SCAN HERE
The Belize Times
Established 1957
The Truth Shall Make You Free
24 AUGUST 2014 | ISSUE NO: 4909
www.belizetimes.bz | $1.00
Enough Is Enough! Succotz Takes a Stand
Pg. 6
Deputy ComPol Miguel Segura
charged for fatal collision
Deputy ComPol Miguel Segura
City of Belmopan, August 19, 2014 Under heavy pressure from a protesting crowd of residents at the entrance to Benque Viejo del Carmen, the Police Department levied criminal charges on Deputy Commissioner of Police Miguel Segura at the Belmopan Magistrate Court on Tuesday, August 19th. Segura was taken to court and charged with
Pg. 3
COLA Appeals Penner Trial Belize City, August 20, 2014 Following months of delay tactics and sabotage from the UDP Administration, the private prosecution of corrupt UDP Elvin Penner was thrown out of the Magistrate’s Court for lack of evidence on July 24th. But Citizens Organized for Liberty thru Action (COLA) is not giving up. On Wednesday August 13th 2014 their attorney, Kareem Musa, applied to the Supreme Court for
Pg. 3
Police make huge crystal meth bust! Pg. 3
2 02
OPINION OUT
OUT GOB neglects Western Border
Don’t build your house upon a ROC
!
!
Dear Editor, In Matthew 7:2427, Jesus shares with us the parable about the two builders. In the parable, the foolish man built his house upon the sand whereas the wise man built his house upon the rock. When the rains came the house built upon the sand was washed away but the house built upon the rock stood fast. On June 5, 2014 several pressure groups came together to form the Rod of Correction (ROC). The President of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) informed the media that it was the “trade union movement, in an attempt to bring the social partners together” that called for the meeting and implicitly, the formation of the ROC. The formation of the ROC is an interesting development. This is particularly so, when one understands that ROC cannot do anything that the NTUCB could not have done on its own. So what’s the deal here? The NTUCB is by far the civil society organization with the largest constituency—they have thousands of members. So why would the NTUCB feel the need to recruit other social partners in its efforts to deal with the Barrow administration? And social partners with barely any constituents at that? The only reason I can come up with is that the NTUCB is looking for cover. But why? Why would the NTUCB feel the need to deal with the Barrow administration by way of the ROC? Interestingly, on August 11, 2014, the United Democratic Party issued a press release chiding the ROC and the Citizens Organized for Liberty Through Action (COLA), for what they perceive to be partisan inaction in the wake of the allegations against the PUP standard bearer for the Belize Rural North constituency. COLA was singled out for special mention but not the NTUCB even though they are both members of
LOCAL 22 Aug
24 AUG
THE BELIZE TIMES
Dear Editor, Government’s lack of concern for the comfort and safety of grassroots Belizeans continues to be displayed at the Benque border in the last month of the summer holiday. On Sunday (August is a heavy shopping period for back to school items) there was total chaos at the western border in Benque Viejo del Carmen. In the morning over 1,000 persons arrived at the border area in 25 large buses and other vehicles to pass through Immigration to do business in the neighbouring town of Melchor. While a line formed inside the
the ROC. It is glaringly obvious that the NTUCB has become “soft” since 2008. The militancy that we saw in 2005 has evaporated—the NTUCB of today is a far cry from the NTUCB of old. Was it not the selfsame President who led the charge against the Musa administration in 2005? Reform, resign or be removed! That was his cry. So what happened since 2008? How is it that the NTUCB has become, for all intents and purposes, impotent? Is it because the Barrow administration is less corrupt than the Musa administration was? Is it because the Unions are satisfied with the treatment afforded them by the Barrow administration? Is it because the Belizean people are happy with the current state of affairs? Or is it because the leadership of the NTUCB has been compromised? If I were to hazard a guess I would say it is the latter. The leadership of the NTUCB has been showing
Immigration building, outside there was total chaos. There was absolutely no line outside. The Police and Immigration and Custom officers were all barricaded inside the Immigration building with no one to maintain law and order outside. Consequently over 700 persons stood in the hot sun, pushing and shoving each other to reach the door. It was shameful to hear parents creaming, “Uno de squeeze pan mi baby too much. Uno wa kill mi pikni.” Many people became wet with sweat from bodyheat and the hot sun, and a number of persons were on the brink of fainting in the crowd just before they made it inside. Shockingly the return trip to Belize in the afternoon resulted in the same chaos at the border. Again there was no line outside the Immigration building for an orderly flow of hundreds of person returning from Melchor. Rather than being outside to maintain law and order the policemen, custom officers, or immigration officials were behind closed doors in the building and allowed the law of the jungle to determine who reached inside the building first. In the absence of anyone to maintain law and order outside the building, a number of persons lost their belongings as their bags burst and their personal items were trampled on the ground or stolen by the crowd of people pushing and shoving to reach inside the exit door of the Immigration building first. If the government cannot maintain law and order at the border area in Benque where people are unarmed, it’s no
structural fault lines for some time now. They could not even muster fifty members for the annual Labour Day rally. Imagine! On the one day when the trade unionist should be flexing their muscle, the President and his band of merry men marched jokingly through the streets of Belize City. My confidence in the leadership of the NTUCB was shaken even further when they left the Teachers all by their lonesome during the “Teachaz got u bak” rallies. Outside of a few poorly worded press releases, the NTUCB also stood idly by and watched the Penner betrayal; the shenanigans at the Ministry of Health/ KHMH; the King confession; the Airport Authority debacle; the George Street murders, etc, etc. Now, in the face of such obvious self-induced paralysis, cometh the ROC? And at the behest of the NTUCB? Something is wrong here! The casual observer would not be far off the mark
to arrive at the conclusion that the ROC is a still born. The Belize Grassroots Youth Empowerment Association (BGYEA) still hasn’t planted its corn; the Danini Contreras’ appointment has not been reversed; US Capital marched into Toledo with great fanfare; COLA’s private prosecution collapsed under the weight of official cover-up; the gender policy remains firmly in place and the honourable Prime Minister has said to the Unions, I have nothing more to talk to you about—sign the collective bargaining agreement! So again I ask. What’s the deal here ROC? For the record, I happen to support BGYEA, COLA, the Pharmacists Association, the BNTU and the other social partners that are pressing for a better Belize: one free of corruption and nepotism. My unsolicited advice to them is simply this. The rains are coming; don’t build your house upon a ROC! Major Lloyd Jones (R)
24 Aug
surprise that it can’t provide the Belizean people with comfort and safety in Belize City where a lot of the criminals are armed to the teeth. Sincerely yours, Gilroy Usher, Sr. 629-6560
OUT Godwin & the Penner Passport
!
Dear Editor, I saw a picture of Godwin Hulse in Taiwan with his counterpart signing some unknown agreement on Belize’s behalf. I had to think to myself… the Minister of Immigration went to Taiwan - no other than Mr. Perfect Godwin Hulse. Then I asked myself…did he get the passport sold away to that Kim fellow? The one Penner gave away like a piece of tissue. Did Godwin Hulse bring back the passport? If so, where is it? Can someone let us know? Godwin knows Belizeans don’t want Penner to get away. Belizeans cherish their patrimony. The media must hunt down Godwin and ask him the relevant questions. Where is the Penner passport and why has it taken so long for it to get to Belize? If Penner gets away, it will forever stain Godwin’s reputation. What will you do Mr. Godwin? Sincerely, Cayo North East resident SCAN HERE
The Belize Times
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14 APR 2013
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2014
COLA Appeals... Continued from page 1 permission to appeal Magistrate Aretha Ford’s decision. Musa indicated that they are challenging the Magistrate’s decision to throw out the case instead of applying sections of the law which gives her authority to summon key witnesses to Court for testimony. “The Supreme Court judge that hears this case will take a review of that particular section to determine whether or not the Magistrate, in this instance Miss Aretha Ford, ought to have utilized her discretion under Section Thirty to summon the Commissioner of Police to attend the hearing and to deliver up all the evidence that was in his possession”, explained Musa. Musa added that he feels the case is of national importance and the Magistrate should have allowed it to continue in the interest of Belizeans. COLA’s request now awaits the Supreme Court’s revision and decision, which should take up to four to five weeks. The UDP’s Elvin Penner, who is today laughing at Belizeans, is the first Government Minister to be caught red-handed in a scandal of major proportion over Belize passports. The Government of Prime Minister Dean Barrow did everything to cover up the stink. COLA initiated a private prosecution following the Supreme Court Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin’s ruling that the Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie had acted “irrational, unreasonable and unlawful” when he decided not to investigate the scandal. Whylie is still not out of the hot seat as he could face contempt charges for not completing the investigation as ordered by CJ Benjamin. That case would be taken up by Opposition Leader Hon. Francis Fonseca, who had initiated the trial against Whylie.
