SCAN HERE
The Belize Times
Established 1957
17 AUGUST 2014 | ISSUE NO: 4908
The Truth Shall Make You Free
www.belizetimes.bz | $1.00
Crime - Barrow is to Blame Patrick Faber
Boots Martinez
Dean Barrow and these 5 UDP ministers have presided over the 6 constituencies which have seen the most violent crimes in recent times. Yet the UDP ministers have done nothing about it.
Murdered Cycling Icon,
JAWMEIGHAN
to be laid to rest on Friday
Michael Finnegan
Mark King
Herman Longsworth
Belize City, August 14, 2014 The cold bloodied murder of Ernest “Jawmaine” Meighan on Saturday morning in broad daylight in front of his children’s home on George Street has shocked Belizeans. Two days after, Prime Minister Dean Barrow
Pg. 3
Darrel spends $2M on new building in poverty-stricken Belize City Pg. 3
Pg. 18
READY TO WORK IN BELMOPAN Pg. 23
Last night the Belmopan City Council team and Standard Bearer Patrick Andrews held a planning meeting with the zone leadership teams to plan out meeting schedules with residents.
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OPINION OUT
OUT
Impotent On Crime
Problems of an old rusty bike
!
!
August 12, 2014
Dear Editor, I listened to a most interesting “Morning Buzz” Show on Positive Vibes on Tuesday August 12, 2014. The guest, Major Oscar Mira, a retired BDF Intelligence Officer, disclosed statistics that showed that major crime such as Murder, Robbery, Burglary, Rape, Theft and Carnal Knowledge have seen a sharp increase when compared between January to July 2013 and January to July 2014. In the previous year, there were 1,403 major crimes reported to the Police while there were 1,493 reported in 2014 for the periods mentioned. Additionally, according to Mr. Mira, there were 477 arrests in the same period in 2013 compared to 450 arrests in 2014. These statistics show an increase of 90 reported major crimes to the Police, and a decrease in arrests of 27 between the two years. Mr. Editor, a few weeks ago the impotent Minister of National Security, speaking at a Police promotion ceremony in Belmopan, tried to fooled this nation by quoting statistics on major crimes and saying that compared to last year crime was down and under control. The National Security Minister, who has disappeared in the middle of the violent siege, claimed that the media has exaggerated the situation and has painted a picture that is not real. The Minister insisted that crime is down. Belizeans who are feeling the pain of these major crimes everyday certainly know better and no John Saldivar or Police top brass could fool Belizeans with the pro-
LOCAL 15 Aug
17 AUG
THE BELIZE TIMES
Dear Editor,
I would be tremendously grateful if you kindly afford me space in your well-read newspaper to share a message to my beloved family members to heal a problem that started following the death of my husband. My granddaughter was only 12 years old when she requested for my husband’s bicycle that he used to go to work at Williamson Factory. He said to her, ‘you want grandpa’s bike’. She laughed and said ‘yes grandpa, when you die please leave it for me’. She got into college in Corozal and graduated. She obtained a scholarship to continue her education in England for three years and when she came back home she brought a dictionary for her grandpa because she knew he loved reading. Though she was no longer 12, she looked at grandpa and asked, ‘grandpa is the bike still mine?’ and he responded, ‘yes’. By then the bike was old and rusty, parked under a shed. She laughed and said one day she’ll come
for it. At my husband’s funeral on the 3rd of this month, my granddaughter came and remembering my husband’s promise to her, I told her to take it since she had travelled in her vehicle. I have the authority to see my husband’s wishes come through. However, this has created division in my family. Some family members have come to me and said that the bike must come back and be kept in the yard for remembrance of grandpa. I did a foolish thing by calling my granddaughter to ask that she return the bicycle. You see my friends, I had just buried my husband and was so hurt and confused. This one was telling me what to do. That one was telling me to send for it. This old rusty bike hasn’t been used for 15 years. No one ever looked at it to fix it, but because I gave it to the correct owner, they are making it a problem. Even outsiders who don’t know my family and have no place in it, are involving themselves and posting things in Facebook. Facebook is good to get your messages over, but not to destroy people. Place yourself in my granddaughter’s shoe and see if you all would like being slandered. She can buy ten bicycles if she wants, but it is this bicycle which has a deep meaning to her. By right it’s hers. Please understand me. We are a loving family. Don’t make an old rusty bike separate us. Remember: don’t do unto others what you would not want be done unto you. I love you all very much.
2014
OUT Wrongfully Arrested
!
Dear Editor,
On Sunday August 3rd, 2014 the “New Hong” Chinese Store located on St Vincent Street in Dangriga Town was robbed by two suspects between the hours of 7:20PM and 7:45PM. I was inside purchasing a pack of gum. One of the suspects entered the store, pointing a gun in the direction of the Chinese store owner and stating, “please remain calm, nobody move, just relax”. A second Chinese lady sitting at the far right corner of the counter froze in position. The robber demanded money and the store owner did not hesitate to comply with his demand. Not satisfied with what he received, the robber demanded more money and once again the store owner complied. While that was taking place, because my phone was on the counter, I tried to reach for it to put it in my pocket without making any obvious movements, however the robber saw what I was doing and asked “Weh yu di do, ah no tel yu noh move” in an annoyed tone. While peering over my shoulder I replied to him that I was putting my phone in my pocket. I then learned that there was an accomplice after the suspect holding the gun who gestured for someone to enter the store. The gun man’s accomplice walked in and was preparing to go behind the counter when the person holding the
Continued on page 20
Grandma Gertrude SCAN HERE
The Belize Times
Established 1957
14 APR 2013
paganda that crime is under control or going down and that it is the media houses that are responsible for all the crime hype and sensationalizing of daily crimes. What this poor attempt to deceive Belizeans and the graphic reality of the situation indicate is the ineffectiveness and incompetence of the Barrow administration in dealing crime. Where is the CSI-type
Forensic Lab that Barrow promised to this nation? Poor criminal investigation and prosecution due to a lack of training and resources for the Police is hindering the justice system. I would like to know of the 477 and 450 arrests in the first six months of 2013 and 2014, for the same period January to July 2013 and 2014, how many were successful convictions? Thanks to Dean Bar-
row and the UDP, Belize has been dubbed internationally as the 3rd most dangerous country in the world. Barrow and the UDP are impotent on crime and have no plan to fight it. Thanks to the Positive Vibes “Morning Buzz” Show and Major Mira for exposing the Minister and the Police’s lies about the real crime statistic in Belize. Signed, High school teacher
17 Aug
The Truth Shall Make You Free
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17 AUG
THE BELIZE TIMES
2014
Crime Barrow is to Blame Continued from page 1
took a plane out of Belize. Supposedly on official business, he quickly announced he was taking an extra two days’ vacation leave. He apparently does not want to be questioned about the unbelievable level of crime that occurred over the weekend, and his ongoing failure to provide security for the citizens of Belize. He cannot call another press conference so soon after last week’s fiasco over the locking up of 41 sanitation workers at the Queen Street Police Station. Gangs roam free while poor workers get arrested. Crime, like so many other burning issues continue to highlight Mr. Barrow’s gross incompetence and woeful lack of leadership. Flying away won’t cause the crime problem to go away. Opposition Leader Francis Fonseca has repeatedly offered to join the government in any effort to formulate initiates to deal with the crime problem plaguing the country. Mr. Barrow routinely spurns every such offer. He continues to pretend he has solved the violent crime problem with a few infrastructure jobs. Mr. Barrow has been at the head of the government for six and a half long, hard years. Like the economy, which has crashed landed and shows no growth, so has Barrow and his half-baked street jobs solution. For all his years as Prime Minister, Mr. Barrow has never once allowed an open debate on the issue of crime in the National Assembly. What is he afraid of? Can it be his long years as Area Representative for the very George Street, situated in his Queen Square constituency, where Belize most notorious and murderous gang was spawned and nurtured? Can it be that the said gang has recruited a small army all of whom were systematically inducted to Mr. Barrow’s voters list and given access to lands and finances through Mr. Barrow’s chief political campaigner? Today, they continue to receive wages and resources from the government. Can the reason perhaps be that as Chairman of the National Security Council, Mr. Barrow has been repeatedly informed of the vicious murders conducted by his constituents and he has done? These are serious questions which now require answers. Is it true that upon being elected in 2008, Mr. Barrow agreed to the George Street gang demand that the Police/BDF sub-station on Rocky Road be dismantled, as it was indeed closed down? It cannot be denied that upon Continued on page 14
