SCAN HERE
The Belize Times
Established 1957
8 DECEMBER 2013 | ISSUE NO: 4874
The Truth Shall Make You Free
www.belizetimes.bz | $1.00
Barrow Threatens Cañeros In February 2009 cañeros took to the streets after Prime Minister Dean Barrow rejected their call for support
No Crop, No Sugar Roads, says PM
Pg. 6
CORDEL IS BACK! The Political Police Pg. 11
Cordel Hyde was Guest Speaker at the Fort George Standard Bearer Endorsement Convention for Rt. Hon. Said Musa at St. Mary’s Hall on Wednesday, December 4 2013
Barrow gives ELVIN Penner $90,000 as Christmas Cheer Pg. 8
PUP SUPPORTS CANE FARMERS
2 02
OPINION OUT
OUT
Greedy UDP lawyer!
!
Dear Editor, I write to warn residents of Caribbean Shores about a UDP crony and attorney known to many as the “Pigtail Boy” who is pretending to have the community’s best interest at heart by encouraging efforts to extend a small park on Seashore Drive into a piece of crown land on the sea front all because someone couldn’t get the land for his private use. This UDP lawyer had recently purchased another property near the once mangrove piece of crown land and may have wanted to secure the crown land in order to allow him to expand plans for a multimillion dollar mansion he allegedly planned to build for his wife. I have been made to understand that when he learned that a resident of Caribbean shores, a first time land owner who is not rich, had already applied to lease the same parcel of crown land, he became upset and went complaining to Belmopan but was rejected out of hand. The Pigtail Boy allegedly began, in what could only be described as rank hypocrisy, to lobby to make the land a part of the park that is beside it. He prepared a caution that was filed on the same parcel of land, in an attempt to block the other person from acquiring the land. These UDPs are a dishonest and greedy bunch. Someone cleared down the mangroves that were on the property without a permit and threw a load of sand that made the land into what could only described as muck in an attempt to make it a part of the park. Well things came to a head last week when the original resident of Caribbean shores who had applied for the land applied to remove the caution that had been placed on it. The UDP attorney is the same little fellow who the UDP has placed on several boards so he could collect perks, typical of a UDP crony. He is the son of the pigtail man and brother to the same one who was part of that KHMH stink, remember? Beware of this man. Signed, Concerned resident
LOCAL 6 Dec
8 DEC
THE BELIZE TIMES
More arguments for Ladyville/ Lord’s Bank Town
!
Dear Editor, Further to my first letter regarding Ladyville/ Lords Bank becoming a town, with your kind permission, I wish to discuss the issue of revenues. Conceptually, the revenue streams for the town of Ladyville/Lords Bank would be as listed in the table below. The revenues raised by the Town would be used to meet recurrent expenditures such as salaries, utilities, street cleaning, garbage collection and traffic management. Notably those businesses whose employee base is made up of seventy percent (70%) or more of Ladyville/Lords Bank residents would be exempt from paying trade licenses. The benefits of encouraging businesses to come to Ladyville/Lords Bank would therefore be job creation and domestic spending. A very important feature of the revenue structure of the new town would be its property tax regime which would have two distinct components: a base rate and an infrastructure rate. The base rate would be payable on a square yard basis at the rate of $0.50 per square yard no matter where the land is located or what it is used for. It is my view that the current system of
charging according to the “market value” of property is arbitrary and such practice effectively punishes residents for investing in the upliftment of their community. The base rate, to be used to meet recurrent expenditures, will be fixed for a period of ten years after which the Council may review with the approval of the residents. Municipal infrastructure would be funded by a direct tax (the infrastructure rate) which will also be assessed on a per square yard basis. To be able to levy the infrastructure rate of the property tax, the Council would have to first develop a work plan for each financial year. The work plan would set out the works to be done and the related costs on a per square yard basis. This would then be put to a vote for approval by residents. If the plan is approved residents pay their “infrastructure rate” and the works are carried out in accordance with the plan. If the residents reject the work plan they will have to continue to live with crumbling infrastructure. But that would have been their choice! The work plan for the first year, by way of example, could include the paving of Perez Road in Ladyville proper; the paving of Cuello Avenue in the BDF housing Site Area; the paving of Edison Parks Street in Lords Bank proper and the paving of the entrance road to Los Lagos. Initial estimates show that these works would cost about $2.98 million. This translates into $0.90 per square yard (assuming 3,333,333 square yards of taxable property in the new town, i.e. 4,000 house lots each 100’ x 75’). The next financial year would see another set of streets paved and so would the third year and the fourth year and so on until all the streets are fixed. The important thing is that the residents will be able to adjust the pace of the infrastructure work. What I have set out in this letter is by no means a perfect solution but it is a start. I dare say that with sound planning, hard work and a serious commitment by residents, every road in Ladyville/Lords Bank can be paved within 10-12 years. Signed Major Lloyd Jones (Ret’d) ladyville.lordsbank@gmail.com
Revenue Source Quantity
Unit Cost
Subtotal
Drivers License Vehicle License
$60 $175
$180,000 $525,000
3,000 3,000
Instead of residents licensing in Belize City or with the Transport Department this money would go to the upkeep of the infrastructure of the Town
$200
$10,000
We would need to examine liquor sale in grocery stores
Subvention
1
$2,000,000
$2,000,000
Central government would be asked to support the new town with a higher than normal subvention until its revenue streams stabilize. $2 million p.a. for the first three years, $1 million p.a. year 4 -8 and $.5 million p.a. thereafter.
Total Recurrent Revenues
$0.50
$1,666,667
8 Dec
!
Dear Editor, On Wednesday November 27th, three cruise ships entered our waters outside of Belize City. On a regular scheduled visit these ships normally anchor about 3.5 nautical miles from Belize and tender boats transport the waiting visitors to the Fort Point Tourist Village where service providers in the industry await to provide anything from hair braiding, arts and crafts, local food dishes and of course, tours around the city and sometimes as far as Altun Ha or Lamanai. On Wednesday this did not happen as scheduled; heavy winds and waves caused two of the ships to turn around and leave the shores of Belize cutting short the long awaited visit to Belize for those waiting passengers on those ships. This was an estimated loss of $600,000 (BD) to Belize as per industry experts’ calculations. It is known in the industry that cruise ship owners have been saying for some time that they will stop coming to Belize if their Continued on page 9 SCAN HERE
The Belize Times |
ISSUE NO: 4840
The Truth Shall Make You Free
www.belizetimes.bz
|
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serving Belize since 1957 as the longest continuous newspaper. Founder: Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price, People’s United Party Leader Emeritus EDITOR
Alberto Vellos LAYOUT/GRAPHIC ARTIST
Chris Williams
OFFICE ASSISTANT
Flat rate per square yard no matter location or use
Roberto Peyrefitte
$4,381,667
Printed and Published By The Belize Times Press Ltd.
weather 7 Dec
Stake Bank awaits final approval
Established 1957
50
3,333,333
OUT
14 APR 2013
Liquor License
Property Tax
2013
9 Dec
2610Mar Dec
Tel: 671-8385 #3 Queen Street P.O. BOX 506 Belize City, Belize
27 Mar Dec 6 11 Feb
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Exchange rate of One Belize Dollar
United States (USD): $ 0.50
Barbados (BBD): $ 1.00
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Sterling Pound Guatemala Quetzal CANADIAN DOLLAR (GBP): $ 0.31 (GTQ): $ 3.95 (CAD): $ 0.52
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8 DEC
03 3
THE BELIZE TIMES
2013 Honourable
Said Musa Fort George Convention Undisputed Fort George champ, Rt. Hon. Said Musa
Deputy Leader Hon. Dolores Balderamos Garcia
PUP Leader Hon. Francis Fonseca, Rt. Hon Said Musa & Cordel Hyde are ready to bring down the UDP Government
Eastern Caucus Chairman, Dr. Francis Smith bramming with Shirley
PUP & Fort George Chairman, Henry C. Usher
The electrifying Dickie Bradley
Fort George supporters turned out in large numbers at the St. Mary’s Hally to recommit their support for Rt. Hon. Said Musa
The Grandmaster
4 04
THE BELIZE TIMES
on the
UDP Political Officers/Caretakers By Francis W. Fonseca The National Assembly is made up of 31 Area Representatives each elected by voters in their respective constituencies. In the 2012 General elections voters elected 17 UDP Area Representatives and 14 PUP Area Representatives. In the areas that were not won by their Party both political parties have political officers or “caretakers” as the UDP calls them, who have responsibility for leading the efforts of the Party in that particular area. It is expected that the
UDP caretakers will have a direct line of communication to the Prime Minister and his Ministers and will therefore be in a position to assist residents of their area. That is politics in Belize and we can’t and won’t complain about that. What we can and will complain very loudly about is the consistent practice by this UDP Prime Minister and his Ministers to completely ignore the duly elected PUP Representatives and the people they represent. Virtually every Gov-
ernment decision taken in any of the 14 areas represented by the PUP and in the three municipalities (Orange Walk, Punta Gorda, Dangriga) governed by the PUP is done, not in consultation with the duly elected PUP representative, but with a UDP caretaker. Further to this, PM Dean Barrow, as Minister of Finance, insists on advancing Government Funds to these UDP caretakers-officers of his political party.
8 DEC
2013 The UDP Christmas Cheer Program 2013 is the latest example of this practice. UDP area representatives are getting assistance at a value of $90,000 per constituency for a total of $1,530,000. PUP representatives are getting $25,000 for a total of $350,000. And yes, 14 UDP Political Officers (caretakers) are getting $25,000 each for a total of $350,000. First of all, there should be no difference between what the UDP and PUP representatives are receiving. The people the PUP represent have needs too. But how does Mr. Barrow justify giving Government funds to his political party officers? This is an ongoing practice that must stop. There are no scrooges in the PUP. Christmas cheer is good but it must be limited to duly elected representatives of the people and it must be equitable.
