Belize Times January 31, 2016

SCAN HERE

The Belize Times

Established 1957

The Truth Shall Make You Free

31 JANUARY 2016 | ISSUE NO: 4978

www.belizetimes.bz | $1.00

PUP holds Leadership Convention on Sunday

Pg. 3

Prepare for worse under the UDP

“...malicious, stinking UDP hand” targets outspoken Yhonie Rosado

Pg. 18

Pg. 14

Hon. Julius Espat GAPI KNOWS A calls out Ministry of HITMAN Land’s foot-dragging Pg. 23

Pg. 4

OMBUDSMAN TURNED BLIND EYE TO CASTRO, PENNER SCANDALS

Pg. 7

Robert Blair

Dr. Marcos Rugama Miranda

BURGLARY TURNS DEADLY FOR VICTIM

Pg. 15

Pg. 9

TOP MODEL

0 22

31 JAN

THE BELIZE TIMES

2016

OPINION OUT

As you probably know, this process is very cumbersome and needless to say without proper and comprehensive guidance as to the full process by the Ministry. We have engaged the Lands Department and its officials to expedite the process shortly after we came to an agreement with the association in late 2014. To date, it is still an ongoing battle.

Since April of 2015, we completed what we thought were all the documentation required and made submission to the Department to subdivide/mutate the parcel of land that we had agreed in principle to be gifted to the Association. With months of back and forth and misplaced documentations (applications forms, surveys, zero balance tax statements, etc.) provided to the Land Department, we were finally granted the Final Approval to Subdivide in October 2015. As you probably are aware, it does not end there. We submitted the Application to now sub-divide the parcels based on the final approval to subdivide along with all the documents they were already provided such as Summary of Share Capital, Certificate of Good Standing, Zero Balance Tax Statements for the current year and all new applications forms because of the change in ministerial lead-

Santander says dealing with Ministry of Lands is “a battle”

!

13 January, 2016

Hon. Julius Espat AREA REPRESENTATIVE Cayo South Cayo District Belize C.A. Dear Hon. Julius Espat,

Greetings to you from the Santander Group. Please accept our wishes for a Happy, Productive and Prosperous New Year!

I am taking this opportunity to write you so as to share the many challenges we are facing in relation to the transfer of lands to the Valley of Peace Farmers Association.

ership. All submissions have been made to the Lands Department and we simply now must wait once again for their processing. We have been informed that this next step is to wait for the new parcel numbers before we can apply for the transfer of lands and be given new land certificates. The Department has indicated that the process to secure parcel numbers is about 4-6 weeks wait; We anticipate a much longer time frame given the way the department delivers or lack thereof.

With all the lapsed in time we are still battling to bring this situation to a wrap, not just for the Valley of Peace Farmers Association, but for us as well. It has certainly brought much frustration for all parties involved. It is out realistic and sincere hope that his matter is brought to finality by April of 2016.

For your information, we have cleared all the lands that have been gifted, put in the necessary water source and access road to the property. With the foreseen reality of the land title issue, we were prompted to provide the association with a Santander plaque basically stating

PUP NOTICE National Convention

that they can proceed with whatever they wish to do on the land as we now acknowledge it to be theirs.

We have had many meetings with the members of the association as they continue to question the security of the Land Certificate and have also addressed concerns they brought to our attention regarding the land. We have done works that are additional to what we had originally agreed to (placement of drainage culverts along the adjacent property and additional road works).

We continue to be aggressive in bringing the matter to a close but as you know we have very little control over it. We believe that our exercise of good faith by completing all other obligations to the Farmers Association is a sign that we also want to conclude this matter as soon as possible. We encourage them to kindly exercise the patience we have been exercising with the Lands Department and be hopeful that it will come to an end shortly.

Sincere regards, Ms. Beverly Burke, MBA; J.P. Public Relations & Compliance Manager The Santander Group Belmopan, Belize

SCAN HERE

The Belize Times

Established 1957

14 APR 2013

|

ISSUE NO: 4840

The Truth Shall Make You Free

www.belizetimes.bz

|

$1.00

The People’s United Party will hold a National Convention on Sunday January 31, 2016 for the posts of:

serving Belize since 1957 as the longest continuous newspaper.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

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

Party Leader 1 Deputy Leader - South 1 Deputy Leader – North Party Chairman National Communications Director

EDITOR

Alberto Vellos LAYOUT/GRAPHIC ARTIST

Chris Williams

The National Convention will be held in the City of Belmopan from 9:00am – 3:00pm.

LOCAL 29 Jan

31 Jan

Roberto Peyrefitte Printed and Published By TIMES NEWSPAPER LTD.

WEATHER 30 Jan

OFFICE ASSISTANT

1 Feb

262 Mar Feb

Tel: 671-8385 #3 Queen Street P.O. BOX 506 Belize City, Belize

27 Mar Feb 63Feb

Email: belizetimesadvertisement@yahoo.com

editortimes@yahoo.com

Exchange rate of One Belize Dollar

United States (USD): $ 0.50

Barbados (BBD): $ 1.00

Eastern Caribbean Euro (XCD):$ 1.35 (EUR) : $ 0.47

Sterling Pound Guatemala Quetzal CANADIAN DOLLAR (GBP): $ 0.34 (GTQ): $ 3.82 (CAD): $ 0.64

CHINESE YUAN (CNY): $ 3.14

Trinidadian (TTD) : $ 3.19

INDIAN RUPEE (INR): $ 31.31

31 JAN

03 3

THE BELIZE TIMES

2016

PUP holds Leadership Convention on Sunday Belize City, January 29th, 2016 On Sunday, January 31st, 2016 over 2,900 delegates of the People’s United Party will gather at the Belmopan Comprehensive School in the capital city of Belmopan to participate in a historic Leadership Convention that will elect a leader for the Party and members of the national executive.

The candidates for leadership, Hon. Francis Fonseca, Hon. John Briceño and Hon. Cordel Hyde have been canvassing the entire country, meeting the delegates and offering their plans and ideas to move the Party forward.

The national executive posts that will be up for elections are Deputy Leader North, Deputy Leader South, Party Chairman and Communications Director.

The candidates for those positions are Corozal South East Area Representative Hon. Florencio Marin Jr. and Orange Walk South Area Representative Hon. Jose Mai for Deputy Leader North; Toledo East Area Representative Hon. Michael Espat and Stann Creek

this kind of democracy. They have never had a democratic convention for leadership. Their leaders, in particular the current one, was installed into power and has held the post without any chances for challenge for almost two decades.

The UDP has attempted to interfere in the PUP’s upcoming convention. Their dirty mouth attack dogs on Wave Radio have been reading off the names on the Party’s delegate list and have launched personal assaults, in an attempt to intimidate supporters.

The UDP, who will be facing internal tremors as Dean Barrow Hon. Cordel Hyde Hon. Francis Fonseca Hon. John Briceno prepares to step down as leader, West Area Representative Hon. fears that following Sunday’s conwill intensify as delegates arrive Rodwell Ferguson for Deputy Leadvention the PUP will gather masto cast their votes. Voting will take er South; Toledo West Area Represive the energy within and launch place from 9:00am to 3:00pm, and sentative Hon. Oscar Requena and an aggressive national campaign the result of the convention is exHenry Usher for Party Chairman; against the corruption and incompected by 6:00pm. and Dolores Balderamos Garcia and petence that reeks from the GovIn the PUP’s near 66 years of Anthony Mahler for Communicaernment. existence, Sunday’s exercise will tions Director.

Sunday’s convention is about be the third leadership convention The campaign has been cothe democratic election of a leadexercise involving delegates from lourful and energetic, both on the er for the PUP, but it’s also about across the country. This time around ground and on social media, with the renewal of hope for the Party’s however, the process is even more supporters from the different camps faithful supporters and positioning democratic, with almost 3,000 delrooting for their candidate. the blue machine on the road to egates choosing their next leader.

On Sunday, the spirit of support victory.

Not even the UDP can boast of

Belmopan Mayor threatens to leave 30 families homeless

WATCH LIVE on CCV CH9 CBC CH50/60 Southern Cable CH18 VIBES RADIO 90.5FM | 102.9FM

Call 650-8429

Text 600-1074

4 04

THE BELIZE TIMES

Gapi Knows a Hitman Belize City, January 31, 2016 The next leader of the United Democratic Party, Gaspar Vega, who is currently the Deputy Prime Minister and at times Acting Prime Minister, has tried unsuccessfully to wiggle himself out of another horrible political controversy involving murder plots.

Vega, in defending himself before news reporters last week Friday, even went as far as to suggest that his former employee, the embattled Lands Commissioner Wilbert Vallejos is a liar, accusing him of making an untrue statement before a Supreme Court Judge, which is tantamount to contempt of court.

The murder plots involve two wealthy Americans, Michael Modiri and Bradley Paumen, who own large tracts of land in the Mountain Pine Ridge Area. Since early 2013, the businessmen have been clashing over the use of each other’s land to access their property. That year, while Modiri was away, the Ministry of Lands acquired a portion of his land, allowing Paumen to utilise it and access his property. Upon returning to Belize, Modiri was startled when he found a road through his property and applied to the Court for an injunction against

Wilbert Vallejos Paumen. During the court proceedings, he learnt that the land had actually been acquired by the Government. He then launched a successful legal challenge to the Government’s actions. This was most embarrassing to the Lands Ministry which was accused of acting unlawfully, unreasonably and arbitrarily, and then ordered to pay $15,000 as compensation to Modiri.

Of interest in the case is the testimony of Vallejos. He declared to the Court that the acquisition of the land was “a directive given by the Minister”.

Vega was the Minister of Natural Resources.

