to accept or reject late applications or to cancel the present invitation partially or in its entirety. It will not be bound to assign any reason for not short-listing any applicant and will not defray any costs incurred by any applicant in the preparation and submission of statements.
1. Project Execution Unit 2. Procurement Officer Project Service Division Ministry of Works & Transport Power Lane Caribbean Development Bank Belmopan P. O. Box 408, Wildey Cayo District St. Michael BELIZE C.A. BARBADOS, W.I. Tel: +501-822-0562 Fax: +501-822-0563 Email: peumow@yahoo.com
Tel: +246-431-1600 Fax: +246-426-7269
Email: procurement@caribank.org
10 AUG
21
THE BELIZE TIMES
2014
For Sale By Order of the
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 a Deed of Mortgage made the 3rd day of February, 2005 between JULIO C. VALDEZ JR. and ELSY E. HENRIQUEZ both of #6 11th Street, San Ignacio Town, Cayo District, Belize, of the one part, and Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., of the other part, and recorded in Deeds Book Vol. 5 of 2005 at Folios 527 – 596, 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. 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.
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 22nd day of May, 2012 between RAMONA COLEMAN of Big Falls, Toledo District, Belize of the one part, and Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., of the other part, and recorded in Deeds Book Vol. 13 of 2012 at Folios 1081 – 1130, 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. 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.
SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Lot No. 1685 (557.42 Square Metres) situate at San Ignacio Town Extension, Cayo District, Belize bounded and described as shown by Plan No. 733 of 2004 TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon. DATED this 30th day of July, 2014. MUSA & BALDERAMOS LLP 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorneys-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.
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:1) A Deed of Mortgage made the 17th day of March, 2010, between MARCIANA MCKOY of No. 7 Stadium Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District, Belize of the one part, and SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD., of the other part, and recorded in Deeds Book Vol. 9 of 2010 at Folios 1395 – 1420; THE SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Lot No. 319 comprising 694.44 square yards situate North of the Western Highway, near Mile 8½, Belize District, Belize bounded and described as shown by Plan No. 652 of 1998 attached to Minister’s Fiat (Grant) No. 652 of 1998 dated 29th June, 1998 TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon. 2) A Deed of Mortgage made the 13th day of April, 2010, between MARCIANA MCKOY, of No. 5 Stadium Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District, Belize of the one part and Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., of the other part, and recorded in Deeds Book Vol. 12 of 2010 at Folios 1397 – 1426; THE SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Lot No. 72 in the subdivision known as Los Lagos situate in the Mile 13 Area, Northern Highway, Ladyville, Belize District, as surveyed by Kenneth A. Gillett, Licensed Surveyor and recorded at the Office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys, Belmopan at Register 16 Entry 4460. The said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the properties described in the schedules hereto. All offers to purchase the said properties must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. DATED this 30th day of July, 2014. MUSA & BALDERAMOS 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorneys-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.
SCHEDULE All that piece or parcel of land containing 24 acres being Block No. 36A and situate North of the Big Falls Road, and East of the Punta Gorda-San Antonio Road, Toledo District and comprised in Minister’s Fiat Grant No. 142 of 1960 recorded and registered at the Survey Department, Belmopan City attached to the said property TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon. DATED this 30th day of July, 2014. MUSA & BALDERAMOS LLP 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorneys-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.
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 a Deed of Mortgage made the 22nd day of July, 2009 between WILFRED MUTRIE and ANNA M. RAMIREZ both of Hopeville Area, Punta Gorda Town, Toledo District, Belize of the one part, and Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., of the other part, and recorded in Deeds Book Vol. 18 of 2009 at Folios 1199 – 1230, 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. 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. SCHEDULE ALL THAT LEASEHOLD INTEREST IN ALL THAT lot piece or parcel of land being Lot. No. 117 situate in the Hopeville Area, Punta Gorda Town, Toledo District, Belize and bounded as follows:- On the North for 30.482 metres by Lot. No. 114; On the South for 30.482 metres by a portion of Lot No. 118; On the East for 19.408 metres by a street and on the West for 19.408 metres by Lot No. 116 containing 591.595 square metres of land as shown on Plan No. 2064 at the Office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon. DATED this 30th day of July, 2014. MUSA & BALDERAMOS LLP 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorneys-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.