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Darrel spends $2M on new building in poverty-stricken Belize City Belize City, August 13, 2014 Social and economic inequality, homelessness, joblessness, poverty and crime are at an all-time high in Belize City, but Mayor Bradley Darrel Bradley has chosen to continue spending big money, millions upon millions more, in more concrete. The Mayor announced this week that his Council will use two million dollars donated by the Taiwan Government to refurbish the Commercial Center, which will become the new City Hall. Just some weeks ago, a homeless man died under the
blazing son in front of the same building. Bradley has been heavily criticised for his spending of $20 million on concrete streets with very poor drainage over the past months. City residents have been heard saying “we cyaant eat cement…we need jobs and safe neighbourhoods”. Although, the Council has not accounted for a single cent in its streets program, Bradley has now been awarded an additional $10 million for Continued on page 23
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THE BELIZE TIMES
on the
Jawmeighan: A Nation’s Loss By Francis W. Fonseca The tragic, senseless murder of Ernest “Jawmeighan” Meighan at 11am Saturday August 9, 2014 on the bloody streets of Belize City shocked and angered an already weary and frustrated Belizean citizenry. We have become numb and cold to the seemingly endless and pointless gun violence ravaging the Southside of Belize City but Jawmeighan was not just another victim lying in his
own blood on George Street. Did the young punk who busted a shot into the back of Jawmeighan’s head know who he was executing? Did he know that this was an elite Belizean athlete, a former Holy Saturday Cross Country Classic Champion? Did he know he was killing a son of the soil who carried our nation’s pride on his back on many a Holy Saturday? Did he know that he
was killing a father, a son, a husband, a friend, a teammate, a hard working Belizean? Di he even care? This, my friends, is the reality of Belize in 2014. Cold, callous and unforgiving. Southside Belize City is one of the most dangerous places on the face of the earth and it is represented in the National Assembly of Belize by
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2014
six UDP ministers including the Prime Minister, the Minister of Education, and the Minister of Human Development. The UDP politics of division, fear and intimidation has destroyed Southside Belize City and is threatening to destroy our country. It is time for a new politics of hope, unity, and job creation. Southside Belize City needs a new beginning, new leadership, a new way forward. We owe it to Jawmeighan and the many others whose blood has flown freely on the streets of Southside Belize City. I will always remember Jawmeighan for his smile, his gentle demeanor, and his competitive spirit. Ride on Champion! Ride on!
17 AUG
2014
THE BELIZE TIMES
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EDITORIAL THE HOUSE OF CARDS
In 2012 Dean Barrow and his UDP managed to squeak through a razor-thin victory at the polls for a second term with a two-seat majority. From a 25-6 victory in 2008, they were down to 17-14 in the House of Representatives. And were it not for turmoil and dissension in the PUP ranks, Dean Barrow would have been a footnote in history. But instead of being chastened by his virtual rejection at the hands of the electorate, Barrow in his second term has become even more pompous and arrogant. Members of his Cabinet have become even more reckless, abusive and corrupt. The man who promised good governance is presiding over the most abusive and corrupt administration. The Lands Department under his Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega is “a hotbed of corruption”. Bribery and kickbacks in that Ministry have become the new normal. But the Prime Minister does not hold his deputy accountable. He sees nothing wrong in allowing the brother of the same Deputy to monopolize the exploitation of the rosewood in the Toledo forest. He sees nothing wrong when the nephew of the said Deputy is given a fat contract by Government to pave the road to San Antonio and is fully paid even though no work was done on that road. The Airport Authority funds are looted to provide Barrow’s Minister of State Castro with thousands of dollars for his personal and political use. But the Prime Minister sees nothing wrong. It is, in his words only ‘distasteful’. What the other Minister of State Elvin Penner did at the Immigration Department selling Belizean nationality and passports to foreign criminals who never one day set foot in Belize was, in the eyes of the Prime Minister, not a crime because “factual guilt is not the same thing as legal guilt!” You can try that one Mr. Prime Minister when you have on your black gown in Supreme Court. But this kind of disingenuous legal sophistry will not wash in the court of public opinion. It is seen for what is it – crass deception! Voters across the length and breadth of Belize are convinced that Penner who was caught red-handed is not in jail because the Barrow administration carried out a systematic cover-up of this blatant corruption. What happened to the promised F.I.U. investigation? What happened to the Whylie police investigation report? And what about the Auditor General’s Report? All the damning evidence against Penner has been buried, never to see the light of day under this UDP Government. They have made a mockery of the Criminal Justice System. The rage and suffering of the Belizean people is boiling over. The poor sanitation workers in their desperation protest in front of the City Council. They are locked down and abused in the most inhumane way. Belizeans will not easily forget the harsh punishment abuse and neglect that this callous Barrow government is inflicting on them. The poor sanitation workers especially the women will not forget the traumatic experience they had to endure in an overcrowded, dark stench-filled police lock-up from morning to late Monday night on August 4, 2014. Prime Minister Barrow seems to think that his government can wage a campaign of confrontation and victimization, hate and spite, and let others do the dirty work. He pretends not to know what is going on. But as soon as matters reach crisis level, he throws whomsoever has to be thrown under the bus while he lavishes the victims of UDP oppression with bogus care and concern. The Ministers and other minions who are carrying out the government’s hate-filled
misguided policies, can be the scoundrels; the country can go to hell. But Barrow will protect his “personal legacy”. And what is this Barrow legacy? Has he in his six years as Prime Minister been able to reduce the number of children growing up in poverty? The number has in fact increased to over 43%. Has he been able to improve the running of hospitals and schools? The disastrous state of the health system, misappropriation of over $300,000 at the Southern Regional Hospital, massive irregularities and improprieties at the Central regional Matron Roberts Clinic and the killing of 13 babies in one month at the KHMH Neo-natal Unit is enough to indicate the crisis in health care. The IDB report on education is an indictment of this UDP government’s failed policies. The large number of young people not attending a high school and the vast cohort of graduates who cannot get a job is enough indication that our education and labour market system is messed up. The escalation of crime and violence in Belize is telling evidence that the Government is impotent in addressing the root causes of this horror unfolding before our eyes. The litany of failed policies and broken promises is mounting. When he was sounding off about what a great nationalist he is, Barrow promised that with nationalization, he will bring down the light and telephone bills. Today Belize has one of the slowest and most expensive telecommunication systems in the entire region. And last year light bills went up by 17%. This year the PUC brought them down by 7%. And we are supposed to be grateful! In fact since taking office in 2008, Barrow has presided over an anemic and stagnant economy with little or no growth, weak private sector investment, constant rise in food prices, cost of living, growing poverty, hard time and joblessness. In the first half of this year, Belize imported $956 million, almost one billion dollars worth of goods. And how much was exported? $320 million. We are living on borrowed money. The balance of payments is completely out of wack. The national debt over the past 6 years of the borrow-and-spend policy has increased by $600 million to a staggering $2.8 billion, the highest it has ever been. And that is not including the hundreds of millions owed in compensation for the takeover of B.T.L. and B.E.L. Still Barrow boasts of having “millions and millions in the coffers” to spend. The people of Santa Familia and Cayo North East are still waiting for all the massive infrastructure works that the Prime Minister promised them in his vain-glorious attempt to distract the people and let them forget the criminal behavior of their UDP representative Penner. You see, Mr. Barrow believes he can buy love with the Venezuelan millions he has been raking in from the Petro-Caribe/Alba funds. Last year the Government received $143 million from Venezuela under the agreement. This is all borrowed money, loans that have to be paid back. But Barrow is on a spending spree, buying cement and recklessly spending on infrastructure with no concern about tomorrow when the bills start coming in. What is worse, the productive sector of the economy is ailing. The unemployment situation is depressing. The economy is in a funk. And the society is falling apart. The day of reckoning is nigh. This Barrow Government is on a shifting foundation. The tectonic plates are moving. Soon the House of Cards will come crashing to the ground.
