Belizetimes June 5, 2011

Sunday, June 5, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

1

Issue No. 4747

SUNDAY June 5, 2011

Briceño to Barrow “You crossed the line”

Belize City, June 1, 2011 Opposition Leader Hon. John Briceño has written to Prime Minister Dean Barrow, lashing out at his Administration for the terror carried out by security forces against a group of Belizeans living in a remote area of Lake Independence early this morning.

In a pre-dawn raid, almost similar to the gang-style ambush of a Belmopan businessman’s house 12 days ago, security forces which included heavily-armed Police Officers, Belize Defense Force soldiers, and the Prime Minister’s notorious Gang Suppression Unit, callously ambushed residents’ homes and coldly threw men, women, and their children out on the streets.

This was followed by the sudden appearance of thug-like workers of the Ministry of Works, who were armed with sledge hammers and dangerous tools, who proceeded to destroy the small homes that were erected.

The scene was similar to Continued on page 4

DR. TULIO MENDEZ FOR ORANGE WALK EAST

The UDP sent armed soldiers to ambush Belizean squatters in Lake Independence at 4am on Wednesday

Families were left homeless after Wednesday’s callous assault

PUP Leader Hon. John Briceño comforts one of the mothers, who became a victim of the UDP’s vicious reign of terror

Who owns the West Line

buses?

Murdered over love

Triangle

See page 6

See page 14

ABELARDO MAI

FOR ORANGE WALK SOUTH

NO HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS See page 17

POLICE

PROTESTORS

Orange Walk Town, May 30, 2011

By Carmelita Perez 26 year old Alberto Atarnan Tutt, better known as “Chopy”, was executed just outside a house in

See page 4

See page 28

ASSAULTS HOMELESS See page 9

Alberto Atarnan Tutt

See page 13

2

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Corruption, Corruption,

Corruption!

City of Belmopan, May 31, 2011 While primary schools and entire villages suffer from a drought, Hon. John Saldivar has apparently used his ministerial powers to get GOB’s rigs to drill for water in his private property in the City of Belmopan.

The past government invested in well rigs to assist in the installation of water wells in rural areas of our country, but that has been halted because the equipment has been sitting Saldivar’s front yard for days, with no explanation.

Keep in mind that all expenses to drill these wells and maintenance of the equipment are on tax payers.

From the ghetto streets

“Struggling in the Ghetto” Bar President responds to BELIZE TIMES’ headline article Dear Sirs, In your article appearing under the headline “Barrow & Bar President Plot against Magistrate Sharon Fraser”, which appeared on the front page of The Belize Times in Issue No. 4746 published for May 29, 2011, your newspaper alleged that the Honorable Prime Minister and the Bar Association President are engaged in a “plot” against Magistrate Fraser to deny her the officer of Chief Magistrate. Nothing of course could be further from the truth.

The true position is that it is the responsibility of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission to select and make the appointment of a Chief Magistrate. It is presently anticipated that the office of Chief Magistrate will soon become vacant and in anticipation of the vacancy the Commission has duly caused the post to be publicly advertised. The advertisements are currently in circulation. As you should no doubt be aware the Commission is comprised of four members being the Honourable Chief Justice, the President of the Bar Association, the Chairman of the Public Service Commission and the Solicitor General. An appointment will require the majority vote of the Commission. The Chairman of the Commission, namely, the Honourable Chief Justice holds the casting vote in the event of deadlock.

There is no agreement or understanding with the Prime Minister to support or oppose the candidacy of a Magistrate Fraser or any other candidate. The assertion in

your newspaper that there is a plot between the Bar President and the Prime Minister in this regard is false and rejected. I call upon you to unreservedly withdraw this baseless allegation.

The decision as to who will fill the post of the Chief Magistrate once it is vacated will be decided by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission after the period for filing applications closes. At that time the Commission will consider all applications received on their merits and the Association will exercise its vote on the appointment in accordance with the best judgment of the Bar Executive and, if time permits, after consultation with its membership.

I trust that the foregoing lays bare the magnitude of the falsehood put forth in your article and hope that you will have the decency to public this letter in an equally prominent place in your paper. In future the Bar expects, out of common decency if not professional obligation, that it will be contacted for comment prior to any publication regarding its positions.

Yours sincerely, Jacqueline Marshalleck President Editor’s Note: We have no reservations in printing this letter from Mrs. Jacqueline Marshalleck. We do note, however, that the allegation and interpretation suggested in her letter are not found in or derived from our article, which is based solely on the contents of our documented source.

Dear Editor, Since I started writing these letters, I’ve been getting a lot of feedback, so I will ask you to once more save a space for me, to publish my letter to the people of Belize.

Belizeans continue to struggle day by day, living in fear, unable to attend school, can’t find jobs and don’t know where the next meal will come from. The Prime Minister and his worthless government need to give answers quickly.

You see, unlike some people we know, whose bread is buttered on all sides and don’t have to worry about tomorrow and the other day, we the poor people have to struggle every day. From the day this U.D.P. government got into office in 2008, “dog the eat wi suppa”.

Dean Barrow doesn’t care about poor Belizeans and the conditions we live in.

Mr. Prime Minister, for years and years you have been making promises and promises to the Belizean people that things will get better but instead thing are getting harder. Mr. Prime Minister is there any kind of solution in that big head of yours, because the country needs it now! Belize is the only place that you can get away with anything and don’t have to answer to anyone.

We can’t take another term of this painful government. We get no hope from this government, and it seems that in every UDP term, the red danger light starts to blink to show that we are heading the wrong direction.

Now they have us imagining for something that will never come true.

People are crying out for help and the solution this government give us was to appoint lone criminals in high places and leave the Belizeans out in the cold darkness. People in the ghetto, I call unto you to join me and take a stand against this hard time government and the one they call Dean Barrow. Don’t worry Belizeans we are the power and we will show this

government how to make real change.

P.S. You didn’t think I forgot about the three clowns on Wave radio. Maybe someone needs to inform them that the circus has left town. So they need to stop acting like a bunch of idiots. Straight out of the ghetto, rise up people. Power to the people and respect!

Roberto Peyrefitte

THE BELIZE TIMES EDITOR

Alberto Vellos OFFICE MANAGER

Fay Castillo McKay PRINTING/PERSONNEL SUPERVISOR

Doreth Bevans

LAYOUT/GRAPHIC ARTIST

Chris Williams

MARKETING/ADVERTISING

Rafael Sosa

STAFF REPORTER

Carla Bradley TYPIST

Rachel Arana OFFICE ASSISTANT

Roberto Peyrefitte Printed & Published By The Belize Times Ltd.

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

Sunday, June 5, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

3

F

4

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Police arrest, assault & intimidate

homeless protestors Briceño to Barrow “You crossed the line”

Continued from page 1

1940s’ neighbourhood raids conducted

by Adolf Hitler’s military, as the Nazis threw out and persecuted Jews throughout Europe. In this case, Barrow’s security minions were persecuting Hispanic and Creole Belizeans, because they had squatted on the land, which Government claims it had allotted for the construction of a terminal and bridge in the future.

For several weeks the Government has intimated the residents, threatening to move them by force but offering no alternative for them. Every attempt, however, was stopped when the media appeared on the scene. It appears the best surprise attack devised by the Barrow Administration was at 4am when the residents are sleeping, and the media is resting after covering crisis after crisis under this Government.

Children and their families had to stand outside their homes as Ministry of Works’ workers tore down their homes.

Anyone who dared to defend their right would likely have been shot in cold blood by the armed security forces, who guarded the ambush.

Opposition Leader Hon. John Briceño who has been monitoring the situation for weeks now, was appalled at this morning’s actions. After meeting with the victims along with PUP Senior Deputy Leader and Lake Independence Area Representative Hon. Cordel Hyde, Deputy Leader Carolyn Trench-Sandiford and Legal Advisor Anthony Sylvestre, Briceño fired off a stern letter to the Prime Minister telling him, in effect, that he had crossed the line.

“I find it unacceptable that children are dragged from their beds at 4:00am and then made to witness their homes dismantled,” wrote Hon. Briceño, who also pointed out that people must be treated in a respectful and dignified manner no matter the circumstances.

Briceño then cast serious doubt on the Prime Minister’s sincerity to Belizeans. “Prime Minister, you have stated that it is your mantra that you display compassion for and protection of the poor. I now call and you to put flesh on the bones of this commitment by providing these homeless families with shelter”.

Up to this evening, Prime Minister Barrow had not replied to the Leader of the Opposition’s letter, which meant the PM cared less if the families and their children slept on the cold floor of the city streets or not.

Belize City, June 1, 2011 A group of now homeless Belizeans, who expressed their anger and frustration at the Barrow Administration, after security forces ambushed their homes on Emmanuel Street in the Lake Independence area in the wee hours of this morning, threw them on the streets, and destroyed their homes, took to the city streets to protest.

The protestors, who assembled on the BelCan Bridge where they blocked traffic, were met with force when heavily armed BDF soldiers, members of the Gang Suppression Unit and Police, turned out and began arresting and assaulting them.

Video and photos taken by reporters on the scene showed the Police pulling their firearms to intimidate the protestors, which included small

children.

Footage also shows the Police pulling and kicking a teenage protestor.

The episode has caused a dent on the Barrow Administration’s worsening P.R. For weeks now, GOB

had warned that they would remove the protestors from the land they resided on. The land, located in the Lake Independence division, is crown land.

Squatters began finding spaces, clearing and building on the land years ago,

but this year the Government suddenly announced that the area, which is miles from the city, had been selected for the construction of a city center and bus terminal.

Lake Independence

Continued on page 31

Sunday, June 5, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

A Nation in Crisis!

Leading to the 2008 elections, a part of the People’s United Party’s campaign was the mantra that the United Democratic Party and its new Leader, Dean Barrow, were bad for Belize. The message was not simply political rhetoric. Prior to 2008, the UDP had only been in office twice (84-89, 93-98) and both times their management of the country was atrocious and known for its reckless stewardship and wanton abuse of Belizeans.

When the UDP replaced Esquivel with Barrow in 1999 it was a strategy to attempt to clear the UDP of their filthy legacy. They thought by the time the next election came up the UDP would at least appear new. But that was not the case; it wasn’t then and it is not today. Dean Barrow was part and parcel of everything wrong in the UDP then. In fact, he was Esquivel’s Deputy and favourite Minister, which is why he was called the “Minister of Everything” by most.

We say the above for Belizeans to understand why things are going the way they are in our country today. The current crises facing our nation are as a result of three years of mismanagement and lack of leadership by the United Democratic Party. It doesn’t take a genius to realise that every major fallout is the result of the misguided policies of the UDP. But let’s take a closer look.

Land is considered one of the most valuable assets but the Barrow Administration has made it near impossible for poor Belizeans to benefit from it. After locking off the Ministry of Natural Resources, and placing someone whose immorality stinks to high heavens in charge, the Prime Minister has forced many Belizeans to take land by force. The situation which unfolded this morning as Belizeans were dragged, pulled, and physically assaulted by Barrow’s security forces is evidence that the Prime Minister does not understand the pain felt by poor Belizeans. It will get worse.

The chaos in the public transport industry didn’t come about overnight. The issue has been boiling for several weeks, with many serious accusations of sinister machinations casted against Minister Melvin Hulse, but despite the implications, there was no intervention by the Prime Minister until the frustration got the best of the hardworking and aggrieved bus operators. Today, Bus operators are likely reconsidering staging another national shutdown, but this time a long-term one so the Prime Minister gets the sense.

Our farmers’ onions and rice, along with other vegetables, continue to rot because this Government has a distinct penchant for imported goods over our home-grown. The Marketing Board has unapologetically admitted that it brought in onions from Holland, when our farmers were harvesting enough for local consumption. The Minister of Agriculture also refuses to prohibit the importing and sale of vegetables from Mexico which destabilizes the market for our local farmers.

The sugar industry is a cesspool of bad policies. The Government, who regulates the industry through the Sugar Industry Control Board, was on idle mode until the industry almost shipwrecked. It will now take millions of dollars in loans and radical decisions to fix the industry and get it back on chart, but we know the Barrow Administration is bankrupt in both aspects. Despite the labours of cane farmers and workers at the mill, we don’t expect the industry to improve because at the helm the leaders are failing.

The cruise tourism industry is still on the brink of turmoil. The Government was able to negotiate a stay on the impasse, but the signing away of opportunities for small boat operators has already happened under the watch of the Minister of Tourism Manuel Herredia, and it’s only a matter of time before the conglomerates make their move to claim what has been given away to them.

While we see how effective the Prime Minister’s security forces can be in reigning terror on poor Belizeans and selected businessmen, they can’t seem to get a grip on the crime situation. Barrow may have compromised himself too much after agreeing to provide well-paid jobs to fifteen well-known gangsters. He praised himself for the measure, but it has not reduced the violence on the streets.