8 DEC
THE BELIZE TIMES
2013
05 5
EDITORIAL
I
Game Over
t is now clear to all that Dean Barrow is heartless, cold, chancey and power-hungry Prime Minister. The PUP has been preaching the danger that is Barrow since 2007, but many perceived our warnings as mere political propa-
ganda. Fast-forward now to present day Belize and well, let’s just say that Barrow’s wicked ways have even surpassed the PUP’s expectations. Like a typical dictator, Barrow employs ruthless strategies to achieve his end game: holding onto power, whatever the cost. From the moment he opens his eyes each morning, Dean Barrow is scheming. He has no time to govern, no time to stimulate the economy, no time to care about creating jobs for our people when the collapse of his government is staring him in the face all day long. Dean Barrow was the first to tell us that there was a major visa hustle in the Ministry of Immigration. But now that the proverbial doo-doo has hit the fan, Dean is the chief defender of these very same visa hustlers. People may be genuinely confused by Barrow’s flip-flopping on the matter of immigration. However, the reason for Barrow’s most recent statement that “No one is Hustling” is very simple: It is because “Everyone is Hustling!” Barrow can’t attack Castro yet defend Candelaria. He can’t attack Penner but let Pablo, John and Erwin off the hook. So instead, he defends them all. All of them, who for some strange reason (not money according to Barrow), have issued letters of recommendation for Chinese nationals that they have never met. What at first seemed like a couple rotten
eggs is now a whole bucket-load of corrupt, self-serving politicians. And who is Barrow to go against his entire Cabinet when he himself has been giving out legal contracts to his daughter, ex-wife and brother worth tens of millions of dollars? How could he condemn corruption when he handpicked his criminal son to be the musical ambassador? Barrow is now caught between a rock and a hard place. His latest remark is that he wants to see 1000 letters of recommendation in order for him to be convinced that there is a visa hustle. The truth is Barrow’s game is over. But, like the good wiggle waggle that he is, Barrow will continue to preach from the pulpit with his big words, promise millions and millions, prevent a real investigation into the immigration hustle and attack media personnel and threaten their demise. All he’s really doing is buying time for the inevitable. But while Barrow continues to quench his thirst for power, our nation’s economy will continue to plummet; our precious natural resources will continue to be exploited; our children will continue to go to school without a meal each day; the rights of our people will continue to be trampled; the police will continue to slay our youths; our health system will continue to fail us and our newborns; and yes, our elected representatives will continue to hustle, hustle, hustle. The PUP was the first to predict that Dean Barrow was dangerous for Belize. Dean Barrow was the first to predict that his government would fall because of corruption in immigration. It is time for us to fulfill his prophecy.
6 06
THE BELIZE TIMES
8 DEC
2013
Barrow Threatens Cañeros No Crop, No Sugar Roads, says PM
Belize City, December 3, 2013 The master of double standards Prime Minister Dean Barrow has spit in the faces of cane farmers with his threat that the UDP Government will not budge to repair any sugar road in the Orange Walk or Corozal Districts unless the cane farmers give in to the demands of the foreign owners of Belize Sugar Industries. Before media cameras, Barrow claims to support the cane farmers, but behind closed doors his Government is wrapped up in sugarcoated bed sheets with American Sugar Refining Inc., BSI’s owners. The PM’s position that no sugar road will be fixed unless cane farmers start delivering cane is a callous tactic designed in concert with the Yankee Company. Barrow’s ultimatum is not in the best interest of cane farmers. The sugar roads have been neglected for many months and the heavy rains have made a really bad situation much worse. The fact is that the roads are in dire need of attention, and it is the Government’s responsibility to carry out repairs as a matter of priority. While Barrow admitted “it’s my responsibility to fix all the roads in the country”, he claimed that the sugar roads were not a priority unless the cane farmers committed to starting crop by delivering cane. This position, clearly, is in the interest of ASR who has tried everything possible to distract and dissuade cane farmers from their strong lobby for payment for bagasse. The claim for a stake in the revenue generated by BSI through the use of bagasse to produce electricity has brought the sugar industry to a virtual standstill. While the cane farmers have proposed a payment formula of $10 per ton of bagasse extracted by the factory, BSI has rejected the suggestion, stating that the cane farmers have no such claim to make. The cane farmers say that under their agreement
with BSI, payment must be negotiated for any byproduct of sugar cane; however, BSI argues that bagasse is waste material and is not a byproduct. Moreover, BSI claims that the cogeneration plant was an investment made and risk taken by them entirely. Both the cane farmers, through the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association, and BSI, through ASR’s Vice President Ricardo Lima, have publicly said that they will not change their positions, even if it means delaying or frustrating the 2013-2014 sugar crop season. The preliminary start date, December 1st, came and went with none of the parties softening their positions. BSI has warned that if December 15th passes and the season does not start the repercussions will be costly to the industry. In the face of this crisis, the Government led by Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega (Minister of Agriculture and an Orange Walk Representative) and his Deputy Hugo Patt (former head of the Sugar Industry Control Board) was paralysed and almost nonchalant about the situation until Barrow resumed as PM after undergoing surgery for his ailing back. It seemed that the Prime Minister followed a game plan: tell the cane farmers you support them but stab them in their backs still! REPEAT OF 2009 RIOT? The question in the minds of Belizeans is whether the present impasse will lead to a repeat of the civil disturbances of February 2009, when cane farmers led a series of protests and even a riot which ended with cane farmer Atanascio Guttierez being shot in the head by state security. Barrow would surely recall that he is the one who threatened cane farmers and then deployed the security forces to, as he had put it, “do what they have to do”. Then, cane farmers were protesting the in-
stallation and use of a quality testing machine known as a core sampler. BSI refused to heed the call, so cane farmers protested by blocking the roads used to deliver sugar cane. When Prime Minister Barrow learnt of the Continued on page 8
Another image showing the cane farmers 2009 protest
8 DEC
2013
07 7
THE BELIZE TIMES
ARTHUR SALDIVAR
Triumphs in BELIZE RURAL NORTH
Party Chairman Henry C. Usher swears in Arthur Saldivar as the PUP Belize Rural North Standard Bearer
Arthur and supporters rejoice following victory
Arthur & Alburn show unity
Hundreds of supporters rejoice the PUP’s upcoming victory in Corozal North
0 88
Barrow gives Penner $90,000 as Christmas Cheer $350,000 for illegal “caretakers”
Belize City, December 4, 2013 The UDP’s most disgraced politician, Elvin Penner, will be getting $90,000 through a special Christmas Cheer programme set up by Prime Minister Dean Barrow. Penner, who has been become a public pariah, and a supposed outcast of his own political party, continues as a UDP elected area representative in Cayo North East. The Prime Minister plans to divert $1.53 million in public funds to give $90,000 to each of his UDP area representatives so they can give out political
8 DEC
THE BELIZE TIMES
sweets this Christmas. Penner is one of the 17 UDP Representatives who will be receiving this money, but there is no guarantee that he will distribute it to the people of the area. The UDP Cayo North East committee has ostracized Penner and has said they support the PM’s decision to no longer consider Penner a UDP. Yet, he is still part of Barrow’s Christmas Cheer. There is more to the UDP’s abuse of taxpayers’ money. $350,000 will also be diverted from GOB’s coffers and shared among 14 “caretakers” in the fourteen divisions where there are elected PUP area representatives. These caretakers and the authority given to them by the UDP are totally illegal. Providing them with public funds to spend is also unconstitutional and another example of Barrow’s nose-thumbing to our laws. This kind of wasteful spending should be very vexatious to teachers and public officers who have been demanding a small salary adjustment since 2008, but have been told “no money deh” every time by the Prime Minister. Meanwhile, every year the UDP finds money for their political gimmicks.
2013 For Sale By Order of the
Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Mortgage dated the 19th June, 2006 made between Elvis Cabral (Borrower) of the one part and The Small Farmers and Business Bank Limited of the other part, and recorded at the Land Titles Unit in Deeds Book Vol. 22 of 2006 at Folios 427 to 448, which said Mortgage was assigned to Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. by a Deed of Assignment of Mortgage made the 30th day of May, 2008, Elvis Cabral of Independence Village, Stann Creek District, Belize of the one part, and Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., of the other part, and recorded at the Land Titles Unit in Deeds Book Vol. 19 of 2008 at Folios 1401 - 1418, 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 situated in Independence Village, Stann Creek District, being Lot No. 151 containing 1100.5387 Square Metres bounded described as shown on Plan No. 328 of 2006 TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon. DATED this 15th day of November, 2013. MUSA & BALDERAMOS 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorney-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.
For Sale By Order of the
Barrow Threatens Cañeros No Crop, No Sugar Roads, says PM Continued from page 6 confrontation he chose to side with BSI and threatened cane farmers. A DIFFERENT BARROW? There is little difference in the Dean Barrow handling the present situation. Having learnt from 2009, Barrow will simply be wilier in his dealing with the situation, but the bottom line is that he cannot be trusted. He has already shown us why. Firstly, if the Government doesn’t start fixing the sugar roads early, even if BSI or the cane farmers change their positions, the crop will be delayed because of the poor access to cane fields. Meanwhile, the bad roads are already affecting everyone else, including students, workers and other farmers who must transport their produce.
Secondly, Barrow’s claims that the repairing of sugar roads will depend on the prioritization of Government’s limited money is hogwash. Under the European Union’s Accompanying Measures for Sugar, millions of dollars are allocated annually for sugar road rehabilitation. The Barrow Administration has not done any work on sugar roads which means this money should be safe and untouched in an account out of the reach of the sticky fingered politicians. Thirdly, as stated earlier, Barrow’s claim that he supports the cane farmers is inconsistent with his attempts to force cane farmers into commencing crop season in favor of ASR’s position by dangling sugar road repairs as a carrot.
Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Mortgage made the 22nd day of June, 2010 ALBERTO SHAL of Big Falls Village, Toledo District, Belize of the one part, and Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., of the other part, and recorded at the Land Titles Unit in Deeds Book Vol. 19 of 2010 at Folios 1381 - 1448, 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 and parcel of land being Lot No. 24 (1302.51 SM or 1557.81 SY) situate in the Big Falls Village, Toledo District, Belize and bounded described as shown on Plan No. 524 of 2000 TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon.
DATED this 15th day of November, 2013. MUSA & BALDERAMOS 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorney-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.
