Belize Times, February 3, 2013

03 FEB SCAN HERE

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The Belize Times THE BELIZE TIMES

Established 1957

03 FEB 2013

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The Truth Shall Make You Free

ISSUE NO: 4030

www.belizetimes.bz

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TEACHERS

make DEMANDS Pg. 10 Over 3,000 Teachers stood in defiance of UDP intimidation and victimization to send a clear message that they demand their overdue salary adjustment

GOB launches scare tactics HON. FRANCIS VISITS TOLEDO

Unions say Salary Increase is Possible!

APSSM President Jose Castellanos

Pg. 7

exposes misuse of millions Belize City, January 28, 2013 The Unions have had to show the Barrow Administration how the salary increases for teachers and public officers can be a reality.

Page 4

Pg. 3

UB Students Protest Subsidy Cut

Coach Sherrier returns Page 31

PUP Leader Hon. Francis Fonseca spent time listening to the concerns of hundreds of Belizeans during his visit to the Toledo District

FOLLOW US! on the social media

2 02

No excuses, give the teachers what they deserve!

Dear Editor, Recently, I read some comments/ blogs written by some individuals who apparently do not understand that the jewel is currently experiencing a very serious leadership crisis. We have leaders with no representation of the populace. A classic example is the current state of affairs of the educa-

tional system. It is obviously apparent that the current leadership and the bunch of buffoons in Belmopan have no vision for the jewel. All they can focus on is how to raise taxes and wreak havoc on tax payers.

It is very sad and unfortunate that so many people are so ignorant and do not have a clue as to what

Who let the dogs out?

Dear Editor, In all forms of government and particularly in democracies the State holds a monopoly on the use of force. The right to use deadly force is afforded to ordinary citizens in a very narrow set of circumstances such as self defence and the defence of one’s property. Since it is the State that holds the monopoly on the use of force citizens rightfully expect that in exercising this monopoly the Government (and by extension its agents) will act with restraint and within the confines of the law. Where they fail to do so swift and appropriate actions must be taken to deal with the offenders in order to prevent the emergence of a culture of abuse.

The brutal slaying of the George Street Four and the subsequent accusation that it was the Gang Suppression Unit (agents of the State) who perpetuated this unprecedented act is cause for grave concern. However you may feel about the four men, and about George Street, and about gangs in general, the undeniable fact is that four men were MURDERED; allegedly at the hands of the State. Though we all hope that the allegations are false the truth is that some elements of the security forces have become more and more abusive towards the Belizean

LOCAL 1 Feb

03 FEB

THE BELIZE TIMES

people over the last decade. The political masters of the security forces seem either unwilling or unable to effectively address this issue. It is therefore in this context that the allegations against the State, in relation to the George Street Four, have taken on the traction that it has.

The sad reality in all of this, besides the lost of four lives, is that there are many good and decent members of the Police Department who make great sacrifices on our behalf on a daily basis. These officers deserve to have this ugly veil of accusation removed from the Department because for as long as these allegations remain in place and disproved it sullies the reputation and standing of all Police officers.

The Government thus far has done little to satisfy the Belizean people beyond a shadow of a doubt that the security forces were not involved.

The Government seems to have taken the legal premise that he who accuses must prove. But this matter is not before a court of law, it is before the court of public opinion and in this court the burden of proof has shifted to the accused (the State).

If one wishes to be honest, then one has to agree that the manner in

is going on in the jewel and its educational system. Clearly, if teachers are incompetent, lacking certain desired training and are unable to pass the National Teachers’ exam, this is a reflection of the quality of leadership and the educational system. In reality this exemplifies the management and the managers’ incompetence. From the top to the bottom, including the minister of education.

What is even worse is we have a bunch of idiots and a minister of education who consistently blames the past Government/leadership for the current issues and state of affairs in a failing system. Obviously, they are unable to deal with the current issues. The current Minister of Education has been at the helm for almost six years now and yet all he talks about is the past leadership. Apparently, he has no vision for teachers and the educational

system.

Furthermore, this current G.O.B has money to pay cronies heavy fees for consultation, legal representation in court, lump sums for political purposes during Xmas and the election year coupled with money to pacify the gang leaders.

Lastly, what happened to the money from the oil revenues? Have they wasted, stole and squandered that too.

By all means the teachers deserve an increase; teaching is not an easy job. Society cannot function any better than what teachers’ performance are, teachers are the backbone and builders of society. In short, this is downright shame and disgrace of the present leadership of government. They need to stop the name calling and blaming of what was, take control govern/lead.

Signed, Retired CEO

which the Government has handled this matter so far is troubling. It appears that the State decided the very same day of the murders, without even a preliminary investigation, that the allegations of Police involvement are false. The conduct of a Police-led investigation would therefore be futile since in the words of the Commissioner of Police he does not believe that his officers “would resort to those sorts of things”. He went on further to state that he is “certain that the investigation if it is successful would disprove that belief” meaning the belief held by the residents of George Street. In the world of international diplomacy there is a widely subscribed to tenet: trust but verify! The COMPOL may have every right to place his trust in his officers but he owes the Belizean people a duty to verify that none of his officers were involved in these murders. However, in the face of these statements by the COMPOL how can the Belizean people feel confident that any investigation conducted by the Police into the allegations made by the residents of George Street will be fair and thorough?

The murder of any of our citizens is a great crime against the State but the murder of citizens at the hands of the State is a matter that threatens the very foundation

of a democracy. Given the public pandemonium that was created by the George Street murders and the subsequent charges levied against the State, the Government owes the Belizean people a thorough and independent investigation into this matter. LFS Burnham (of Guyana) once said “only the master can call off the dogs”. The Belizean people need to know whose dogs were out on the night of January 7, 2013.

Plain and simple.

Signed: Major Lloyd Jones

3 Feb

THE BELIZE TIMES serving Belize since 1957 as the longest continuous newspaper.

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

Alberto Vellos LAYOUT/GRAPHIC ARTIST

Chris Williams OFFICE ASSISTANT

Roberto Peyrefitte Printed and Published By The Belize Times Press Ltd.

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03 FEB

2013

THE BELIZE TIMES

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UB Students Protest Subsidy Cut Belize City, January 29, 2013 About 300 students walked out of their classrooms at the University of Belize Belmopan Campus on Monday January 28th morning to participate in a protest against the Ministry of Education’s recently announced subsidy cut to the University of Belize.

The removal of the subsidy will cause student fees to increase by over 100% per semester, from $185 to almost $450. This will affect all new students as of January 2013.

The protest was organised by the UB Student Government Belmopan Campus, following another unsuccessful appeal from the Association of Student Governments to the Minister via a letter sent last week. The Student Government did not get a positive response from the Minister of Education Patrick Faber, signalling his refusal to review the Ministry’s decision.

The Minister did disclose in media interviews this week, however, that he had received the letter, but that the position is irrevocable. He called the subsidy “reckless spending” and said it had become unaffordable for the Ministry. He also launched a personal attack on the President

of the UB Association of Student Government and also the Belmopan Campus, Hope Amadi, for leading his students to protest.

Amadi and the Association of Student Governments say the Ministry decided to cut the subsidy without consulting the students who will be negatively affected.

They also say the decision does not consider the socio-economic realities of our country, referring to the increase in the cost of living, and unemployment and poverty rates which have been on the rise. They argue that increasing the cost of education, especially at the tertiary level, will make education less affordable.

The Association also reminded the Minister that when he was seeking to become an elected official five years ago, he met with the students in Belize City and pledged that if he were the Minister of Education, he would fight for an increase in the subsidy for the University and that education would be more affordable.

But Faber has denied this, and the hundreds of students who remember Faber’s rhetoric are calling this a shameful deceit.

It is not known whether the student governments from the other two campuses, Belize City and Toledo, will organise themselves to sup-

San Pedro resident fatally stabbed in nightclub San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, January 28, 2012 San Pedro Police officials are investigating the case of a vicious stabbing that occurred inside a nightclub on the island in the early morning hours of Saturday, January 26, 2013.

25 year old Byron Estrada Espat was seen stumbling, bleeding profusely, until he collapsed on the floor, shocking the patrons of the Daddy Rock Night Club. He was rushed to the polyclinic, but died shortly after.

Espat had almost two dozen stab wounds to his neck, chest and back, say the Police.

Witnesses say Espat had gone to the bathroom where it seemed he was ambushed by an armed attacker. When he exited the bathroom, he was already fatally injured.

The victim’s family says Espat was involved in an argument earlier on Friday. They say he went to the nightclub accompanied by a female person.

The family is concerned that

Byron Estrada Espat the attack was a hit on them. In June last year, the victim’s young brother’s body, 18 year old Charlie Espat and his friend’s 17 year old Daniel Alamilla, were found decomposed and buried in a bushy area in Santa Martha Village in the Orange Walk District.

They also say that they have received death threats that they will all be killed one by one.

port their Association of Student Governments.

Monday’s protest began at the UB Campus and then moved through the streets of the capital city before assembling at the steps of the National Assembly, directly in front of the Ministry of Education office. Neither the Minister nor his Chief Executive Officer was in office at the time, reportedly, but

it didn’t stop the modest-sized crowd of students from chanting “No Fee Increase!” and rallying for more affordable education.

The UB Student Government has indicated that Monday’s protest is the first action, until the Minister adjusts his position to one which fully considers the plight of Belize’s young people.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Unions say Salary Increase is Possible!

Continued from page 1

President of the Association of Public Service Senior Managers Jose Castellanos has proven that the Government’s mistreatment of Union leaders as an uneducated bunch that doesn’t comprehend economic numbers is hogwash.

Castellanos, who is now known as the numbers guru, revealed that over the past five years the Government has burdened the public finances with over $100 million to hire contract officers and political appointments.

“For the next four years, it is at least $150 [million] so by the time the government changes, you will have spent $300 million dollars on that lane [contract officers and CEOs] that doesn’t have regulations,” remarked Castellanos.

The Unions have also had to go on the offensive to defend their salary increases, in light of an aggressive Government campaign of misinformation. At Tuesday’s demonstration in Belmopan, Union leaders lashed

out at the Government for misleading the public.

Castellanos said his analysis was carried out with the same Government data, but the results are different. The Government is denying the ability to afford the salary increase because according to them it is not feasible. But Castellanos says his crunching of the numbers indicates that there is growth in the economy; that the nation’s savings and reserves are healthy and that debt servicing will become manageable.

So why else deny the increase?

Government’s other excuse is that they have been granting a 2.5% increment to teachers and public officers, and over the past years it has accumulated to an amount exceeding the cost of living.

The inflation rate, according to Government figures, has been 2.5% per annum over the past eight years.

The Statistical Institute of Belize, which is funded by Government, points out that in 2009 inflation was negative and 1% in 2010. But Cas-

tellanos says the reality Belizeans face tells a different picture than the “official” numbers.

“We know the reality is not that and we have the evidence to say that that is not so. Let’s look at the real figures. Take the price of rice; it went up from 80 cents to $1.25 over a period of six years.

That is 63% inflation as opposed to what the paper inflation says, 17%.

Look at corn; it went from 25 cents to 52 cents. These are not my figures; these are public information.

108% inflation, not the 17% percent according to the 2.5% each year. Beef, the same trend—$3.00 to $4.00—that’s 33% percent inflation. Again not the two 2.5 % per annum. Poultry which is $1.55 per pound; that’s what you used to pay for poultry in 2005. Now you have to pay more than $2.60.

That’s 70% inflation. Friends, this has ramifications,” stated Castellanos.

The ramifications are that once the cost of living skyrockets

03 FEB

2013 with no amelioration whatsoever to workers, their purchasing power will diminish, creating economic unsustainability.

Castellanos said this is why they are asking for a 30% salary adjustment, but not all at once.

“The proposal is for a 30% salary adjustment for loss of purchasing power experienced over the last 10 years. Now the Unions are conscious of government’s financial situation and those are proposing the adjustment be spread over a period of 3 years. It is important to note that the Unions have always maintained flexibility in terms of the rate and the time frame for implementing the salary adjustment,” said the APSSM President.

He added on Tuesday, “We’re not asking the Government to go and borrow, we’re saying it will come out of forecasted growth. We will finish this on Friday, we can get a salary increase and it can come without an increase in taxation”.

With the Unions having shown muscle and strength with their large demonstration, the ball is now in the court of the Government.

The boys in Belmopan can no longer expect to continue to throw out figures without it being scrutinised and called out for its falsehood.

03 FEB

2013

THE BELIZE TIMES

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Lesson In Fear

“Governments should be afraid of their people. People shouldn’t be afraid of their government.”

This is how Alan Moore saw it; while Thomas Jefferson preferred to warn that “A government afraid of its citizens is a Democracy. Citizens afraid of government is tyranny!”

The UDP is not afraid of the people.