Deputy ComPol Miguel Segura
charged for fatal collision Continued from page 1 Manslaughter by Negligence, Causing Death by Careless Conduct, Driving a Motor Vehicle Without Due Care and Attention, Driving with Alcohol Concentration above the Prescribed Limit, Negligent Grievous Harm and failing to alter direction to give way. According to the Police, the results of the blood sample taken from Segura on the day of the accident showed his alcohol level at 205/100. The legal limit is 70/100. Bail was granted in the sum of $6,000.00 plus one surety of the same amount or two sureties of $3,000.00 each on the condition that he does not interfere with the witness, reports to the Benque Police Station every Friday, appears at every court date and does not commit any offence while on bail. The matter was adjourned until October 9 2014. The Police have announced that Segura has been suspended from the Department indefinitely. He had been promoted to Deputy Commissioner last month.
THE BELIZE TIMES
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Police make huge crystal meth bust! Suspects engaged Police in high speed chase through OW Town Orange Walk Town, August 20, 2014 Residents of Orange Walk Town have described the scene of tonight’s high speed chase between Police Officers and the occupants of another vehicle as if it were a trailer for an action movie. About 7:30 on Wednesday August 20th, the Police’s Anti-Drug Unit saw a black Toyota Corolla car with license plate OW-00623 swerving side to side along the street. The ADU officer attempted to stop the vehicle by driving next to it and signalling the occupants to pull to the side. Instead the car sped off in high
speed. The suspects headed down Belize-Corozal Road and attempted to turn into Liberty Avenue, but because of its speed the vehicle flipped over. The occupants of the car didn’t give in. They set off on foot, but could not outrun the Police and were captured. They were identified as 49 year old Ruperto Eulalio Reyes of Sittee River Street address and Cuban national, 52 year old Pascual Terrero Pineda of a Boca Del Rio area resident in San Pedro Town. A search of the car resulted in the discovery of a red cooler box with 18 parcels of suspected crystal meth and a soap powder box with additional 12 parcel of suspected meth to a
total weight of 54.7 kilogram. Reyes and Pineda were detained and escorted to the Orange Walk Police Station. Today they appeared in the Magistrate’s Court and were arraigned on drug trafficking charges.
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THE BELIZE TIMES
on the
UDP INCOMPETENCE By Francis W. Fonseca Economists generally agree that corruption in a country leads to a 1% to 2% decrease in GDP growth annually. The corrupt practices of this UDP Government are well established and documented. This essay is not about corruption. It is about incompetence which also directly negatively impacts GDP growth. Incompetence leads to poor or no planning, wasted resources, bloated bureaucracies, and inefficient execution of projects and
policies. There is no planning taking place in Belize under this UDP government. Government departments are stacked with unqualified political cronies and contract officers. Basic services are unavailable to the public on a timely and equitable basis. Major projects are bogged down in hustling and political favoritism with only a chosen few well connected contractors sitting at the dinner table. Ask yourself the following: What is the UDP plan
to grow the economy? To create jobs? To reform the broken health system? To reform a failing education system? To fight crime? To secure our borders? To reform and restore confidence in the judiciary? To grow and develop our agriculture and productive sectors? To improve governance? As Mr. Barrow proudly boasted at his last press conference, the only thing he plans ahead for is ELECTIONS. No wonder then that Belize is in such a mess
24 AUG
2014
with every social and economic indicator pointing in the wrong direction. Some will rightly ask, well what is the PUP plan? I can assure you that on each of these issues the PUP is preparing a clear, comprehensive policy and strategy paper which will be shared with the Belizean people before the next General Elections. As the Government in waiting we want to hit the ground running to deal aggressively, effectively and competently with the serious challenges facing our Country. The UDP on the other hand came into office almost 7 years ago with no strategic plan to govern Belize and still have no such plan or vision. This has hurt Belize’s development tremendously. As one observer pointed out following the FFB/Ministry of Sports mishandling of the FFB Football Field, “DIS YA UDP CROWD CANT EVEN GROW GRASS”!!
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24 AUG
2014
THE BELIZE TIMES
05 5
EDITORIAL Lessons from Succotz
Succotz sits on a scenic sight in front of the green rolling, roaring waters of the Belize River. Only a road separates the village of Succotz from this ancient and majestic river. Many indigenous women from Succotz still traditional do their washing in the river, the way their ancestors have done for hundreds and hundreds of years at that same spot. Across the other side of the life giving waters of the Belize River sit the timeless temple of Xunantunich - an irrefutable testament to the grandeur of our Maya history, replete with proof of geometry, astrology, engineering, agriculture and advanced knowledge. A small tourist trade involving the sale of hammocks and souvenirs takes place on the road side where a ferry carries curious tourists to visit the ancient Maya temple. Belize’s greatest leader, George Cadle Price, would have been proud of the villagers of Succotz. On Monday morning the villagers, heirs to the proud and noble indigenous peoples, engaged in an unprecedented communal activity. “The times they are a changing” sang Bob Dylan, during another era of protests against a government gone wrong. The villagers of Succotz blocked the main highway in front of their village and burned tires in an angry protest against the Police and the government. Justice was their cause. There is a lesson to be learned from Succotz. Why would these otherwise mild and law-abiding villagers stand up to the Police and the government; to the extent of stoning the Police and defying the law? Villagers of Succotz have, like the rest of the country, seen and heard of the many instances of government abuse and injustices. They have watched the saga of Elvin Penner and the high crimes of treason and subversion of Belizean nationality for which Penner was accused. They know of the Prime Minister’s visit to the Village of Duck Run in Cayo, where he insulted the citizens with his boasting that he had “millions upon millions” of dollars to spend in their village if they did not rise up against Penner. Penner must be allowed to get away with the things he did in return for streets, culverts and infrastructure. The bigger the bribes, the bigger were the insults. The villagers of Succotz saw how the Police and the justice system failed the integrity of the nation by doing everything to ensure nothing would happen to Penner. Penner was never arrested by the Police or the government. A private citizen’s group tried heroically to salvage the national honour. The Prime Minister sabotaged their efforts. Penner was not even investigated. One Edmond Castro. Who had previously brought disgrace to his high office as a member of the House of Representatives and a Minister of government was returned back to his alleged “distasteful” ways and found a way to siphon
public monies from the Airport Authority into his long greedy hands. Castro was never investigated or arrested. Neither was he required to return public monies unlawfully obtained. The treatment of our Maya, our humblest of peoples in Toledo, fighting for their dignity which is repeatedly trampled on by the Prime Minister and his cynical remarks, has not gone unnoticed in Succotz or elsewhere in Belize. Even the United Nations have written to request the Prime Minister to be more respectful of the rights of the Maya – to no avail. The crushing levels of poverty, lack of jobs and absence of opportunities while public monies are spent on criminals, gang members and killers, is not a matter that can be papered over. Neither can the endless, relentless crimes that have left the nation living in fear. Robberies, home invasions, rapes, shootings and executions have become common place. The government and the Police are unable to provide a satisfactory level of safety to the citizens of the country. No amount of Prime Ministerial press conferences, lies and deceit can cover the humungous amount of corruption and incompetence so manifest for all to see. When the villagers of Succotz learnt of the tragic traffic accident involving Deputy Police Commissioner Miguel Segura and how he was spirited away from the scene by fellow police officials, how his vehicle was cleared of items and potential evidence then hosed down by the fire department, like every other village, town and city, Succotz smelled a rat. They would remember how Minister Mark King was shown on video behaving drunk, disorderly, aggressive and assaulting a Police, yet nothing came of it. The Villagers of Succotz, like the rest of the country knows only too well how the Prime Minister and his government have been behaving these past years in office. High handed, disdainful, arrogant and outright chancey. How they have been treating the people of Belize like fools. It is a dangerous game the government is playing with the people. There is a lesson coming from the people of Succotz. That lesson is loud and clear. The people have lost faith in the Prime Minister and his government. This is not a government that can be trusted to do the right thing and obey the laws of the land. UDP come first, UDP cronies second and the people come last. Dead last. The brave villagers of Succotz were saying basta! Enough is enough. We will not allow you to chance us. When a government loses the trust of the people, no amount of “millions upon millions”; no amount of food pantry, or boost giveaways, or Christmas hams using stolen tax dollars will be of any help. The Prime Minister’s game is up. It is time for Barrow and his government to go.
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24 AUG
THE BELIZE TIMES
2014
Enough Is Enough!