8 DEC
2013
THE BELIZE TIMES
The Rt. Hon. Said Musa A Bridge to the New Revolution By C. Trench-Sandiford - Deputy Party Leader Change is constant. If we are to survive as a party, a people and a nation, we must embrace change, we must adapt to change. This was perhaps the message that resonates with me from my conversation with the Rt. Hon. Said Musa. We discussed the many challenges confronting Belize and the People’s United Party today, including but not limited to party unity, purpose and regeneration, the importance of loyalty, of staying true to our cause, and of restoring the confidence and trust of the Belizean people in us, all of which intertwines. Discussions also revolved around the unprecedented poverty and deepening inequalities that characterize Belize today, the acute unemployment among our young people and women, the institutionalized corruption and mismanagement of public resources, our failing education and health system, and the erosion of our fundamental Belizean and cultural rights and our sovereignty and territorial integrity. Of course, the great achievements and successes of the Said Musa led government of 1998-2008 was also on the table, as well as the lessons learned, and what is relevant to travel with us on the journey of calibrating the points and milestones of the New Revolution. While this article will not drill down into these, for they are too numerous to mention at this time, some noteworthy ones are a cultural renaissance that transformed the way we perceived our unique identity, a political reform process that was far reaching in decentralizing and sharing power with municipal and village governments at the community level and with social partners, enhancing the separation of powers of the three arms of governance, and the unprecedented expansion of the housing stock and the physical and social infrastructure of the country, and the national health insurance and non-contributory pension for our elderly. There were many lessons learned, but primarily, that of consulting and reporting to the Belizean people, and keeping them more engaged in the decision making of government at all times, so that they are better informed of the why
and how, and expected results of decisions and how it impacts their lives, and also for government to benefit from their contributions. And of the significance of the timeliness and sharpness of decisions when necessary to mitigate the looming internal and external threats that can undermine and overshadow the many positive and achievements of the work of government. As to where we go from here, we started with governance, perhaps because of the central and critical role it plays in decision making. The Rt. Hon. Said Musa traced governance from pre to post independence, and the expectations of people today and the future. People are not only expecting, but demanding, more from our leaders. They want greater accountability and transparency in public life, and civil society and social partners can play an important role in this process. In addition, equal representation of women and young people is a must. According to the Rt. Hon., as we mature as a nation and as a people, there is a new consciousness about the value of our environment, and conservation will continue to be a central feature for us, as we unearth new natural resources and recognize the untapped and tremendous value of existing ones. He pointed out the need for a new meaning of development, one that is indigenous to needs and aspirations of the people of Belize, and how we go about shaping this definition, will enable us to set the parameters for the New Revolution, which ultimately determine its success. This requires that the monumental approach of the tangibles, big buildings and massive infrastructure projects, must be balanced with the intangibles of discipline, good work ethic and compassion for the poor and more vulnerable. He reminds us that we cannot lose sight of the fact that globalization and the encroach-
ment of Guatemalan nationals unto our territory continues to be threats to our territorial integrity, sovereignty, Belizean identity and survival as a nation state, but to explore and capitalize on the opportunities that exist. This will require a new form of diplomacy that focuses on the strengthening of relations with our traditional Caricom and other partners, but balanced with greater integration with Central America, particularly, Mexico. Technology, harnessing the hidden potential of our people and resources, and access to new markets for trade and economic integration, is critical to this, and represents the only way for a prosperous Belize. Sports and culture must also have new meaning within our education process and economic recovery, as they have the potential as income generators, while forging national unity. The Rt. Hon. Said Musa believes in the PUP, in the Hon. Francis Fonseca, but more importantly, he believes in Belize and the Belizean people. His optimism for the future of Belize and the PUP was a thread of the conversation. The Rt. Hon. Said Musa is
09 9 integral to the New Revolution, that will build on the achievements and successes of the peaceful, constructive Belizean revolution, will learn from the experiences of our former leaders, and be anchored in our philosophies of social justice and democratic nationalism, that will stand on the three pillars of governance, economy and education, and that it is designed to achieve four goals: • To protect and the people and nation state of Belize, for if there is no nation state, there is no us, and if there are no us, there is no Belize. • To regain the confidence of the Belizean people in our party and our democratic processes; • To eradicate poverty and bring about social progress; and • To forge national unity and create the Belize that all of us can be proud to leave for our children. Only so can the new revolution be meaningful and bring about true change and reform, so that all Belizeans, not a select few, can enjoy a high quality of life in a just and safe society.
10
THE BELIZE TIMES
8 DEC
2013
RODWELL FERGUSON Standard Bearer - STANN CREEK WEST
New PUP Stann Creek West Committee sworn in
Party Leader Hon. Francis embraced by PUP supporter at the special convention
PUP Stann Creek West Standard Bearer Hon. Rodwell Ferguson sworn in
8 DEC
2013 Liquor License NOTICES Notice is hereby given that WEN HUA LI is applying for a Restaurant Liquor License to be operated at “Canton Restaurant”, situate at 63 New Road, Belize City under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that MARGARITA BLANCO is applying for a Beer Liquor License to be operated at “Blanco’s Mini Shop”, situate at Yo Creek Village, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that GABRIEL GALLARDO is applying for a Publican Special Liquor License to be operated at “Kali’s Cool Spot”, situate at San Estevan Village, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that CRISTINA MOGUEL is applying for a Convenience Store Liquor License to be operated at “D&J Store”, situate at #8 Stadium Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that EZEKIEL LOPEZ is applying for a Publican Special Liquor License to be operated at “La Nueva Nostalgia”, situate at Sapodilla Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that DANIEL WAKELIN is applying for a Publican Special Liquor License to be operated at “Thirsty Pirate”, situate at #5 St. John Street, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.
THE BELIZE TIMES
11
The Political Police Orange Walk Town, December 5, 2013 The UDP has done their best to infiltrate and corrupt our Police Department. This is why Belizeans cannot get justice at the hands of our men and women in uniform who should be serving and protecting the people’s interest. Instead they serve and protect the interests of the UDP, like Elvin Penner who is yet to be properly investigated or arrested for his criminal wrongdoing. We have already exposed former Commissioner of Police Crispin Jeffries doing the bidding of the UDP. The BELIZE TIMES understands that Jeffries, who is an elected UDP Councillor in Hattieville, considered putting his name as a UDP candi-
date in Belize Rural Central. We have also seen another ex-Commissioner David Henderson campaigning for the UDP in Cayo, dressed in red and rubbing shoulders with the UDP hierarchy. Last week, the word went out that another Police Officer serving in a high position announced his affiliation and loyalty to the UDP. Deputy Commissioner of Police “El Odio” Aragon Jr. wants to run for the UDP in Orange Walk East. While Aragon has all right to join the UDP or any other party, what he does not have is the right to break our laws or the public service rules simply because he believes he has the backing of the UDP Government. Aragon, who was promoted to
Deputy Commissioner under some controversy earlier this year, is campaigning as a UDP even though he is an Officer of the Police Department. The BELIZE TIMES has not heard of Aragon’s official resignation, and therefore calls out his hypocrisy already. This is against our laws and a serious infraction of public service rules. Is the Public Service Commission asleep?? Aragon is either very lazy or so flagrantly confused that even in his campaign flyers his poster photos are of him in his Police uniform displaying his Deputy Commissioner rank. Aragon has clearly gotten off on a bad start. Someone needs to discipline him before he continues to recklessly shoot himself on the foot.
12
THE BELIZE TIMES
8 DEC
2013
DEC 81 DEC
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Location: The Oar House - Ladyville
Latest Christmas CD from Mr. Joe and Daddy P of the Coolie Rebels. It has a number of ORIGINAL Christmas songs produced by the best producer in Belize Osmond ‘Baby Paul’ Alvarez along with Orvin ‘Dr J’ Jones and Ernest ‘T-Bone’ Jones. Introducing guest artist Delonie and your favourite Lady P are also on this CD. Digital download available for $10.00 Bz.
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14 SPORTS
8 DEC
THE BELIZE TIMES TIMES THE BELIZE
2013
BES girls & Ebenezer boys advance to football nationals Belize City, November 24, 2013 The defending national champs, the Belize Elementary School girls, repeat as the Belize City primary schools football champs, while the Ebenezer School boys won the male championship at the M.C.C. Garden last Friday. The BES girls out-gunned the Holy Redeemer girls 3-1 in a penalty shootout after regular time and overtime ended in nilzip draw. BES’ goalie Keila Oyuela stopped 3 shots on goal as the Holy Redeemer girls tried to convert. Keila, Kristin Musa and Julianna Ramos converted for BES while only Kelsie Moss con-
verted. Both teams go on to the district finals to challenge the San Pedro girls and the Pancotto Nazarene girls from Sand Hill. The Ebenezer School boys won the city championship 3-0 against the St Martin De Porres RC School boys. Tyreek “Pippin” Muschamp scored Ebenezer’s 1st goal. Dion Cacho scored a 2nd goal before the half, and Bernard Bailey scored a 3rd goal. Both teams go on to the district finals to challenge the San Pedro RC School boys and the Guadalupe RC boys from Sandhill.
BES Girls
Ebenezer Boys
SMART Mundialito enters playoffs Bombers, City Boys, Hattieville & Rising Stars are in Belize City, November 30, 2013 Hattieville United, City Boys Jrs., the undefeated Brown Bombers and the Ladyville Rising Stars have all won through to the 2013 SMART Mundialito football playoffs, as all teams won in Week 9 of the competition at the MCC garden last Saturday. Third World picked up their 4th win by default when the Belize Elementary girls and boys were a no show for their game. Undefeated City Boys picked up their 6th win: 1-0 when Kenny Linarez scored the winning goal in the 2nd half. The Rising Stars won 2-0 over the Survivors; with Andres Velasquez scoring both goals, one in each half. The Brown Bombers posted their 8th win 1-0 when Jovan Ramos scored the winning goal over the Ladyville Jaguars. Hattieville United also picked up their 5th win by default when the Young Stars were a no show.
Sherwin Requena shoots
Camryn Lozano attacks
Gwen Liz girls take on Wesley in basketball finals Belize City, December 3, 2013 The Gwen Lizarraga High School and Wesley College girls will clash in the central high school basketball competition championship finals. The Gwen Liz girls entered the playoffs undefeated with 4 wins. They eliminated the No. 4 seed: the Ladyville Technical High School girls: 29-28 on Monday to advance to the finals. The Wesley girls eliminated the No. 3 seed St Catherine’s Academy girls: 17-9 in Tuesday’s playoffs.
Lyndon Flowers vs Jovan Ramos
Kenny Linarez scored City Boys 1st goal
Survivors’ Sanja Pitts controls
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2013 2013
SPORTS 15 UB wins ATLIB national volleyball champs
THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES THE BELIZE
Belize City, October 30, 2013 The University of Belize male and female teams won the 2013 Association of Tertiary Level Institutions of Belize ATLIB national volleyball championships at Bird’s Isle in Belize City on Friday, November 29. In the female championship finals, the UB girls dominated the southern regional sub-champions, Ecumenical Junior College, 25-23, 25-22.
UB girls
The UB girls had qualified to the finals by eliminating the Northern regional sub-champions, the Corozal Junior College girls: 25-19, 25-19. In the male championship final, the UB men dominated the southern regional sub-champions, the Ecumenical Junior College men: 25-18 and 25-21. The UB men had qualified to the finals by eliminating the Northern regional sub-champs, the Belize Adventist Junior College men: 25-14, and 25-15.
UB men
Paradise Freedom Fighters still leads Belikin Cup Belize City, December 1, 2013 All games of Week 5 of the Belikin Cup football tournament ended in 1-1 draws, so all teams maintained their ranking in the Premier League of Belize. On Sunday, December 1, Devauhgn “Beckham” Zuniga equalized for the FC Belize in the 15th minute after Norman “Bat” Pipersburgh had scored first for Verdes in the 8th minute. FC Belize needed the win, but try as they might, they just could not get that 2nd goal. At the Toledo Union Field in Punta Gorda, the defending champs, Police United were still looking for their first win, but the No. 1 team
Paradise Freedom Fighters shut them down until the 85th minute when Alex Peters scored for his home squad. Luckily for the Police, Bernard Linarez equalized in the 86th minute and so the game ended. The Belize Defence Force had to come from behind to avert a loss after Carlos Vasquez scored first for San Ignacio United in the 29th minute at the Norman Broaster Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The BDF did not equalize
FC Bze Travis Eiley Gilroy Bredda Thurton until Khalil Velasquez scored in the 89th minute. The competition continues with Verdes visiting the Bandits at the Isidoro Beaton Sta-
dium on Saturday night, San Ignacio United will host the Police United on Sunday, and the BDF visit the Paradise Freedom Fighters.
