Belize Times February 19, 2012

Sunday, February 19, 2012

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THE BELIZE TIMES

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SUNDAY February 19, 2012

Issue No. 4784

Deliverance:

The People Are Ready

Belize City,Thursday February 16, 2012 The air was electric and the Blue machine advanced collecting corner after corner of reassuring nods from on lookers as the sea of shirts and celebration

filled Mahogany Street like a roaring tsunami of relief. In this crowd of supporters that swallowed up the City Council Team of 11 and attendant standard bearers, the chants were genuine and the euphoria did

The Award

goes to‌ See page 4

Out To Lunch See page 4

One Rice

Picking second See page 26

not have a price tag.

We have suffered through this tyrant of a government. Together we have been shaken, we have been victimized. We have been mistreated, ill treated, not treated

and condemned, but the true soldiers of the revolution pulled themselves up to the windows and put on that deep blue armor of hope and we marched to Nomination.

Continued on page 4

PUP ROAD MAPS TO A BETTER BELIZE

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Was Darrel Bradley Fired?

Marcel: A fish from river bottom APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP INTO THE PUP BY MARCEL CARDONA CERVANTES: Hon. Marcel Cardona Cervantes Orange Walk East Area Representative Tuesday, February 14, 2012 Hon. Francis Fonseca Party Leader People’s United Party Independence Hall Queen Street Belize City Belize, Central America Dear Hon. Francis, Re: FORMAL LETTER OF APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP INTO THE PEOPLE’S UNITED PARTY Greetings from the Orange Walk East Constituency!

Following the Prime Minister’s recent announcement of the holding of General Elections simultaneously with the holding of Municipal Elections on Wednesday, March 7, 2012, as well as the fact of the dissolution of the National Assembly on Friday, February 3, 2012, I have now publicly announced at a Press Conference held in Belize City on Wednesday, February 8, 2012, that I have officially resigned from my membership in the United Democratic Party (UDP), and no longer wish to continue being a member of the UDP, nor to hold any form of office in, or allegiance towards, the UDP. This decision to resign from the UDP was quietly cemented on Wednesday, March 30, 2011, following the written notification by UDP Party Chairman Hon. Patrick Faber of my “constructive expulsion” from the UDP, following my delivery of a speech on behalf of the good people of the Orange Walk East Constituency, during the Budget Debate held at a Meeting of the House of Representatives on Friday, March 25, 2011, to consider and approve the Prime Minister’s Proposed General Revenue Appropriation Bill 2011/2012.

However, due to the legal and constitutional restrictions or impediments against Members of the House of Representatives from “resigning” from one’s Party, or “crossing the floor” (which includes publicly joining another party or engaging in a consistent pattern of voting against the measures, motions, resolutions, or bills of one’s Party), found in Section 59(2)(e) of the Belize Constitution, I refrained from publicly announcing my divorce or resignation from the UDP at the time.

Since my choosing to publicly DIVORCE or RESIGN from the UDP, or apply for membership in another Political

Party would have, at the time, almost automatically led to the Prime Minister invoking the provisions under Section 59(2)(e) to strip me of further membership in the House of Representatives, and would have almost certainly led to the holding of a Special Election called a By-Election for the people of the Orange Walk East Constituency alone, to decide upon and elect a new Area Representative for the Orange Walk East Constituency, I decided to remain quiet for the time being.

Obviously, given that the UDP Party is presently in Government, this would have given the UDP Party the opportunity to focus and concentrate all their resources and the Government’s resources behind their UDP Candidate in Orange Walk East, in order to give their UDP Candidate in Orange Walk East a CLEARLY UNFAIR EDGE or ADVANTAGE over any other political candidate in the By-Election.

In order to prevent this “forcing” of the seriously flawed UDP’s Orange Walk East Candidate upon the good people of the Orange Walk East Constituency, I endured a prolonged period of mistreatment, oppression, victimization, and even public humiliation, at the hands of the current UDP Government.

But liberty can be a personally liberating experience, and I now feel sufficiently liberated from all further bonds to the UDP (including the bondage of Section 59(2)(e) of the Belize Constitution), to be able to chart a new way going forward!

For four long years I have witnessed the current UDP Administration plunging our country closer and closer to economic disaster, with its wrong-headed economic, investment, and social policies, which have only served to drive away much-needed foreign investment capital, resulting in a sharp increase in unemployment rates, poverty, and serious crime and violence, in Belize. For four long years I have witnessed the current UDP Administration’s despotic policy of “controlling” our populace by instilling fear amongst our citizenry, through blatant acts of oppression and victimization of our people. For four long years I have witnessed the false promises and double standards of a UDP Government that promised our people so much, and yet has delivered so little to the people of Belize. For four long years I have witnessed the true nature of the UDP – a party of the rich and power, intended only to serve and benefit their own interests and those of their families and close friends of the Ministers.

As a rational being, I have come to the realization that in today’s day and age, no man is an island. Everyone needs friends and allies, especially in a communal struggle to bring better-

There is a frequently used, but very colorful word that is shoved around in Creole observations: “eck”.

The failed chairman of the Crimes Control Council, under whom the Crime rate viciously spiraled out of control sat soaked in the red shirted disgrace of his party’s record and apologized like a good house slave for “massa UDP”. We have little respect for his political judgment but we at BELIZE TIME do bank on the last drops of shame he has after four year.

This apologist nauseatingly and blindly defended the economic dilapidation that the Barrow administration has sunk Belize into. At times some have the opinion that Young is a bit pious. But the man must know a bad politician when he sees one. After all remember he was the attorney for the UDP who defended the move of the man endowed with Prime Minister status when Zenaida accused him of hitting her below the belt while she was on a sick bed.

Well, we at BELIZE TIMES are not sure what to make of it. Reports are that the “die heart” UDP could not stomach the UDP Mayoral Candidate, who is Joe Bradley’s son any more. Reports reaching us are that the relationship has been rocky for some time and that this may not be the first time that the couple of Young and Bradley came to the end of the road.

Whether it was performance issues or professional differences, the two are like Barrow and Sedi: hard to mix. Word is that the last time Young

ment to ALL our Belizean people. The struggle to bring social justice, equal opportunity, progress and development to all our people (and not only a few) is not a task for one man alone.

Alone we can do so little, but together we can do so much, and only by working together, pooling our resources and jointly building on our strengths, we can accomplish great things for our nation and people. As Homer once said: “Light is the task where many share the toil.” UNITY is STRENGTH! AND UNITED there is so much more that can be achieved for the good people of Belize!

As a consequence of this proven reality, the fact that I was born and raised in a household that truly believes in PUP’s core policies of social justice, equal opportunity, and prosperity for all (and not only a chosen few), and the fact that having been personally acquainted with you and members of your immediate family for almost the past 25 years, I am inspired and even encouraged by your new, young, bold, competent, vibrant and dynamic leadership, visionary economic recovery plans and social investment policies, intended to restore social justice, equal opportunity, investor confidence, economic stability, progress, and development to/for ALL the good people of Belize, I hereby formally tender my letter of application for membership into the People’s United Party.

Furthermore, I hereby pledge that Continued on page 6

said “that is it” he received a call from high places, begging that it would be too much of a black eye.

Well it is official now, Bradley, has been escorted out the Regent Street law firm, and was quickly replaced with a more suitable legal mind. Now, this is big because remember Michael Young is the attorney for the UDP and Bradley is a close to a UDP brown-noser as you can get, so it must have been Mark King bad.

The only person that has more of Barrow’s rump sweat on their nose is Patrick Faber!

Bradley then became a nomad. Our checks at the Registry of the Supreme Court which must have an address for all attorneys could not provide the BELIZE TIMES with an accurate office address for the confused child. Finally, our investigations revealed that he was begging lodging at Dean Lindo’s Law Firm, but “only to receive mail”; whatever that means.

At BELIZE TIMES, we wonder how can this aspirant be hiding already and be rejected by his own party already? If Michael Young, faithfully loyal UDP and attorney for the Party, put him out. One of the founders of the UDP, Dean Lindo has not fully embraced him, why should the city residents?

BELIZE TIMES also learnt that there are a group of independent attorneys who are red in the face and about to take action for his removal because Joe Bradley’s son keeps on trying to peddle his vice presidency at the Bar in a pitiful attempt to get political mileage.

He has a show where he wastes huge sums of money to air it called “meet my brother” and the only people giving testimonials of him are related to him: Daddy, Mommy and wife. Not a single other person.

Why is everyone rejecting Joe Bradley’s son?

THE BELIZE TIMES EDITOR

Alberto Vellos OFFICE MANAGER

Fay Castillo McKay PRINTING/PERSONNEL SUPERVISOR

Doreth Bevans

LAYOUT/GRAPHIC ARTIST

Chris Williams

MARKETING/ADVERTISING

Rafael Sosa

STAFF REPORTER

Alton Humes TYPIST

Rachel Arana OFFICE ASSISTANT

Roberto Peyrefitte Printed & Published By The Belize Times Ltd.

#3 Queen Street P.O. BOX 506 Belize City, Belize Tel: 671-8385 Email: belizetimesad@yahoo.com editortimes@yahoo.com

Sunday, February 19, 2012

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THE BELIZE TIMES

PARTY PAGE

PUP

31

HON. FRANCIS FONSECA FREETOWN

HON. FLORENCIO MARIN JR. COROZAL SOUTH EAST

Yolanda SCHAKRON lake independence

CAROLYN TRENCH-SANDIFORD COLLET

HON. JOHN BRICENO ORANGE WALK CENTRAL

RT. HON SAID MUSA FORT GEORGE

Rodwell Ferguson Stann Creek West

GREGORIO “PAPAS” GARCIA COROZAL BAY

DAVID CRAIG albert

IVAN RAMOS Dangriga

Valdemar castillo Corozal North

mike espat toledo east

oscar requeña toledo west

gilroy usher sr. port loyola

phillip palacio mesopotamia

JULIUS ESPAT CAYO SOUTH

anthony sylvestre jr . queen square

ARTHUR SALDIVAR BELIZE RURAL NORTH

DR. DAVID HOY caribbean shores

dr. francis smith pickstock

patty arceo belize rural south

dr. amin hegar belmopan

collet montejo cayo central

oscar sabido cayo west

dr. MARCO tulio mendez orange walk east

abelardo mai orange walk south

orlando habet cayo north east

dolores balderamos garcia belize rural central

jorge briceno orange walk north

joseph mahmud cayo north

RAMIRO RAMIREZ COROZAL SOUTH WEST

TEAM BELIZE

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THE BELIZE TIMES

The Award goes to…

At BELIZE TIMES, some idle fellow on his water cooler break, floated a very serious question. Lying next to the humming water cooler, was a note, half soaked in the damp circles left by a cold glass of refreshing Crystal drink. The ink on the note ran into an almost deliberate abstract art design.

The freezing question on the note was, “who was the WORST UDP Minister?”. It is very common for the public to engage the staff with the latest accounts of “You can’t serious!” But this was worthy of thought.

And the Nominees are..

Where do we start?

And the first nominee is Pablo Marin. Under his tenure, the biggest official stink filled the halls of Belmopan, so bad that Barrow had to provide a Commission of Inquiry. Whatever became of that political lip-syncing, by the way? But his Ministry topped overpriced drugs and fish with the worst public spate of babies dying on hospital floors in Belize’s history. His resume includes, failing to do anything in the face of two epidemic outbreaks of preventable diseases. Remember those? At the end of it all his ministry comes out with a study that says more than half Belizean are fat and television ads that said wash your hands.

That’s it.

