Belize Times August 28, 2016

SCAN HERE

The Belize Times

Established 1957

The Truth Shall Make You Free

28 AUGUST 2016 | ISSUE NO: 5008

TRAITORS! UDP SOLD OUR BIRTHRIGHT

Elvin Penner

Godwin Hulse

John Saldivar

Wednesday, August 24, 2016 “…if there is one thing that can and will bring down this government it is hustling in immigration. I have heard that there are ministers who are procuring visas for people. I have said pretty much every second cabinet, if you are doing so, I have no proof, for God sake stop it, stop it! That is what will cause the government to fall.” – Dean Barrow, October 10, 2013 The list of UDP Ministers, Area Representatives and so-called UDP caretakers who are named in the very comprehensive Audit Department investigations into Visa, Immigration and Nationality irregularities between the years 2011-2013 is a scandal and disgrace, though certainly not a surprise. It is also, undoubtedly, the tip of the rotten iceberg in what has

OAS Reports Clears BDF in Chiquibul Shooting

Erwin Contreras

www.belizetimes.bz | $1.00

Edmond Castro

been proven to be a systematic, orchestrated and brazen sale of our Belizean birthright to the highest bidder.

Contained in three booklets – one each for Visa, Immigration and Nationality, hundreds of pages chronicle the rape of our systems and procedures by

Pg. 2

CHURCHES TELL GOB - “ACT OR PAY THE CONSEQUENCES”

August 18, 2016 His Excellency, Luis Almagro Lemes Secretary General, Organization of American States (OAS) 1889 F Street, N. W. Washington, D.C., 20006 SUBJECT: Investigation of Incident in the Belize Administered Adjacency Zone on April 20, 2016 REPORT Presentation: In early June 2016, we: Dr. James E. Hamby and Dr. Patricia Rosa Linda Trujillo Mariel were integrated as an independent science commission to work together to investigate an incident that essentially involved a Guatemalan minor, Julio René Alvarado Ruano, who was shot and killed in the Adjacency Zone administered by Belize. We were requested by the United States Department of State and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Mexico, to conduct an independent and transparent investigation for the Organization of American States (OAS). The event occurred in the evening as the minor, accompanied by his father Carlos Alfredo Alvarado Ramírez and younger brother Carlos Alberto Alvarado Ruano (both father and son were wounded superficially), were returning home from working in the fields on the Belize side of the Adjacency Zone administered by Belize.

About our experience: Dr. James Hamby,

Pg. 4

I am a 75 year old retired Special Agent of the US Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID Special Agent) as well as a practicing forensic scientist for the past

Pg. 7

0 22

28 AUG

THE BELIZE TIMES

TRAITORS! UDP SOLD OUR BIRTHRIGHT

Continued from page 1 unscrupulous officers put in place by their political bosses. The shameful evidence that Ministers of Government intervened to facilitate Visas, nationality documents and passports without any vetting, for foreign nationals In the Visa - many of them with questionable backgrounds - is highlighted throughout the pages of the reports by the Auditors.

In the Visa report, the Auditor-General writes – “We found recommendations and requests made by Ministers of Government for individuals to be approved Belize Visas. We noted that

Castillo, Ramon Witz, Carlos Perdomo, Eden Martinez, Gaspar Vega, John Saldivar, Pablo Marin, Gabriel Martinez, Raul Rosado and Michael Hutchinson. By taking part in these irregular practices this dishonourable gentlemen have betrayed our nation.

There are long lists of individuals who were issued nationality even though they did not meet the requirements. The Ministers who signed for them include GODWIN HULSE, Elvin Penner, Carlos Perdomo and John Saldivar. In one instance, an individual entered Belize on June 26, 2012, while his nationality certificate was issued two weeks earlier, on June 14th. He received his Belizean passport the same day he entered the country.

The Audit finally tells the REAL tale of former UDP Minister Elvin Penner, revealing that his criminal actions went far beyond his association with the infamous Wonhong Kim. And that is only the tip of the iceberg. Hundreds and hundreds of

Ministers of Government recommended and requested that a number of Asian individuals be issued Belizean Visas to enter the country of Belize. Since the law does not provide for Ministers to intervene in the Visa process it was ILLEGAL for these Ministers to do so.

There is a list of names of “Ministers of Government, Area Representatives and other persons who intervened in the Belize nationality process when there was no provision for them to intervene in the Belize Nationality Act. They include – Edmond Castro, Erwin Contreras, Manuel Heredia Jr., Rene Montero, Elvin Penner, Santiago ‘Santi”

The Disappearing Middle-Class in Belize Contributed In August Category One Hurricane Earl made landfall somewhere around Ladyville or Sandhill. With winds of up to 90 mph, it battered Belize for more than 6 hours. After the all-clear was given, this relatively weak hurricane had, at least according to GOB, put a $158 million dollar beating on our people and economy.

What Hurricane Earl really did was expose the growing level of poverty in Belize. This is a reality that not too many in the government want to accept or discuss at all.

For years now people who look seriously into how our economy operates have been saying that collectively as a nation we are getting poorer and that the segment of our population most affected is the middle-class. What Earl did when it hammered us for hours is to expose a hidden reality in Belize; that there are many people who are one crisis from becoming impoverished or from losing their lifesavings.

The reality is that there are a handful of seriously wealthy families in Belize and just too many poor people or people on the cusp of becoming poor. The greatest investor of our time, Mr. Warren Buffet once said that in America, “There’s been a class warfare going on for the last 20 years and my class has won.” What Mr. Buffet means is that the rich are getting richer and the poor and middle-class are

getting poorer. Well Mr. Buffet, America’s reality is Belize’s reality!!!

In Belize today, the average person earns approximately $9000.00 Belize Dollars per year, which works out to about $175.00 per week. Also, from a labour force of approximately 147,000 people there are less than 20,000 people paying income tax at this time. This means that there are less than 20,000 people earning more than $2000.00 per month. Over 20 years ago a temporary worker at BTL earned about $175.00 per week.

Fast forward to 2016 and the vast majority of our labour force is still making around $175.00 to $200.00 per week.

The people at the top of the economic ladder and the decision makers in Government have to realize that they do not live in a vacuum.

For them to keep their positions, they need a functioning society around them. Widely unequal societies are neither stable nor sustainable. The evidence of this fact throughout history is unequivocal. At some point the great divide between those that have and those that do not will lead to economic and social dysfunction for the entire society. When a society reaches this point it is usually the rich and those in government who have the most to lose or to pay. Just saying!!!!

25 Aug

26 Aug

27 Aug

28 Aug

pages revealing that thousands of foreign nationals were able to secure a Belizean birthright with the greatest of ease not even felt by real Belizeans, born in the jewel.

When these scandals broke three years ago Mr. Barrow stated to the nation that if his administration could fall if his Ministers continued to hustle in Immigration. Three years later there is evidence from the government’s own Audit Department – conclusive, documented evidence that his Ministers have not only continued to hustle, but it is even more pervasive and dirty than anybody could have conceived.

The day of reckoning for the UDP is at hand. And while we have no doubt that the audit reports were sanitized at the highest levels of government before release, the Belize Times certainly appreciates the determination, hard work and courage of those who conducted the audits against all odds. All Belizeans should be grateful.

40 Belize Police Department Officers Graduate from GREAT Belmopan - A Gang Resistance Education And Training (GREAT) Instructor Training Closing Ceremony was held at the Radisson Fort George Hotel August 24th. GREAT’s goals are to combat gang related crime and violence, and prevent vulnerable youth from falling victim to gangs, their recruitment or engaging in gang activities. The training was taught by five trainers from the GREAT National Program in the United States, and three trainers from the Belize Police Department. This was the fourth course conducted in Belize. 40 police officers graduated during the ceremony and are now GREAT instructors.

The Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) program is an important component of the U.S. Embassy’s collaboration with the Government and people of Belize to strengthen citizen security in Belize. Since 2011, a total of 135 police instructors have been trained as GREAT instructors, and most importantly a total of over 11,200 children have completed the program from 52 schools countrywide. It is funded by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) through the Central American Regional Security Initiative (CARSI), which has provided more than $35 million in funding for law enforcement and justice related programs since 2008.

GREAT is a school-based program that includes classroom instruction and various learning activities. The use of sworn/certified Belizean police instructors provides several advantages. They have wide range of experience in criminal behavior; they have the ability to recognize gang members; they are equipped with referral knowledge; and, most importantly, they

WEATHER

LOCAL

2016

29 Aug

can be positive role models to students.

The INL-CARSI program continues to support safer streets and more resilient communities in Belize by supporting the Government of Belize’s efforts to prevent crime and improve justice. Ongoing efforts will enhance capacity throughout Belize with programs for police, forensics, prosecution, judiciary, prison, immigration customs and more. INL-CARSI supports some civil programs such as Neighborhood Watch.

SCAN HERE

The Belize Times

Established 1957

14 APR 2013

|

ISSUE NO: 4840

The Truth Shall Make You Free

www.belizetimes.bz

|

$1.00

serving Belize since 1957 as the longest continuous newspaper.

Founder: Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price, People’s United Party Leader Emeritus OFFICE MANAGER

Fay Castillo EDITOR

Alberto Vellos LAYOUT/GRAPHIC ARTIST

Chris Williams

OFFICE ASSISTANT

Roberto Peyrefitte Printed and Published By TIMES NEWSPAPER LTD. Tel: 671-8385 #3 Queen Street P.O. BOX 506 Belize City, Belize

30 Aug

Email: belizetimesadvertisement@yahoo.com

editortimes@yahoo.com

Exchange rate of One Belize Dollar

United States (USD): $ 0.50

Barbados (BBD): $ 1.00

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

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

CHINESE YUAN (CNY): $ 3.28

Trinidadian (TTD) : $ 3.27

INDIAN RUPEE (INR): $ 33.71

28 AUG

2016

THE BELIZE TIMES

A Teacher of All…to ALL!

Similar to the “teacher of all things” Jesus Christ, Mrs Jeanette Bennett was a teacher to many.

Born to Edward Lord, a mercantile clerk and Rosita Ordonez, a domestic, on April 8th 1934 she began her steps in life.

Mrs Bennett was a faithful wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, Justice of Peace but first and foremost she was a teacher.

Ms. B began her teaching career at a young age at Holy Redeemer in the early 1950’s. She often recognized a student of hers, the man behind the ‘zinc fence’ Evan X Hyde.

Her teaching career at Holy Redeemer became short lived when she married her lifelong partner J Alexander Bennett, an educator and teacher at that Institution. J Alexander was given an assignment to teach in the little village of Succotz in the West. Ms. B bore her first of seven children in Succotz, Philip Bennett on May 11th 1957.

Mrs. Bennett returned to Belize after her husband was assigned to a Catholic Teachers Collage being formed at the St. Johns Collage.

J Alexander Bennett was given a

government scholarship in 1961 and went to UWI in Jamaica to pursue further studies in the area of education. Hurricane Hattie struck the same year and Ms. B at the helm along with four young children, friends and neighbours held the fort. Because of the person she was, the survival of many was realized as they hovelled in the attic of #84 Euphrates Avenue.

Mrs Jeanette Bennett resumed teaching in the early 1960’s at St. Catherine Elementary School. Unfortunately she was relieved of her teaching duties at SCE in 1973. Her unfortunate situation became a blessing in disguise, the birth of her career as a pioneer in Pre-school Education.

Sir Barry Bowen’s wife Carol Bowen gave Ms B refuge in their home at St. Mark St in King’s Park.