Succotz Village, Cayo District, August 20, 2014 Tuesday, August 19th, 2014 will go into the history books as the day Succotz residents stood up against Police wrongdoing and abuses. The images of tires ablaze, bundled with trees and other debris, blocking the George Price highway were broadcast by all media houses for the entire country to see. Concerned Succotz residents were protesting the reckless killing of one of their fellow residents, 54-yearold Yolanda Consuelo Valencia. Valencia, a mother of 5, was on her way to San Ignacio around 5:30 on Saturday August 16th morning. She
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Yolanda Valencia
was travelling in a taxi cab driven by her cousin 28 year old Yanie Evan Cu. Suddenly, from the opposite direction, came a Nissan Pathfinder driven by Deputy Commissioner of Police Miguel Segura which slammed into the taxi cab. Valencia died instantly from brutal impact. Cu was trapped in the vehicle, crying loudly in pain. He was assisted out of the vehicle and was later hospitalised for treatment in a critical condition. Images of a cold and callous Police Deputy Commissioner were captured by amateur video at the accident scene. This angered Succotz residents. Segura was apparently on his way home from a night of heavy socialising. The results of a blood test show that he was driving drunk, with his alcohol level being way above the limit. He appeared dishevelled and in the video was caught zipping on his pants. He seemed lost and remorseless. As Segura stepped out of the vehicle, he took out a pack of cigarettes and lit one. He looked around; saw the crushed remains of the taxi car and Valencia’s still body trapped inside, and simply said “wow”. What angered residents more was that when the Police arrived they appeared more concerned about Segura than the accident victims. Segura was scooped up by Police officials and taken away. Witnesses report that the Police removed items from inside his Pathfinder and washed away blood stains. Segura wasn’t taken to the nearby Police Station, as is protocol. Normally persons involved in accidents are taken into custody. A blood sample is taken immediately. If they are under the influence of alcohol, they are held for a few hours
until they get sober. Witnesses say that when Segura made it to the Police Station, he had already changed clothes and appeared cleaned up. Succotz residents had already seen enough of the Police’s cover up. On Tuesday morning, 72 hours after the deadly collision and with no signs of an arrest, the residents took to the streets to demand justice. They gathered on the road side and blocked the highway. They carried banners which read “WE DEMAND JUSTICE” and called for the arrest and jailing of the Deputy Commissioner. “Everybody is saying that he is a big man there and we want justice here. We want justice. If they don’t do justice the people of Succotz will go to Benque to find him. We are very vexed, we will do the justice,” explained Valencia’s aunt, Inelia Chan. Aware that the numbers in the crowd were growing and anger amongst them was rising along with the flames on the highway, the Police moved quickly to prepare the charges against Segura. In an unprecedented move, the Officer in Charge of Benque Viejo Police Daniel Arzu showed up before the crowd with five charge sheets to prove in black and white that they were about to press charges. The crowd was not impress however and continued to block the highway. An attempt by Police and Fore Officials to douse the fire and remove the debris sparked some unrest as the crowd began throwing stones and bottles at them. They were forced to retreat. It was not until hours later, when Succotz had proven a point, that they allowed the Police to clear the highway.
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 Marshalls meeting in Corozal District August 20, 2014 After a successful meeting with Marshalls of the Western Caucus, held on Saturday August 9th, 2014 at Cahal Pech in San Ignacio Town, Marshalls President Steve Latchman now invites all members and supporters of all divisions of the Corozal District to a meeting on Wednesday, August 27th, 2014 at 6:30PM. The meeting will be held at the Corozal Bay divisional office. Come join us as we move forward in unity. Let us join hands, hearts, voices and forces, as together we continue to serve the people.
BNTU to GOB: Deal With Crime! August 21, 2014 The Council of Management and general membership of the Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU) wish to express, through this medium, our deepest sorrow and condolences to the family, friends, colleagues and loved ones of Mrs. Josephine Augustine as well as our hope and prayers for the complete and speedy recovery of her dear husband Mr. Dudley Augustine. The Augustines have served our well, both as career Public Officers and Teachers. Their exemplary service and dedication have impacted many and
the memory of Mrs. Josephine Augustine will remain with us for many years to come. The BNTU and teachers countrywide condemn, in the strongest terms, the brutal home invasion and attack that led to the senseless murder of Sister Josephine. Our teachers and other citizens at large continue to be cheated out of their right to a peaceful existence by rogue elements of the society who have no respect for life and property. We call on the political directorate to act swiftly and precisely to target the sharp increases in violent crimes that now plagues our country.
We join in solidarity with other concerned organizations and citizens who are now demanding action from our Government. It is time to take a look at the root causes of these crimes, and along with other social partners, formulate an adequate plan of action to combat this growing issue that is adversely affecting our nation. The prevailing socio-economic conditions of high and increasing poverty, unemployment and breakdown in the family structure must be properly analyzed and addressed, along with those of the gang culture, abuse and trafficking of illicit drugs. Our people are now constantly
crying out for resolution and therefore the perpetuators of these heinous crimes must be found and brought to justice. Our Police Department including the prosecution, investigation and forensic branches and other law enforcement agencies must immediately be strengthened so as to carry out their duties more effectively. Failure to address the seriousness of our current situation will soon lead to total anarchy and collapse of our economy and society as a whole. BNTU stands ready to support any such serious national initiative. (Press Release)
24 AUG
THE BELIZE TIMES
2014
WOMAN IN THE HOUSE By Dolores Balderamos Garcia
TERM LIMITS ANYONE?? At the top of the news from the Caribbean last week was the report that the Kamla Persad Bissessar Government in Trinidad and Tobago had successfully steered through Parliament a Constitutional Amendment Bill, which is due to be debated by the Upper House (the Senate) later this month. The Bill has four main features. First, it provides that a person elected must receive at least 50% of the votes cast, thus providing for a runoff election where there are more than two candidates for a seat and no one receives at least half the vote. Secondly, it provides for a two-term limit for Prime Ministers. Third, it provides for the recall of representatives. And Fourth, it sets fixed election dates, as opposed to having general elections called
whenever the Prime Minister so decides. Here at home we already have the legislation for referenda to recall representatives, and we know the recent experience in which many signatures were rejected by the Election and Boundaries Department, and there is the pending case to challenge this rejection. It has been discussed within our party and made very public that the next PUP Government will move towards reform, including of course looking at fixed election dates and term limits. In Belize we have not seen multiple political parties, although there are currently about two other small parties. However, in Trinidad and Tobago there are many parties. Their government is a coalition government. I am not sure that I would necessarily agree with the need to gain at
least 50% of votes. One commentator in Trinidad has said: “Democracy is a process where dialogue, consensus and trust are more indicative of its strengths than the number of votes a candidate receives.” However, I decidedly lean in favor of fixed election dates and term limits. Recently, almost all constituents whom I meet are asking when the next general elections will be held. Invariably I have to reply that we do not know, since the Prime Minister can call the general elections whenever he pleases. I think that we should be able to give our Belizean voters a definite answer so that everyone can know when to expect elections. This will, I think, enhance our democracy by providing certainty instead of the continuing possibility of manipulation by one individual. Moreover, I am convinced that a two-term limit for Prime Ministers would be entirely in order. In the modern world and in democracies people are constantly searching for positive change. Providing a two-term limit for leaders will encourage them to act with a sense of purpose instead of merely being concerned, sometimes selfishly, with personal legacies. It will also give new aspiring leaders the chance to serve, as opposed to an individual getting old in the job. If there were no term limits in the United States of America, would Hillary Clinton have the real opportunity to become the first woman President of that country? As an aside, I also notice that in Trinidad and Tobago there is debate now about the current President of the
07 7 Senate, Timothy Hamel-Smith, having allegedly sent an email to various legislators encouraging them to support the proposed Amendments. Former Senate President, Dr. Linda Baboolal and former Attorney General Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj have weighed in and said that Mr. Hamel-Smith should recuse himself from presiding over the Senate debate. Dr. Baboolal said “The People’s National Movement is very firm on the fact that once you become a presiding officer you are supposed to be neutral.” They feel that if Mr. Hamel-Smith sent the emails, then he has compromised his position, and cannot now be impartial. I have to agree. You see, in enhancing democracy there is always the need for impartiality on the part of public officials, processes that tend to fortify transparency and accountability, and rules that take democratic actions away from personalities and towards good governance with ample opportunities for young people to serve. Prime Minister Persad Bissessar, in addressing citizens of T&T about the Amendments and also in conjunction with Emancipation Day on August 1st, stated forcefully that leaders and governments need to change and adapt to increasingly modern societies. She said that this “requires bravery and boldness and unbending loyalty to ensuring that future citizens inherit a nation that wants them to be free.” Term limits anyone?!?