National Championship Regatta this Weekend!! Belize City. 4th December 2013 The general public and sailing enthusiasts are invited to witness the National Championship and Bird’s Isle Regatta scheduled for the weekend of 14th and 15th December. Thirty six sailors will compete for the “Denys Bradley Cup” and the “Bird’s Isle First Male and First Female” trophies and medals. Optimist sailors, boys and girls all under the age of 15 from the Belize Sailing Association (BzSA) clubs from Belize City, Caye Caulker, Corozal Bay, Placencia and San Pedro Ambergris will sail a series
of 6 races; four on Saturday afternoon and two on Sunday morning. The 1927 sterling silver “Denys Bradley Trophy” will change hands for the third time in BzSA history. In 2011 Alexander Rhaburn of San Pedro Sailing Club (SPSC) won the first national championship. This regatta was sailed in a strong nor’wester in San Pedro. In 2012 the championship was again sailed in san Pedro and was won by Kevin Velasquez also of SPSC.
ACC boys face SJC in basketball finals Belize City, December 3, 2013 The ACC boys are into the finals after a 53-28 blowout of the Gwen Liz boys in Tuesday’s semifinals. Douglas Valley had led the ACC boys to their 5th win: 65-52 against the Gwen Lizarraga High School boys on Monday ACC will face SJC in the finals games. The SJC boys advanced to the finals by a 62-60 win over the Sadie Vernon Technical High School boys in Tuesday’s semifinals. SJC had entered the playoffs with 5 wins after eliminating No. 4 seed the Gwen Lizarraga High School boys 67-55 last Friday. Cordell Gonzalez and Dudley Erskine each scored 16 pts for SJC; while Mark Thompson led Gwen Liz with 13 pts.
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THE BELIZE TIMES
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THE BELIZE TIMES
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UDP dodges global
transparency watchdog
Belize City, December 4, 2013 For the 5th year in a row, the Barrow Administration has snubbed the global transparency watchdog, Transparency International (TI), in their request for information about the UDP Government’s governance practices. On an annual basis TI conducts a corruption assessment of all countries around the globe. Since 2008, when the UDP took office Transparency International has not included Belize on the list of countries placed under scrutiny. TI explains that they are unable to access the appropriate information about the Government of Belize. Well, with the daily, mounting evidence of hustling and stealing by UDP Ministers, it is no surprise that the Barrow Administration has chosen to dodge the watchdog group once more. The UDP, which came into office under the promise of transparency, accountability and good governance, are terribly afraid of scrutiny by the international community, afraid that their total falsehood will be exposed for all to see. What is the UDP hiding? Imagine if Transparency International would get their hands on the evidence that Elvin Penner helped to provide Belizean nationality and a passport to an international fugitive who was in a prison across the world. Imagine if they learnt of the allegations of visa hustling
8 DEC
THE BELIZE TIMES
against not one or two, but seven UDP Ministers. Imagine they learnt of the Rosewood hustling, where the illegal exporter was sold the prized lumber at less than its market value. Imagine they learnt of the hustling with pharmaceuticals at the Ministry of Health. What if Transparency International learnt of the under the table payoffs at the Social Investment Fund? What if they knew of the “hotbed of corruption”, as the Prime Minister called it, at the Ministry of Lands, where the Minister of Lands gives land to his family because they are not normal Belizeans. And it’s not like the Prime Minister’s hands are clean. If the watchdog group opens the books on Dean Barrow they would find his son, the U.S. convict, serving as the music ambassador. His ex-wife as a high paid Ambassador. His brother as a private lawyer hired by his Government. His son serving on the Executive Board of a Government owned company. His nephew, a computer specialist, enjoying a controversial contract to explore for oil. This is why the UDP dodges Transparency International and hides the truth from the world. Why it still matters The reports put out by Transparency International serve as a tool for many investors, who would rather invest their monies in real democracies. It matters for Belize to at least appear in the Index. The data is closely monitored by investors, economists, and civil society campaigners. It is an indicator of the strength of a country’s democracy and rule of law. Most importantly, it tells the world how corrupt free or not a nation is perceived to be. This could explain the central reason why the UDP Government fears Transparency International.
2013
Application for a Moneylender’s Certificate I, Adan Cal, hereby give notice that I have applied to the Magistrates’ Court sitting at Belmopan on the 13th day of December, 2013, at 9:00 AM for a Certificate to be granted to me under the Moneylenders Act, Chapter 260 to authorize me to carry on business as a Moneylender in the name of Capital Jewel Quick Loan at Venus Store Mall, Market Square, City of Belmopan. Adan M. Cal
For Sale By Order of the Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Mortgage made the 4th day of April, 2002 GARY AYUSO of Lot No. 39A Mile 8 Western Highway, Belize District, Belize of the one part, and Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., of the other part, and recorded in Deeds Book Vol. 17 of 2001 at Folios 765- 818; and Deed of Assignment and Transfer of Mortgage made the 22nd June, 2009, between Social Security Board, of the first part, Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. of the second part and GARY AYUSO of the third recorded in Deeds Book Volume 14 of 2009 at folios 1317 - 1340; and 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 and parcel of land being Lot No. 39A situate on the southern side of the Western Highway at Mile 8, Belize District, Belize and bounded as follows: On the North for 30.996 metres by Lot No. 37B; On the South for 30.996 metres by Lot Nos. 39B and 39C; On the East for 15.008 metres by a street; and On the West for 15.008 metres by Lot No. 39 containing 465.188 square metres of Land as shown Plan No. 2042 at the office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon. DATED this 5th day of December, 2013. MUSA & BALDERAMOS 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorney-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Belize dragged down murky world of scandal and corruption
The Economist Magazine highlights Belize visa scandal
Belize City, November 26, 2013 The Barrow Administration has succeeded in dragging down Belize’s reputation as a once safe and law abiding haven to one where scandal and corruption is the norm. The immigration scandal in which UDP politicians Elvin Penner and Edmund Castro have been implicated, has caught the attention of several international organisations and watchdog groups. One such organization is the widely-read and highly-esteemed The Economist Magazine which featured Belize’s visa scandal in an article published in its November 23rd 2013 issue. The article entitled “Passports to ignominy: The murky world of the Bouterses” focused on Dino Bouterse, the son of Suriname’s president, who faces trial for passport fraud and aiding terrorists, but
OUT Stake Bank awaits final approval Continued from page 2 passengers have to disembark from those huge ships to small waiting tender boats. As large as these hundred passenger tender boats may be, when viewed from these large ships (some as large as several football fields) they appear to unsuspecting passengers as small unstable carriers, and for this reason many passengers are reluctant to leave the ships. Cruise ships have given Belize up to 2015 to correct this situation or they will discontinue Belize as a destination. The proposed Stake Bank Project facility will be the solution to this problem since the berth at Stake Bank will be capable of servicing Voyagers, the size of ships currently coming to Belize. However the Project still appears stalled and waiting final approval by Cabinet to become operational. The project which is over seven years old was originally approved in 2007, as per reliable sources, has been tediously going through the process of re-gaining approval once again to become operational. All indications are that approval is forthcoming; however, the drawn out process has been
segues into Belize’s current scandal involving former UDP Minister Penner and present Minister Castro. “Belize has buzzed with reports of passport and visa fraud”, noted the article. It then reported on Penner’s direct involvement in the issuance of a fraudulent passport to South Korean fugitive, Kim WonHong, who at the time of obtaining the Belize nationality certificate and passport was sitting in a jail cell in Taiwan, and the heap of allegations of visa fraud against Castro. “If both lose their parliamentary seats in possible recall votes, the government would lose its majority,” added the article. The article, read my millions of persons around the world, exposes how low the Barrow Administration has pulled Belize. And this is because the article made no mention of the
taxing to the developer, Michael Feinstein, and his management team which has complied with all request and only awaiting final approval to commence with the project. One can only imagine Mr. Feinstein’s frustrations after the substantive investments in time, effort and finances. A new Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was done and approved and the required Environmental Compliance Plan (ECP) has been signed by Environmental Officer, Martin Alegria and ready to go. Yet surprisingly, the go ahead is still delayed. This is a classic case of the ole saying: grass de grow but the horse de starve. All the necessary requirements have been met to launch this monumental project, yet it has remained stalled. The Stake Bank Project will bring over $100 million USD into the economy which will be a tremendous infusion of capital investment alone, especially into Belize City. It will provide thousands of needed jobs in the construction phase of the project, especially for youth, many who will be looking for employment after the completion of the dismantling of the Civic Center. Can anyone explain why this project is taking so long to be launched when it will serve such a great need? Mr. Feinstein, in the recent press conference I saw, stated he was ready to begin “tomorrow”! Sincerely, David Felix Tour Operator
September 2012 incident when Raffic Allaboun, a U.S. terror suspect, obtained a Belize nationality in a deceased person’s name, social security card, driver’s license and passport in just 72 hours. The true story of this illegal and criminal facilitation is yet to be fully investigated, and considering the involvement of UDP politicians in similar r recent incidents, it ought to be. Neither did the article venture into the many known reports of strange visitors including Somalians, Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Nigerians and Middle East nationals who arrive at the Belize airport at odd hours of the night with suspicious immigration documents. Thanks to the UDP Belize’s name is now matched with visa hustling, passport scandal, terrorist facilitation and widespread corruption.