It is not known how the relations between the businessmen contin-

For Sale

By Order of the Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Mortgage made the 11th day of December, 2002, between JOSEPH JONES of No. 57 Freetown Road, Belize City, of the one part, and SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD., of the other part, and recorded in Deeds Book Vol. 42 of 2002 at Folios 1 – 28, 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 Leasehold interest in ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Lot No. 323 situate in the Village of Sandhill (Maxboro Area), Belize District, and bounded as follows: On the North for 30.476 Metres by Lot No. 305; On the South for 30.476 Metres by a Street; On the East for 31.393 Metres by Lot No. 322; On the West for 31.393 Metres by Lot No. 324, containing 956.733 Square Metres of land as shown on Entry No. 5146, Register No. 21 at the office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon.

DATED this 28th day of January, 2016.

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

ued throughout the years, but on January 6th the Police announced that Paumen was charged with four counts of “Abetment of Murder” on the life of his neighbour Modiri and others. The Police reported that the arrest was Gapi Vega the result of an investigation following a report from Modiri that Paumen had placed a hit in him, two of his employees and his attorney.

It is strongly suspected that the recent debacle between both men is in relation to the land dispute and the decision of the Court. The same court case in which the Court overruled the actions of the Ministry of Natural Resources that were taken according to Lands Commissioner Vallejos, on the directive of Minister Gaspar Vega.

“I’m not sure about that. I don’t know if Mr. Vallejos said that, but I did not give such, if that’s where you’re going to, I did not give such a directive,” responded Vega outside of the halls of the National Assembly. Perhaps he misled himself to think that the close proximity to the National Assembly still gave him immunity.

Vega knows that he if he would ad-

31 JAN

2016

mit to giving such directive, the question that would follow is: why would he go as far as breaking the law for foreign private interests.

Vega then went about giving his own strange version as to why the Court cancelled the Ministry’s acquisition of the property, explaining that it was because the acquisition should have been done by the Ministry of Works instead of his former Ministry.

The truth is that the Barrow Administration has been found guilty of carrying out so many arbitrary and illegal land acquisitions that Vega might just be confusing the Modiri case with one of the others.

Vega also knows that accepting the testimony of Vallejos will mean that he played some role, indirectly, in the alleged Paumen-Modiri murder plot.

Vega is no stranger to such serious accusations.

In 2014, he was accused of being involved in the disappearance and murder of well-known Orange Walk businessman Ramon Cervantes Sr. The accusation was done by the main suspect in the kidnapping/murder, Manuel “El Pelon” Castillo, who uttered Vega’s name in an audio recording that was released to the public. In a statement following the audio release, Vega denied the allegations but confirmed that the voice was of El Pelon and that he knew him.

The family of Cervantes Sr. submitted the recording to the Orange Walk Police to assist their investigation, but it has been ignored.

31 JAN

2016

THE BELIZE TIMES

5 05

EDITORIAL

The writing on the wall…

P

olitical observers have already begun to brainstorm how the political landscape will be changing for both political parties over the next few months.

These observers are expecting seismic shifts where the PUP will begin to rise and the UDP will prepare for a heavy fall after eight years (three short terms) of rule.

The political pundits have concluded that despite the PUP’s present testy leadership race with a three-way competition and fiery supporters and campaigns from each camp, the Party will only come out stronger and more united. The truth is that no matter who wins on Sunday, the PUP needs Francis, Johnny and Cordel to be on the same page and on the same mission, united, to rid Belize of the UDP. The supporters of the PUP deserve no less of the men seeking their support.

Unity has evaded the PUP for too long, causing the Party to enter elections fragmented, under-resourced and not fully prepared. A house divided will not stand. The UDP, or at least Dean Barrow and his close political mercenary, Mark Espat, who has been fattened by taxpayers’ dollars, know how to exploit those weaknesses well.

We at the BELIZE TIMES have faith that Sunday’s results will be a new be-

ginning for the PUP, and we will here to record it.

The UDP on the other hand are preparing to see Barrow disappear into the Miami sunset. In 8 years, Barrow did everything including killing some of his colleagues’ political ambitions, to ensure that he got his historic third term. Now, the ruthless politician who thinks like a lawyer all the time must stand down.

Having won two terms in office and now into a third term, the UDP ought to be a competent and able Party in Government, sharpened by experience. But the political observers know and Belizeans are convinced that just the opposite is true. The scandals which closed their second term will only continue and even exacerbate in this third term. The latter is most true since more power will only swell their heads and turn them into mini-emperors.

The UDP has set its convention for March this year, but the leadership cannot be challenged. Still, we expect to see the major players jostle for whatever position is available to ensure that when Barrow steps out, they could step in. We know how thirsty Gaspar Vega is, how ambitious Patrick Faber is and how wily John Saldivar is.

Belizeans should pay keen attention as the seismic shifts take place in the next few months. The future of Belize hangs on a balance.

06 6

THE BELIZE TIMES

31 JAN

2016

Francis Fonseca for Party Leader

Service | Loyalty | Commitment ON JANUARY 31st, 2016 - VOTE TEAM FRANCIS!!

- A PAID AD -

31 JAN

2016

Ombudsman turned blind eye to Castro, Penner scandals

Belize City, January 28th, 2016 The Opposition People’s United Party did not support a motion presented by Prime Minister Dean Barrow before the House of Representatives last week Friday, January 22nd, 2016, seeking approval for the re-appointment of Lionel Arzu as Ombudsman for another year.

Opposition Leader Hon. Francis Fonseca raised concerns about Arzu’s effectiveness as Ombudsman.

“This is not a motion that we can support on this side of the House. Over the past few years that Mr. Arzu has served as Ombudsman, our colleagues have complained of the level of inactivity and ineffectiveness of his office. Our sense is that he does not enjoy, as Ombudsman, the level of trust and confidence that his predecessors enjoyed,” stated Hon. Fonseca.

PM Barrow disagreed, of course, and the UDP’s majority side proceeded to approve the re-appointment.

The UDP media, Channel 7, spread the propaganda that the Op-

07 7

THE BELIZE TIMES

Lionel Arzu position was “bashing” the Ombudsman. But Channel 7 made no effort to look into the concerns raised by the Opposition Leader.

Those concerns are very valid.

One of the major displeasures with Ombudsman Arzu was that he turned a blind eye to the Edmund Castro visa scandal when whistleblower Alvarine Burgess brought it to his attention.

According to Burgess, the Ombudsman’s office was the first place she went to with her testimony that the UDP Minister was selling visas to foreign nation-

Alvarine Burgess als.

Another matter in which the Ombudsman was seen standing against the public’s interest, was when COLA requested that he reviews a decision by the Auditor General to refuse them any information contained in her investigation report into the Elvin Penner national scandal in 2014.

The Ombudsman, instead of helping to expose wrongdoing, agreed that the Auditor General did not have to provide informaGeovannie Brackett tion to COLA. This refusal to

With that kind of information, one would have expected the Ombudsman to act immediately. After all, the Ombudsman’s primary responsibility is to “investigate complaints of alleged wrongdoings by public authorities”.

But instead of investigating, Arzu told Burgess that he will not do anything unless he sees some kind of proof. He made no additional effort.

Burgess had to turn to the media to expose Castro’s wrongdoings, and the rest is history.

provide key information regarding wrongdoing by a public authority was one of the obstacles to Penner’s prosecution, which eventually failed with all the cover up from the Commissioner of Police and the Ministry of Immigration.

The Opposition has it right about Lionel Arzu. He does not have the public’s confidence. The office of Ombudsman would indeed be more effective once it is led by someone who is more strongly committed to defending and protecting the rights of Belizeans.

08 8

THE BELIZE TIMES

- A PAID AD -

31 JAN

2016

31 JAN

2016

THE BELIZE TIMES

Belizean Beauty

Fani

• • • • • •

TOPMODEL 09

Career Plan: Teacher Sign: Virgo Favourite Food: Rice & Beans Likes: Make-up Lives in: Belize City Fav. Quote: “For what’s money without happiness.”

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

TOP MODEL Clothing and Accessories provided by CATWALK FASHIONS

Cor. North Front Steet & Queen Street Belize City

Photo by:

10 SPORTS

City Boys vs. Riverside Boys in U-15 football finals

City Boys team

31 JAN

THE BELIZE TIMES

Belize City, January 24, 2015 The City Boys will take on the Hattieville River Side Boys in the upcoming Belize District Football Association’s (BDFA) under-15 championship final at the MCC Garden on Sunday morning, January 31; after both squads won big in the semifinals last Sunday.

City Boys are the No.1 seed with no losses. They blew away Face of Belize 3-0 with 3 goals in the 2nd half. Richard Hines scored first, Jaylen Babb booted in a 2nd goal and Kenny Linarez drilled in the 3rd goal.

The SMART Brown Bombers will play for 3rd place; as they had no answer to

2016

striker Jadon “Chites” Macgregor, who scored a goal in the 1st half, and a 2nd goal after the break to give the Hattieville Riverside Boys the 2-0 win over the Bombers.

The consolation game for 3rd place kicks off at 11:00am Sunday.

Jaylen Babb scored City Boys’ 2nd goal

Team Koop Sheet Metal

wins Haulover-Boom canoe race

Fantastic 3 vs Coast Guard Ace

Burrell Boom, January 24, 2016 Team Koop Sheet Metal won the Haulover Bridge to Burrell Boom canoe race held by the Belize Canoe Association on Sunday morning.

The Belize Canoe Association organized the race to prepare paddlers for the grueling 4-day annual Ruta Maya River Challenge on the Baron Bliss Day weekend. The 3rd race in the series will be the Boom to Riverside Tavern race in February.