With only four students she forged on.

School began in 1973 in the

3 03 month of September. Eventually Ms B moved to rented space and at 14th and E St, she managed a school of about twenty students.

(CECEC) City Early Children Education Centre became the establishment institution at the residence in September of 1979 at the corner of Meighan and Goldson Avenue in the King’s Park Area.

With the opening of the new school year 2016, one hundred and twenty students were enrolled. Importantly Mrs Bennett has given some seven scholarships to needy parents this year as she silently does each year, although many awards adorn her office walls the things that matter the most were her students.

She always instilled “…. Use what you have learnt here at CECEC and let it be your guide to your future.”

Mrs Bennett has now passed but her legacy will carry on. She will be missed by her family and friends, students past and present, and certainly by her PUP family. The Belize Times sends condolences to her family, but trust that they will find solace in her achievements and in the celebration of her life, lived in service of others.

4 04

BELIZE CITY MAN DIES IN TRAGIC RTA Lionel Hamilton, the 28 year-old Belize City resident who also went by the name “Lionel Villanueva”, was killed in a terrible traffic accident on Saturday morning, August 20.

It happened sometime between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. at around mile 4 and a half on the Phillip Goldson Highway. Police were called to that location where they saw a grey Dodge Neon Car with its front portion smashed in. A short distance away, they found Hamilton’s lifeless body lying on the side of the road.

On the scene, they found a green van, which had collided with the car.

Its front portion was also extensively damaged.

Police have not revealed the type of impact they suspect caused the accident - if it was a head-on collision or it if it happened from side.

They have disclosed, however, that from their investigation it appears that Hamilton was experiencing mechanical problems with the car he was driving. He was trying to get the vehicle off the road, and the cops don’t yet know if he was inside the car, trying to drive it off the road, or if he and his passenger were trying to push off the road.

Unfortunately, 51 year-old Godwin Pantin was driving his taxi van heading toward Belize City. He did not see the vehicle on the road, and his van slammed into the car. The impact flung Hamilton’s body a short

2016

OAS Reports Clears BDF in Chiquibul Shooting 20 Wednesday, 24 August 2016 The OAS investigation into the fatal shooting of a Guatemalan minor in the Chiquibul in April isActivities: done, and the report is FINALLY in. Initiated in June, 2016, it was conducted by retired US criminal investigator and forensic scientist Dr. James Hamby and a forensic  Reviewed the substantial number of documents (listed above) scientist from the Mexican Federal Police, Dr. Patricia Trujillo Mariel. Both spent weeks Contacted and interviewed the father of the deceased minor: visiting the site of the which resulted in the death of Julio Rene Alvarado Ruano Mr. incident Carlos Alfredo Alvarado Ramírez. and the wounding ofInterviewed his father Belize and younger The incident Belizean  Forensicbrother.

Dr. Estradabran, whooccurred prepared within the autopsy report.Patrol involved maintained that they were fired on by unterritory and the BDF and FCD  Interviewed members of the NGO: “Friends for Conservation known assailants in the dark, requiring them to return fire. Belize took unprecedented heat Development” who participated in the incident, and condemnation from Guatemala, including an accusation of human rights violations by  Interviewed the Belize Defense Force (BDF) Lieutenant who Guatemala’s President Jimmy Morales.

But of now, visits,forinterviews and data colparticipated with members the after NGO:site "Friends Conservation in theBDF incident. lection and analysis,Development" the verdict (FCD) is in. The did not kill Julio Rene Alvarado Ruano. He  We visited the incident site at separate times. was shot by FCD rangers, and the evidence supports the rangers’ claim that they were fired on in the dark.

Lionel Hamilton

Conclusions: 

distance away, and the injuries he suffered killed him on the spot.

Police suspect that speeding was a factor, but if that is true, deductive reasoning would suggest that Hamilton was not the one speeding. His vehicle was having engine problems, and he was unable to get off the road because the vehicle was unable to move.

His common-law wife, Adelina Cho told the media that he was a daredevil on the motorcycle. She had warned him a few times that he was taking risks. She was worried that he would get into a terrible accident because of his affinity for speeding. Cho told the media that she was always worried that he would be killed, leaving her and their 6 year-old son behind, but never expected that this was the way he would meet his end.



 



   



First Section 53…

Next Gay Marriage?

Tuesday, August 23, 2016 The Church and the Government continue to disagree in the wake of the Section 53 judgement recently handed down by Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin in the Supreme Court.

The Church and many of their supporters claim that it is not just about Section 53, but about opening a door which should be left firmly closed. But what exactly does the judgment do in the context of gay rights in Belize?

The Prime Minister, at a press conference held last week to address the ruling handed down after a three year delay, claims that the judgement does nothing more than decriminalize private consensual acts that were caught up with the net that is Section 53. He balked at the suggestion that it is opening the door to lawsuits from persons agitating for more gay rights gains.

Pastor Scott Stirm, Vice President of NEAB, told the media that they have gotten opinions from a number of senior counsels who, by their revision of the judgement, agree that the judgement “pre-approves” other gay rights challenges. All gay rights activists

28 AUG

THE BELIZE TIMES

need to do, according to Stirm, is to file their lawsuit against the marriage laws, and any other law which they view as discriminatory. They will only need to go about showing the court how exactly these “infringements” on their rights are similar to the Section 53 victory. He suggests that it is the Government that is misleading the citizens into a false sense of security.

The Church, or at least this very assertive and aggressive faction, have been joined in principle by the unions representing the public utility employees. The Belize Energy Workers Union, the Belize Water Services Workers Union, and the Belize Communication Workers Union released a joint statement voicing their disappointment about the judgment and the fact that the Government will not appeal.

They stand in solidarity with the Evangelists, and they are calling on the rest of the public to join in the fight to resist the gay rights push.

 

It was an incident that occurred 562 m east of the Adjacency Line inside the Adjacency Zone administered by Belize- according to the GPS instrument calibrated and provided by the OAS/AZ office. In this incident, two people were wounded and one died.

The person killed was a minor: Julio Rene Alvarado Ruano (14 years old). Wounded were the father, Carlos Alfredo Alvarado Ramírez (48 years old) (left knee) and his son, Carlos Alberto Alvarado Ruano (12 years old) (left elbow).

There is evidence that this was not the first time that Julio Rene Alvarado Ruano had been in Belize.

Evidence regarding the calibers of the firearms is taken from the autopsy report on Julio Rene Alvarado Ruano; and the medical records of Carlos Alfredo Alvarado Ramirez and Carlos Alberto Alvarado Ruano.

The wounds suffered by Julio Rene Alvarado Ruano were caused, in the case of his neck, to a .22 caliber rifle, and the wounds that he has in the left shoulder and the dorsal area correspond to wounds produced by a 12 gauge shotgun.

As previously mentioned, the first shots to hit Julio Rene Alvarado Ruano were to his left front shoulder area and correspond to wounds produced by a 12 gauge shotgun.

The wounds of Carlos Alfredo Alvarado Ramirez and Carlos Alberto Alvarado Ruano were produced by the 12 gauge shotgun.

The caliber 5.56 M4 carbine did not produce any of the wounds.

There is evidence that, at a21minimum, five different groups visited the site of the incident (after the event): 1) Visit by villagers from the Village of San Jose las Flores (at least once); 2) Visit by Guatemalan Army soldiers with the president of the village COCODE; 3) Visit by OAS Verification Team; 4) Visit by Dr. Hamby; and 5) Visit by Dr. Trujillo.

As a result of these visits, evidence was obtained including fired cartridge cases in calibers .22 and 5.56 – by a Guatemalan villager, and a 12 gauge shot 21column found by Dr. Hamby. According to interview documents, the two (2).22 caliber cartridge cases that were collected at the site of the event (one by the villager and one by the Army soldiers with the president of the village COCODE; 3) Visit by Guatemalan Army), appear in and any5) evidence logs. (In the OAS Verification Team;do 4) not Visit by Dr. Hamby; Visit by Dr. Trujillo. interviews, it was stated that these .22 caliber cartridge cases were  As a result of these visits, evidence was obtained including fired eithercartridge givencases to – inorcalibers collected - the Army). Having these .22 andby 5.56 – by Guatemalan a Guatemalan villager, and a cases 12 gaugeisshot column found Dr. Hamby.

Accordingexamination to cartridge desirable forbyfurther forensic of this interview documents, the two (2).22 caliber cartridge cases that were incident.

The Guatemalan report the 5.56 cartridge collected at the site of the event police (one by the villagermentions and one by the do notphotographs appear in any evidence (In the casesGuatemalan and alsoArmy), includes of this logs. evidence. interviews, it was stated that these .22 caliber cartridge cases were At the site, is evidence of two branches either giventhere to – or collected by - the Guatemalan Army). Havingthat these have holes from cases iswhere desirable for Ramirez's further forensicfamily examination this shotscartridge fired from the wasof located towards the incident. The Guatemalan police report mentions the 5.56 cartridge BDF/FCD. cases and also includes photographs of this evidence.  At were the site, at there is evidence of two branches that have/ holes from There least 31 projectiles (bullets pellets)..

This does not shots fired from where the Ramirez's family was located towards the include any shots that may have been fired by the Ramirez’s family.

BDF/FCD. 

There were at least 31 projectiles (bullets / pellets).. This does not

include any shots that may been fired by the Ramirez’sof family.

Table 1. Characteristics about the have firearms and number shots Table 1. Characteristics about the firearms and number of shots

Number of shots Type o firearm Observations # of projectiles o firearm Observations # of projectiles 4Number 4of shots Type RUGER .22 iscaliber is in 4 4 RUGER .22.22 .22 caliber in caliber rifle caliber rifle inches.inches.

2 MOSSBERG 12 shots with 2 MOSSBERG 12Two Two shots with 18 18 gauge shotgun double ought gauge shotgunbuckshot double – nine ought pellets per shot buckshot – nine 9 3 M4 Carbine 5.56 Nine times – three pellets mm caliber shots using burstper shot selector 3 M4 Carbine 5.56 Nine times – three 9 Total of Projectiles 31 mm caliber shots using burst selector  These shots produced the following wounds: Total of Projectiles 31 Table 2. Observations about the firearm wounds, location of wounds and entry orifices into the Alvarados’ bodies.



Type o firearm

Observations

Entry

Type

of Location

Person wounded wound 2 By firearm Neck Julioof René firearm wounds, location wounds projectile Alvarado Ruano

These shots produced the following wounds:of Holes wound

RUGER .22 The shots the Table 2. Observations about caliber rifle damaged the orifices into the Alvarados’ bodies.

1st and 2nd

Type o firearm

cervical

vertebra.

Observations

MOSSBERG 12 gauge shotgun

The shots were superficial and the only ones that were shot RUGER .22 Thefrom shots the front.

There wasthe an caliber rifle damaged entry orifice MOSSBERG 12 The shots gauge shotgun damaged both lungs.

There was an entry orifice MOSSBERG 12 The shot gauge shotgun superficially damaged the left knee.

This was an entry orifice.