8 DEC
2013 Hon. Dolores Balderamos Garcia concerned about Police shootings November 29, 2013 As Area Representative for Belize Rural Central, which includes the sprawling Suburban/ Rural community of Ladyville, I register my extreme concern about the recent Police shooting which resulted in the death of Travis McKay. This is the second shooting this year that has ended in the death of a young Ladyville resident at the hands of the Police. I cannot, in my capacity of representing the Ladyville Community, stand by and say nothing. In both instances there are many questions regarding the shootings, and while I cannot make definitive pronouncements about the exact facts of the cases, I feel compelled to add my voice to the cries of concern from Ladyville residents about the actions of the Police. Continued on page 29
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Reid Visa Hustle Scandal Widens By G. Michael Reid “If I hear you intervene 10 times and I hear you intervene 20 times – what I am to think? Except that you’re involved in a hustle. If you hang out with Ali Baba you must be one of the 40 thieves.” ~ PM Barrow at a press conference on October 10th, 2013 “Man if he signed 200 visa recommendations, if he signed 1,000, I can do nothing. I can say to him bwoy, I have my own view and you must realize that out there people won’t think that you’re signing 100 visas or 75 visa applications just like that.” - PM Barrow at a press conference November 26th, 2013 It took the Prime Minister just a little over a month to go from “For GOD’s sake, stop it” before you bring down the government, to, carry on with your hustle “bwoy” because I am hamstrung. The obvious reason that the Prime Minister’s hands are tied is that his majority is slim and having already lost one member of his team, he simply cannot afford to lose another. Despite overwhelming evidence of wrongdoing, the best that Mr. Barrow can do is to defend his band and try to ward off the media. Channel Five has been bringing pressure to bear and reporter Mike Rudon has been doing some excellent investigative reporting. Irrefutable evidence has been provided to the nation and to the Prime Minister proving that the hustle at the Immigration Department is widespread and of Olympic-size proportion. In his press conference in October, the Prime Minister opined that, “if there is one thing that can and would bring down this government it is hustling in Immigration. I have heard that ministers are procuring visas for people. I’ve said pretty much in every second Cabinet if
treras and yes, John Saldivar are all guilty as sin. Unfortunately it does not stop there for even the “beyond reproach” sister of Minister Saldivar has been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. This is one holy mess and all the weaseling and hem hawing by the Prime Minster will not be able to blow this one away. The Prime Minister’s response to all this has been to issue what is in effect is a “cease and desist” order on Channel Five. According to Mr. Barrow, “we’re not allowed to because if we were I would have banned all like Channel 5”. Why would Mr. Barrow ban Channel Five from his press conference? Is it because they are digging for and finding the truth? Dean Barrow forgets how vicious he was when in opposition; calling even for “sustained civil disobedience”. I guess this is a classic case of “duh suh nuh like duh suh”. During the PUP term of office, Channel Seven was unrelenting and merciless to then Prime Minister Said Musa; even disrespectful at times. Not once was Jules Vasquez
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ters discussed at the Prime Minister’s first “post-back surgery” press conference. There was the announcement that loads of money would be spent on stuff that the government should be doing anyway. Then there are the cane farmers who were warned that unless they bring in a crop, there would be no fixing of the roads up north. Notwithstanding of course, that money you are doing so (I have no proof) has already been secured from the for God sakes stop it! Stop it! That EU for just that purpose. If that was is what would cause the governmeant to frighten the cane farmers, ment to fall.” Okay, the pudding has it did not work since the cañeros been eaten and the taste has given remain recalcitrant. The Prime Minproof. The summer was delightful ister did admit that the farmers but the fall is at hand. have good grounds to stand on but It seemed for a minute that the stopped short of promising to help Barrow government would have them in their fight. If the crop is not been able to withstand the Elvin delivered by December 15th, there Penner fiasco. We still have not will no doubt be hell to pay. been informed of how bad it was This whole visa and passport and how much was the additional scandal has exposed a serious sitevidence found on Penner but afuation in Belize. Even with a loud ter three months, the country was whistle blown and damning evigrowing weary of asking. It would dence produced, Belizeans are carhave been most unfortunate but rying on as if this is the normal way the issue actually seemed ready to that government should be handling our business and stewarding our money. We are setting a very dangerous precedent Then there are the cane farmers who were warned here. Fortunately, we know that unless they bring in a crop, there would be no that the PUP does not conduct business in the type fixing of the roads up north. Notwithstanding of of vicious and heavy-handcourse, that money has already been seed way that the UDP does. cured from the EU for just that purpose. If Still, politicians must know that if they are involved in that was meant to frighten the cane farmers, the type of criminal activity it did not work since the cañeros remain that these scoundrels have recalcitrant. been caught in, that there are consequences to pay. The next Prime Minister die a natural death when up jumped should commit to the people of Bethreatened or insulted. Never was he the devil! lize that he will never defend any of blacklisted or banned from any meetChannel Five began procuring his ministers in the way that Dean ing or conference where members proof and it is now certain that PenBarrow is defending his; in particular of the media were invited. Never did ner and Castro were not alone in in the face of such blatant wrong. Said Musa or any of his ministers ever the special UDP visa program. Of Matthew 5:30 advises: “If your right run from the media or thumb nose at course, the Prime Minister did say hand offends you, cut it off…” These the Belizean public. So, put that in “ministers” but the names are just hands have been most offensive and your PUDP pipe and smoke it. now coming forth. Castro, Conit is time to cut them off! Of course, there were other mat-
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THE BELIZE TIMES
OW Town Council & Private Sector join hands Orange Walk Town, November 21, 2013 A few residents and businesspersons from Guadalupe Street, Orange Walk Town, held a meeting with Mayor Kevin Bernard to discuss plans for a Guadalupe Street Improvement Project. The Mayor has pledged his full support. A key meeting will be held next Thursday November 28 with all residents of Guadalupe Street to finalize plans and to move the project forward. Guadalupe Street will set the stage for the rest of the town, and the country. Caption: In photo from L to R: Hugo Mendoza (CGI), Osmany Salas (Nahil Mayab/De’Burgess), Leonardo Cano and Alfredo Ortega (BSCFA), and Abe Rempel (RBs Multiservice)
Liquor License NOTICES
Notice is hereby given that CATHERINE WHITING is applying for a Publican Special Liquor License to be operated at “Rum Shack”, situate at Ladyville, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that CARMELO CASTILLO is applying for a Publican Special Liquor License to be operated at “Castillo’s Cool Place”, situate at San Estevan Village, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that ALMA ALCOSER is applying for a Spirituous Liquor License to be operated at “Orange Plaza”, situate at Tangerine Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that ROGER LIBERTY is applying for a Spirituous Liquor License to be operated at “Sugarland Lounge”, situate at Belize Corozal Road, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that RUARK REYES is applying for a Publican and Special Liquor License to be operated at “The Video Karaoke Lounge”, situate at #33 San Francisco Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.
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Home Economics
The Guadalupe Street Improvement Project By Richard Harrison The Guadalupe Street Improvement Project, in Orange Walk....is a very noble citizen-driven project, aimed at improving the conditions of one particular street...perhaps as a frustrated response to very poor maintenance of streets in Orange Walk, and Belice in general. My only criticism comes from comparison with school feeding programs. Many kids who go hungry to school have parents who abuse alcohol, cigarettes, boledo and make other poor choices in sourcing and allocating their scarce resources...so society sets up feeding programs in schools...free bus transport...then school bags...then school books and supplies....next will be shoes and uniforms... and maybe even a cash stipend. Those parents have more to spend on alcohol, cigarettes, boledo and other poor choices. The parents who make sacrifice and good choices in allocating resources for their children’s education do not gain from these charities.... in fact, they lose more...because they are the ones who ultimately pay for them. So there is reward for delinquency and poor choices... and punishment for sacrifice and good choices. A system of reward and punishment that pushes society towards more delinquency and poor choices.... When private citizens start building their own public infrastructure....I fear that the consequence will be the same. Government, who collects taxes to fulfill this responsibility, will now have more money to allocate to the poor choices they have been making while not building and maintaining our infrastructure. Turkey and ham come to mind at this time? I am not against giving basic nutritional supplement in schools...like a glass of soy/ dairy milk or seaweed drink per day....or a vitamin-packed cookie...something that can be given to ALL students, without fear or favor....but I
do not think that feeding “needy” kids an entire meal for the long term is doing anything good for families and children in “need”...it’s just setting up more dependency...and encouraging those delinquent parents who have been making poor choices. Feeding programs are stepping in to take responsibility from parents to feed their children..... private sector building roads is taking responsibility from the government to provide those goods for which they collect taxes. Perhaps agreeing with government to build the street...and the citizens would then build the drains, signage, and painting the lanes, speed bumps, etc., would be like giving dietary supplements to school kids. It would still be a hard pill for me to swallow....because I know the GOB have the money to get the entire job done...but I think I could swallow that pill. I wonder if the same amount this citizens organization will be spending on that road....if it used this money and the group energy it now has organized....to organize a countrywide lobby to get the ROAD CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE BOARD into law....if that would not be a better use of funds...in a way that will benefit all Belice, not only those on one street in Orange Walk? Just asking... but please don’t take this negative....what you guys are doing is making a difference....and that is what really counts. I applaud this initiative to make a difference. Richard Harrison is a local businessman and investor in the manufacturing and service industries. Mr. Harrison holds a Masters in Business Administration degree from Lancaster University, United Kingdom. Send comments to harrisonbz@yahoo.com
VACANCY Administrative Specialist Terms of Reference Background: The Belize Natural Energy Charitable Trust (BNECT) is a partnership between the Government of Belize and Belize Natural Energy Ltd. (BNE), established by Trust Deed dated February 25th, 2008. The Trust was established to make a difference in the lives of Belizeans and thus seeks to empower people and communities to thrive in a harmonious, socially and environmentally responsible manner so that they can be the conscious architects of their own future. The Trust’s mission is to serve as a catalyst for people and communities to believe in themselves so they can achieve their full potential. Position: Administrative Specialist The Trust is looking for a mature, motivated, dynamic, organized, and well-disciplined candidate to fill this position. The specific responsibilities include: 1. Update and maintains oversight of the general filing system for the General Manager and BNECT’s general correspondences; 2. Assist the General Manager in identifying human resource development needs for all BNECT employees; 3. Assists the General Manager in the planning, organizing and coordinating of internal training and education opportunities and activities; 4. Ensures that all performance appraisal documents are properly filed and kept confidentially; 5. Coordinates BNECT Staff Activities; 6. Maintains and updates BNECT’s official distribution list (media houses, hotels, caterers, etc.); 7. Assists the Accountant with day to day accounting duties including management of the petty cash system 8. Administrates and manages procurement of office supplies and stationery from suppliers; 9. Maintains and manages inventory of office supplies, stationery and equipment; 10. Assists the Accountant with regard to administrative items that are necessary for audit preparation 11. Assist the Accountant with processing staff related benefits such as vacation leave, sick leave, etc.; 12. Maintains all staff employee records ensuring up-to-date information and confidentiality; 13. Assist the Project Administrator with maintaining the project files, preparing correspondences for projects; 14. Assist Project Administrator with planning and organizing project launch and inaugurations; 15. Coordinates internal and external meeting logistics and international travel arrangements for GM and Board; 16. Provide support and backstopping for interns Qualification Requirements: Associate Degree in Business Administration or Secretarial Administration (preferred); knowledge of basic accounting practices; At least three years’ work experience in the field of general and/or secretarial administration. Key Competencies, Attitudes and Behaviors • Ability to adhere to confidentiality policies; • Customer Service Oriented; • Flexible; Ability to pay attention to detail; • Ability to meet deadlines; • High level of multitasking capabilities; • Team player; Mature and highly motivated; • Ability to operate standard office equipment; • Proactive and takes initiative Skill Requirements • • • • •
Advanced level of computing literacy (Microsoft Office applications etc.); Excellent written and oral communication skills; Excellent interpersonal skills; Excellent decision making and problem solving skills; Excellent organizational and planning skills; and excellent analytical skills
Salary: Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. Interested candidates my submit applications including a cover letter, resume and at least two recommendations to the General Manager at the above address. Deadline is Friday, December 20th, 2013
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Recipe of the week
Black Cake Ingredients 2lbs. flour 1lb butter 2lbs. brown sugar 1lb. brown sugar for stewing fruit 1pt. stout 1/2 pt. caramel colouring 1 qt. rum 1lb rasins 1lb currants 1lb citron 1lb dates 1lb cherries 1lb mixed peel 1lb pecans/walnuts 8 eggs 1tsp. baking powder 1tsp allspice 1tsp nutmeg Directions • Soak fruits in rum and sugar 1- 3 weeks before baking cake. • Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating constantly. • Sift flour and baking powder. • Add flour, baking powder and spices into the butter, sugar and eggs mix with a spoon. • Then add stout and colouring to the mixture. • Beat for about 4 minutes at high speed. • In a separate dish pour the rum off the fruits. • The rum should be kept to add to the finished cake after cooling. • Lightly coat fruits with flour and add to the batter. This keeps fruits from settling at the bottom of the cake. • Heat oven to 300ºF. • While the oven is heating just let batter “settle” a while. • Line baking pan with aluminum foil or wax paper. Grease lightly with butter. • Spoon batter evenly into the buttered pan about 3/4 full. Bake in slow oven for about 3 hours. Insert toothpick in centre and it should come out clean when done. • When cake is completely cool sprinkle rum all over. • The cake can also be garnished with cherries and walnuts. • You can sprinkle cake again with rum, brandy or wine before storing to keep moist.