Race Results: 1st - Koop Sheet Metal- Jerry Rhaburn, Jerry Cante, Hener Cruz (2:08:53) 2nd - Belize Bank Bulldogs: Armin Lopez, Amado Lopez, Byron Cruz (2:09:07) 3rd - Team N.I.C.H.: Felix, Efrain and Alex Cruz (2:09:11) 4th - Programme for Belize: Chris Guydis, Wilberto Daniels, Kenrick Daniels (2:09:25) 5th - Westrac Nitro: Oscar Cordon, Erwin Cruz, Daniel Cruz 2:09:30 6th/1st - Intramural team - Wat Eva Boyz: Sergio Lopez, Adrian Williams, Carlos Linarez (2:14:22) 7th/1st - Mixed team - Team VES team - Eric Cano, Milenie Cabb (2:17:16)

Koop Sheet Metal wins 8th/2nd - Mixed team - Team Cayo Pitbulls Miguel Mangandid, Roxana Lemus, Jesus Linarez (2:19:58) 9th - Team Fantastic Three - Euken Arnold, Isanny Pook, Dominique Alvarez (2:21:48) 10th/3rd Mixed team - Belize Coast Guard “Ace” - Leany Ruiz, Jeraldo Teck James Alford (2:21:48) 11th/1st Females - Belize Bank Bulldogs women: Ana Cruz-Camp, Delilah Cabb, Lily Cruz (2:26:08) 12th/1st Pleasure division - Team Print Belize: Rudolph Gentle, Leroy Romero, Jose Crawford (2:30:07) 13th - Belize Coast Guardians - Alfonso Lind, Daniel Gregorio, Revaun Ramirez (2:30:36) 14th/1st Masters - Team Watt A Ting - Johnny “Watt” Searle, Andres Cabb, Joe Segura (2:32:03) 15th/2nd Intramural division - Belize Rural High School’s “Unruly Wave” (2:38:58) 16th/2nd Masters - Team Grumpy Ol’ Men: Jerry Wilkens, Stanley Bailey, Peter Martin (2:47:01)

Germain Foster scored Uprising Stars’ 1st Goal

Uprising Stars are CYDP Peace Cup champs Belize City, January 24, 2015 The Uprising Stars won the 2016 Conscious Youth Development Programme’s (CYDP) Peace Cup football championship at the MCC Garden on Sunday.

The Stars won 1-0 over Kraal Road FC in overtime of the finals. Jermaine Foster blasted in a rebound after the Kraal Road keeper Elias Hercules deflected a shot from Jael Ottley Team Kareem Kelly Street Bombers won 3rd place, defeating Tut Bay FC 4-3 in overtime.

Individual awards: Most Goals – Charlie Canton (Kraal Road) Best Striker – Latrell Middleton (Kingspark Strikers) Best Midfielder – Francisco Briceno (Uprising Stars) Best Defender – Jermaine “Bowfoot” Zuniga (Kraal Road) Best Goalkeeper – Elden Linarez (Uprising Stars) Best Coach - Albert Thurton (Tut Bay) Best Manager - Marconi Leal (Kraal Road) Most Valuable Player Award – Harold Thompson (Uprising Stars) Most Disciplined Player – Albert Davis (Kingspark Strikers)

31 JAN

2016

SPORTS 11

THE BELIZE TIMES

SCA & GWEN LIZ GIRLS lead football playoffs

Belize City, January 22, 2015 The St. Catherine’s Academy female football squad continues to dominate the high school football playoffs.

SCA is leading the competition, followed closely by Gwen Lizarraga girls who posted a 2-0 win over the Wesley College girls at the MCC Garden on Friday afternoon. Goals were scored by Essenie Ciego and Shari Mendez.

The Ladyville Technical High School girls are at No. 3 seed with 2pts from 2 draws, while the Wesley College girls are the No. 4 seed with 1 pt from a draw with Ladyville.

Essenie Ciego scored Gwen Liz’s 1st goal

BHS’ Zach Ortiz defends

ACC & WESLEY tied for No. 1 spot

Gwen Liz girls

Belize City, January 23, 2015 The undefeated Anglican Cathedral College boys and Wesley College boys have four wins apiece to lead the high school football competition.

ACC posted a 2-1 win on Monday over the Gwen Lizarraga High School boys with two goals by Christian Ancona and Akeem Sutherland. Hakeem Smith scored a consolation goal for Gwen Liz, but Gwen Liz’s top striker Naim “Nemo” Wilson will have to miss the next game, after he was sent off with a red card.

Wesley College boys posted a 6-0 win over the Belize High School boys on Saturday. Deandre “Dee-dee” Pitters scored a hat trick, blasting in the 1st goal and adding the 5th and 6th goals in the 2nd half. Devin Pablo scored the 2nd goal, Kermit Sutherland drove in the 3rd goal, and Shemar Thompson added a 4th goal.

St. John’s College and Ladyville Technical High School struggled to a

nil-zip draw.

Other matches: SJC vs. BHS - 5-0 Goals by Dennis Zuniga, Dion Cacho, Denroy “Bobo” Lopez, Jorge Ramos (2) Ladyville Tech boys vs. Gwen Liz - 4-1 Goals by Eric Gomez (2), David “Hondo” Solorzano, Dedron Baptist, Naim “Nemo” Wilson ACC vs. Maud Williams High - 8-0 Goals by Trevaun “Monster” Rhaburn, Akeem “Bib” Sutherland (3), Herman Card, Darrel Flowers, Kyle Samuels, Kenroy Daly Wesley College vs. Maud Williams High - 15-3 Goals by Dee-dee Pitters (4), Shemar Thompson (3), Kenyon Young (2), Kermit Sutherland, Devin Pablo Nathan Oliva, Kermit Sutherland, Jalen Babb, Shakeem Richards, Tyrel “Tut” Estrada, Jaheem “Hammer” Thomas, Tylon Dyre

BES & St. Martin’s girls win in primary schools basketball

Belize City, January 26, 2015 The undefeated St. Martin De Porres RC School girls are leading the Belize City primary schools basketball competition with 4 wins. Their last victory was over the Belize Elementary School (BES) girls at the Birds’ Isle on Monday, January 25.

The BES girls enjoyed their 3rd win: 8-4 over the Welsey Upper School girls on Tuesday afternoon. Aaliyah Herbert led BES with 3pts while Kelly Liu and Michaelen Hyde scored 2pts apiece. Wesley’s Jada Gillett tossed in 2 buckets for 4pts.

The Bethel Primary girls posted their 2nd win: 4-1 over the winless Holy Redeemer girls when Jaysha Jones and Shenia Barrow scored 2 pts apiece, while Holy Redeemer’s Danique Vasquez scored a free throw.

Shantel Flowers scored all 9pts for St. Martin’s in their 4th win: 9-4 over the BES girls on Monday. BES’ Michaelen Hyde and Aaliyah Herbert scored 2pts apiece.

The Muslim Community girls got the easy bye to their 3rd win: 20-0 when the James Garbutt 7th Day Adventis girls were a no show for their game on Monday.

The BES girls posted their 2nd win last Thursday: 14-0 against the Holy Redeemer girls, with Michaelen Hyde scoring 6pts and Aaliyah Herbert added 4pts.

ACC Boys

BES & St. John Vianney RC boys lead basketball

BES’ Sanaa Rowland scores

competition

St. Joseph’s Christopher Zetina scored 3pts

12

31 JAN

THE BELIZE TIMES

BSI/ASR Crop Review - Week 7

(January 18, 2016 to January 24, 2016) Cane milled in Week 7 - 51,622 tons Total cane milled since start of 2015/2016 crop: 295,390 tons Total cane milled in the same period in 2014/2015 crop: 362,262 tons Difference in this year’s crop: -66,872 tons Sugar produced in Week 7 - 4,671 tons Total sugar produced since start of 2015/2016 crop: 25,699 tons Total sugar produced in the same period in 2014/2015 crop: 42,831 tons Grinding rate in Week 7 – 7,375 tons of cane per day Average grinding rate since start of 2015/2016 crop – 6,028 tons of cane per day Grinding rate in the same period of 2014/2015 crop – 7,393 tons of cane per day Juice purity in Week 7 – 83.96% Average juice purity since start of 2015/2016 crop – 83.52% Juice purity in same period of 2014/2015 crop – 88.08% Tons Cane per Ton Sugar (TC/TS) in Week 7 – 11.05:1 Average TC/TS since start of 2015/2016 crop – 11.49:1 TC/TS for same period in 2014/2015 crop – 8.46:1 Sugar level in cane in Week 7 – 95.32% Average sugar level since start of 2015/2016 crop – 95.01 % Sugar level in the same period in 2014/2015 crop – 95.23% Factory Time efficiency in Week 7 – 97.64% Factory efficiency since the start of 2015/2016 crop – 92.51% Factory efficiency in the same period in 2014/2015 crop – 97.48% BSI Comments - Factory performance was very good with 51,622 metric tons milled for the week.

- A concerted effort needs to be made to harvest and deliver high quality cane with the highest possible sugar content.

- Farmers are encouraged to maintain quality control efforts to ensure the delivery of mature, clean and fresh cane to the mill.

Data compiled from Daily and Weekly Factory Reports prepared by BSI.

2016

NOTICE As the Supervisory Authority for Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBP), the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) is the body responsible for ensuring compliance with obligations relating to Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism.