If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the voice of the people is the voice of God, then the Government would be foolish to remain with their chin in the air, chest out and heart hardened.

But we are talking of the UDP government and they have not the fear of God in them. In the long term, teachers and public servants are the surest agents to inflict the anguish of political vengeance.

Today, the government sits uneasily bunkered in the eye of this hurricane that is the Union’s threat of industrial action. Those two days, following the muscular protest in Belmopan by over three thousand teachers, provided an important window for the Government. With the benefit of that time, the Government’s next move has been to use its tactics of infiltration to activate the UDP agents within the Union hierarchy.

Next, they launched a Hiroshimic blast to divide and conquer who they could not systematically intimidate or victimize.

They have calculated that the Unions have played their “biggest” card in taking to placards and ‘Negro spiritual’ hymns. Barrow is gambling that the leadership and membership of the Unions will be undone by exhaustion and revert to their conservative moorings. He calculates that they will lap their tails between their legs and crawl back into the chalky classrooms despite how or what they are told on Friday.

In listening to the language of both sides, no good news is immediately ahead for the teachers and public servants. We say this because the rhetoric of the politicians and government authorities has been sharp and resolved, “No”. Surely, the Government will bank on the financial frailties of the individual union members and the latent fear that invariably descends if they are able to drag out the “negotiations”.

The battleground currently is time. Manipulation of time is the hotly sought commodity of both sides. Time will compromise the strategic advantage of the Unions while expanding that time will certainly reduce the government’s exposure to further embarrassment. Time inflicts game ending damage to the progress and success of the Union as it fades away the public’s attention span and sympathy as well as membership momentum. The combination of these elements is what secures the Unions with high grounds of attack in the negotiations. Their absence is fatal and the Government knows this.

Their strategy is not to resolve the financial suffering of the teachers, but rather to have this commotion go away. The “little breeze” approach does not work with teachers. The long-term danger is that the Government just wants to save political face which translates to their feigning of shallow appeasements to mob of teachers. This is why the mayor of Belmopan can mock the teachers as they pass, in his pretense of support.

This is why the Minister of Education can paradoxically say that he believes teachers should get a salary adjustment, but he “ain’t gonna give it”.

The Government’s response is arrogant, myopic and dry to the point that it is frequently blurted out amongst the vile of Freudian slips. Ministers publicly and openly forecast that any upcoming talks are guaranteed to end with no salary adjustment to the Union membership. The Prime Minister and his Government have accused the Unions of being disingenuous and have condescendingly described their campaign as just “noise”.

One clear sign that the Government will ultimately prove unable to satisfy the Union demands is the fact that Dean Barrow has removed himself from the front line. Barrow only moves away from the spotlight when that position is marked for failure. This is why Barrow announced

the “gang truce” but Mark King declared its failure. That is why Barrow announced the appropriation of BEL but Dr. Leroy Almendarez of the PUC later told us light bills will go up by 17%. This is why Barrow sent three Ministers to negotiate with the Union, rather than going himself. This is telling and disrespectful as the public recalls that Barrow personally returned to the country in September of 2011 to appease the gangs after the GSU had brutalized members of the George Street Gang.

It is ironic but the Unions must demand to be treated with the same level of respect as the criminal gangs in Belize. The difference between the criminal gangs and the Unions is the instrument of fear.

The Unions must sharpen this weapon and wield it with surgical confidence or they will be ignored, abused, and dismissed.

The Union leadership and its membership must be commended and congratulated for the high discipline and unified sense of purpose which they have shown so far in expressing their previously silenced suffering. The organization of the protest and the leadership has been superb. It shows only, however, that the teachers have the potential to be formidable. The government will not respect them until they take a position and follow with action to change the perception that this is just a prissy bluff.

The fight of the Union is a patriotic one. It is a fight that is really bigger than just salary adjustments. It is about democracy, honesty, reality, frustration, the pursuit of happiness, quality of life and the condemnation of corruption and hypocrisy.

The political plunge which splashed into the day of protest by the Unions in Belmopan on Tuesday should be of grave concern for the Government. Like the 2005 protests, it marks the beginning of the end of their administration. This is dangerous because less than a year has passed into their new term. Yet what the analysts have noted is that the current unraveling of the UDP and their descent into an unpopular and no-confidence vote is exactly timed to the five year period since they took the reins of power in 2008. These early outbreaks of crises and discontent mean that their survival for the full five years is bleak.

It is not so much that the people are pendulum druggies and fickle minded, as a miscalculating pundit once dubbed them. Rather it is that after five years, immature politicians begin to show diminishing returns and, with Belizeans, after you cross that line, there is no turning back.

It is in the Government’s interest then to down play the Union’s protest and to dismantle the muscle of the union. But as the mob gets bigger from COLA’s six to UB’s two hundred to BNTU’s three thousand, the fear of the Government swells and it is only then that we can keep this UDP Government honest until we can get them out.

Our respect to the Unions. The teachers have shown that the public has a lot to learn from them. We urge them to remain strong and keep up the fight to put the fear of God in the hearts of oppressors. In this case the strategy has to be for the Unions to exact fear rather than love from the Government. This strategy will only succeed if they are united and the country remains united with them.

We end in the lyrics of the Old Union song: “When the Union Inspiration through the workers blood shall run. There can be no power greater anywhere beneath the sun. Yet what force is weaker than the feeble strength of one? THE UNION MAKES US STRONG!”

6 06 2013 Dolores – Always with the People!

03 FEB

THE BELIZE TIMES

US Ambassador H.E. Vinai K. Thummalapally, Sharon Matola and Hon. Dolores cut ribbon to new Visitor’s Center Belize District, January 21, 2013 Belize Rural Central Area Representative Dolores Balderamos Garcia continues her outreach within her constituency.

On December 12, 2012 Dolores attended and participated in the opening ceremony for the

PUP congratulates teachers January 30, 2013 The People’s United Party congratulates the teachers of Belize on their successful demonstration which took place on Tuesday the 29th of January, 2013. The demonstration was respectful and peaceful, yet a powerful show of people power and unity.

The People’s United Party (PUP) stands in solidarity with all teachers, public officers, students, and other hard-working Belizeans who have had to grapple with unprecedented inflation and a sharp increase in the cost of living, while at the same time seeing no reciprocal adjustments to their salaries.

The PUP calls upon the Government to immediately meet, dialogue and negotiate with the unions in an effort to arrive at a middle ground that is mutually beneficial to all parties involved. Our teachers, public officers and students deserve no less.

The PUP also calls upon the Government to make every effort at reducing wasteful spending, and is insisting on full accountability in the use of Government’s resources.

(Press Release)

Dolores with Shaphon Domingo who utilized the wheelchair access to view the Lucky Boy Exhibit

new Gerald Durrell Visitors Center at the Belize Zoo as well as the ribbon cutting for the Seniors, Handicapped, Elderly and Disabled Friendly Walkways and the Lucky Boy Black Jaguar Exhibit.

In the New Year on January 14 she visited the Hattieville Government Pre-School and handed over a standing fan for the children and teachers Rhonda Rhaburn and

Hon. Dolores hands over sports donation to St. Agnes Anglican School

Shermaine King.

Earlier that morning she visited the Children, Principal and Teachers of Saint Agnes Anglican School of La Democracia and Mahogany Heights, and after a tour of the classrooms and other facilities and holding discussions, she donated a basketball and a football for the students’ use.

Having noticed that there was

also the need at the Zoo for a wheelchair for visitors and an access bathroom facility, Dolores approached Zoo Director Sharon Matola with the offer of a donation, and on January 11 she presented a cheque for $500 to Ms. Matola and Tony Garel of the Belize Zoo. Hon. Dolores Balderamos-Garcia is the real deal in Belize Rural Central.

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03 FEB

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

07 7

Honourable

Francis Fonseca visits Toledo District

HAVE HOPE! The PUP will Serve The People

8 08

THE BELIZE TIMES

House of Rep. Mace bearer shows no respect Belize City, January 25, 2013 While the Belize City Council is preparing to impose new laws and penalties to force pedestrians to use the overpass at the Phillip Goldson entrance, there is a great need for the elected body to enforce the existing regulations.

One such case involves UDP crony and hired Macebearer for the House of Representative Brian “Yellowman�

Audinette who was caught and photographed by a vigilant resident urinating in public.

Audinette parked his GOB-assigned pickup truck in front of the Heritage Bank on Princess Margaret Drive around midday on Friday and exited his vehicle to urinate right there! Total disrespect! The location is next to the Belize Elementary Primary School and at least four other schools are in the immediate area. The Karl Heusner Me-

morial Hospital and Social Security Board office sit right in front.

The BELIZE TIMES is appalled by this kind of behaviour by an official of the Government of Belize who sits inside the National Assembly. We expose this shameful act not to engage in pettiness, but because it is evidence that those in authority under the UDP feel they are above the law.

Not so! These persons must take caution that their vile behaviour will not be condoned, but condemned loudly.

03 FEB

2013

09 9 TEACHERS’ AND PUBLIC OFFICERS’ 03 FEB

2013

THE BELIZE TIMES

Demonstration in Belmopan

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THE BELIZE TIMES

03 FEB

2013

TEACHERS make DEMANDS

Belize City, February 1, 2013

Reliable sources have informed the BELIZE TIMES that Prime Minister Dean Barrow has refused to give the requested 30% salary adjustment to the Unions when the parties met today in Belmopan.

The meeting followed days of tension between the Government and the largest and most powerful Unions who have used up their patience for a salary increase promised to them by Prime Minister Dean Barrow when he was the opposition leader five years ago.

That tension between the Unions and GOB has been at an all-time high, with Ministers launching personal attacks against Union leaders on the UDP radio station, several Politicians using intimidating tactics to scare Union members, and the Government abusing its authority in the public service to punish Unions leaders who have been instrumental in building momentum for the workers.

One such Union leader is the Association of Public Service Senior Managers President Jose Castellanos who reportedly handed in a withdrawal letter, abruptly removing himself from the negotiations with Government. Castellanos, who works as a Policy Analyst in the Ministry of Natural Resources, was targeted by GOB in a letter inquiring about “absences” in which he reportedly was conducting “union work”. Castellanos was reportedly on vacation leave during those times.

Meanwhile, on the UDP radio station bully politician UDP Minister John Saldivar launched his own scare tactics against the teachers, threatening to go “all the way to

their houses” to “talk to them” if he needed to.

This antagonism from the UDP Government is in response to the massive demonstration with over 3,000 teachers on Monday. The march was led by the Belize National Teachers Union and included support from their counterparts including the Association of Public Service Senior Managers and the Public Service Union.

The Government has been successful at subduing the Unions by inviting them to a “Joint Negotiations Team” along with three Ministers.

This team has been meeting since September 8th, 2008, but its purpose was clearly to dissuade and delay any talks of a salary increase.

Those “talks” broke down when on January 10th, 2013 almost five years after, when Minister of Education Patrick Faber stormed into a meeting and told Union leaders that the Government was in absolutely no position to give a salary increase. The Union reports that Faber instructed that they return with the request in “three years”.

Up to Tuesday morning, the Minister of Education Patrick Faber was singing off the same song sheet as he declared that the Government does not have the resources. Faber was no more optimistic after the Cabinet on Tuesday afternoon.

The Unions have said that over the past five years the cost of living has increased by some 30%.

But their salaries have remained the same. They are asking for their purchasing power to be adjusted, placing it on par with the steady increase in the cost of living.

If the request for a salary adjustment isn’t awarded by the Prime Minister, the Unions have warned that the demonstration held on Tuesday,

January 29th was just a preview of what is to come.

The message was heard countrywide. Tuesday morning dozens of buses made their way to the capital. To frustrate the teachers, the Police were instructed by their bosses in Belmopan to increase the number of checkpoints on the highways causing a delay in the arrival of teachers in Belmopan. But it didn’t deter them.

Once their numbers gathered outside of the Belmopan Comprehensive, the teachers began marching along the Ring Road with placards. They strode through the main street, shouting loudly, demanding their salary adjustment and pledging solidarity to their cause.

The demonstration moved to the National Assembly steps, on Independence Hill, where Union officials addressed the gathering and allowed other organisations who are in support to rally the crowd.

When addressing the crowd, BNTU National President Luke Palacio told the teachers that their stand was a dignified one, because teachers are deserving of it. He spoke of the difficult environments teachers must work in yet the remuneration is not satisfactory.

“We have to be doctors, nurses and police officers because they removed corporal punishment and replaced it with nothing. We live in fear inside our class because of the Minister’s decision,” remarked Palacio.

PSU President, Marvin Blades, reminded the teachers that the last time they received a salary increase was twelve years ago, in 2001. Since then, Blades pointed out, the prices of commodities such as fuel and essential services such as electricity and fuel have in-

creased.

Blades added that when the Government used the Superbond as an excuse, they held off their request, but since then “Government has continued to spend and spend”.