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17 AUG
THE BELIZE TIMES
2014
PUP NOTICE Municipal Elections Belize City 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. Applications are available from the PUP Secretariat, Independence Hall, #3 Queen Street, Belize City.
VACANCY NOTICE UNICEF is seeking qualified Belizean Nationals for the position of Administrative Assistant, GS-4 Level (Post Currently Pending Classification) in the Belize Country Office. 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 Operations Assistant: Duties & Responsibilities: • • • • • • • •
•
Assists in preparation of periodic accounting records by recording receipts and disbursements (ledgers, cash books, vouchers, etc.) and reconciling data for recurring or special reports. Prepares procurement documents in financial management system and make the arrangements for shipment and receipt of office and project supplies and equipment and household effects, including customs clearance. Maintains contacts with local banks, vendors and suppliers for verifying account status, obtaining approval for cheque clearances, verifying currency exchange rates, and similar direct transactions. Compiles and verifies budget and accounting data by researching files, calculating costs, and estimating anticipated expenditures from readily available information sources. Makes travel and hotel reservations, prepares travel authorization forms and assembles information pertaining to the purpose of travel. Maintains, updates and transmits the inventory records of non-expendable equipment and office consumables and fixed assets. When authorized, makes disbursements from petty cash funds, maintains records of these disbursements and balances accounts, as required. Provides advice and assists staff members and their dependents by processing requests for visas, identity cards, drivers’ licenses and other necessary personnel-related documents, in accordance with the requirements of the United Nations and the country of the duty station locations. Performs other duties, as required.
Qualifications and Work Experience: • Completion of secondary school supplemented by some completed courses in Accounting. • Four years of general clerical work, which should include a good knowledge of standard clerical practices and procedures. • Fluency in English; Strong communication skills, written and oral. Knowledge of Spanish would be an asset. • Fully computer literate. Competent in Microsoft Office Suite of products (Word, Excel and Office 365). Competencies: i) Core Values (Required) Commitment Diversity and Inclusion Integrity ii) Core Competencies (Required) Communication [I] Working with People [II] Drive for Results [I] iii) Functional Competencies (Required) Analyzing [I] Learning and Researching [I] Planning and Organizing [I] Following instructions and Procedures [I] Other Skills and Attributes: Ability to work in an international, multicultural & team-based working environment. Closing date of submitting applications is 29 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 - Administrative Assistant; GS-4. UNICEF OPERATES IN A SMOKE-FREE ENVIRONMENT & IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER & AN HIV/AIDS RESPECTING WORKPLACE. *Classification of this post and filling of vacancy is subject of approval by UNICEF Headquarters
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.
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THE BELIZE TIMES
2014
WOMAN IN THE HOUSE By Dolores Balderamos Garcia
SOUND FAMILIAR?? I have recently finished reading “The Economic History of Belize,” an excellently researched publication by Cubola Productions of Benque Viejo del Carmen. The volume is in the Belize Collection of texts on our country brought out by Cubola, and it is copyrighted in 2012. I consider this text to be essential reading, having thoroughly enjoyed the writing of joint authors and husband and wife, Barbara and Victor Bulmer-Thomas. Barbara was born at the Melinda Agricultural Station in the Stann Creek District, and is educated to Master’s Degree level in microbiology and plant taxonomy. Her husband Victor is British. He taught at Saint Michael’s College in the late 1960’s, and is now Emeritus Professor of
Economics at London University. Together they have produced a fascinating text on Belize, and one which has definitely allowed me to have many new insights about our country from an economic perspective. The time period covered is from the Seventeenth Century to Post-Independence, close to four hundred years, and there are chapters on the origin of the Belize settlement, the Logwood Economy up to 1763, the British Settlement in the Bay of Honduras, Belize as a Colony from 1862 to 1981, the Belize Botanic Station from 1892 to 1933, and finally the Belizean Economy since Independence. The Bulmer-Thomases completely debunk the myth about the name Belize coming from Wallace, and they use many sources to credibly conclude that the name Belize
comes from the Maya word for our main river – ‘Balis.’ They also describe the first settlers and inform that logwood was being exported by 1680. Also intriguing is the chapter on the Belize Botanic Station, which had an economic objective. It was first located at Government House in Belize City and then relocated to Bolton Bank up the Haulover Creek and Belize River, not far from the current Haulover Bridge. The Botanic Station did its part to encourage some diversification of the Belizean economy away from solely forestry products, and it was among the first entities to stimulate decorative gardening. Most interesting for me, because I do not think it has been stressed sufficiently in earlier Belizean histories, is the importance of the entrepot (re-export) trade that the settlers engaged in, in addition to the extraction of logwood and mahogany, for many ‘golden’ years of our history. Our forebears, at least the British, white, and rich ones, made very, very good money from this trade with Central America. The thing is that they gave so very little back in terms of putting down roots in Belize and investing in infrastructure. We learn clearly how agriculture was consciously discouraged, and how very few landed and wealthy oligarchs controlled the settlement’s economy and never paid sufficient taxes for the settlement/colony to develop properly.
“The Economic History of Belize” presents with great clarity the short-sightedness of those who controlled the economy, as well as their voracious profit motive, and no commitment to development for all Belizeans. There was a very small elite who repatriated huge sums of money, and there was also in our history the deliberate policy of importing food. There was the tunnel vision of the profit motive and nothing else at so many junctures in our history, thus explaining vividly why our present reality is the way it is. In one chapter the Bulmer-Thomases conclude that “Independence for Belize was no panacea, but it was a huge advance on the mean-spirited and short-sighted approach to development that characterised colonialism.” When we see the short-sightedness, the voracious hustling, the lack of vision and lack of commitment to equitable development, the lack of commitment to education, health care and job creation in particular, and the meanness of the Dean Barrow administration, I ask myself, as perhaps we all can, do these revelations from our economic history SOUND FAMILIAR ? I am forced to answer that with this worthless UDP administration the economic history of Belize is repeating itself.
PUP NOTICE Municipal Elections Corozal Town
SITE SPECIFIC GUIDE TRAINING NOTICE DATE OF FIRST PUBLICATION: August 4, 2014 The PEU for the MTBCAAS project will be screening applicants for the upcoming Archaeological Site Specific Tour Guide Training schedule to commence in the last week of September 2014. Spaces are limited therefore preference will be given to those applicant whose permanent place of residence is near one of the targeted sites (Altun Ha, Belize District; Lamanai, Orange Walk District; Caves Branch, ATM, Barton Creek, Xunantunich, Cayo District; Nim Li Punit, Lubaantun and Blue Creek, Toledo District), and the ability to successfully complete the training programme. Interested persons can pick up an application form at one of the eight target sites ranger office (except Blue Creek), Belize Tourism Board Office in Belize City, Institute of Archaeology Office in Belmopan or from the mtbcaas.com web portal and submit it the address below or email by Monday, September 1, 2014 at 4:00 pm. Making Tourism Benefit Communities Adjacent to Archaeological Site Project Office (MTBCAAS) 56 Regent Street Belize City Tel: 227-1781 info@brdpiitourism.bz
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 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.