MOSSBERG 12 The shot gauge shotgun superficially damaged the left elbow. This was an entry orifice M4 Carbine 5.56 Nine times – mm caliber three shots using burst selector

22

Entry Type of Location By firearm Left Julio René Holes wound of projectiles Shoulder Alvarado Ruano wound 2 By firearm Neck projectile

2

4

By firearm projectile

Dorsal area

Julio René Alvarado Ruano

1

By firearm projectile

Knee

Carlos Alfredo Alvarado Ramírez

1

By firearm projectile

Elbow

Carlos Alberto Alvarado Ruano

None

None

None

None

and entry

Person wounded Julio René Alvarado

28 AUG

2016

THE BELIZE TIMES

5 05

EDITORIAL That Special Machete…

“But I tell you any UDP government that I lead will never be engaged in corruption. As soon as it rears its ugly head, I personally will cut it off. And I will tell you I will sharpen a special machete with blades on two sides so that every time it springs up ‘right soh’ I will chop it off. And if it means the government has to fall then so be it. Let the consequences be damned, the people of this country deserve better and I am determined to give them better.” ~ Hon. Dean O. Barrow Mr. Barrow has lost that special machete, his moral compass and without a doubt any golden legacy he hoped to leave in his wake. Always a conceited man, a legend in his own mind, it is a certainty that he became consumed with political success. All that fancy talk about doing better for the Belizean people has been reduced to nothing more than another rhetorical flourish for which the eloquent, hollow gentleman has become famous.

On Friday, the Prime Minister will bellow and bluster and bleat like a rear-ended goat, but the reality is that anything he could tell the Belizean people will have lost its lustre, tarnished by the ripe, stinking evidence of most foul corruption pervading the sanctity of his own Cabinet. How will the Prime Minister explain away hundreds of pages outlining the most disgusting, disturbing rape of our birthright by his own Ministers with whom he broke bread? How will he dismiss not a suggestion – BUT A DECLARATION – by the Auditor-General, Dorothy Bradley that Ministers acted ILLEGALLY when they interfered in the established process to grant Visas at our borders?

How will he disregard the careful and meticulous catalogue of UDP Ministers, Area Representatives, Caretakers and cronies who manipulated the system for their own gain? Because they gained! Oh Lord, they gained.

When Mr. Penner facilitated the procurement of nationality and a Belizean passport for Wonhong Kim, a South Korean national incarcerated in a Tai-

wanese prison for criminal acts, he was protected by every shield the state could put around him.

Mr. Barrow must now explain why he did that, and continued to do it even after he had the findings of the Audit Department in his hands, many months ago. He actually stood on a podium and begged the people of Mr. Penner’s Constituency to stand behind him, promising millions and millions and millions from GOB’s coffers. For those actions, Mr. Barrow must now offer an explanation, not to the Opposition, but to the Belizean people he wronged.

Remember when Mr. Barrow was presented with many, many Visas facilitated by his Ministers?

Long lists of names of primarily Chinese nationals, granted special access to Belize because UDP Ministers wrote to the Director of Immigration on their behalf – hundreds upon hundreds of Visas that aren’t included in the Audit Report because they occurred after the audited period. The Prime Minister didn’t haul out that machete – he’d probably lost it long ago – but instead claimed that he could do nothing. For those actions, Mr. Barrow will now have to offer an explanation, not to the Opposition, but to the Belizean people he wronged.

The UDP administration has been in power eight years. The Audit Reports cover only TWO, and only limited access to those two because the AuditorGeneral makes clear that they were hindered at every turn. IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES. Just imagine.

Presumably Mr. Barrow never believed, and neither did we, that he would earn the title of a lame-duck leader. But it is exactly what he has been reduced to. At this point, without evidence in black and white, it is perhaps legally prudent to refer to him as such, than as complicit in the corruption which has overtaken his Cabinet.

On Friday, Mr. Barrow will pull out all the stops.

But it is all a show. He knows it. And now the Belizean people know it. You can stick a fork in him.

Mr. Barrow is DONE.

06 6

28 AUG

THE BELIZE TIMES

2016

CAREER OPPORTUNITY FOR THE POST OF ACCOUNTANT

The PUP Welcomes Queen of the Bay Candidates Tuesday, 23, 2016 Early this morning the beautiful candidates for the prestigious Queen of the Bay Pageant, along with chaperones and committee members, visited Independence Hall in the old capital, Belize City. There they spent some time on Vibes Radio before enjoying an informal breakfast with Party Leader John Briceño and other representatives of the Party. It was a pleasure to host the country’s brightest young, talented women who will carry on the long and proud tradition of the Queen of the Bay, to be held in Belize City this Saturday.

GRAND BELIZEAN ISLAND CO. LTD. invites qualified candidates for a career opportunity of Accountant.

Responsibilities: - Manage of accounts - Ensure compliance of Accounting Standards - Payables – including processing of Purchase Orders, Bills etc.

- Maintain and reconcile the books of accounts - Deal with daily transaction of petty cash and perform reconciliation of all accounts on a weekly/monthly basis.

- Dealing with all Tax related matters - Reconciliation and presentation of financial reports.

- All related duties assigned Qualifications: - Minimum of Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting with at least three years experience in the accounting field or -Flexibility - Bi-lingual - Proficient in the Accounting programs - Quickbooks specifically - Well Planner and Organizer.

- Knowledge and experiencing in reconciling and presenting Financial Statements and reports on a monthly basis.

- Knowledge of accounting procedures Send application along with latest resume and photograph no later than August 31st, 2016.

Human Resources Grand Belizean Island Co. Ltd. Barrier Reef Drive, P.O. Box 121, San Pedro Town A.C. Belize Tel #226-4483/4430 Fax# 226-4435

or email: eloysa@grandbelizeanestates.com sales@grandbelizeanestates.com

GRAND BELIZEAN ISLAND CO. LTD. invites qualified candidates for the following career opportunities:

Inventory & Asset Controller - Minimum of Bachelor Degree in Accounting or Business Administration with at least three years experience in the field - Flexibility - Bi-lingual - Proficient in computers- Quickbooks - Well Planner and Organizer • • • • •

1. Controls on Inventory/Assets- Ordering Materials, Machinery Parts 2. Controls on employees, tools & Equipment 3. Control Safety at the Warehouse and with employees 4. Reports of Inventory (Stock In & Stock Out) 5. Analyzing

Send application along with latest resume and photograph no later than 31st August, 2016 Human Resources Grand Belizean Island Co. Ltd. Barrier Reef Drive, P.O. Box 121, San Pedro Town A.C. Belize Tel #226-4483/4430

Fax# 226-4435

or email: eloysa@grandbelizeanestates.com sales@grandbelizeanestates.com

28 AUG

2016

07 7

THE BELIZE TIMES

CHURCHES TELL GOB - “ACT OR PAY THE CONSEQUENCES”

NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the below company has been dissolved and struck off the International Business Companies Register with effect from the date indicated: GLOTAN LIMITED – August 17th, 2016 ALEMAN, CORDERO, GALINDO & LEE TRUST (BELIZE) LIMITED Registered Agent

NOTICE Tuesday, August 23, 2016 After almost 2 weeks of being taken lightly by the Barrow Government, the Christian leaders from the National Evangelical Association of Belize (NEAB) staged a protest in front of the National Assembly building in Belmopan. Holding placards and banners condemning homosexuality and calling on the government to act NOW, they marched on the streets in front of the building which, at least symbolically is the seat of power in Belmopan.

These protesters who came out, and many others via social media, talkshows and other forums, continue to demand that the Prime Minister change his mind on appealing the Chief Justice’s ruling to legalize gay sexual acts conducted in private.

About 1000 evangelists who are members of churches in the Orange Walk and Toledo Districts came out in support of the demonstration. Organizers had timed it for maximum effect to coincide with the weekly Cabinet meeting which unfortunately did not happen because Prime Minister Dean Barrow is out of the country. That meant that none of the UDP Ministers needed to be around to appreciate just how much of the electorate they had insulted with the decision not to appeal Caleb Orozco’s victory in the Supreme Court.

The protest lasted for some 3 hours where the public speakers energized the crowd with their presentations to the effect that it is not for the church to take charge and appeal the decision.

From their perspective, it is the Government which should act in the interest of its citizens to appeal the decision. They view the Chief Justice’s decision as a minority group enforcing its will on the

majority within the Belizean society who have conservative Christian values. That, from the Evangelists’ perspective, is antidemocratic.

Those Christians made the clear point on Tuesday, August 23, that they are unhappy that the Prime Minister is forging ahead with his decision not to appeal when so very many citizens are demanding it.

There are indications from within the church that two of the interested parties who joined the Supreme Court case against Orozco have decided that they will not appeal. The NEAB says that they will definitely make their best attempt at convincing the Court to allow them to appeal. Also, there is still no clear indication of whether they are actually able to trigger the appeal process. Learned attorneys have made the point that in Belize’s court syste, only the claimant, meaning Caleb Orozco, or the Government are allowed to appeal. Certainly, Orozco has won his case that Section 53 of the Criminal Code was discriminatory, and infringing his constitutional rights. He has no intention of attempting to overturn the decision which gives him everything he was hoping for.

That leaves only the Government, which has stated clearly that it will not appeal. The Prime Minister and the Attorney General, Vanessa Retreage, have asserted that the church can appeal if they so wish, and so time will tell if they were being disingenuous or not.

At its peak on Tuesday, organizers estimate that as many as 1500 protesters marched around the National Assembly Building in Belmopan, and surrounding areas. They say 31 full buses from Orange Walk and Toledo made up the majority of the vocal gathering, with smaller groups joining in from Belmopan and Belize City.

Notice is hereby given that the below companies have been dissolved and struck off the International Business Companies Register with effect from the below dates: Trueway Consulting Ltd. – August 17th, 2016 Solenti Services Limited – August 18th, 2016 ICAZA BELIZE TRUST CORPORATION LIMITED

NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the below companies have been dissolved and struck off the International Business Companies Register with effect from the 26th day of July 2016: SINIA INTERNATIONAL LTD. LARMAN INTERNATIONAL LTD. ALMAS FINANCE INC. Belize Corporate Services Limited Registered Agent

NOTICE “Notice is hereby given that the company named “GS International Resources Ltd.” has been dissolved and struck off the International Business Companies Register with effect from the 23rd day of August, 2016.”

ALEMAN, CORDERO, GALINDO & LEE TRUST (BELIZE) LIMITED

08 8

El Odio Plays UDP Blame Game

Tuesday, August 23, 2016 UDP Junior Minister and Orange Walk East Area Representative Elodio Aragon Jr. followed in the footsteps of his political boss Dean Barrow when he tried to deflect blame and shame from his fellow elected UDP politicians who are named in the Auditor General’s Special Audits into the disgraceful and criminal hustling at the Immigration and Nationality Department.

By now Belizeans are starting to appreciate just how widespread the abuse and the cheapening of national patrimony has been under the UDP. While the audit were only for the period 2011-2013, who knows exactly how long it had been going on? Aragon’s UDP colleagues are being named as persons who issued instructions and manipulated systems all over the public service from port commanders to Immigration officials, to Belizean Embassy officials, clearing all the red tape, and all the checks and balances.

What the audit reports have shown is that massive amounts of foreigners from China and other continents were able to access every manner of Belizean documentation, from Visas to nationality documents to passports even before they entered the country.

In contrast, legitimate Belizeans have to jump through hoops, experience frustration, and now even a crackdown to try to combat the persons who deliberately weaken the system of issuance of Immigration documents. With these revelations and others in a string of disgraceful scandals, it is a disgrace to be considered UDP given that they were elected on the platform of good governance with an emphasis to anti-corruption, when that party has now been exposed for the corruption that’s causing the Barrow Government to be quietly rotting.

28 AUG

THE BELIZE TIMES

2016

ORENDEN INVESTMENTS LIMITED #53, 947 (“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 ORENDEN INVESTMENTS LIMITED has been dissolved as at 19th August, 2016 and has been struck off the Register of International Business Companies.