Worst of all is that our country relies on economic acceleration, which is becoming antonymous to the plan for Belize under the Barrow Administration. There has been no indication from the Government that the economic recession which the Prime Minister alluded to in February 2010 has passed. In fact how would the Government dare say so when all around, it can be seen how brutal the financial crunch is. Businesses, by the dozens have folded; employees, by the hundreds have lost their jobs; poverty by the handful increases, while many home-owners are unable to meet their financial obligations and are on the verge of becoming homeless.

Our nation is in crises, but this time it’s worse than the UDP’s cryptic eras of 84-89 and 93-98. It’s true that many who are too young to remember them would get chills at the stories told by their parents of the days of Esquivel and the Minister of Everything. We pray we can live to tell our stories. Where there is no vision the people shall perish.

72 DAYS TO BARROW’S CRUEL PREVENTATIVE DETENTION

5

6

THE BELIZE TIMES

Who owns the West Line buses?

Belize City, June 1, 2011 The Belize Bus Owners Association continues to express a lack of confidence in the two-timing Minister of Transport Melvin “Flippin” Hulse. Ever since Hulse lied to bus operators and the nation, cov-

used his intimidation tactics on national television to impose a stay on the impasse, there has been no resolution.

Bus operators are still being cheated on by the Ministry of Transport. During a meeting with PUP Leader Hon. John

PUP National Executive discusses the bus crisis with members of the BBOA

ered up his knowledge in the issuance of a permanent road permit to UDP crony Sergio Chuc, and after setting up bus operators to believe he stood with them, Hulse has been regarded as one of Barrow’s forked-tongue, lying and deceitful Cabinet Ministers.

Hulse has systematically derailed the public bus transport industry in Belize with dubious policies introduced through a “zoning” system. Eventually, Hulse has approved the shifting of operators and

Flippin Hulse has flipped the transport industry upside down

most recently made way for the sudden entrance of Chuc, formerly known for his role in the John Saldivar-led controversy in football politics. Chuc’s debut has caused the displacement of several bus operators.

Five days ago, the poor bus operators expressed their rage and disenchantment by organising a nationwide shutdown of the transport system on Friday May 27th when they blocked the Western Highway, the Burrell Boom Road, and the Northern Highway. Despite the Prime Minister’s intervention that same afternoon, when he

Sergio Chuc

Briceño and members of the Party’s National Executive, BBOA Chairman Thomas “Andy” Shaw accused the Government, and in particular, the Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega of using the divide and conquer strategy on bus operators. Shaw said Vega was meeting with selected bus operators, and then intimidating others to accept runs or face total removal.

Even though the Prime Minister pledged that the transport board could not arbitrarily cancel any operators’ run, four days later the Board showed exactly how they could. A Tuesday May 31st 2011 letter from the Board to the owners of Guerra’s Bus Line informed that effectively the date, four runs had been cancelled. The letter, signed by Board Chairman John Flowers, offered no explanation.

The BBOA suspected though, that the runs were taken away to accommodate Sergio Chuc’s runs.

The entire controversy is caused by the entry of a new operator, a well-connected UDP businessman, who purchased buses and is now operating a bus company named “West Line”. But who really owns “West Line”?

The information obtained by the BELIZE TIMES shows that West Line is re-

Sunday, June 5, 2011 ally the investment of another conglomerate in Belize – Caribbean Tires Limited, which is in the business of tire sales and auto repairs. Chuc appears to be merely a front, while the real interests behind West Line are big investors, who are close to UDP Ministers in Cayo.

The documents also show that Caribbean Tires’ owner invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into the business. In turn, Chuc obtained 18 cheap buses from California which cost him a mere portion of the funds made available.

Chuc was given a permanent bus permit, while all other operators hold a temporary one. That means the Board can behave roughshod over any other operator except Chuc.

With this exposure of who really is behind West Line, it is now clear why the entire UDP Government is willing to defend a political crony over hardworking Belizeans.

The BELIZE TIMES has also learnt that the UDP Government is twisting the arms of operators in exchange for permits.

Anyone wishing to obtain a bus run must return the favour by agreeing to provide free buses to the UDP Headquarters when needed.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

FROM THE DESK OF THE

PARTY LEADER

Briceño to Barrow: “Show some compassion” Hon. Dean Barrow Prime Minister Office of the Prime Minister Sir Edney Cane Building Belmopan 1st June 2011 Dear Prime Minister: I am alarmed at the manner in which a number of Belizean families were evicted from their dwellings in the early hours of this morning. The Police action involved the forcible removal of the families in the area of Chetumal Street where a proposed new bridge is to be constructed across the Haulover Creek. I, as I believe would most Belizeans, find it unacceptable that children are dragged from their beds at 4:00 a.m. and then made to witness their homes dismantled, their belongings scattered.

Yes, there must be respect for law

and order. I am in no way condoning unlawful settlement but I believe that all efforts should have been made to treat our people in a respectful and dignified manner.

Prime Minister, you have stated that it is your “mantra, the gospel of your party, your talisman” that you display compassion for and protection of the poor. I now call on you to put flesh on the bones of this commitment by providing these homeless families with shelter. The very least your government can do is to use all measures necessary to find a solution that is compassionate and that will protect the welfare of our people.

I await your immediate reply.

Sincerely, Hon. John Briceno Leader of the Opposition

PUP stands in solidarity with Belize Bus Owners Association Belize City, Wednesday, 1st June 2011 The National Executive of the People’s United Party endorses the Six Points of Resolution presented by the Belize Bus Owners Association (BBA) to the Government of Belize. These include the restoration of BBOC permits, the cancellation of the Westline permits, a 60 day moratorium on any changes to bus routes and a commitment to a long term solution to the serious issues facing the bus industry.

The National Executive met this morning with Mr. Andy Shaw, President of the BBA who was accompanied by Ms Janine Hamilton, the Secretary of the Association and Mr. Patrick Menzies, the spokesperson for the Association. Mr. Shaw and his team lamented that the Government has resorted to “conquer and divide” tactics to compel

compliance and submission from individual association members.

That the UDP administration has interfered in the bus industry to the benefit of its political cronies only served to further undermine this government ability to deal with the many serious challenges facing our country.

The impact of such blatant partisan ministerial interference in the work of the Transport Board is costing our fragile economy hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost human resources and in economic activity.

The PUP calls on the Government to immediately cease all forms of political interference in the bus industry in Belize and fulfill the legitimate expectations of bus owners who have invested their livelihoods and homes to provide necessary ground transportation for the people of Belize.

7

8

THE BELIZE TIMES

Trio acquitted of Firearm & Ammo charges

By Roy Davis BELIZE CITY, Wed. June 1, 2011 Three persons charged with kept firearm and ammunition without a gun license were acquitted of the charges yesterday in the #7 Magistrate’s Court.

Phillip Smith

Orel Leslie

Justin Roaches

They are Orel Leslie, 22; Phillip Smith, 22 and Justin Roches, 19.

They were charged when the police intercepted a vehicle they were in on January 10 on Freetown Road and found a loaded 9 millimetre pistol under the driver’s seat.

Magistrate Aretha Ford acquitted them of the charges after Leslie’s cousin Dennis Leslie, the owner of the licensed firearm, testified.

Dennis Leslie said that the firearm was his and he left it under the driver’s seat of the vehicle. He explained that the occupants of the vehicle had no knowledge that the firearm was in the vehicle.

As a result, Magistrate Ford found them not guilty of the offence. Leslie, Roches and Smith were represented by attorney Dickie Bradley.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Nolle Prosequi frees Roy Bennett Jr. of Murder

BELIZE CITY, Wed. June 1, 2011 Roy Bennett Jr. 23, who was charged with the murder of Michelle Cattouse, 17, was freed of the charge today in the court of Justice Adolph Lucas when a nolle prosequi, indicating that the prosecution does not wish to proceed, was entered by Crown Counsel Keisha Williams.

The nolle prosequi was entered because the witnesses whose testimonies were crucial to the case made themselves unavailable.

Cattouse, a domestic worker who resided at #198 Neal’s Pen Road, was shot and killed around 1:30 a.m. on February 9, 2008.

She and four other persons, three young men and a 17 year old girl were coming from Putt Putt Bar on Newtown barracks when the incident occurred.

According to one eye witness, they were approaching BelCan bridge when a grey Toyota Camry car, coming from the direction of the flag monument passed by

them.

The witness reported to the police that when they reached the top of the bridge; she saw the car coming from the opposite direction and it drove passed them and stopped about 20 yards away.

The witness said a man wearing a white stocking with his mouth covered by a white rag came out of the car and began to fire shots at them as they ran.

Cattouse was shot in her chest, her left knee, her heel and on her thigh.

She was pronounced dead on arrival at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.

The four persons who were with her were also shot but their injuries were minor.

Bennett was also charged with four counts of use of deadly means of harm but those charges were withdrawn. He was represented by attorney Arthur Saldivar.

Visit Us Online at: www.belizetimes.bz

Sunday, June 5, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

9

Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez for

Orange Walk East PUP Cayo Central Standard Bearer Collet Montejo, PUP OW North Standard Bearer Jorge Briceño, Deputy Leader Carolyn Trench-Sandiford, PUP Leader Hon. John Briceño, PUP OW East Standard Bearer Dr. Marco Tulio-Mendez & PUP Corozal North Standard Bearer Valdemar Castillo

Dr. Marco Tulio-Mendez takes oath and vows to bring Healthy Leadership to Orange Walk East Carolyn Trench-Sandiford Councillor Josue Carballo Valdemar Castillo, Northern Caucus Chairman

Orlando Balam, Chairman of Palmar Village

Collet Montejo

Gregorio “Papas” Garcia

Party Leader Hon. John Briceño rallies PUP supporters and promises change is coming

Hon. Florencio Marin Jr.

Jorge Briceno, OW North

Ramiro Ramirez

Hundreds of supporters turned out for Sunday’s PUP event

PUP Leader Hon. John Briceño flanked by Deputy Leader Carolyn, new PUP standard bearer Dr. Mendez & PUP supporters parade through streets to kick off Orange Walk East endorsement convention

10

THE BELIZE TIMES

Team Belize’s U-17 brings home silver medals from COCABA Central American championships

Game results:

Belize vs. Nicaragua

88 Belize

57

Nicaragua

BELIZE'S #1 SPORTS PAGE

Score leaders: Brian White 22 pts, 12 rebs; Devin Daly, 19pts; Tariq Middleton, 14pts

Belize vs. El Salvador

77 Belize

66

El Salvador

Score leaders: Devin Daly, 27 pts; Alejandro Baptist, 12 pts; Brian White, Tariq Midleton & Winston Reynolds, 8 pts

Belize vs. Mexico

57 Belize

59 Mexico

Score leaders: Tariq Middleton, 23pts; Akeem Watters, Brian White, 10pts

Belize vs. Panama

78

Team Belize won silver

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Belize

61

Panama

Score leaders: Tariq Middleton, 21pts, 9 rebs; Winston Reynolds, 18 pts

San Ramon de Alajuela, Costa Rica, May 28, 2011 Team Belize’s U-17 national team has qualified to compete in the 2011 Centrobasket U-17 tournament to be held in Guarabo, Puerto Rico from August 1-8. The team won 2nd place and were awarded the silver medal at the COCABA Central American basketball championships at the Rafael Rodriguez stadium in San Ramon de Alajuela, Costa Rica last Saturday night.

At Centrobasket, Team Belize will go up against the 2009 defending champs, Puerto Rico, and other basketball powerhouses in the region such as the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and the COCABA champs, Mexico.

Team Belize won three games against Nicaragua, El Salvador and Panama to reach the finals, but lost to Mexico 50-69 in the finals. The Belize players had given their all in two hard games against Mexico on Thursday and Panama on Friday, and were physically and mentally drained when they entered the final on Saturday; Team Belize was out of the game from the 2nd quarter.

City Boys advance to playoffs despite 2-1 loss Other games: Paradise Freedom Fighters vs. Cayo South United

4

Paradise

0

Cayo South

Orange Walk United vs. Griga Knights – OW United won by default David McCaulay scored the 1st goal

Belize City, May 29, 2011 The Hattieville Monarchs ended their 2011 semipro season with a bang as they stunned the Raymond Gentle City Boys with a 2-1 victory on Sunday.

Despite the win, the Monarchs have dropped out of the 2011 Belize Bank Superleague football competition and the City Boys advance to the playoffs.

When the City Boys won a free kick in the 19th minute, Dion Macaulay’s execution sent the ball to Tyrone Muschamp.

Goalie Daniel Mejia stopped Muschamp’s try, but David Macaulay was there to recover the rebound and boot it into the net to lead 1-0.