8 DEC
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Christmas
is 18 days away! Join us as we count down!
Colour Mary & Joseph who are on their way to Bethlehem.
The Wise Men are travelling to be there for Jesus’ birth. Can you help them through the maze?
Can you connect the dots?
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8 DEC
THE BELIZE TIMES
PUP NOTICE Port Loyola Standard Bearer Convention The People’s United Party Standard Bearer Convention for the Port Loyola Electoral Division is scheduled for Sunday, January 19, 2014. Application are available from the Committee Chairman Mr. Norman Usher or the PUP Secretariat, Independence Hall, #3 Queen Street, Belize City. Completed applications must be filled and returned to Mr. Norman Usher and the Secretary General. The non-refundable fee is to be submitted to the Secretariat along with the necessary documentation to complete the application package. Deadline for submission is December 18 2013.
2013
BRAIN
TEASER
SUDOKU PUZZLE #46/2013
Liquor License NOTICE Notice is hereby given that GILBERTO L. NOVELO is applying for a Publican Special Liquor License to be operated at “Piano Bar”, situate at 20 Lover’s Lane, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.
Notice is hereby given that LUIS CUELLO are applying for a Publican General Liquor License to be operated at “L&R Liquors”, situate at 993 Mayflower Garden, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.
Notice is hereby given that AARON GONGORA is applying for a Shop Liquor License to be operated at “Gongo’s Enterprise Limited”, situate at #5 Corner Hopkins Street and 1st Street, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.
Notice is hereby given that MIN HUA FAH is applying for a Shop Liquor License to be operated at “K-Fan’s Shop”, situate at 3303 Partridge Street, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.
Notice is hereby given that VERNA SAMUELS and DENVOR GILLETT are applying for a Restaurant Liquor License to be operated at “Bird’s Eye View Lodge”, situate at Crooked Tree Village, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that LUIS CUELLO is applying for a Shop Liquor License to be operated at “L&R Liquors”, situate at 46 Euphrates Avenue, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.
Answers for last week’s puzzle SUDOKU PUZZLE SOLUTION #45/2013
See answers NEXT WEEK
Notice is hereby given that SUFANG HUANG is applying for a Publican Special Liquor License to be operated at “Shun Feng Restaurant”, situate at 7598 Faber’s Road, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that SHIFENG HUANG is applying for a Shop Liquor License to be operated at “Luck Star Supermarket”, situate at 2805 Pelican Street, Belize City, under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.
Answers for last week’s puzzle
See answers NEXT WEEK
8 DEC
27
THE BELIZE TIMES
2013
BELIZE TIMES WEEKLY
SCIENCE & TECH R
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Brain stimulation gives you will to persevere 5 December 2013 by Bob Holmes Perseverance in the face of adversity is an admirable character trait – now it turns out you can conjure it up with a quick zap to a tiny spot in the brain. The discovery in two people with epilepsy was accidental but it is the first to show that simple brain stimulation can create rich, complex alterations of consciousness. Josef Parvizi, a neurologist at Stanford University in California, and his colleagues had implanted electrodes in the brains of two people with epilepsy to help identify the source of their seizures. In the course of their work, they noticed that an odd thing happened when they stimulated a region in the anterior midcingulate cortex – a part of the limbic system involved in emotion, processing, learning and memory. Both patients reported feeling a sense of foreboding, coupled with a determination to overcome whatever challenge they were about to face.
During the stimulation, one patient reported feeling “worried that something bad is going to happen” but also noted that “it made me stronger”. The other said he felt as if he were figuring out how to get through something. He likened it to driving your car when one of the tires bursts. You’re only halfway to your destination and you have no option but to keep going forward. “You’re like… am I gonna get through this?” he said (see video). He also reported a sense of urgency: “It was more of a positive thing like… push harder, push harder, push harder to try and get through this.” One singular sensation In contrast, when the researchers applied a sham stimulation – going through exactly the same procedure, but with the current set to zero – neither volunteer reported feeling any specific sensations. Stimulation of other nearby regions of the brain less than 5 millimetres away
also failed to produce the feelings of either foreboding or perseverance. The discovery may have implications for people with obsessive-compulsive disorder, which can be thought of as a disease of excessive perseverance. People with severe OCD are sometimes opt for surgery to the cingulate cortex, but not every person with the condition shows improvement. Surgeons might be able to improve their odds
of success by identifying and targeting the exact part of the cingulate that produces feelings of perseverance, says Parvizi. The study is also the first to show that simple brain stimulation can create rich, complex alterations of consciousness, says Patricia Churchland, a neurophilosopher at the University of California at San Diego. “I was just bowled over by the implications for how we can start nailing down the circuitry underlying consciousness,” she says. Already, the result is a powerful argument against the claims by some philosophers that consciousness must involve something more than just electrical activity in the brain. “If you can stimulate and get these complex effects, then stop the stimulation and the effects go away, it’s hard to see how you could maintain with a straight face the notion that consciousness is not a function of the brain,” Churchland says.
Could China combat smog with artificial rain? China plans to open the heavens to bring back its blue skies. 5 December 2013 by Michael Slezak According to local news reports, a document released by the China Meteorological Administration says that from 2015, local weather authorities will be allowed to use cloud seeding to create rain and clear the country’s notorious smog. It’s part of the government’s plan to invest 1.7 trillion yuan ($277 billion) in tackling air pollution. But will it work? Programmes to generate artificial rain have been running since the 1950s. In recent
years, the controversial technique has gained some credibility. “There is indeed something to be said in favour of cloud seeding, provided it is very targeted,” says Roger Stone, a climate scientist from the University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba, Australia. China has used cloud seeding before on a sporadic basis, for example, to ensure clear skies for the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. The technique the Chinese use involves firing rockets carrying a payload of silver iodide particles into the clouds. Ice crystals then form from super-cooled
liquid water in the clouds, using the particles as nucleation points. The crystals fall as rain or snow depending on the temperature below. The idea is that the artificial precipitation should clear the smog below. There are other methods that deploy different chemicals designed to work in warmer clouds, but the “glaciogenic” method the Chinese use is considered the most effective, says Steven Siems from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. However, he doubts cloud seeding will be effective in smoggy conditions. This is because smog is
made of particulates of soot and dust, which should already have acted as ice nuclei. If it hasn’t rained already, Siems reasons, then adding more particulates in the shape of silver iodide won’t help. Satellite data suggest China doesn’t have the right atmospheric conditions for cloud seeding, Siems says. “I can pretty much confidently say they don’t.” And he adds that the skies over China already contain a lot of ice nuclei from factory pollution and dust from the Gobi desert.
28
THE BELIZE TIMES
Counterfeit and Substandard Medicines, a Healthcare Crisis Contributed Belize’s healthcare industry faces a global challenge to control spiraling healthcare costs. It has to ensure the appropriate use of scarce resources, while, at the same time, guaranteeing quality outcomes. A response to this challenge is the concept of pharmaceutical care. Pharmaceutical care is described as the responsible provision of drug therapy for the purpose of achieving define te outcomes that improve a patient’s quality of life. Counterfeit and substandard medicines undermine pharmaceutical care. Counterfeit drugs pose a serious threat to quality assurance and can lead to severe health outcomes for patients including prolonged disease and death. Controlling the cost of medicines is not simply a matter of medicine acquisition costs. An available effective hospital formulary has to be under constant revision to ensure successful patient care outcome, bearing in mind, that the impact of ineffective or inefficient drug use will have consequences beyond the acquisition cost of the pharmaceutical product. The presence of substandard and counterfeit medicines in developing countries which lack efficient drug regulatory mechanisms and drug test laboratories makes pharmaceutical care a challenging, difficult endeavor. In Belize, we are faced with an increasing number of counterfeit and substandard, generic and brand named medicines imported from countries like Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Central and South American countries. Many developing countries have been collaborating with the United States Pharmacopeia’s Promoting the Quality of Medicines (PQM) program to detect and remove substandard and counterfeit medicines from the market. Similarly in Europe, in 2013, 37 member states including the European Union signed the Convention on the Elaboration of a European Pharmacopeia, committed to contributing to the protection of public health by elaborating harmonised standards to ensure the quality of medicines. It is a model that Belize, the Caribbean and Central America should follow. Impact on public health Counterfeit drugs have been dangerous and detrimental to public health in terms of human suffering and burden on the health services. Counterfeit drugs may be contaminated or contain inactive ingredients, incorrect ingredients, improper dosages, sub-potent or super-potent ingredients. For example, lots of 500mg Zinnat tablets, an antibiotic produced by Glaxo Operations, U.K., were discovered and proved to be counterfeit. Procrit, an injectable, sterile drug used by cancer and AIDS patients, was counterfeited when the drug was replaced with non-sterile tap water, which could have caused a severe infection of the bloodstream. The incor-
poration of diethylene glycol in pharmaceutical preparations, fraudulently or by mistake, has caused the death of more than 500 people, mostly children. When ingested, diethylene glycol can affect the central nervous system, liver and kidneys, and can lead to death through kidney failure. There was recently, widespread protest in Kashmir, an Indian state, because of deaths caused by the wide spread use of counterfeit medicines from India. Counterfeiters in the U.S. labeled aspirin tablets as Zyprexa, a drug for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. In Belize, doctors are increasingly noticing the lack of response or no response of their patients, to some medicines like the anti-platelet clopidrogel (Plavix), some anti-biotics and common non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and pain-killers. What is to be done? Government must have the political will and strong commitment if there is to be a concerted effort to improve drug control and decrease the prevalence of counterfeit drugs. The following is suggested: - Comprehensive drug legislation, including provisions prohibiting the manufacture, import and sale of counterfeit drugs. - Adequately resourced drug regulatory authorities (DRA) with the appropriate powers to enforce drug laws and regulations. - Drug regulatory authorities need to ensure that the manufacture, importation, distribution, supply and sale of drugs are carried out under specific licences/authorisation in licensed/ approved premises under the supervision of qualified persons. - Sufficient and adequately trained drug inspectors with authorisation to enter premises and seize any drugs suspected of being counterfeit. Belize could also employ simpler and less resource-demanding testing/ screening methods for the identification of counterfeit drugs. Thin-layer chromatography, test-tube colour reactions, melting point determination could be considered to serve the purpose. However, such simple tests or screening methods must not be considered as a replacement of pharmacopoeal, compendial or legally accepted test methods. Conclusion Counterfeit and substandard medicines erode public confidence in the Belize Healthcare System, in health care professionals, in the suppliers and sellers of genuine drugs. The public must be aware and must lobby political representatives to fight against counterfeiters and well-organized criminals whose skills and ingenuity have improved dramatically, allowing them to exploit our regulatory system and to profit at the expense of public health. The World Health Organization Continued on page 29
By Dr. Mark Musa
8 DEC
2013
Understanding Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus refers to a group of diseases that affect how your body uses blood sugar/glucose. Glucose is an important source of energy for the cells of muscles, tissues and the Brain. If you have Diabetes, it means you have too much sugar in your blood which then damages the small and large blood vessels of most organs leading to complications. Long term complications of diabetes can be disabling and even life-threatening. The longer you have diabetes and if your blood sugar control is poor, the higher the risk and the faster you are likely to develop complications. Complications of Diabetes include: -Heart/Cardiovascular disease: Diabetes causes narrowing of the arteries called arteriosclerosis. This significantly increases the risk of a diabetic person developing a heart attack, stroke or circulation problems. -Kidney Disease: Poorly controlled diabetes leads to damage of the small blood vessels in the kidneys called glomeruli. This is the main filtering system of the blood. Severe damage to this filtering system leads to kidney failure and then the need for dialysis. Poorly controlled Diabetes and high blood pressure are the leading causes of kidney failure and the need for persons to require dialysis. -Nerve damage/Neuropathy: High sugar in the blood damages the small blood vessels to particularly the feet leading to nerve damage. This leads to numbness, tingling burning and pain particularly at the tips of the hands and feet. Person may be unable to touch and feel properly and increases the chances of accidents or injuries particularly to the feet. Ulcers can form and the risk of developing infections in these foot ulcers is higher in poorly controlled diabetes. Ulcers can become so severe with pain and infection that it increases the likelihood of amputations to toes and lower limbs. For men, damage to the nerves can lead to erectile dysfunction. -Eye damage/retinopathy: Diabetes can damage the small vessels in the back of the eye potentially leading to blindness. Other eye conditions such as cataract and glaucoma are more common in diabetics. It is important that persons with diabetes are regularly examined by an eye doctor. -Skin and mouth conditions: Diabetes may leave you more prone to bacterial or fungal skin infections and gum infections. -Osteoporosis: Diabetes can lower the normal bone density leading to osteoporosis. The most important factor in preventing the complications of diabetes is for good control of the blood sugar with lifestyle measures such as diet and exercise as well as taking your medications whether it is insulin or tablets. It is important to visit the doctor/ clinic regularly to ensure good blood sugar control and to detect any potential complications early.