CIL Trust International Limited Registered Agent

Elodio Aragon With the UDP Government under sustained public pressure, Aragon stands to lose significant ground as a politician trying for upward mobility in the leadership of this nation. It was no surprise then that he tried to deflect blame from his ministerial colleagues.

He told the media, quote, “corruption is...not only about the act but it’s also about the people who commit these things, and a lot of these people, sadly, are within our public service system.”

That is deliberately vague, to say “people...within our public service system”. Is he trying to pin the blame only on public officers? That can’t be tolerated in the least when the Auditor General’s report shows how senior colleagues of his played a vital role in the culture of corruption at the Immigration and Nationality Department. In the days to come Aragon would do well to take his head out the sand and acknowledge that Ministers, UDP Politicians, UDP cronies, and political connected UDP’s were part and parcel of that culture of corruption now laid bare for the country to see.

STAND AGAINST CORRUPTION Contributed Corruption is the malignancy at the heart of a large number of issues in our lives today. It destroys employment and keeps down development, costing the Belizean economy millions of dollars consistently. It traps the poorest in the most desperate poverty as corrupt government officials siphon off funds and prevent hard-working people from getting the revenues and benefits of growth that are rightfully theirs. It takes indispensable assets from our schools and medical facilities. Corrupt individuals and companies evade the taxes they owe.

If we continue to hide from this problem, how will we expect our country which is blessed with natural resources ever break out of the poverty trap? We have to deal with corruption if we are to have any hope of a truly prosperous and secure future. Yet while corruption is such a huge problem, the government’s efforts to deal with it are weak because so many times they are the root of the evil. This has to change – and it has to change in every level in our country. Make no mistake, corruption affects us all. From tax evasion to our government ministers’ scandals that tear at the fabric of the country, we have our own problems and we are very much still dealing with them.

But all of this will only really work if political leaders have the courage to stand together, to speak up where previously there was silence, and to demand the strengthening and coordinating of our national institutions that are needed to put fighting corruption at the top of the agenda where it belongs.

No longer in the dark, we now have the opportunity for change. It would be a crime not to seize it. Together we are against corruption. And together we can defeat it!

TITANAS HOLDINGS LIMITED #53, 953 (“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 TITANAS HOLDINGS LIMITED has been dissolved as at 19th August, 2016 and has been struck off the Register of International Business Companies.

CIL Trust International Limited Registered Agent

ARSONERY SERVICES GROUP LTD. # 145,603 (“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 ARSONERY SERVICES GROUP LTD. has been dissolved as at 9th August, 2016 and has been struck off the Register of International Business Companies.

Notice of Appointment of a Liquidator under Section 204 of the BVI Business Company Act.

CIL Trust International Limited Registered Agent

Nonac International Ltd.

Notice of Appointment of a Liquidator under (In Voluntary Liquidation) Section 204 of the BVI Business Company Act. Nonac International NOTICE is hereby given pursuant to SectionLtd. 204, subsection (b) of the BVI (In Voluntary Liquidation)

Business Companies Act, 2004 that the Company is in voluntary liquidation. The th Section 204, subsection (b) NOTICE is hereby commenced given pursuant July 2016. The Liquidator is Mr. Danyel voluntary liquidation on 25to of the BVI BusinessthCompanies Act, 2004 that the Company is in Falcon of 40 S.W. 13 Street, Suite 802, Miami Florida 33130. voluntary liquidation. The voluntary liquidation commenced on 25th July 2016. The Liquidator is Mr. Danyel Falcon of 40 S.W. 13th Street, Suite 802, Miami Florida 33130. th

Dated this 25 day of July, 2016.

Dated this 25th day of July, 2016. ___________________________ Orianna Hamblin Director Administralt Management Corp.

8 MAY 28 AUG 12 JUN 19 JUN

THE BELIZE TIMES

2016 2016

9 SPORTS 09

DID THE COURT SENTENCE A MENTALLY-CHALLENGED MAN TO PRISON? Belize City, Monday, August 22, 2016 A nineteen year old Lake Independence man who pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary was sentenced to serve two years in prison this morning, when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith who imposed the sentence.

On Saturday, August 20, 2016 Mikel Angel Longsworth entered the Atlantic Bank storeroom as a trespasser. Nothing, however, was stolen from the room which is located at #26 Mahogany Street Extension, in the Lake Independence area.

An employee of the Atlantic Bank, Robert Leslie, was informed by Police that there was a burglary and when he went there sometime around 9:00 a.m. he found Police along with the man who had entered the store room.

Leslie provided Police with the necessary report of the incident in order to trigger the process so that they could lay a charge against the intruder, who they had in their custody. .

That was done and Longsworth, who has never been in trouble with the law before was hauled off to Court.

In Court, Longsworth’s responses to the few questions that the Chief Magistrate asked him should have raised some kind of alarm. But they did not.

When Smith asked him why she should not impose the minimum sentence of 7 years, Longsworth, in a barely audible voice replied that he was used to visiting the building.

When Smith asked him why he entered the storeroom, Longsworth replied, “I just found myself entering

Mikel Angel Longsworth the building, and for no apparent reason.”

Smith just could not comprehend that he entered the building for no specific reason.

Smith told him that he would have to do better than that, for her not to impose the 7 year minimum sentence on him.

Longsworth then replied, “This is not the first time I’ve tried to enter.” He was apparently of the view that because he used to go to the house before it became the bank’s storage room it is still okay for him to go there now. Longsworth thinks he lives at the house at times, so he had no problem entering it. Then, as if to emphasize his familiarity with the building, he stressed, “I used to go there a lot.”

Smith asked him if he is on drugs and he replied, “No.” When the Chief Magistrate asked him what he was doing in there, Longsworth reply was, “I was looking for a few instruments.”

Press Release Office of the Mayor Kevin Bernard Orange Walk Town Council As Mayor of Orange Walk Town and as a proud and responsible Belizean, I stand in solidarity with the members of the BNTU Orange Walk who have voted resoundingly to hold GOB to account where their much-deserved salary adjustment is concerned. Our teachers and our public officers are the cornerstones of our community and country and can no longer be treated with flippancy and disregard by this administration.

Along with the members of the BNTU Orange Walk, I categorically reject GOB’s assertion that because of Hurricane Earl, teachers and public officers should postpone their salary adjustments, due to them from April 2016.

This is not a political issue and cannot be treated as such. Our teachers and public officers are representative I am sure of every political affiliation. But right is right. From the very beginning, they have had to struggle and fight with GOB to get their adjustments. Now they are being put off again, supposedly because of a natural disaster, when the truth is that GOB’s financial crisis was not caused by a natural disaster, but by man-made mismanagement and irresponsible spending. It is the government’s policies which have us where we are, and not Earl.

I call on the government to do the right thing. Our teachers and public officers, like all of us common Belizeans, were affected by Earl.

They, like all of us, have been affected by the rising cost of living. They, along with all of us, will be affected when GOB raises General Sales Tax in a bailout attempt.

I have no doubt that as teachers and public officers continue to meet across the nation, the decision will be to stand strong and to demand that government keep its commitment. And simultaneously, to call on GOB to curtail its irresponsible spending which has driven the nation to the point of crisis.

Belize City, Monday, August 22, 2016 A man who went on a mission to kill another man but failed to do so because the firearm malfunctioned when he squeezed the trigger was remanded to the Belize Central Prison after unlicensed firearm and ammunition charges were read to him this afternoon.

Linsford Acosta appeared before Magistrate Carlon Mendoza who read a charge of aggravated burglary to him.

Acosta, 32, a fisherman residing in the Belama Phase 2 area, allegedly went to the home of Adolfo McKoy, 50, a construction worker, who resides at 50 Iguana Street and entered as a trespasser on Saturday, August 20.

In his report to Police McKoy said that he was lying in his bed but had got up to open the front door of his house for a relative that he was expecting to arrive home. After opening the door, he went back to lie down.

But around 11:00 p.m. Acosta entered his home. Acosta, McKoy told Police, grabbed him around his neck and placed a gun to his head saying, “You dead now a---hole” When Acosta pulled the trigger,

Linsford Acosta however, the gun snapped and did not fire, McKoy explained to police.

After the gun jammed, McKoy told Police that he kicked Acosta and tried to reach for his machete, but he felt a hit in his head and Acosta ran out of his house. McKoy explained that he ran behind Acosta, but he got on a motorcycle and escaped down Seagull Street.

Acosta pleaded not guilty to the offence. But since bail cannot be granted by Magistrates to persons accused of committing offenses with firearms, Mendoza remanded Acosta to prison until he is due to return to Court on October 21.

Accused Kidnapper and Mason Employee Gets Bail

Belize City, Friday, August 19, 2016 Ryan Rhaburn, Manager of William Danny Mason’s Outback Ranch, was in the Supreme Court today along with his attorney, Herbert Panton for a bail application hearing, before Justice John Troadio Gonzalez. Earlier during the week Rhaburn was arraigned in the Belmopan Magistrate’s Court on two counts of kidnapping of Mennonite businessman Lloyd Friessen and his wife.

Friessen and his wife ended up fleeing from Belize after Mason allegedly began extorting money from him. But he returned to the country after Mason was arrested and charged with the murder of Pastor Llewellyn Lucas. Lucas’ head was found in a bucket in Mason’s vehicle in Belmopan on July 15th, prompting Belmopan Police to charge him and four others with the murder and kidnapping of Lucas.

There was no objection to Rhaburn’s bail application from the Crown, represented by Crown Counsel Rene Montero, Jr. Justice Gonzalez granted bail to Rhaburn in the sum of $8,000 plus one surety of like amount or two sureties of $4,000 each.

Rhaburn was granted bail on the following conditions: He is to surrender all his travel documents to the Clerk of the Belmopan Magistrate’s Court; he is to report to the Belmopan Police Station every Friday, starting August 26. He is not to interfere with any of the prosecution witnesses in the case and he is to attend all adjournments of his case until it is disposed of. If he is arrested for any other offense while out on bail, Rhaburn is to be brought before a Justice of the Supreme Court as soon

Ryan Rhaburn as possible.

The kidnapping incident allegedly occurred in May, when Friessen went to see Mason at his ranch to collect $300,000 that he had given to him to purchase corn.

Instead of returning the money, Mason allegedly began extorting Friessen. This led to the businessman, who is a dual citizen of Belize and Canada, leaving the country.

In late July, Police charged Rhaburn with the kidnapping charges, but there were errors on the Court documents which allowed him to leave Court a free man at that time.

10 SPORTS

21 8 MAY 28 AUG

THE BELIZE TIMES TIMES THE BELIZE

2016

EASY DOES IT WINS 3RD SMART HARRISON PARKS CRICKET CHAMPIONSHIP Double Head Cabbage, August 20, 2016 Lemonal’s Easy Does It won their 3rd back-to-back-to-back SMART Belikin Harrison Parks national cricket championship at Double Head Cabbage on Saturday.

In Game 1 of the finals, Lemonal had hosted Double Head Cabbage’s Excellence Cricket Club for a 228 to 126 run beat-down on Saturday, August 13.

In Game 2, Lemonal won handily: 175174 with 5 wickets to spare. The 18-year-old Man of the Match Andrew Banner Jr. hit 4 sixes and 10 fours to score 92 runs. His big brother Herbert Banner also hit 2 sixes and a four for 19 runs. Malcolm Reynolds hit 4 fours for 16 runs. Julian Reynolds scored 10 runs as he partnered with Herbert Banner to equal the DHC Excellence score of 174 runs.