In Memory of
Christina Maria Vasquez nee Archila
Sunrise: September 15, 1936 Sunset: August 19, 1996 Mom it’s been 18 sad years Since you passed away. In our hearts you hold a place no one can ever fill. We never wanted memories we only wanted you. A million times we needed you, a million times we cried. If love alone could have saved you you never would have died. Our family chain is broken and nothing seems the same but as God calls us one by one, the chain will link again. Sleep on Mama, until we meet again. Sadly missed by 9 children, 39 grand children, 40 great grandchildren, other relatives and friends.
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2014
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THE BELIZE THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES
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ENTERTAINMENT
NEWS
Mexico’s Elisa Espinosa Gomez wins 2014 Miss Costa Maya Festival
Location: Best Western Belize Biltmore Plaza
Mexico’s Elisa Espinosa Gomez won the 2014 Miss Costa Maya Pageant (Reina de la Costa Maya) held on Thursday, August 7, 2014. Rounding off the top three in the pageant were Miss Guatemala Keyla Mermudez in second place and Miss Nicaragua Katherine Guadamuz who finished third. Miss Gomez was also the winner of the best cultural costume. Miss Reina de la Costa Maya 2013 Destinee Arnold from Belize was on hand to crown the new Miss Reina de la Costa Maya 2014. Mexico has seven Miss Costa Maya titles, the most wins of any of the eight participating countries in the pageant and festival.
Belizean beauty
Christina
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THE BELIZE TIMES TIMES THE BELIZE
17 AUG
2014
in regional U-23 volleyball championships Tegucigalpa, August 10, 2014 Belize’s national Under-23 female volleyball team has won one game and lost 3 at the 2nd Central American U-23 female volleyball championships, organized by the Association of Central American Volleyball Federations (AFECAVOL) at the Jorge A. Galeano Gymnasium in Tegucigalpa, Honduras from August 8-13. Team Belize took on the Goliath, Costa Rica. Belize played its best match, scoring the most points of any team against Costa Rica (52) and giving them their toughest match in the tournament. Costa Rica won in straight sets 25-20, 25-19, 25-13. For Belize Maurissa Williams had 13 points (10 kills, 3 blocks), Tichele Solis had 10 points (6 kills, 2 blocks, 2 aces). The team had 20 unforced errors to Costa Rica’s 21. Next game is against Guate-
mala at 3 pm on Tuesday. Team Belize girls lost 1-3 to Nicaragua in their debut game last Thursday. Nicaragua won the 1st set: 25-23. Team captain Tichele Solis led her team 20 pts, including 17 spikes and 3 blocks as they won the 2nd set: 25-16. Maurissa Williams scored 14 pts, including 12 kills, a block, and served up an ace to narrow the lead to trail14-17, but Nicaragua prevailed 25-18. The Belize girls were plagued by errors in the fourth set as they lost starting setter Leyla Hernandez to cramps, and Nicaragua won the set 25-13. Nandi Sabal had five blocks, and libero Nayala Tun had 10 digs, leading the tournament as best receiver and libero. Belize took an initial lead in the first set, but Nicaragua recovered to win 25-23. Tichele Solis led the Belize counterattack
Telemedia scorches Beacon 23-5 in female softball Belize City, August 8, 2014 Belize Telemedia scorched Beacon 23-5 by mercy rule in the 4th inning in the Belize City female softball competition at the Rogers Stadium last Friday night Telemedia pitcher Martha Rhys gave up 9 hits and walked 3 batters, while the BTL diamond made 7 errors, but Beacon managed only 5 runs, leaving 7 runners on base. Licia Ferguson scored 2 runs, Tamara Ramsey scored 2 runs and Shantell Longsworth scored a run. BTL got 18 hits off Kimani Smith’s pitching. She also walked 3 batters and the rest of the Beacon made 23 errors. Lydia Cacho and Kimani Williams led the attack scoring 4 runs apiece. Noreica Fraser, Babsy Cadle, and Martha Rhys scored 3 runs apiece, while Rebecca Jones and Earlene Belisle scored 2 runs each and Christine Jacobs and Beverly Hyde scored a run each. The competition continues on Friday, August 15.
BTL’s Babsy Cadle
Maurissa Williams & Cori Diego go up for a block
with 20 pts, including 17 kills and three blocks, as they dominated the second set: 25-16. The Belize girls lost their concentration, and Nicaragua jumped to a 6-point lead early in the third set. Maurissa Williams scored 14 pts, including 12 spikes, a block, and an ace, but Nicaragua took the 3rd set: 25-18. Belize’s starting setter Leyla Hernandez cramped up in the 4th set as Nicaragua won: 2513. After a day’s rest on Friday, Team Belize won 3-1 over winless Panama, who took the 1st set: 25-21. Maurissa Williams led Team Belize with 24 pts,
including 20 spikes while Tichele Solis added 16 pts, including 9 spikes, 4 blocks and 3 aces; as they took the next 3 sets, 26-24, 25-21 and 26-24. They beat Panama in every category, on spikes: 37 - 27, blocks: 13 – 8 and aces: 8 – 4. Belize also made 55 errors, compared to Panama’s 40. Team Belize continues to make 40 unforced errors, as they lost 0-3 to El Salvador on Sunday. Salvador won 25-18, 25-21 and had to go to extra points for the 3rd set: 2725. Maurissa Williams scored 16 spikes, Solis had 13 spikes.
Belmopan Bandits
loses spot in Champions League Belize City, August 12, 2014 The Belmopan Bandits got terrible news today when the team was informed that it was being excluded from the upcoming Champions League. CONCACAF officials delivered the bad news, citing the Football Federation of Belize’s failure to meet the criteria to host tournament games. This included ensuring major improvements to the football pitch, better lighting and locker rooms for
the teams. The FFB said it was hoping to get financial support from the Government of Belize and FIFA, but that seemed difficult in coming. Today CONCACAF announced that Costa Rica’s Herediano will be taking the Bandits’ place in the tournament. El Salvador’s Isidro Metapan and México’s León, who were to play Belize in the upcoming weeks, were informed of the changes also.
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Belize Bank Bulldogs take on BWS in basketball semifinals Belize City, August 9, 2014 The Belize Bank Bulldogs will take on Belize Water Services while Central Health will challenge Complex Admirals when the Belize City firms basketball semifinals begin at Bird’s Isle on Friday, August 15. All 4 teams posted wins in the playoffs last Friday. Central Health vs. Atlantic Bank – 53-52 Top scorer: Alejandro Baptist, 16pts; Ty Bradley, 20pts Belize Bank Bulldogs vs. COURTS Belize - 57-42 Top scorer: Terrique Gabb/ Chris McGann, 21 pts, Jamal Pollard, 19 pts Complex Admirals vs. Telemedia Digicel 4G - 60-58 Top scorer: Rhetton Belisle, 20pts; Devon Lozano, 23 pts BWS vs. Heritage Heats 61-57 Top scorer: Luis Barcelona, 18 pts; Steven Bonnell, 21 pts
Charles Armstrong scored 10 pts
Vince Estrada shoots
Denise Diaz testing the waters ahead of the 2014 Lionman competition
Knead Belize preps Lionman swimmers Belize City, August 10, 2014 Knead Belize and veteran triathlete Denise Diaz continued to prepare Lionman contenders for the swimming part of the Lionman event: the 0.9 mile swim, as they organized a 3rd open water swim meet beside the Sandlighters’ Promenade in Belize City on Sunday. Anthony Leslie clocked 8:39.10 and 9:06.15 in the 2 swims of 350
Mark Cassasola made 2 runs
yards each, while Karate sensei Leon Guild placed 2nd in both swims, clocking: 9:30.07 and 10:00:28. Diaz completed the 350 yard swim in 8:07. She invites all contenders who may wish to test the waters and their body to the distance; as the Lionman triathlon comes up in early September.