Pursuant to the Money Laundering & Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2008 by amendment No. 4 of 2013 (MLTPA), a person who carries on, or intends to carry on one of the following businesses in or from within Belize, must apply to be registered with FIU as soon as possible: - Casinos - Real estate agents - Dealers in precious metals and stones - Non-Profit Organizations - Non-Governmental Organizations - Vehicle dealers - Lawyers, notaries, other independent legal professionals, accountants , auditors and tax advisors

Application forms (Form R101 –Registration of DNFBP) can be obtained from the FIU’s Website at www.fiubelize.org or by visiting our office at 4998 Coney Drive, Coney Drive Plaza, Belize City. Deadline to submit application is February 29, 2016.

For more information, you can contact the FIU by phone at telephone numbers 2232729/0596.

Failure to comply with the requirement to register may subject you to criminal and/or administrative sanctions.

31 JAN

13

THE BELIZE TIMES

2016

TRANSAMERICA FINANCIAL SERVICES #25,845

NATURCO LIMITED # 61,231

(“the Company”)

(“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 TRANSAMERICA FINANCIAL SERVICES INC. has been dissolved as at 8th January, 2016 and has been struck off the Register of International Business Companies.

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 NATURCO LIMITED has been dissolved as at 21st January, 2016 and has been struck off the Register of International Business Companies.

Cititrust International Limited

CITITRUST INTERNATIONAL LIMITED

Registered Agent

Registered Agent

HALFORD ESTABLISHMENT INC. #58,003 (“the Company”)

Pursuant to Section 102 (4) of the International Business Companies Act, Chapter 270 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, notice is hereby given that HALFORD ESTABLISHMENT INC.:

a) is in dissolution b) commenced dissolution on the 25th day of January, 2016; and c) Nancy Bennett who address is 15 Shongweni Street, Lakefield X55, Benoni 1501 is the Liquidator of the Company.

Cititrust International Limited

BY ORDER OF CHARGEE NOTICE OF INTENTION TO SELL HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED a statutory body formed and registered under the Credit Union Act, Chapter 314 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, and whose registered office is situated at No. 1 Hyde’s Lane, Belize City, Belize District hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Chargee under and by virtue of a Charge registered at the Land Registry between HURL M. HAMILTON of the one part and HRCU of the other part.

HRCU will at the expiration of three months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the Schedule below.

ALL offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing to Holy Redeemer Credit Union Limited from whom full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained.

Registered Agent

SCHEDULE CAMPBELL LOGISTIC LIMITED #58,512 (“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 CAMPBELL LOGISTIC LIMITED has been dissolved as at 20th January, 2016 and has been struck off the Register of International Business Companies.

Cititrust International Limited Registered Agent

CAYE CAULKER DIVE CLUB LIMITED #34,539 (“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 CAYE CAULKER DIVE CLUB LIMITED has been dissolved as at 21st January, 2016 and has been struck off the Register of International Business Companies.

Cititrust International Limited Registered Agent

ALL THAT piece or parcel of land comprising 348.26 square metres being Parcel 1609, Block 16 in the Vista Del Mar Registration Section situate on Red Snapper Avenue, Vista Del Mar, Belize District, TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon, the freehold property of HURL M. HAMILTON DATED this 14th day of January 2016 HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED 1 HYDE’S LANE, BELIZE CITY, BELIZE Phone: (501) 224-5644 Fax: (501) 223-0738

14

THE BELIZE TIMES

“...malicious, stinking UDP hand” targets outspoken Yhonie Rosado Belize City, January 28, 2016 The UDP Government is like a mob. Anyone who offers criticism or attempts dissension is dealt with a heavy blow. This week, businessman Yhonie Rosado felt just how petty and vindictive the Government is when officials of the UDP Belize City Council swarmed his business premises on the Phillip Goldson Highway, demanding that it be shut down.

The CitCo officials told Rosado that his business does not have a trade license therefore it shouldn’t be operating.

“I don’t know what they say really, but you can see that obviously, it is just a pure malicious, stinking UDP hand,” commented Rosado.

Rosado’s small business, a used tire shop named “Econo Tires”, has been operating for the last eight months. He does not have a trade license, but not for the fault of his.

ily? We are going to close the business until they give me the trade license, which is ridiculous because they know that they are ready to collect taxes,” he remarked.

Rosado believes that the reason he was targeted is more political. He is a known, outspoken firebrand in the tour operators sector. Rosado has spoken

Yhonie Rosado Rosado did apply for a trade license.

In December, he paid the required $90 inspection fee and was told that he would be getting his official trade license certificate in about two weeks.

He never got it.

“They just want to close you down in a dirty way, and you can see. I closed it down. How would a government be so stupid to close down a business to punish a fam-

31 JAN

2016

out against injustices in the tourism industry. Recently, he accused the Belize Tourism Board officials of favouring tour operator companies owned by foreign investors over local Belizean companies. “…it’s just pretty obvious that because we’re making noise on the television, they are now saying, ‘Rosado making noise?’

I think he has a business up the Northern. Close him down’,” he added.

Rosado said he has invested significantly in the business and stands to lose tremendously with his shutters down. At least five employees have been negatively affected by the forced business closure.

31 JAN

THE BELIZE TIMES

2016

Burglary turns deadly for victim

Robert Blair Belize City, January 28th, 2016 One city resident is dead, while another is hospitalised after an armed burglary at a residence on Simon Lamb Street turned violent and fatal on the wee hours of Wednesday morning.

44 year old Dr. Marcos Rugama Miranda is hospitalised and receiving treatment for stabbing injuries he received yesterday as two men attempted to burglarise his house.

Miranda’s friend, 37 year old Ian Robert Blair, was fatally stabbed in the chest during the assault.

According to Miranda, he went on his backyard to pick in clothes and upon returning inside his

GUATEMALAN WOMAN REPORTS HUSBAND MISSING IN CAYO Cayo District, January 28, 2016 Police are asking the public for assistance in locating a Guatemalan national believed to have gone missing in Belize.

On Wednesday, 27th January, 2016 35-year-old Clementa Hernandez Vasquez, a Guatemalan national of Melchor, reported to Police that her husband, 37-year-old Mynor Salvador Bala, was missing.

Vasquez reported that on Sunday, 24th January, at 8:00a.m., her husband left home in Melchor De Mencos enroute to Cayo to sell Avon products and since making her report he has not returned.

Bala is described as weighing approximately 145pounds, being 5ft 7ins in height, having brown skin, low black hair, and a tattoo on the left arm of a snake.

He was last seen wearing a long sleeved blue shirt with a red stripe on the sleeves, a black long jean pants, a white tennis shoes and a purple schoolbag.

Dr. Marcos Rugama Miranda home, he noticed that two men of dark complexion were inside, with what appeared to be a firearm and knife, attacking Blair inside the bedroom.

Miranda said that he tried to defend Blair by throwing furniture and appliance on the attackers, but by the time the armed men ran away, they had already inflicted serious injuries on him.

Blair was stabbed twice in the upper shoulder.

Miranda reported to the Police that a flat screen TV was taken from the house.

Three men have been detained since the incident and will likely be charged for the burglary, aggravated assault and murder.

Miranda, a Nicaraguan national, is employed at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital as an urologist, while Blair was employed at his family business, Zero Degrees Ice Cream shop.

15

Malfeasance in Belize: Only taxpayers suffer

By Fermin Olivera, MSW To be, or not to be? That is the question—whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and, by opposing, end them? (William Shakespeare).

In the recent past several damning comments have been uttered regarding the Lands Department of Belize: of it being a “cesspool of corruption”; that “only God can clean up the corruption”, and I am sure you will be able to plug your perception or experience in this regard.

Malfeasance speaks to the wilful, illegal, dishonest activity of a public official in the discharge of his public duty.

Lawsuits against the Government of Belize have become a common occurrence.

Regrettably the end result is also common, where, high-powered attorneys become richer and taxpayers are held accountable to pay for damages. Malfeasance is synonymous with the more derogatory term “corruption”. While I celebrate the fortitude of the wealthy to challenge the injustices of the State, I also recognize the helplessness of the poverty-stricken who remain without a “David”, without a champion.

It appears to me that those that are in charge who wallow in fortune often claim “not to know” that of any bad decision or error, this being bad enough in my simple view. I trust that some effort will be undertaken to find out who is to be held accountable, since, often, it remains unanswered while taxpayers are made to pay—and we do so without care or concern.

The Paumen murder conspiracy is the latest in a string of incidents that squarely draw our attention to the alleged cesspool of corruption at the

Lands Department, for which again, taxpayers had to pay damages for the illegal acquisition of land. The Titan situation, while not related to the Lands Department, will cost millions to taxpayers again. I have to wonder if public officials have come to the conclusion that tax dollars is their personal “kitty fund”.

While there is no David for the poor, the poor are useful in that they live from day to day and hardly have energy to see tomorrow. Typically, as sociologist put it, the poor don’t revolt unless as Karl Marx alludes: the critical mass of the poor becomes significant.

What truly is our poverty level? Is our poverty structural? Our colonization was about wealth via the acquisition of foreign lands. Land ownership today remains a means to wealth. Land distribution in Belize, of late, appears to be political tokens when given to the poor around election time and this must evolve to become a birth right entitlement. We can start by giving every sixth form and Belizean university graduate a parcel of land along with a diploma.

I am of the view that our present day colonizers are to be found among us. Giving a hard time to the grass root and bending over to assist the affluent investor. Critically consider our social and crime statistics—if you are not dismayed it’s perhaps because you do not know any better or worse yet, have settled for poverty. Corruption makes countries poorer but this won’t change as long as you have the poor in check.

It has been said that a people without vision shall perish, likewise a fool and his wealth shall part ways. To be or not to be? That is the question…

16

31 JAN

THE BELIZE TIMES

A Good Leader

By Gilroy Usher, Sr. The PUP will elect a leader on January 31st, to take it into the months and years ahead. It’s therefore opportune to look at some of the things that made persons such as George Price, Norman Manley, Fidel Castro, Margaret Thatcher, Martin Luther King, Jr. and John Kennedy successful leaders in their respective countries.