Excellence bowler Kenny Broaster took 2 wickets; while Ian Broaster and Sydney Martinez took a wicket apiece, but the Excellence bowlers also bowled 20 wides, 2 byes and 3 no balls, to Lemonal’s advantage.

Lemonal’s Warren Anthony took 5 wickets, Herbert Banner took 3 wickets, while Kevin Banner took 2 wickets when Excellence had batted first. The also bowled 15 wides and 4 byes, to DHC Excellence’s advantage.

Howard Burke batted 8 sixes and 4 fours for 76 runs, before Warren Anthony sent his wickets flying. Kenny Broaster hit 3 sixes and a four to score 26 runs, Sydney Martinez scored 15 runs; and Andy Dominguez scored 10 runs; but everyone else was in single digits; and the Excellence batsmen were all out for 174 runs.

Belmopan, August 21, 2016 The road to the FIFA U-17 World Cup began at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in Belmopan over the weekend, where the Belize District selection won the Atlantic Bank/Atlantic Insurance National Under-17 football championships.

The Football Federation of Belize assembled over 160 of the country’s best U-17 players in 8 teams representing each of the district associations for the tournament, to help the FFB select the national team to represent Belize at the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers for Central American Regional Games in Panama in November.

In Game 1 Friday morning, Belmopan won 4-2 over Orange Walk with 2 goals by Christian Bush and a goal apiece from Freddy Romero and Justin Kalu. Izhar Canas and Alexis Chan scored for Orange Walk.

In Game 2, the Mid-south won 3-2 vs. Belize District with goals by Stephen Cabral, Veilman Lopez and Zerick Cabral. Belize City’s Kenny Linares scored 2 goals.

In Game 3, Stann Creek won 1-0 vs. Cayo when Malachai Francisco scored from a set piece.

In Game 4, Toledo won 1-0 vs.

Corozal with a goal by Richard Hines.

In Game 5, Orange Walk won 1-0 vs. Cayo with a goal by Adriel Pech.

In Game 6 Friday evening, Mid-

BELIZE DISTRICT BOYS WIN

Man of Match Andrew Banner Jr batted 92 runs

Atlantic Bank/Atlantic Insurance U-17 National Football Championship

Belize District champs

Ian Broaster took 1 wicket

south blasted Corozal 4-3 in a penalty shootout; after they drew 3-3 in regulation. In penalties, Jeffton Apolonio, Zerick Cabral, Gabriel Ramos Jr. and Joseph Ramirez scored for the Mid-south, and only Denilson Novelo, Imer Patt and Antonio Pineda scored for Corozal.

In Game 7, Belmopan won 2-1 vs. Stann Creek with a goal apiece from Christian Bush and Elton Gordon, while only Davis Marshall scored for Stann Creek.

In Game 8 Friday night, Belize won 7-0 vs.

Toledo with Tyreek “Pippin” Muschamp scoring 3 goals; while Jalen Babb scored 2 goals with one goal apiece from Kenny Linares and Ian Pou. In Game 9 Saturday morning Stann Creek sent home Orange Walk: 4-1 in the first game Saturday morning, with 2 strikes by Demille Flores, and a goal apiece from Davis Marshall and Guy Sutherland. Only Andir Chi scored for Orange Walk.

In Game 10, Midsouth won 5-0 vs. Toledo, with 2 goals by Jeffton Apolonio and a goal apiece from Veilman Lopez, Gabriel Ramos Jr. and Stephen Ramclam.

In Game 11, Belmopan sent home Cayo: 1-0 when Ainsleigh Perez scored a penalty.

In Game 12 Saturday afternoon, Belize eliminated Corozal by a 1-1 draw, with a goal by Tyreek Muschamp; while Ray Jones scored for Corozal.

In Game 13 of the Semifinals Saturday evening, Mid-south eliminated Stann Creek: 1-0, with a goal by Gabriel Ramos Jr. In Game 14 in the Semifinals Saturday night, Belize District relegated Belmopan

Midsouth, 2nd place

Stann Creek, 3rd place to the 3rd place game: 5-4 in a penalty shootout; after a 1-1 draw in regulation. Jalen Myers scored for Belmopan, and Tyreek Muschamp equalized for Belize City. In penalties, Tyreek Muschamp, Jalen Babb, Ian Pou, Akeem Sutherland and Shaquille Matute scored for Belize; while only Jalen Myers, Korey Gomez, Elton Gordon and Jalan Budna converted for Belmopan.

In Game 15 the consolation game for 3rd place on a rainy Sunday morning, Stann Creek

won 1-0 vs. Belmopan when Kendale Nunez scored a penalty.

In Game 16, the Championship Final Sunday afternoon, Belize won 4-3 vs. Mid-south with goals by Ian Pou, Kenny Linares, Jalen Babb and Jadon “Cheetes” Macgregor. Mid-south’s Jeffton Apolonio scored 2 goals, tallying 6 in the tournament, and Daren Apolonio scored a 3rd goal.

FFB acting president Marlon Kuylen and FFB General Secretary Michael Blease presented team trophies and individual medals to the 1st and 2nd place winners, and a team trophy to the 3rd place winners.

14

THE BELIZE TIMES

28 AUG

2016

28 AUG

2016

15

THE BELIZE TIMES

SOMETHING IS ROTTEN IN BELIZE…

Contributed And that something is Dean Oliver Barrow.

Dean Barrow was castigated

by Church Leaders of the Evangelical Association during their historic march, prayers and speeches at the steps of the National Assembly.

Mr. Barrow has become one of the things he has always feared. He is the object of mockery and scorn. His legacy is in tatters ever more.

New heroes are emerging in the Battle for a Better Belize. Pastors from Stann Creek, Toledo, Belmopan, Orange Walk and Corozal addressed the historic gathering of almost two thousand religious citizens. Twentyfive buses from the southern districts and five from the north rolled into Belmopan early Tuesday in protest against Mr. Barrow and his Ministers. It was Pastor Victor Hernandez who eloquently, throughout his sermon, made reference to Shakespeare’s well-known phrase from the play Hamlet- “something is rotten in the state of Denmark”.

The religious protest was sparked by Barrow’s arrogant and defiant decision not to appeal the Supreme Court judgement which legalizes homosexuality and opens the door to the gay agenda. That gay agenda, according to the Evangelical leaders, means gay marriages, Patrick Faber’s gender policy in the schools and transgender students taking court action to attend Pallotti and St. Catherine Academy as boys wishing to attend all girl schools and vice versa for St. John’s College.

An interesting thing at the protest was the cheering and loud applause for Roman Catholic Bishop Reverend Dorick Wright, who was hailed by Pastor Louis Wade as a champion in the struggle against the government’s arrogance and the Supreme Court’s gay rights decision.

The Evangelicals prayed for Bishop Wright.

This is an extraordinary situation and could mean that the Roman Catholics, by far the largest single Christian denomination in Belize, and the Evangelicals, the second largest and fastest growing, will be joining hands in the struggle against Dean Barrow’s immoral and corrupt government.

As we scribble these lines Tuesday evening, August 23, a heroic press release was issued by the public utilities’ Union leaders in support of the church’s call for an appeal by government against the Court decision. The Stevedores, Water Workers and Electricity Employees Unions press release is radical. It signals a clear break with the docile National Trade Union Congress which has been castrated by government, and the Public Service Union which has been taken over by UDP operators.

The Belize Progressive Party, which recently scored a coup when Louis Zabaneh joined their ranks, has also come out against Dean Barrow’s

arrogant no appeal announcement.

Dean Barrow has squandered millions of dollars appealing all his petty quarrels against Ashcroft, Belize Bank, BTL take-over, and Maya land rights. Those appeals have gone from Supreme Court to Court of Appeal to the Caribbean Court of Justice. Most of the millions spent on legal fees have gone to Barrow’s ex-wife Lois Young Barrow, brother Denys Barrow and his daughter.

Pastor Richard Smith told the historic gathering that he texted the Prime Minister saying he was speechless on learning of the Supreme Court decision. In response, the Prime Minister called him and gave him a tongue lashing. Those who know the Prime Minister know how effeminate and quarrelsome he is when he disagrees with a person. But to curse out a Church Pastor is a new low.

The religious protest against Dean Barrow and his spineless Ministers, several of whom are known homosexuals and many of whom are known to be corrupt and immoral, is expected to get bigger. As early as this Friday when the House of Representative is scheduled to meet, a larger crowd is expected to gather.

Messing with a country’s religious beliefs is always a messy and volatile matter.

There is another side to the Prime Minister’s hasty and arrogant decision not to appeal the Supreme Court ruling. He is lying if he said he has no money to appeal. The government

has ten lawyers on full time salaries at the Solicitor General’s office who are capable of appealing the decision.

A more plausible explanation is that the Chief Justice decision would be overturned if appealed. The C.J. relied on a document that Dean Barrow signed back in 1996 when Barrow was Attorney General and Foreign Minister. That document, drafted by foreign homosexuals and included in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, claims that the word sex should include a person’s sexual orientation.

This document, signed in secret

by Dean Barrow was never revealed to the people of Belize or to the elected representative in the National Assembly where it must be debated and passed for it to have effect in Belize.

Not even the then Prime Minister Manuel Esquivel or his Cabinet were given a briefing by Dean Barrow as to what was signed.

The Chief Justice is wrong in his ruling when he relied on this secret document that has no validity in Belize. The word sex in Section 16 of the Constitution cannot be said to include “sexual orientation”. In 1981 when Belize got its Constitution, George Price and the people of Belize understood clearly that the sentence which states that there cannot be discrimination on the basis of “…. sex, race, place of origin, political opinions, colour or creed “ the sex therein meant male or female and nothing else.

The Chief Justice was also wrong

Completion of Group Hug’s Second Annual Back-to-School Backpack Drive On Wednesday the 8th of August, 2016, Group Hug conducted a distribution of 200 school bags at the Memorial Park in Belize City. The organization was hoping to collect a total of 200 backpacks outfitted with assorted school supplies to distribute to deserving and needy students across Belize City, Hattieville and Mahogany Heights, but surpassed our target, raising 250 schoolbags at the end of the three weeks drive.

The 250 beneficiaries of the initiative were identified in a variety of ways; some were recommended by personnel at the Human Development Office, Department of Youth Service and members of the organization itself. Other beneficiaries were identified on Facebook, as parents shared their plight online and appealed for the assistance and fifty recipients were assessed and selected in the villages of Hattieville and Mahogany Heights. The backpacks features composition notebooks, exercise books, dictionaries, geometry sets and other assorted stationery.

The project, which assisted students from preschool through to high school, was successful thanks to dozens of individual donations as well as large contributions from individuals such as Mr. Amit Nandwani, Ms. Jessica Rosado, Mr. Dion Leslie and Ms. Khris Rosado, the two corporate sponsors were V.I.P. Wireless and Amber Sunset Jungle Resort.

Group Hug, founded and directed by 24 year old Andre Pitts, is an organization formed in July of 2015 when they held their first back pack drive that assisted 117 children in a similar fashion. In its eleven month existence, the group has already assisted over 800 Belizeans in areas of education, disaster relief and Christmas cheer.

More information about the group can be found online at www. facebook.com/grouphugbz

in law to use an unknown “study” showing that in 2008, there were three reports with only one man being arrested for an unnatural crime.