8 DEC
2013
THE BELIZE TIMES
Mayor squeezes
vendors
City of Belmopan, November 27th 2013 By Norris Hall The Mayor of Belmopan, in a desperate attempt to make up for City Council’s deficit budget, is attempting to squeeze market vendors by imposing more taxes on them when they re-locate to the new Belmopan open market early next year. These mostly fruit and vegetable vendors who eke out a living in deplorable conditions where they were relocated six months and where they will remain until early next year, have been told by the Mayor that they will have to pay three months’ rent in advance when they return to the renovated market. An herbalist and plants vendor reacted to the proposal saying, “This man is trying to take away ten pounds of my flesh.” The vendors have formally protested to the City Council about its demands for stall rentals at an increased fee to be paid on a quarterly or yearly basis. INSANITORY They have also complained of “unsatisfactory sanitation” and of other poor conditions at the temporary market with inadequate restrooms, a “lack of sanitary procedures” and about the Council’s failure to provide an environment to meet the minimum health standards which by law is its responsibility. Most vendors have also adamantly complained about a decrease in sales and of the indifference of the Mayor with regards to their complaints.
Counterfeit and Substandard Medicines, a Healthcare Crisis Continued from page 28 (WHO) has reported that 25% of medicines are counterfeit in developing countries like Belize. The time for the establishment of an effective Belize National Drug Regulatory Authority is now. Counterfeit drugs cause a serious gap in quality assurance that leads to prolonged disease and death. There is a need for shared responsibility and cooperation between the government agencies, the public and private health sectors and NGOs. Belize will need to collaborate with U.N. organizations and other countries in an anti-counterfeit pharmaceutical network to ensure timely exchange of information, and the detection and eradication of counterfeit and substandard drugs from our health system.
In addition to an Annual Trade Licence fee, the Mayor and the City Council have demanded that market vendors pay an annual stall fee of $1,040 in addition to an annual garbage collection fee of $144. The City Administrator, with dictates from the Mayor, has written a letter to the vendors saying: “...the Council will no longer be doing daily collection of market rental fees as we are trying to enhance our revenue collection…” This cannot be true. The City Council is operating a deficit budget with 55 percent of it being used to pay its staff and labour force. Out of a budget of $4.28 million, the Council pays out$2.37 million in salaries and wages. This is certainly an unacceptable business model. The Mayor would have been fired from the popular television show “The Apprentice” even before it began. EVERY POUND OF FLESH It is obvious that the Mayor is trying a squeeze every possible pound of flesh from these market vendors while ignoring the bigger picture. The City Council is of itself operat-
Hon. Dolores Balderamos Garcia concerned about Police shootings
Continued from page 20 Cynthia Lozano, the mother of Ryan Lozano, who was killed in April this year, and Stephanie Usher, the mother of recently deceased Travis McKay, are Ladyville residents and stalwart members of the community. I express my deep condolences to them and their entire families at the loss of their sons. I also must state that in no way can we as civilized persons and communities turn a blind eye to what appears to be extra-judicial killings by the Police. Regardless of the alleged crimes of robbery and burglary that these young men were accused of, the Police have no right whatsoever to assume unto themselves the role of the judicial system. All citizens have the right to a fair trial and to due process of the law, notwithstanding that communities are being plagued by many crimes. The Police must be held accountable, since we cannot condone Police impunity. I therefore join with the families of Ryan Lozano and Travis McKay and with all Ladyville residents in calling for a full and proper investigation of all the circumstances of these two killings in the Ladyville community with the results thereof being revealed in a timely manner.
Chancey Mayor Simeon Lopez ing illegally by allowing numerous politically-connected businesses and bars to remain open despite their owing thousands of dollars in trade and liquor licences. The Mayor has also failed to address with the World Bank consultants financing for the renovation of the market, the growing demand for market space and the need for the creation of an environment with a cultural ambience. NEW MARKET NOT WELL PLANNED Prior to the re-design of the market there were 115 vendors. The new market will only be able to accommodate seventy-five. The City
29 Council has no encumbrances, or debts for this project. It is being financed through the central government. A quick survey of other municipal markets indicates that the fee the Belmopan City Council wants to impose on vendors at the new market will be way above the national average. The Mayor, at a recent caucus of his City Council has also proposed to provide vendors with “standardized tents to ensure uniformity” at the market. Vendors will be required to pay for the rental of these tents “as a way of improving the revenue stream” says the Mayor who has been unable to collect almost a million dollars in property taxes. Vendors perceive that the Mayor is trying to take advantage of them as they are the most vulnerable of tax payers and the lowest source of income for the City Council which seems incapable of managing its own affairs without persistent hand-outs including yet another $150 thousand (hardly adequate) for the repairs of the City’s crumbling streets. Much more is needed to address the general neglect of the nation’s capital by the current Mayor and the City Council. They are not cutting it.
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THINK ABOUT IT THE AMAZING ARTHUR The amazing Arthur Saldivar has won his convention in Belize Rural North to be the PUP candidate in the next general elections. Arthur Saldivar is an amazing man. Boundless energies and a bundle of ideas. He manages to juggle a full time busy career as an attorney while campaigning in a division with some 26 villages dispersed over the Belize District. He is a devoted family man and his main hobby, other than politics, is reading. He is a fullbright Scholar with a university degree in economics and he holds a second University degree in law plus the additional two years of training at the prestigious Norman Manley Law School. This man is highly educated. Arthur Saldivar, is a bold and a brash young man. He is in a hurry to get to Belmopan i.e. an elected member of the National Assembly and a Minister of Government. He has several departmental ideas for his area and for the country. Three of those ideas are the Rural North bread basket project to suffice the tourists in San Pedro with all the fresh fruits, vegetables, food and other needs from the old Maskal Road communities. Another is the Gladden Plan to develop the whole coastal lands of the country and the rest of the population. And a third of his many ideas is one to open up the hinter lends to Belizean American with a host of economic and social incentives. Along with dozens of progressive legislative ideas for reforms and improvement for Belizeans, Arthur is a force to be reckoned. Arthur is the only intellectual and university graduate who has joined the cause with the common men and women of Belize who call the morning talk shows to offer his considered views on topical issues. To Mr. and Mrs Maxwell Samuels, Linsford and Wendy Castillo, the campaign committee members and to Arthur and his family congratulation are in order. Now go and win that seat and change the government. NOW IT’S U.B. Now it’s the University of Belize that is regularly in the news. And it is all negative and depressing. What is happening to our country? For over a year there have been an ongoing and never-ending series of scandals, badnews and negativity – all caused by government incompetence and corruption. Ask any child and the list rolls out easily – Noh Mul, Rosewood, 13 babies, Mark King meltdown; Finnegan disrespect in the National Assembly, Prime Minister cursing up a judge, gender issue, Penner, Castro, Visas, Hezbollah, police brutality and shootings, cañeros and bagasse, the worst streets and roads in history – and the list goes on. And now our national university is the latest arena of political incompetence. The message: our country is poorly managed. Incompetence and corruption is dragging our country down. What is happening to Belize? BAGASSE The deeper issue behind the threat of cañeros to strike in order to force B.S.I to give them a piece of the bagasse pie is this. The government should never have allowed A.S.R. to buy out our sugar indus-
8 DEC
THE BELIZE TIMES
try. Never. ASR stands for American Sugar Refining. The government facilitated them in buying out B.S.I. The government should have gone out of its way to make loans available to the Cane Farmers Association and to sign guarantees if necessary for any loans so that Belizeans would be the full owners of the sugar industry. The Cane Farmers Association wanted to buy B.S.I. but the government pushed them one side and facilitated A.S.R. to buy it instead. A.S.R. also bought cane fields and are planting their own care. In years to come they will not be held “ransom” by the cane farmers as they will have their cane and their own baggase. Cane farmers will be begging A.S.R. to please buy their cane. We will go down to the level of peasants and peons and cane slaves because of the very bad decision of the government. With all the hardships that it will bring, we believe a strike by cañeros is an important part of the battle for Belize. If such a strike takes place thousands of students and activists should travel to Orange Walk to show they fully support Belizean workers against foreign greed and its local collaborators. POLICE KILLINGS Since the UDP became government in 2008, Police brutality, Police abuses and Police killings have increased dramatically. With no effort by the Cabinet, the Prime Minister or the Police Minister to put an end to the UNLAWFUL and CRIMINAL practices. When the police detain or arrest a citizen and brings no charge that is unlawful When the police lock-up a citizen at any police station and brings no charge that is unlawful. When the police slap, punch, hit, kick, stamp, whip and beat any citizen that is unlawful. When the police use excessive force, and in cases shoot where it is not necessary, and worst shoot dead a citizen, that is unlawful. It is hard to believe that of all persons, these abuses are going on under the responsibility of Dean Barrow as Prime Minister. We are so disappointed in John Saldivar. When he first took over the Police Ministry, the notorious G.S.U. showed him disrespect by publicly abusing residents of Taylor’s Alley, Belize City. Those residents were beaten and piled one on top of the other in a gross abuse of police authority. Minister Saldivar publicly spoke out and set up a small investigation. Since then the Minister has turned a blind eye to the relentless abuse that continues unabated. We are disappointed in the British Embassy and especially the USA Embassy for the stony silence in the light of gross violations of human rights being committed by Police. We are disappointed in the new Ombudsman, who like the previous Ombudslady has failed to expose and bring disciplinary charges against rogue Police who abuse their authority. We give credit to the print and television media who bring the citizens complaints to the nation’s attention. We ask them to start do follow-up stories. We call on the Bar Association to do more to publicize what the law is, in relation