Another candidate has to be Mini-me Patrick. His first order of business was to confess to the nation that the UDP would be committed to victimizing PUPs for no other reason but “da fi we turn”. He foreshadowed what was coming in four years. We could not blame him completely though until he turned around and cuss the teachers as “ignorant”.

You know Sedi likes to fancy himself at the top of any list. So he saw Patrick’s wager and raised him by a zillion. He just pointed in the Judge’s face and then promptly went to secretly negotiate a compromis. Oh, then he

Out to lunch

In all the UDP ads on television and in the newspaper, they have been very careful not to use the word “continue”.Why? With the direction the country is going, no one wants it to continue on this path or with them. But continue it would under the nightmare possibility of a second term.

The truth is that the UDP administration is a ghost operation. There is no one at home.

Dean is never here. We have a volatile crime bomb ticking but we all forget that there is no Commissioner of Police.

The list of “absents” is a lot longer.

Look around, there is a post in most democratic, political structures called an Ombudsman. Remember that little office which is legally responsible for keeping big government in check? Where is the Ombudsman? The little lady that was there, looks like a nice lady and all but as far as we can count all she did was write three letters. Now, she has left or got chased away? There is no one in that office literally. So who do poor people complain to?

Ok, so there must be an Integrity Commission. Not so. We were reminded by a third party candidate that the last time an integrity report was submitted, it was the same 2007 PUP administration who did it.

So what about the Auditor General and the Contractor General? I give anyone one hundred Barrow dollars to tell me if Belize has a functioning person in those offices; who they are and what is the last sensible thing they have done.

As crickets fill the room , you realize why Belize is in the rut that it is. The UDP have ensured that none of the guard dogs are at their station and so they can import and export “pool table money” as they please across Sedi’s artificial border.

The UDP have been out to lunch with our money for four years and they have sang every tune to get us to not realize that they “di hustle”.

Well free paper bun now. Time for the country to move back into office and for a new PUP Government to get to work.

erased our border and called it “artificial”.

How about nominating Flippin’ as being worst Minister for messing up a simple bus schedule? How daft do you have to be to foul up public transport in a small country? Some people believe he should be nominated just for opening his mouth but we are kinder at the BELIZE TIMES. How about Arturo Roches for allowing the UDP to disrespect Grigalizeans and the Garinagu people again, by giving him nothing and leaving the people of Stann Creek to rot? Well you may say the same for Coy who allowed the government to disrespect the Maya people and tell them they are not from Belize.

Well, then you have to include Perdomo who got fired and has the BDF without bullet and security. Best place to rob is Price Barracks under Perdomo.

But the nomination goes to..

And the winner is…you will agree to this… the collective absentee UDP Area Reps and Ministers. No high school student can name us Dean Barrow’s cabinet. There are some UDPs in the House that Belizeans have never heard their voice, in fact on radio people in Jalacte believe there are only three people in Government for the UDP. Belize is tired of these scrap bottom, politicians. Deliver us from their evil.

The PUP will deliver.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Deliverance: The People Are Ready Continued from page 1 The BELIZE TIMES conservatively counted with pride over a thousand active PUP supporters, in an almost religious jubilee. The whispers imprisoned in the privacy of our homes could now be sounded in public. The day of emancipation is upon us. The PUP will be back to deliver us in only a few weeks.

Each PUP will go to the poll or campaign for a different reason in this elections, but the commitment to change begins when all our hopes swell with the excitement of the PUP’s natural talents at bringing revolution, vision and relief to our people of Belize.

The first wave of blue was on Nomination Day, but as we open our arms, our hearts and our minds to all those who are now returning to the fold, we thank you for believing in us.

We were confident that you would give us the time to heal, wheel out and redeem ourselves.

You have seen our growing pains.

With the might of God and the strength of truth, the PUP will serve the people and return to us our dignity, peace and hope. What you see in one municipality is not the full picture. We are soldiers of the soil from Corozal to Toledo. You are one with the change, the hope and the solutions. We are Belize. We are PUP. There is but a time for every season under the sun. The PUP is ready. To the conservatives, yes, we have made changes. Yes, more than eighty –s ix per cent (86%)of our candidates for both the General and Municipal Elections are new. And yes, at the same time, we are the children of God, children of the Father of our nation, Mr. Price, and children of this land.

For this reason, be of good cheer, the hour of our deliverance is here! May the living God of our salvation, hear our prayers and grant us our deliverance. We love you, Belize.

See you on the other side of “Solutions”.Que viva PUP! Que viva Belize.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

THE BELIZE TIMES

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THINGS FALL APART,

THE CENTRE CANNOT HOLD The economy of Belize is in free-fall, sinking deeper and deeper into a bottomless pit of unpayable debt and budget deficits. The $40 million that the Prime Minister touted in last year’s budget speech would come from Russia has vanished into thin air. It was all a ponzi scheme hatched by the unscrupulous Russian mafia that duped an entire amateur government led by a man of all glitter and no substance.

The chickens have come home to roost. Barrow spent his entire 4 years beating up on the business community. The end result – investments have dried up; industries and business establishment in foreclosure. His weak-kneed attempt to copy-cat the PUP with Vision 2030 ended in tears; the half-baked plan never saw the light of day. The main architect of the exercise Dr. Carla Barnett banished from Belmopan.

“Restore Belize” – yet another grandiose flight of rhetoric that was supposed to address the serious socio-economic conditions of growing poverty and unemployment was full of nice sounding diagnoses and prescriptions with no funding to treat or cure the patient which is on critical life-support. The funding ($2.8 million) has gone to the unelected UDP standard bearers in a political campaign of desperation, a last-ditch attempt to buy the election. And how can we forget the caricature of a head of government negotiating with and paying gang members (over $800,000.00 to date) to ‘hold down’ on the crime and violence raging in our city streets.

How can there be any success with such an unseemly quick-fix program of paying ransom when the very monster that Barrow has created – the Gang Suppression Unit (GSU) – has systematically been breaking down the doors of citizens and resorting to the unprovoked brutal beating of residents inside.

Barrow and his no-good cabal of Ministers with their greed and corruption, their victimization and intimidation have laid waste to Belize leaving behind a once growing good country on the brink of bankruptcy. Things have fallen apart.

The centre cannot hold.

This is not the Belize that a generation of young courageous leaders of the PUP led by George Price the Father of the Nation inspired the people with a vision of a peaceful constructive revolution that propelled a once colonial backwater to freedom and independence – a democratic state of Central America in the Caribbean region.

This is what the international rating agency Standards and Poors reported in January 2008 one month before the Barrow Administration took office: “The external commercial debt of Belize has been successfully restructured. The real economy remains strong, boosted by the emerging oil industry, tourism and agriculture. The country’s economic performance remains the bright spot of Belize’s credit story reflecting the solid growth performance during the last ten years (of the PUP Government) with a 5.3% average growth. Belize’s socio-economic Index has improved over the last few years and are now better than those of many regional peers.”

And this is what the same international agency Standard and Poors reported on February 6, 2012 (after 4 years of Barrow and the UDP)” “Belize’s credit rating has been downgraded for a second time in less than three months. The economy faces external imbalances, limited access to external funding and rising costs of servicing its debt. The takeover of B.T.L. and B.E.L. without the government being able to pay compensation will discourage foreign investments, foreign exchange will become increasingly hard to come by; the prospects to increase tourism earnings is low. There are signs that this government is becoming less willing to service its debt (based on what Prime Minister Barrow told the local media).”

As a result in the eyes of the international community Belize is now perceived as a basket case. A rogue government ruled by a pseudo-nationalist whose arrogance, disrespect and belligerence towards the private sector, the NGOs, the Maya Leaders of Toledo, the Rice Producers, the Cane Farmers of the North, the Bar Association President, Judges of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal has grounded the ship of state on the reef.

It is said however that the darkest moment comes before the break of dawn. March 7 will usher in a new day. Hope is alive. Like the proverbial phoenix, the PUP will rise again. With Francis Fonseca and the new PUP team (more than half of the standard bearers are young dedicated professional men and women). Belize will enter a new era of good stable governance committed to building and sustaining a dynamic partnership which brings together the private sector, labour and community organizations working to achieve development and equal opportunity.

It will be a government that provides the right enabling environment; a government that upholds a culture of honesty and integrity; a government that creates economic opportunities to generate jobs; a government that promotes principles and values of fairness and justice for all. The day of deliverance is at hand.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

The audacity of failure Dear Mr. Editor, Please keep up the good work. I was away for twenty years living in California. I would always read the BELIZE TIMES online. Obviously, since I have been back for the past eleven months, I have been shocked that life in Belize is what it is.

In America many of these UDP politicians would not even be allowed to go near elementary schools and play grounds, but that is another matter.

What troubles me is this UDP team running for Belize City Council. Is anyone listening to them? Two things I heard that frighten me. I heard the UDP Candidate for Mayor say he would introduce a “Commuter Tax”. I almost fell off my sofa. He is not even in City Hall and he is talking more taxes.

I thought Dean Barrow said no more taxes. Hear this, the reason for the tax is just so any “outsider” can “enter Belize City”. No other reason. Just because they need money after what Zenaida Moya-Flowers did.

Incredible! Then I heard the chap say again on another show that he went somewhere and the folks were so desperate that they volunteered to pay for half the cost of paving their own streets. Apparently, Bradley got excited and announced that those people when they paid half would be helped. Now is that not a dirty shame. The UDP wants us to pay again from our own pockets just to have paved streets.

Then a counselor was on TV saying that if everyone cut in front of their yard CitCo would have less to do. So..what have they done for the past six years and now they want less to do after they raised their own pay.

Are people listening to these cats?

Belizeans we let us run this set, straight up.

Respectfully, C. M. Ramclam

Marcel: A fish from river bottom

Continued from page 2

in the event that I am accepted into the membership of the People’s United Party, I shall commit myself to work along with the PUP in whatever ways are considered necessary or appropriate and in the best interests of our country and people, and to obey and uphold the Constitution and By-Laws of the People’s United Party at all times.

I am confident that a newly re-inspired People’s United Party, which has renewed its core values and commitment to “serve the people,” shall serve as a useful vehicle to bring much more progress, development and prosperity to all Belizeans.

Looking forward to your kind acceptance of my formal letter of application for membership into the People’s United Party, I remain, Yours respectfully, …………………………………..

Hon. Marcel Cardona Cervantes Orange Walk East Area Representative Cc: Mr. Henry Charles Usher – Chairman, People’s United Party

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Sunday, February 19, 2012

THE BELIZE TIMES

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Sunday, February 19, 2012

THE BELIZE TIMES

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Philip Palacio: leads Human rights crusade Monday, February 13, 2012 Four men, who have had all the abuse they can stomach from an abusive set of policemen, have braved the risk of future abuse for coming forward. With the insistent and steady marshaling of well-respected PUP Standard bearer and accomplished attorney, Phillip Palacio, they are filing law suits.

The four men: Albert Fuentes, who suffered a broken elbow, Leonard Meyers, who suffered a concussion to the head and bruises to the body, Shaun Alay, who was beaten about with a police baton, and Brandon Tillett, whose shoulder was broken, have filed two lawsuits: one against the Police Commissioner, David Henderson and another against the office of the Attorney General.

The lawsuits, filed by the men’s attorney, Phillip Palacio, are for the injuries which range from wounding to grievous harm following an attack at their apartment building on Dean Street in the wee hours of Friday morning when elements of the Gang Suppression Unit (GSU) broke down their doors and began to administer a proper beating on them. Police home invasion if there ever was a case of it.