22
THE BELIZE TIMES
10 AUG
2014
Mayor Bradley is Manuel Barrow!!
Darrell Bradley
Belize City, July 30, 2014 After spending $50 million dollars on a concreting project without a penny being publicly accounted for, Mayor Darrell Bradley seemed baffled, lost and hopeless by the recent surge in gang violence and senseless killings that is ravaging the city. Bradley, who was once touted as Dean Barrow’s mini-me because of his arrogance and flamboyant tongue-twisting use
of big words, is now displaying qualities and traits of not only one failed leader of the UDP but two! Like Dean Barrow, Bradley is a strong believer in nepotism. Remember his mother-in-law who received one of the prized booths out at the BTL park, where the rent is only $250.00 per month? And how can we forget Deon Leslie, a past, current and aspiring city councilor, who was given permission by Mayor Bradley to operate a liquor bar inside a park where children play? In defence of councilor Leslie, Bradley barefacedly lied to the nation when he said that in order for you to purchase liquor, you first had to purchase a meal. The hypocrisy and audacity of Bradley’s statement is that Deon Leslie’s bar doesn’t even sell meals! And how about Michael Theus, another of Mayor Bradley’s councilors who was gifted with a booth inside the park, while many business people could only dream of such a lucrative business operation had they known the rent
would only have been $250.00 per month. Can you say Martha Stewart? But aside from blatant nepotism and cronyism, Bradley has also been showing traits of another disgraced UDP politician, Manuel Esquivel. Bradley’s decision to increase property taxes by quadruple and trade licenses by triple reminds us of Manny’s dreaded 15% VAT, which crashed our economy in 1998. Like Esquivel, Bradley has been obsessed with concreting everything. Before vacating office Esquivel was proud of his bypass and overpass which many Belizeans now consider to be just plain, old madara$$. It is on these very concrete streets that blood is being shed on a daily basis while the cry of our people continues to be “We can’t eat street!!” But those cries are falling on deaf ears, as Bradley is now moving towards his final tribute to Manuel Esquivel by delivering the worst blow to 175 families by retrenching the employees of BML
Darrel Bradley Must Resign!!!
Continued from page 6 Bradley hung his head low as the Prime Minister Dean Barrow spun and juggled through the ugly situation created by the Mayor and turned it in favour of his own political fortunes at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon. Barrow, who seems to never know what his UDP politicians are doing, was dead set on teaching Bradley another tough lesson: that he is the boss. Following Monday’s protest, 41 employees of BML were dragged to the Queen Street Police Station where they were locked up by the Police. The Mayor, we are told, instructed his Officers to write tickets to each one for littering the streets with garbage and to force heavy fines on them. The workers spent the next 48 hours being dealt with as criminals and thugs as they were forced to appear at the Magistrate’s Court where charges were prepared. The Mayor attempted to do damage control by appearing on various media houses, but the more he spoke, the more cold and chancey he proved to be. He was adamant that he would
not sympathise with the workers as they wished. He showed no regret that his refusal to pay the company for services delivered would result in the workers’ loss of employment. He cared less that it meant that they would not be able to feed their families. The Mayor was also adamant that the BML protestors would have to pay the fines. He said that no political person would be allowed to intervene or reverse the decision to fine the BML workers. The Mayor seemed not to realise that he was only exacerbating the situation, turning himself public enemy number one, and affecting his party’s chances in an election just seven months away. Dean Barrow was somewhere, watching as the Mayor embarrassed himself and his party and brought chaos to Belize City, which the UDP considers a political stronghold. Fearing that things would get even more out of hand and turn politically dangerous, Barrow swooped in to the rescue. Barrow’s announcement on Wednesday afternoon was that he had im-
posed his authority over Mayor Bradley and the Police. Barrow said the BML workers would be set free and that despite the Mayor’s declarations against political intervention in the work of the Council, he has instructed that all fines and charges be removed from the workers. The Police were also to obey his orders. Barrow also declared that he would take on the financial responsibility of the City Coun-
cil, in regards to paying Belize Maintenance Limited on a weekly basis. Barrow said that he became involved because the situation had become “untenable and couldn’t be allowed to continue”. But he refused to accept that it was the Mayor’s doing. It was Darrell’s stubbornness and failure to meet his financial obligations that got him into this situation.