The Monarchs were scoreless up to the half, but in the 2nd half Jerome James booted a shot to the goal, and which City Boys’ defender Christopher Meighan tried to clear the ball, but ended up sending the ball into the net to tie the score at 1-1.

In the 89th minute, James took another shot at goal, and this time he drilled in the winning goal.

Shawn Thurton takes on Albert Arnold

Milt Palacio remains in the Euro-League Belizean-American basketball star, Mil Palacio, has re-signed with the Euro League with the team Caja Laboral. Palacio who played with the team Kavala griego, will debut in the new team wearing his number 5 jersey this Thursday. In the past season, one of Palacio’s toughest challenges came from the same team he now joins. He shot 38 points in the 129 minutes played in 12 games between Kavala griego and Caja Laboral.

Milt Palacio defended by Ivanovic during previous series

Placencia Assassins vs. Third World – Assassins won by default

Upcoming Playoff Games: Orange Walk United vs. Paradise Freedom Fighters, People’s Stadium, Sunday City boys will host the Placencia Assassins at the MCC Garden.

Standings: 1st Place

City Boys

2nd Place

Orange Walk United

3rd Place

Paradise Freedom Fighters

4th Place

Placencia Assassins

Jerome “Jarro” James’ shot was stopped

Sunday, June 5, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

11

Belize City volleyball enters playoffs Belize City, May 28, 2011 The Ushers Crushers and Moen Stars each enjoyed wins as the Belize City volleyball competition continued at the Belize City Center last Saturday evening.

Usher Crushers outlasted the Wildcats in the first game of the evening as the Wildcats won the first set 18-25, but the Crushers took the

BELIZE'S #1 SPORTS PAGE

Upcoming games: Moen Stars vs. Usher’s Crushers Mirab vs. Home Protector Rebels next 3 sets: 25-21, 25-10, and 25-14.

The Moen Stars outshone the Wildcats in 3 straight sets: 25-7, 25-10 and 2511.

Interoffice volleyball: Atlantic Bank vs. First Caribbean

25-23

25-23

Police vs. Brodies Milo

25-8

Tishelle Solis spikes on the Crushers

Other games: San Cas Seven Seas vs. Atlantic Insurance

25-5

25-1

Lady Jaguars vs. Usher Crushers

25-14

23-25

25-6

25-23

Scotiabank vs. Atlantic Bank

Scorpions vs. Mirab

19-25 25-20 15-6

18-25 25-19 26-24 25-17

Mirab vs. Jaguars

Jaguars vs. Home Protector Rebels

20-25 22-25 25-21 25-21 15-6

22-25 25-19 17-25 17-15

Mitra Meenavalli wins 2011 National Men’s Singles Tennis Title Belize City, May 31, 2011 The 2011 National Men’s Singles Tennis Tournament for the Eric Eusey Cup was held this past weekend at the Belize Pickwick Club. There were 13 entries comprising of 7 from Belize City, 3 from Belmopan, 2 from Orange Walk and 1 from Corozal.

After 2 rounds of play, the semifinals were set with Mike Meighan going up against Curtis Musa and Mitra Meenavalli going up against the defending champion, Mike Sosa. In the first semi-final match, Meenavalli narrowly defeated Sosa 6-4, 6-7, 7-5.

This proved to be the best match of the tournament as both players put on a good display of solid ground strokes with well contested rallies. In the end, the younger Meenavalli outlasted the veteran Sosa. In the other semi-final match, Mike Meighan was victorious over Curtis Musa 6-4, 3-1 (retired). Musa suffered a muscle injury in the second set and could not continue.

With their victories, Meenavalli and Meighan earned their spot in the grand finals. The finals resembled a heavyweight championship fight with both heavy hitters striking some spectacular shots against each other. In the end, Meenavalli was more consistent and edged out Meighan 6-4, 7-6 to take the title.

After the finals, the president of the BTA, Edward

St. John’s Anglican

enjoys victories in primary school football Belize City, May 30, 2011 The St. John’s Anglican Primary School boys posted two consecutive wins in the Belize City Primary School football competition at the MCC Grounds on Monday, May 27.

Jerome Goff scored the winning goal to lead the St. John’s Anglican Primary School boys to a 1-0 win over the Muslim Community School boys.

Last Friday Deon Lewis and Jerome Goff had each scored one goal to lead the St. John’s Anglican boys to a 2-0 victory over the St. Ignatius School boys.

Winner Mitra Meenavalli & Runner up, Mike Meighan

Musa, Sr. and the sponsor Eric Eusey, Jr. presented the trophies to the champion and runner-up. In his acceptance speech, Meenavalli dedicated his victory to a close friend and trainer, Emerson Daly, who passed away in 2009 from a rare, genetic blood disorder.

Other games: Other games: Male: St. Ignatius vs. Calvary Temple

0

St. Ignatius

0

Calvary Temple

Queen Square vs. Wesley Upper

1

Queen Square

1

Wesley Upper

Queen Square vs. St. Mary’s Primary – Queen’s Square won by default James Garbutt vs. Holy Redeemer

1

James Garbutt

0

Holy Redeemer

St. Ignatius vs. St. Martin De Porres

1

St. Ignatius

1

St. Martin

Female: St. John’s Anglican vs. Muslim Community

0

St. John’s

0

Muslim

St. Mary’s Primary vs. James Garbutt 7th Day Adventist

0

St. Mary’s

0

James Garbutt

St. John Vianney vs. Salvation Army

1

St. John

0

Salvation Army

Muslim Community vs. Calvary Temple

1

Muslim

0

Calvary

Holy Redeemer vs. James Garbutt

1

Holy Redeemer

0

James Garbutt

12

THE BELIZE TIMES

West Lake upsets Bombers 3-1

Sunday, June 5, 2011

BELIZE'S #1 SPORTS PAGE

Game 2 of 1st Division Football Finals Belize City, May 27, 2011 The West Lake boys kept their championship dreams alive by upsetting the Brown Bombers 3-1 in Game 2 of the championship series at the M.C.C. Garden last Friday night.

Leon Jones broke through a well-kept defensive line to embarrass Bombers’ goalie Glenford Chimilio with the first goal in the 13th minute of play and drilled home a 2nd goal in the 41st minute to lead 2-0 at the half time break.

Shannon Flowers and Shane Sinclair replaced Leon Jones and Akeem Faber in the 2nd half, while Wayne Miller took over

Bombers’ Clinton Jorgenson defended by Jose Caceres

Misael Canul & Westlake Wayne Miller

Kremandala & O.W.

Running Rebels win matches Belize City, May 30, 2011 The defending champs, Orange Walk Running Rebels, got the easy-bye to their 5th win in the Belize Telemedia “Digicell Ballin for Life” U-20 basketball competition, when the Truckers were a no show for their scheduled game at the Belize City Center on Monday night, May 30.

Kremandala posted their 5th win as they silenced in Thunder 10580 last Friday night. Kremandala’s Elvis Olivera’s led with 28 points Kachief Thomas had 26 points, while Akeem Trapp’s 16 points and Raheem

Other games: Orange Walk Running Rebels vs. Smart

89

OW Running

64 Smart

Thunder vs. Truckers

80 Thunder

75 Truckers

Gaynair’s 12 points helped to give them the victory.

Krem’s Elvis Olivera scored 28 points

from Leon Cadle and the pressure of their attacks allowed Michael Hernandez to drill a 3rd goal past Chimilio some in the 73rd minute.

Henry “Pulu” Gillett entered the ball game for Tyrone Muschamp, but it was not until the 83rd minute that Germaine Foster finally scored a consola-

tion goal for the Bombers. Foster will have to sit out Game 3, as the referee Tablada had to ticket him with a red card for unsportsmanlike conduct and language to the referee after the game.

Game 3 of the series comes up on Friday, June 3, which will also be trophy night!

San Pedro Tigersharks crushes Black Mambas

Belize City, May 29, 2011 The San Pedro Tigersharks posted their 4th win in the “Digicel Ballin for Life” Senior Basketball competition when they mauled the Black Mambas on Monday night, May 30.

The Tigersharks won 118-56 with Gene Myvette leading the score with 45 points, 19 rebounds as they led 23-8 in the 1st quarter. Leroy Louriano added 33 points and 7 rebounds, and Kevin Siroki drained in 6 long treys to add 22pts and 10 rebounds.

Jamal Harris had 10pts, 4 rebounds while Jarrel Velasquez added 8 pts and snagged 15 rebounds.

Ernest Tench had also hit 2 long treys as he led the Black Mambas with 28 points, 14 rebouds, while Mark Bekeman hit a trey as he added 19pts, 8 rebounds. Stefen Dixon had 8pts and Andrew Lamb had 7pts.

Other games: Tigersharks vs. Maxboro Mavericks

105 57 Tigersharks

Maxboro

UB Jaguars vs. Tigersharks

77

UB Jaguars

78

Tigersharks

Black Mambas vs. UB

95

Black Mambas

59 UB

Mavericks vs. Belmopan Bandits – Mavericks won by default

UB Winston Pratt blocks Leroy Louriano

Sunday, June 5, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

This Week’s

13 BELIZETIMES SUNDAY JUNE 5, 2011

TOP MODEL E-NEWS GABRIELMUNOZ new song “Where can you be”

Visit www.Facebook/ Gabriel Munoz

ReggaeArtists Unite for Japan

Tanya Stephens

Freddie McGregor

Capleton

A rare event which will see a slew of reggae artists unite for a humanitarian purpose will be must welcome to the world, as entertainers hope to pull off the “Reggae for Japan” benefit concert on Sunday, June 5, 2011 at York College Performing Arts Center in Queens, New York.

Top artists such as Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Maxi Priest, Freddie McGregor and the Big Ship family, Capleton, Tarrus Riley, Mr. Vegas, Gramps Morgan, Peter Morgan, Duane Stevenson, Alaine, Tanya Stephens, Etana and New Kingston band have signed up for the concert.

CATWALK FASHIONS

see full color at www.belizetimes.bz or Facebook/ Belize Times

NEW ARRIVALS

Ashanti • • • •

Graduate of SJCJC Sign: Taurus Likes: dancing, football, modeling, painting Lives in Belize City

14

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 5, 2011

JOSE MAI wins

Orange Walk South

Abelardo Mai pledges to create new agriculture opportunities in OW South communities

New PUP Orange Walk South Standard Bearer Abelardo Mai, PUP Secretary General Rachel Montejo & Daniel Copo

Over 1,000 supporters of all ages turned out to vote

Counting the ballots

PUP supporters await the result of Sunday’s convention & rally behind Abelardo Mai

Sunday, June 5, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

15

16

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Sunday, June 5, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

17

Hurricane season is here, but shelters still not repaired Wednesday, June 1, 2011 Today marks the start of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season. With another above-average period ahead of us, everyone is, for the most part, hoping for the best while preparing for the worst. There are 16 storms projected for this year, with nine of them predicted to become hurricanes and five of them classed as major storms.

With Belize’s ever vulnerable geographical location, one would hope that those in charge of the shelters would have had their act together by now, especially since “Mr NEMO” boastfully said on Love FM’s Morning Show on Monday that his Ministry started work at the beginning of the year. But alas! Again the shelters, at least in Belize City, are not ready. The Belize City Council’s own City Engineer, Benjamin Mendoza, alluded to this publicly in an interview only this week that the City Council and the Ministry of Works are only just getting the list of approved shelters together.

When the structurally “worthy” shelters are identified, then assessments will be made and repairs will follow thereafter. These repairs, which will no doubt take a few weeks to complete, put Belize City residents whose only alternative in a natural disaster is a shelter, in an unnecessarily vulner-

structure, which again places people in direct danger of flying debris during a storm.

The list of shelters for Belize City are between nine and twelve, which again is not nearly enough for the masses that will need to move to safer locations.

Yet, no one had the foresight when the year began, to conduct the necessary repairs to the existing shelters, let alone identify and provide additional, safe locations adequate enough that can be used as shelters for the people. It appears that this government only cares for you around election time.

One needs only to see the images of the wrath of Hurricane Richard, a category one storm that devastated many homes and left some people even in Belize City hungry for days before help came along. That was a good test run for NEMO officials, but it seems that even with Richard still fresh in our memory, they couldn’t be bothered to act swiftly.

2011 Atlantic Hurricane

Season Outlook

able situation if a hurricane should threaten our coast in the coming weeks. Belize City, remember, is the most densely-populated urban, coastal community which is also under sea level, so a higher percentage of our people

are at a higher risk of being severely affected by hurricanes.

Many of the schools that will be used as shelters have weakening roofings, broken windows and unsafe doors. Many also have their restrooms outside of the classroom

Start of Hurricane Season: June 1st Category: Very Active Season Number of forecasted storms: 16 Storms Number of forecasted hurricanes: 9 Hurricanes Number of forecasted major hurricanes: 5 Major Hurricanes Weather scientists at the Colorado State University say two factors are impacting their predictions.