Neighbours listened as the police, whose job it is to protect people, lashed the grown men out of their sleep in a vicious attack. The neighbours, petrified themselves of what was transpiring within earshot, could do nothing to help the men. One of the policemen whose name was called, according to Palacio, is one that is called almost every time there is a report of police abuse. Palacio also confirmed that the abusive policemen are members of the GSU. Palacio says the men have identified three names thus far, and while no one has personally accepted responsibility for the wrongdoing, he said that soon after the attack, members from the Department’s Internal Affairs Unit visited the apartment complex and repaired the doors that they had broken to gain entry. This, in Palacio’s view, was a clear sign of concession of wrongdoing. He did not specify how much the men are filing for, but whatever the amount is, it is going to do two things, send a clear message to a Police Department laden with corruption and hurt the department where it matters most -- the pockets.

Ever since this appointed Minister of Police took over, there have been mounting reports of police brutality and abuse of power by the GSU, whose members operate as if they are above the law. The police, like the UDP government that was recently dissolved, is getting to bear similar traits over the passage of time, at frightening rapidity. Just as the past UDP Ministers of Government were neglectful of their duties and abusive of public resources, so too are some members of the Police Department who continue to wantonly break the law. Something has to be done and the cleanup will come on March 7th, starting with this flaccid, spineless bunch who ruled for the past four years.

V O T E

P U P

Embrace the future with Anthony Sylvestre.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Child Molester

Sentenced To 6 Years BELIZE CITY, Wed. Feb. 15, 2012 Boat Captain Patrick August, 45, a resident of #5 Corner 1st Street and St. Peter Street in King’s Park, was sentenced to 6 years yesterday in the #1 Magistrate’s Court after he was found guilty of 3 counts of aggravated assault of an indecent nature upon a 3 year old girl and using threatening words.

Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith after finding him guilty sentenced him to 3 years for each count of aggravated assault with the stipulation that the

sentence for the first count should run consecutive to the sentence for the third count. Both sentences should run concurrent to the sentence for the second count. So August will serve total of 6 years.

For using threatening words, August was reprimanded and discharged of the charge.

The complainant, a primary school student at the time, testified en camera, meaning in the absence of the public, that August sexually assaulted her in December 2012, as well as

Police Constable Charged With Traffic Offences BELIZE CITY, Wed. Feb. 15, 2012 It appears that something is happening over at Queen Street as there appear to be a parade of charges involving police officers. The frequency of the charges make it quite notable.

A police constable who was involved in a traffic incident was charged with two traffic offences when he appeared in the #4 Magistrate’s Court on Monday, February 13.

He is Luis Quixah, 26, a resident of Chan Chen Village, Corozal District.

Quixah was charged with drove motor vehicle without due care and attention and drove motor vehicle

whilst under the influence of alcohol above the prescribed limit.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges. He was released on a bail of $1,000. His case was adjourned until April 24.

The incident occurred on Sunday, February 12, in the Village of Lucky Strike.

Police reports are that Quixah was driving a police pick-up truck with license plates number Bmp 0062 when he lost control of the vehicle and it ran off the road.

Quixah survived unhurt but another police officer who was in the vehicle with him received minor injuries.

Special Constable And Wife Charged With Firearm And Ammunition Offences BELIZE CITY, Wed. Feb. 15, 2012 A common-law couple, Special constable Jose Haylock, 26 and waitress Coreen Martinez, 27, mother of a 4 year old son, were charged with 1 count of kept firearm without a gun license and 2 counts of kept ammunition without a gun license when they appeared in the #4 Magistrate’s Court on Monday, February 13.

They pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Magistrate Roberto Ordonez explained to them that the court cannot offer them bail because of the nature of the offences. He remanded them into custody until March 15. The couple will have to retain an attorney to secure bail in the Supreme Court which could take up to a month.

The incident occurred on Saturday, February 11.

The police reported that when they searched a house on Louise Bevans Street they found one .22 revolver, 10 rounds of .22 calibre ammunition and 11 rounds of 9 millimetre ammunition.

Haylock and Martinez were at the

Jose Haylock

house at the time. Neither of them could produce a license for the firearm and ammunition consequently they were detained and charged.

It was not the first time Haylock was charged with criminal offenses. In 2012 he was charged with wounding but the charge was dismissed.

Haylock was also reported to the police’s Internal Affairs for allegedly failing to aid a citizen whose bicycle was stolen because the citizen, a reporter, had put a photograph of him on the local television news when he was charged with wounding.

January and April 2011. She said that in December 2010 and April 2011, August inserted his finger in her vagina and that in January 2011, he fondled and caressed her breasts.

In her intense testimony she recounted that after August sexually assaulted her, he threatened her that if she said anything to anybody he would kill her.

August testified and denied he committed the offences. His defense was alibi and specifically that he was framed by unverified persons. He did

Patrick August allude to a life insurance policy he said he had taken out in the girl’s name.

This line was not convincing to the court.

August was not represented by an attorney.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

THE BELIZE TIMES

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Mayan people “want” oil drilling because of economic hardships Wednesday, February 15, 2012 The economic crisis that this Barrow administration has inflicted on this nation since 2008 has gotten so direly crippling that it has forced some people who were once of a certain conviction to change their views on fundamental issues surrounding their daily lives. The Maya, known for their centuries-old tradition of holding communal land for agricutural purposes and who believed in protecting the natural resources of the land, are now of an almost completely opposite position, and the reason is based completely on the reality that if they don’t change their mindset, their families simply won’t be able to eat.

In the 1970’s geologists for Esso entered the area now known as the Sarstoon-Temash National Park in southern Belize and conducted seismic testing with a view to possibly extract aw petroleum. Oil was never discovered and the operation came to a halt. Then the park was declared as such and any type of extraction of natural resources, including wildlife, trees and plants, or in this case, petroleum became illegal. But in the early part of the new millenium, US Capital Energy, a seismic testing agency, got a permit to start conducting exploration in a portion of the area, and therein a controversy evolved.

The company began phase one of the project, which was to cut fairly thin survey lines measuring about five feet in width, just enough for a person to walk through comfortably, in the areas of interest. The areas were marked and phase two, which involves the actual seismic testing with low voltage explosives, began. But two things occurred that prompted the Sarstoon-Temash Institute for Indigenous Management, SATIIM, to express concern. First was the permit that was granted for exploration within the National Park.

Next was an error that US Capital committed while cutting the survey lines. Its plan took one of the lines through Conejo Creek Lagoon, which was not a part of the area specified for testing on the permit. Now SATIIM’s Director, Greg Ch’oc, says that the community is looking at possible compensation for the intrusion. In-

trusion we say at this point because the space created along the line is so thin that from the sky it looks like a straight line drawn on a piece of carpet grass. The mangroves and trees that were cut for the seismic will take no longer than a year to grow back, according to a geologist employed with US Capital. The company has accepted that they have erred and say that their Permitting Agent was working without a map when the decision to cut the line was made.

But perhaps the real issue at hand is the fact that despite the concerns raised by SATIIM and other interested parties who oppose the notion of drilling in offshore and protected areas, the Mayas who depend on the job to feed their families want the project to proceed. Most of the men, some of whom also hail from Conejo Creek where the survey line crossed, have no problem with what is being done. Not only do they feel that the environmental damage, at least at this stage is minimal and temporary, but they say that without the job, there will be no economic opportunities for them. Altogether, almost 300 of the villagers from Conejo Creek, and other surrounding communities are gainfully employed because of the project. Before this, they said, life was a daily uphill climb.

What is sad about the situation is that these people, who once stood steadfast by their culture of working the lands as communities, are now thankful for the very things which they once opposed. Many of them say that it has been four years since they have held jobs, especially jobs where their dignity is not compromised. The men take home $800 every 14 days on the lowest payscale, something that many of them have never enjoyed. To change that or to take it away will put many of their children in vulnerable situations. The villagers, who say they represent the majority of their fellow villagers, have said that they can now see promise through their employment. They are also thankful that US Oil has inturn invested in computers for the schools that their children attend and also for assisting, through a foundation created to help needy organizations and schools to improve on their Primary School Examinations.

US Capital’s Country Representative, Alistair King, has said that the seismic testing is to determine which spots could turn up petroleum of commercial quantity and that by summer of this year they will have a better idea of those areas. The company has complied with a letter from the Village Council Chairman of Conejo Creek who wrote instructing US Capital to immediately cease its operations that relate to the survey

line running through the creek. Just whether extracting petroleum from the National Park will be allowed will unfold with time.

Visit Us Online at: www.belizetimes.bz

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BELIZE'S #1 SPORTS PAGE

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Mopan Tech boys win 2012 Football champs Belize City, Saturday, February 11, 2012 The Mopan Technical High School boys from Benque Viejo del Carmen won the National Secondary Schools Sports Association (NSSSA) football championships hosted by Nazarene High School at M.C.C. garden over the weekend.

In Game 1 on Friday afternoon, the Western Regional Champions, Mopan boys advanced to the finals by a 4-1 win against the Northern Regional Champions, the Escuela Secundaria Tecnica Mexico boys.

Dennis Peinlo embarrassed Escuela’s goalie Aimer Chan with the first goal and Edgar Penado headed in a second goal to give Mopan the 2-0 lead at half time. In the second half, Eliazar Itza

Stann Creek Ecumenical won 2nd place

Belize Bank Bulldogs won 2nd place scored a consolation goal for Escuela Mexico, but Mopan’s MVP Bryan Manzanero added a third goal. This was followed by a second goal by Dennis Pinelo; finalizing the 4-1 win.

In Game 2 on Friday, Male Southern Regional Champions, Stann Creek Ecumenical College outlasted the Central Regional Champions, Gwen Liz 3-2 to advance to Saturday’s finals. Marvin Sosa scored the first goal for Gwen Liz, and Justin “Bubbles” Coote added a second to give Gwen Liz a 2-0 lead at the half time break. Kris Sanchez scored Ecumenical’s

B- Bay Nazarene girls & Martin’s boys: City Basketball Champs Belize City, Friday, February 13, 2012 The girls of Buttonwood Bay Nazarene Primary School and the boys of St Martin de Porres RC School won the championship finals of the Belize City primary schools basketball competition at the City Center on Monday, February 13.

Buttonwood Bay Nazarene School girls won over St. Martin De Porres School: 20-10 The top scorer for Buttonwood Bay was Monique Mortis with 12 points while the top scorer for St. Martin’s was Shantia Palacio with 6 points.

St. Martin De Porres School boys won the championship 46-25 against Wesley Upper School, led by Shaquean Valero with 13 points. The top scorer for Wesley Upper School was Raymond Gongora with 11 points.

On Friday Wesley Upper School boys won over Caye Caulker School, 47-23. The top scorer for Wesley Upper School was Shaquille Crawford with 30 points while the top scorer for Caye Caulker School was Akeem Arnold with 12 points.

St. Martin De Porres boys won over St. Ignatius School. 41-19. The top scorer for St. Martin’s was Clency Lopez with 21 points while the top scorers for St. Ignatius School were Maleik Rose and Holdane Swazo with 4 points each.

Buttonwood Bay girls are champs

Martins’ boys are city champs

first goal in the second half and Brandon Cacho blasted in a grass-burning missile to tie the game 2-2. Cacho would add another goal for the 3-2 win.

In Game 3, the consolation game for third place, the Escuela Mexico boys ran over the Gwen Liz boys 4-0 on Saturday morning. Eliazar Itza converted a penalty for the first winning goal, and Narciso Pott added a second goal.

Jeffery Loria headed in a corner kick executed by Fabian Arana for a third goal. It was Eliazar Itza who scored a fourth goal for the 4-0 win.