BEL Powersockets shock Customs 15-12 in game 1 of softball championships
Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy & Ontario United head to finals Camalote, August 10, 2014 Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy has qualified to the Cayo district female softball championship finals, while Ontario United is one victory away from joining them after taming the Esperanza Wolverines 12-0 at the Denbigh Fuller Stadium in Camalote on Sunday. Esperanza’s pitcher Nikita Perez gave up 11 hits, and Sandy Gongora led the Ontario attacks with 3 runs. Shern Robateau scored 2 runs, while Linda Perez, Trecia Coye, Jeneive Salazar and Lynette Gabourel scored a run apiece. Ontario’s pitcher Shandi Orellano gave up 5 hits, struck out 3 batters and walked 3, but Esperanza left 5 runners on base, and none came home. The Camalote Blazers gave the Roaring Creek girls an easy walk when they announced that they would forfeit Game 2 of their semifinal series after an 11-16 loss in the 2nd game on Sunday. Roaring Creek’s Leyandra Guy stuck out 3 batters, but gave up 8 hits, allowing Shanice Williams to score 3 runs. Aludy Hyde and Molly Coye scored 2 runs apiece, and Nadine Coye, Bridget Fuller and Shanae Williams scored a run each. Camalote’s pitcher Aludy Hyde gave up 8 hits but her relief, Tamara Martinez walked 7 batters, allowing 3 runs. Myralee Ho, Shadalee Ho, Joyce Galvez and catcher Lisandra Guy then scored one run each for the 16-11 win. Ontario United is one-up and will visit the Esperanza Wolverines on their home turf at the Joan Garbutt Stadium in Esperanza on Sunday, August 17.
Roaring Creek’s Shannely Ho made 4 runs
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WATCH LIVE on CCV CH18 VIBES RADIO 90.5FM | 102.9FM
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Crime - Barrow is to Blame
Continued from page 3
becoming Prime Minister in 2008 Mr. Barrow embarked on a political purge of the Police. Gerald Westby, a bright career officer who became Commissioner of Police was pushed out of office for a UDP supporter. Experienced and competent investigators like Chester Williams and Julio Valdez were shuffled to other units. The Crime Investigation Branch today is a shambles. Not even vehicles and equipment have been provided by Mr. Barrow’s government. There has been no increase in staff and little if any training. The much touted DNA laboratory is nowhere to be found. On Wednesday night, 13 August, a drive through Belize City revealed the street lighting to be poor and ineffective. The streets look dark and ominous. Abandoned yards are overgrown and several are littered with trash. The visuals seem to project areas that are broken and decaying. A city without
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VACANCY Amigo Mini Mart (inside Novelo’s Bus Terminal) needs TWO WORKERS – 1 cashier, 1 sales clerk. Call 653-0316 for more information.
VACANCY Martha Tun needs ONE FEMALE WORKER urgently. For domestic purposes. Contact 6675720.
Looking for a Job I am looking for a job. Willing to do Babysitting or House Cleaning. Call me at 662-7672, ask for Jacqueline.
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THE BELIZE TIMES
spirit and in decline. Fear is in the air. Poverty is everywhere. Under the PUP administration there was the start of a program introducing cameras as part of the Police crime fighting method and a means of protecting citizens and neighbourhoods. Mr. Barrow’s government has long abandoned if not undermined this important modern crime fighting strategy. It is economical and saves much needed manpower. Mr. Barrow has also been di-
rectly involved in placing an incompetent, worn-out senior Police in charge of the scientists and analysts at the National Forensic Laboratory. Yes, this is unbelievable but it is true. Mr. Barrow hand-picked one of his special enforcers from the Police to be Director of the Conscious Youth Development Program. After six years and hundreds of thousands of dollars squandered, the program has been mismanaged into the ground, the of-
2014
ficer returned to the Police and given a big promotion. The young men, who six years ago, at 11, 12 and 13 years were capable of being channeled into skills and productive activities, are now the hardened killers roaming the neighborhoods and engaged in the deadly gang executions. Nothing is succeeding in destroying Belize more than the fear and uncertainty of life, than violent crimes and murders. The fault for this national scandal lies squarely at the feet of one man, Prime Minister Dean Barrow. No one else but him is to be blamed.
ARTHUR SALDIVAR delivers to YOUTH & SPORTS in Belize Rural North
This past week, PUP Standard Bearer for Belize Rural North (BRN), Arthur Saldivar made donations to two important entities in BRN. In an effort to assist four deserving young persons from the Burrell Boom Police Youth Cadet Programme, Arthur provided each child with a school bag. He then encouraged these bright young minds to stay in school and strive to become disciplined and productive members of the society. Present at the handover ceremonies was Corporal Sharmaine Young who is the Officer-in-Charge of the Burrell Boom Police Sub-station. The second donation was a set of football jerseys and two footballs to an up-and-coming first division football team from Burrell Boom. On hand to receive this donation was Coach Wilberto Daniels and Team Manager Carlos Fuentes along with a few members of the Team. Both the Coach and Team Manager thanked Arthur for the generous donation and assured the Standard Bearer that the gears will be put to good use and will definitely help to boost the morale of the team. Arthur Saldivar and the BRN PUP Executive Committee will continue to work and deliver for and on behalf of the good people of Belize Rural North.
ARTHUR SALDIVAR WILL DELIVER!
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Home Economics An Unjust, Unbalanced, Broken Tax System Part I By Richard Harrison A fair and balanced tax system is important for any economy seeking to grow investments…whether domestic or foreign...because it should earn government the amount it needs to provide essential services and infrastructure, while allowing private investments to make honest profit and workers to earn fair wages that can afford the basic necessities of life. Belize has not been doing so well in attracting foreign direct investments (FDI). Neither has it been meeting the Government’s needs, since we consistently depend on foreign grants to plug deficits in our national budget and workers have been clamoring that cost-of-living is fast outpacing increases in real-incomes. From 2001-2013, the World Bank estimated that Belize attracted net positive Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), however net inflows went down from US$194 million (2004-2008) to US$89 million (2009-2013), the lowest 4-year record since 1989-1993. On the domestic front, with excess liquidity piling up in the banks, domestic investments don’t seem to be doing well either. The Central Bank of Belize estimated excess cash balances in domestic banks in January 2011 to be around BZ$52 million. By December 2013, this excess had climbed to around BZ$160 million. This is the reason why, with all the government investments in infrastructure, the finances for the majority of families and private businesses continue to deteriorate because there is a decrease in rate of inflow of new capital….and domestic private investors are either liquidating or being liquidated, with that liquidity piling up in the banks, instead of being invested and re-invested....once bitten, twice shy. This “cleaning up the books” exercise in the banking system is doing much to destroy domestic WILL, capacity and capability to invest. Why is this so? The principal culprit is an unjust, broken tax system inherited from the colonial days and only amended since Independence in favorable response to special interest lobby to meet government’s voracious appetite for increased spending and to feign concerns for consumers by lowering import duties purporting to “lower cost of living”, coincidentally for products that favor importers who are close political allies not with any kind of development objective in mind. The existing tax structure does not allow for honest profits to be made from most investments, especially if the investment does not
benefit from some kind of special tax status set up especially for that kind of investment or investor. This is why the vast majority of individuals and businesses who “succeed” in Belize do so by way of evading and/or avoiding the laws and taxes, or by way of legal arrangements and loop-holes that allow them to avoid those taxes (such as development concessions, EPZ, IBC, PIC, special tariff and non-tariff “accommodation agreements”, etc)....even the lawyers have a licensed-based “accommodation agreement” that prevent competition coming from outside the CARICOM region (India, Canada, Australia, etc) to compete openly with them for providing legal services in Belize and its related virtual “off-shore” jurisdictions. This fiscal structure turns Belize into a TRAP….where only those who are already heavily invested, those who are unaware or ill-informed and those who are properly linked-in and/ or comfortable with the political establishment and the “exclusive” benefits and rights that flow from that…. dare to invest. This is not an enabling environment that will attract large amounts of green-field bonafide investments, who prefer to rely on merit, ability and integrity to succeed. To boost investments....Belize needs to drastically improve its competitiveness and productivity profile. It needs to drastically reduce the cost-of-doing-business. Many in the status quo know this, and pay lip service to it....but none, including those represented in the only private sector organization (Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry) venture into making specific recommendations on how to achieve this...because they know that this can only be achieved by setting the captives free....with many middle-class “slaves” set to become their equals in economic status....harvesting from their education gained from investment of hundreds of millions in education improvement since Independence....a reality which the current tax system prevents them from doing honestly and within the law. (More next week)