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THE BELIZE TIMES
24 AUG
2014
TEAM Kareem
Uplifting our Youth through Sports & Education in Caribbean Shores
1st place - Hard Hitters 2nd place - Belize Bar Association
Andrew Marshalleck taking it to the rim
3rd place - Home Grown 4th place - West Landivar All smiles in Caribbean Shores as children receive back to school bags
BELIEVE! A Change is Coming
24 24 AUG AUG
2014 2014
THE BELIZE THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES
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ENTERTAINMENT
NEWS Concert to feature National Youth Orchestra
A concert to be held this Saturday, August 23rd, at the Bliss Center for the Performing Arts will feature talented Belizean musicians that form the National Youth Orchestra. Orchestra member explained this week what one could expect. “This concert will feature works from Pirates of the Caribbean. We’ll be doing several pieces from Tchaikovsky there will also be a performance by 8 MusAid fellows themselves so that is a special treat. Some of them come from top conservatories in the United States and they’re working along with our orchestra members with some pieces that we will be performing and also doing pedagogy classes for the teachers here at the orchestra and also encouraging some of the members, the students themselves to start teaching music. I encourage all Belizeans to come out and listen.” The concert will also feature foreign artists who are part of an organization called MusAid, which provides funding and conducts training in support of music around the world. The concert kicks off at 7:30 and tickets are available at the Bliss for $15.00.
Belizean beauty
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2014
Sunrise’s Stacy Smith
wins Belize Rural softball championship Lord’s Bank, August 17, 2014 Lord’s Bank Sunrise won the 2014 Belize Rural female softball championship finals at the Lord’s Bank field over the weekend. Veteran pitcher Margaret Hendy punctuated the culmination of her career as she led Sunrise to a 10-7 win over the Burrell Boom Orchid girls in the championship finale on Sunday. Stacy Smith had led the Sunrise girls to a 9-6 win over the Orchid Girls in game 1 of the finals earlier in the afternoon. Smith had also led the Sunrise girls to an 11-8 win over Willows Bank United when the playoffs began on Saturday. Sunrise’s hitters scored 11 runs off Jacqueline Cassasola’s pitching. The Orchid Girls had gotten the easy bye to a 7-0 win when the Sand Hill Messengers forfeited game 2 of the playoffs. The Sunrise girls hammered Angie Tucker’s pitching to scored 12 runs in their 12-7 win over Willows Bank United in Game 3 of the playoffs In Game 4 of the playoffs on Sunday, the Orchid Girls walloped Ashanti Anderson’s pitching to score 12 runs for their 12-1 win by mercy rule over the Sand Hill Messengers.
Lord Bank’s Sunrise team
Boom Orchid Girls team
Table Tennis Team League kicks off with a bang!
Sugar City’s Mandy Gomez
Belize City, August 17, 2014 Team Penholders, Team Phoenix and Tres Leches won 2 games each when the Belize Table Tennis Association and Brothers Habet kicked off the “Team League” with 11 matches at the Belize Elementary Auditorium on Sunday. A total of 19 teams of 4 players each are participating in the tournament: 4 in the 1st Division, 8 in the 2nd division and 7 in the 3rd division. In the 2nd division, the Penholders’ Marion Usher, Matthew Usher and Jorge Espat mastered over the Crushers - Samron Pott, Latrell Solis and Jaylen Nicholson 5-2 in the morning and spanked the Spin Kings 5-1 in the afternoon. Team Phoenix’s Joshua Gegg, Francis Gegg and Jason Lin whopped the Racqueteers with Zachary Garbutt, Trevon Brown and Bryton Codd 5-0 in the morning, and spanked the Turds 5-0 in the afternoon. Tres Leches’ Harim Ochaeta, Gian Lisbey and Damian Perdomo also clipped the Spin Kings with Charlton Roches, Radford Baizar and Clifton Williams 5-0 in the
morning, and they squeaked past the Racqueteers 5-4 in the afternoon. Team Sugar City’s Fabio Carballo, Mandy Gomez and Toni Lui tamed the Turds’ Khalid Encalada, Wayne Eiley and Carlo Keith 5-0 in the morning, but the Crushers squeaked past Team Sugar City: 5-4 in the afternoon. The 3rd division competition also began with 3 matches: Team Thunder’s Taye Parkinson, Rohit Pagarani and Denzel Young schooled the Young Stars’ Harsh Katwani, Samuel Ferguson and Christopher Gongora 5-0 in the morning. The Peppers’ Eric Liu, Daryl Palacio and Neeraj Pagarani edged out the Racqueteers’ David Portillo, Sergio Pech and Eric Li 5-4. Team Brodies Killerspin with Cody Rivero, Maurice Alvarez and Luis Bardalez won over the Young Stars: 5-0 in the afternoon. Upcoming matches (Saturday, August 23): Phoenix vs. Tres Leches Turds vs. Crushers Racqueteers vs. Penholders Spin Kings vs. Sugar City Thunders vs. Wildcats Peppers vs. Young Warriors
Beacon’s Crystal Hernandez
Belize Bank Blazers win 7-0 over Beacon girls in softball finals Belize City, August 15, 2014 The Belize Bank Blazers walloped the Beacon girls 7-0 in Game 1 of the Belize City female softball championship finals at the Rogers Stadium last Friday night. The Beacon had upset the 4x national champs, Telemedia, 13-12 last Wednesday to enter the finals, but Blazers’ star pitcher Ashley Lucas struck out 3 batters and walked 1, giving up only 1 hit, and the defense was so tight they committed only one error. Beacon left 1 runner on base and scored zero runs. Beacon pitcher Vanessa Garbutt gave up 7 hits and walked 3batters, while her diamond committed 12 errors. Kiri Lizama led the attack scoring 2 runs, while Sharette Vernon, Ashley Lucas, Jolene Davis, Fiona Rivero and Tyra Moriera scored a run apiece for the 7-0 win by mercy rule in the bottom of the 5th inning. It might have been more as the Blazers left 8 runners on base. Beacon will have to do better in the rematch set for Friday, August 22.
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THE BELIZE THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES
11 SPORTS 11
Team Santino’s Warren Coye wins Weekend Warriors cycling time trials
Santinos’ Warren Coye wins A division
Belize City, August 17, 2014 Team Santino’s celebrated the lives of their fallen teammates Ernest “Jawmeighan” Meighan and Ernest “Tangalang” Thurton with a win in the Weekend Warriors individual time trials held on the Burrell Boom bypass road over the weekend. Here are the results: A Division 1st Warren Coye – Team Santino’s – 28:53 2nd Daniel Cano – Digicel 4G – 29:12 3rd Stephen Bissett – Team BNE – 29:25 4th George Abraham Sr – Team Santino’s – 29:39 5th Robert Mariano – Team Digicel 4G – 29:54. B Division 1st Ray Cattouse – Stationery House/ Medina’s Jewelry – 29:04 2nd Matthew Hughes – Team Big Blade – 29:35. 3rd Clarence Tesecum – Team F.T. Williams /B.C.B. – 31:48. 4th Kaya Cattouse - Team SMART – 31:50. 5th Edwardo Villanueva - Stationery House/ Medina’s Jewelry – 31:52. C Division 1st Ingmar Perrera - Stationery House/ Medina’s Jewelry – 33:16 2nd Glen Sheppard - Team Big Blade – 34:28 3rd Manuel Esquiliano – Truckers Posse – 34:37 4th Curtis Bradley – F.T. Williams – 34:49 5th Dennis Mckoy – Truckers Posse – 34:52
17 year old Marco Mendez is Belize’s No. 1 Male Tennis Player! August 19, 2014 The Belize Tennis Association hosted the prestigious National Men’s singles for the “Eric Eusey Trophy” at the Belize Pickwick Club Tennis courts last weekend. In the first round No. 1 Seed Mike Sosa defeated Dr. Atanacio Cobb 6-0, 6-1 and No. 2 Seed Curtis Musa defeated Ellison Flowers 6-1, 6-3. Marco Mendez walked over Guillermo Rayo 6-0, 6-0 and Peter Quan overcame young Richard Huang 6-1, 6-4. In the first semi-final 17 year old Marco Mendez showed us the returns on hard work and training by defeating No. 1 Seed Mike Sosa 6-2, 6-2. Mendez’s game is a solid one and perhaps the best Belize has ever seen so far. The second semi-final proved to be a marathon 3-hour match between No. 2 Seed Curtis Musa and Peter Quan, but in the end Curtis overcame Peter 7-6, 6-1. In the finals the young Marco Mendez proved too much for Curtis and took the victory over him 6-0, 6-0 demonstrating powerful ground strokes and an all-around solid game! The Sponsor Mr. Eric Eusey Jr., son of past tennis legend Eric Eusey (in whose name the tournament is sponsored), presented beautiful trophies to the runner up and champion. This is the eleventh year Eric Eusey sponsors this tournament and committed to continue. The Belize Tennis Association extends congratulations to young Marco Mendez who is the 2nd youngest (Billy Musa Jr. won it at 16 years old in 1979) to win this coveted title of the No. 1 male Tennis Player in Belize!