to police responsibility as it applies to arrest, detention and treatment of our people. We call on individual attorneys and good citizens to form or join the human rights organizations to help citizen from this onslaught of abuse that is plaguing our society. We call on the Belize Human Rights Commission to say more and do more in tackling this sore and leprosy that the government is causing on our people. HUNGER GAMES – 2 “Hunger Games – Catching Fire” is now showing. The movie is part 2 to the popular Hunger Games that attracted large audience of teenagers worldwide. Part 2 has already collected three quarter billion dollars in sales. In two weeks’ time the Belize government will release its Hunger Games. The government will take out millions of dollars from the taxpayers’ money and give it to their political standard bearers in the 31 constituencies to give out ham, turkey and groceries. Only UDP supporters will get. No PUP supporter or needy family can get any of these free gifts even though taxpayers’ monies must be used for ALL citizens regardless of their political persuasion, such is the law. Such is the Constitution of the nation. PUP standard bearers will probably be given a small amount of money for a similar program in order for the opposition not to condemn this vile UDP practice. The unlawful Hunger Games go further. During the year, the UDP government uses taxpayers’ money for the UDP program called Food Pantry and Boost. The UDP political operatives put the names of their cronies and supporters on a list and only these persons get groceries and goodies. The UDP Hunger Games is again unlawful and unconstitutional. Such programs, if indeed they are to be of help to the poor, all the poor, not only UDP supporters. If it was UDP money no problem. But it is taxpayers’ money. Taxpayers’ money is for all Belizeans – UDP, PUP and no P. Help to the poor people must be done through accountable and transparent programs through the public service or the churches. Poor persons, regardless of their party, status, should be able to go to public service departments who will help them on a professional basis based on their needs. It is unacceptable that our government can take our tax monies and use it to bribe the poor. Remember, it is these same politicians who are using passports, visas and lands to hustle for themselves. Same way they are using the so-called Food Pantry and Boost and other political programs to buy votes so they can remain in office to hustle and enrich themselves. SMOKERS Persons who smoke cigarettes die 10 years earlier than those who do not smoke. Tobacco smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer. Every day across the world some Eighty thousand to One hundred thousand people become addicted to tobacco smoking. Don’t let the tobacco companies ruin your lives. Don’t smoke cigarettes. MILEY AND CAMILA Less than 5 years ago, Miley Cyrus was the child star of Disney Channel. Hanna Montana, a role model for millions of
2013 children around the world. She has two multimillion dollar music albums. She had sold out concerts whenever she performed. It was estimated that by the time she reached 18 years she would be worth one billion U.S. dollars. She is now 21 years and caused quite a stir at the recent music video awards show. She behaved a little raunchy, to put it mildly. Miley had changed her handlers and promoters. She also did the wrecking ball music video, in which she is shown half naked swinging on a huge wrecking ball. Little innocent Miley can’t be 21 years and getting into the adult music world if she ain’t going to dance sleck, half naked up herself and do outrageous things. That’s the name of music entertainment game. Miley’s records are now selling like crazy. Half way down the globe from North America is another continent called South America. There, the unhappy country of Chile is going through a needed transformation. This country lived through a long and brutal military dictatorship under General Pinochet with U.S. backing when the democratically elected government of Salvador Allende was overthrown in 1973. A 23 year university student, more beautiful and sexier than skinny Miley Cyrus is creating quite a stir in her country. She is the student leader who is organizing massive protests against the Chile government. She is facing death threats and police brutality in her fight for free university education for the young people of Chile. She was recently arrested. The name of this heroine in Camila Vallejo. What a world of difference between the Camilas of Central America and South America and the Miley Cyrus, Kardashians types of North America. We watch our society slowly but surely sliding on a downward slope. Nothing is going good for the future of young people. Yet we hear nothing from Galen University or the University of Belize. It is as if they don’t live in the same society as the rest of us. Part of the problem comes from the relentless brain washing they get from American music videos, songs and so called reality shows with lots of bubble heads sexy stars. THE MAYOR’S FEAT The Mayor of Belize City claims he has cemented one hundred streets at a cost of twenty million dollars. Even if it is only eighty streets it is an accomplishment. But… Citizens need to see the street by street costing. If not, the Opposition needs to get an engineer to do the costing. Remember, the twenty million dollars is not from savings by reducing an overstaffed city council office or returning to voluntary work by City Councilors who are pulling in huge salaries for doing nothing. It is a loan that taxpayers have to pay back. None of the 80 or 100 streets have proper drains. None. In the course of the haphazard, hodge-podge, lack of planning that went with the cementing, the major has succeeding in breaking up nearly all the remaining sensible streets in the City. This happened before the two weeks rain arrived, so don’t be blaming it on the rain. Belize City never looked so utterly broken and down-trodden. There are thousands of pot holes and craters all over the place.
8 DEC
2013
31
THE BELIZE TIMES
More UDP Ministers named in Visa Scandal
Barrow then said that in order for him to even consider that something was going wrong he would have to see evidence of 200 or 1,000 recommendations issued by his Ministers. He had at a prior conference said if there were 10 or 20 “involvements”, he would ascertain that hustling is taking place. But Belizeans won’t swallow Barrow’s bitter pill so easily. His disgraceful flip-flopping is obvious for everyone to see. It is classic Barrow, saying one thing, but in reality, meaning something else. Barrow defense of his Ministers is not surprising, he is living inside a crumbling dolly house. As more evidence of corruption in his Government rolls out, he knows time is running out on him. When a man gets that desperate, not Candelaria Saldivar even the whiff of corruption matters anymore.
Hundreds of Visa “Recommendations” for Chinese nationals exposed; Barrow says “No smoking gun” Belize City, December 3, 2013 New evidence involving the biggest scandal to hit the UDP Administration has been exposed by Channel 5’s reporter Mike Rudon as the full magnitude of the corrupt visa hustle comes to light. A string of documents made public shows that “special” visas for Chinese Nationals were not only facilitated by Elvin Penner and Edmund Castro, but a much wider notorious band of UDP Ministers, illegal “caretakers” and even well-placed CEOs. The names shown on the documents revealed so far include Edmund Castro, Elvin Penner, Rene Montero, Erwin Contreras, Pablo Marin, Charles Gibson and John Saldivar who are all UDP Ministers. Ismael ‘Miley’ Garcia, Frank ‘Pawpa’ Mena are UDP caretakers who are also involved, while Candelaria Saldivar is the sister of Minister John Saldivar, and she is also named as one of the persons who recommended visas for Chinese officials. Her case is very interesting, since she is the CEO in the Ministry of Immigration. The documents show that most recommendations are channeled through Candelaria Saldivar’s office. Saldivar was named CEO after her brother John Saldivar was stripped of the Immigration portfolio last year. Once the CEO received the names of Chinese nationals, she would
PUP NOTICE Toledo East Standard Bearer Endorsement Convention The People’s United Party announces the Endorsement Convention for Toledo East Standard Bearer to be held on Saturday, December 14th 2013.
John Saldivar
write the Director of Immigration Maria Marin requesting visas on behalf of certain Ministers. The Director seemed too willing to acquiesce to the requests, and in one case involving visa recommendations from disgraced UDP Elvin Penner, Marin approved the visa for a Chinese national even though she noted that there was insufficient information on the individuals including unacceptable pictures, and no required background data. When asked about the increasing evidence of his UDP Minister’s direct involvement in the issuance of visas and the
Pablo Marin
possibility of hustling, Barrow flip-flopped from his earlier position that “visa hustling” would “bring down the [his] Government”, to say that he saw no big deal with what was taking place. “I really don’t think that what you have produced is at all cutting it especially in light of the effort made in view of the position I had taken by the Minister to ascertain whether any minister at all was seeking to influence the process…what you have produced is in my view not even remotely close to a smoking gun,” Barrow said unapologetically.
Reckless driver!!! Press Office boss slams GOB vehicle into barricade
PUP NOTICE Corozal South East Standard Bearer Endorsement Convention The People’s United Party announces the Endorsement Convention for Corozal South East Standard Bearer to be held on Sunday, December 15th 2013. PUP NOTICE Dangriga Standard Bearer Endorsement Convention The People’s United Party announces the Endorsement Convention for Dangriga Standard Bearer to be held on Sunday, December 8th 2013.
Dorian Pakeman Belize City, December 3, 2013 Director of the UDP Government’s Press Office, Dorian Pakeman, failed to report a serious accident he was involved in on Sunday night which nearly took the life of an innocent city resident and which seriously damaged Government property. On Sunday night Pakeman, who is
considered a crony of the not-normal Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega, was driving a vehicle assigned specifically for official business of the Government Press Office, when he sped down Princess Margaret Drive and smashed into a tree as he tried to avoid a metal barricade. Princess Margaret Drive from the corner with St. Joseph Street towards the Phillip Goldson Highway was closed to traffic because of the construction taking place around the Flag Monument throughout the weekend. Metal Barricades were placed to stop traffic and a watchman was keeping guard. But none of that stopped the reckless Press Office Director who seemed to be shooting a stunt scene for Fast and Furious. The vehicle sped towards the barricade before Pakeman turned the vehicle towards a tree which stood along
the median. It crashed into both the barricade and tree, causing damages to the vehicle. The watchman, who works for M&M Engineering, was sitting on the median when he leaped suddenly to avoid being run over and crushed by the uncontrollable vehicle. Shortly after the incident, he told a witness that he was filled with fright. He said the vehicle was coming so fast, he was lucky he reacted instantly by springing to his right. He also said that Pakeman claimed he had not seen the barricades and he thought the street had already been opened to traffic. According to the lucky to be alive construction worker, Pakeman begged him not to report the incident to anyone, especially to any of the media. Up to news time, the Police were not aware of the incident. Pakeman has also not reported the accident to his superiors. The vehicle has been enlisted for repairs, we understand, which will be paid for by taxpayers.
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THE BELIZE TIMES
8 DEC
2013