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
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 Wednesday August 27, 2014 at 10:00a.m. ALL THAT piece or parcel of land comprising 488.9 square yards being Parcel 814, Block 45 in the King’s Park Registration Section situate at No. 23 Baymen Avenue, Belize City, Belize District, TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon, the freehold property of RICHARD HOARE (Deceased). DATED this 11th day of August 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
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Reid Eyes wide open By G. Michael Reid In 1751, Corbyn Morris of London proposed that “...as the preservation of the health of the people is of great importance, it is proposed that the cleaning of this city, should be put under one uniform public management, and all the filth be...conveyed by the Thames to proper distance in the country”. Almost a hundred years after that in 1846, the Nuisance Removal and Disease Prevention Act spurred what was to be a steadily evolving process of the provision of regulated waste management. The Metropolitan Board of London was the first authority that centralized sanitation regulation for that rapidly expanding municipality. In 1875, the Public Health Act was passed in London which made it compulsory for every household to deposit their weekly waste in ‘moveable receptacles’ for disposal. It was the first concept for garbage cans and dust-bins. Long, long before that however, garbage disposal was of huge importance to even the Mayans, who research shows had a fixed monthly ritual, in which the people of the village would gather together to burn and dispose of their rubbish. It seems unconceivable then, that here we are in 2014 and Belize City is still grappling with the issue of waste management. This has become a perpetual problem and year in year out it seems it is the same cry. The city cannot manage its waste and cannot afford to pay the people who clean up our city streets. Waste management of Belize is done by two primary groups; Belize Maintenance Limited (BML) and Belize Waste Control (BWC). BML workers clean the drains, sweep the streets and clean the parks thereafter bagging the waste which is collected along with regular household garbage by BWC. Working together, both companies do a relatively effective and efficient job and the city is kept fairly clean. At first, the work currently being done by BML was divided into two companies; BML did Northside and a part of Southside while a company called Sanitation Enterprise Limited (SEL) did the cleaning of the rest of Southside. In January of 2008, there was a merger of the city’s two companies and BML assumed all duties and functions of SEL which then became defunct. A new contract was renegotiated and at the time, then Mayor
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Zenaida Moya announced that the city would be saving an estimated three hundred and fifty thousand dollars annually. She promised that the new arrangement would result in greater efficiency in keeping the city clean. She then lobbied government for a “dollar head tax” on every tourist that entered Belize City, earning the city additional millions of dollars in revenue each year. Enter Darrell Bradley who assumed duties as mayor of Belize City in 2012. Bradley inherited the additional income to the city, acquired an additional million dollars in subvention from Central government and also immediately set about raising property taxes and business licenses. Belize City receives, as it is, $1.5 million dollars in monthly subvention from Central government. Bradley
particular company seemed to have had enough. Workers of BML who were being threatened with lay-offs gathered in front of City Hall and staged a one day protest. In their frustration, they strewed garbage across the street and demanded that City Hall honor the contract with their employer in order that they might get paid. Fifty of BML’s workers had been given termination notices since the city had not paid the company in eighteen weeks and the company could afford to continue paying its employees. Darrell Bradley called in the Police and 44 workers were hauled off to jail; among them, PUP activist and radio talk show host Albert Vaughan. All persons were given tickets for Littering and Loitering and spent the entire day locked up in Her Majesty’s Piss House. The actions by the mayor caused a huge public uproar and Bradley was asked if he really planned on continuing his course of action. One report asked: “Will you strike off the tickets for littering? Will you continue to fine them five hundred dollars each?” To which Bradley replied, “…I have made a policy at the City Council that when a person is issued a ticket, that’s a ticket that is issued by our staff for an infraction, no political person gets involved in that. When we have parking tickets which are issued, no political person can
Darrell Bradley seems to have spoken out of turn however, for the very next day, the Prime Minister called a press conference to announce that he, the ultimate political person, was going to step in. The PM pledged to pay a full half of the monies owed to BML each week until the end of the contract and promised the workers that come January, they would all be employed by City Hall, whether the mayor liked it or not! BML’s contract expires in January and the mayor has declared that he has no intentions of renewing it. The mayor has stated that it is the responsibility of citizens to keep the city clean. While none can argue that folks should have some degree of civic pride and clean up their immediate surroundings, it is unfair of the mayor to expect city residents to do his job for him. I imagine this will give him more free time to spend in court representing clients like Denny Grijalva. For his part, the Prime Minister also instructed the Police to drop charges against all persons, except for Albert Vaughan. This has raised eyebrows because it proves beyond any doubt that the Police are completely under the control of the Prime Minister. Many believe that it is as a result of direct intervention by the Prime Minister why Elvin Penner has been able to evade justice. It is a slippery slope and an extremely dangerous path that we travel when we tear down the walls that separate the different functions of government. Is this not the type of action to which the Caribbean Court of Justice was referring when it described such Prime Ministerial governance as “malignant tumors that eat away at democracy”? While the UDP have spent much effort in trying to convince the people that the CCJ was referring specifically to certain individuals, it is obvious to anyone who can read that the court was pointing specifically to actions like those currently being taken by this Prime Minister. While the ruling went on to state that “No court can afford to encourage the spread of such cancer,” one is left wondering if consideration was given to the courts of our land. Enquiring minds wants to know!
Prime Minister also instructed the Police to drop charges against all persons, except for Albert Vaughan. This has raised eyebrows because it proves beyond any doubt that the Police are completely under the control of the Prime Minister immediately floated a municipal bond for twenty million dollars and has reportedly received as much as an additional thirty million in assistance from Central government. No city mayor has ever had the type of finances to work with that Darrell Bradley is now enjoying but he still cannot meet the city’s obligations. One would imagine that a thorough audit would be well in order. Last week, the employees of one
get involved in that. When we have parking tickets which are issued, no councilor can get involved in that. Just like how the Police process is there…that’s an administrative function. If a person has been ticketed…I see the reels in terms of the trash that was laid out there, those tickets have been issued…there’s a certain process that deals with that, and if they think that that ticket was unfairly issued, they should deal with that.”
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2014 Murdered Cycling Icon, JAWMEIGHAN, to be laid to rest on Friday
Belize City, August 14, 2014 Cycling icon, 43 year old Ernest “JawMeighan” Meighan, a two time cross country champion (1997, 2001) will be laid to rest on Friday at the Central Assembly of God Church on Barrack Road in Belize City. JawMeighan was gunned down in cold-blooded fashion on Saturday – another tragic victim of the bloody violence that has taken siege of Belize City. JawMeighan had stopped by his girlfriend’s George Street home. Upon going downstairs and getting into his vehicle with an empty water gallon in his hands, an armed person sneaked on him and fired a single but fatal shot to his head. JawMeighan, a father of 7 children, was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital but died on the way. The execution of this sports hero, who carried Belize on his shoulders in many prominent cycling races, shocked the nation. JawMeighan was to Belize what Michael Jordan was to the Chicago Bulls. His murder has been condemned nationwide and by Belizean in the diaspora. Reports of his killing
PUP NOTICE Municipal Elections
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.