Champion Marco Mendez
Runner up Curtis Musa
BEL Powersockets are 2014 Interoffice Softball Champs Belize City, August 8, 2014 The BEL Powersockets won the 2014 Belize City interoffice softball championship, their 4th interoffice championship by hammering the Customs /Central Bank 12-5 (mercy rule) in Game 2 of the finals at the Rogers Stadium on Friday night. The Customs’ pitchers Carol Leslie and Kareem Michael walked 2 batters and gave up 11hits; while the Customs diamond committed 8 errors. Reynaldo Duran led the BEL attack scoring 3 runs, while Jason Bennett, Gregory
Kerr and Godsden Ferguson scored 2 runs apiece; and Mark Cassasola, Tania Gomez and Glenford “Mac-10” Flowers scored a run apiece. Keemar King led Customs by scoring 2 runs, while Egbert Neal, Gilbert Gordon and Kareem Michael scored a run apiece. BEL’s pitchers Sylvano Sutherland and Melissa Foreman struck out 1 batter, walked 4 and gave up 8 hits, but the diamond committed only 4 errors, and Customs left 8 runners on base.
Belize Bank Bulldogs & Complex Generals face off in basketball finals Belize City, August 16, 2014 The Belize Bank Bulldogs and the Complex Admirals won through to the Belize City firms basketball championship finals both by eliminating their rivals by aggregate score wins in the semifinals at Bird’s Isle on Friday night. The Bulldogs eliminated BWS by an aggregate score of 106 – 97. In Game 2 of the semifinals on Saturday, BWS won 51-46, led by Lawrence Young with 9 points. Kareem Thompson added 8pts, Ashley Hemsley had 7pts and Akeem “Timmy” Trapp added 6 points while Graham and Barcelona scored 5 points apiece. Bulldogs’ Vince Lamb scored 17 points, Charlie Armstrong added 14 points, and Terrique Gabb scored 8 points. In Game 1, the Bulldogs won 60-46. In the other matchup, Complex eliminated Central Health by an aggregate score of 143-125. In Game 2 on Saturday, Complex won 75-69, led by Rhetton Belisle with 21 points, while Raphael O’Brien had 20 points. Complex had won Game 1 68-56 on Friday.
Belize Bank’s Myron Flowers scored 11pts
Digicel 4G, BDF & Belize Bank win volleyball games
BTL’s Otis Clother scores a point
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THE BELIZE TIMES
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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.
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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
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THE BELIZE TIMES
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2014
The Question the UDP Chairman was afraid to answer Cayo District, August 20, 2014 The normally loud-mouth, bombastic UDP Chairman Alberto August has a knack for pretending to know all the answers to every problem. But August went totally silent when his Facebook page was smacked with a post from a Belizean mother who said that the Prime Minister’s claim that the quality of life in Belize has im-
Liquor License NOTICES Notice is hereby given that MARIA BAUTISTA is applying for a Night Club Liquor License to be operated at “Dream Like City”, situate at 1 ½ Miles Philip Goldson Highway, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that INDER KUMAR ASWANI is applying for a Malt & Cider Liquor License to be operated at #28 Santa Ana Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that LAURA ALVARADO is applying for a Beer Liquor License to be operated at “Senor Burgers” located #67 Hydes Lane, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that DE HUA LUD is applying for a Restaurant Liquor License to be operated at “Green House” located #2438 Central American Boulevard, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that SHENG WANG CHEN is applying for a Convenience Store Liquor License to be operated at “K.C. Shop” located #78 Barrack Road, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.
Alberto August proved is a total lie. Lisa O’Brien is one of many Belizeans who believe that the Prime Minister’s interview with UDP crony Steven Duncan was a failed stunt. Mrs O’Brien was not impressed, so
she asked Chairman August a powerful question on his Facebook page on July 29. She said: “In his recent interview the PM of Belize stated that the quality of life has improved for many Belizeans since his government, the U.D.P. came into office seven years ago. It is to this effect that I would like to know for whom did the quality of life really improved?? I am a widow that has been seeking employment and have been promised assistance in securing a job to no avail. On more than one occasion, I have visited my area rep for Cayo Central Mr Rene Montero and the chairman of the U.D.P. Mr. Alberto August both who promised to assist me in locating a job. To date I’m still waiting to hear from either of them. Where would I be if I wasn’t a woman willing to take any job even at a lesser salary than I deserve just
to meet my mortgage and to put food on my table?? Is this the quality of life improvement? I’m sure this is the case for many many other Belizeans as well. Come on PM for us to survive we need jobs not empty words!!! [sic]” One would expect Mr. Know it all August to have responded in his usual attack style. But no…not this time. He probably knows that Mrs. O’Brien is right that the UDP has given nothing but empty rhetoric to the Belizean people. He didn’t even apologise for not helping with his promise of a job. We think he really doesn’t care. In support of the comment, another Belizean mother posted: “Tell them Lisa O’Brien, fly that red flag from ur house n car n u will get help! Sad but true in Bze, when I visit I’m on lock down because I’m so scared, that’s definitely no improvement or quality of life”.
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2014
Rhett Fuller, Errol Elrington and Sedi Elrington- What a web Sedi weaves!
July 10th, 2008- Foreign Minister Sedi Elrington meets with US Charge de Affairs and other US officials in Belize and gives them assurances that the extradition request for Rhett Fuller (and Mark and Gary Seawell) will proceed and he will “personally follow them to ensure that they receive correct handling”. [Wikileaks, Belize Cables] August, 2011- Privy Council dismisses Rhett Fuller’s habeas corpus challenge to stop his extradition to the United States. The only one recourse which remained for Fuller, was to appeal directly to the Minister of Foreign Affairs to not surrender him to the US September 6th, 2011- Fuller appeals to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sedi Elrington to not surrender him to the US. September 20th, 2011- Minister of Foreign Affairs wastes no time and almost immediately informs Fuller he will surrender him to the US. October, 2011- Fuller challenges in the Supreme Court of Belize the Minister of Foreign Affairs’ decision to surrender him to the US. November, 2011- Supreme Court Judge Awich dismissed Fuller’s challenge of the Foreign Minister’s decision to extradite him to the US. Fuller then appeals to the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Courts decision. March, 2013- Court of Appeal gives its reserved decision and rules in favour of Fuller. The Court of Appeal ruled that the Foreign Minister did not properly and lawfully consider Fuller’s appeal to him. Court of Appeal ordered Fuller is to be allowed to apply and that the Foreign Minister is to impartially consider all the facts of Fullers’ case. October, 2013- a warrant of arrest is issued in the United States for Errol Elrington, brother of Foreign Minister Sedi Elrington, on charges of racketeering, and medical fraud and health care fraud regarding over $400,000 US Elrington fraudulently received for services he did not personally perform. Elrington flees to Belize and is declared a fugitive wanted in the US. The Minister of Foreign Affairs is the Belizean government official to whom the US makes request for the surrender of a Belizean who is a fugitive wanted in the US. Errol Elrington becomes the second close family member of Attorney General and Foreign Minister Sedi Elrington to be wanted by US Justice Officials, the other being one Hubert Eric Elrington, nephew of the Foreign Minister. It is unclear if an extradition request has been made for Sedi’s nephew, Hubert Eric, and if so, the request was ever opened. If it was not, the police cannot arrest and take the person to court as was done for Rhett Fuller and Mark and Gary Seawell. And the US would not comment publicly if it had sent a request. They would rely on the good faith of the Foreign Minister to act on the request. Likewise it is unknown if a request for extradition has been made for the latest Elrington, Errol. December, 2013- Foreign Minister Sedi Elrington hears Fuller’s application to not surrender him to the US January, 2014- Foreign Minister decides he will not surrender Fuller to the US where he was wanted. When Sedi decided in January, 2014
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Errol Elrington, WANTED BY THE UNITED STATES
Public Auction Sale By Order of the Board of Directors of Gulf Caribbean Limited, Licensed Auctioneer Guadalupe Montejo will sell the following property: ALL THOSE pieces or parcels of land being the subject of a Deed of Conveyance dated the 11th day of July, 1964, between Alfred Edwards (Vendor) and Gulf Caribbean Ld. (Purchaser) recorded at the General Registry on the 16th August, 1964, and containing approximately 619.593 acres situated on both sides of the Punta Gorda to San Antonio Road in the vicinity of Jacintoville Village, Toledo District. The Auction Sale will take place on site of the property (near Jacintoville on the roadside of the Punta Gorda San Antonio Road) on the 23rd September, 2014 at 10:30am. DATED this 15th day of August, 2014.
Attorney General Sedi Elrington
MUSA & BALDERAMOS LLP 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorneys-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.