And in 2009 there were four reports with three persons being arrested for unnatural crimes. Two of the victims were minors and one was a female. None of these reports showed that consenting adults were singled out for criminal prosecutions.

Worse, the Chief Justice was bound to follow the decision of the Caribbean Court of Justice in which Caleb Orozco’s partner in crimefighting, one Maurice Tomlinson, a homosexual activist who had challenged Belize’s Immigration law which forbids homosexuals from entering Belize. The grounds of Tomlinson’s argument were similar to Orozco, but Tomlinson still lost.

Incidentally, when the homosexual tourists arrived in Belize in a ship called The Leeward (coming from the back) Dean Barrow was the Immigration Minister and had to sign the waiver so the law could not be enforced against a shipload of hundreds of homosexuals.

The plot thickens as the protests quicken.

It would be ironic if it is the protest of religious Belizeans which result in the fall of Belize most immoral and least religious Prime Minister who conducts himself as if he is a little God.

Prayer To The Holy Spirit O Holy Spirit, You who are the Fountainhead of all knowledge, Who Illuminate the path way which enables me to reach my goal. You Who shares your Divine gift permitting me to forgive and forget past insults and injustices, and Who are always at my side within reaching distance.

I desire in this short supplication to thank You for all that You have done for me; and to assure You once more that I never want to be separated from You under any circumstances, no matter what the incentive. I want to be with You, I along with my loved ones, cradled in Your unending love.

Thank You for your never-failing kindness towards me and those I call my own.(Prayer to be offered for three consecutive days: Faith in The Holy Spirit will cause Him to respond to your request no matter how difficult the problem might be. Publish prayer as soon as request has been Granted .)

Thank You Holy Spirit.

F.C.M.

16

28 AUG

THE BELIZE TIMES

2016

For Sale

By Order of the Mortgagee Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Mortgage made the 16th day of November, 2004 between EGBERT IRVING of No. 40 Pine Street, Dangriga Town, Stann Creek District (hereinafter called “the Borrower”) of the one part, and SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LIMITED (hereinafter called “the Mortgagee”) of the other part, and recorded in Deeds Book Volume 37 of 2004 at Folios 131 - 138, 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 Block No. 26 situate at Stann Creek Valley Road 19 Miles containing 7a. 2r. 33p. coloured pink and and bounded and described as in Plan No. 49 of 1951 and surveyed by James A. Waight Government Surveyor TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon.

DATED this 24th day of August, 2016.

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

For Sale

By Order of the Mortgagee Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Assignment of Mortgage made the 14th day of May, 2008, registered in Deeds Book Vol. 18 of 2008 at Folios 255 – 270, between The Belize Bank Limited (the Assignor), Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. (the Assignee), and PETER WILLIAMS (the Mortgagor), which said property was mortgaged by the said PETER WILLIAMS to the said Belize Bank Limited on the 30th day of October, 1991 and recorded in Deeds Book Volume 23 of 1991 at Folios 559 – 588 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. THE SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being 0.64 acre situate along the San Antonio – Punta Gorda Road, Jacintoville, Toledo District bounded and described as shown by Plan No. 35 of 1991 attached to Minister’s Fiat (Grant) No. 35 of 1991 dated 4th February, 1991 and entered in the Crown Lands Book (Grants) at the General Registry, Belize City, TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon.

DATED this 24th day of August, 2016.

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

Evening Division Vacancies exist for the following post at Gwen Lizarraga High School for the present school year 2016-2017.

• 1 – Social Studies Teacher

Full-Time

Applicants must have a first degree in the subject area to be taught and experience in teaching third and fourth form at CXC Level, excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and be willing to work with students.

Salary will be in accordance with Government’s pay scale, which is based on qualifications. Applications should be submitted by letter in writing along with a resume, copies of certificates, transcript, police record, letters of recommendation and teachers’ license. Application must be addressed to the Principal and delivered to the office by Friday, August 26th, 2016.

Vacancies exist for the following post at Gwen Lizarraga High School for the present school year 2016-2017.

• • • • • • •

1 – Math Teacher Temporary (1 ½ yr.)

1 – English Teacher Temporary (3 months) 1 – Social Studies Teacher Full-Time 1 – Social Studies Teacher Full-Time 1 – Science Teacher Temporary (1 yr.)

1 – Accounting Teacher Temporary (3 months) 1 – Woodwork Teacher Temporary (3 months)

Applicants must have a first degree in the subject area to be taught and experience in teaching third and fourth form at CXC Level, excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and be willing to work with students.

Salary will be in accordance with Government’s pay scale, which is based on qualifications. Applications should be submitted by letter in writing along with a resume, copies of certificates, transcript, police record, letters of recommendation and teachers’ license. Application must be addressed to the Principal and delivered to the office by Friday, August 26th, 2016.

28 AUG

17

THE BELIZE TIMES

2016

MY PERSPECTIVE

By Dolores Balderamos Garcia

SPORTS LAMENT The Olympics in Rio de Janeiro are now history. I have not watched much of them at all, what with no electricity for five days after Hurricane Earl and another three or four days until cable supply was restored. However, it has been difficult to refrain from thinking about sports, or sport as the British call it.

Of course we, as Caribbean people, have been exceedingly proud to see Usain Bolt cement his superstar status as the fastest human being over a period of more than eight years and three Olympics, the world’s most prestigious stage for track and field. I pondered on how this came about. Jamaica has less than four million inhabitants, but the emphasis placed by authorities on pre-eminence in track and field athletics has succeeded in producing dozens of top notch athletes and gold medalists.

They simply cannot be beat, and they have to be highly commended for the astounding accomplishments of Jamaican track and field stars and superstars. We also remember the Cubans as well. I have learned that Cuba and Jamaica have tied for medals from the Rio Olympics.

Where is the support of Belizean authorities, the government to be exact, for track and field and other sports? It is virtually non-existent. There has been miserable interest and even more miserable funding. All of three athletes from Belize attended the Rio Olympics, but I feel sure that more than eight officials, and maybe the minister, went. All three of our athletes came dead last in their endeavors.

We all agree that to have winners there must be losers, but merely attending and participating is not enough. We have to do better.

We are definitely incredibly proud of Simone Biles. My little claim to fame, I say in a tonguein-cheek way, is that her mother Nellie Cayetano and I were classmates at Saint Catherine Academy and graduated together in 1973. I am thrilled that she and her husband Ron have done so much to nurture, guide, and support Simone in reaching the pinnacle of her chosen discipline. No doubt Simone’s fabulous achievement is due largely to their vision, unwavering parenting, and stick-to-it-iveness.

Sadly, I must agree with Karen

Vernon and many others that we should not wait until someone wins and becomes famous for us to sing their praises and jump on the bandwagon of being fanatics.

Belizean hotels and resorts are falling over themselves to host Simone and her teammates now.

Were they sponsoring even one home-grown Belizean athlete with very clear talent?

I am especially saddened that Kaina Martinez did not go to the Olympics, and I share the consternation of so many. I do not feel at all that Mr. Sutherland of the Athletic Association has given a satisfactory response to the many queries that have arisen. I have no problem with a white British/Belizean young woman representing our country. However, I do have a big problem with the by-passing of our own born, black, Garifuna track and field star. And, I repeat, I have a huge problem with the almost complete absence of support for sports from this government.

I pause to say special kudos to Lupita Quan. She has almost single-handedly brought volleyball to the forefront of sports endeavor here at home. At the last meet in Central America our under twentythree girls came in fourth or fifth, but from all accounts the level of their playing is right up there. No doubt if the training and support continue, we will do much better and even beat more of our Central American neighbors. My niece Kelsey Balderamos is an excellent volleyball player and now a dedicated coach, thanks to the vision of Lupita. And this is just one example of what many sports leaders have done with little outside support. Big kudos, too, to ALL committed coaches in ALL Belizean sports.

What is lacking, and we need to do better really quickly, is true government leadership and support. There has been no vision, and as a sporting community the Belizean people have perished. This is a sports lament. It is also a call to leaders to wake up, get up, shake yourselves up, and step up. There are Usain Bolts and Simone Biles’ right here. We need to find them, support them, and start to show that Belize can not only compete, we can win in various disciplines.

Enough said.

For Sale

By Order of the Mortgagee Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Assignment of Mortgage made the 30th day of August, 2006, registered in Deeds Book Vol. 32 of 2006 at Folios 495 – 512, between Atlantic Bank Limited (the Assignor), Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. (the Assignee), and FELIX ELIAS GALEANA JR. (the Mortgagor) and THERESE BOL (the Surety), which said property was mortgaged by the said THERESE BOL (the Surety), and FELIX ELIAS GALEANA JR. (the Borrower) to the said Atlantic Bank Limited on the 6th day of August, 2003 and recorded in Deeds Book Volume 29 of 2003 at Folios 563 – 602 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. THE SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Lot No. 246 situate in Silk Grass Village Extension, Stann Creek District, and bounded as follows: On the Northeast for 22.857 metres by Lot No. 247; On the Southeast for 30.475 metres by a street; On the Southeast for 4.310 metres by a truncation; On the Southwest for 14.809 metres by a Street; and on the Northwest for 33.523 metres by Lot No. 245, containing 761.590 square metres as shown on Plan No. 2004 at the Office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon.

DATED this 9th day of August, 2016.

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

For Sale

By Order of the Mortgagee Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Mortgage made the 3rd day of October, 2012 between CHRISTOPHER TILLETT (hereinafter called “the Mortgagor”) of Burrell Boom Village, Belize District, of the one part, and SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LIMITED (hereinafter called “the Mortgagee”) of the other part, and recorded in Deeds Book Vol. 22 of 2012 at Folios 1605 – 1126, 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 lot, piece or parcel of land being Lot No. 90 on Poinsettia Road, Ladyville Village, Belize District, Belize TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon.

DATED this 9th day of August, 2016.

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

18

ORDER...

NEW OR NOT

By G. Michael Reid “The drive of the Rockefellers and their allies is to create a one-world government combining super-capitalism and Communism under the same tent, all under their control. Do I mean a conspiracy? Yes, I do. I am convinced there is such a plot, international in scope, generations old in planning, incredibly evil in intent.” ~ Larry P. MacDonald “And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. The devil who deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are.

And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever”. Rev. 20:10 “The people will be crushed under the burden of taxes, loan after loan will be floated; after having drained the present, the State will devour the future.” ~ Fredric Bastiat The Churches were able to draw a sizable crowd to Belmopan this past week where they protested against the government’s decision not to appeal the recent ruling of the Supreme Court in the United Belize Advocacy Movement’s (UNIBAM) case. Caleb Orozco was successful in challenging Sec. 53 of Belize’s Criminal Code which states that “Every person who has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any person ... shall be liable to imprisonment for 10 years.”

Lawyers for Orozco were able to convince the high court that the law as it stood was in violation of his dignity and human rights as guaranteed by Part 2 of the Constitution. Having successfully argued that point, Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin had no choice but to declare the law null and void since, according to Part 1 (sec. 2) of Belize’s Constitution, “This Constitution is the supreme law of Belize and if any other law is inconsistent with this Constitution that other law shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void.”

The Churches are demanding that the Government of Belize appeal the decision all the way to the Caribbean

THE BELIZE TIMES The objections of the Church to the revision of Sec. 53 and in extension the LBGT community is quite the paradox.

They point to the Bible as condemning homosexuality and warn that should we proceed in decriminalizing the act that we risk a fate as terrible as that of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19:24).