The first is the unusual warming in the eastern and central tropical pacific along with cooling in the tropical Atlantic, and a projection that the La Niña system will create conditions conducive for a very active hurricane season.

18

THE BELIZE TIMES

UDP wants to re-name & shame

prestigious OW high school Contributed by Orange Walk Technical Alumni The recent announcement, by the Ministry of Education, that the Orange Walk Technical High School will be officially renamed the “Elodio Aragon Technical High School” come the start of the new school new year in September 2011 has caused quite a stir among Orange Walkeños and understandably so.

In its twenty-eight history and a proud and glorious one at that, Orange Walk Technical has stood as a model high school not only in the Orange Walk District but arguably in all of Belize. Year after year, Orange Walk Technical has produced graduates that have served and continue to serve as shining examples in our society. So, when word came of the name change, the entire Orange Walk Technical High School community, including administration, teachers, support staff, current students, alumni and parents viewed it as an affront to them all maintaining that the school’s name is being politicized by the UDP. No other group appears to be more peeved by the abrupt and autocratic decision than the school’s alumni. So livid are they about their alma mater being renamed that many of Orange Walk Technical’s alumni have gone viral with their displeasure. Commenting on Facebook, one alumnus remarks, “I was just informed that Orange Walk Technical

High School will have a new name, the Elodio Aragon Technical High School effective September 2011. I know a lot of you will agree with me that this is bullshit. After existing for twenty-eight years and establishing its name worldwide, they (UDP) decided to change its name”.

As another alumnus bitterly stated in more raw terms, “Aragon didn’t help us to build Orange Walk Technical. We, the first set of graduates, made Orange Walk Technical what it is today. We might as well change the name of our town from Orange Walk Town to UDP Town. Lone r**s di hapen”.

In typical UDP fashion, the decision to change the name of the institution was done without consultation with its primary stakeholders. The administration and staff of Orange Walk Technical High School weren’t consulted. The students of Orange Walk Technical High School weren’t consulted. The parents of Orange Walk Technical High School weren’t consulted. The Alumni Association of Orange Walk Technical High School weren’t consulted. Instead, they were all simply informed of the decision.

As the BELIZE TIMES understands it, the Chairman of the school’s Board of Management, Enid Norales, who incidentally is the UDP Deputy Mayor of Orange Walk Town, circulated a letter to all parties concerned informing them of

the decision to change the school’s name.

In her letter, Norales explained that the name change was a “direct instruction” by the Minister of Education, Patrick Faber much like the “instruction” he had given for the former St. Michael’s College to be renamed after his mother-in-law, Maud Williams.

Universally and historically, institutions are named after individuals who are reputable and stand as model citizens in their societies. When it comes to the UDP, however, they couldn’t care less about this longstanding and respected practice.

History has long recorded Elodio Aragon as Belize’s most disgraceful and incompetent Minister of Education.

There was never a time in the history of Belize when the state of our Education System was in ruin than during the period 1993-1998 when Aragon served as Minister of Education. Aragon could find some measure of comfort, however, as his political colleague Patrick Faber is following closely behind.

The Orange Walk Technical High School community and the wider Orange Walk community have good reason to be outraged at the name change.

After all, their pride and joy which is Orange Walk Technical is being renamed after one of the most dishonorable and disreputable members of their society. Everybody in Orange Walk Town and visitors from the other districts know that Aragon and his son operate a nightclub in town which affords open and free access to minors.

As a matter of fact, the former Minister of Education and Area Representative could be seen side by side with

Sunday, June 5, 2011 his son bartending alcohol to patrons who most times belong at home. Yet, this is the man that Patrick Faber has “instructed” for the Orange Walk Technical High School to be named after. Surprised? Don’t be. The man who has given the “instruction” is the same man, Belize’s current Minister of Education & Youth, who, together with Finnegan, Boots, BQ Pitts et al, sits in front of their friendly Chinese shopkeeper, Brads at the Farmers Market and engage in compulsive gambling and drinking. As many passersby, who incidentally include school-aged children, have shared, Faber and Co. become so wasted that they begin to speak in tongues. Indeed, the UDP’s arrogance and insolence know no boundaries.

The administration, teachers, students, parents and alumni of Orange Walk Technical High School are now the latest group of Belizeans to witness firsthand that UDP arrogance and insolence. How relieving it must be for the soon to be graduates of Orange Walk Tech to know that their diplomas will still bear the proud name Orange Walk Technical High School. Sadly, the same cannot be said for those graduates who will come after September 2011.

If Elodio Aragon had any modicum of dignity, he would decline the name change for Orange Walk Technical High School. And if the gentleman insists that he must be honored, then, we at the BELIZE TIMES would be the first to suggest to the Orange Walk Town Council that the garbage dump behind Chan Pine Ridge be officially named after the man called “Lot”.

cayo says: June 1, 2011 at 6:42 pm

greedy choke puppy. dont bite more than you can chew. this is the government that we thought would have made a defference and they did. they did exactly what we did not want. mr pm your days are numbered – u prove that ur government is not qualify to hold not even 1 term in government. what would happen if u would get another term……. i hope the belizean people have their eyes and ears open wide….. i am not into politics but this udp sucks… we need a complete change in our democracy.”

never again UDP says: May 30, 2011 at 12:32 pm

how bout the machine that Boots buy and boast bout on TV that is to paint lines on the road. where are the goods and services Boots, you promise to pave Central American Blvd with hotmix for the past 3 years, you forgot your septic tank project as you got into office. Boots is a hussling thug!!! who is partly responsible for all these highway deaths…

Teacher says: June 1, 2011 at 9:44 am

The bus industry is in a mess. More than likely their are greater forces behind all of this that we, the public, do not know about. I’m sure the Prime Minister and Minister of Transport are trying to protect a sacred cow. Sergio Chuc has more than enough, he does not need more. It would seem that he is only being used as a front, bigger people are behind all of this.It’s a shame and disgrace that the present Government cannot fix this mess. I like how they try to solve the situation. They take from one and give to another. I’m sure D&E and Guerra’s won’t take it lightly. This is a mess and has been going on for two long. I believe that the BBA needs to stand as one. They cannot be fighting amongst themselves. If they must take action then they should.

I think both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Transport have taken these guys for fools!!!

Posts are from www.belizetimes.bz, Belize Times Facebook Account and www.channel5belize.com

Sunday, June 5, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Strictly Personal Barrow is bogus

By glenntillett@yahoo.com Is Belize prepared for the 2011 Hurricane Season? Does anyone care? It seems we’ve been in a cycle of crisis after crisis for so long that the advent of the hurricane season seems almost an afterthought.

I’m not making light when I saw that usually the public announcements predating the season create a bit of a fear fest, and the folks over there on LOVE FM usually give the predictions the “Holy Moley! Did you just hear that?” treatment except that this year everything seems to have been put on the backburner and toned down.

An angry mob of former homeowners are quickly met by a 40-strong unit of cops, BDF, BSAG, GSU, Patrol Branch and Special Branch and are soon herded aboard a bus for transport to some unknown gulag.

But wait, ala the dangerous Fabian Bain, some escape when the bus pauses in the burial ground.”

Or is just that in the past week, in the midst of yet another surge in murders, violent crimes, and the usual raft of tales of corruption or corrupted behavior by government officials that everything else pales in comparison?

Let’s see – how many new ways did this Barrow administration just *eff up again as the young bookies would say, in just the past couple of weeks.

First there was the GSU pre-dawn raid on the Menjivar residence just 12 days ago. You remember how heavily armed men dressed in camouflage uniforms and unmarked vehicles descended

on a sleeping family with guns blazing?

We are still surprised that the only casualties were two poor dogs who we can safely say, deserved a far better fate.

The ludicrous spectacle of the homeowner and family frantically calling the police to report that they were being assaulted by the police I thought topped the cake but it got better. By the end of the week the GSU had released a botched video of the botched raid at a botched press conference. Wee, wee, wee, cried the little pig, all the way home, I thought but wait, the prison’s CEO then announces that he has barred an attorney from visiting his client because in his interpretation of the constitution a prisoner, even just on remand, has no rights.

What’s that you ask? Oh, yeah, Mr. Barrow probably passed that constitutional amendment and that is the one that amends the constitution so he doesn’t have to tell us which parts of the constitution he has suspended. Don’t laugh – you know you wouldn’t be surprised if you found out that he had suspended all constitutional rights and hadn’t bothered to tell you.

We had hardly recovered from that affront when the bus blitzkrieg hit. Bam, si deh! The bus operators tired of the lunatic Hulse in the rarest show of unity shuts down the national public transportation system and blocks two of the three highways for a few hours. Barrow is forced to scramble, eat crow, and is again sandblasted at his own press conference.

No doubt that there is another constitutional amendment in the offing.

The bus drama has been a soap opera for years and years, if you’d been paying attention and an honest and competent government would have easily avoided all this. Those in the know, know that one of the first acts of this Barrow administration was the repeal of the Belize Land Transport Authority Act, thereby ensuring that the industry returned to the days when ministers could play fast and loose with bus operators. The coming riot is inevitable – the only question is where and when.

And even before the bus business had had its seven day wonder cycle, the police and a goon gang attack sleeping squatters and dismantles their homes even as they lay abed in the early hours of the morning. Before these defenceless people can even cry shame at their pain the gang of vandals disappears into the morning mist.

An angry mob of former homeowners are quickly met by a 40-strong unit of cops, BDF, B-SAG, GSU, Patrol Branch and Special Branch and are soon herded aboard a bus for transport to some unknown gulag. But wait, ala the dangerous Fabian Bain, some escape when the bus pauses in the burial ground.

When they re-appear and re-assemble on Belcan Bridge a near-riot ensues!

Boy, I can hardly wait for the evening news.

Today’s episode of destruction of dawn is playing out in the streets. Angry people, truculent police officers – wait it is another crisis!

But this is only today’s crisis – do I hear they’re closing a factory down in Stann Creek and another hundred or so people will be losing their jobs? Oh wait, that’s tomorrow’s or next week’s crisis ….

Barrow is bogus.

19

20

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 5, 2011

REALITY CHECK! In my perspective…

WHY BARROW? WHY? NO SHAME BARROW AND YOUR UDP CRONIES!

By Carla Bradley This week has been filled with drastic events, as our people are finally rising against this corrupt and heartless government.

It all started with the victimization of the BBOC workers and now it is spreading to other bus owners. Flippin Minister Melvin Hulse has shown and confirmed that he has no heart and no idea of what governing is. He wasn’t even allowed to speak at the press conference held last week Friday, because the PM knew that his minister is no help when he dares to open his mouth. We would have thought that after the protest in the early morning on May 27 2011 would have been enough for this administration to finally resolve this issue, but as usual ‘haad headed pickny go dah maaket tree times’ a day. The BBA has stood up for its bus owners that fall under their belt and are done talking, they want intervention yet again from the prime minister, and we can only pray that he actually comes up with a good solution.

On May 31st the same minister who victimized the bus owners just a few days before, decided to shift his interest on a more stationary matter. Mr. Albert Hendy, a resident of Hattieville was being put out of his home, which he had acquired after hurricane Richard destroyed his home.

Now we know how the politics in our country works, that if you get something under one government, you are not expected to support the other. Well reality check people, your opinions will change, especially when the government you once applauded has been destroying our country.

This man waved a PUP flag on his home, and by right he is allowed to support whichever party he

Visit Us Online at: www.belizetimes.bz

wants. He was told that by orders of NEMO, the house was to be removed because there are other people who are in more need of the house than he is. Now this is a man that has nowhere else to go, nowhere to turn to and a family to put a roof over, how can some other person be more deserving?

If there is someone who needs a home, then get that person their own home. Just a reminder, NEMO is under the same “Flippin” minister.

As the media began showing up, the truck that was brought in was taken away. This man, by the grace of GOD is still in his home.

We can clearly see where this government can be labeled as a vindictive and heartless government, just by observing the actions of their ministers, who clearly are clueless about the reality of life in our country.

Ironically, at the start of the Hurricane season, Mr. Anthony “Boots” Martinez’s troops swept in on the people of Chetumal South Street like a hurricane, but this was done without any type of warning, with police force and their special employees of the ministry of works. At 4am, kids screaming, mother’s pleading for their homes and fathers defending their families were the sounds of a small area where settlers once lived. Their homes were destroyed, and according to people, even their belongings were stolen during the dismantling of their homes. I could sense the sadness, some even were hoping this was just a nightmare but unfortunately for many of them, this was reality. The people then took to the BelCan Bridge, and all hell broke loose from there on. Kids were abused by officers, one went as far as pulling his gun on a minor, now come on, and we are one people.