A leader outlines practical plans to the people to enable them to enjoy a better life. He is not satisfied with maintaining the status quo in which the rich get richer while the poor get poorer. A good leader is therefore committed to addressing the needs of the people for jobs, land, proper housing, a better education, security, and twenty-four hours access to utilities such as water, telephone and electricity among other needs.

A leader is resourceful. He knows how to make maximize use of the human and material resources that are available to him. He does not sit around and wait for things to happen. If he doesn’t have the funds to get essential things done, he exhausts every possible way of raising funds for the just cause. A

leader also knows how to utilise the media, public meetings, and street protests to pursue the best interest of the people, and he knows how to work with the trade unions and other Non-Government Organizations (NGO’s) to advance the cause of the masses.

People like a leader who is a man of his word. If he says he will do something you can take it to the bank, because idle talk is not in his DNA. He thinks carefully before he speaks. A leader is also a practical person. If he sees current policies aren’t leading to the objective –a better life for the people he is mature enough to change his strategy to achieve the ultimate dream.

A true leader is a person of integrity. He does not believe in power at any cost. He will not condone corruption by his ministers, political friends, or people with big money. He is a servant of the people and not a puppet or front man for wealthy individuals or others whose main desire is to enrich themselves at the expense of the basic needs of the populace.

The best plans for a country can only be implemented if a political party is in government. A leader

For Sale

By Order of the Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Mortgage made the 27th day of October, 2011, between FAURA CARDINEZ of Big Falls Village, Toledo District, Belize, and SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD., of the other part, and recorded in Deeds Book Vol. 24 of 2010 at Folios 361 – 410, the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the schedule hereto.

All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece and parcel of land situate at Mile 67 Southern Highway, Big Falls Village, Toledo District, Belize and being Lot No. 26 containing 1482.92 Square Yards or 1239.90 Square Meters and bounded and described as shown on Plan No. 304 of 2003 TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and thereon.

DATED this 20th day of January, 2016.

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

2016

therefore has to be a person with national appeal. Winning his seat is not enough. That’s because a leader has to help persuade the people across the country to do everything possible to get his party in government. A leader also has to be a unifier. It can’t be either his way or the highway. He must reach out to the people and his political colleagues.

He has to make every effort to address legitimate concerns of all the

stakeholders in his organization and the country in general.

At a National Convention in Belmopan this coming Sunday January 31, close to three thousand delegates of the People’s United Party will get the opportunity to elect Hon. Francis Fonseca , Hon John Briceno, or Hon Cordel Hyde as the next leader of the party, who best embodies those and other essential qualities of a good leader.

PAUL MASSAM

murdered in Corozal His brother, Mark, was chopped to death one year ago

Paul Massam Corozal Town, January 28th, 2016 Police are investigating the shooting murder of 29 year old Paul Massam which occurred in Corozal Town on the morning of Wednesday, January 27th.

Massam, according to reports, was sitting on the steps of a verandah at a house located on V Street North, when a man armed with a gun approached him and fired several shots at him.

He received gunshot wounds to the left and right side of his face and on his left hand.

It is not known what Massam was doing at the address at the time, since he resides on Bocotora Street in Corozal Town.

Police are looking for three suspects for questioning.

Massam has had several brushes with the law, but he was making efforts to turn around his life.

His brother, Mark Jr., was the victim of a violent attack just over a year ago, in December 2014, when Carlos Cassanova attacked him with a machete.

ZIKA VIRUS:

Up to four million Zika cases predicted

By James Gallagher Health editor, BBC News website Three to four million people could be infected with Zika virus in the Americas this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) predicts.

Most will not develop symptoms, but the virus, spread by mosquitoes, has been linked to brain defects in babies.

Meanwhile, the US says it hopes to begin human vaccine trials by the end of 2016.

The head of the International Olympic Committee says steps are being taken to protect the Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Thomas Bach said the IOC would issue advice this week on

how to keep athletes and visitors safe in Brazil, the worst affected country.

WHO director general Dr Margaret Chan said Zika had gone “from a mild threat to one of alarming proportions”.

She has set up a Zika “emergency team” after the “explosive” spread of the virus.

It will meet on Monday to decide whether Zika should be treated as a global emergency.

The last time an international emergency was declared was for the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which has killed more than 11,000 people.

31 JAN

2016

Strange Tale

By G. Michael Reid “There can be no dispute that the court has jurisdiction to review the decision of the Minister. Section 3 of the Belize Constitution protects the right of every person in Belize from arbitrary deprivation of their property. Section 17 (1) then states: “No property of any description shall be compulsorily taken possession of and no interest in or right over property of any description shall be compulsorily acquired except by or under a law that – (a) prescribes the principles on which and the manner in which reasonable compensation therefore is to be determined and given within a reasonable time; and (b) secures to any person claiming an interest in or right over the property a right of access to the courts for the purpose of – (i) establishing his interest or right (if any); 5 (ii) determining whether that taking of possession or acquisition was duly carried out for a public purpose in accordance with the law authorising the taking of possession or acquisition; (iii) determining the amount of the compensation to which he may be entitled; and (iv) enforcing his right to any such compensation.” - Judgement for CLAIM NO. 188 of 2015 Michael Modiri v Attorney General, et al.

When the Honourable Madam Justice Sonya Young, in delivering her learned judgement, declared that “This is a strange tale…” she could not have possibly imagined how truly strange that said tale would eventually turn out to be.

The case was between two foreigners who were fighting over some valuable real estate in Belize.

Seems both men had been able to acquire prime land in the historically rich area near the foot of the fabled Maya Mountains. The area is rich with flora, fauna and an intricate network of caves, some full with relics of the long gone Mayan civilization. The business website for the company of one of the men proudly

17

THE BELIZE TIMES

boasts: “Also located on the property are numerous caves treasured with centuries-old Mayan artifacts, which not only underscore the historical importance of the area, but also provide visitors with a valuable insight on the underworld life of the early inhabitants of these caves.

We have found evidence dating back 3,000- 5,000 B.C. to the Paleo-Indians who hunted the wooly mammoth & giant sloths. We have discovered an abundance of potteries and Lowe & clevis points (Maya spear point) dating to 600-900 A.D.” The problem is that the property of both these men were what is described as “landlocked property”; that is, inaccessible via public thoroughfare. The solution would have been, of course, for both men

done little to cool down that situation.

A disturbing fact here, which was revealed by the court ruling, is that this man actually forged a business relationship with National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) and the Government. Paumen then, would not only be paying upfront, but would be giving some of whatever he earned along the way. In return, he seemed to have been promised the full protection of government and all departments involved.

What he did not take into consideration was the fact that the other man, while he might not have had the same contacts, had the same kind of money. Michael Modiri happened to have been away when his land was taken and given to Paumen. Upon returning to the country and learning about the developments, Modiri hired an attorney and took the matter to court and won. The case concluded in June of last year and the public would have probably never heard of it except for the ensuing developments.

In her ruling, the judge ex-

tive to proceed and to illegally acquire the land. That Minister at that time was no other than Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega.

When questioned about the matter by the media this past week, Vega, who was finally moved from the department following the November General Elections, forged amnesia and denied any involvement in the case. What a tangled web we weave….

Our strange tale became really bizarre when a week ago, Police issued warrants for Bradley Paumen and two of his workers. It seems that Paumen decided not to take Judge Young’s unfavourable verdict lying down. He allegedly set about hatching a plan to rid himself of his neighbour once and for all. Paumen allegedly enlisted the aid of a couple of his workers who set about finding the right man to do the job.

What apparently saved the day for the would-be victims was the involvement of US law enforcers who set up a sting operation and caught Paumen in the act of putting up a down payment for the job. His gun was later recovered from a gang-infested area of the city. The fact that both defendant and accused are American citizens might offer some hope that justice might be served in this case but then again, this is Belize and our record on such matters is not what you might call exemplary. As it stands, in spite of the seriousness of the charges and the obviously strong evidence obtained, Paumen spent but a night in jail and was given a relatively small bail. Seems we just never learn.

Belize is still reeling from the rank raised when one David Nanes Schnitzer was given an incredibly low bail and allowed to slip through the hands of authorities.

I believe it was Emory King who once opined: “Belize was founded by pirates, and guess what, we are still here”! Long live Belize!

Commissioner of Lands Wilbert Vallejos testified that it was his Minister who gave the directive to proceed and to illegally acquire the land.That Minister at that time was no other than Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega. to work together and find an amicable solution but, “ever has it been that greed elicits selfish, non-cooperative behaviour”.

Then also, anyone familiar with doing business in Belize understands that a few dollars put into the right hands can redraw maps, reshape any landscape and move mountains. Apparently, at least one of these men, have been here long enough to know just how that system works and where to find those hungry hands.

58 year old Bradley Paumen, owner of the appropriately named Darknight Tours, and one of the men involved in the dispute, was apparently able to convince folks at the Land’s Department to take away a piece of the other man’s property and give it to him. This is something that happens in this country way more often than anybody can even imagine; go ask Samuel Bruce or Bernadette Pickwoad. Sometimes it is done to facilitate family members of those in authority and sometimes, as in this case, it is done simply for money. Then there are times when it is done simply out of spite or from political vindictiveness. The Prime Minister himself has long ago labelled the Lands Department a “hotbed of corruption” but has

pressed dismay and astonishment at the audacious manner in which government went about acquiring Mr. Modiri’s property. According to Judge Young, “it defies logic and it cannot be right.” She also went on to describe it as “an error of law, unreasonable, and arbitrary”.