In Game 4, the Mopan boys dominated the Ecumenical College boys 2-0. MVP Byron Manzanero drilled home the first winning goal. Leobardo Mendez executed a free kick with textbook precision to add a second goal for the 2-0 win.

Bryan Manzanero also won the Most Valuable player award but no awards ceremony was held. An altercation started with two of the athletes at the conclusion of the male championship game between Stann Creek Ecumenical College and Mopan Technical High School. It almost ended up in an allout brawl as both team benches rushed onto the field followed by fans jumping the fence and adding to the problem.

The strong police presence quickly took control of the situation and brought the day to a close. Special thanks to the police who were there for the tournament and those who were there to prepare for the semi pro game. They were of great support in preventing an all-out frenzy at the scene.

Unfortunately, the closing ceremony and awards presentation had to be cancelled as the atmosphere was not conducive. This is sad.

The executive of NSSSA would like to assure all that the National Secondary School Sports Ethics Committee (NSSSEC) and the NSSSA officials will conduct a thorough investigation of the matter after which due process will be followed. At the conclusion, parties and persons found responsible will be dealt with “ to the full extent as stipulated in the NSSSEC guidelines.”

Scores: Boys Mopan Boys vs Escuela Secundaria 4-1 Stann Creek Ecumenical College vs Gwen Liz 3-2 Escuela Secundaria vs Gwen Liz 4-0 Mopan vs Ecumenical College 2-0

Sunday, February 19, 2012

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Pope, K. Cattouse & Spence win 17th Valentine’s Day Cycling Classic BELIZE'S #1 SPORTS PAGE

Belize City, Sunday, February 12, 2012 Benny’s Megabytes’ Byron Pope won the 17th Annual Valentine’s Day Cycling Classic organized by the Belize Cycling Association: clocking 3:20:23 on the 80-mile ride. The route is from Leslie’s Imports on the Western Highway to the Burrell Boom junction with the Northern Highway, returning to Hattieville and on to La Democracia then back to the finish line in Belize City. First across the line claims boasting honors.

Male Honors Deezan Spence of D&E Cycling club won the Junior Division in 2:21:48 and Luigi Urbina from Orange Walk won the Masters’s division in 3:22:11.

Pope took home a $150 first prize, a trophy and a Digicell package. D&D cycling’s Eduardo Reyes of Orange Walk claimed the $100 second prize, a medal and a $50 Digicell card.

D&D cycling’s Kyne Gentle and Richard Vera clocked 3:20:50. Gentle picked up the $75.00 third prize, a medal and a $50 Digicell card, while Vera took home the $35.00 fourth prize.

Luigi Urbina won $25.00 for fifth place, as well as, a trophy and Digicel package as the First in the Masters bracket.

Continued from page 12 Greg Lovell was sixth, BenThe Buttonwood Bay girls won the ny’s Megabytes’ Mark Staine semifinals with a score of 12-10 against rolled in seventh in 3:26:01 and Belize Elementary School girls last Friday.

Quinton “the baddiss” Hamilton The top scorers for Buttonwood Bay Nazwas eighth.

George Abraham Jr., arene School were Monique Mortis and who rode unattached, took ninth.

Ishelle Magandi with 5 points each. The Benny’s Megabytes’ Allen Castillo top scorer for BES was Shania Williams clocked 3:27:05 to round out the with 4 points. top 10.

St. Martin’s boys defeated James Female Battle Garbutt School, 46-11, led by Shaquean Team C-Ray’s Kira Eiley led the Valero with 18 points. The top scorer for

B- Bay Nazarene girls & Martin’s boys: City Basketball Champs

James Garbutt School was Christopher Zelaya with 6 points.

The boys of St. Ignatius School won 37-7 over Belize Elementary School led by Raheem Baptist and Holdane Swazo with 8 points each; while the top scorers for BES were Amit Nandwani and Glevaughn Smith with 3 points each.

St. Martin’s girls made the finals with a 13-4 win over the Wesley Upper School girls in the semifinals on Wednesday. St Martin’s top scorer was Resalyn Ranguy who hit for 6 points while the top scorers for Wesley Upper School were Shandy Vernon and Rayna Staine with 2 points each.

The Wesley Upper boys made the finals after a 56-2 win over the New Horizon School boys on Wednesday, led by Shaquille Crawford with 29 points. The top scorer for New Horizon School was Komron Ivanov with 2 points.

Scores Girls: B-Bay Nazarene Primary School vs St. Martin’s 20-10 St. Martin’s vs Wesley Upper School 46-25 Wesley Upper School vs Caye Caulker 47-23 St. Martin’s vs St. Ignatius 41-19 Girls Semifinals: B-Bay Nazarene vs Belize Elementary 12-10 Boys: St. Martin’s vs James Garbutt 46-11 St. Ignatius vs Belize Elementary 37-7 Girls: St. Martin’s vs Wesley Upper 15-4 Boys: Wesley Upper vs New Horizon 56-2

Byron Pope wins Elite race 50-mile women’s race approaching the city but it was her teammate Kaya Cattouse who took the sprint to the finish line, clocking 3:10:49 to win the Digicel package first prize and a trophy, while Eiley took the $50 second price and a medal. National road champion Shalini Zabaneh of Team Sagitun had to be content with the $25.00 3rd prize and a medal. Shalini’s teammate Maricela Garcia rode into fourth place in 3:42:30.

Junior Contest D&D cycling’s Deezan Spence won the sprint to the finish over Team Cayo High Road’s Juan Umana and Team CRay’s Riis Cattouse to win the 50-mile junior race from Leslie’s Imports to the Burrell boom junction and back, clocking 2:21:48 to win a trophy and a Digicel package. Umana and Cattouse got medals for 2nd and 3rd place.

Top Master Cyclist Ernest “Jaja” Meighan was 4th and the first over-35 masters’ rider to finish. Cayo Uprising’s Zahir Figueroa was 5th and Team C-Ray’s Brandon Morgan pulled in 6th. Cayo Uprising’s

Oscar Quiros clocked 2:22:37 for 7th place, while Team Telemedia’s Giovanni Lovell was 8th clocking 2:22:44 and Team Cayo High Road’s Aiden Juan was 9th. Santino Castillo fell in the top ten with 2:21:48 placing 1st in the over-45 Masters category. His teammate Ernest Thurton was 11th overall, ( 2nd in over-35 Masters). James Frampton was 12th (third for over-35 Masters). M&M engineering’s Kenneth Butler was 13th overall ( 2nd over-45 Masters) Thirty five riders started the race, but only 22 finished.

Top 10 Finishes: 1. Byron Pope 2. Eduardo Reyes 3. Kyne Gentle 4. Richard Vera 5. Luigi Urbina 6. Greg Lovell 7. Mark Staine 8. Quinton “the baddest’ Hamilton 9. George Abraham 10. Allen Castillo

Independence High School girls:

2012 Football Champs

Belize City, Saturday, February 11, 2012 The Independence High School girls won the National Secondary Schools Sports Association (NSSSA) football championships hosted by Nazarene High School at M.C.C. Garden over the weekend.

In Game 1 Friday afternoon, the Northern Regional Champions, the Orange Walk Technical High School girls had advanced to the finals by a 3-1 win against the Western Regional champions, the Sacred Heart College girls, in a penalty shootout after regulation and overtime ended in a scoreless draw.

Orange WalkTech’sYanira Chan, Pamela Bol and Maritza Briceno converted their tries, but only Sabrina Brooks converted for the Cayo girls; 2 kickers missed and Sugar City’s goalie Bianca Castillo shut out the Cayo girls’ fourth try.

In Game 2 on Friday night the Southern Regional Champions, the Independence girls advanced to the finals with a 2-1 win against the Central regional champs, the Gwen Liz High school girls. Deandra Coote gave Gwen Liz a1-0 lead with a goal in the first minute of action, but Leniman Zepeda equalized for the Independence girls. Gwen Liz defender Kenya Brown got a red card for a handball offence and Independence captain Erica Vallecillo

IHS girls are champs converted the resulting penalty for the 2-1 win.

In Game 3, the consolation game for third place, the Western Regional champions, the Sacred Heart College girls won 2-0 over the girls of Gwen Lizarraga High School on Saturday morning. Deyana Villanueva and Anijay Quiros led the Cayo girls’ attacks with the help of Jasmin Armstrong, Nadisha Molina, Keila Valdez and Reese Medina. However, the Gwen Liz defenders Keria Dawson, Maureen Rhaburn, Shannon Nela and Kishane Reyes held them scoreless up to the half.

Gwen Liz’s strikers Jersha Estrada and Deandra Coote were similarly frustrated by the Cayo defenders Beatrice Alfaro, Sabina Brooks, Stephanie Smith and Aguila Flores.

Anijay Quiros’s shot was draining across the front of the goal when Deyana Villanueva booted it into the net to for the winning goal

and Sabina Brooks converted a penalty kick three minutes later for the 2-0 victory.

In the championship final the Independence girls won 3-1 against the Orange Walk Tech girls in a penalty shootout after regulation and overtime ended in a scoreless draw.

Erica Vallecillo, Kelsey Polanco and Brenda Alvarado converted for Independence but, only Yanira Chan converted for the Orange Walk girls.

Independence midfielder Kelsey Polanco won the Most Valuable player award.

Scores Game 1: OW Tech vs Sacred Heart 3-1 Game 2: Independence High vs Gwen Liz 2-1 Game 3: Sacred Heart vs Gwen Liz 2-0 Game 4: Independence High vs OW Tech 3-1

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Freetown delivers Francis, Francis delivers for Belize: Stable,Progressive Leadership Belize City, February 14, 2012 It is indisputable that PUP Leader Hon. Francis Fonseca will once more be elected as the Freetown Area Representative, having already received the people’s confidence to serve two terms. The transformation that has occurred in the Freetown Division under Hon. Francis is beyond dispute.

Even the current UDP Prime Minister’s record as custodian of Queen Square for 20-plus years falls violently short.

Under the leadership of Hon. Francis, the Freetown Constituency developed from a swampy backdrop to a respected urban community. Hon. Francis has ensured that the residents of Freetown received all amenities of a wholesome and functional community. The residents have not only

gotten police substations, a health center, education and opportunity centers, parks and playgrounds, basketball courts, football fields, community preschool and housing projects, but also the consistency and diligence of nose to the mill leader.

Voters have commented that the only time planned development has stalled is when the current oppressive and vindictive UDP Government has been in office. As unapologetically childish, the UDP openly and intentionally stifle the life and hope of the Hon. Francis’ ideas.

The sabotage is suffered on the people but this must only fuel Francis’ commitment to stave off tyrant and make them flee.

Today, residents have stood with Hon. Francis to painfully watch the UDP undo the progress of our community. Carelessly, the Freetown Education and Opportunity center in Belama was closed down by the UDP following their 2008 elections victory. So was the Belama Health Center which was staffed by nurses, and equipped with basic care medical equipment. The UDP, through the Ministry of Health, chose to send away the nurses and close down the facility. The Belama Police Substation was inactive for many years, and did not re-open until there was a spike in crime in the normally peaceful community. It took lobbying by the tireless Area Rep to prod the Government and take their hand to lead them to the obvious need to revive the substation.

The UDP have been so spiteful that even the Belama Phase IV Land and Housing Project was sabotaged, and ignored for many years.

Belize must love the Freetown residents because aware that their elected representative’s plans for a well-designed housing community were disrupted for political mileage, the families of Phase IV have redoubled their confidence in the PUP. The BELIZE TIMES is flooded by supporter and flat out fanatics who wish that we register their proven trust in the Hon. Francis. They want us to signal it loudly that on March 7 his vision will continue with the strength of a new PUP Government.