This is not about what your ethnicity is; we are all Belizeans.

These officers must remember they too have a family, kids, a home they will defend, and this is exactly what these people were doing. I say to this government, shame on you for your actions these past weeks and years. You were elected to protect the people, not physically and emotionally harm them. The people put you where you are, and they will take you out. Shame! Shame!

WHERE HAVE ALL THE GOOD MEN GONE?

By Rayford Young There are certain events that stay with you for life. For me one such event was September 11 when those planes flew into the towers in New York City. I can remember the time, where I was and what I was doing.

On a simpler scale I still remember the day my father and I were in Belize City just across from the Courthouse down town and the Prime Minister drove up in his Land Rover. I noticed the jeep stopped and the Prime Minister, the Honorable George C. Price, got out and came across the street and helped an old lady with a cane cross the street. WOW, that was impressive!

He took the time to help an old lady.

I bet that lady voted for Mr. Price for the rest of her life because that incident remained in her mind. And it stayed in my mind for all these years.

Then I remember the Mayor of Corozal the honorable Mayor Santiago Ricalde. Mr. Ricalde was a very nice man. On many occasions, he would visit my parents at our home in Libertad at the sugar factory where we lived. I’m sure he knew my parents were on the other side of the political spectrum with the National Independence Party (NIP) but I don’t think he cared too much about that. He just came by to shoot the breeze. On those special occasions my mom would climb up on a stool and get the cake that was sitting on top of the cupboard for weeks and give it to these big shots that came by. She kept it up high so that the pickneys would not get to it.

Ricalde loved cake and red pop and didn’t mind asking for more. In Corozal, frequently after school I would stop by the Town Hall where Mr. Ricalde worked to say “Hi”. He would come out and give me a big hug, smile and give me a firm hand shake. Even though I was just a youngster he seemed to enjoy my company and it made me feel special. Just like former Prime Minister George Price, they loved people and they were in politics for the right reasons - to help people.

Both men were re-elected many times and if I was old enough at that time to vote I would have voted for them not because of their politics or what party affiliations they belonged to but because they cared for people.

Then I got older and wiser about politics. I remember times when at the beginning of the assembly session it was mentioned on Radio Belize that speeches by the opposition leader, Hon. Phillip Goldson, and Prime Minister Price would be carried live on Radio Belize. At that time I don’t

think Mr. Goldson was ever allowed to be on RB, so this was new and special. My family gathered around the radio to hear Mr. Goldson’s speech. Just as he came to the microphone, RB went off the air technical problems. So, RB called their engineer, he got on his bicycle and rode to the station, identified the problem, fixed it and 20 minutes later, just as Mr. Goldson’s speech was over, RB was back on the air.

They were able to do this stunt many times and it worked. That is as bad as politics got back then. Not as it is now. Politicians were in this business to serve the people not the nasty stuff we have these days.

In March 2011, I was in Belize and Prime Minister Barrow presented his budget to the assembly. What a raucous it was! …and broadcast live to the nation.

They called each other names, tried to demean each other, they told the Nation who was educated and who was a dunce.

Then the visitors in the balcony booed and cheered for their favorite. It was an embarrassing moment for the Country. Instead of debating ideas of how they will create jobs for the people, fixing the bad roads or addressing the many problems the Country is facing, we had our elected officials throwing words at each other making fools of themselves.

The United Democratic Party, who is currently running the Country has a great opportunity to take this Country in a new direction. Instead they are perceived as being thieves, making themselves rich and not doing what is in the best interest of the Country. Everyone I’ve talked to are so disappointed with this administration. Many have said to me that the PUP are also on the take but nothing like this crowd. They at least help the poor and provide jobs for the people when in power.

Why do good men go Bad once in office? I think it’s too much power. In Belize the Prime Minister is not only in charge of the whole government apparatus but he is also minister of Finance. One man has total control of everything-Government and the finances of the Country.

This can only lead to corruption and cronyism. This is bad and needs to change.

Too much power is in the hands of one individual.

How I wish we had men like those of days gone by. Mayor Ricalde is not around anymore, he’s been gone for a while now, but his love for people, his honesty and character still resides in my mind and in the mind of many Corozaleños. Can you imagine PM Barrow helping an old lady cross the street? I’m afraid that era is gone. Today it’s what’s in it for me and my friends and ex-girl friends.

As we have witnessed what is taking place in the middle east we should take note. People around the world are hungry for Democracy, freedom, jobs, honesty and transparency in government.

Belize people are no different. I’m afraid one day in the not too distant future, the Belize people will rise up. Enough is enough. Where have all the good men gone? Send comments to rayfordyoung@comcast.net.

Rayford Young is a Belizean-American, who currently lives in Michigan, USA.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

The Next Revolution……and the National Budget

By Carolyn Trench-Sandiford – Deputy Leader People’s United Party - Belize

A

couple articles ago, I stated that I would be writing a fourpart preamble as an introduction and background to the New Political, Economic and Social Order of the Next Revolution.

I started by highlighting that knowledge of the Constitution of Belize empowers us, and make us aware of our fundamentals rights, as well as enabling us to have an understanding of the role of the state in governance, and our relationships with the state.

I further pointed out that at any moment in time, the Constitution is to be a reflection of the political and socio-economic realities in which our people live, and should be anchored in our core values, principles and aspirations.

The Constitution is who we are and therefore must always be relevant.

This was followed by a profile of the people of Belize in 2010, in terms of our numbers, and urban rural or geographic distribution, ethnicity, religion, educational attainment, labour force and unemployment amongst other characteristics. This captured who we are as a people, and whose realities and aspirations the Constitution is to be a reflection of.

It also provided a defining point of the political and socioeconomic characteristics of our people and our way of life, and as such, can be a reference line for comparative analysis of historical data, and consequently for projecting the characteristics of the next generation, for whom the next revolution is to be designed.

This article is the third of the preamble, and analyzes some aspects of the budget, not so much in terms of numbers, but processes, structure and relevance to addressing our current realities of poverty, unemployment, crime and violence, and rising urban unrest amongst others, and the needs and aspirations of the next generation, as the budget is the means to dis-

tribute the collective wealth of the nation.

The budget exercise of government begins with ministries engaging departments to prepare submissions under two headings, recurrent and capital expenditure.

Recurrent expenditure contains expenses for the day to day operations of the government. These include salaries and wages, vehicle, building and equipment maintenance, utilities and rentals amongst others.

This is subtracted from estimated revenue, which is comprised of income from tax and non-tax sources, and the surplus is allocated to fund Capital II projects. Capital III projects are funded from external sources, and are often dubbed the wish list. There is no Capital I. I never really grasped that.

The practice is normally adding or subtracting 5% of the budget of the current year to determine the recurrent expenditure of the next year, and the Ministers arguing in cabinet as to how the recurrent surplus will be divided. A shift in recent years to the use of cost centers and programmes to the budget process has not really had any significant impact on it.

Thus, the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure provides the nation with the total revenue which government intends to collect, and stipulates how it intends to spend it, indicating the various allocations by Ministries. It is prepared each year and presented to parliament for approval in accordance with the Constitution of Belize.

As can be discerned, it is not a report of the national accounts of the nation, which should include a listing and value of all the assets of the people of Belize, that is land, buildings, equipment, furniture etc. and the potential value of any natural resource so we should know at any moment in time what is the pie.

Neither is there any indication of the expectations of ministries to make a determination as to whether the expenditure of revenue is optimized, or tied into any statistical data from the census or other reports to solve any historical, current or emerging challenges or problems confronting our people.

Or is there clarity in the roles and responsibilities of various levels of government or how it affects particular constituencies. For illustrative purposes, let us analyze one Ministry.

The general objectives of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development are to continue housing programmes and facilitate low interest housing loans; encourage affordable mortgage financing; develop special housing programmes for public officers and security personnel nurses and teachers; encourage the private sector to implement housing programmes and to strictly enforce building codes.

The general objectives for the Housing and Planning Department, which ought to be the executing arm of the Ministry, are to ensure that houses are constructed for Belizeans families country wide; encourage the creation of housing cooperative; place special emphasis on a southside renewal plan; make available affordable and long term credit facilities for low and middle income earners and to review, update and enforce zoning and planning laws, especially in the new developing areas. The recurrent budget for the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development is $1,931,661.00. The allocation for Capital II and III is $500,000.00 and $4,400,000.00 respectively.

Beside the general weakness in the budget processes mentioned earlier, there has not been any written or verbal report to parlia-

21 ment as to any achievements of any of the objectives which the expenditure of the Ministry is to meet, so how can it be ascertained whether these objectives have been met?

The national accounts must be prepared and presented to depict how it will be distributed and utilized to address current and emerging challenges and problems of our country at the national, district and constituency levels, but more importantly, it must connect to people, and inspire, motivate and give the nation and the public service hope.

This can only be achieved if expenditure and resources are targeted to not only address these challenges and problems, but are results oriented, measurable and tied into the needs and aspirations of our people. The census and other statistical data can contribute to this.

Only if this is done, shall we begin the journey of breaking the cycle of perpetual subjection of our people and birth a NEW BELIZE, which will bring Prosperity, National Unity and Happiness to all Belizeans. Next week we will look at Horizon 2030. For comments please email carolyntrench@gmail.com

22

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Reid

By G. Mike Reid The Dean Barrow administration dodged a major bullet this past week but while narrowly escaping full-blown civil disobedience, they came away showing major kinks in their armor. Bus operators from across the nation joined voices in sending a strong message; do not play with our daily bread! Early Friday morning, Belizeans awoke to find all major roadways either blocked or devoid of buses. Despite major inconvenience suffered by commuters, most were solidly behind the bus owners and some even went as far as to assist in adding fuel to an already flaming issue.

The bus owners were reacting to a decision by Minister of Transportation Melvin Hulse that saw a reshuffling of existing runs to accommodate relative new-comer and UDP crony Sergio Chuc.

While not uncharacteristic of this administration, Hulse’s move was just too blatant an act of favoritism to go unchallenged. Prime Minister Barrow himself recognized Sergio Chuc as a UDP official and hinted that Hulse may have made a mistake. The Prime Minister stopped short of chastising his minister however and gave not even remote indication of reversing said indiscretion. Mr. Barrow went as far as to suggest that Chuc’s status as party official should in no way prevent him from receiving road permits. Not in your view Mr. Barrow, but justice should at least seem to be done. Interestingly enough to date, no evidence has yet been presented that Chuc even has legitimate road permits. Most buses either still have on foreign licenses plates or bear no plates at all.

The most incredulous aspect of this whole scenario is that Melvin Hulse would think that he could get away with it. The bus owners first became aware of the plan when they were informed a couple of weeks ago that they would have to make room for Chuc. What Hulse did, was to demand that members of Belize Bus Owners Cooperative (BBOC) surrender their western runs to Westline (Sergio Chuc’s company) and take up runs in the northern zone which were being taken away from operators like Chell, Gilharry and others. What was Hulse thinking? Did he really believe that these operators would just quietly surrender their means for a living and not protest?

When the operators initially protested, Hulse promised that he would hold off implementation of the new schedules pending a 21 days consultation period.

That assurance was given on Friday May 20th but less than 24 hours later, the bus

operators found themselves locked out of the terminal and forbidden from conducting their usual runs. For the Prime Minister to now suggest that Chuc could file for injunction to keep things as they are is ludicrous and misleading. If anyone should be filing for an injunction, it is the original holders of the permits who were pushed aside illegally and unfairly.

Credit must be given to the bus owners from north, west and south which were able to organize and execute a complete shutdown of the country’s major highways without the government having a clue. On the previous evening’s newscast, Jules Vasquez had asked one of the representatives if there were any plans for industrial action. The answer was an unequivocal “no” which apparently left the government breathing a sigh of relief and in no hurry to pull up their pants. By four o’clock on Friday morning, all traffic was brought to a standstill and tires were ablaze across the road in at least two key locations. This in spite of a secret meeting held with a few crony operators up north who apparently convinced Hulse and company that they could avert any such action. What transpired in effect was a case of the ambusher being ambushed.

The same scenario played itself out again later that day when no less than the Prime Minister found himself the quarry in another guileful snare. Confident that he had bamboozled himself into a compromise, the PM quickly called a press conference where the two representatives of the main cooperatives were expected to revere his tirer d’affaire. Mr. Barrow revels in playing hero and savior, despite the fact that most of the predicaments that he rushes to rectify, are ultimately of his own or one of his fawner’s doing.

Fortunately for Mr. Barrow, Roger Tun stepped in front of the proverbial bullet and while destroying his own credibility was able to rescue Mr. Barrow from a very embarrassing situation.

The most shameful player in the whole series of events was Patrick Faber.