PUP NOTICE Standard Bearer Albert Constituency 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.
attracted loud cries on online social network. The Police have said that despite questioning multiple individuals, they have not discovered what could be the motive behind JawMeighan’s murder. There are varying theories of what could have triggered the attack. First, his 17 year old daughter was detained along with a male person last
week for the vicious stabbing murder of Chryslin Gladden. JawMeighan’s family is reporting that he had received several death threats. Second, earlier on Saturday there was another murder in the city, in which Raheem Crawford was gunned down. Crawford, who is an affiliate of the George Street gang, is believed to have been targeted by a relative of JawMeighan.
The Police are sifting through all of these probabilities as they attempt to zero in on those who are responsible. An additional twist to the latest crime is that, according to unofficial reports, the gunman was a young teenager.
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2014
Man Up Herman!
GOB’s sports program is a shame
Herman Longsworth
what happened.” In admitting his cluelessness, Longworth once again demonstrated how big of a failure he is as the Minister of Sports. The Champion’s League will see the participation of the best and biggest club teams around the world. Mexico’s champions Leon and El Salvador’s Isidro Metapán were scheduled to play in Belize as part of the competition. The Minister’s failure to remain abreast and lend support to the FFB’s preparations is part and parcel of the reason why Belize has been disqualified. Belize has lost on many fronts. Longworth’s deflection of blame was utterly shameful. He doesn’t seem to understand what it means to be in Government. Maybe that’s why his budget for Sports is a measly $500,000 annually. The question that was never asked to him was: why, after 7 years in office, has the Government not invested in an international-type field? While the FFB is in charge of one field, Belizeans can look around and count the many football fields and other sports centers which the Ministry of Sports is responsible but have been left abandoned. Does Longsworth remember his grand plans for the Berger field in Belize City? Or was that really just an election stunt? If Longsworth can neglect an important sports facility in his own constituency and lie to his own residents and voters, imagine what he wouldn’t do to others. What happened to the promise of turning the Carl Ramos Stadium into a FIFA-sanctioned stadium? Look at the Marion Jones Stadium. It’s nothing but a white elephant project under the UDP. The UDP is clueless about developing sports in Belize. They are the reason our skilled and talented Belizeans are not gaining from the many opportunities available. Man up Herman. Stop blaming others for your incompetence and tremendous failure.
Belize City, August 14, 2014 There has been an outcry of shame and disappointment at the Football Federation of Belize for their failure to have the FFB Field in Belmopan ready in time for the CONCACAF Champion’s League in which the Belmopan Bandits would have represented Belize. The result has been the disqualification of Belize’s participation and many broken hearted football fans. While the FFB President Ruperto Vicente has been selected as the main target of criticism and he has accepted it, we at the BELIZE TIMES were shocked to see the defacto Minister of Sports Herman Longsworth and his shameful attempt to point fingers at Vicente and deflect blame from himself and his Ministry. Longsworth opened his line of statement with the following: “I am extremely concerned, I am very, very disappointed. We were all told that the field would be ready. FFB told us that they would have had this field ready. We were expecting that it would be ready and I’m disappointed that it is not, I’m very disappointed.” A wary reporter dug deeper, “Does the blame fall on the FFB?” Longsworth, unaware that he was trapping himself, responded weakly, “It has to, it’s their field, the onus was on them to complete it. It was their monies, monies they got from FIFA that they were to use to complete the field. I have no idea why it was not completed, they kept saying it would be complete. I saw a letter saying it would be The Berger Field Herman Longsworth promised in 2012 complete, I don’t know
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 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.
GIDEON MANAGEMENT SERVICES LTD. # 28,151
(“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 that GIDEON MANAGEMENT SERVICES LTD.: a) is in dissolution b) commenced dissolution on the 7th day of August, 2014; and c) Cititrust International Inc. whose address is 35 Barrack Road, Third Floor, Belize City, Belize is the Liquidator of the Company Cititrust International Limited Registered Agent
OUTLOOK LTD. # 5693 (“the Company”) Pursuant to Section 102(8) of the International Business Companies Act, Chapter 270 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, notice is hereby given that OUTLOOK LTD. has been dissolved as at 9th August, 2014 and has been struck off the Register of International Business Companies. Cititrust International Limited Registered Agent
FFB Football Field
20 OUT Wrongfully Arrested Continued from page 2 gun told him “no go fi di ting again let’s goh”. The accomplice continued to walk behind the counter but the person holding the gun again stated in a much harsher tone, “noh goh fi di ting again mein let’s goh”. The accomplice stopped but did not turn around which caused the suspect holding the gun to say “let’s goh a**hole”. The accomplice turned around after hearing that. The suspect with the gun then pointed it closer to the store owner and commanded her to stoop down and count to a hundred or she would die. Fearing for her life she immediately dropped to the ground. The robbers then fled the shop and escaped into the night. After the robbers fled, the store owner hollered for the security who was sitting outside while the entire ordeal unfolded. Because she was too shaken up, the store owner was unable to explain what had just occurred to the security. Despite being shaken up myself I was able to give an account of the robbery to him. A short while thereafter, the police arrived and began asking questions to the store owner. Customers continued coming into the store after the robbery and were served before me. I paid for my item and left the store. As I made my way home, I digested what had just occurred. Around 10:00a.m. Monday morning August 4th, 2014, my girlfriend and I were awakened by the sound of knocking at both doors. My name was being called. We quickly got dressed as we were still in our night clothes. After getting dressed, I went to one of the windows in the living/ hall room and I opened it so that whoever was outside could get a clear view of me and vice versa. At no time did anyone outside identify himself/herself. After opening the window I was able to see that it was the police outside. I went to the front door and opened the door for them (the police). Once at the door to my dismay, I was informed that I was a person of interest in the same robbery stated above and that they wanted to come in to search my home. I immediately informed them that I had absolutely nothing to do with the robbery that took place and refused them entry into my home without a warrant. I was asked to go to the police station with them and was escorted to their vehicle. On our way to the station, the sergeant commanding CIB Dangriga Branch began questioning and asked “you dah wah teacha right”? I answered, “Yes sir”. He then went on to say, “ok, jus wah you know you no ah gat wah job September and I wah si to dat caz I dah di big man ya, I run tings”. Stunned at his comments, I remained quiet. Once we arrived at the station I was searched and taken to the CIB office for further questioning by the aforementioned sergeant commanding CIB. I was told by him to give my account of what happened in the store. Before I could finish giving my account he stood up and yelled “bwai PC, talk to dis f*#kin man caz he di talk lone r#*s before I f*&k up ah, jus talk to di man caz I noh gah patience fi he, I kno even know why I chose dis job caz I kno gat patience”. The police constable took me outside and said “the camera show that you had a discussion with the robbers before the robbery happen so jus tell di man
THE BELIZE TIMES weh happen”. I then told the PC the same thing that I told the sergeant commanding CIB. I maintained that I did not know the robbers and that I did not speak with anyone before entering the store. I was then taken back inside the CIB office where I was then asked by the sergeant commanding CIB “you decide fi change you story?” My reply was no because the account that I had given was the truth. He then replied “bwai lock up fi he r*#s, I wah print hi charge sheet an mek he sign it right now. He gwen up fi conspiracy fi commit robbery”. For the very first time in my life I experienced what being in jail/locked-up is like when I was taken to a cell. Being placed in the cell gave me a feeling of fright. A feeling of nausea overcame me to the point where I felt that I was going to stool myself. I immediately asked a PC if I could be allowed to utilize the restroom to relieve myself. His reply to me was “you jus come in ya bwai, you no wah come out now. You couldda mi use di toilet fah you mi di out ya”. At that time another set of police came on duty so I asked again. I was given the opportunity to utilize the toilet; however, I noticed that there was no toilet paper in the restroom so I asked one of the PCs who had just arrived on shift if I could have some TP. The PC brought one single square of TP for me to utilize and burst out laughing. Seeing that brought on an anxiety that I never experienced before because I was then certain that this is what being incarcerated must be like. Another PC seeing this brought me a reasonable amount of TP and I was able to relieve myself before returning to the cell. The following day I was able to get legal representation from the law firm of Audrey Matura-Shepherd. While being interviewed by my attorney, we were not able to confer in private. An officer remained in the room and refused to leave even after being asked to do so by my attorney. I was eventually released on Tuesday, 5th August after much deliberation by the sergeant commanding CIB. I feel the need to chronicle this ordeal because I’m a little fearful that the police may attempt to frame me by placing perhaps a weapon, drugs or any other indictable item in or around my yard or even on my person. I have never been in trouble with the law. I am a twenty-three year old standard six teacher. I am a sixth form graduate and am currently pursuing my bachelors at Galen University. I strive to live my life each and every day showing what is being asked of our youth: to be respectful of others, get an education and to be successful in whichever profession chosen. I don’t know the sergeant commanding CIB so I am at a loss as to why he would go to the extreme as to cast blame on me for this robbery. I respect his right to do his job. I just ask that a proper and thorough investigation is conducted. An investigation not led by emotion, but with the skill of an investigator utilizing proper protocols to seek the truth not one led with preconceived notions. Signed: Wrongfully Arrested
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2014
17 AUG
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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.