THE WORLD IS READING

THE BELIZE TIMES www.belizetimes.bz

Sunday, February 19, 2012

THE BELIZE TIMES

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, February 19, 2012

PUP RALLY

in Orange Walk

Sunday, February 19, 2012

in San Pedro

THE BELIZE TIMES

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, February 19, 2012

NOMINATION DAY Belize City

Sunday, February 19, 2012

THE BELIZE TIMES

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THE BELIZE TIMES

REALITY CHECK! BIG PICTURE

By: Carla Bradley Elections are rapidly approaching and all candidates of all political parties have had their time to try and convince the people to give them that important vote on election date. My take on this political season nomination days goes like this: I am happy to see a third party has stepped up, as it is healthy for democracy to prevail. Kudos to you independent candidates and the best of luck for some of you are gifted, kind persons who want the best for our nation.

The United Democratic Party: where to begin with your bunch? Well, I have seen a few red shirts around, so I must give props on the distribution of shirts across the country. It takes a lot of our money and time to design and make these shirts. But really, it is a kind donation to mothers and house wives, as they now have cleaning cloths.

I am very happy for the people being given fifty dollars, and gallons of free gas for the two days of nomination. Finally, they are getting something out their own tax money. Oh, and I cannot forget the kind donation of “spirits” this helps the Belizeans forget about the sorrow and pain that your UDP bunch has stressed them out with for four years. The part that you might not like is that when the spirits evaporate, they will realize that you are no good for Belize.

Government vehicles are even being used for the transportation on nomination day. San Pedro Town is a clear example, I believe there were more flags than people but hey who am I to judge. In Belmopan, residents have been offered “land fill” for their property. Almost tauntingly the loads have been dumped in central mounds throughout the neighborhood, instead of being distributed as was promised.

Most piles cannot even be used. The sad part is that when it is dumped the candidates and helpers ask the residents to put flags in their yards but to their surprise, they receive the flagging, I mean flags.

In San Ignacio, free tanks of gas were given as well as “spirits”, for people to turn out and wave a flag, but, hey, at least they had fun and were given fuel. The same fuel that was supposed to never go higher than 7 dollars. Remember that promise Barrow and his bunch sang in 2008.

They knew it was a lie then. How could they the rising cost of fuel, but hey this bunch is about imagination.

After all the flag waving, money raining and fuel slides, we go back to the harsh reality of deplorable streets.

Residents nationwide have their own pools and Jacuzzis, courtesy of the mismanagement of our country’s money. They can boast of high cost of fuel, high cost of living, high pov-

erty level, high crime level, high unemployment. The lavish menus of ramen noodles for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Imagine how sour thing are when there is literally no sugar. Barrow keeps high phone rates. Now the kicker is 6 cents less electricity. WOW. The list is too long.

My question to you, the UDP candidates, how can you have the audacity to ask for support, if your manifesto was never delivered? You promised 5000 jobs in the tourism sector. The tourists do not even want to come because of the state the country. We have lost over 1,000 jobs and many more are in jeopardy.

You have not been able to reduce crime. The UDP have stooped to paying people they called terrorists to purchase a few seconds of good behavior or at least be quiet until March 8. This will not last for too long. Look at the activity of Barrow’s GSU goon squad who is in all out covert gang warfare with sleeping residents. The GSU is breaking the gang truce.

Crime will decline if the poverty issue is not addressed; if the unemployment issue is not addressed. Comparing Belize to other countries will not help us, we need to worry about our own country. This is where we live we cannot fly out to Miami on the drop of a hat.

I can go on and on about this UDP government, but why waste time with what is soon to become just a distant horrible memory. Remember this, the people will take the money, the people will take the fuel, the people will take the shirt, the people will take the job to campaign, but come Election Day, they will say ENOUGH! My fellow PUP Brothers and sisters, today on Nomination Day, we adorned the streets of the nation with PUP love. Money was not given. Our hearts were there. Our hearts know that only under the People’s United Party will the people of Belize have a brighter future.

Let us unite and take back what is rightfully for ALL Belizeans, and not just a chosen few like fake rappers, pretty boys, over paid lawyers. People who say they are not racists because the live with a Hispanic person and yet refer to these same Hispanics as criminals. Commanders of legal gangs with masks, people who say they wear no shoes because they are from an island, people who give away fried chicken to the people of this country and value them nor more than the greasy bags the fat soaked wings are served in. Not just for little people on bicycles, people who have their immigration offices at home and meet with people in their underwear because they are too lazy to go to work, flippin people who give residents expired food and haad beans, and people who simply do nothing for the country. Not for the people who just gobble up national goodies for their blind loud allegiance. Those people are few and their lips and eyes are blind and dumb to the corruption that surrounds them.

They are receiving while others are suffering.

Come March 7th, our voices will be heard, and our nation will once again thrive!

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Usher’s Promotion of Sport in Port Loyola

By Gilroy Usher, Sr. (PUP Standard Bearer for Port Loyola)

To the delight of hundreds of residents of Port Loyola on Sunday February 12, I held a successful Sports Day at the Jane Usher Basketball court. This facility has long been neglected by the UDP. The splash of new life, hope and activity sparked by this event featured basketball and football marathons with cash prizes for first and second place.

The winners were greatly appreciative of the level of success and inclusion sourced by the positive activity. A raffle was also held during the occasion.

Lamentably, due the inexcusable absence of lights at the playing field both marathons had to be concluded by 6:00 o’clock.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Our resident deserve more and more consistently. A similar football and basketball marathon together with a raffle will be held at the Cumberbatch football field this Sunday February 19, 2012.

The residents were very thankful for the evening of entertainment. Sports has been totally neglected by the Area representative Boots Martinez. The delinquent evidence is all around that despite millions of dollars at his disposal for past four years Boots Martinez has done absolutely nothing to improve sports in the division. For four round years, Boots Martinez has not assisted the division with any or proper lights at a single basketball court. In fact, I am presently doing at the Jane Usher basketball court.

Neither has he assisted the division with healthy social activities like sports days. He has failed to give the youths of the area a single ball, a jersey, or the delight of a trophy for a marathon. He has not erected the needed metal goal post or absolutely anything to improve sports in Port Loyola.

Now that general elections are less than three weeks away, Boots Martinez suddenly remembers the need to help promote sports in Port Loyola and has sloppily strung up two make-shift lights at the basketball court on Caesar

Ridge Road.

The youths recognize those two lights as too little too late. Just an election gimmick .They know that if people make the mistake of re-electing Boots Martinez to office, they will suffer five more years of massive neglect in sports and ,obviously, in the overall development of their community.

I assure the residents of Port Loyola that as the new Area Representative for the division in less than a month I will ensure that proper lights are installed at all basketball courts in the division.

Additionally as the next Area Representative for Port Loyola I will meet

with the sporting teams in the division at least twice per year to help address their concerns.

Those are only some of the reasons why the youths of Port Loyola are energized and excited to support my development plan. They are confident that my candidacy guarantees for them a better life, home and community.

Visit Us Online at: www.belizetimes.bz

Election Day a Public and Bank Holiday Belmopan, 14th February, 2012.

The last dying action of the UDP Cabinet, who are admitted failures after four years, was not surprising. Could you imagine that they were in the Cabinet room in Belmopan arguing for hours trying to get another holiday? In the end after failing to discuss anything of substance and unethically jacking $50,000 for each UDP standard bearer, the exhausted dodo birds asked for one last holiday before they disappear with all the other loot they have gathered over the past four years.

So the big news is that the Election Day, Wednesday, 7th March, 2012, has been designated as a public and bank holiday.

What “work” have they done for four years to deserve a holiday on their last day before their contract expires? Seriously. The people of Belize will finally be able to rest assured that the country is emancipated from the UDP reign of underdevelopment. PUP begins to fix this mess and bring back hope March 8, 2012.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

SOBER Reflections SOBER By: Mike Rudon Jr.

A Critical Disconnect....

February 15, 2012

It’s strange what images run through my mind as we get closer to March 7th…a day when the counting of the polls will result in a resounding victory for the people of Belize. Well, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Does anybody remember the shot of Dean Oliver holding a young child on the southside of Belize City? He was on a tour of Port Loyola post hurricane Richard – well “way post” hurricane Richard cause it took him about three weeks to visit affected areas in Belize City. When he did, with an entourage of security, designer threads and fancy leather loafers, it was plain to see the disdain on his face when he was forced to walk in the mud and filth.

Then he got into a situation where he was forced to pick up a small child. He held her at least a foot away from himself (can’t dirty the designer duds after all) and pecked her gingerly on the forehead before putting her down as quickly as he could. I remember thinking, as I watched the news that night, that the only thought on his mind was how quickly he could get back into the air-conditioned leather luxury of his Land Cruiser where he could make use of the bottle of hand sanitizer in his glove compartment.

That, right there, is one of the reasons I feel that the people will rain fire and brimstone down on the UDP come March 7th. See, Dean Oliver has never been able to connect to the roots people of this nation, those who have been victimized the most, have benefitted the least but hold ALL the power to make a difference at the polls.

Dean O was changed by the millions he made in private practice; changed by his association with millionaires and billionaires in

fancy cocktail rooms and lush banquets all over the world. After long immersion in a life of luxury, a steak and champagne life, so to speak, Dean lost all ability to talk to, connect with or even to tolerate poor people, REAL people.

As I was writing this today I listened to the rich, powerful, book smart but otherwise foolish Dean Oliver on the radio. He was in a state of euphoria because the UDP was able to utilize taxpayer dollars to pay for support on Nomination Day. Cause that’s what they did!

Last week Dean O took $50,000 of OUR money and gave it away to THEIR supporters. According to the bald Barrow, he has been told far and wide, and in every corner of the country, that everyone is ecstatic with his government. According to the fellow, everybody he has spoken to has assured him that the UDP is lovely, beautiful, magnificent, glorious and truly radiant. All I can say is ‘Doctor….cut back on the pain meds IMMEDIATELY – the patient in the throes of hallucination.’

See what I mean about critical disconnect.

Dean Oliver has been able to live a wonderful life thanks to the taxpayers and also thanks to monies which he collects from Mr. Ashcroft through his law firm (TEK DAT). He lives in a seafront mansion which he expanded during his term as Prime Minister. He has managed to secure the future of his ex-wife by giving her millions of taxpayer dollars in juicy court cases.

He has secured the future of his son Anwar by giving him a juicy job with PERKS (did I mention perks) at BTL. He has secured the future of his daughter Deanne by including her in the lucrative love fest with ex-wife Lois. He has secured the future of his brother by making him a Judge of the Court of Appeal, and then when that wasn’t lucrative enough, by giving him some juicy cases in private practice. He has even thrown Shyne Jamal Moses Abdullah Levi Yeshua Mohammed whatever some crumbs, giving him a diplomatic post with perks as Music Ambassador.

But while Dean has connected (oh boy has he connected) with his family, he has suffered a critical disconnect with the rest of us.

Like a man on the street told him

one time…’my bwoy, wen you deh home deh eat steak, we deh out ya deh eat noodles.’