Another speaker was retired Union General George Frazier, who encouraged the teachers not to give up their fight.

Frazier said the Government was “trying to take us for fools” with twisted numbers and wrong information used against the union’s request. He said he believed the Government’s television ads in which GOB claims it is spending enough on education have been misleading. He said he was particularly disappointed in the Financial Secretary Joseph Waight for joining the Government’s bandwagon.

Frazier also focused his attention on the Minister of Education who he hoped got “the message” with the turnout of the day’s action.

“Patrick, get the message, you and the others who feel like you live in ivory towers. If this does not get resolved by Friday, we will come back but we can’t guarantee it will be peaceful,” warned Frazier.

Among the organisations in support were the Citizens Organised for Liberty through Action (COLA), the UB Lecturer’s Association, Nation Builders national youth movement, Teens Belize, the UB Student Government, and the Maya Leader’s Alliance.

The demonstration lasted until 2:15 after which the teachers returned to their homes and back to their classrooms by Wednesday morning. But they remain alert and vigilant for the next battle cry.

03 FEB

11

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

For Sale

By Order of the Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgage under a Deed of Mortgage made the 27th day of March, 2006, registered in Deeds Book Vol. 10 of 2006 at Folios 729746, between Atlantic Bank Limited (the Assignor) Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., and Edison Menzies and Ella Menzies, and under a Deed of Assignment of Mortgage made the 20th day of February, 2003, recorded in Deeds Book Vol. 7 of 2003 at Folios 1061-1100, between The Belize Bank Limited (the Assignor) and Atlantic Bank Limited, which said property was mortgaged by the said Edison Menzies and Ella Menzies to the said Belize Bank Limited on the 4th day of June, 2002, recorded in Deeds Book Vol 21.

Of 2002 at Folios 347-386; and the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the schedule hereto.

All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.

SCHEDULE

NOTICE Mediterranean Development Ltd. (“the Company�)

Pursuant to Section 102(8) of the International Business Companies Act, Chapter 270 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, notice is hereby given that Mediterranean Development Ltd. has been dissolved as at 17th January, 2013 and has been struck off the Register of the International Business Companies.

CITITRUST INTERNATIONAL LIMITED Registered Agent

ALL THAT lot LEASEHOLD INTEREST IN ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Block No. 2 situate in the Agricultural Area, Sittee River, Stann Creek District, and bounded as follows:- On the North for 77.556 metres by a portion of Block No. 10; On the South for 59.512 metres by a road; On the East for 390.034 metres by Block No. 3; and on the West for 371.334 metres by Block No. 1; containing 6.882 acres of land as shown on Plan No. 1938 at the Office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon.

DATED this 22nd of January, 2013.

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

12

03 FEB

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

Finnegan calls money for Gangs “chump change” Belize City, January 24, 2013 UDP Housing Minister Michael Finnegan has defended the Barrow Administration’s spending on gang members.

According to him, the millions which the Government spent on gang members to keep a fragile peace truce going is “chump change”.

The Government of Belize has not fully disclosed how much money it spent on the gang programme that lasted between September 2011 and December 2012. Going by estimates of $20,000 per week, which officials claimed initially, the total is $1.2m over that period. But reports are that the estimate is just the tip of the iceberg, and the total may be well over $5m.

The Government’s decision to fund such a programme was very controversial. At one point the Prime Minister, who negotiated directly with gang members, claimed that there were attempts to extort him, by the very same gang members. Several gangs accused the Government of having “favourites” and excluding them from the table. During the truce, the shooting murders continued. 2012 saw the highest number of murders on record with 150 killings.

When the gang programme folded

SLEEP ON SWEET ANGEL!!

IN LOVING MEMORY OF ELSWITH BERTHAMAE ESTELL NEE RHABURN SUNRISE: DECEMBER 12, 1943 SUNSET: FEBRUARY 2, 2012

Never a day do WE forget you in our heart; you are always near. God alone knows how we miss you and ends the first sad year. Our hearts still aches with sadness. Our secret tears still flow for what it meant to lose you, no-one will ever know.

Sadly missed by her husband; daughters, son-in-laws, grand kids and the entire family and friends.

Michael Finnegan

in early December last year for a lack of funds, the Minister of Gangs Mark King who presided over it publicly criticised the initiative for its lack of direction.

But the entire issue is now central to the teachers’ and students’ fight for the Barrow Administration to ease their economic burden with a salary increase and reduction in student fees respectively. The teachers and students say the spending on gangs in a programme that was un-

sustainable from the start was waste and mis-prioritizing.

The Ministry of Education recently removed a subsidy it paid to the University to partially cover student fees. It said it could not continue to meet the cost. The subsidy recently climbed to over $1m, which is less than the amount spent on gangs. The same “chump change” which Government paid to gangs could have supported students to meet their student fees.

03 FEB FEB 03

THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES THE BELIZE

2013

TOPMODEL 13

ENTERTAINMENT

NEWS

Jenko

Veli Etana Visit www.Facebook/ Jenko Veli

releases new album

Caribbean singer-songwriter Etana will reveal arguably her fiercest, most thought-provoking material to date on February 26, 2013.

Recorded at Jamaica’s legendary Tuff Gong Studios, Etana’s third studio album “Better Tomorrow” is a true testament to her evolved sound.

With a fresh perspective and baby daughter Nyla born in November 2012, Etana offers newfound clarity on Better Tomorrow. Her powerful songwriting and evocative vocals ride effortlessly over soulful reggae melodies on this 14-track collection.

• • • • •

Blanca Height: 5’ 0” • Career Plan: Psychiatrist • Sign: Sagittarius Favourite Food: Arabic Food Likes: Dancing, Traveling, Modeling & Swimming

Lives in Belize City Fav. Quote: “Life is like a disco. No matter how the music changes, you just keep on dancing”

visit us at www.belizetimes.bz or Facebook/ Belize Times

Follow us on facebook

14 SPORTS

03 FEB

THE BELIZE THE BELIZE TIMES TIMES

2013

A Hero’s Welcome

Belize National A Team returns from Central American Cup

Belize City, January 28, 2013 Team Belize returned home to a hero’s welcome after qualifying to this summer’s Gold Cup tournament in the United States after finishing 4th in the UNCAF’s Copa CentroAmericana in San Jose, Costa Rica.

The GolTV famed “President”, goalie Woodrow Wilson West, and striker Deon McCauley were the men of the hour when the Football Federation of Belize and Belize Telemedia hosted an impromptu press conference at the Brodies Ltd. parking lot on the Philip Goldson Highway with additional corporate sponsorship from Monster energy drink.

West had held Costa Rica, Honduras and El Salva-

dor to 1-0 wins, completely shutting out Guatemala, while Deon McCauley had scored the winning injury time goal against Nicaragua to put Belize into the semi-finals. Trevor “Burger” Lennon had opened up the scoreboard with a “golazo” bullet of a shot in the 29th minutes. Both stars expressed their thanks to the coach, the FFB, the support staff, their families and all the fans on whose energy they had drawn to carry them to victory, with their faith in God. In the consolation match for 3rd place against El Salvador on Sunday, our defense held up to the 50th minute, when Wilfredo Bonilla scored the winning goal for El Salvador.

Costa Rica won the cham-

Devaun Zuniga takes on Sydney Bradley

pionship final 1-0 over Honduras on a goal by Giancarlo Gonzalez in the 38th minute, after advancing from a 1-0 win over El Salvador in Friday’s other semifinal with a goal

by Rodney Wallace in the 72nd minute.

The jubilation of the heroes’ return was dampened by the news that Coach Leroy Sherrier Lewis had also resigned as Belize’s coach.

Belize will join Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Trinidad &

Tobago and the United States at the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup from July 7-28, 2013.

They will play at 8t new world-class venues: Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia; M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland; Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado; Rentschler Field in

East Hartford, Connecticut; BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas; Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida; JELD-WEN Field in Portland, Oregon and Rio Tinto Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. The other 5 venues Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois, Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California; Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey and Century Link Field in Seattle, Washington.

Wesley advances, after easy win against Sadie Vernon Belize City, January 28, 2013 The undefeated Wesley College boys are the No. 2 with 11pts entering the Central Secondary Schools Sports Association football semi-finals, winning their 3rd game: 3-0 by default against the Sadie Vernon Technical High School boys at the M.C.C. grounds on Monday evening, January 28. Team captain Khambrel Blease was credited with the 3 goals The Wesley boys played to a draw, 1-1, against the Anglican Cathedral College boys last Thursday night when Devaun “Beck-

Sergio Luna scored ACC’s 3rd goal

ham” Zuniga scored for A.C.C. and Wesley’s Keeron Young delivered the equalizer.

The Wesley boys had blasted the Nazarene High School boys 12-2 last Tuesday. Keeron Young scored a hat trick plus 2: 5 goals, while Dennis Avelar scored 2 goals and Godwin Neal, Khambrel Blease, Brian “Brybo” White, Elston Flowers and Anthony Middleton each scored 1 goal.

Other games ACC boys vs. SJC – 3-1 Goals by Tarique James, Calvin “Bodies” Reneau, Devaun Zuniga, Sergio Luna SJC vs. Ladyville Technical High School – 2-1 Ladyville Tech vs. Sadie Vernon – Sadie Vernon forfeit Excelsior High vs. Nazarene - 3-0

03 FEB FEB 03

2013

THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES THE BELIZE

Harim Ochaeta

SPORTS 15

Primary schools softball heats up

Holy Redeemer girls

Harim Ochaeta

wins SJC table tennis tournament Belize City, January 26, 2013 Harim Ochaeta won the advanced division and Daniel Echeverria won the intermediate division when the SJC’s 2nd annual table tennis tournament was held at the Belize Elementary School auditorium this past Saturday, January 26th.

Some 42 students participated in 3 categories: the 12 top players in the Advanced Division competed in Round Robin competition with the top 8 finishers advancing to a final double elimination competition.

Top seeded Harim Ochaeta advanced to the finals by defeating Leo Carballo, Gian Lisbey and Fabio Carballo, while Fabio Carballo also reached the finals by defeating Daniel Sanchez and Mishek Musa.

Harim Ochaeta then won the championship final 3-1 over Carballo. Mishek Musa won 3rd over Daniel Sanchez.

The 12 players in the Intermediate division also competed in a round robin competition with the top 8 finishers advancing to a final double elimination competition. Daniel Echeverria advanced to the finals by defeating Michael Teng, Gavin Wong and Zacharey Garbutt; while Garbutt also made it to the finals by defeating Johann Ketz, Isaac Hines and Ashley Weller. The final results were: Daniel Echeverria – champ; Zachary Gar-

butt – 2nd; Ashley Weller – 3rd and Issac Hines – 4th.

Ryan Vellos won the beginners division, in which 18 students began the round robin competition with the top 8 advancing to the final double elimination competition.

Vellos made it to the finals by defeating Alexya Perez, Samuel Ferguson & Denzel Young, while Young reached the finals by defeating Cohen Wong, Brandon Usher and Henry Miguel. The final results were: Ryan Vellos – champ, Denzel Young – 2nd, Henry Miguel – 3rd and Samuel Ferguson – 4th.

SJC Table Tennis Club mentor, Mr. Yasser Musa, and SJC Headmistress Mrs. Yolanda Gongora, were on hand to deliver the medals to the top four finishers in each category. Musa expressed his sincere appreciation to all the participants and to the support of the BTTA in assisting with organizing of the event. He thanked all the students for their competitive spirit and for making the event a success.

BTTA President, tux Vasquez was also on to deliver the message to the students that it is the priority of the BTTA to develop the sport of table tennis in the schools and students. 2013 calendar of event now include exclusive events for the 18 and younger categories of students.

Belize City, January 25, 2013 Pitcher Sharen Lewis led the Holy Redeemer girls to a 9-8 win against the St. John’s Anglican Primary School girls as they walloped Brea Gabourel’s pitching to score 9 runs.

The Holy Redeemer boys posted their 2nd win 13-3 against the St. John’s Primary boys. Holy Redeemer scored 13, while winning

pitcher D’Andre Arana gave up only 3 runs.

After torrential rains cancelled Wednesday’s and Thursday’s games, the Muslim Community School girls clobbered the Unity Presbyterian School girls 13-4 on Friday. Winning pitcher Aaliyah Moody gave up only 4 runs, while the Muslim girls walloped Allison Arriola’s pitching to score 13 runs.

San Estevan defeats San Lazaro 4-2 in football playoffs Orange Walk Town, January 27, 2013 The San Estevan football team leads the playoffs of the Orange Walk Football Association first division competition after a 4-2 victory over San Lazaro at the People’s Stadium on Sunday, January 20.