Called as a witness in the case, Commissioner of Lands Wilbert Vallejos testified that it was his Minister who gave the direc-

18

THE BELIZE TIMES

Prepare for worse under the UDP

Contributed Where oh where has Petrocaribe gone…oh where oh where can it be?

Mr. Barrow is singing the Petrocaribe blues in 2016 and it sounds like a funeral march.

You see…in 2015 Mr. Barrow and his UDP were riding high and fancy thanks to hundreds of millions in Petrocaribe millions. There was no wrong they couldn’t correct, nothing and no election they couldn’t fix, nobody they couldn’t entice. But now it’s all done and karma is paying the PM a little visit.

Old people will tell you that the true measure of a man is how he handles adversity, not how pretty he looks with bulging coffers. Now, with empty pocket syndrome, Mr. Barrow is being measured and he’s not looking too great.

Last week the Supreme Court found that the Government screwed up royally when it seized property belonging to the Titan offshore company. No real surprise there… there are a lot of politically appointed dimwits in high places. But get this: GOB will now have to pay Ti-

Dean Barrow tan almost $9M in damages. NINE MILLION! And remember the Coye case, the one where they accused an entire family of money laundering and threw them in jail? Well, it has been reported that GOB has been ordered to pay the family back more than $3M. THREE MILLION! This government gets this wrong all the time. And the people of Belize end up paying for the UDP’s mistakes. When they seized B.T.L. and turned it into a Barrow friends and families junket, the PM knew he was wrong. But he held on. Belizeans had to pay for his arrogance. And we will

Dangriga vendors to challenge Mayor Humphreys in Court

Nuri Cocom

Dangriga Town, January 21, 2016 Vendors in Dangriga Town who have been negatively affected by the Town Council’s decision to declare an area on privately-owned land as a “No Vending Zone”, say they will challenge the Mayor and Council’s in Court.

The vendors, mostly hard working mothers, are furious after the UDP-elected Council prohibited their use of an area on North Stann Creek Riverside Street for vending of fruits, vegetables and other small items.

They have been doing business there for over four years, and the current Mayor and Town Council even collected peddler’s fees from them.

The vendors said that Mayor Francis Humphreys suddenly turned on them, informing them that he

doesn’t want them to sell in the area anymore, so they were forced to leave. Humphreys met with the vendors and promised that he would build stalls for them elsewhere if they agreed to move. The vendors accepted, but say that the Mayor hasn’t kept his promise.

They argue that their use of the land is legal, because they have the permission of the private owner with whom they have a business arrangement. That private owner pays trade license to the council for his business.

It won’t be the first time they have had to defend their use of the land in Court, and if judged by their insistence, it will not be the last. Some of the vendors have hired an attorney and will appear in Court on January 28th to argue their case.

have to pay much more. The same thing with BEL… Belizeans had to pay millions and millions because the PM played big boss and the Court spanked him for his arrogance.

Where will we get the money to pay for these high Gapi Vega costs? Belize is already in big trouble economically – the banana industry is in trouble, citrus in trouble, sugar cane in trouble, shrimp in trouble, the transportation industry in trouble. Hell, we found oil in Belize and now it’s all gone, and we have no clue how the country benefitted from it. The outlook is grim for Belize, and there’s no Petrocaribe to run to.

And besides the financial outlook, Belize is also looking bad on the regional and international front. Look at fugitive David Nanes Schnitzer. The US found him for us. The Mexicans officially requested his extradition. And Belize screwed it up.

31 JAN

2016

And then of course there’s the Bradley Paumen fiasco. Paumen is an American investor who owns Dark Night tour company.

But he’s apparently also very close to the UDP – so close that according to Court documents the former Minister of Lands, Gaspar Vega, gave a directive for Government to takeover private land so Paumen could make money. They claimed that it was for a public purpose, but the Supreme Court says they lied, since their decision only benefitted Paumen. Enquiring minds want to know exactly how close Vega and Paumena are. Interestingly, ever since Paumen got arrested for allegedly putting a hit on four persons, a UDP operative and failed candidate has been hanging around the Court and the Police Station. Things that make you go hmmm!

And so that’s where things stand in Belize – bad and getting worse. The last time we made international news it was because a journalist got murdered here.

And our forensic people can’t even determine if she was raped.

Not only that, but the authorities allowed the only suspect in the case, a Guatemalan fishermen, to go free because of a mix-up between Police and Immigration.

Things aren’t going to get better people. They said the best is yet to come. They LIED!

31 JAN

2016

THE BELIZE TIMES

19

20

31 JAN

THE BELIZE TIMES

2016

BELIZE TIMES WEEKLY

SCIENCE & TECH R

E

V

I

E

W

How virtual wards will pave the way for stay-at-home hospitals IF YOU have ever had to stay on a hospital ward, you will know how stressful it can be, no matter how caring and professional the medical staff. Besides the boredom and loneliness, there’s the noise and lack of privacy.

Help is at hand, however, as a new type of hospital ward is beginning to open its doors. The difference is that in this ward, patients stay at home. The idea is to use the home as a “virtual” ward. Instead of staying in hospital longer than is strictly necessary, people go home to recover once they are out of danger.

But out of sight does not mean out of mind: medical teams still visit regularly – perhaps to re-dress wounds, give injections, provide physiotherapy or check blood pressure. And more high-tech virtual wards can use advanced telehealth devices, meaning people are issued with innovative wireless sensors that track their vital signs. These devices can continually feed data to cloudbased services, where predictive algorithms issue alerts if someone seems to be at risk of a serious health event, such as a heart attack. In this case, an emergency team can speed to the person’s home to intervene.

Virtual wards allow people to monitor the parameters relevant to such conditions using a variety of wireless vital-sign monitors that communicate with a tablet computer via Bluetooth. The sensors include blood pressure cuffs, blood glucose level meters, pulse oximeters that measure blood oxygen levels, heart rate monitors and even wireless weight and body fat scales.

Information revolution The tablet then connects to a cloud computing system, such as healthcare company Philips’ HealthSuite Digital Platform, over the internet. This is where software keeps a check on the data, looking for dangerous trends and alerting doctors if any of the vital signs suggest trouble ahead. “There can also be an automated escalation that calls the right doctor for the condition at hand,” says Alan Davies, Director of Home Healthcare at Philips, who runs the Hospital to Home service in the UK and Ireland.

The hospital side of the virtual ward operation has to be multidis-

ciplinary – staffed by nurses, doctors, pharmacists, physiotherapists and nutritionists – so that the right decisions can be made about which people need to be visited by whom, and why they may need the intervention.

Although the sensors aren’t novel in themselves, says Davies, the innovation is in the development of predictive algorithms for analysing and making sense of the data they collect. For example, these algorithms are now getting good enough, he says, to give a multidisciplinary team advance warning that people with heart failure may need a preventive intervention – well in advance of the need for an emergency readmission. Dealing with the problem early is often less invasive, perhaps involving medication, exercise or a nutritional change. “Imagine the high cost savings and benefits to the community in terms of freed-up bed capacity,” Davies says.

John Huffman, Chief Technology Officer at Philips, is on the front line of the algorithmic innovation. An important point, he says, is that software can also aid in the decision to send someone home from hospital to their virtual ward.

“It lets you see if it is safe to send some-

one home, working out the probability of them coming back and if they require healthcare support at home.”

Another strategy to help people avoid ending up back in hospital can be to give them tools to take control of their conditions. “We provide disease educational material, often in partnership with third sector charities, so patients can do more self-care at home. That way they can self-manage, stabilise themselves and thereby hopefully avoid more severe episodes,” says Davies.

Some virtual wards are already in operation and achieving encouraging results. In a landmark trial in 2013, Philips and Banner Health of Phoenix, Arizona, reduced hospital readmissions for a group of 135 chronically-ill patients by 45 per cent. Care costs during the trial also fell by 27 per cent.

Healthcare at Home of East Staffordshire is trialling such services in 21 UK National Health Service trusts. In 2014, it created 379 virtual beds – which it says is equivalent to building a new hospital. And the Nuffield Trust, a healthcare research and policy organisation based in London, has found that this approach began to reduce elective hospital admissions and

outpatient attendances six months after the NHS trials began.

“Care on virtual wards is made possible through a range of technologies such as a digital patient record,” says a spokesperson for Healthcare at Home. “This enables healthcare professionals, using tablet computers, to access and update the patient’s clinical record and treatment pathway in near real-time.”

Reduced readmissions Those who get to try virtual wards first will include people who cost health services the most. In the UK and the US, 50 per cent of healthcare spending is on just five per cent of patients: those with chronic diseases that have high hospital readmission rates. These conditions include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, type-2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

“These are the conditions with the maximum impact on acute healthcare costs,” says Davies. Seeing as many people have a combination of these conditions, their frequent readmissions have a serious effect on bed capacity in hospitals, he says.

The virtual ward model lets healthcare providers assess risk for different groups in the community – ensuring that the most at risk, chronically-ill people are also most likely to be given the help they need. This can focus telehealth efforts on those who are most likely to need expensive readmissions.

None of this will be easy, though.

Allowing people to put the noise, stress and boredom of the old-style hospital ward behind them will need an enlightened attitude on the part of health authorities.

The reason? A good old turf war.

With virtual wards in people’s homes, doctors’ surgeries will be effectively sharing community healthcare with hospitals – something they have never done and that some on both sides may oppose. But the NHS has vowed “to exploit the information revolution” as it strives to improve its services over the next five years, and virtual wards may well become part of that.

“So the problem about making virtual wards happen is not the technology,” says Davies. “There’s a cultural change here that has to be gone through.”