Like a whimp holding up a child to protect himself, Faber insisted that all students, hook or crook, present themselves to classrooms in order to take the second half of their CXC’s examination. Most students rely on public transportation to get to and fro their schools. This put an additional guilt on the conscience of bus owners and no doubt played a key role in their decision to call off their blockade.

The crisis, for now at least, seems to have been averted. One would hope that the lesson will not be lost on this administration but knowing their arrogance and ignorance, that is much to hope for.

The people of Belize are on edge. Cost of living is through the roof, crime is out of control and jobs become scarcer by the day. With a fresh group of graduates set to enter the job market, look for conditions to get even tenser.

No true patriot would hope for the types of civil disobedience that we have seen destroy other countries but with this government’s mule-headed policies, we can only view it as we do hurricanes. Not a matter of if but when!

www.belizeandiaries.com

RULES FOR BEING HUMAN – pt II

S

ome years ago, Cherie Carter Scott who is a corporate trainer and consultant put together a list of basic truths about life, which she named, ‘The Ten Rules for Being Human.’ In this book Scott shares that there are no mistakes in life, only lessons that are repeated.

In addition, she includes the lessons that can be learned from each of the rules and offers insight on self-esteem, respect, acceptance, forgiveness, ethics, compassion, humility, gratitude and courage. It is a book written with the belief that wisdom is an innate trait and that if these rules are followed then a more fulfilling life can be had.

In last week’s column we touched on the first two rules: (1) You Will Receive a Body (2) You will be presented with lessons.

This week, we will look at Rule #3: THERE ARE NO MISTAKES, ONLY LESSONS – as we go through life we will undertake many tasks whether in our professional lives, or relationships with others. There will be many times that the outcome may not be what we planned or desired, but instead of wallowing in our sorrows or focusing on the negatives we should look at all our failures and disappointments as lessons rather than a setback in life. Quoting the words of Emerson, an American lecturer and poet, “every calamity is a spur and a valuable hint”.

In every situation where you were unable to live up to your own expectations there is an opportunity to learn something key about your very own way of thinking and behaviour. Regardless if it was a wrongdoing on your part or someone else’s – a mistake is simply an opportunity to evolve further along your spiritual path. When you learn to look at hurt, loss and tragedy as opportunities rather than just plain hardships you will be well on your way to conquering this rule. Perhaps the death of someone we loved and relied on dearly may devastate us but turns out to be a lesson of independence and growth. Perhaps our reliance of that person was too strong and the time had come for you to stand on your own.

The same can apply in your career. Your employer terminates your services with no just cause – naturally, you are feeling victimized and wronged but you can always look at what lessons are coming out of that job loss. Perhaps you had become too laid back in your professional life and were not living out

your talents and potential to its fullest. This experience may be a lesson of pursuing a more fulfilled career or may even lead to higher education. There is a lesson to learn in every situation, you just have to open your eyes!

Rule #4: A LESSON IS REPEATED UNTIL LEARNED – Remember when you were younger and your mother would wring your ears when you were disobedient. Well in this case there is no physical pain from a parent but there will be the agonizing repetition of incidents all with the same lessons to learn. For example, does it seem that you always end up in the same kind of relationships? This is what this rule outlines. Remember, there will be lessons to learn and your lessons may be different from my lessons but we will all be faced with them in our lives.

Under rule #4 you will find that certain situations will come to you over and over again until you master the lesson that is being brought before you. Some of these lessons may be humility, confidence, and discipline, among others. According to Scott, ‘you will continually attract the same lesson into your life. You will also draw to you teachers to teach you that lesson until you get it right. The only way you can free yourself of difficult patterns and issues you tend to repeat is by shifting your perspective so that you can recognize the patterns and learn the lesson that they offer. You may try to avoid the situations, but they will eventually catch up with you.’

In chapter 4 of this self-help book, Scott goes on to say, ‘the challenge of rule four is to identify and release the patterns that you are repeating. As any good facilitator or therapist will tell you, this is no easy task since it means you have to change and change is not always easy. Staying just as you are may not help you advance spiritually but it certainly is comfortable in its familiarity.’

Scott even teaches in her seminars the six steps of executing change in your life: 1) Awareness – becoming conscious of the pattern or issue 2) Acknowledgement – admitting that you need to release the pattern 3) Choice – actively selecting to release the pattern 4) Strategy – creating a realistic plan 5) Commitment – taking action, aided by external accountability 6) Celebration – rewarding yourself for succeeding As you go about trying to incorporate these rules in your life, always bear in mind, the words of the Swiss psychiatrist and influential thinker, Carl Gustav Jung, “there is no coming into consciousness without pain”.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

Write to us at: editortimes@yahoo.com

Pomp and Circumstance

O

By Lucia Moguel

n Sunday May 29, 2011, 148 students finally attained their most coveted prize after two years of trials and tribulation. We finally graduated and kissed the school and teachers good night.

A door has been opened for us in the world of work for we now possess a degree, an Associate Degree to be more precise. This might be the end of the journey for some, but for others, it marks the beginning of something great, as it has served as the foundation in pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree, and possibly anything beyond that point.

Obtaining this degree gave me a great sense of completion and solace for I now have a certain level of education which no one will ever remove. Obtaining this degree was an accomplishment, which should be applauded, for all of us. A ceremony was held in our honor in the premises of the school; however, it was quite evident that our honor had the price of $150 from which expenses were not accounted for. The gown was not included. We had to pay $150 each apart from the regular school fees of up to $700 for tuition and $350 for registration per semester.

Apart from being charged for our merits and work, we had to sit down for approximately 2 hours to listen to speeches that were considered as out of context by many. My expectative was not met; I thought that we would have received an inspiring speech whose sole purpose would have been to motivate us to continue studying or to find a good job and perform at our best. Instead, we were lectured on the many types, 9 to be specific, of intelligence that exist according to a theory proposed by Howard Gardner in 1983. In addition, we were enlightened with the carefully assembled speech of the most brilliant student among the graduates, which happened to come from a business concentration. I clearly attended a ceremony that was not intended for me.

We then proceeded to discover where part of our money had been spent on: gift certificates of up to $500 that were given to people with a stable job. The students were only given $250 the most; if someone is going to give money which is not his or hers away, that someone should give it to the ones that are in most need of it. I have nothing against the distribution of awards; I just believe that fairness should always be practiced. But this raises questions: how much did these awards cost? Did I pay for an award which was given away to someone else?

However, there is something that I must point out; the most outstanding students should be pointed out. By outstanding I am not referring to those that had the highest Grade Point Achievements. I am referring to those students that were doing something other than studying and still managed to keep up their grades; those that were involved in the community and formed part of the productive members of society. It is this kind of people that should be granted recognition because they deserve it too; they have earned it. We need more of these people in order to make our country a better place to live. We need visionaries and people with initiative, with desire to change the system for better.

A ceremony should be held in order to celebrate the great achievements that people have made. It should be held in order to recognize the potential that they have and the grandeur that they hold. I believe that speeches should be held directed to the graduates and not to self – praise your ego while forcing others to listen. I believe that a Valedictorian should be someone that is active in both school and in the community and yet is able to maintain good grades, perhaps not a perfect 4.0, but someone that is truly worth it. There is so much hidden talent out there, all we need to do is observe.

23

24

THE BELIZE TIMES

My Wife = a Toyota?

A couple years ago I had a brief conversation with a well known contractor whom I never saw in any vehicle unless it was a Toyota. In a humorous gesture I mentioned to him “Looks like you like Toyotas!” I never forgot his response “Son, the only thing better than a Toyota is another Toyota!” he passionately exclaimed.

I can’t speak too strongly about now as other manufacturers are finally catching up, but all over the world for a number of years now, the vehicle with the best rating was Toyota. The quality of service for the price you pay was unbeatable when compared with any other vehicle!

Today I want to compare women with Toyota vehicles. You know I’m sorry to say this but for most men our mentality is screwed up. We tend to blame our wives for everything and say she is not a good woman. The reality is that like a good vehicle, if you neglect it you will soon find yourself on the road hitch hiking! Isn’t this what is happening all around the world? We find men hitchhiking from woman to woman and their excuse is that none of the women they have been with are good.

How does our Manufacturer view a woman?! In Proverbs 18:22 it says “The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the LORD.”(NLT) I have always found this scripture to be bias. God should have complemented this with something like “And the woman that finds a husband finds a priceless gem”. Somehow though, looks like when God was scribing this scripture He got up to get a drink of water and forgot to finish it.

Your wife is a treasure! She comes with all the accessories mentally and physically to complete you. She is full of what you are missing. See, God took out of a piece of man to create the woman, so the woman when joining with a man really completes him!

The harsh reality gentlemen, is that “Your woman is a reflection of who you are, she is a mirror displaying to you the exact image of who you are. She is a scale giving you intelligence of how you are doing as a man!”

Here are two scriptures about women that men use as excuse for their behavior: It says in Proverbs 21:9 “It is better to live in a corner on the roof than inside the house with a quarreling wife.” (NCV) Men love this scripture as they believe it relieves them of their ‘God given’ responsibilities, but what if I say “It is better to stay at home than to go driving on the highway with a dangerously loose front wheel!” Whose job is it to tighten the front wheel? Can I say it is a bad car because the front wheel is not properly secured?

Another scripture used as an excuse is Proverbs 19:13. It says: “A foolish child brings disaster to a father, and a quarreling wife is like dripping water.”(NCV) You know God says that our wives are our helpmeet. Women today find it very difficult to help because you can’t help someone who is going nowhere, who has no plans or is lazy! Men stand by street corners, talking and shouting up sweet words after women, they live in the bars drinking, run up and down the basket ball court, enjoy themselves with friends socializing, while the woman stays at home full of treasure but doing nothing rather than watching the kids, cleaning, and cooking.

Usually she does all this after a hard day on the job! Day in and day out it continues until finally she becomes a dripping faucet.

That’s right men, you are the ones causing her to become a dripping faucet. If I am filling a vat but the faucet is closed the vat will swell and begin to drip. Soon it will explode!

If you notice a couple months ago we had different banks putting out advertisement basically begging us to come and borrow! I was amazed as I spoke to a banker who said to me that the banks in Belize are getting in trouble as no one is borrowing and the banks had too much money! I could not understand why a bank would be desperate to give out money, as if it was me I would have thought the more I could keep the merrier! It was then explained to me that the bank has to pay interest to the savings accounts. The interest on loans you borrow is far higher which allows the bank to then pay itself and pay the much smaller interest on savings. After a while banks would go bankrupt if no one would borrow!

It is the same with a wife. They are full of treasure, they themselves are treasures and if we are going nowhere, with no plans, they will begin to leak or go bankrupt! A Toyota parked in a yard and not used or maintained will begin to rust, seize up, and deteriorate faster than if it was being used!

If you haven’t noticed, women are far more level headed, responsible, and many times more intelligent than men. They mature much earlier than most men and although he might be running around out there doing what is not right, she would be the one with her head screwed on right sacrificing and taking care of the children!

To answer the question in the topic, yes men your wife is like a Toyota, a total package that comes with everything you need to assist or help you to accomplish the tasks and contributions on earth that you were created for. The question is, are you skilled enough, do you have a vision, plan, or goal for your family that you are diligently working on, or are you turning her into a dripping faucet?

Remember she is your glory, or a reflection of you, a measurement of how you are doing as a man. If she is frustrated, complaining, unhappy, or un-kept, then you are looking directly into a mirror bro!

Until next week take care and God bless…

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Sunday, June 5, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

25

Visit to Baboon Sanctuary Last weekend I went to the Community Baboon Sanctuary in Bermudian Landing with my Nan and Mom. We took the bus and it was Nan’s first time on a bus heading out district in Belize.

My Nan lives in New York so she travels mostly on the subway.

Our journey wasn’t very bad but at times Nan got scared because of how hard our drivers drove. We got there and back in one piece though so she was very happy.

When we reached the sanctuary’s visitor’s centre we signed up and paid our fee for a guide to give us a tour. We also looked at the displays they had in the centre. They were very interesting. We learnt about Jaguars, Bats, Black Howler Monkeys and other creatures found in our forests.

Then we were off with our guide Geraldine to find the Black Howler Monkeys. On the way to the river bank where there was a tribe waiting for us to see, Geraldine told us about the sanctuary and how seven villages came together to protect these fast disappearing animals.

The Black Howler Monkey is one of the six howler monkey types found in Central and South America.

One of the coolest things about the howler monkey is its loud, throaty howl. We heard it all the way by the visitor’s centre even though they were about half a mile away by the river.

When we got to the river we saw a tribe of eight monkeys. Two adults and a baby monkey came down to see us. They were so close I could touch them but we are not allowed to so I could only take pictures.