Edwani Munoz scored a hat trick in San Estevan’s 4-2 victory over San Lazaro. San Lazaro’s winger Carlos Jones scored the first goal when he blasted in a shot off a free kick that deflected off a defender to beat San Estevan’s goalkeeper Luis Cocom in the 28th minute of play.

Edwani Munoz equalized the score a minute later and added a second goal some five minutes before intermission. San Estevan’s Irvin Osorio got away for a solo encounter with the goalkeeper slipping the ball past Jose

Rodriguez into the empty net to lead 3-1 in the last minute before intermission.

Aris Serrano reduced the deficit when he scored a second goal for San Lazaro in the 2nd half, and San Lazaro battled for the equalizer.

The game was in injury time when Munoz escaped the defense for a solo encounter with goalkeeper Jose Rodriguez who came out of his goal to meet the charge.

Munoz nimbly danced the ball around Rodriguez to blast the ball into the empty net.

The second games of the home and away series come up on Sunday, February 3 at the Louisiana Government school field.

Other match Guinea Grass vs. Progresso FC – 1-1 Goals by Alberto Coh, Walter Vasquez

16

03 FEB

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

Stop the corruption - Pay the teachers!

Belize City, January 30, 2013 The teachers of the Belize National Teachers Union (BNTU) are right. They are underpaid by international standards.

The government owes them and they must be paid. If not, they should strike.

This is yet another opportunity to force the Prime Minister to eat a heavy dose of humble pie. He pontificates, talks down and quarrels with everybody of reason as if God’s gift of intelligence is exclusively his and that everybody else is stupid. He has some sympathy for that, considering that most of the people surrounding him are stupid, or even worse - are morons .This has no doubt, contributed to why he displays symptoms of a narcissistic personality disorder (NPD).

In common language this means that he is deluded, too full of himself and puffedup.

His mini-me, the Minister of Education, despite obviously having a much higher IQ, in relative terms than his nemesis in a power struggle, the Minister of Lands, was recently publicly toppled from his perch by the Prime Minister, who refused to endorse his

bid to become Deputy Party Leader.

Yet he continues to perpetuate the lie he and his boss concocted against the BNTU leaders saying that their call for a demonstration and an eminent strike are pre-mature as negotiations between the government and the teachers were on-going. Not so comrades. It was the PM and the Minister of Education who arbitrarily opted to derail these talks.

To add salt to the wound, the Financial Secretary has been propped up in front of the television cameras, as a spin doctor, spinning a web of deception, saying that the teachers are ahead of the curve with their income as inflation slows. He did not choose to admit that the dollar has been devalued to a worth today of sixty five cents. He also seems to have forgotten that the Prime Minister promised to lower the cost of living along with other sweet talk.

The Fin Sec’s arguments have no place in this very simple simultaneous equation and have become a part of the government’s lies, damn lies and their favourite hat trick - statistics. But the real statistics, which they choose to ignore

Tribute to Thomas Francis Martinez Saturday, January 26, 2013 St. Francis Xavier Church, Corozal Town Mr. Thomas Francis Martinez better known as Mr. Tom, Don Tom, Mr. Martinez and affectionately known as daddy, or grandpa was born to Francisco and Estephana Martinez on 23rd December 1924 in Barranco Village, Toledo District.

He was the 7th child. As a boy growing up in Barranco and Punta Gorda, he was an acolyte at the St. Peter Claver Church.

At an early age, he worked hard to make something of himself. Daddy moved away from Punta Gorda where would work in Belize City for an insurance company. He believed in being fair to everyone. He became a Union activist fighting for what he believed was due to the workers where he was the President of the General Workers Union. He was also the Chief Shop Steward for the General Workers Union and was called “Shopito” by his fellow workers while working at Pembroke Hall. There he worked on steam engines as a mechanic.

In the year around 1969, he was one of the founding members of the English Rite Mechanic Alpha #2. He was a Chief Priest and took his position seriously.

He was in Corozal when he met Miss Celedonia Ramirez and married her on the 23rd December 1961. From this union came Chris, Claude, Isolene (de-

ceased), Dean, Audrey, Barbara, Jacklyn and Michael. We were all introduced to our two oldest sisters Elizabeth Cherry and Eleanore.

In July of 1981, daddy went to Chicago, Illinois where he worked at the Museum of Science and Industry as a mechanical engineer.

He made his first visit back home on 7th September 1991 to celebrate with us the Battle of St. George’s Caye and Belize’s Independence. He returned once more in January 1995 for the burial of his daughter, Isolene.

In 1998, daddy retired from the USA and has been home. While at home, one of the fun memories about him is seeing us singing and dancing for him. While he eats, he made sure we would taste a little food from his plate. As grandchildren came into our home, they too ate from his plate. He made sure of that daily.

As Fantasy 5 and Mega Bingo started to play in Belize, he would say “Audrey go buy and when we win, we wa ketch wa taxi (Mr. Sosa taxi) to Belize City and get we money”. Daddy was a kind man and helped whenever he could.

Daddy died peacefully surrounded by family and friends on 22nd January, 2013. He leaves to mourn his wife Mrs. Celedonia Martinez nee Ramirez, 9 children, 10 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, 1 brother, brothers-in-law, sistersin-law, nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, Michael Velasquez and friends.

as lies, are the rising unemployment rate, out of control poverty, an increase in illiteracy, a failing health system, and a crumbling physical infrastructure, which are all part of miserable “statistical” indicators of a largely dysfunctional government.

If the government is serious about meeting the reasonable demands of the country’s teachers they could by stopping the wasteful spending, eliminate the rampant corruption and the financial hemorrhaging in every facet of government. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry has it wrong. Better wages need not mean higher taxes. It simply means prudent spending by a government that is as far removed from the reality of constrained spending along with clearly defined policies and structures for meaningful governance. This crowd operates on political expediency only.

There is waste, corruption and reckless decision making everywhere: wasteful spending; the stealing of assets from investors, the corruption of the legal process and the Prime Minister’s manipulation of this process to enrich his family and his friends (and indirectly himself), through any damn excuse for litigation and with excessive legal fees, is not acceptable. This, especially so, while

a highly paid Solicitor General manages the feat of sitting on her hands. The Judiciary, while it may, to some, appear to be functional, is perceived by a growing number of citizens and foreign observers, including wannabe investors, with a certain level of discomfort for the delivery of untainted justice. The local Bar Association seems to share this skepticism. This is a growing perception.

Law enforcement with its incompetence is also losing the public trust and is perceived as becoming increasingly corrupt and as being manipulated as a political tool. This is with the exception of its U.S. financed Gang Suppression Unit which operates almost in defiance of fundamental human rights principles. In some instances they seem to operate in a manner similar to that of the “tonton macouts”, thugs of a former Haitian dictator, Papa Doc Duvalier and as a part of Mr. Barrow’s arsenal against those who dare to disagree with him.

Ministers of government have been known to build elaborate homes with money which have been syphoned off a number of government projects such as the Marion Jones Stadium. The resignation by a former senior employee of the Caribbean Development Bank Continued on page 19

NOTICE Lignum Ltd. #55,096 (“the Company”) Pursuant to section 102(4) of the International Business Companies Act, Chapter 270 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, and notice is hereby given that Lignum Ltd.:

a) is in dissolution b) commenced dissolution on the 15th day of January, 2013; and c) Cititrust International Inc. whose address is 35 Barrack Road, Belize City, Belize is the Liquidator of the Company Cititrust International Limited Registered Agent

NOTICE Mobius Ltd. #55,097 (“the Company”) Pursuant to section 102(4) of the International Business Companies Act, Chapter 270 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, and notice is hereby given that Mobius Ltd.:

a) is in dissolution b) commenced dissolution on the 15th day of January, 2013; and c) Cititrust International Inc. whose address is 35 Barrack Road, Belize City, Belize is the Liquidator of the Company Cititrust International Limited Registered Agent

03 FEB

17

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

Scales of JUSTICE

By Anthony Sylvestre Jr.

A Place Without Justice The Case of

Natalie Coleman News reporting of cases in the courts of Belize is at times bogus.

Wittingly or unwittingly, at times stuff is reported in the media which is inaccurate or stretches of imagination. Such news reporting naturally incense and “hype up” the populace because of what is perceived by them as a gross injustice, a travesty of justice, as asinine even.

But there are no inaccuracies or stretches of imagination as it relates to the case of Natalie Coleman. The hard cold facts are that a 25 year old young lady is serving a 5-year sentence at the Kolbe Centre right now because when she went to her boyfriend’s house, the police found four 16 gauge shotgun cartridges there, and she didn’t have a gun license for them. Now Ms. Coleman didn’t live at the house, didn’t know the cartridges were in the house and so, clearly she would have no gun license for the bullets.

But the law is the law and a court of law has to carry out the law of the land, even if it appears like craziness to the general public. Well, at least as it relates to this gun law which Ms. Coleman regrettably and unfortunately found herself caught under. And Ms. Coleman isn’t the only victim of this repressive gun law. Grandmothers, grandfathers, mothers and children alike have been carted off to jail because of this sweeping and repressive gun law.

The law is the idea of Prime Minister Dean Barrow. In his usual brilliance, all-knowing and strong arm self, he cajoled his other 24 UDP representatives to vote in favour of this dreaded law back in 2010. They called it the Firearms (Amendment) Act No. 1 of 2010.

He said it was necessary to send a strong message to the criminals. Not the ones he is fond of meeting with in secret and then telling the public about after the fact. The strong message was to criminals like Ms. Coleman who haven’t murdered anyone, who haven’t given the GSU “work” in processing a murder scene, as

tice is compounded because the magistrate hearing the case does not have the power to be lenient with the offender and sentence her to less than five years. Yet, none of the UDP representatives spoke out against this repressive law back in 2010 even though all of their constituents would suffer grave hardship as a consequence.

None of the so called “Defenders of the Poor” or “Poor People Governors” as they liken themselves to, spoke out against the law, or told their boss, the Prime Minister, to back off on that law. Nuh Boots, nuh Finnegan, nuh Clear the Land Castro, nuh Faber, nobody.

Attorneys during their study take a course call Jurisprudence which explains the rationale of laws. One of the legal theories taught is that if a law is unjust, a people is not compelled to obey that law. Martin Luther King Jr., himself a philosopher, expressed the similar view almost half a century ago. He said, “an unjust law is no law at all”.

This repressive gun law is an unjust law. That means that a police officer faced with the facts of a case such as Ms. Coleman has a moral imperative to refuse to arrest such a person. They have moral obligation to refuse to turn such a person into a criminal. For that is what is done when she is

arrested and carted off to prison.

Remember, that once a person is charged with possession of even one single bullet, she cannot obtain bail at the magistrate’s court and is remanded to prison; she has to get the services of an attorney in order to apply for bail in the Supreme Court and in the process wait at least two weeks in prison before her bail application can be heard by the Supreme Court. This applies to the old, young, weak and feeble. And anyone who has been innocently arrested under this gun law will tell you how much of a wretched life changing experience it is to be locked up in prison under those circumstances, and how you are criminalized and left with a permanent stigma on you your reputation.

Martin Luther King Jr. also said once that “the most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason but without no morals”. I am sure every Belizean knows on whose head this cap fits, as Bob Marley would say.

It is indeed tragic that the people who are victims of this repressive gun law gave the power to the same government which continuously rides roughshod over their rights, enacting laws which can turn any of us, at any time into being a criminal. This surely is a place without justice.

the “boyz” callously like to boast about doing to the GSU when they senselessly take innocent lives. Still, Ms. Coleman is a criminal, a terrible, rotten person who needed to be thrown in jail for the next five years of her life because she went to a house where four shotgun cartridges were and she knew nothing about it.

Now back in 2010 when Dean Barrow passed this law, it was a no brainer to any who cared to read and analyze, that the law would cause the hardship and injustice that we see today being visited upon Ms. Coleman.

This is what the law says: “Where an unlicensed ammunition is found in or on any premises owned or occupied by more than one person, any of the following persons shall be presumed to be in possession of that unlicensed ammunition: (a) The person in control of the premises (that is the owner, landlord or tenant); (b) The person ordinarily resident in or on the premises; (c) The person ordinarily employed in or on the premises; (d) The person in control of the cupboard, locker or other container or thing in which the firearm was found.”

As is plain Email: belizetimesadvertisement@yahoo.com to see, this law turns everyone (the innocent and the culpable) into a criminal. The injus-

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18

THE BELIZE TIMES

03 FEB

2013

SEE THEM FIGHTING FOR POWER BUT THEY KNOW NOT THE HOUR

Patrick Faber

• In 2009 Faber called teachers ignorant • Teachers are fed up • Students have had enough

Gapi Vega

• Vega is the Minister responsible for Rosewood extraction and depletion of our rainforest • Vega is not a normal Belizean • He gave his family land, lots and lots of land

BARROW WANTS FABER FINNEGAN WANTS VEGA BELIZE WANTS NONE!!!!