While the Church persist hell-bent in its condemnation of homosexuality, and has mobilized demonstrations more than once to express disaffection, little notice is paid or address given to the daily murders, abuse of children or rampant corruption by our public officials. Are these sins and transgressions, in the short run not also worthy of the people’s revolt, and of GOD’s wrath in the long?

These so-called representatives of the Church suggest that in yielding to the whims of the gay community, we hasten upon ourselves an apocalypse.

In the very same Bible that they use as their tool for condemnation, Jesus is asked, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” To which Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all

28 AUG

2016

wider agenda and suggest that it is all a part of the move to this dreaded “New World Order”. For many years, conspiracy theorists have warned about the emergence of a totalitarian world government in which an elitist minority would rule the world. Religious Fundamentalists view this as a precursor to the emergence of the Antichrist and consider it their Christian duty to fight against it with every last ounce of resolve.

Court of Justice (CCJ), which in its apThe fact is though, that if all of pellate jurisdiction, would serve as the this is prophesied and written and will court of last resort. The problem is that eventually come to pass; and if all this such appeals, especially to the CCJ, leads to a utopian system where the can be quite the expensive venture and devil and all of hell and evil are cast into who then shall bear that cost? Initially, a “lake of fire” and are devoured “forit was believed that as an “interested ever and ever”, is this not something party”, the Church did not have the to be desired? I mean look around, right to appeal but that presumption how much worse can it get? Is not a was debunked by the Prime Minister prospect of world peace, safety, and in his press conference. Persons who security to be coveted instead of respoke on behalf of the Church then sisted? Of course, there are always revealed that they were not willing to those who will prey upon the weakbear such costs and that in fact, they ness and ignorance of the masses but felt that the state should assume the does it not then becomes incumbent task and burden. The problem is that upon all of us, we the people, to not while the Churches have been able to select and elect such people and put mobilize a thousand or so vocal disthem in a position where they can abuse and misuse authorWe cannot allow the Prime Minister to stand on ity. Hello….

This brings us to our curFriday and confound and confuse us with silver rent situation where the recently released Auditor Gentongue, distractions and divertissement. eral’s report lays out in detail, The Church must digress from its witchtransgressions and names hunt and persecution of harmless quarof those responsible. If we ries and stand shoulder to shoulder with are to ensure that whatever government, whether local, other citizens in demanding transparent or global is in place, address to the real problems that have us regional functions for the good and living in hell. benefit of all citizens then we must demand an address to these wrongs. We cannot alsenters, I believe that there is a silent your soul and with all your mind”. And low the Prime Minister to stand on Frimajority who have no problem in allowwithout being asked, Jesus continued, day and confound and confuse us with ing equal rights to those who choose a “the second is like it: ‘Love your neighsilver tongue, distractions and diver“different” lifestyle. bor as yourself”. Jesus then advised tissement. The Church must digress There are some who propose a that “All the Law and the Prophets from its witch-hunt and persecution of referendum but it is not exactly clear hang on these two commandments”. harmless quarries and stand shoulder how that referendum should read.

That being the case then, and without to shoulder with other citizens in deAre we to decide whether to abide by putting limits or constraints on said manding transparent address to the the Court ruling or not or should the love, should not that “love of neighreal problems that have us living in referendum be about whether or not bour” be unconditional and extend to hell. Instead of peeping into people’s we should proceed with an appeal? even those we deem to be in “sin”? bedroom windows, let us peer instead It cannot be the former, since we are Was there not something also about into the halls of government and desupposedly a nation founded on the “casting the first stone”? mand of our “stewards that they be rule of law (notwithstanding the many Some in the Church have accused found trustworthy”. So it is written, so times that this current administration the government of surrendering to a let it be done! GOD bless Belize! has contravened such a concept). If it is to be the latter, then we are back to who should bear the cost for such an appeal. Make no mistake, our government is flat broke and while our PM would certainly not be indisposed to allowing his lawyer family to make more money, we simply do not have it.

Another aspect of this case that has received little enough attention is the fact that Belize is signatory to the 1993 United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). That treaty prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, which is therein specifically defined and encompasses sexual orientation. The Prime Minister, while a very poor leader, is a very good lawyer and understands full well that any appeal would be futile and would in fact have no legal grounds to stand on.

Getting the leaders and members of the Church to understand this however, is another matter and might require the promise of another chapel or two.

28 AUG

2016

19

THE BELIZE TIMES

THINKING OUT LOUD

By Kevin Bernard The Prime Minister is out of the country again. It seems like he’s always out of the country when there’s a crisis, and these days, crises are the order of the week. There’s another one brewing and bubbling this week – one that has been in the pot for a very long time. Mr. Barrow has been trying as best he can to hold down the findings of the Audit Department into the multiple passport, nationality and Visa scandals under his watch. But it’s out now.

I haven’t gotten a chance to go through the books just yet, but I hear the Audit Department is accusing multiple Ministers, Area Representatives and UDP caretakers of acting illegally in facilitating Visas and other documents for people who did not qualify. What has emerged seems like the worst nightmare for the Prime Minister who has stated publicly that corruption in Immigration would be one of those things that would bring down his administration. Based on what is in those audits, if the Prime Minister is serious and he has any principle, he should probably go ahead and call elections.

That scandal is made much worse by what this UDP has done to the country. I was watching some old news footage recently and saw a Petrocaribe rally held in late 2014 when there were still millions and millions and millions of dollars in the coffers, or so the PM said. People dressed in red were gyrating and dancing and shouting and waving Petrocaribe banners.

Hell, even the Prime Minister was dancing, bad back and all. What a great time that was.

But where are all those millions and millions now? Where are all those madly ecstatic UDP supporters now, high on liquor and weed and the promise of a stipend? Chances are they’re living in shacks which threaten to fall down if you breathe too hard of them. Chances are many of them don’t have jobs and find it hard to feed their families. Many of them are trying to figure out how they will pay for shoes for their kids to go to school, and uniforms, and books. Many of them don’t have electricity or running water. And despite all that joy and happiness brought on by Petrocaribe, many of them are still poor. Dean Barrow is still rich. All the UDP Ministers and their select cronies are still rich, but a majority of Belizeans are poor.

Here in Orange Walk there is no major sign of almost $400M in Petrocaribe money spent between 2012-2015. There are no social programs initiated

by Central Government to benefit our people. Just days away from the opening of school, many residents of our town and surrounding areas are struggling to find the money to ensure that their children will have access to education. Our request for education assistance for students was turned around by the Ministry of Education which pointed us to the National Assembly, just an exercise to frustrate the Town Council which continues to try to help as many people as it can despite NO access to Central Government finances.

Mr. Barrow will return to the country this week, in time to face the music at the House of Representatives on Friday. He won’t change his game plan.

He will attack the PUP which has been out of office for 8 years. He will pretend that all is well with the economy, despite every indication that all is not well. He will try to dismiss the glaring and damning condemnations in the Audit Reports and will use big words and fancy phrases to spin a fairy tale.

But the day of reckoning is here, Mr. Prime Minister. Soon you will not be able to run and hide behind your rhetoric. It took a long time but the people are on to you. For you and your administration, the worst is yet to come.

Vacancy Wholesale Sales Person Hofius has an opening for a mature sales person in its wholesale department to work under the direction of the Operations Manager.

Responsibilities: • • • • • • • • • • •

Travel to perform out district sales Receive and prepare orders from customers for delivery Dissemination of information to customers on products, promotions, etc. electronically and orally Answer and respond to phone calls, email messages, etc. from customers in a timely manner Work towards increasing sales with existing customers and new customers Work towards a good understanding of product knowledge Assist in managing customer accounts Prepare reports for Operations Manager Be aware of current market conditions for products Handle customer complaints professionally Work towards meeting sales goals

Skills and Education • • • • • • • • •

Associate’s Degree in a business related field or equivalent, or over 5 years in countrywide sales Team player Minimum 3 years in sales, both Belize City and Districts Product knowledge in hardware Excellent oral and written communication skills Possess computer skills Experience in graphic design or page layout (a bonus) Ability to travel and stay overnight countrywide Portray excellent customer service skills

Apply in writing to: Vacancy-Wholesale Sales Person com

info@hofiusbelize.

PUBLIC AUCTION SALE

BY ORDER OF THE CHARGEE HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED, a Licensed Public Auctioneer will sell on site the following property at the time as listed.

At No. 774 San Francisco Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District on Thursday 1st September 2016 at 1:30p.m.

ALL THAT piece or parcel of land comprising 488.62 square yards being Parcel 774, Block 4 in the Orange Walk Town Registration Section situate at No. 774 San Francisco Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon, the freehold property of FREDDIE ROSTRAN.

DATED this 17th day of August 2016 All sales are strictly cash and deemed final. For more information contact: HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED 1 HYDE’S LANE, BELIZE CITY, BELIZE Phone: (501) 224-5644 Fax: (501) 223-0738

20

28 AUG

THE BELIZE TIMES

2016

BELIZE TIMES WEEKLY

SCIENCE & TECH R

E

V

I

E

W

Fluorescent jellyfish proteins light up unconventional laser

By Emily Benson Safer lasers to map your cells could soon be in the offing – all thanks to the humble jellyfish.

Conventional lasers, like the pointer you might use to entertain your cat, produce light by emitting identical photons after they have bounced around inside a cavity.

But scaling these up requires lots of energy.

Another type of laser – called a polariton laser – works by passing photons back and forth between excited molecules. Unlike in conventional lasers, the photons are released and reabsorbed within the device itself before zooming out as laser light.

These can use less energy than conventional lasers, so in theory could lead to more efficient optical communications or medical lasers that are less destructive to living tissue.

But there’s a problem: most polariton lasers only work well at extremely low temperatures.

Switching the light-producing molecules to ones that operate at room temperature could make

them more practical, says Malte Gather at the University of St. Andrews, UK. But the few materials that work at room temperature have light-emitting molecules that sit too close together, interfering with one another instead of producing laser light.

So Gather turned to an unusual solution: barrel-shaped fluorescent proteins engineered from jellyfish DNA. Each protein’s cylindrical shell encloses a component

that emits light, and keeps those molecules from getting too cosy and interfering with one another.

“To me it looked like something that could be useful,” says Gather.

Previously, his team had built a more conventional laser out of green fluorescent protein, but had never built a protein-based polariton laser.

To build their laser, Gather and his colleagues sandwiched a thin film of the fluorescent protein

FIRST US OFFSHORE WIND FARM WILL POWER AN ENTIRE ISLAND

By Emily Benson The turbines at the first offshore wind farm in the US were installed last week, and their blades are set to start generating power by the end of the year.

The Block Island Wind Farm, developed by Deepwater Wind in Providence, Rhode Island, will be able to produce enough power for 17,000 homes – up to 30 megawatts.

That’s much less than many of the offshore wind farms in the UK and Europe generate, some of which contain more than 100 turbines and together have the capacity for 11,000 megawatts of electricity.

The US already gets about 5

per cent of the electrical power it produces from inland wind energy – more than 70,000 megawatts in 2015.

Wind tends to be stronger and more stable over the ocean, says Deepwater Wind CEO Jeffrey Grybowski. The ocean breeze is also generally strongest during the late afternoon and

early evening, when electricity demand peaks. This make offshore areas an attractive location for future development, he says.

“For large population centres here in the northeast, we need to find a way to generate clean energy locally,” says Grybowski. Wind could be the answer, he notes. “It is clearly the biggest clean energy resource in the north-east.”

between two mirrors. Activating the light-emitting molecules with a pulse of blue light from an external laser successfully coaxed laser light from the proteins.