After we visited the monkeys we went on a nature tour through the forest. Then it was back to the visitor’s centre to wait for us back to the city!

Think you might want to visit, well ask your parents to take you one day.

Connect the Dots and find out who is eating the banana!

COLOR ME

26

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 5, 2011

BELIZE TIMES WEEKLY

SCIENCE & TECH R

E

V

I

E

W

Selected By Chris Williams

Cellphones are

‘possibly’ carcinogenic 01 June 2011 by Andy Coghlan Cellphones have been classed as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”.

That is the conclusion issued yesterday by 31 experts following a week-long meeting in Lyon, France, convened by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

They concluded that there is “limited” evidence suggesting that mobile phones raise the risk of malignant brain tumours by 40 per cent, but only in heavy users who have made calls lasting 30 minutes per day for 10 years. There was also limited evidence of increased risk for a type of brain cancer called acoustic neuroma, but not for any other types of brain cancer.

“There is some evidence for increased risk of glioma and acoustic neuroma,” says Kurt Straif, head of the IARC’s monographs programme in a press conference yesterday. “But it is not clearly established that the use of mobile phones does cause cancer in humans.”

Acoustic neuromas are relatively rare, with an incidence of one per 100,000 people. They account for about 6 to 10 per cent of all brain tumours worldwide. Gliomas are much more common, accounting for 60 per cent of all brain cancers in the US. You decide Asked what consumers should do in the light of the new findings, Straif said that texting and using of hands-free phones “lowers exposure by at least an order of magnitude”, but that it is down to consumers to decide what precautionary measures they should take.

He added that governments, not the working group, should make recommendations on how to regulate mobile phones in the light of the findings.

Robert Baan, the senior IARC scientist in charge of publishing the findings, said that the conclusion of a “2B

classification” for mobile phone radiation ranked it alongside 240 other possible carcinogens, including bathroom talcum powder, low-frequency electromagnetic radiation from power lines and a host of pesticides, herbicides, printing and dry-cleaning chemicals.

Jonathan Samet of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, chairman of the working group, said that the key evidence for the classification came from two major international studies. The first, called Interphone, identified the higher risk of glioma in heavy users, but found otherwise that there was no risk of brain cancer in users from 13 countries between 1997 and 2004.

The second, led by Lennart Hardell at Örebro University in Sweden, found that the risk of acoustic neuromas quadrupled in users of analogue cellphones. These types of phones were phased out in 2000 in the UK and 2008 in the US. Gaps and uncertainties The search for a mechanism by which such low levels of radiation could cause cancer has failed so far, not least because the radiation is too weak to cause mutations by breaking bonds in DNA. “We have found threads of evidence of how cancer might occur, but there are gaps and uncertainties,” said Samet.

Responding to criticisms made last week that the IARC had ignored important studies, Straif said that all available studies were included in the review. “Several of the latest analyses were made available to the IARC a week before the meeting,” he says, adding that all national analyses from the Interphone study had been included too, as demanded by IARC’s critics.

“This is the first scientific evaluation of all the literature on the subject of whether mobile phone radiation causes cancer,” says Straif. “It brings it to a new level of consensus.”

As dangerous as talcum powder (Image: Spencer Platt/Getty)

Samet admitted that there were problems even with the largest and most reliable studies, such as Interphone, because people find it hard to remember how often they have used their mobile phones in the past. Also,

new, safer methods of mobile phone use such as texting and hands-free mean that we need updates on cancer risk. “The working group was struck by the need for further research to fill in all the gaps,” he says.

Death toll rising in cucumber

bacteria outbreak

31 May 2011 by Debora MacKenzie Sixteen people in Germany have died so far after consuming a toxic strain of Escherichia coli, traced to organic cucumbers. More deaths are expected: of the 1200 people infected so far, most of whom are women, 373 have developed a syndrome of symptoms that includes kidney failure, which can be lethal.

E. coli are normal gut bacteria, but strains called STEC carry genes for a toxin that damages capillaries in the gut, causing bloody diarrhoea. It also activates the clotting system, blocking capillaries and damaging organs.

STEC is carried by cattle, which are immune to the toxin. Victims of the most common STEC strain are usually children who get it from beef or water contaminated by cattle faeces. The German outbreak strain is rare, and it is not clear if it travels in the same way. But the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in Stockholm reports that eight

human infections with the German strain of E. coli have been reported in the European Union since 2008, while Germany and Austria have found it in monitoring samples from food and livestock.

If it does travel in cattle faeces, its presence on organic vegetables is not surprising: more manure is used to fertilise organic than other crops. Whether this poses a threat to health is highly controversial, but several studies have found higher levels of E. coli on organic vegetables. In 2006 an outbreak of STEC on an organic spinach farm in California killed three people.

“If cattle manure is used as a fertiliser, it is probable that vegetables such as cucumbers will be contaminated with E. coli,” says Jonathan Fletcher, a microbiologist at the University of Bradford, UK. “If not washed properly it would be present in sufficient numbers to cause infection,” Fletcher adds.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

27

gánsteres muy conocidos, pero esto no hizo nada para reducir la violencia en las calles.

Lo peor de todo es que nuestro país depende de la aceleración económica, que ha llegado a ser contrario al plan para Belice bajo la Administración de Barrow. No ha habido indicación del Gobierno que la recesión económica a la cual el primer Ministro se refirio el pasado 2010 en el mes de febrero.

De hecho cómo se atreve el Gobierno decir eso cuando que por todas partes, puede ser visto cuán brutal el crujido financiero es. Los negocios, por las docenas han cerrado; empleados, por los centenares han perdido sus trabajos; la pobreza ha incrementado, mientras muchos propietarios no pueden con las cargas financieras y están al borde de quedarse sin hogar.

Nuestra nación está en crisis, pero esta vez es peor que las eras enigmáticas del UDP en los anos 84-89 y 93-98. Es verdad que muchos que Antes de las elecciones del 2008, una parte de la campaña del Partido son demasiado jovenes para recordar les daria escalofrios si se les contase Unido del Pueblo fue la admonicion al pueblo de que el Partido Unido las historias por sus padres de los días de Esquivel y el Ministro de Todo.

Demócrata era un mal para Belice. El mensaje no era simplemente retórica Oramos que podamos vivir para contar nuestras historias. Dónde no hay politica. Antes del 2008, el UDP sólo había estado en la oficina dos veces visión las personas perecerán.

(84-89, 93-98) y en sus dos administraciones su gestión del país fue atroz y conocida por su descuido y abuso lascivo de los beliceños. Cuando el UDP reemplazó a Esquivel con Barrow en 1999 esto fue una estrategia para intentar limpiar el UDP de su legado mugriento. Pensaron que al aproximarse las siguientes elecciones el UDP parecería por lo menos reconstruido. Pero eso no fue el caso; no era benigno para el pais entonces y no lo es hoy. Dean Barrow fue parte integral de todo lo que fallo en el UDP en ese entonces.

De hecho, él fue el Diputado de Esquivel y su Ministro predilecto, que es el motivo por lo qué le denominaban el “Ministro de Todo” por la mayoria de la poblacion. Decimos esto para que los beliceños comprendan por qué las cosas van de la manera que están en nuestro país hoy. La crisis actual que enfrenta nuestra nación es a consecuencia de tres años de desgobierno y falta de liderazgo por el UDP. No se require ser un genio para darse cuenta de que cada fallo y crisis es el resultado de las políticas equivocadas del UDP. Pero tomemos un vistazo más de cerca.

La tierra es considerada uno de las ventajas más valiosas para los pobladores de nuestra nacion pero la Administración de Barrow lo ha hecho casi imposible para los beliceños pobres beneficiar de ello. Después de cerrar el Ministerio de Recursos Naturales, y colocando al cargo a alguien cuya inmoralidad apesta, el primer Ministro ha forzado a muchos beliceños a tomar tierras a la fuerza.

La situación que tuvo lugar esta mañana cuando beliceños fueron arrastrados, jalados, y físicamente asaltados por fuerzas de la seguridad de Barrow es evidencia que el primer Ministro no comprende el dolor que sienten los beliceños pobres. Y la situacion se pondra peor. El caos en la industria del transporte público no vino de la noche a la noche. El asunto ha estado hirviéndo por varias semanas, con muchas acusaciones graves de maquinaciones siniestras lanzadas contra el Ministro Melvin Hulse, pero a pesar de las implicaciones, no se ha visto intervención por el primer Ministro hasta que la frustración aventajo a los ofendidos trabajadores operarios de autobús.

Hoy, los operarios de Autobús probablemente preparan otro cierre nacional, pero esta vez a largo plazo para ver si el primer Ministro al fin comprende la situacion. Las cebollas y arroz de nuestros granjeros, junto con otras verduras, continúan pudriendose porque este Gobierno tiene una inclinación clara para bienes importados sobre nuestra cosecha local.

El marketing board ha admitido sin disculparse que introdujo cebollas de Holanda, cuando nuestros granjeros cosechaban bastante para el consumo local. El Ministro de la Agricultura también desecho la idea de prohibir el importar y la venta de verduras de México que desestabiliza el mercado para nuestros granjeros locales.

La industria del azúcar es una cloaca de políticas malas. El Gobierno, que regula la industria por el Sugar Industry control Board, estuvo inactivo hasta que la industria casi naufrago. Ahora tomará millones de dólares en préstamos y decisiones radicales para fijar la industria y recuperarse, pero sabemos que la Administración de Barrow esta en bancarota en ambos aspectos.

A pesar de los trabajos de los granjeros de caña y trabajadores en el molino, no esperamos que la industria mejore porque en el timón los líderes fallan. La industria del turismo del crucero esta todavía en el borde de la confusión. El Gobierno pudo negociar una estancia en el impasse, pero el ceder de oportunidades para pequeños operarios de barco ya ha sucedido bajo la direccion del Ministro de Turismo Manuel Herredia, y es sólo cosa de tiempo antes que los conglomerados hagan su movimiento para reclamar lo que les ha sido regalado Mientras que vemos que las fuerzas de seguridad del Primer Ministro son muy efectivos en aterrorizar a beliceños pobres y empresarios seleccionados, son incapaces de controlar la situación del crimen. Barrow se puede jactar de haber proporcionado trabajos bien remunerados a quince

en Español

¡Una Nación en Crisis!

28

THE BELIZE TIMES

148 graduate from Muffles Junior College

Orange Walk District, May 30, 2011 Sunday, May 29, 2011 was a very special day as 148 students proudly walked down the aisle to receive their Associates Degree from Muffles Junior College here in Orange Walk Town.

79 students received their degree in a business-related field, 17 in computer science, 21 in Law or sociology, and 31 in science or mathematics.

The ceremonies began at 9:30am with a procession of graduants, faculty and some members of the Board of Governors into the open air shed behind the main building. This was followed with a mass celebrated by our very own, Father Jose Antonio Vega.

The graduation ceremony was presided by the Assistant Dean, Javier E Moreno.

This was the 18th graduation ceremony of Muffles Junior College. As part of the ceremony, an award was bestowed on the Dean, Mr. Adrian Guadalupe Leiva, for his 25 years of service to the junior college.

Mr. Leiva addressed the honorable gathering and commented on the crisis in Belize’s education system. He stated that in our region, Belize is the second worse place for education, lagging

closely behind Haiti. Of all the primary school graduates, only 40% attend high school. Of this 40%, only 3% attend tertiary education. This means that only about 1 % of tertiary educationaged young adults attend an institution of higher education.

The three-hour ceremony ended with photo sessions for the 148 graduates and gleaming parents in an ambience full of smiles. These young adults had finished their academic odyssey to embark on a brave new world full of uncertainty and 23% unemployment.

Special guests present was Hon. Marcel Cardona, OW East representative, Chairman of the Board of Directors of SMART and CTV 3, Jaime Briceño and the leader of the opposition and OW Central Representative, Hon. Johnny Briceño.

It is important to note that Hon. Johnny Briceño, along with the then OW representative, Hon. Polo Briceño, were the moving force for the installation of a sixth form in Orange Walk Town. The Opposition Leader had headed the sixth form formation committee and enabled for a provisional space at Muffles High School until they eventually moved to its permanent location on the San Estevan Road.

Belizean Teachers to attend CURE4KIDS Cancer Summit Belize City, June 1st 2011 Cancer, that one word can evoke feelings of fear, panic and futility like few others can.

But like many things, education can replace those types of feelings with new ones: such as hope. That’s the goal of an annual global conference called “Cure4Kids Global Summit: Advancing Cancer Education and Healthy Living in our Communities”, organized by St. Jude’s Hospital, USA. The summit will take place in Memphis, Tennessee between June 9th and 11th and Belizean teachers are proudly attending for the first time. From the Belize Elementary School Science teacher Dalia Mitchell has been selected to attend; and Science teacher Jamie Usher will represent Belize High School.