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17 AUG
THE BELIZE TIMES
2014
Belizeans denounce the bombing of Gaza Gaza pounded with impunity
Belize City, August 6, 2014 A group of Belizeans held a peaceful protest against the bombarding of the Gaza community in Palestine at the Battlefield Park on Wednesday, August 6th, 2014. Israel has poured down military strikes on Gaza, destroying telecommunications systems and power plants, and killing innocent people in their quest to take control of the area. The four weeks of violence killed more than 1,900 Palestinians and 67 people on the Israeli side. The actions have attracted huge protests and anti-war rallies across the world, and in Belize the group of concerned citizens led the anti-intervention movement. Among the protesters was former Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Said Musa, who revealed a much deeper connection with the Palestinian people. Hon. Musa has Palestinian heritage. His father, Hamid Musa, was a Palestinian who was brought to Belize by his father following the illegal appropriation of their family land. “…we believe that the Gaza situation should shock the conscience of the world and that is why I’m out here to protest,” said the former two-time Prime Minister. Musa and others that included the Imam of the Muslim community, Nuri Muhammad, and supporters carried placards denouncing the brutal assault and called for its end. Israel’s assault on Gaza began on July 8 and since then there has been an indiscriminate bombing of the community. This is the third war in six years as Israel tries to neutralise the rise of armed groups and militias in the Hamas-controlled territory. The U.S. and the European Union classify Hamas as a terrorist group. A truce began August 11th, with no reports of rockets fired from Gaza or Israeli air strikes. The ceasefire, the second over the past week, was intended to give the sides time to settle issues unresolved by pacts ending previous conflicts. The UN has estimated it will take $6 billion to repair the damage the fighting has wrought in Gaza. Is-
Protestors and their placards
Yasser Musa & Katie Usher dennounced the human rights violations in Gaza
raeli strikes rendered 10,000 homes uninhabitable, the UN says, and damaged schools, medical centers, mosques and utilities. The UN Human Rights Council announced on August 11th the formation of a panel of inquiry for the Gaza conflict, naming William Schabas of Canada, an international law professor at Middlesex University in London, as chairman. Israel has criticised the Schabas appointment, citing his criticism of Israeli policy toward the Palestinians.
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2014
THE BELIZE TIMES
Belize Nears Bankruptcy, says Wall Street.com Belize City, August 10, 2014 Leading global financial analysts, Wall Street.com, has issued red flags on Belize’s economic stability. A report published online by Wall Street.com has listed Belize among the top 11 countries near to bankruptcy. The report says that Belize’s increasing debt, from uncontrolled borrowing, is a very serious problem. It states that IMF projections show that Belize’s total gross debt will reach 80.4% of the gross domestic product by the end of 2014. The higher a country’s debt-to-GDP ratio, the less likely the country is to pay its debt back, and the higher its risk of default. This ballooning debt problem should have been contained since 2007 following the restructuring of the country’s external debt - a successful effort by the PUP Government that was praised by many including now UDP Senator/Minister Godwin Hulse. When the UDP took office, they squandered the opportunity by choking the economy and killing investment. Within five
READY TO WORK IN BELMOPAN City of Belmopan, August 14, 2014 The PUP Team 11 in Belmopan, led by City of Belmopan Mayoral Candidate Jose Chacon, is ready to Work! Last night the team and Belmopan Standard Bearer Patrick Andrews held a planning meeting with the zone leadership teams to plan out meeting schedules with residents. Our people are ready to work voluntarily because they see the great need for change in Belmopan. Have hope, together we will rescue our once “Garden City”. Join the Belmopan PUP movement all are welcome! For God, Family and Country!
years, the financial crunch intensified and the Barrow Administration was forced to default on its debt payment, nearly plunging the country into the bottom of the financial abyss. The Government convinced bondholders to accept a haircut on payments and an extension to the life of the bond, which once again gave it an opportunity to stabilize the economy, but it hasn’t. Prime Minister Dean Barrow has continued to borrow excessively. These loans have not spurred much economic activity, which today continues on life support. Other countries in the list of countries near bankruptcy include Egypt, Pakistan, Greece, Jamaica and Ukraine.
Punta Gorda Mayor Anthony Fuentes handed over a dozen sheets and pillow cases to Mrs Ruth McDonald, Administrator of the Punta Gorda Hospital.
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Darrel spends $2M on new building in poverty-stricken Belize City Continued from page 3 more concrete streets by Central Government. It is declared non-priority for this Council to deal with the myriad social issues afflicting city residents. Instead, they have added to the eroding of society. The Mayor imports expensive foreign artists for huge concerts where liquor drinking and young girls and boys wine up and party late at nights. He also approved the granting of a license for a bar at Belize City’s most prominent children’s park, BTL Park. He said the difference with this bar is that food will be sold. The bar is run and operated for a current councillor. After spending big money on streets, the Mayor has been unable to meet the Council’s debt obligations to the sanitation companies which hire hundreds of employees. Last week, after the Council’s “deliberate” failure to clear five months of payments owed to the companies for their services, 50 workers received their termination letters. This was followed by a protest outside City Hall. Instead of meeting with the sanitation company and setting a path forward to restore the jobs lost, the Mayor ordered the Police to lock up and charge the sanitation workers. He also issued tickets for littering on the streets after they dumped garbage outside City Hall in protest. Now, Bradley has announced his grand plan for the Commercial Center. Once more they are cold and ruthless as more poor and hardworking Belizeans are victimized. His plans have displaced 13 ven-
dors who had small businesses in the commercial center. These vendors were abruptly kicked out. They were promised a meeting with the Mayor months ago to discuss the plans, which never materialised. Letters sent to them by the Council warned that there is no assurance that they will be allowed to return when the refurbishing is complete. To add more insult, another UDP crony company will profit from this venture. International Environments, owned by the Arguelles family, has been awarded the contract. There was no transparency in the selection of a contractor. Darrel Bradley seems to be nothing but a Showtime Mayor. He loves big spending. $30 million in cement streets. $6.5 million dollars in a ghostly Memorial Park. $2 million in a new commercial center… but no concern for crime fighting, education, community building, sports facilities and viable jobs in Belize City. In these times where resources are badly needed to restore peace and security in the city, Bradley proves he has a cement heart. What a cold Mayor he is.
Liquor License NOTICES Notice is hereby given that LIZA REQUENA is applying for a Shop Liquor License to be operated at “Manito’s Shop”, situate at Guinea Grass Village, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that CRAIG HAYES is applying for a Publican Special Liquor License to be operated at “Turneffe Flats”, situate at Turneffe Island, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.
CARTOON
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THE BELIZE TIMES
17 AUG
2014