The laser might someday go back to its biological roots – it could be embedded within cells and used like a beacon to mark and track them by doctors or researchers.

Fluorescent proteins can already be embedded inside living tissue for this reason, but they emit such a broad range of wavelengths that they can differentiate fewer than 10 cell types. Because a laser emits such a narrow spectrum of light, fluorescent protein lasers could be used to mark thousands of different cells. And a fluorescent protein laser would be safer than embedding lasers with conventional semiconductors, which can be poisonous.

Living laser label “You label each cell with a different laser, and then you just collect this light,” says Gather. “You can look at the wavelengths of the light and say, ‘Aha, this is this cell, because the laser light it emits has this particular wavelength’.”

The low energy requirements of the laser would be beneficial, too, he says. “If you work in living tissue, you don’t want to strain the tissue or the cells with too much energy.”

There are a few more challenges to overcome before the jellyfish-based laser is ready for everyday use, says Stéphane Kéna-Cohen at École Polytechnique de Montréal in Canada. For example, the shell that protects the fluorescent protein molecules may also prevent it from being powered by an electrical supply like a battery, instead of another laser, he says.

Still, the idea that a polariton laser made out of material derived from nature can work just as well as one with a traditional, highly engineered semiconductor crystal is interesting and surprising, KénaCohen says.

“This is just cool from a fundamental standpoint,” he says.

FEB 28 287 AUG AUG

2016 2016

REGIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

THE BELIZE THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES

Vietnam woman ‘cuts off limbs for insurance payout’

Peru investigates ‘police death squad’ after killings

Italy earthquake: Death toll rises to at least 120 At least 120 people have been killed and 368 injured in an earthquake that hit a mountainous area of central Italy, PM Matteo Renzi has said.

The magnitude-6.2 quake struck at 03:36 (01:36 GMT), 100km (65 miles) north-east of Rome, not far from Perugia.

Many of the dead were in the historic town of Amatrice, where the mayor said threequarters of the town was destroyed, and in nearby Accumoli.

Many people are still believed to be buried under rubble.

“This is not a final toll,” Mr Renzi warned as he gave the latest figures.

He had earlier paid tribute to the volunteers and civil defence officials who had rushed to the scene in the middle of the night and used their bare hands to dig for survivors.

He promised “no family, no city, no hamlet will be left behind”.

Florida’s governor has announced five new cases of Zika, including one in the Tampa Bay area, 265 miles (425 km) north of Miami.

Four other cases of the virus, which is often spread by mosquitoes, were found in Wynwood in Miami, where officials have sprayed pesticides.

The Tampa case involves a woman in Pinellas County without a travel history, suggesting local transmission.

The news brings the total number of the state’s local transmission cases to 42.

The governor said officials have yet to declare Pinellas County as a zone of active transmission despite the new case in the area.

• Zika comes to Miami hotspot • Is the US doing enough to fight Zika?

• Zika: What you need to know The Florida Department of Health (DOH) is investigating whether the Pinellas County resident was infected while visiting a neighbouring county, he added.

“While this investigation is ongoing, DOH still believes that ongoing active transmissions are only occurring in the two previously identified areas in Wynwood and Miami Beach,” the governor said in a statement.

Venezuela public workers face sack over referendum

Peruvian officials say there are “strong indications” that a rogue group of officers within the country’s police force has carried out illegal killings.

Deputy Public Order Minister Ruben Vargas said an investigation had identified at least 18 members of the force who were allegedly involved.

The investigation suggests the group was behind the killing of at least 20 civilians since 2012.

A general is among the police officers suspected.

Mr Vargas said at a news conference that the case resembled that of the “false positives” in Colombia, in which soldiers killed civilians and then passed them off as left-wing rebels to falsely boost the number of rebels they had “neutralised”.

In the Colombian case, the soldiers were at first rewarded with days off and other perks before the scandal emerged and a number of those involved were sentenced to lengthy prison terms.

In Peru, the rogue officers allegedly passed the victims off as dangerous criminals to secure promotions.

The killings happened in at least six different police operations in the capital, Lima, in the northern town of Chiclayo and in two instances in Chincha Alta.

Mr Vargas said that 11 of the 20 people known to have been killed did not have any criminal records.

He accused the police officers of falsifying intelligence reports to fit their stories.

21

Zika virus: Florida announces five new cases

A Vietnamese woman has admitted to paying for her foot and part of her arm to be cut off in order to claim an insurance payout, police say.

In May, the 30-year-old woman, named as “Ly Thi N”, pretended she had been hit by a train, the People’s Police Newspaper of Vietnam reports.

But she has now reportedly admitted to having paid a friend $2,200 (£1,660) to sever her limbs.

The aim was to claim more than $150,000 from her insurance company.

A supposed bystander, “Doan Van D”, the same person who did the cutting, had called an ambulance after “finding” the injured woman on a Hanoi railroad.

Pictures published by the official police newspaper showed the woman three months later, with her wounds healed.

She is believed to run a struggling business, according to local media.

NEWS

Venezuelan public sector workers who signed a petition backing a referendum to recall President Nicolas Maduro could face dismissal, a spokesman of the governing Socialist Party said.

The spokesman said President Maduro had ordered that any manager in five key ministries who signed the petition should be sacked.

The petition is the first step towards a referendum which could see Mr Maduro ousted.

Mr Maduro has been in power since 2013.

48-hour deadline He is a supporter of the “Bolivarian Revolution”, the socialist movement his

predecessor in office, Hugo Chavez, founded.

Government critics argue that their socialist policies have driven Venezuela into a severe economic crisis.

What has gone wrong in Venezuela?

Dark humour: Venezuelans vent anger on social media Growing discontent on the streets Why have Chavez strongholds turned?

They have called for a recall referendum to be held this year to remove Mr Maduro from the presidency and trigger fresh elections.

They handed in a petition to that effect in May signed by almost two million people, many more than the 1% of registered voters they needed.

On Monday, Socialist Party (PSUV) spokesman Jorge Rodriguez said that those in senior public positions who had signed the petition would have to leave their posts.

22

THINK ABOUT IT WILL THE CIRCLE BE BROKEN? Right in the midst of the hard time that has come upon our people a circle of hope has emerged.

This is a circle of hope and help.

Women are being encouraged to form a group of friends. One person brings in two friends. Four persons bring in eight and a circle is formed. Each person pays the person at the top of the circle.

They then move from the bottom of the circle to the second level and then to a smaller third level and then to the top of the circle. Then it is their turn to collect.

Nobody holds anyone else’s money. Each person pays the person at the top of the circle.

This is a damn good idea too good to be true. But it is working. So long as you can bring in two good and trusted friends the circle goes on.

Many, many women have been benefitting from this idea. Some say it is women advocates from Canada who introduced it to women in Belize. It is only intended to help empower women. Nothing empowers struggling women like some money.

We hear of two circles.

One, you pay over two thousand dollars and you receive a gift of twenty thousand made up of eight persons paying two thousand and odd to the person. The other circle is five hundred dollars and you get four thousand dollars.

Ain’t nothing wrong with the idea of the circle. Ain’t nothing illegal about it either.

Many, many women have collected and been able to pay bills, buy school items, uniforms and books.

We are so disappointed to hear persons who have jobs and have things okay trying to break the circle and discourage women from making legitimate money. As long as you get trusted and honest people

28 AUG

THE BELIZE TIMES tence and now is free to start his horrible crimes against innocent women.

Somebody in the DPP office and the Parole Board better explain to the women of Belize what is the situation that caused such a monster to be back on the loose.

There is some serious explaining that is needed like right now.

to join the circle, ain’t nothing wrong or can go wrong.

Hundreds upon hundreds of women have been joining and benefitting from the circle.

The Chinese and the Indians have quietly formed their own circles. Doctors have formed a circle. Some lawyers have STOP EATING OUR formed a circle. We wish PoALLIGATORS lice, soldiers, teachers and nurses would do too. It’s a Alligators don’t look pretty. good idea - just make sure the Not at first glance. They are persons are honest and trust- not exactly good pets and they worthy. look scary. Loners usually are.

But alligators are beautiful. Like sharks, they are on MONSTER AMONG US the top of the food chain. They fear no one- man nor beast.

Some years ago in one of Our Chinese brothers and the northern districts, two sisters come from a different young lovers were strolling culture and a different world. happily hand in hand. Sudden- They eat alligators, snakes, ly, a van pulled up. The lovers toads, roaches, insects; anywere grabbed and forced into thing that crawls or walks or the van. They were driven into grows. Food, after all is what a cane field. The van stopped you eat. for one of the kidnappers to But alligators and sharks pee. One young lover jumped are to be fully protected. Fully! out and dashed into the cane We disagree and condemn the field and escaped. The young on-going slaughter of sharks lady was not so fortunate. in Belizean waters for those For the remainder of the who want their fins. night she was repeatedly Now, we confirm that Chiraped and sodomised, repeat- nese are buying alligator meat edly, over and over again. Her at $4.65 a pound. We conscreams and pleas and beg- demn this. Belizeans in the ging were of no help. One of rural areas need money but the kidnappers was a particu- in time alligators will bring in larly brutal rapist and sodomist much more by way of tourism who kept going at her, without and animal lovers. mercy.

Please, don’t slaughter At the break of dawn when these awesome, majestic althe kidnappers were exhaust- ligators (crocodile). They have ed and dozed off, the young been around from the time of lady found the strength to es- the dinosaurs. cape.

Eventually the police CAN U BELIEVE THIS? caught the kidnappers. One of these monsters was wellBelize’s most wasteful, inknown to the Police. He had efficient, squanderous and been preying on women for crooked government is asking some time. He was convicted public officers, teachers, nursin the Supreme Court and sent es, doctors, police and solto jail for a long sentence. He diers not to accept their salary appealed and lost. He was increase this year. also on a murder charge which Lying to the people, the took very long to reach trial so government is trying to blame he won that. tropical storm Earl as the reaThis monster is now out son why no money no deh. of prison. He has apparently No money no deh from served half of his long sen- November 2015 when every

2016

dollar in sight was misused to win the general elections.

No money no wah deh for a long, long time with this government. They just found millions for additional Ministers of government. And in a desperate effort to win the next elections the government will create twelve new electoral divisions which will cost millions more. But to pay teachers, nurses, Police, soldiers and public officers they don’t want to spend. They’re holding every little bit for themselves.

And, sad to say, the union leaders for the public officers have already told the Prime Minister they will support him in depriving their members of their salary increase.

STUPIDNESS Belize’s first Governor General Minita Gordon is not well.

Worse, she is in the poor house, literally. Because no one wants to spend money to hire a nurse for her, Minita Gordon has been removed from her home to the poor house behind the Mexican Embassy.

What a shame!

What a national disgrace.

Belize’s first Governor General and its first and only female Governor General was kicked out of her office shortly after the UDP party won the 1993 general elections. They appointed Colville Young.

When the PUP became government in 1998 they did not play tit-for-tat. Colville reminded as Governor General.

No civilized and mature democracy would allow its first ever Governor General to fall into such misfortune. Minita Gordon is from south-side Belize City, Plues Street to be exact. From poor parents, this strong woman built herself through burning the midnight oil. She attended what was called five cents school back then and went on to obtain a Master’s Degree in education.

Look at the photos of Minita Gordon at Independence Day and other functions. What a proud, dignified, almost majestic figure you will see. She was always humble and polite with everyone.

28 AUG

2016

THE BELIZE TIMES

23

24

THE BELIZE TIMES

28 AUG

2016