03 FEB

2013

19

THE BELIZE TIMES

Stop the corruption - Pay the teachers!

Continued from page 16 as the Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Works, because of the blatant corruption in that Ministry is one of many examples of the dirt in the Barrow administration. All this amounts to more than the equivalent of the $30 million the teachers are asking for over a period of three years.

Why is this unreasonable?

As the Barrow government becomes entrenched in its second five year term it is also beginning to look more and more ominous. It is now obvious and dangerously so, that the separation of powers which are enshrined as pillars in the Belize Constitution is vanishing by the day.

There is hardly any distinction between the Legislature and the Senate, the Executive, the Legislative, the Judiciary and the Administrative. The lines have become blurred, if not invisible and all these “branches” of our democracy are all now wrapped up in one package which is beginning to look more and more like an entrenched dictatorship.

The BNTU along with the Union of Public Service Senior Managers have taken a bold step to challenge this government and to demand their rights to a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay. But eventually we will be unable to demand a return to the post independence democracy we have come to know. Dean Barrow, we forewarned, is dangerous for Belize The Public Service is bulging at its seams with the employment of political hacks. They have been rewarded with do-nothing jobs. This too is taking a bite from the public purse. According to a senior and frustrated professional public officer: “These people’s only job is to go to “work”, sign in, spend the day catching up with yesterday’s gossip and then signing out at the end of the day.”

This has severely bloated the payroll of a Public Service that has become totally inefficient. Worse, it is unable to function in the absence of any clear-cut policy on anything. The government operates on an ad hoc basis. There is no

Concerns about “development” in Consejo Village Continued from page 2 Dear Sir, I am writing this letter because I am concerned about the future of my country when I see what is happening with Canadian citizens coming to the Consejo Village area.

I do not understand why these people are allowed to work and make money without having the right to do so, as well as raise their own flag in front of their houses, without any Belizean authorities doing anything about it.

Several of those Canadians started construction businesses as soon as they arrived here. Whether they were on QRP or wishing to apply for residency, they did not have the right to work or earn revenue in this country.

Furthermore, as these people have been working without legal permission, I really doubt they are declaring their source of revenue to the Income Tax Department.

There is a new condominium project that is about to start in Consejo Shores. A local Belizean contractor came to offer his services, saying he could build for $70BZ per square foot.

A Canadian contractor claimed he could do the same job for $35BZ. So I am just wondering how this man can offer such a low rate without exploiting the people who are working for him and also if he is paying the Social Security for the workers, the Sales Taxes, etc.

Despite the fact that these people give work to Belizean workers, they are taking management jobs that could be done by qualified people entitled to work. They are exercising a real monopoly over this type of jobs and there is no place left for Belizean contractors as all new foreign people coming here are now dealing with the Canadians for the building of their houses.

Some of these Canadian are build-

ing several houses for sale at the same time. Are Canadians so rich that they can invest such a big amount of money or are they practising money laundering?

There are two more points I am concerned about: Firstly, as you know, the coastal shores of Belize are protected areas but, despite this fact, these people clear the mangrove or cut it without permission with the sole intention to have lots with a sea view. They would not do it in their own country where the laws regarding the protection of the shore vegetation are very strict, but of course they do not mind doing it here.

Secondly, according to Belizean regulations, there is, from the shores, a 33-foot area which is the property of the Government and has to be left clear for people to have access to the sea and these Canadians do not respect this rule either as they put fences around their properties with padlocked gates and have watch dogs.

I can understand Belize Government let people come on QRP to help the development of this country, but I am wondering why these people do not have the obligation to follow the laws in force.

Are these the advantages of being part of the Commonwealth with the Canadians, that they can come to our country to plunder it and breach its laws?

Thank you for your diligence in investigating these matters.

I understand these people are the ones who bring money to this country but I also know that Belize Government authorities take breaches of the law very seriously so I hope somebody will react to this letter and do something.

Signed: Patnett George, San Pedro Town

blueprint for development; there is no policy on health reform or land reform or forestry; or agriculture; or on environmental issues; social or poverty alleviation programmes; or even our foreign policy. This has recently been dictated to us by the OAS and Guatemala.

Our teachers have now fallen victims of this type of adhocracy along with the students of the University of Belize, who have been told that tuition has increased, without rhyme or reason, while standards have declined, again in the absence of any clearly defined policy for the future of this institution.

Since the Prime Minister stood up a few years ago to blow a lot of hot air about a multi-layered bureaucratic monster call “Restore Belize”, he backed it up with plums creating government posts for his favorite campaigners and with lots of money. There have been little to show for this apart from more hot air.

A then there was this very bright idea, without a clearly defined agenda to throw money after an ill-conceived propoor programme. But poverty continues to be on the rise along with its companion, unemployment, especially among young people.

This pro-poor programme, not policy, is exactly what it is. It is designed to keep our people poor and dependent and hopeful that they will be grateful whenever an election comes around. This is no way to govern. This is skewed and perhaps so, by design.

The condition of the poor in Belize and the lack of any political will to seriously address this situation must be nobler than helping the poor in exchange for votes. It is a serious issue that requires serious discussions and implementations of policies to help people out of poverty.

Our current situation is somehow similar to the plight of a poor family in Mexico City in the 1950s and their hopeless, downward spiral of poverty for a family, who has become frustrated with their condition and came to accept this as their lot in life. This was documented in

the 1979 book, Children of Sanchez, by noted anthropologist, Oscar Lewis. This should no longer be acceptable. It is a fertile bed for a revolution. Perhaps a revolution that is taking away the life and blood of mostly, our poor black men.

Rather than throwing alms to the poor, rather than fooling people with ill conceived “Restore Belize” shams, the way out of poverty is through education.

The tools for education are teachers. The way to a quality education is through proper teacher-training programmes and the government’s support for our teachers who are the vanguards, or should be, if we are serious in dealing with the plight of our poor and in the war against poverty.

For example this government instead of rolling out a National Health Insurance Scheme, high-jacked the millions of dollars allocated for this that would genuinely help the poor, and diverted it to prop-up the re-nationalization of the telephone company.

If the government would stop the syphoning of public money through corruption and the enrichment of politicians, if the government has a clearly defined policy with goals and objectives in education for development, if the government gets serious about the effective management of the national economy to serve the people and not themselves, there will be enough to pay our teachers, create meaningful policies, ensure that our poor people will not remain poor but to get them out of the cycle of poverty and dependency. Only then this country, our teachers, our students, our poor and all of us will be better off.

But the cancer of corruption is seriously affecting almost all Belizeans with the exception of Barrow and his gentry.

The people of this country, led by the teachers, are not only demanding a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. Like us, they are calling on the Prime Minister to start to GOVERN and not to RULE. A democracy demands a robust government and good governance. Barrow’s concept is that of a hardcore self- serving dictatorship. His mental disease, NPD, which has been referred to at the beginning of this article, is beginning to debilitate all of us.

Rise up people!

NOTICE Sunray Enterprises Ltd. (“the Company”) Pursuant to Section 102(8) of the International Business Companies Act, Chapter 270 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, notice is hereby given that Sunray Enterprises Ltd. has been dissolved as at 17th January, 2013 and has been struck off the Register of the International Business Companies.

CITITRUST INTERNATIONAL LIMITED Registered Agent

20 Recipe of the week

Directions 1. Mix sweet potato, sugar and spices together.

2. Add margarine and raisins and mix to a soft consistency.

3. Pour into greased pie dish and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about an hour.

4. Make sure you consider presentation since it is Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner but you can start playing Cupid this week! Treat your loved ones to a simple and delicious pre-Valentine’s sweet treat.

Born to Victor Felix Gotay, Sr., and Sharly Jesling Gotay nee Cayasso, a boy,

Victor Felix, Jr. Born to Gagandeep Singh Benipal and Ranjeet Raur Benipal nee Mangat, twin girls,

Gurnoor and Gurleen Born to Ming Hsien Chien and Elsa Marina Chien nee Barcos, a girl,

Jasmine Marina Born to Sheridath Pauli Williams and Kishia Ma Williams nee Sanchez, a boy,

Marqueeze Pauli Born to Emilio Jose Quinonez and Yvette Amalia Quinonez nee Martinez, a girl,

A’zarriyah Ada

DEATHS Agatha Wiebe, 3.

Calbert Tablada, 72.

Marcelle Francine Raymond, 62.

Evelyn Gladys Wagner, 89.

2013 Ingredients 1 cup grated sweet potato 1 cup coconut milk 1 tbsp. currants or raisins 1 cup brown sugar ½ tsp. powdered ginger 1 tbsp. margarine

Sweet Potato Pone

BIRTHS

03 FEB

THE BELIZE TIMES

MARRIAGES Alfonso Balan, 35, to Leny Elias Pelayo, Jr., 28, to Ixza Loreli Vallecillo, 25, both of Yojani Ortiz, 26, both of PoSanta Familia, Cayo District. mona, Stann Creek District Charles Henry, Jr., 23, to Alejandro Cholom, 24, of Melissa Tamai, 32, both of Hicattee, Toledo District, to Roaring Creek, Cayo District Petrona Cucul, 24, of Silver Hildefonso Crawford, 49, to Creek, Toledo District Maria Catalina Benitez, 57, Santiago Hugh Gonzalez, 41, both of Freetown Sibun, Belize to Cherie Lynne Phillips, 45, District both of Las Vegas, Nevada, Steven de Majo, 62, to Norma U.S.A. Santos, 42, both of Santa Elena Gustavo Adolfo Polanco, 31, Town, Cayo District. to Andrea Claudia Alvarez, Dwayne Jerry Chamberlain, 32, both of San Pedro Town, 34, to Shirley Pat Gale, 35, Ambergris Caye both of Williams Lake, BritRupert Hermon Ledlon, 24, ish Columbia, Canada of Scotland Halfmoon, Belize Arley Dueck, 21, to Carol District, to Rhondine Johanna Reimer, 21, both of Spanish Skyers, 23, of Burrell Boom, Lookout, Cayo District Belize District Eric John Lecaptain, 59, to Joel Emmanuel Garcia, 32, of Priscilla Jolene Doane, 49, Orange Walk Town, Orange both of North Billings, MonWalk District, to Estela Ku, tana, U.S.A. 32, of August Pine Ridge, Jose Eduardo Alpuche, 44, to Orange Walk District Yuri Jaanett Vasquez, 26, both Chris Allen Requena, 31, to of Belmopan Virginia Ann Marie McKDayi Zhen, 23, to Fengping oy, 29, both of Orange Walk Wu, 23, both of Benque Viejo Town, Orange Walk District del Carmen Town, Cayo DisTrydon Lee Myvett, 25, to trict Sayra Janeth Castillo, 29, both Michael Manuel Novelo, 31, to of Gardenia, Belize District Shanti Michelle Morrison, 29, Wilhem Garnett, Jr., 21, both of Belize City of Santa Elena Town, Cayo Calvin Raymond Newport, 53, District, to Athalie Antonette to Samantha Lazzaris, 37, both Harrison, 20, of San Ignacio of St. Albans, Hertfordshire, Town, Cayo District U.K. Noel Walcott Neal, 40, to Silvia Marie Daniels, 45, both

of Santa Elena Town, Cayo District Sergio Samuels, 33, to Sharette Armstrong, 31, both of Ladyville, Belize District Darren Zayne Gentle, 23, to Roxanne Sheila Perez, 23, both of Belize City Pedro Josue Barreda, 28, to Ruth Enid Zuniga, 23, both of Belize City Sebastian Hun, 33, to Carmelina Maaz, 39, both of Red Bank, Stann Creek District Hermelindo Pop, 25, to Gloria Che, 22, both of San Isidro, Toledo District Elroy Eton Gordon, 31, to Tritia Nadine Stuart, 28, both of Belmopan Elvis Jason Edward George Usher, 27, of Dangriga Town, Stann Creek District, to Judith Isidora Lisbey, 24, of Hummingbird Community, Stann Creek District Florencio Cucul, 57, to Marta Elena Pom, 27, both of San Isidro, Toledo District Oscar Castro, 27, to Sandra Ortiz, 24, both of Belmopan Kirk Ryan Bengochea, 30, of St. Augustine, Tunapuna-Piarco, Trinidad and Tobago, to Maritza Leticia Aguilar, 24, of Belmopan Alfric Andrew Herbert Charles, 34, to Melanie Roxanne Grange, 31, both of Corozal Town, Corozal District Ahmad Yasser Tabab, 24, to Eleana Augustine, 24, both of Corozal Town, Corozal District Abdul Hameed Ahmad, 23, to Melissa Jones, 19, both of Hattieville, Belize District Saloman Robert Cowo, 23, to Thais Nuridia Navarette, 21,

both of San Pablo, Orange Walk District Norberto Edgar Novelo, 21, to Ivanesi Abigail Gonzalez, 21, both of San Jose, Orange Walk District Brendford Edward Middleton, 33, to Noemi Araceli Martinez, 33, both of Belize City Joseph Orlando Samuels, 37, to Marleni Nicolasa Carrias, 23, both of Belize City Daniel William Castellanos, 33, to Evelyn Larina Rodriguez Nunez, 30, both of Punta Gorda Town, Toledo District Henry Giovani Gonzalez, 36, to Blanca Aracely Galdamez, 34, both of Belmopan Marcelo Genaro Jau, 46, to Merlin Mai, 46, both of San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye Iyen Claudio Romero, 22, to Elmy Edita Santoya, 14, both of Chunox, Corozal District Adam Austin Powell, 33, to Shelby Marie Rogers, 33, both of Beaumont, Texas, U.S.A. Arnaldo Ovel Novelo, 26, to Alda Rosabel Rodrigues, 27, both of San Jose, Orange Walk District Rudy Perez, 24, to Brenda Yanett Ortiz, 22, both of Belize City David Israel Rivera, 24, to Giselle Martinez, 21, both of San Ignacio Town, Cayo District George Luis Herrera, 41, to Nubia Felicia Manzanero, 35, both of San Ignacio Town, Cayo District Marvin Amin Garcia, 26, to Yasmini Maritza Matus, 23, both of San Ignacio Town, Cayo District

”

03 FEB

2013

THE BELIZE TIMES

Reid Education frustration

By G. Michael Reid “Those who educate children well are more to be honored than they who produce them; for these only gave them life, those the art of living well.” - Aristotle This Dean Barrow government seems to be attacking education from both ends. They are charging the students more and giving the teachers nothing. As a result, both bodies have decided to launch protests and it should be an interesting week in Belmopan.