in the same fashion that Esquivel retrenched almost 1000 government officers in December of 1997. No new ideas. No new jobs. All that Mayor Bradley knows is what his disgraced leaders know: arrogance, nepotism, taxation and retrenchment. Heartlessness is in his blood. Mayor Bradley is the new Manuel Barrow.
Prayer to St. Jude May sacred heart of Jesus be Adored, Glorified, Loved and Preserved throughout the world, now and forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us; Saint Jude worker of miracles pray for us; Saint Jude Helper of the helpless, pray for us. J.B.
VACANCY
Worker Needed, Male ONLY. To work in fruit shop. Contact 620-0692. Ask for Juana.
Looking for a Job
I am looking for a job. Willing to do Babysitting or House Cleaning. Call me at 6627672, ask for Jacqueline.
10 AUG
THE BELIZE TIMES
2014
23
PUP Patchakan Executive Sworn In
PUP Corozal North PUP candidate, Mr. David Castillo, past PUP Area Representative, Mr. Valdemar Castillo and new members of the existing Patchakan PUP Committee Corozal District, August 4, 2014 This past Sunday, August 3, 2014, the People’s United Party (PUP) Patchakan Village steering committee along with the PUP Standard Bearer for Corozal North David Castillo held a meeting with party supporters. The meeting was well attended as the number of supporters almost doubled the numbers of all general meetings in the past years. The supporters arrived in numbers and expressed that the only
PUP supporters at special event
hope for Patchakan Village and Corozal North is David Castillo and the PUP. Following a brief address from the Standard Bearer, in which he spoke about his vision that includes the development of industries and creation of jobs in the area, the PUP Patchakan Steering Committee was officially sworn in by the Chairman of the Northern Caucus, Hon. Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez. Speakers at the event were also Mr. Gilberto Camal (Chairman, Corozal North), Mr. Valdemar Castillo (former Area Rep/Campaign Manager, Corozal
North). The Official PUP Committee for Patchakan is as follows: Chairman: Mr Hector Ruiz, Vice-chairman: Mr. Dorian Sanchez, Secretary: Mrs Yvette Martinez, Vice-Secretary: Miss Kenisha Cumul, Treasurer: Mrs. Noemi Posadas, Vice-Treasurer: Mrs. Maelly Eck, Senior Advisors: Mr. Mario Avila and Mr. Transito Carcamo, members: Mr. Sheran Yam, Mr. Rigoberto Escobar, Mr. Alberto Solis, Mr. Manuel Avila, Miss Maritsa Cantun, Mrs. Faustina Tush and Mrs. Teodora Ruiz.
Hon. Dolores assists Western Paradise Summer Camp 2014 Belize City, July 31, 2014 Belize Rural Central Area Representative Hon. Dolores Balderamos Garcia donated food to Mr. Leon Palacio, Camp Director of the Western Paradise Summer Camp 2014. In attendance are 55 children, 4 trained teachers, and several volunteers. Hon. Dolores also visited the camp and gave a pep talk, encouraging the participants to stay in school and reach not only for the stars but the entire universe
CARTOON
Hon. Dolores and childen of Western Paradise Summer Camp 2014
Special appreciation goes to all that came out and showed great support! The love shown to the Standard bearer for Corozal North, Mr. David Castillo, was overwhelming. There is hope for the people of Corozal North with MR. DAVID CASTILLO AS THEIR AREA REPRESENTATIVE AND THE HON. FRANCIS FONSECA AS THEIR PRIME MINISTER! There is hope for the people of Corozal North under THE PEOPLE’S UNITED PARTY!
24
THE BELIZE TIMES
10 AUG
2014