31 17 JAN

2016

REGIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

THE BELIZE TIMES

S Africa girls given student grants to remain virgins Azad Essa | 25 Jan 2016 Women’s rights activists have criticised a South African municipality for a scholarship programme that funds studies for young women if they can prove they are virgins.

On Friday, the uThekela municipality, in KwaZuluNatal (KZN), announced that 113 students would receive scholarships to pursue higher education in the country.

Sixteen scholarships were specifically designated for sexually inactive students, as part of a programme called Maiden’s Bursary Awards. The programme started in January 2015, but it is unclear how many students were awarded the scholarship in 2015.

Sisonke Msimang, a policy development and advocacy consultant for the Sonke Gender Justice project in Johannesburg, said the municipality’s decision was “a terrible idea [that] had so many layers of ridiculousness”.

“Being sexually active and seeking an education have nothing to do with each other,” Msimang told Al Jazeera.

Msimang described the programme as being an embodiment of “level upon level of patriarchal nonsense, unconstitutional misogyny and mixed-up madness”.

Temperatures soar in Bolivia as El Nino smashes records At least five major cities report their highest temperatures in more than half a century El Nino has brought hot weather to much of Bolivia.

Several regions have reported record high temperatures, with at least five major cities reporting their hottest weather in half a century.

The heat was even reported in traditionally cool mountainous regions, including the capital, La Paz. La Paz reported a temperature of 26.5C, a long way above the average of 17C and the city’s highest temperature since 2003. Neighbouring El Alto reported 21.4C, smashing the previous record of 20.5C recorded 51 years ago.

Record temperatures were also registered in the regions of Tarija, Yacuiba and San Borja.

The hot weather is thought to be a result of the current El Nino conditions.

Women’s rights activists condemn municipal scholarship programme that awards young women for remaining virgins.

Denmark immigration law: A sign of things to come?

Danish MPs have passed a controversial law allowing the seizure of assets from refugees.

The Nordic state is not the first European country to tighten controls on refugees.

But the new Danish immigration law may be a sign of the darkening mood towards refugee arrivals.

The law allows the seizure of refugees’ assets to help pay for their stay. Among other things, it also prevents families being reunited for three years.

Danish politicians say the law is being misunderstood. They argue that, in a welfare state, everyone has to use up their own resources first before claiming benefits.

Critics say the law, and similar measures being taken in other countries, are designed to deter new arrivals - and could heighten tension and xenophobia in some communities.

21

Supreme Court extends bar on automatic life terms for teens Offenders convicted as minors even long ago must be considered for parole or given new sentence under the 6-3 ruling The Supreme Court ruled Monday that people serving life terms for murders they committed as teenagers must have a chance to seek their freedom.

The justices voted 6-3 to extend a ruling from 2012 that struck down automatic life terms with no chance of parole for teenage killers. Now, even those who were convicted long ago must be considered for parole or given a new sentence.

The court ruled in the case of Henry Montgomery, who has been in prison more than 50 years, since he killed a sheriff’s deputy as a 17-year-old in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1963.

Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing the majority opinion, said that “prisoners like Montgomery must be given the opportunity to show their crime did not reflect irreparable corruption; and if it did not, their hope for some years of life outside prison walls must be restored.”

Kennedy said states do not have to go so far as to resentence people serving life terms. Instead, the states can offer parole hearings with no guarantee of release.

Zika virus vaccine ‘could take three to five years’ Researchers call for new incentives for drug companies after outbreak of mosquito-borne virus spreads to 21 countries.

Researchers say developing a vaccine for the Zika virus suspected of causing brain damage in babies - could take up to five years, as health experts called for new incentives for drug companies.

The Zika outbreak, which the World Health Organisation says is likely to spread to all countries in the Americas except for Canada

NEWS

and Chile, follows the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, which also caught health authorities off guard.

“We’ve got no drugs and we’ve got no vaccines. It’s a case of deja vu because that’s exactly what we were saying with Ebola,” Trudie Lang, a professor of global health at Oxford University, told Reuters. “It’s really important to develop a vaccine as

A Brazilian mother bathes her son, who has been diagnosed with microcephaly, in a bucket of water, to help calm him [AP]

quickly as possible.”

Large drugmakers’ investment in tropical disease vaccines with uncertain commercial prospects has so far been patchy, but the pace of the outbreak has demonstrated how quickly little-known diseases can emerge as global threats.

“We need to have some kind of a plan that makes [companies] feel there is a sustainable solution and not just a one-shot deal over and over again,” Francis Collins, director of the US National Institutes of Health, said last week.

22

31 JAN

THE BELIZE TIMES

THINK ABOUT IT

FROM PROUD RIO HONDO TO NO PUP, it is now.

SARSTOON AL JAZEERA-NO MORE Belize’s leading newspaper has written a damning Editorial exposing a frightAl-JAZEERA, the American version, is ening fact that Belize has lost half of the going off the air in the USA in February. It Sarstoon River to Guatemala, including is starved of support and commercial adthe Sarstoon Island. vertisements in the USA. First, let us say we are the first ones The arrival of Al-JAZEERA America, to have carefully considered the facts that to Belizeans through cable TV a few years emerged last year August and came to ago brought an excellent example of a this inescapable conclusion. The Editor of more impartial, more news-oriented methe BELIZE TIMES was among over one dia than the drivel and propaganda from hundred citizens who went to Barranco CNN, CIA, DEA, NBC etc. etc. American Village and loaded a small flotilla led by news media.

Wil Maheia and the Territorial Volunteers.

Some years ago, BBC world news It was a shocking experience to see, showed on local cable TV but was rewith our own eyes, the determined be- moved from Belizean view. havior of the Guatemalan armed forces There were no expressions of conand naval boats in jealousy, guarding what cern from the educated sections of the they claimed was their territorial waters country. It is true BBC is British propainside our section of the Sarstoon River. ganda but it is more subtle than American Up to that time the Belize govern- ones. And Belizeans learnt a lot about Afriment had been mocking and cursing the ca, Asian Arab and other foreign countries minor efforts of Wil Maheia to expose the than they ever would watching CNN. behavior of Guatemala and the non-beC-SPAN, an excellent coverage of havior of our government. Remember the government and political events in the Prime Minister’s blatant refusal to even USA, was moved from Channel 65 to 104. offer a comment.

This has basically removed C-SPAN from Senator Lisa Shoman’s revelation of the Belizean viewing scene. Another loss the contents of a diplomatic Note from to our education. An education which is Guatemala to the Belize Government was lacking and deficient. the nail in the coffin. Guatemala’s firm assertion of exercising sovereign control RIGHT HONOURABLE over the whole Sarstoon River, their chastisement of the Prime Minister for misHave you wondered why Dean Barleading Belizeans and their confirmation row, three times Prime Minister, (George of escorting our BDF through the river on Price won SIX general elections) has not Tuesdays was it. been conferred with the title Right HonBrigadier General Jones should have orable? The British government has a rearesigned at that point for his participation son they are withholding the conferment. in the Prime Minister’s deception to this George Price, who fought against nation on such an important national is- British colonialism and who was targeted sue. for jail through several trials, was “made” In any other democracy the Prime a Right Honorable. He accepted it to Minister would have no choice but to step show, as an example, the British having down from his office, for his secretive, to come to terms with the rightness of sinister and cynical hypocrisy over the his visionary fight for self-government and loss of our national sovereignty. ultimately independence with all of our Even now, at this late stage, the “re- country intact. maining men” in the Cabinet and the UDP Manuel Esquivel was made an honorparty, should ask him to leave. ary Admiral by the USA and a Right HonThis is a grave and serious matter. orable by the British. We can’t figure out Far more important than “third term” and why but a more pro-American, more Brit“we have just won an election”. ish Prime Minister than Esquivel would be The Belizean people have been treat- hard to find. ed as fools by the Prime Minister. He will Said Musa also got a Right Honorno doubt claim that winning (by bribery) able. For a former fire-brand along with the recent election is an endorsement Assad Shoman, we can’t say why the of his handling of the matter. The truth is British conferred the title. This writer had now coming out. urged Said to politely decline the offer.

And if you think it is coincidence that The title of Right Honorable is meanWilfred Elrington and Carlos Morales have ingless. It is an insult to nationalist leadboth been returned to their Foreign Min- ers and the people they lead. So are those ister jobs you are on the naive side of life. stupid MBE, OBE and KCMG. We have gone from ...proud Rio HonThe Beatles, one of the greatest do to NO Sarstoon, as easy as Sunday song-writing music groups, returned their morning. Imagine what’s waiting round MBEs (Members of the British Empire) to the bend on the way to the ICJ. their government and Queen in protest of British support of America during the bruTHE DEBATE tal Vietnam War in which over one million Vietnamese were killed by the USA. Carolyn Trench Sandiford, Jose Coye It should be noted that the Vietnamand Glen Tillett deserve kudos for the idea ese defeated the USA in that long, bloody of having the three contenders for leader- war. But you will never hear that on CNN. ship publicly respond to a list of questions So why has our Prime Minister not in a public debate format. been graced with a Right Honorable? Is Francis, Johnny and Cordel would be it because the British consider him such doing our political development a great a fraud? Or they don’t like his overweencredit and at the same time showing the ing, pompous, arrogant behavior? Or his new approach of the party as it rebuilds unparliamentary conduct in the House of itself.

Representatives? Or even how he swinIf ever the country needed a renewed dled the nation out of the accountable

and proper use of hundreds of millions of Petro Caribe dollars?

Hardly.

The British are comfortable with blood thirsty tyrants and death squad regimes.

Is it because they are waiting for him to deliver on his ICJ promise before he gets a Right Honorable title?