No one expects these protests to be anything but peaceful but it is certainly meant to send a message to this government. “Give us our respect or face the consequences.”

The UDP government knows full well the power of the unions and in particular that of the teachers; the consequences can be dire. The UDP rode the backs of union protests leading up to the 2008 elections and in return for the ride, made all kinds of promises that they knew they had no intention of keeping.

The unions have been patient and quiet.

Five years is five years however, and that is how long the unions have been living on just promises.

Last week, the unions began sending up smoke signals. According to Patrick Faber, the government has been blind-sided because as far as he knew, the negotiations had not broken down.

Newsflash Patty Cake, did you think they could go on forever?

The government has taken to the airwaves to accuse the teachers and unions of not having a social conscience.

Wave Radio has been cruel and when Mr. Frazier called to make a point, he was insulted, ridiculed and cut off. Big mistake! According to the Prime Minister, the teachers getting a cost of living adjustment will mean that the rest of us will have to bear higher taxes. According to Mr. Barrow, the already high 12.5% Government Sales Tax (GST) would double to 25%. Sounds like vintage Barrow scare tactic.

The unions of course, are not convinced! They have said to Mr. Barrow, “Look, there is an exorbitant amount of waste in government. Let us show you how to reduce it and show you how you

can afford to give us our much deserved cost of living adjustment”. As is, teachers really don’t make a hell of a lot of money. Cost of living has been steadily climbing and due to inflation, our dollar is worth more like sixty cents. Fuel cost is sky high, transportation cost has gone up and basic food items see weekly increases. To resurrect an old Belizean cry, “tings hard out yah!

The Barrow administration has flatly refused to consider the teacher’s demand. The teachers kept asking for an audience with the Prime Minister but our “always on the go” PM did not have the time. He did make some time to meet with gang leaders however after all, the man has to prioritize. The Prime Minister kept sending representatives; first CEO’s then a couple of Ministers.

The message was always the same, no and no! Or was that, no, no and no!

The teachers then pulled in the other unions and decided to send back their own message. Only then did the Prime Minister decide to sit with the unions but at that point, the wheels were already in motion. The unions were smart to not drop everything and run into a meeting with the Prime Minister. Let us show you first, the size of our bargaining chip.

Enter then, the big, bad Minister of National Security. John Saldivar sent out a message on behalf of the Government of Belize, instructing teachers from his constituency to a meeting in Belmopan. The unions recognized the move as an attempt to “union bust” and brought their case to the public. Kudos are in order for all those teachers who held their ground, and shame on those who betrayed the cause. Fortunately, the number of intimidated was not enough to derail the objective. In the face of threats and accusations, the unions stood strong and their message would best be heeded!

While I am no fan of Krem’s Sharon Marin-Lewis, she made a very big point on Monday. She likened what was happening with government and the teachers to a situation in a regular household.

She gave the scenario of parents saying their children, “look, we do not have any money so we’ll have to settle for Ramen noodles.” Yet, upon settling for the scanty meal, the children observe their parents eating a big steak and drinking champagne. This is exactly what is happening with the teachers. It is also why the teachers are not prepared to accept the government’s excuse of not having any money. If there is no money, then

how can they afford such affluent living, expensive travelling and lavish lifestyles. Tell them Finnegan, “even blind Josey can see that something doesn’t fit.”

Mr. Barrow’s biggest mistake was to call a press conference before Christmas to announce that his Superbond re-negotiating team had come home with $250million US dollars. His New Year’s address was full of braggadocio and news of “positive growth and economic expansion”. Just before elections of last year, each standard bearer received gifts of $90,000 each,

The UDP government knows full well the power of the unions and in particular that of the teachers; the consequences can be dire. to a total of almost 3 million dollars. There was also a waste of millions of dollars being paid to gang members. Add that to the millions paid to political cronies for doing naught and one can see where the teachers have a point!

Unfortunately, the Chamber of Commerce saw fit to play footsy with government and issued a press release trumpeting GOB’s cause. The unions dismissed it as being “self-serving” and understand that “time is longer than rope”. For many years, the Chamber themselves have been ignored and disrespected by the government but all of sudden, they are sitting at the table and being shown the pie dish. It is disappointing that these who should know best the character of this beast, is allowing themselves to be used.

The crux of the matter is that the government is neglecting our most precious resource and those who are called to develop it. Forget oil, tourism or all the other industries wrapped

21 into one. Our human resource is the most valuable. We must stop throwing good money after bad causes and start investing in those who are our future and those who shape the minds of our future generation. Hail to education!

MARRIAGES Daniel Isias Salazar, 23, to Reyna Lucerito Valdez, 24, both of San Isidro, Toledo District Louis Patrick Leslie, 56, to Therese Bernadine Anderson, 53, both of Independence, Stann Creek District Elvin Antonio Gomez Santos, 31, to Mirna Judith Garcia, 32, both of San Juan, Stann Creek District Victor Arevalo, 53, to Imelda Rivera, 47, both of Benque Viejo del Carmen Town, Cayo District Derwin Delvin Morey, 20, of Mango Creek, Stann Creek District, to Stacy Arcela Pope, 20, of Cotton Tree, Cayo District Eddy Mauricio Garcia, 27, to Shamilla Marlyn Cabanas, 21, both of Benque Viejo del Carmen Town, Cayo District Elston David Orellano, 29, to Ingrid Yojana Lazaro Perez, 22, both of Caye Caulker, Belize District Hector Marcino Pacham, 17, to Natrecia Cucul, 19, both of Dolores, Toledo District Lincoln Delhardt Alexander Jones, 25, to Larissa Anastacia Frazer, 22, both of Burrell Boom, Belize District Edgar Daniel Orellana, 31, to Maria Yesenia Solis, 24, both of Belmopan Luis Armando Menjivar, 36, to Lorena Arcely Giron, 30, both of Belmopan Oscar Amaya, 30, to Rilda Salam, 28, both of Valley of Peace, Cayo District Tomas Arias, 30, to Aracely Quintanilla, 31, both of Valley of Peace, Cayo District Miguel Angel Sanchez, 36, to Juana Luz Abarca, 39, both of Valley of Peace, Cayo District Pedro Aguilar, 28, to Carolina Diaz, 18, both of Valley of Peace, Cayo District

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THE BELIZE TIMES

03 FEB

2013

03 FEB

2013

23

THE BELIZE TIMES

Home Economics

If I were negotiating on behalf of teachers & public servants

by Richard Harrison ‌I would put the following things on the table.

Firstly, push for progress in the process to transition away from personal income tax and towards consumption tax....by recommending a lower, broader-based GST (10% across the board)... and personal income tax rate of 10% on incomes over $18,000 per annum...with provisions for deducting a portion of their investment in housing and education up to 5% of income. Recognizing that broad-basing the consumption tax would require AT THE SAME TIME relief across the general economy, which could be achieved by eliminating all government revenue from the pump price of fuel. Automatically and immediately, 40% of teachers and public servants will see at least a 15% increase in their take-home pay perpetually.

The private sector, some of whom are the principal advocates against salary adjustments, will gain from $80 million per year staying in their own hands, with a halving of the pump price of fuel. Government revenue, after accounting for lower personal income taxes and fuel taxes, will still have $200 million more to be creative with....in purchasing policies that allow Belize to become more competitive and productive. WIN-WIN-WIN. Secondly, push for the formation of a Workers Bank of Belize....owned and operated by ALL the workers of Belize who sign up for ownership.... collateralized by the Government of Belize initially, with lands equivalent to 30,000 house lots plus space for infrastructure development...and fortified by 5% direct deposit of salaries of participating workers. This will be worth more than salary adjustments to ALL in the long run, as workers become automatically enriched and empowered. The synergies that will come from pooling of scarce resources will yield significant dividends for all participating workers of Belize‌ including those that live and work abroad. This bank would focus exclusively on home improvement and construction financing for participating workers, and would allow for financing and refinancing at 6% p.a. over 30 years. This would relieve all workers who have invested in homes, and empower those who are thinking about investing in homes....boosting the construction market sustainably.

ALL workers....not only teachers and public servants.... would join your cause...as they would benefit from more disposable income as they see their monthly outlaw for housing decrease significantly by pooling resources.

3. Push for a FORMULA for sal-

ary adjustments that is tied to GDP growth, productivity growth, country competitiveness index and inflation.

With such a formula tied to the performance of the country as a whole... it will isolate this issue from political discretion in the future. These factors that figure into the formula must be specifically defined, and with specific guidelines for their measurement, with sufficient labor and private sector oversight over the method, process and conclusions. This will be in the benefit of all...with our country having better economic indicators to work with...instead of the creative accounting politically-driven methods, processes and conclusions that currently rule the day.

WIN-WIN FOR ALL....WOULD BE MY MANTRA!!

Richard Harrison is a local businessman and investor in the manufacturing and service industries. Send comments to harrisonbz@yahoo.com

A PAID AD

24

03 FEB

THE BELIZE TIMES

In my perspective

We are winners!

by Rayford Young In life there are people we all would love to meet and spend a day with. For me one such person is Mr. Nelson Mandela. Here’s a man that spent half of his adult life in jail because he spoke out about injustice and racism towards his people in South Africa. For that he was jailed and humiliated for years. What was amazing to me is when he was released he said he had no animosity or hatred towards those who did this injustice towards him. How many of us would feel that way and forgive the people who did that to you?

What a guy.

Secondly, I would love to meet and hang out with President Barack Obama. Many thought that his first election was a fluke - that the country was saying yes we could elect a black man to the highest office in the world. But on November 6, 2012 President Obama was re- elected to office for the second time with an overwhelming margin. This was no fluke - the majority of Americans thought he was the best candidate for this office and voted for him. Can you imagine sitting down with the President of the USA? I have found a new hero. I would love to meet and have a cup of cappuccino with Mr. Woodrow Wilson West. Who is Mr. West you might ask? Well, he is not as famous as President Obama or Mr. Mandela but he is excellent at what he does and he loves his job. We all got to meet Mr. West this past week at the Copa CentroAmericana football games in Costa Rica - and what a show Mr. West gave us! This man is the best goalie I’ve seen in a long time. I would not be surprised if he is offered a lucrative contract with some football franchise in Europe, USA or Central America. He is that good.

Mr. West plays for the National Team known as the Belize Jaguars and even though the team came in at 4th place at the competition, the pride and joy they brought to the country money cannot buy. Even though Costa Rica, Honduras and El Salvador scored a goal each on Mr. West, the countless saves he made were just fantastic! I have never seen that many saves in my life and he was having the best time of his life on that field. The whole team

should be commended for a great performance and for the pride they brought to the country.

I think it is clear to all who watched those games that the Belize Jaguars are a force to be reckoned with. The potential is obvious to all – if only they had the support they need. Most of those teams in Cen-

tral America and the Caribbean are sponsored by their Governments and private industries. They have all the necessities it takes to be successful.