Boots hasn’t said much during his term that was coherent, but in one of his more lucid moments he threw out a gem which I’ve adopted. I’ve stopped listening to the noise in the market and I’ve been checking my change. Did I mention CHANGE? Every single time I listen to Dean Oliver on the radio or television talking about how good things are…how the economy is boom-

Sunday, February 19, 2012

ing and robust…how the UDP have done so well for Belize and Belizeans…how we are living in a good country with the UDP; I stop and wonder just what country this fool fool Dean Oliver is living in. It’s not Belize, my brother. Here in Belize things are bad, really bad. I’m not even sure if you realize that. Did I mention CRITICAL DISCONNECT? We’ll see you at the polls on March 7th, Dean Oliver…and it is my heartfelt wish that that is the last time we’ll see you in any position of authority.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

THE BELIZE TIMES

Reid CUT OF THE JIB I imagine that I can thank an unfortunate situation and a tough period in my life for getting me started in this journalism business. After eighteen years and counting, I count it a blessing when I consider that I have had some level of success at it. I have written for all major newspapers in Belize, done a television commentary and have been off and on radio for a major portion of those years. It has kept me busy and fed, but as Stuart Krohn once pointed out, “you will never really make more than beer money doing this in Belize”. What is considered beer money for some, however is bread on table for others, and was it not Shakespeare who said, “He who is happy with the least, is happiest of them all?”

I began this career by writing weekly letters to the editor of several newspapers regarding some very unfair treatment that I had been receiving at the hands of the Belize Family Court.

I have hammered that topic ad nauseam and would not dare bore you much more of it. I can say though, that as a consequence, things have changed somewhat “over there” and eventually I triumphed in my own individual cause. Nuff said on that matter.

A couple of months after I began my letter writing campaign, Glen Tillett who was at the time editor of the Amandala, recognized some talent and encouraged me to turn my ranting into a weekly column. I developed a fan base and among them it seemed was the Publisher of the Amandala himself. Hyde called me into his office one day to congratulate me and offered me a weekly stipend. At the time I was doing some construction but the little extra was most welcome.

I began being paid forty dollars per week and the amount never wavered.

I never dealt with Hyde as far as content or any other matter relating to the articles, it was always Glen Tillett.

I had been writing for the Amandala for about three years when Hyde again summoned me to his office.

This time it was to inform me that

he could no long pay me because he was experiencing financial difficulties.

I did not buy it and in retrospect, believe it was more due to the fact that I had protested his cancelling of a column being written at the time by Sylvania Woods. His rationale, “she dared criticize me in my own paper.”

I’m thinking, “Well damn, you criticize everyone else and their granny” what’s up with that! Anyway, this dog had tasted egg and I was not about to write for free for anyone, ever again. I thanked him for the time and moved over to write for the Reporter.

I spent the next few years over there but the experience was mostly frustrating. I have never seen a newspaper with such a busy “printer’s devil”. I take a lot of time in researching and preparing my articles and then to see quotes printed out of context and dates changed to reflect inaccurate time frames, occurred a little more often than I could accept. I had my theories as to what was happening there but that would deviate too far from a point that I am trying to reach.

I packed up my pen and little pail of ink and moved over to Channel Five where every Friday, I did an “Andy Rooney type” commentary.

We called it the “Last Word”. It was stressful but fun and it was well received and allowed me an opportunity to voice my opinions on a wide variety of issues.

On more than one occasion, my topic dealt with something that Publisher of the Amandala, Evan X Hyde, had written or said. Maybe it was my way of saying, “hell, you can’t stop me from criticizing you now; you’re not paying me anymore.” But the truth be told, that man has written some stuff over the years that has been disturbing, divisive and detrimental to our progress as a nation.

Mark Twain once warned that one should “never quarrel with a man who buys ink by the barrel” unless of course, you also have a little ink at your own disposal. Some people have criticized me for being too harsh on Hyde while others have accused me of giving him too much credit.

Hyde has also never hesitated to take digs at me but I like to think that I can take it as well as I can dish it out.

I have said this before and I will say it again, Evan X Hyde is an excellent writer and studying his style over the years, I would not deny having learned a thing or two. American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne once lamented that “easy reading is damn hard writing.” So it is for me, but Hyde seems

. He is a master propagandist and spinmeister and with an allegiance to little more than profit.“

to do it with very little effort. The man is prolific and gets his point across seemingly effortlessly. The problem is that many times it is with wicked intentions and with an end toward deceiving and distorting facts. He is a master propagandist and spinmeister and with an allegiance to little more than profit.

In his editorial of #2588 dated Sunday February 12th, 2012, Hyde was once again up to his old tricks.

He began the editorial by stating that “Opposition PUP Leader Francis Fonseca has taken a very big gamble in driving Albert’s Mark Espat and Lake Independence’s Cordel Hyde out of their constituencies.”

Now really folks, who among us did not hear both gentlemen, declare that for personal reasons, they did not wish to contest the elections. Again I have my theories but at this stage of the game, it would not be wise to state them.

First of all, did Francis Fonseca have anything to do with the stated illness that afflicted Cordel’s son? Did Cordel not go to great lengths to explain why he did not wish to contest, or is his father accusing him of lying?

And as for Mark Espat, not only was he not driven out, he was practically begged to accept leadership of the party with a near unanimous support.

He refused and eventually, followed Cordel’s lead and decided not to contest his division either.

Hyde concluded his editorial by suggesting that the upcoming general elections will be. “a referendum on Said and Ralph, and their neoliberal “growth economics”.. No Mr. Hyde,

23 this general election will be a referendum on the non-performance of this current administration and their failed promises and policies. A referendum on high poverty, high unemployment, high cost of living, nepotism and rampant corruption! Regardless of how you spin it! Ralph is gone and retired and Said is only in the House as Representative for the Fort George Division. You can argue that they still have influence in the party but more and more, people are realizing that Francis Fonseca is his own man.

Of course, it is risky to affront Hyde so close to an election but some things need to be said. The man is deadly around this time, when he is usually a good friend or a very dangerous enemy. I can only hope that he recognizes this as a critique coming from me and not from the PUP. Hyde however, will do what he has to do base not on what I or anyone else has to say but upon “money”. He has boasted to have had an influence on every election since Independence and I would not be too quick to disagree. The man is Joseph Goebbels, Randolph Hearst and Karl Rove all wrapped into one. Like Clint Eastwood in a “Fistful of Dollars”, he has played one political side against the other and made a fortune doing so. An eerie coincidence is that one of the families in that classic western movie was named the Rojos who Eastwood’s character skillfully played against the other, who could very well have been called the Blues but were in fact named, the Baxters. Let us stay tuned and see what cut his jib will take next.

24

THE BELIZE TIMES

Clueless in Cabinet: Barrow’s Budget Is A Hoax!

On Monday, February 13, 2012, Dean Barrow just back from a lengthy stay in the US made an appearance on Love FM TV to try to prop up his weakest link the choking Belizean economy. The economy has become the real issue in this March 7 General Election. The people will either rubber stamp the four years wasted on the merry-goround indifference when it comes to the economy by Barrow or they will chose to embrace change and growth under a new PUP Leader committed to tackling the economy, creating job opportunities and restoring investor confidence again.

Government is the biggest business in town and judging from the cry of the Belizean people Barrow’s report card is a big F. When cross checked with the impartial grading institutions abroad, he is confirmed to be downgraded from even that letter grade. In fact last week, Standard and Poors red flag and black listing against Barrow was an indictment against his performance in the Ministry of Finance. It sent a resounding message that Barrow, the posing CEO of the Belizean economy and his Cabinet should be expelled from the school of common sense and economics.

But according to Barrow all is well, according to him this year the people should see a surplus. According to him, he is working on a budget that he impishly refuses to read before the elections. Want to know the truth? Well, while Barrow was belching out fluff, his body language was saying other things.

It is obvious that what he knows can only and will only be revealed after the elections.

The one question that stumped him was “if things are so well as you say they are, then why is it the Belizean man and woman have not been able to feel it in their pockets? And what about the cry of the people, our teachers, civil servants, policemen, BDF, doctors, nurses, public servants. What about the cry of the common single mother walking down Albert Street and families hustling to make ends meet? What about their suffering for the past four years? What about the fixed salary without a possibility of a raise now or in the future with Barrow’s UDP? All they see is the value of their income depreciate every time walk out of Publics and Extra Hous.

The gas pains of rising prices on food stuff is rumbling all the way in the eye lashes of the eyes from hungry bellies. That is no exaggeration as there has been a whopping 14% inflation under this UDP Government.

The people question what was in it for us? Nothing positively has changed for them. Most of the people forget what you promised in the first place because economic life in Belize has reverted to primal levels. Judging from the past four years Barrow’s record is clear to them. The people summarize it in

one word “nada”. The formula Dean has used is indifference multiplied by more indifference multiplied by zero and divided by flamboyant arrogance.

Instead of dedicating time and energy on the economy Barrow wasted four years chasing after his first love, failed Constitutional Law Amendments. Instead of strengthening the final institution, Barrow chose friendship over substance and gave us a light weight junior banker as Governor of Central Bank.

This dude actually told Barrow that he foresee no implications from the global recession. Today Belize’s remittance is at an all time low and foreign direct investment, the worst it has ever been. Instead of meeting with the business community Barrow chose to fight them, hurling insults after insults at them.

With the plaster of a face smile still wet on his face, he showed up four years later to offer them a phone and a desk in his office.

Chamber is being told to imagine how good a relationship with big chancy Government could be if the UDP liked and understood business.

Barrow no like “unu”.

Barrow’s appearance on Love FM was to try and pump up his anemic campaign on the economy. Hey, bro, little too late. Too late for the many Belizean businesses who had closed down voluntary or involuntary, too late for the shrimp farmers, for wood depots, and Batsub. Too late for the embarrassed and depressed house owners who have lost their property under Barrow’s insolent indifference. Too late for those margin tightrope land owners and borrowers who are under constant threat and stress from the banks. Too late for him to change anything. The revolt of change are in the middle flight.

Beware the air of March.

Come March 8, 2012 Belize will have a spanking new Prime Minister. We are resolved to must put one there that is focused on fixing the economy and not fixing smokes and mirrors.

While we can never get back the four years lost to Barrow’s synchronized and well-articulated nothingness, we can make the change to a humble working leader. We will have someone who will include us and not malign, personalize and victimize us. We are sure to see democracy again. Peace again. Prosperity again.

It is time to end the suffering and stress. Its time to heal. It is time for opportunities to blossom and daydreaming possibilities end. Come Election day. “ Tek No Chance, Save Belize, Save the Economy and Vote Dem dat deh crowd OUT! The People’s United Party, Leader Francis Fonseca offer Belize hope and a new way forward. He is humble, a listener, grass roots and brings effective leadership to a fresh start.

PUP will lead us off this reef and into promise of Belize’s morning.

The PUP will fix this.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Sunday, February 19, 2012

THE BELIZE TIMES

City resident to sue Citco for destroying property Wednesday, February 15, 2012 An angry Belize City resident has indicated to The Belize Times that she has just about had enough of waiting for this impotent and chancey City Council to replace her concrete fence that it destroyed. The destruction occurred in the middle of January when the Council, with help of Ministry of Works equipment, tore down the fence on Applestar Street after giving her one day’s notice that the fence was built beyond the perimter of the yard.

The family waited for the Councilor who was overseeing the work, Roger Espejo, to come to some amicable solution with them on what the Council would do to rebuild their fence within the boundary, but to no avail. One of the family members has told The Belize Times that Espejo was arrogant when dealing with them and that his unkind comments, followed by total silence since the incident has prompted them to consider filing a lawsuit against him and the Belize City Council.

Up to this time, it has been over a month since the family’s yard has been left exposed as a result of the destruction of their fence and they feel that it is unfortunate that they have to turn to the Courts to deal them justice for something that could have been worked out in friendlier terms.