Public Auction Sale
Rhett Fuller to not surrender Fuller, he would have known that his brother was a fugitive wanted by the US for serious and grave charges. He would have known further that if he was surrendered to the US and convicted of these charges, his brother would face excessively severe penalties of up to 20 years. Was this therefore the operating consideration made by him in deciding not to surrender Fuller? Was he setting a precedent so that in the future, were he to decide not to surrender another Belizean (for instance his brother and nephew are now both wanted in the US), the Belizean public would not find it offensive, would not trip on him? Was Rhett Fuller therefore merely just a pawn in Sedi’s grander plan? If the answers to these questions are in the affirmative, then Sedi is vastly more dangerous than we even fathomed. What a dangerous web Sedi weaves. Problem is, all Belizeans are being woven in it. NB: In a proper functioning democracy, Sedi would have quietly submitted his resignation and return to his private practice. Of course, not before giving one of his weird and artificial interviews for which he has become a media clown.
By Order of the Board of Directors of Gulf Caribbean Limited, Licensed Auctioneer Guadalupe Montejo will sell the following property: ALL THOSE piece or parcel of land being the subject of a Land Certificate 1187/91 dated the 19th day of March, 1991, registered at the Land Registry Belmopan in the Consejo Road SE Registration Section, being Block 1 Parcel 172 containing approximately 63.690 acres situated off the Corozal - Consejo Road, Corozal District. The Auction Sale will take place on site of the property (on the roadside of the Corozal –Consejo Road) on the 25th September, 2014 at 10:30am. DATED this 15th day of August, 2014. MUSA & BALDERAMOS LLP 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorneys-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Home Economics An Unjust, Unbalanced, Broken Tax System Part 2 By Richard Harrison I. OBSERVATIONS, ANALYSIS & RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FISCAL REFORM a. BUSINESS TAX – in 2013, the government reported collecting BZ$135 million from turnover on all businesses with sales over BZ$75,000 per annum at a rate of 1.75% of sales. This suggests that businesses completing returns for business tax reported total turnover of BZ$7.7 billion. My own estimates, given businesses under the threshold, business who evade or avoid the tax by non-reporting or under-reporting, and those who are exempt from paying the tax legally through government concessions, are that total turnover in the economy in 2013 was between BZ$10 – 13 billion. Yet, total imports reported was only BZ$1.9 billion, which would translate into about BZ$3.5 billion in retail sales, and would suggest that Belize produced the other BZ$4.2 billion of what it consumed in goods and services….which is difficult to believe, given the visible consumption. This tax needs to be lowered to 1% of trade, across all businesses operating in Belize (no exceptions nor exemptions) thus would likely come in at around BZ$90 million, given that capture rate should increase at this lower rate. This will lower the cost-ofdoing-business by leaving an additional BZ$45 million in the hands of ALL investors according to their scale, to grow their businesses. b. GENERAL SALES TAX – in 2013, the government reported collecting BZ$220 million at a rate of 12.5%. This suggests that total turnover on which GST was charged amounted to BZ$1.76 billion….which is only 22.9% of the total turnover as suggested by the Business Tax receipts. This either means that 77.1% of all the goods and services sold are exempt from paying GST, or that there is massive evasion and/or avoidance of reporting and paying this tax. This is in line with the massive Belize Customs evasion and avoidance suggested in (a) , the wide range of large-volume items that are exempt from this tax and the speculation of wide spread evasion and avoidance of the GST Tax law. This tax rate needs to be reduced to 10%, and charged across the board (no exceptions nor exemptions, with repeal of Hotel Tax and provisions made for financing of Belize Tourism Board, which currently depends on the Hotel Tax which is earmarked to them)….which would increase GST intake from BZ$220 million to BZ$520 million, if the capture rate can be increased from 22.9% to 54% of total
reported trade. If the government proves a higher capture rate, this rate should be reduced further. The numbers here suggest that the rate can be reduced to as low as 5%, if capture rate reaches 90%. BEFORE this recommendation is implemented, all levies on import of fuel, except the 10% GST, should be removed, which would result in a loss to government of around BZ$70 million….so that the price of diesel falls to around BZ$7/ gallon and premium fuel to around BZ$7.50/gallon...competitive with Mexico and USA, our two principal competitors. This will allow the prices of basic commodities to remain the same or be reduced, with significant decreases in cost-of-production and transportation. The net effect will be a redistribution of BZ$300 million (increase GST) minus BZ$70 million (loss from fuel), or total of BZ$230 million that will accrue mostly to the middle class and spread across ALL domestic production investors, instead of accruing to only a handful of favored investors as is the current scenario. The rebuilding of a vibrant, entrepreneurial middle class should be a primary objective of Belize’s post-Independence economy. c. ENVIRONMENTAL TAX – in 2013, the government reported collecting BZ$24 million at a rate of 2% on imports that qualify. This suggests that only BZ$1.2 billion of imports qualified…..which is 63% of the total declared imports of BZ$1.9 billion. This means that BZ$700 million of imports either are exempt from paying this tax, or are imported by means that evade or avoid the law. This tax needs to be implemented across the board for ALL imports. It cannot be that local producers have to pay this tax on their raw materials, but finished products, whether from CARICOM or not, can be imported into Belize without paying this tax. This puts domestic investors at a disadvantage in their own country. This recommendation would result in an increase in government revenue from BZ$24 million to BZ$38 million, potentially putting an additional BZ$14 million into domestic investors bottom line, either to lower costof-doing-business or to boost profits for re-investment in growth. d. EXCISE TAX – in 2013, the government reported collecting BZ$23 million in Excise Tax. This is a mafia-style “protection fee” that the government is charging on local production of rum, beers and soft drinks (not certain if on cigarettes, since that is no longer manufactured in Belize)….in return for keeping im-
port competition at bay….either by tariff (100% import duty plus Revenue Replacement Duty charged on imports) or non-tariff (discretionary licensing requirements for imports of competitive products) measures. This law needs to be repealed. No investor should need to pay government a protection fee….as it is the government’s DUTY to protect. This money should be left with the investors so that they build their competitiveness and productivity by reducing the cost-of-doing-business in these important sectors that should be exporting. Belize will gain by increased investments, jobs and export income. Removal of this tax might just be the factor that allows much bigger investors to decide to invest in Belize in these sectors…. whether in equity partnership or independent of the existing investors. e. CUSTOMS TARIFF – in 2013, the government reported collecting BZ$153 million from import duties…. which on total declared imports of BZ$1.9 billion suggests an average rate of import duty of 8%. The WTO agreement requires that Belize implement an average of 20%, thus Belize is voluntarily FAR BELOW the WTO requirement. Belize needs to develop a greater home court advantage of domestic investors….which only produces a narrow range of products anyway. This can be done by increasing the average rate of import duty to 15%....by charging ZERO import duty on inputs of raw materials for ALL production in Belize, and charging no less than 5% on finished imported products (currently many large volume items are at ZERO)….and decreasing import duty on ALL those items which Belize does not produce, nor intend to produce, to 20%....which will allow many more persons to consume what was considered “luxury” way back in the colonial days when this law was drafted. This would raise government revenue from import duties to BZ$285 million, from BZ$153 million. Again, this has the potential to put another BZ$132 million into domestic investors hands, creating all kinds of jobs and developing industries for export. f. PERSONAL INCOME TAX – in 2013, the government reported collecting BZ$60 million from personal income taxes, at a rate of 25% of income on all income over BZ$25,000 per annum. This discriminates and punishes persons who invested in education and positive work experience unfairly, while rewarding those that drop out of school or develop poor work habits and attitudes by not taxing them. This rate should be reduced to 10% and charged on all income over BZ$18,000 per annum. All persons should be able to deduct a maximum of $2,500 per annum for investments in health insurance, home construction or expansion and education for children under their care and control, so that those now earning between BZ$18 – 25,000
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2014
are not affected negatively, but can actually gain from this change. This will result in a loss to government of BZ$40 million, which will be left in the hands of the middle class…. for them to save, invest or consume. g. FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTION TAX – in 2013, the government reported collecting BZ$19 million from this source. This tax needs to be repealed, so that capital can flow more freely. This tax is in place because we KNOW our environment is not conducive to investments, and we FEAR capital fleeing….but this also produces FRICTION for capital inflow as well. With the fiscal reforms recommended here, Belize can be CONFIDENT that capital inflow will far exceed capital outflow, and thus there would be no need for this FEAR-BASED tax to be in place. This will result in BZ$19 million more in the hands of investors and individuals, effectively reducing the cost-of-doing-business. h. ROAD CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE FUND – there is currently no sustainable fund to construct new roads and maintain existing ones...this is currently funded mostly through loans and grant funds from foreign sources. More recently, the tourism head tax was used to finance a Belize City municipal bond floated on the local institutional market for cementing of over 100 streets. With the reduction in fuel price to BZ$7.50/gallon (from the current BZ$12.00/gallon) suggested here, every private car owner will save on average BZ$800 per year, and every commercial vehicle will save on average BZ$3,600. At the time of licensing these vehicles, private cars should be required to pay BZ$200 and commercial vehicles BZ$400 per annum towards this fund. This will raise BZ$20 million annually for local governments, from a domestically-determined sustainable source, specifically for building new roads and improving existing ones in the municipalities. It would amount to a decentralization of another BZ$20 million in the economy. The revenues from this law could be invested slowly each year after it is collected, or it could be bundled to finance a municipal development bond of BZ$300 million to rapidly transform our municipalities streets and road infrastructure. Perhaps a balance of these two choices would be most prudent. 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