The country invests in them. This is their job. They eat and breathe football. The players in Belize have regular jobs and only practice after work and weekends. We cannot produce a winning team if our players have to worry about their jobs and the needs of their families. I believe the country should provide the resources, equipment, the coach and a modern sports training center if Belize is to become the super winning team it can be. The wonderful and professional performance this team showed the world left a positive imprint on the minds of many who saw these men at their best. They represent the best Belize has to offer and will encourage many to visit this country. It’s a win-win situation money cannot buy.

Nothing comes easy. It requires hard work and commitment. These men have it, they showed us that they just need our support - they need the country behind them. This time let’s do what it takes to be winners, not more 4th place. We are winners!

Rayford Young is a Belizean-American, who currently lives in Michigan, U.S.A. Send comments to rayfordyoung@comcast.net

2013

For Sale

By Order of the Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgage under a Deed of Mortgage made the 5th of December 2008, between MARTIN STUART GOLDBERG and BARRY MAIKEL GOLDBERG both of #12 Paz Villas, San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, Belize District, Belize of one part, and Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., of the other part, and recorded at the Land Titles Unit in the Deeds Book Vol. 41 of 2008 at Folios 575– 642, the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the schedule hereto.

All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.

SCHEDULE ALL THAT lot, piece or parcel of land, containing 10.722 acres situate in the Little Vaqueros Enclave, Mountain Pine Ridge Area, Cayo District, as shown on Plan Entry No. 6399 Register No. 17 lodged at the office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys, Belmopan.

DATED this 22nd of January, 2013.

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

03 FEB

2013

THE BELIZE TIMES

x n nián kuài lè Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Sun leen fai lok!

The Chinese New Year will be on February 10th this year!

In Chinese legend (folklore) 2012 was the year of the dragon, 2013 is the year of the snake.

25

26

03 FEB

THE BELIZE TIMES

BRAIN

2013

TEASER

SUDOKU PUZZLE #2/2013

Energy

Saving Tips With the ever-increasing cost of living in Belize, and most recently, the crippling, Government-approved raise in BEL fees and rates, more and more Belizeans are looking at ways to save money. One way Belizeans can offset the increased electricity rates is by practising Energy Saving Tips. Over the next few weeks, the BELIZE TIMES will be providing friendly advice on ways to save money by practising the efficient use of energy. This week’s tips: Let there be “Energy Saving” Light!

An average household dedicates about 6% of its energy budget to lighting. Switching to energy-efficient lighting is one of the fastest ways to cut your energy bills. Timers and motion sensors save you even more money by reducing the amount of time lights are on but not being used.

You have many choices in energy-efficient lighting. The most popular light bulbs available are halogen incandescents, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Although they can initially cost more than traditional incandescent bulbs, over their lifetime they save you money because they use less electricity.

Halogen/ Incandescent Lighting Halogen incandescent light bulbs are simply energy-efficient incandescent bulbs and can last up to three times longer than traditional incandescent light bulbs. Halogen incandescents come in a wide range of shapes and colors and can be used with dimmers.

Tip: Replacing 15 inefficient incande-scent bulbs in your home with energy-saving bulbs could save you about $50 per year.

CFL Lighting CFL bulbs last about 10 times longer and use about one-fourth the energy of traditional incandescent bulbs. This makes it good for outdoor, overnight use. A typical CFL can pay for itself in energy savings in less than 9 months and continue to save you money each month.

You can buy CFLs that offer the same brightness and colors as traditional incandescent bulbs. Some CFLs are encased in a cover to further diffuse the light and provide a similar shape to traditional incandescent bulbs.

CFLs contain a very small amount of mercury and require special handling if they are broken. CFLs should be recycled at the end of their lifespan.

LED Lighting LED bulbs are rapidly expanding in household use. ENERGY STAR-qualified LEDs use only about 20%-25% of the energy and last up to 25 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. They come in a variety of colors, and some are dimmable or offer convenient features such as daylight and motion sensors.

In addition to standard screw-in bulbs, you’ll find LEDs in desk lamps, kitchen under-cabinet lighting, and even holiday light strings.

See answers on page 30

See answers on page 30

03 FEB

27

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

BELIZE TIMES WEEKLY

SCIENCE & TECH R

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Selected By Chris Williams

Drug reduces enlarged prostate with few side effects 29 January 2013 by Andy Coghlan Relief from the constant call of nature is the aim of a new drug, tested in rats, which can shrink an enlarged prostate and is likely to have few side effects.

By the age of 60 an estimated

70 per cent of men have prostate enlargement. Treatment involves surgery or drugs that block testosterone, a hormone that drives unwanted growth. Side effects can include loss of libido and erectile dysfunction.

The new drug, RC-3940-II, developed by Andrew Schally of the Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Florida and colleagues works by blocking gastrin-releasing peptide – another potent growth factor.

Lingering kiss: DNA persists in the mouth after smooch 26 January 2013 SO ROMANTIC... when you kiss your partner passionately, not only do you exchange bacteria and mucus, you also impart some of your genetic code. No matter how fleeting the encounter, the DNA will hang around in their mouth for at least an hour. This means that women’s saliva could

contain evidence of unwanted attention in cases of assault, or even telltale signs of infidelity.

Natália Kamodyová and her colleagues at Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia, recruited 12 couples who agreed to kiss each other passionately for at least 2 minutes. Afterwards, saliva samples were collected

from the women at 5, 10, 30 and 60-minute intervals. Because Kamodyová’s method relies on detection of the Y chromosome, it can only be used to identify a man’s DNA in a woman’s saliva.

The results show that the man’s DNA was still present and could be detected through amplification after at least an hour, and possibly longer. “We’ve shown it’s possible to get a full profile, which could be useful in crime investigation to pinpoint the possible perpetrator among suspects or exclude those innocent,” says Kamodyová. Her team is investigating whether the DNA survives longer than an hour and whether it’s obtainable from the mouths of women who have died

Stress can affect future generations’ genes 25 January 2013 by Andy Coghlan For the first time, genes chemically silenced by stress during life have been shown to remain silenced in eggs and sperm, allowing the effect to be passed down to the next generation.

The finding, obtained from detailed DNA scans in developing mouse eggs and sperm, backs up mounting indirect evidence from statistical studies that the genetic impacts of environmental factors such as smoking, diet, stressed childhoods, famine and psychiatric disease can be passed down to future generations through a process called epigenetic inheritance. Many geneticists had considered this an impossibility.

Genes can be switched off by altering DNA through a chemical process called methylation, in which enzymes respond to environmental factors by marking genes with methyl

groups that prevent them from working.

But the idea that genes carrying these epigenetic markings could be inherited is controversial. Previous studies had shown that as sperm and eggs develop, any markings added to genes during life are erased to provide a genetic “blank slate” from which the next generation develops. Any remaining marks were also thought to be erased when an egg is fertilised.

Now a team led by Jamie Hackett at the University of Cambridge has challenged this picture. The researchers extracted the DNA from mouse primordial germ cells – the precursors to sperm and eggs – at various stages of their development and used markers to spot any methylated genes.

They found that a tiny number of methylated gene regions survived unerased: an average of just 233 out of approximately 25,000 in the

In rats, a six-week treatment shrank prostates by 18 per cent.

It also shrank human prostate cells by 21 per cent. Importantly, fewer side effects are likely as testosterone pathways are avoided.

germ cells examined. Still, the work clearly shows that traits resulting from the surviving markings can potentially be passed on. “What we’ve found is a potential way things can get through, whereas before, everything was considered to be erased,” says Hackett.

Unresolved issue Do the markings survive simply because the erasure process may not always work properly, or are they deliberately spared so that the information they carry is passed to the next generation? The finding “doesn’t solve this question”, says Hackett. “But it’s a proof of principle for one possible mechanism by which traits might be inherited epigenetically.”

Those sceptical of epigenetic inheritance are adamant that even if some methylated DNA makes it through, it is likely to be be-

cause of faulty erasure. “The idea that what’s left carries information about the environment is sufficiently far-fetched to demand much more evidence of its importance,” says Adrian Bird of the University of Edinburgh, UK. “I’d say [the erasure] is an inefficient process, and what’s left doesn’t matter.”

Researchers who claim to have demonstrated that epigenetic traits can be passed down were more enthusiastic. Isabelle Mansuy of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich has found that in mice, the effects of stress in infancy can be passed from one generation to at least the next two.

“The paper demonstrates there are regions which do escape reprogramming,” she says.

“This is fundamental to the idea of epigenetic inheritance of acquired traits that so many people are reluctant to accept, because it does indicate that it is possible to maintain some marks intact from parents to offspring.”

Hackett says that he and his colleagues plan to repeat the experiment in human cells, and that they hope to resolve the question of whether some genes escape demethylation through luck or design.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Life Without a Plan I remember being sent by my mom to a corner shop and as I was skipping along, minding my own business, when I was attacked by a stray ‘pat-licka’ dog. I ran with all my might but realized I was too slow for the four-footed beast. I resorted to hurling missiles at the animal. To my surprise as I stopped, turned around, and picked up a stone, I saw the dog’s four tires smoking as he came to a screeching halt. He turned around and ran off.

He had no plan of what to do if I resisted his attack. You know, it is said that humans are the only species that plan deep into the future while most animals live on instinct!

What is your plan? Did you know that it is impossible for you to be a successful person without a lifestyle of planning?

Let me take it to another extreme! Even thieves plan!

Because of the risky nature of his movement, even a thief must plan. He doesn’t jump into your house but first checks to see if you have a dog, what time you usually leave home and return, whether or not you have burglar bars, etc. All these are factors that he takes into consideration and prepares for before he ventures to enter you home.

On the other hand we plan for a thief before he enters our home. We put on burglar bars; install an alarm system; rear dogs; set up cameras and the list goes on. No one says we are doing this because we want a break in, but rather in the process of building our homes, we are preparing to ward off thieves!

The plans you have speak volumes about who you are and how far you are going. If you go to the bank and you ask for a loan, they will first ask you ‘for what?’ and secondly ‘what is your plan?’ Having no plan tells them that you cannot be trusted and they can send you packing.

A plan is a method for achieving an end, according to the Merriam Webster dictionary. It is an orderly arrangement of parts of an overall design.

A plan is designed by starting with the finished product with all the necessary steps to construct this product into reality! The interesting thing is that even God makes plans.

Jeremiah 29:11 and Revelation 13:8 tells us that God killed Jesus before even laying down the steel works for the foundation of the earth.

God wants you to live by making plans on earth and one of the biggest plans you can make is planning where you would like to spend eternity. God has already set up a very costly plan to accommodate you spending the rest of eternity with Him, but you must also have a plan of execution which is to accept His plan for your life. What are your plans? A wise proverb says that if you fail to plan then you plan to fail!

I encourage you this week to observe your plans, make new ones, and don’t forget the most important plan of all and that is the one that sets you up with a passport as a citizen of the Kingdom of God! Until next week God Bless!

03 FEB

2013

Your Baby and the Common Cold...

A common cold is a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract — your baby’s nose and throat. It is caused by one of more than 100 viruses. The rhinovirus and coronavirus are common culprits, and are highly contagious. Nasal congestion and a runny nose are the primary signs of common cold in babies.

Once your baby has been infected by a virus, he or she generally becomes immune to that specific virus. But because there are so many viruses that cause colds, your baby may have several colds a year and many throughout his or her lifetime.

A common cold virus enters your baby’s body through his or her mouth or nose. Your baby may be infected with such a virus by: Air: When someone who is sick coughs, sneezes or talks, he or she may directly spread the virus to your baby.

Direct contact: The common cold can spread when someone who is sick touches his or her mouth or nose, and then touches your baby’s hand. Your baby can then become infected by touching his or her own eyes, nose or mouth.

Contaminated surfaces: Some viruses can live on surfaces for two hours or longer. Your baby may catch a virus by touching a contaminated surface, such as a toy.

Treatment for the common cold in babies involves taking steps to ease their symptoms, such as providing plenty of fluids and keeping the air moist. Very young infants must see a doctor at the first sign of the common cold, because they’re at greater risk of complications such as croup or pneumonia.

The first indication of the common cold in a baby is often: - A congested or runny nose - Nasal discharge that may be clear at first, but then usually becomes thicker and turns shades of yellow or green Other signs of a common cold may include: - A low-grade fever of about 100.4 F (38 C) - Sneezing - Coughing - Decreased appetite - Irritability - Difficulty sleeping When to see a doctor: Your baby’s immune system will need time to conquer the cold. If your baby has a cold with no complications, it should resolve within about a week.

If your baby is younger than 2 to 3 months of age, call the doctor early in the illness. Most colds are simply a nuisance. But it’s important to take your baby’s signs and symptoms seriously.

If your baby is age 3 months or older, call the doctor if he or she: Isn’t wetting as many diapers as usual Has a temperature higher than 102 F (38.9 C) Seems to have ear pain Has red eyes or develops yellow eye discharge Has a cough for more than one week Has thick, green nasal discharge for more than two weeks Has any signs or symptoms that worry you

03 03FEB FEB

REGIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

THE BELIZE THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES

2013 2013

NEWS

29

Israeli jets ‘launch strike in Syria’

Israel launched an air strike into Syria in a direct intervention to prevent weapons from Bashar al-Assad’s regime reaching the militant group Hizbollah, according to reports.