Less than two months before this wasteful and impotent City Council’s term of office comes to a close, it will go down in the books with one other title -- that of “Chancey”. Just last week as their equipment were doing last minute work on choice Belize City streets in a bid to win votes, it tore down the front portion of a fence of one of the families on Apple Star Street, off Coney Drive. This happened years after the neglected areas, which happen to be the entire City, had been getting by a non-performing council. With a Mayor who is always traveling out of the country, a Deputy who doesn’t know anything more than to give a good shave and trim, a sanitation duo who continue to insult the men and women who clean up the streets by threatening their jobs and

cancelling sanitation contracts, a nonexistent Councilor for parks and playgrounds, and zero accomplishment for the Councilor responsible for streets and infrastructure, who would want to put back another set like them?

The Belize Times received these pictures that prove that the fence was well inside the drain that the work crew redid. While the family does not dispute that the fence was constructed years ago and perhaps stood slightly beyond the perimeter of the other fences, but it was nowhere near what Councilor Roger Espejo said on the airwaves. He claimed that the fence stood nine to ten feet out on the street.

The pictures here show exactly where the fence stood and proves exactly what kind of person Espejo is. When the front of the structure was demolished, it toppled in the drain, exposing the family’s yard. The way in which it was done was demoralising and insensitive. The notice was given, sort of matter-of-factly, and then the bulldozer came and rammed it down, crushing not only the concrete and chain link enclosure, but also the security that it provided for the family over the years.

The family feels insulted by the action because Espejo was on the airwaves right after the incident with totally false statements.

He has said that the Council will replace the fence, but a member of the family had one response to that: “I don’t want a fence that will last until the elections.

I want a decent fence. I could send you my estimate and have my contractor replace my fence. Letters should be going to five different lots on that same street that built their fence off-boundry.” We at this newspaper ask the question, “Why was it that only one family’s fence that was torn down?” Did Espejo turn a blind eye to the others for a particular reason? The aggrieved resident closed off her comments by saying, “Mr. Espejo, do us all a favour - work with the people in Caribbean Shore, not against us.” We at The Belize Times says it doesn’t matter at this late stage what you do. It won’t win you the votes that you’re counting on. Your time at City Hall is just about over.

25

26

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, February 19, 2012

One Rice Picking second February 14, 2012 Belizeans are easy going people. Culturally, the Mennonite are the most quiet, reserved and least likely to be stirred. This faithful sector of our Belizean rainbow keeps sweating away. They earn an honest day pay and live an honest life.

Credibility is in abundant supply with the Mennonite Community.

As the food crisis brought on by the political plague that is UDP has contaminated every corner of the productive sector, the plain spoken community must have been reassured by the fact that they had Penner, a fellow member in UDP Cabinet and a sterling reputation for not rocking any boats or ruffling any feathers.

When BELIZE TIMES and the people of Belize watched rice farmers in the north and south have come out bombing the Barrow administration, it was cause to hold your breath and your dinner plate. Shortly after the UDP held a rent a crowd rally in the heart of Punta Gorda, the truth on the sun soaked backs of Rice farmers was delivered in sacks.

We, at BELIZE TIMES will brandish our respect for these men and re-print verbatim their protest and condemnation.

Established mega producer

Peter Dyck pulled no punch.“We just want to tell the nation of Belize that we stand in solidarity with the farmers in the South. This UDP Government has certainly failed all rice farmers in this country and we feel not only failed, but the whole country of Belize has been failed because rice is a staple in this country and we farmers have a conscience and a passion about growing rice and being misled and failed by a Government is a very serious thing. We are hoping that Government will be changing on March 7 and we are looking forward with optimism that things will change for the better and not for the worse.”

Twenty year businesses are folding as Peter Dyck also said that Uncle John’s Rice operation closed down in November 2011.

Barrow can say all he wants but the truth only comes from honest people and they point the finger at his failed policies as the reason for closure of operations was due to difficulties of cost production contrasted to the price of rice on the local market.

Chairman Dennis Usher of The Toledo Rice, Beans and Corn Association shook his head in abject disappointment and near repulsion: “We also stand in solidar-

ity with the rice farmers up north because we know what they have gone through. We ourselves down south have faced some terrible times, we have been totally neglected and I cannot stop to say it plain, by Mr. Dean Barrow and his administration, I have tried and we have tried. If you look at the condition of our farm roads, it is a disgrace, a total disgrace on those roads. Up to now, the House has been dissolved and the mechanized farmers have not finished collecting their pay for their rice, that is a big shame so it is clear that the farmers are not pleased with what has gone on and I as the Chairman have to stand and speak up that farmers are not pleased and it is clear that Mr. Barrow wants to do the same thing again because he has dissolved the House and have not sit down to tell us how we will get paid this year again. Mr. Coy is still hiding, I am not ashamed to say it, Mr. Eden is still hiding, I don’t know what they are going telling the people but I want to make it absolutely clear that the promise from the Honourable Leader of the Opposition that if he is elected he is going pay the farmers in full and he is going to work on that as soon as he is elected, the condi-

tions of the road will be repaired, that is something that the farmers will appreciate. I want to be very grateful to say to the farmers up north, we are going through the same thing, we stand in solidarity. The farmers up north, farmers down south, farmers all across the country has been neglected

by Mr. Barrow and as I have said I have tried to work with them and all they have done is turn us around and play games and push us aside. Election was called and not one of our answers have been answered, not one single letter Mr. Barrow has answered us, nor Eden Martinez, nor Juan Coy, nor Rene Montero and to me I am upset, they have done nothing and that is a shame.”

I know the cane farmers who witnessed the agents of the Government slaughter an innocent man with no apology also stand in solidarity. The abandoned citrus growers who weathered a bad hurricane alone symbolically pumped their fists in the air too.

Everything we eat on Sunday has gone into a food crisis. Remember potatoes, remember onion, remember flour?

We know who is to blame and we know who will deliver solutions! PUP Delivers!

A NEW VISION

for Caribbean Shores

I always believe the future is going to be better than the past. And I also believe that I have a role in that.

Together we can do better.

vote

DAVID HOY PUP DELIVERS

Sunday, February 19, 2012

27

THE BELIZE TIMES

World Social Justice Day is February 20th!

What is social justice?

It is about respecting the rights and freedoms of everyone, poor or rich, man or woman, adult or child, to create fairness between human beings.

Your race, age, gender, culture and beliefs shouldn’t be used to treat you badly or keep you from enjoying the things that others are able to enjoy.

Mr. Price believed in social justice. Do you?

COLOUR ME!

A Betta Belize fi all Can you find and circle the words below?

H H U F M D C X Q U A H Q F H

U T S X M J M Y K T I Y J X Z

N U I M D N X B R S Z B U U L

D E V J H M Y S W T D G S T Y

J T X W O J Y U P N Y H T N K

O M T H W Z C L X K T O I G B

O P E R S F V R A C E L C J Y

G D Q A H F C F G I I X E M F

S B S K Z E E A M J C N P R H

P F C D E P A I A E O O E E E

AGE BELIEFS CULTURE EVERYONE FAIRNESS FREEDOMS GENDER JUSTICE RACE RESPECTING RIGHTS SOCIAL SOCIETY

L M S T H G I R L Y S E S W R

X D B T L P S N R E D N E G A

A A D D T K A E W O B J S T U

E L U G I R V S M J L V T U X

G N I T C E P S E R U T L U C

28

THE BELIZE TIMES

Love Tax On the 14th of February we celebrated Valentine’s Day. Our hearts, coordinated wardrobes and compulsive spending could be seen all over the country. Beautiful roses and bouquets accompanied by tasty chocolates flooded our homes, schools, and work places. It’s a day of Love, a day of showing appreciation for those who are dear to us.

We all love the feeling of being on the receiving end of a valentine gift, as much as being on the giving side. It gives us a sense of pride, a sense of belonging, a sense of security. This feeling is so important that it is not unheard of that secretly the lonely or unattached purchase gifts for themselves, and even going to the extent of sending it to themselves.

Often the reason for this is to avoid the public embarrassment of not receiving a gift, and the indictment of not having any one who is special!

Although this is valentine season, my hope today is to turn our attention to what is actually being celebrated. We are actually celebrating love, and because God is love, we are then celebrating a very deep, huge, and extremely long lasting reality.

After being married for almost fourteen years you find that love is not only the glue but the fuel for a relationship! I am deeply in love with my beautiful wife, and by the way I am in no way speaking of being ‘emotionally in-love’ although that comprises of quite a percentage of it. In-fact I would like to take this opportunity to request of her to be my valentine for life!

Strange as it may sound to you, I believe that the answer to it lies in the commitment I personally have to the kingdom of God and my being shaped by it. Here goes…I have not found it hard to be committed to my wife faithfully, and to give my love only to her over these number of years. In-fact another deep desire and hope for me is to remain faithfullyin-love for the rest of our lives together, and as the late Whitney Houston sang, “To save all my love for her!”

We must be careful of many things as a people. One of my fears is the careless celebrations of important events such as this one. Valentine is not a light celebration but rather one that goes to the deep fabric and construction of the current ‘type’ of society we have today. Many problems we are facing today are based on the result of love or really, the lack of it. Broken homes and single parenting is almost a hundred percent the root cause of the ills in society. People believe they fall in love and this is enough, while rather, to be honest, you really fall into infatuation! Love may begin with infatuation, but real love is then nurtured, developed and matured in the process of longevity, and the surviving of constant testing or trials. That is why in 1 Corinthians 13 of God’s manual for us, He painfully takes the time to express the depth of what love is. If you are living on emotion in a relationship love is more than likely ‘far’ away. Do not be in a hurry to have sex and to get married. Instead, carefully search and ensure that love is residing at the center of your relationship. Sex and touching quickly hides or conceals the evidences of love. If love is not present you are heading into a ditch at one-hundred miles per hour!

It is true that many men find it hard to be faithful and I have heard ghost after ghost stories of unfaithfulness, yet we jump into sex, relationship, and marriage, without at least carefully checking out the merchandise. I will begin to close off then by saying that celebrating valentine is not proof that someone loves you. If you truly desire a long meaningful relationship then you must look deeper into the person you are seeking to unite with!

I have so much to say but for now let us end with this thought. I believe, as humans continue to celebrate things that are of very little use to us simply to get a temporary “high”.

What do I mean? Allow me to use an example: my eldest daughter was researching for an essay which asked the question: “What would you do if you were the Prime Minister?” She probed me for my view on the topic. Obviously, my response to her was inspired by the Valentine’s hype!

What if we changed the law to say that anyone being faithful to their wife for more than five years would not have to pay income tax. The requirement to pay income tax would only resume if the marital fidelity was broken. Now, this sort of thing would have a much greater impact than the flimsily celebration of a “love day”!

It would encourage faithfulness in relationships, effectively destroying a majority of issues the society currently faces. Even so rather than spending the money to care for the prisoners (products of broken families), it would go towards rewarding and encouraging faithful unions! Everyone wins.

I pray you spent a Happy Valentine’s Day but for the rest of the year let us celebrate what is really behind this celebration LOVE. God Bless

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Sunday, February 19, 2012

THE BELIZE TIMES

THINK ABOUT IT Tide turning The tide is coming from the south and from the north. And there is a cross tide from the west. Political sea is rising. The PUP has cause to feel good. All indications are they will take the majority seats down south, up north and out west. We talking at least six to seven seats.

Adding to the existing six that brings the PUP to thirteen seats.

On to this thirteen add Dolores and Patti. That brings fifteen.

The battle is in Belize Rural North. Rufus will take away seats from the dishonest UDP candidate.

And so it will be up to the one and only Saldivar. If Saldivar comes through, as all the safe bets are saying, then the first shall be last and the last shall be first.

Sergeant Walton At the gymnasium by Prince Street, Belize City, word is that there is a Police officer, a Sergeant known as Walton who is benchpressing close to 500lbs. Yes, five hundred pounds of weight.