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THE BELIZE TIMES
service of this country. There are countless of ways that those wishing to return home can contribute outside of Parliament. Many have valuable experience and expertise in a variety of areas. I believe that a number of positions could be filled with individuals from the Diaspora. The Contractor General, the Auditor General and even the Integrity Commission could be staffed with people from the Diaspora. Of course, we would have to either. Belizeans should come home, insure that they are people of integrity and can contribute in many other ways and not rabid supporters of one polittoward building our nation. Recent surical party or the other; we have many veys reveal that there are some 55,000 of those out there. There are many Belizeans living in the United States and Belizeans in the Diaspora who are as there are those who believe that the staunchly politically biased as some of number is even higher than that. us at home. Many fly into Belize every Migration to the United States befive years only to cast their votes for gan many decades ago and there are particular candidates and then fly back families who can tell about relatives out leaving us to deal with the consewho went to the states as early as the quences of their vote. The entire reg1920’s. Several hundred went to work istration process is flawed and that is during the Second World War but there another mess in need of dire attention. are two major incidents that propelled a Maybe we can find objective thinkers mass exodus from our shores. The first from the Diaspora to work with the was Hurricane Hattie in 1961. Shortly Elections and Boundaries Department. after the hurricane that devastated the I am staunchly opposed to Bethen capital Belize City and Stann Creek lizeans with dual citizenship coming Town in particular, the United States home and immediately entering polConsulate announced that any Belizean itics and being allowed to run for office. What I would support and have been suggesting for years, is that Belizeans in the Diaspora be allowed repreMany fly into Belize every five years only to cast their sentation in Parliament. They votes for particular candidates and then fly back out could select and elect from among themselves, a particleaving us to deal with the consequences of their ular individual who would sit vote. The entire registration process is flawed in either the upper or the lowand that is another mess in need of dire ater House and represent the views and interest of those in tention. Maybe we can find objective thinkers the Diaspora. None can deny from the Diaspora to work with the Elections that those in the Diaspora have played a role in the deand Boundaries Department. velopment of our country but their removal has also been to who had relatives living in the United our detriment. Again, that is topic for ous of them. I do not believe that any of States would be allowed to join those another article. the above is true and for the most part, relatives in the States. Many took advanI believe that Belizeans abroad most Belizeans who return are welcomed tage of the opportunity and even those should be encouraged and enticed to with open arms. What Belizeans at home without relatives there, boarded planes return home. There should be incendo not want is for those who have gone and set sail for the greener pastures of tives given to those who are interestabroad to just waltz in and expect that they the North America. The consequence ed; like access to land and the waiver will just “run things”.The consensus also is has been catastrophic for Belize, but of all tariffs and duties on personal efthat if a person wants to get involved in that’s a topic for another article. fects. Let us continue the discussion the politics of Belize, they should give up The other major incident was our find a way to make this work. May whatever other citizenship that they hold gaining of Independence. Many of those GOD bless Belize! and dedicate themselves wholly to the
Reid The Return of the 7th By G. Michael Reid A Diaspora (from Greek διασπορά, “scattering, dispersion”) is a scattered population with a common origin in a smaller geographic area. “They made me the keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard have I not kept” ~ Song of Solomon. Discussions around the issue of dual citizens have once again forced itself onto the front burner and it seems that there are some who just will not give up. In 2009, the current UDP administration proposed an amendment to the Belize Constitution that sought to “remove the Dual citizenship disqualification for membership of the House of Representatives or the Senate”. As it stands, the Constitution prohibits anyone who is a citizen of any other country from running for high office. The 2009 proposal caused a huge public outcry and the government was forced to “wheel and come again”. A Seventh Amendment was passed and it cleared the way for the Caribbean Court of Justice to replace Her Majesty’s Privy Council as our final court of appeal. It also made it possible for government to appoint an attorney general “who may or may not be a member of either the House of Representatives or the Senate” but the controversial section four had to be removed. The people of Belize made it clear that a person running for high political office “shall” be one hundred percent Belizean. Those in the Diaspora have a legitimate gripe of course, when they see the UDP endorsing a candidate who was born in Guatemala, of all places. After demolishing a treasured Mayan temple to build roads, Denny Grijalva was not only awarded lucrative contracts but endorsed as standard bearer to run for Orange Walk Central. Belizeans abroad also saw what happened with Elvin Penner and Eric Chang, both of whom were rumored to be citizens of other countries. They believe that if we don’t object to foreigners taking privileges with our land, then why should we object to them. It is a valid enough point but rather than, “if this is okay then that should be okay also” it has to be that “neither this nor that is okay”! Grijalva should not be allowed to run for office and no person with a citizenship other than a Belizean citizenship should be allowed to run
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leaving on that occasion did so because they did not believe that Belize could survive on its own. They were convinced that Guatemala would eventually invade but by the Grace of GOD, 34 years later, we are still standing strong and proving them wrong. In between those two events and thereafter, a steady stream of Belizeans have been entering the U.S. both legally and illegally. Many found ways of legitimizing their status and a large number have become citizens of the U.S. For them, it is a proud accomplishment and not something that they would like to surrender readily. Many have planted deep roots and have no desire to return to Belize but there are those who long for the warmth and comfort of home. In recent years, quite a few Belizeans have retired from jobs in the states and have returned to spend their golden years in our little Jewel nestled on the shore of the Caribbean Sea. The problem is that there are a few who would like to have their cake and eat it too. I do not agree with the recent Amandala Editorial that suggests that Belizeans at home resent or are intimidated by our brothers and sisters abroad. There are some in the states who are convinced that Belizeans at home are intensely jeal-
From these FUNDS the OW Town Council INVESTED $14,000 in a student work programme which assisted 140 young students
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Liquor License NOTICES
The Heavy Yoke Belize is enduring dark and violent times with a rise in shootings and murders. Just recently, an iconic cyclist was murdered in cold blood. And though every act of violence is an arousing degradation of human life, this particular murder carried a much harsher stink of unfairness and wrong. Belizeans have become painfully aware of the country’s deep plunge in the value we place on human life and in the moral code that protects it. Yet, I cannot help my mind from wandering to the murderer. I wonder if his life, his burdens, or his desires were impacted by the act of taking a life. I wonder if his yoke is heavy or light. In the Manual, it is noted that we all have yokes. A yoke is like a harness and back in the days, it was placed on work animals, such as oxen or mules, and attached to a cart or plow that they were going to pull. Heavy yokes were meant for animals, yet humans are known to yoke themselves to heavy burdens as well (and I don’t mean a cart or a plow). I think about this concept in light of the murders and violence occurring in our country today. So many young men in Belize are yoking themselves to hostility. This is such a heavy burden to bear and my heart yearns for them to exchange it for a lighter one. This exchange from a heavy burden, however, is not as appealing as one may think. Though the heavier burden comes with anchors of guilt, restlessness, dissatisfaction, etc., the pleasure of doing what one wants often prevents us from yoking ourselves to a better and smaller burden: the one offered by Jesus. See, although Jesus’ burden is lighter in the long run, the day-to-day disciplines that come with this association can be tiresome and lonely. For example, when yoked to Jesus, anger has to be exchanged for peace. Which is hard to maintain, for when anyone of us gets in a rage, the urge to explode is hard to repress. Yet, this is exactly what Jesus’ lighter burden requires. Heavy burdens are not limited to anger, violence, and hate. Many young ladies today are yoking themselves to fornication and promiscuity. Those burdens may not seem heavy at first. Oh no. Expressing oneself sexually is quite gratifying and pleasurable at first. But this burden, according to the Manual, is a sin against one’s own self. Eventually, this pleasurable weight may produce an STD or an unwanted pregnancy. When these consequences arise, which burden would be the lighter one: your own or Jesus’? The beauty of free will is that, even though yoking oneself to anything automatically makes you a slave of that thing, you have the power to choose to what or to Whom you want to yoke yourself to. YOUR CHOICE. This is important because when you choose, you are the one that must deal with the consequences. To all those young men, I say: Once you have breath, you have a choice and a second chance. If your load is too heavy, there is one Man who promises to take on your burden to give you His lighter one. Until next week, God bless
Notice is hereby given that CAISU LI is applying for a Convenience Store Liquor License to be operated at “Li & Li Store”, situate at 25 West Collet Canal, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.