FIFTEEN MORE LAWYERS Last year alone, fifteen more lawyers returned home to Belize after graduation.

Fifteen in one year. There were dozens in the previous years.

Yet Belize is hiring foreigners to work as Magistrates, Crown Counsels and individual attorneys at the PUC and Social Security Board and other places. Crazy.

Not that the young lawyers wish to work with government. Even as they got thousands of dollars of taxpayers monies for their five years of university.

At the coming of the UDP in government, Patrick Faber is on record that no Ministers and high ranking officials will get taxpayers money for their children to study as attorneys. He even arbitrarily and in violation of individual student contracts, cancelled scholarships for Belizeans already studying at the law schools in the Caribbean. Chancy eh!

But lo and behold, children of Ministers and UDP cronies have been bursting the education budget tumbling over themselves to study law at taxpayers’ expenses.

The shocking thing is very few, despite their bond with government, have returned to work out the huge costs of educating them at taxpayer’s expense.

Why won’t these young professionals give back to their own government?

And why are we not educating more engineers, agronomists, agriculturists, sports educators and coaches, economists, journalists, public sector accountants and administrators and the many other professionals the nation needs if it is to develop.

CHESTER WILLIAMS The attorney who gave us the above information mentioned that Senior Superintendent of Police, Chester Williams, who was not given a scholarship to study law, has been denied his entitlement to receive increments for his successful achievements after five years of law school.

The law governing public officers, of which Mr. Williams is one such, provides for an award of increments on successful completion of a university course. The excuse for denying Mr. Williams is that he is at the top of his salary scale. That is not his fault and he should be given an ex-gratia payment to cover the amount of money for which he is entitled. Or, alternatively increase his low grade, short salary scale to a new ceiling.

We cannot believe this government is so mean to a man so committed to his Police responsibilities.

TITAN-PAUMEN The Supreme Court of Belize has upheld the law and awarded compensation of 8.8 million dollars to a company, Titan, following government’s illegal and heavyhanded invasion and destruction of the company with offices in Belize.

The Supreme Court in another recent judgement struck down the government’s illegal and heavy-handed acquisition of a private land to give to another person.

2016

Again in open violation of a person’s right to his property. The Deputy Prime Minister and former Lands Minister looked quite stupid on TV denying he knew nothing of it.

These are just the latest examples of how our government is chancey and abusive to citizens and a violation of a government’s duty to uphold, not violate the laws of the country and the rights of the individual.

Cubans who landed in Belize and who were clearly refugees under Belize law and international treaties have all been illegally pushed into jail by government. If the United Nations did not intervene, these unfortunate human beings would still be languishing in our jail.

It can be remembered that on becoming government the UDP arbitrarily and illegally took away hundreds of land titles and leases in Belama area. Over three hundred innocent citizens had their land titles cancelled, their lands taken away and promptly given to known UDP supporters. Illegally. Many citizens still cannot get their land titles which the government claims are in some audit process.

This behavior by government was reported in the districts and villages of the country. Most Belizeans think that on a change of government the new Ministers can victimize PUP or non-supporters. Any victimization, like taking away land, scholarships or other lawfully conferred actions by a previous government is illegal.

There has been not one single improvement at the Lands Department or any other government department all these eight years the UDP has been in office. That says it all.

WHO KILLED ZENAIDA’S BROTHER? Early last year, former Mayor Zenaida Moya took to the airwaves to question the failure of the Police to arrest whoever was responsible for killing her brother at the fish market at Conch Shell Bay. Within days the Police arrested and charged a person for murder.

Nine months after, they quietly released the person.

So who killed Zenaida’s brother?

HIS WONDERS TO BEHOLD “Heaven and Earth are full of his glory” says one of the many majestic hymns sung in St. John’s Cathedral Church.

Since 20 January, FIVE planets have been lining up one behind the other in our part of the vast sky. This awesome sight is clear in the mornings after 4:00 A.M when there are no clouds to obscure the view.

You can see Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn every morning from now until 20 February. Mercury is hard to see with the naked eyes, as it appears so tiny and is the one farthest down to the horizon.

ALCOHOL Too much drinking of alcohol damages a person’s liver. There is only one liver in the body and when it goes, so does its owner. It’s called Cirhosis of the liver. Latest research and data in the U.K. confirms that alcohol kills more people than diabetes and road deaths combined. It is the 5th biggest killer behind heart attack, cancer, strokes and lung diseases.

IT IS WRITTEN “Weeping may endure for the night but joy comes in the morning” - PSALM 30:5.

31 JAN

2016

LIQUOR LICENSE NOTICES Notice is hereby given that NELSON COLLIARD is applying for a Publican Special Liquor License to be operated at “Stress Free Paradise”, situated at 19 1/2 Miles, George Price Highway, Belize District under the Intoxicated Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that SHIFENG HUANG is applying for a Shop Liquor License to be operated at “Lucky Star Supermarket II”, situated at #7598 Central American Boulevard, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that JORGE ESPAT is applying for a Convenience Store Liquor License to be operated at “Jennelle’s Trucking”, situated at 5 ½ Miles George Price Highway, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that HUGH MALIC JR. is applying for a Publican Special Liquor License to be operated at “Goff Caye”, situated at KARKEL, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that NORMA ALDANA is applying for a Beer Liquor License to be operated at “H&I Restaurant and Bar”, situated at Crooked Tree Village, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that EARL NICHOLSON is applying for a renewal of a Beer and Stout Liquor License to be operated at “Jacana Inn”, situated at Crooked Tree Village, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that SHAHEDA KHANAM HAPPY CHOWDHURY and SHAHEEN CHOWDHURY is applying for a Beer Liquor License to be operated at “Olive Tree”, situated at 46 Vernon Street, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that SERGIO ESTEVAN ALAMINA is applying for a Night Club Liquor License to be operated at “Passions Night Club”, situated at 69 Hyde’s Lane, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

23

THE BELIZE TIMES Notice is hereby given that HAY TUEN TONG is applying for a Convenience Store Liquor License to be operated at “Tong Shop”, situated at 28A Baymen Avenue, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Hon. Julius Espat calls out Ministry of Land’s foot-dragging

Notice is hereby given that LEONARD RUSSEL is applying for a Publican Special Liquor License to be operated at “The Other Place”, situated at Sandhill Village, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that LINDFORD ROSADO is applying for a Night Club Liquor License to be operated at “Thirsty Thursdays Restaurant and Bar”, situated at 164 Newtown Barracks, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that BRITTANY BLADES is applying for a Beer Liquor License to be operated at “Las Palmeras Shop”, situated at Corner George and Bishop Street, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that CARLOS GUTTIEREZ is applying for a Restaurant Liquor License to be operated at “Mama Fide Restaurant and Bar”, situated 3862 Coney Drive, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that NOEL PADILLA is applying for a Publican Special Liquor License to be operated at “Wing Stop”, situated at 3 ½ Miles Phillip Goldson Highway, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that DESIREE SINGH is applying for a Beer Liquor License to be operated at “Al Burger”, situated at #13 King Street, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that LINDFORD ROSADO is applying for a Night Club Liquor License to be operated at “Thirsty Thursdays Restaurant and Bar”, situated at Buena Vista Street, San Ignacio Town, Cayo District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Hon. Julius Espat

City of Belmopan, January 22, 2016 Cayo South Area Representative, Hon. Julius Espat, has called out the Ministry of Lands for foot-dragging and delaying the conclusion of amicable negotiations between the new sugar factory owners in the Cayo District, Santander, and 31 Valley of Peace farmers and their families for the transfer of lands.

The issue dates back to March 2014, when Santander, then known as Green Tropics, carried out spraying flights on their property which damaged the farmers’ nearby crops. The farmers have been utilising the land for many years, but Green Tropics claimed that they were illegally encroaching. The dispute could have gotten very ugly, and it appeared to be heading in that direction, but Santander’s human compassion prevailed and they offered to assist the farmers by relocating them and providing land titles.

Santander has done the necessary procedures to effect the land transfers, but the Ministry of Lands seems to care little for the poor farmers. If the Ministry was catering to rich investors the work would likely have been completed much faster, but this is not the case.

Hon. Espat has been a part of the negotiations from the onset. He has provided much-needed leverage needed by the farmers to defend themselves against the large company. He also helped to mediate between the parties, advocating fairness at all times, which led to a winwin situation for both the farmers and the company.

After learning that the land transfers had still not been completed because of the Government’s hold-ups, he took the matter before last Friday’s

Godwin Hulse

House of Representatives Meeting, appealing for the relevant authorities to treat the issue with urgency.

In interviews with the media on Wednesday, Minister of Lands Godwin Hulse blamed Santander for the hold up. He claimed that the company needed to submit documents to the lands department to be able to issue individual titles.

“The ball is not residing in the Ministry of Natural Resource but with Green Tropics and Santander,” Hulse claimed.

But how true is his statement?

In a letter dated January 13th (published in full on page 02) Santander’s Public Relations & Compliance Manager, Beverly Burke, confirmed that it is the Ministry of Lands which is delaying the process.

“All submissions have been made to the Lands Department and we simply now must wait once again for their processing.

We have been informed that this next step is to wait for the new parcel numbers before we can apply for the transfer of lands and be given new land certificates. The Department has indicated that the process to secure parcel numbers is about 4-6 weeks wait; we anticipate a much longer time frame given the way the department delivers or lack thereof,” indicated Burke.

Burke also expressed that the company has found it very frustrating to deal with the Ministry of Lands.

We know that Hulse has mastered the game of “How to be a team player” in the UDP. We’ve seen him at his best during the many scandals that have been covered up by the UDP. But working against the interest of poor farmers is a new low.

24

THE BELIZE TIMES

31 JAN

2016