That is awesome.

Listening to this story, two things come to mind. The first is that for all his fancy talk Police Minister Singh who started his portfolio criticizing fat police men (why is he watching policemen bodies); he never obtained a gym or exercise equipment for the Police.

There was a time when the Police had a proper gym and a canteen so they could recreate and obtain refreshments and a snack or meal at their own compound. Now you see Police from Queen Street buying greasy chicken and some getting hot dogs, unhealthy food.

Second, is that we civilians need to live a “more healthier” lifestyle.

Dr. Michael DeShield, on learning of his illness, had started preaching to all his friends to exercise, eat healthy and drink plenty of water.

These are wise words. We should follow them.

Body 2000 Gym on Coney Drive seems to be packed in the evenings but it is mostly good looking women looking after their shape and some men seeking to bulk up for the ladies. Nothing wrong with that.

Exercise, eat healthy and drink plenty water.

Whitney Houston Whitney Houston is dead at 48

of age. She was found in a hotel bathroom with bottles of pills.

Whitney was on cocaine and her mother had forced her to do rehab.

Like most of her fans this writer is of the view that ex-husband Bobby Brown brought about her drug addiction. He confessed that both of them spent days in front the television snorting cocaine.

Whitney was an original Diva.

Her smile was as bright as the full moon over Belize City. It lit up everything. She sold more than 170 million albums. Few singers had the range and power of her voice.

She took Dolly Parton’s country song and made it an international anthem. It was number one everywhere in the world where English music is played-“I will always love you.”

Neo-Colonial Government Recent official information showed that over six hundred thousand board feet of mahogany was exported last year.

Over eight hundred thousand board feet of rosewood was sold to outside interests last year and over two and a quarter million board feet of timber left our country.

They are cutting out and selling out our precious lumber.

What money was obtained was a pittance to what we could get by taking these varieties of woods and doing value added. This means making chairs, tables, beds, and ornaments instead of just exporting the raw lumber.

Belize is still so back-ward.

The government has no vision of how to create jobs and bringing in foreign exchange.

Caleb loses Respect Invited by the student body of Galen University, the UNIBAM spokesman lost his cool when question time arrived. The outspoken spokesperson, then challenged a male student to come up on the stage and kiss him to prove that student was not homosexual. All hell broke loose.

Marcel Cardona The story of Marcel Cardona’s political demise is also the story of the arrogance of the UDP leader.

With a little patience and less hubris, Cardona could have been disciplined for “sounding off” over the

secret contract signed by Dianne Haylock. Cardona did nothing wrong.

Yet he lost his cabinet position. Was relegated to the back bench and then completely disrespected in the Area where he was democratically elected and was responsible as the Constitutional Area Representative.

Taxpayers monies were given along with other resources, to the political aspirant while the elected Area Rep was pappyshowed.

Strangely, the mainstream media looked the other way as this strange behavior of the government and the abuse of its power with tax payers’ money were conducted.

As expected Cardona’s swan song was long and passionate and allowed him to get some of the hurt and anger off his chest.

It was a lesson in one way to humiliate and destroy a young, upcoming politician. One who was not at fault by ran afoul of raw political power and abuse by his leader.

Raymond & Andrea get Married On the last day of the year; at a beautiful setting close to Belmopan; in a place called El Ranchito Resort; under rainy skies; with proud and loving parents and over a hundred and fifty supportive guests; love was in the air.

Not just love but love that encloses marriage.

Andrea Shannon Gillett exchanged wedding vows with Raymond Salazar in the presence of Andrea’s Mommy Ruby Valerie Gillett and Raymond’s Mom Emelia Salazar. Best man was Wayne Salazar and ring bearer was Raymond Salazar Jr. Wedding ceremonies are such

29 delightful and hope filled occasions . It is also good and wholesome to see young persons taking on the responsibilities of marriage and doing so out of love.

May the union last the lifetime of Raymond and Andrea and may they be blest with happiness.

Eric Usher On the first day of the new year Eric Usher left this earth for a much better place.

He was born on 21st December, 1924 and lived a full and honorable life. He also served in the Volunteer Army.

He is survived, among his many children, by his illustrious son Ed Peter Usher, Leonard Usher, Alfred Usher, Marlon Usher, John Usher and others whose name escape at this moment.

Just say “No” If you thought the referendum on oil drilling was dead, think again.

Like Lazarus, it may just come out of the grave.

A fairly brilliant idea has surfaced. One of the organizers of the movement to have Belizeans express their views as to whether we should drill for oil off shore is going to hold a referendum.

The referendum will be held countrywide on the same day as General Elections. The issue will be on a separate ballot paper, issued and supervised by impartial monitors. It will have nothing to do with the biased anti-referendum UDP government.

It is understood that the Peoples United Party fully supports and endorses the civil society groups who are promoting this important part of democratic consultation.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Another Business Mogul in trouble All the think tanks and patriots on the Blue Team are focused on jumpstarting this economy and creating jobs. We understand that business is the life blood of progress, democracy progress and peace. We are all either employers or employees.

As the Chamber of Commerce and Industry watch members of its flank fall one by one at the hands of an economically dysfunctional administration, we see that the experts both local and international, degreed or drop out, are sure that the UDP has no answers. That is certain; if we study the UDP we will never graduate.

But sentimentally, BELIZE TIMES listened to a Wednesday night talk show panelist who reported that the Better Business Bureau had fifty per cent of its members go bankrupt or out of business.

No one needs to tell the average Belizean that. Malic is history. Historical memorabilia store Singhs went belly up. Croc Land went extinct. Archie’s on Central American Boulevard is being gutted after the proprietor was hammered out of business. The Wood Depot in Belmopan had to face the embarrassment of a televised fall. HL’s served his last burger with a side of bankruptcy.

Who would imagine that one of Belize’s long standing water holes for the affluent would seek the reef of hard times?

Yes, the Pickwick Club, took its banging in the economic disasters of the UDP administration.

Now the BELIZE TIMES has confirmed that the biggest and popular business house in the Free Zone and Albert Street is being foreclosed on. Leaving the well-respected owner in a tailspin. More to come on that development story next week.

But as we hold our breath as a nation waiting for Barrow to disappear at six o’clock on March 7, we are reminded by another businessman who visited the BELIZE TIMES this evening, that Belizeans need to put things in perspective.

“Look, he said, if BEL which was a giant multi million dollar MONOPOLY was having financial hardship to the point where they cried on the shoulders of GOB, what do you think of all the small competing stores, things have to be horrible!”

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Humor in UDP Politics!

Di Smell “e self” Funny thing is Doc is afraid that since Dean O is already suffering hallucinations, the combination could very well send him over the edge. We hear that Barrow was complaining of pain and Dr. Alaine Gonzalez of “Killer Huesner” fame ran up trying to offer free unsolicited medical advice. It is said that Barrow looked down the trunk of his nose in scorn, hissed his teeth and walked away shaking his head.

Armani eye bags By nomination day, the bags under Dean Oliver’s eyes could neatly hold all the cash he has doled out to his lovey dovey baby mama Loisy. We hear the man has been pestering the Doc for some sleeping aids. He needs a brand that will not counteract the cocktails of back pain meds.

Restitution Checks And if the phobia of the return of democracy to Belize after March 7, 2012 were not enough to have the nervous fellow break out in hives, we understand he is being kept awake by nauseating “OMG” text messages from Loisy’s million dollar home phone plan. See, that bedraggled lady might be a little loopy from the application of excessive hair treatments, but her eyesight is 20/20 and she is seeing the writing on the wall. Don’t get me wrong…

Loisy isn’t concerned about her man muffin getting kicked out of office, but she sure as hell is going to miss the greenbacks flooding into her account.

Oh what big…you have A man walks up to Barrow and says did you get your nose done? Barrow says “why yes, how did you know?”

The man says I went to the same doctor but he was out of the Squidward/Sponge Bob special he gave you. Barrow snapped back angrily “imagine that, and he told me he could not finish mine so he just put this manatee on my face.”

Call Sharon “fi he” They might be doing it for different reasons, but Saint Sedi and Erwincito seem hell bent on giving Belize to Guatemala one way or another. Whenever the white bearded monk gets close to officials from Guatemala, he does everything but invite them to wrap up the jewel in a neat little package and take it back to Guate with them.

Flies on the wall argue that a BERT ambulance had to be rushed to the meeting room when the Guatemalan

representative heard Sedi volunteer the possibility offering the Guatemalan trespassers trucks of money for breaking our laws and trespassing. At first he thought it was the language barrier but we heard that a guy Hubert, sent a note saying “it is not only Spanish that is his problem, he is terrible at English too. We just convinced him of what “artificial” means yesterday, and we will teach him about colors tomorrow so por favor bare with him.” Rumors are that longwinded attorney was so much in the Pitts about it that she spent hours hiding in the scorn di earth patch outside, with eggs in her hands to stone the stupid out of Saint Sedi. She is described by police as confused, incoherent and a danger to innocent baby eggs.

Erwincito Lindo on the other hand seems to want to over-deposit parts of Guatemala into Belize…at least for election purposes. The man sure does love his little joints in El Peten, where he sings karaoke and hangs out with upright citizens named Conchita, Maria, Rosita and all their cousins LOL…that boy sure doesn’t discriminate – he claims that while they might live in Guatemala and sleep in Guatemala and eat in Guatemala, they will vote in Belize…and that’s all that counts.

D-Complex Dean Oliver is going after the lady from Lake Independence with a fury. Can’t figure out what the insipid fellow has against women. Does he feel threatened by them, maybe? What is the opposite of that complex, something envy? Yes that one the opposite of Oedipus complex.

Tweddly P and Tweedly Nasty Word on the ground is that Pablo Marin and foul tongue Juliet were driving down to Punta Gorda to attend the UDP rally, the morning after it was held. While driving in his heated seat, AC on blast, Pablo drove on half of the iron sticks that Boots put up and called the Kendall bridge. Julet shouted at him saying “weh u di do mi bally??!!” Pablo meekly says “I am imagining the possibility that this is the finished Kendal Bridge” Juliet claps him upside the head and says “I imagine you no gat no sense.”

Juliet Nightie Seriously, who set up Easy Glen to go and raid Juliet “delicates” drawer. The UDP look like they “tief” all a her nightie made of that shinny dacron and heng them up on our lamppost as UDP signs. Somebody please go and take them down, Yellowman seh “they must dry by now”.

Referendum still on Belize City, Belize, February 14, 2012 On Friday, February 24, all registered voters of Belize will be able to go to the polls to vote on the issue of offshore oil exploration and drilling as the Belize Coalition to Save our Natural Heritage will be carrying out a national People’s Referendum which will allow all registered Belizeans to vote on the issue. The Coalition is aiming at capturing the opinion of at least 10% of the registered voters.

The People’s Referendum gives voice to the thousands of Belizeans who never got a chance to vote when the offshore referendum triggered under the Referendum Act was derailed on the basis of unverifiable signatures. The unverified signatures were largely based on inconsistencies between signatures on the record cards at the Election and Boundaries Office and the signatures on the petition forms.

The Coalition calls on all registered voters to stay tuned to local stations to

hear where the voting booth will be located in their area. Anyone wishing to volunteer or donate in kind or cash can call 223-7266 or email: coalitioncoordinator@ apamo.net or contact any Coalition member in your area.

The Belize Coalition to Save our Natural Heritage remains committed to achieving a ban on oil exploration in Belize’s offshore and in the protected areas, and all its member organizations remain united in the fight to achieve a ban.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, February 19, 2012