Notice is hereby given that SHARLETT S.S. MIGUEL is applying for a Beer Liquor License to be operated at “Mayan Crystal Skull”, situate at Rockstone Pond, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.
NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the below company has been dissolved and struck-off the International Business Companies Register with effect from August 16th, 2014: Accel Business Limited Zetland Corporate Services Belize Limited
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PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT The Elections and Boundaries Department is hereby advising the General Public that the Department will be facilitating persons who wish to be transferred from one electoral division to another, registration of persons who have attained the age of eighteen (18) years and older and have not yet registered, and delivery of Voters’ Identification Cards. All Registration Offices countrywide will be open on Saturday August 23 and 30th, 2014 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Electors seeking to be transferred are encouraged to bring along their Voters’ Identification Card or any other picture identification such as: Passport, Social Security Card or a Drivers License. Persons seeking registration shall bring along either: - - -
Belizean Birth Certificate Belizean Passport Belizean Naturalization Certificate
A Belizean Birth Certificate shall be accompanied by a picture identification card.
Barrette M. Woodye (Ms.) FOR CHIEF ELECTIONS OFFICER
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THE BELIZE THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES
REGIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
NEWS
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Bank of America in record $17bn settlement US company to pay amount over its role in the sale of mortgage-backed securities in the run-up to the financial crisis
Liberia overwhelmed by number of Ebola dead Red Cross says Monrovia’s crematorium cannot keep up with deaths, turning away dozens of infectious corpses every day The crematorium in Liberia’s capital Monrovia is being overwhelmed by the number of dead Ebola victims being brought in, the Red Cross has said. Fayah Tamba, the secretary-general of the Liberian division of the charity, said on Thursday workers were having to return corpses to a hospital in the city after being told there was no capacity to cremate all the victims. Tamba said she believed it may now be necessary for in-
ternational organisations to take over responsibility for handling the crisis from the national authorities. Liberia is the worst affected of four West African countries hit by Ebola, with 576 deaths from 972 cases to date. Ebola is transmitted through bodily fluids and the dead bodies of victims are highly contagious. “We are constrained ... On Saturday our team was able to collect up to 41 bod-
ies. On Sunday they collected up to 37 bodies,” Tamba told a local radio station. “The crematorium did not have the capacity to cremate all these bodies, so we had to ... carry them [back] to ELWA (the hospital in the capital). “The next morning we had to make sure to carry these bodies to the crematorium and make sure they were cremated before we could start collecting new ones. “When you have a situation of this calamity, of this magnitude, we think it is important for us to have an international organisation that will co-ordinate the humani-
tarian intervention,” she said. Tamba’s comments came after a chaotic day in Liberia’s capital on Wednesday, with violence erupting in an Ebola quarantine zone after soldiers opened fire and used tear gas on protesting crowds. The Liberian president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, had ordered a nightime curfew and the quarantine of Monrovia’s West Point slum and Dolo Town, to the east of the capital, in a bid to stem the outbreak.
India’s ‘Iron Lady’ released after 14 years Irom Sharmila says she will continue her hunger strike over alleged atrocities by the Indian army in Manipur state An Indian human rights activist who has been on hunger strike for the last 14 years in protest against alleged army atrocities has been released from a prison hospital in Manipur where doctors had force fed her to keep her alive. The freeing of Irom Sharmila comes after a trial judge found no evidence to support charges filed in 2000 by prosecutors in the northeastern state that she was trying to commit suicide by refusing food. “It is hard for me to believe that I am free now. My battle against injustice and crimes committed by the army in Manipur will continue,”
Sharmila told the Reuters news agency on Wednesday. The release of Sharmila, who said she would continue her hunger strike, was confirmed by her lawyer Babloo Loitongbam. The 42-year-old, known as the “Iron Lady of Manipur,” began her fast in November 2000 after 10 people were killed in a shooting at a bus stop near her home in Manipur, a remote state that borders Myanmar. Activists blamed the killings - including two children - on the Indian army. Police registered a case but no arrests were made. Despite calls from judicial inquiries and human rights
groups, the federal government has kept in force an anti-terrorism law that gives soldiers virtual immunity from prosecution in regions hit by rebellion. Acting due to the failure to bring those responsible to justice, Sharmila started her hunger strike, vowing only to end it when the law was repealed. In response to Sharmila’s protest and growing popularity, state prosecutors charged her in 2000 with attempting suicide - a punishable offence in Indian law which also outlaws assisted suicide.
The US government has reached a $16.65bn settlement with Bank of America over its role in the sale of mortgage-backed securities in the run-up to the financial crisis, the Justice Department has announced. The deal calls for the bank, the second-largest in the US, to pay a $5bn cash penalty and provide billions of dollars of relief to struggling homeowners. Bank of America said its cash payouts will total $9.65bn. The settlement is by far the largest deal the Justice Department has reached with a bank over the 2008 mortgage meltdown. In the last year, JPMorgan agreed to a $13bn settlement while Citigroup reached a $7bn deal. “This historic resolution - the largest such settlement on record - goes far beyond the cost of doing business,” Attorney General Eric Holder told a news conference on Thursday. “Under the terms of this settlement, the bank has agreed to pay $7bn in relief to struggling homeowners, borrowers and communities affected by the bank’s conduct. Associate Attorney General Tony West said the settlement of nearly $17bn is the largest the Justice Department has ever reached with a single entity in US history.
Russian watchdog widens probe into McDonald’s Food safety agency to conduct checks on US chain’s restaurants in the Urals, a day after four Moscow branches shutdown Russia’s food safety agency is to conduct checks on McDonald’s restaurants in the Urals following food safety complaints, a day after four branches of the US chain were shut down in Moscow. Natalya Lukyantseva, an official in the Sverdlovsk regional office of the agency, told the RIA Novosti and Interfax news agencies on Thursday that unplanned checks were being carried out in a number of restaurants after residents voiced safety concerns. The inspections come one day after the agency, known in Russian as Rospotrebnadzor, ordered four Moscow-based restaurants to suspend operations, citing “numerous” sanitary law breaches. The shutdowns come in the wake of rising tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine. After the US and the European Union slapped sanctions on a range of Russian banks and crucial industries last month, Moscow responded with a wide-ranging ban on food products imported from those regions. One of those restaurants, on Moscow’s central Pushkin Square, was the first to open in the Soviet Union in 1990, drawing crowds of thousands that circled around the block.
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THE BELIZE TIMES Queen of The Bay Pageant
Saturday August 30, 2014, at the Bliss Center - 7:00pm Tickets for sale at Byway Giftshop - Freetown Rd. Jules on Albert Street
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: • • • • • • • •
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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
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Did Godwin Hulse bring back the Kim Won Hong??
CARTOON
Belize City, August 19, 2014 The shameful cover up of Elvin Penner’s criminal wrongdoing by Government agents continues. Belizeans were cautiously hopeful that Minister of Immigration Godwin Hulse would return from his high-level five-day visit to Taiwan with the Kim Won Hong Passport. The Won Hong passport is a crucial piece of evidence in the investigation into former UDP Minister of State in the Ministry of Immigration Elvin Penner’s criminal wrongdoing. Won Hong, a South Korean national, was an international fugitive who had been jailed in Taiwan and was facing extradition embezzlement charges. Penner abused his position of Minister of State to process Kim’s nationality as a Belizean followed by a passport. He derided Belize’s immigration laws when he vouched to have known Kim for three years, when Kim had never ever stepped foot in Belize. After obtaining Kim’s nationality, on a profoundly false basis, he bullied his way through passport officials to get Kim’s passport cleared despite glaring inconsistencies. Once processed, Penner’s driver picked up the passport and next thing it was in Taiwan being used by the international fugitive to frustrate the extradition process. Hulse knows that COLA and other concerned citizens are clamouring for the passport to be returned to Belize. He has disagreed with them, and has even tried distracting them by diminishing the passport’s significance. Hulse had promised that Government’s emissary in Taiwan, Ambassador Cherie Nisbet, would bring the passport to Belize. But this was three months ago, in May. Hulse had the perfect opportunity to retrieve the passport himself. He was in Taiwan from August 11th to August 15th. But reports are that this was not done. This is apparently just another act of cover by Minister Godwin Hulse. A March 19, 2014 report from the Auditor General Dorothy Bradley, in which she reported her preliminary findings of an investigation into the immigration scandal, cited that Hulse had refused to provide documents to her office which were requested. She said she found this and other actions by immigration officials who work under Hulse to be “blatant disrespect” for her office and a possible disregard for the Finance and Audit Reform Act. Mr. Righteous Godwin Hulse has chosen to go down in the history books in infamy, being a UDP/Barrow team player, who chooses to defend and protect the actions of Elvin Penner. Hulse had had many chances to deal with Penner as Belizeans have been demanding – prosecute him and send him to jail. Stop the cover up Godwin Hulse!
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