30 Jan 2013 Twelve Israeli jets mounted the strike in the early hours, with security sources in the region saying they hit a convoy as it carried heavy weaponry near where the main Damascus-Beirut highway crosses the border into Lebanon. Its load was said to have included anti-aircraft missiles bound for Hizbollah.

Syrian state television confirmed an Israeli attack, claiming jets had bombed a military research cen-

Guatemala ex-ruler Rios Montt to face genocide trial

US court approves $4bn BP criminal penalty

tre near Jamraya, northwest of the capital, Damascus. It gave only the vaguest description of the site’s purpose, but said it had been destroyed along with a nearby building. Two workers were dead and five wounded, it added.

Senior Israeli officials warned that, after the week-long attack on Hamas targets in Gaza in November, new cross-border operations were being designed to neutralise Hizbollah’s military threat.

Hizbollah and Hamas are Iran’s

main proxies in their struggle against Israel and are said to be under orders to hit back if the long-expected Israeli raids on Iran’s nuclear facilities take place.

The main target of the air strike included SA-17 anti-aircraft missiles, an advanced Russian make that would threaten Israel’s all-important air supremacy in the event of conflict, according to the Associated Press.

28 January 2013 A judge in Guatemala has ordered that former military leader Efrain Rios Montt stand trial for genocide.

Gen Rios Montt will face charges of crimes against humanity in connection with the killing of 1,771 indigenous Mayans during his rule in 19821983.

Prosecutors said he wanted to wipe out the indigenous group, which he suspected of supporting rebel fighters.

Gen Rios Montt, 86, is the first ex-president to be charged with genocide by a Latin American court.

The ruling clears the way for a three-judge to try the former president and another former military man, Jose Mauricio Rodriguez.

(USA) (Al Jazeera) (Tues., Jan. 29, 2013) A US judge has approved an agreement for British oil giant BP PLC to plead guilty to manslaughter and other charges and pay a record $4bn in criminal penalties for the company’s role in the 2010 oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

More than 200 million gallons of oil spewed in the three months before BP’s blown-out Macondo well could be capped. It was one of the worst environmental disasters in US history.

Returning to the Gulf

Finance minister tells journalists some of them have healthier accounts than the state Two hundred and seventeen US dollars – the equivalent of £138. That is all that remains in the public account of the Zimbabwean government, a bewildered finance minister has announced.

The paltry amount cast doubt over claims of a slow economic recovery and raised fresh questions about the fate of the country’s diamond revenues – officials say almost $685m worth were sold last year.

“Last week when we paid civil servants there was $217 [left] in government coffers,” Tendai Biti, the finance minster, told journalists in the capital, Harare, on Tuesday, noting that some of them have healthier bank balances than the state. “The government finances are in a paralysis state at the present moment. We are failing to meet our targets.”

Zimbabwe’s elections agency has said it needs $104m to organise polls this year. Biti added: “The government has no money for elections … We will be approaching the international community to assist us in this regard, but it’s important that government should also do something.”

two years after the BP oil spill BP agreed in November to plead guilty to charges involving the deaths of 11 workers in the drilling rig explosion that started the spill and for lying to Congress about the size of the spill.

The company could have withdrawn from the agreement if US District Judge Sarah Vance had rejected it.

Neither the Justice Department nor BP presented arguments to the judge before her decision.

Vance said the plea deal was “just punishment” considering the risks of litigation for BP and the alternatives to the settlement.

She told victims’ rel-

atives who were in court that she read their “truly gut-wrenching” written statements and factored their words into her decision.

BP America vice president Luke Keller apologized to the relatives of the workers who died and for the spill’s environmental damage to the Gulf Coast.

“BP knows there is nothing we can say to diminish their loss,” he said. “The lives lost and those forever changed will stay with us.

We are truly sorry.”

The deal doesn’t resolve the federal government’s civil claims against BP. The company could pay billions more in penalties for environmental damage.

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03 FEB

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

“Dara” reaches out for help

SUDOKU PUZZLE SOLUTION #2/2013

Seeks help to make 6th Food Drive successful

Belize City, January 29, 2013 Community activist Joel “Dara” Robinson has launched an appeal for support and assistance, in advance of his first charity event for the year.

On Sunday February 10th, Dara will hold the 11th Annual Tribute to Bob Marley, an event in which Marley fans gather to remember the artist and lyrical revolutionary. The event will take place at the MCC Table Tennis Court (adjacent to the MCC football compound) and will feature special video and music performances by Bob Marley on the big screen. But while the highlight will be the music giant, the focus will be drawing support for Dara’s charity programme through which he provides food to school children and food items to the poorest of the poor.

Dara is appealing to the public for food items of any kind. The donations which could come in the form of canned foods, seasoning or fresh fruits and vegetables can be dropped off at the location from 1pm to 10pm.

It is the 6th year that Dara is or-

ganising the food drive. It started when he recognised that students in his neighbourhood were not concentrating in their studies because they lacked proper nutrition. Dara’s dream started small. Inside his self-made home theatre shed. Every year, the number

VACANCY Applications are invited from suitably qualified persons to fill the post of Human Resource Manager in the Administration Department of the Port of Belize Limited.

Experience – Human Resource Manager: • 5 years of progressively more responsible positions in human resource management, preferably in a mid-size firm, statutory body, or the public service (Admin Officer).

• Experience supervising and managing a professional staff of more than twenty.

Education – Human Resources Manager: • Bachelors Degree in Human Resource Management, Public Administration, Business Administration or a related field required.

• Masters Degree in any of the above mentioned fields would be an asset.

Required Skills, Knowledge and Characteristics – Human Resources Manager: To be selected applicants must possess the following important qualifications:

• • • • • • • • •

Strong effective communicator.

Highly developed and demonstrated teamwork skills.

Ability to coordinate the efforts of a large team of diverse creative employees.

Ability to mentor, coach and motivate staff.

Ability to lead in an environment of constant change.

Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive personnel matters.

Ability to work under extreme pressure.

Experience working in a flexible, employee empowering work environment.

Experience in inter-departmental coordination and cooperation.

High Level Overview of Job Requirements – Human Resources Manager: The selected applicant will be required to perform the following key functions effectively:

• • • • • • •

Function 1: Manpower planning Function 2: Talent acquisition Function 3: Employee welfare and motivation Function 4:Employee evaluation: Function 5:Organizational relations Function 6: Provision of employee services Function 7: Employee education, training and capacity development

Compensation Package The post comes with an attractive compensation package including a salary of $39,027 x $1,280 to $51,827 starting point on the scale will be dependent on qualification and experience.

Applications should be addressed to the Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Port of Belize Limited, P.O. Box 2674, Caesar Ridge Road, Belize City, Belize. Closing date for receipt of applications is Friday, February 15th, 2013.

of students coming for a healthy lunch grew. And so, Dara’s cry for help has gotten louder.

Dara is organising the events under the banner “Belize Unite”, which he says is a key ingredient missing in our society. He said Bob Marley always sang about the upliftment of one’s mind and people coming together for each other during times of tribulation.

“We need to celebrate his life by reaching out to people. To those who are in need,” Dara said.

Dara will also be holding a tribute to the late great Bob Marley in Orange Walk Town, on Saturday February 9th at the Banquitas House of Culture from 8pm until.

Persons or organisations interested in donating or helping can also contact him at 623-3662.

THIRD NOTICE Pursuant to Section 10 (3) of the Belize Mines and Minerals Act, Chapter 226, Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000 2003, Denny Grijalva for DeMar’s Stone Company, has applied to the Honourable Minister of Natural Resources & Agriculture, through the Inspector of Mines, Mining Unit; for renewal of Mining Licence No. 3 of 2007 to mine limestone and marl from an area known as Albion Island near San Antonio Village, Orange Walk District. The areas to be mined are described as follows: A. Minister’s Fiat (Grant) No. 400/82 dated December 8, 1982, and more particularly described as 24 acres, 3 roods and 37 poles of land situated at the Quarry Site, San Antonio Village, Albion Island, Orange Walk District, Belize, being bounded and described as shown

by Plan No. 400 of 1982. Area is bounded within UTM-coordinates: Northings 2005288 2005112 2004831 2005008

Eastings 0321600 0321452 0321787 0321935

B. An additional 10 acres within a 30-acres layout situated adjacent to the above-mentioned layout bounded within UTM-coordinates: Northings 2004845 2005066 2005140 2004912 2004889

Eastings 0321606 0321355 0321416 0321686 0321649

The areas to be mined comprise approximately thirty-four (34) acres.

03 FEB

2013

THE BELIZE TIMES

31

PUP soldier Steven Valencia murdered inside Cayo home Belize City, January 25, 2013 The year 2012 ended with a record number of murders, and it seems the New Year is well underway to matching up. There have already been 13 murders so far in January and no adequate response to stem the violent tide.

Murder #12 stunned the People’s United Party family as the victim was a soldier of the Party. 40 year old Steven Valencia was the Chairman of the Cayo Central executive committee and had just led the PUP to a narrow loss in the March 2012 general elections. The political season was just about to get going with the village council elections coming up, but Valencia won’t be involved in it.

He was ruthlessly attacked while he was inside his home in Santa Elena with his two children, aged 4 and 6.

Police officials believe two armed men entered Valencia’s home

Liquor License NOTICES

by breaking through the back door.

They accosted him and ransacked his home, taking $7.00 before shooting him in the upper back, right foot, and right thigh.

Valencia’s two young daughters were at home during the at-

Coach Sherrier returns Belize City, January 30, 2013 In the middle of celebrating our National Football Team’s victory and historic placement in the July 2013 Gold Cup, Belizeans were stunned to learn that the man who played a critical role in the team’s success, Coach Lerroy Lewis Sherrier, had resigned from the football team.

Today, the Football Federation of Belize held a media conference to clarify the reports and to announce that the FFB was working on getting Coach Sherrier back to Belize.

FFB President Ruperto Vicente indicated that the controversy over the sudden resignation could have been avoided because it was the result of misinformation and miscommunication.

He explained that an email was circulated about Sherrier being in financial trouble because he owed a large sum of money to a bank in the United States.

When Sherrier learnt that Ruperto was travelling to Costa Rica, it appears he thought his job was on the line, so he decided to call it quits.

The email has turned out to be a fake. Vicente said the FFB has spent the past days investigating and when they called the phone numbers on the letter, none were functional.

But bringing back Coach Sherrier is one issue. The other is whether we can meet his demands. Reports are he has placed certain conditions on the FFB for his return, some which are easier to meet than others.

Sherrier has asked firstly that all top football league coaches are well trained.

He offered to train them if they needed.

Secondly, he wants the FFB to require all semi-pro teams to have under-17 and under-21 football teams. Thirdly, he is asking for a US $3,000-4,000 monthly salary.

Vicente expressed optimism that they will get Sherrier back to Belize to prepare the football teams that are in

time Valencia’s home has been tartack. They witnessed the vicious geted as it has been burglarized at assault. least twice before.

One of the neighbours, PatriThe loss of a PUP soldier was felt cio Molina, said that when he countrywide as members of the PUP heard noise coming from inside family have sent messages of condothe house, he went outside with lences to the family. a flashlight and spotted the light on the house. At that time, he said he saw the two little girls running down the verandah and a strange male person running behind them. When the unidentified perNotice is hereby given that Christian son saw the flashRiveroll is applying for a Publican light, he turned back, Special Liquor License to be operated and the girls were at “Chap’s Bar & Grill”, situate 1668 able to run to the light and to the safeSeashore Drive, Belize City under the ty of the neighbor.

Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance “I asked them Revised Edition 1980. ‘what happen to their father’ and she Notice is hereby given that Hermelintold me that they da Choc is applying for a Shop Liquor were killing her faLicense to be operated at “Fair View 1”, ther. I ask her who situate Steadfast Village, Stann Creek did it, big man or District under the Intoxicating Liquor tall man? She said Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition it’s a tall man with a hat and the other 1980. one had something tied on his face, Notice is hereby given that Hermelinonly his eyes you da Choc is applying for a Shop Liquor could see”, he said, License to be operated at “Fair View 2”, sharing the fright that situate Steadfast Village, Stann Creek children had faced.

District under the Intoxicating Liquor Their mother lives in Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition the United States.

1980.

Neighbors said this was not the first

training for international competitions.

Members of the National Football team have said that they have trust and confidence in Sherrier as their coach.

The players have been receiving accolades, locally and internationally. his week, Team striker Deon McCauley received expressed interest by Major League Soccer team Chivas USA.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

03 FEB

2013