Delta Air Lines has stepped forward to sponsor air travel for the Belizean delegates.

“We appreciate Delta Air Lines community commitment”, said Leticia Eck, Principal, Belize High School.

Belize Elementary School and Belize

Murdered over love

Triangle Continued from page 1 which his mother was sleeping at the time.

The incident happened sometime after 11:00 on Sunday night while Tutt was sitting outside his mother’s house on the Belize/Corozal Road.

Tutt was in the company of a friend, and during their conversation he told his friend that he felt as if someone was watching him.

Shortly after, the friend decided to go home and left Tutt all alone which was when the attacker made his move.

Tutt was shot four times, once on the back of his head and three times on the back. According to his now grieving mother, prior to the attack, her son was receiving threats from an individual with whom he had an altercation a few months ago over a woman.

“When I came home, he told me ‘Ma, you know who call me? Chema called.’ She is his ex-girlfriend. He then told me that shortly after Matthew Williams’ son sent him a text

High School are committed to academic excellence. These institutions are also dedicated to improving the quality of life for students as well as their communities.

Administrators are constantly looking for opportunities to expand the resources and skills of schools faculty and staff. The St. Jude’s 2011 Memphis Summit will discuss ways of improving science, and health education about cancer in schools and communities worldwide with a focus on disease prevention in children.

During workshop sessions experts will present successful examples of effective and efficient public health education programs as well as incentives for developing future initiatives that yield large-scale improvements in health outcomes in our communities. Belizean teachers can now be armed with the knowledge and motivation to create positive change in the way health education, especially regarding cancer in young people is addressed in Belize.

message. He told me he replied to the text reminding the person of the last time they got into a fight and he beat the person up. I advised him to avoid problems and to not incite trouble, but I don’t know what happened because I went to sleep and he told me he would go home,” said the victim’s mother, Ortencia Tutt.

Instead of going home, Tutt remained outside the house, and the family didn’t realise what sort of tragedy was at their doorsteps when they heard the sound of gunshots.

The victim’s mother says she was shocked when she was told that her son had been shot.

She was almost paralysed for a short while, and had to take time to gather courage to open her front door. When she did, she saw her son lying on the ground, with blood stains all over.

The family believes the man who ambushed their loved one took him by surprise.

The gunman could have entered the yard through the back.

As the mother prepares to lay her son to rest she says she wants justice.

The police have one person detained for questioning. The authorities found four 9mm expended shells at the murder scene.

Tutt leaves behind one son, his parents, two brothers, and a sister. He was Orange Walk’s murder victim #5 for the year, and #56 for the country.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Sunday, June 5, 2011

THE BELIZE TIMES

29

Graduation Season…

Promise and Potential BELIZE CITY, Tuesday, May 31, 2011

By Alton Humes Against the many odds, our teachers and school administrators throughout the length and breadth of our country continue pursuing, and fostering true excellence; and this year another crop of ambitious and excellence-driven students will proudly walk the aisle and prepare for their future.

At Edward P. Yorke High School, 134 of 136 students will march up this Sunday, June 5, at the Princess Hotel’s Kings Room to collect their diplomas.

It surely will be a day none of the students are likely to forget.

Speaking with veteran educator and EPYHS Principal, Rodrick Cardinez, who’s been at the helm of the school for a decade, you can palpably sense in his voice the excitement that pervades this joyous accomplishment.

In the last school year, 115 students made the same journey, and of this year’s crop of 134 students, all of them are sitting the CSEC/CXC exams. An almost Herculean feat, but then factor in the 73 students who are sitting eight or more, and it all becomes cause for truest celebration.

In that 73, two outstanding people come well to mind. 17-year-old Jonas Sanchez is the Valedictorian. Now soon to be a graduate within his 4IS class, he’s not even close to accomplishing his goals. Having the work ethic inspired by his contractor father, Sanchez exudes the confidence of one who not only knows his destiny, but is sure to overcome any obstacle.

He is a member of the team that placed 2nd in the Social Security Board‘s Math Olympiad, where he and his fellow mathletes worked with “calculator minds”. But it is his greatest accomplishment that has not even happened yet: Jonas is sitting 16 CSEC/ CXC exams, an idea motivated by an article linked to the prestigious Examinations Council as well as the success of SJC’s Dorien Villafranco, who took 15 CXCs and passed them all.

With plans to sit the CAPE, likely at UB where he will work to attain an Engineering degree, he triumphantly said to us: “Don’t be intimidated by anyone or anything”.

His Salutatorian counterpart, 4-Science’s 17-year-old Shameca Acosta is a Peer Helper and a Prefect, but is also a hard-working, motivated young woman who plans to pursue higher learning at UB, in the arena of Social Work.

Another school doing big things is the iconic St. John’s Berchmans High School, simply known as St. John’s College or SJC. In an over the phone interview with Principal Ms. Yolanda Gongora, she too has great reasons to celebrate, as a 120-strong St. John’s crop will share the Graduation stage this Sunday.

A total of 142 students had begun the journey to emit from their

Romel Logan

Shameca Acosta

Jonas Sanchez

last school year. The standouts in this graduating class are: Romel Logan, Valedictorian, a student in class 4A, who will graduate with a 4.28 GPA, and Aaron Stock, the Salutatorian, who shares the same class as Logan, and will graduate with a 4.07 GPA. Maud Williams High School, an

institution launched in 2000 will graduate 23 students this year. The Valedictorian is Ms. Shameika Butler, while the Salutatorian is Mr. Romelio Logan.

All 23 of those students are currently sitting their CSEC / CXC exams.

Anglican Cathedral College, a school with a storied history and

heritage as one of the first “merged” schools in Belizean history, will have much to celebrate as 54 out of 60 students will make the storied journey this Sunday. All 54 students are currently sitting their CSEC / CXC exams, and amongst them are Valedictorian Ms. Shashaye Mendoza, who has a cumulative average of 86.3, and Salutatorian Ms. Ashanti Shurat.

For certain, unlike so many who “write-off ” the youth, this reporter feels blessed and humbled to be covering this unforgettable journey, and it is certain there is much more to come.

30

THE BELIZE TIMES

THINK ABOUT IT GOVERNMENT BRUTALLY ATTACKS POOR PEOPLE The UDP Government is beginning to lose it. They have started to cross the line. When a government crosses the line, it’s time to consider their replacement.

For some time now, the government has been behaving heavy handed and chancy in its treatment of Belizeans. They don’t dare do what they are doing to the rich financers who have bought them and paid for them to be where they are. So the bullies are taking it out of the poor people.

What happened Wednesday morning in the so-called Gung-gulung area of Lake Independence is a crying shame. It is a crime against a tiny segment of humanity. No human being, whether squatter, or prisoner of war deserves to be treated in such animalistic fashion.

The duty and the responsibility of the government is to help the poorer classes of Belizeans. That duty includes helping them with a basic shelter over their heads. And to help them with a piece of land. That is why millions of dollars of tax payer’s money is used every year for a Minister of Housing and staff of public officers. The same applies to the many more millions for a Minister of Lands and his huge staff. If neither of those two ministries cannot provide a handful of land and some houses for the desperate poor, they and their government deserve no respect from the people of this country. Put in street language, they should move themselves or get removed.

NOW THEY ARE BANNING PEOPLE In the history of modern Belize, nothing of this nature has happened before. In fact, in the whole history of our country no such thing has ever happened. To be even more specific, neither during the three biggest slave rebellions and uprisings had the agents of the brutal slave masters behaved in such a way.

We are referring to the unprecedented and unprofessional behavior of the Gang Suppression Unit of the Police Department as it relates to the shooting-up of the Menjivar home in Belmopan in the dark and wee hours of Friday, May 20.

Mr. and Mrs. Menjivar and their two young children were at home.

This was around 4:00a.m. Along came the GSU. They killed the family’s dogs in the yard. They shot out the front security light. They proceeded to batter the front door with a maul in order to gain entrance.

Naturally, waking up to this frightening scenario Mr. Menjivar used his license firearm and fired several shots to ward off the intruders. Instead of holding it down, and trying to get control of such a situation the GSU responded with a barrage of gunfire.

Craziness!

Needless to say, the Menjivars were hauled off to the prison. By the grace of God, no one was hurt.

Such an incident is media feeding frenzy.

Of course, the government’s version was sanitized and unrealistic.

Arthur Saldivar, one of the attorneys for the Menjivar’s, visited them at the prison. He allowed them to Use his cell phone to speak to the media and give their side of what transpired. The people of Belize are entitled to hear such an account. Indeed, in the circumstances, the Menjiar’s do not belong in prison. They should be released immediately. The DPP should withdraw the charges immediately.

For allowing the Menjivars to speak to the media on his phone, Arthur Saldivar has received a communist-style correspondence. This might sound incredible, but so it is.

The letter informs Mr. Saldivar that he is banned from the prison, until the Bar Association conducts an inquiry into the matter.

The Bar Association should inquire, which is to say, conduct an inquiry into the heavy handed behavior of Belmopan and those at the prison who have been abusing the rights of prisoners, arbitrarily and without any reference to the law.

There is no law that Mr. Saldivar breached. No security at the prison was compromised because of the simple and innocent phone call to the media, explaining the Menjivar’s “Nightmare on Elm Street.”

Banning people? Banning an attorney from his clients? Who the heck is making these crazy decisions?

“No tyrants here linger, despots must flee.” Only the military in Israel and Guatemala would try to get away with such a stunt.

Come down hard on them, Madam President of the Bar Association.

Whip them with the rod of correction, Jacqueline Marshalleck, them and their kind.

AL JAZERRA IN GRIGA DAN The world renowned news media coming out of the Arab world is now being seen live and direct in Dangriga. Al Jazerra provides comprehensive and insightful coverage of events you don’t hear nothing about on CNN and other western propaganda organs.

It would be good if the cable providers would provide their customers with Al Jazerra.

By the way, those who have access to the internet may wish to check out Press TV.com. As well as All Africa. com BELLEVUE GONE DOWN Another piece of city history and city culture is gone. The once popular hotel and dance spot on Southern Foreshore in Belize City has been completely stolen by the crack heads and the poorer classes in need of lumber and building materials.

Bellevue fell victim to the disease that is plaguing the business and banking community. Bellevue could not pay its bills and so the bank took it over. Because of old tradition the

bank locks the business and waits for a time to put it on auction for sale.

When the bankers drive to their plush residences, marginalized citizens and the crack heads go to work. In three months the whole of Bellevue, a large wooden structure disappeared.

PLEASE WATER THOSE PLANTS Could the City Council do its job and look after the many plants that are dying all over the city for lack of water.

SHE’S A SUPERSTAR Marleni Cuellar is the Beyonce of Belizean TV hosts. Indira Craig is the Jennifer Lopez of Belizean TV hosts.

This would place Sharon Marin as Toni Braxton.

But there is a new kid in town.

She is young. She is vivacious. She is fresh. Exciting. When she smiles, she lights up your TV screen. In fact it is her charisma and charm that is one of the secret of the success of show she hosts.

Mega Bingo is the biggest thing in Belize right now. And so is the host.

Rachael Armstrong is the Rihanna of the TV hosts in Belize. She is mega attractiveness.

LOUIS WADE CALLS OUT THE PM Louis Wade, who is a Pastor, is the host of the popular Rise and Shine morning show on the Religious station Plus TV. The show is also a call-in show.

Pastor Wade has been increasingly delving into non-religious and also

Sunday, June 5, 2011 controversial issues and a number of these are political issues as well.

Wade has been fairly well balanced in his views and is very open minded as he would express his own opinion.

He is going into deeper waters and will soon start running into the problems that face those who are brave and outspoken in this society of ours.

As a deeply religious person Pastor Wade, unlike the other religious leaders in the community, has taken it on himself to challenge the homosexual gender in Belize as currently expressed by an organization called UNIBAM. This organization has applied to the Supreme Court to change the criminal law which makes the homosexual act punishable with imprisonment.

For several shows the outspoken Pastor Wade has been explaining how utterly misguided the UNIBAM crew is.

The good Pastor apparently saw an interview done after the last meeting of the House of Representative in which the Prime Minister was asked his views on the homosexual challenge to the criminal law. The Prime Minister’s response was to grin and make vague utterances. This did not sit well with Pastor Wade who said he expected to hear some serious response from the leader of the country.

Pastor Wade has publicly called on the Prime Minister to say something meaningful on the issue. This is a big move by the Pastor and his cohost, the well beloved Fem.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Police arrest, assault & intimidate homeless protestors Continued from page 6

area representative and PUP Senior Deputy Leader, Hon. Cordel Hyde, told the BELIZE TIMES he believes the Government was very wrong in its action.

“There’s a right and wrong way how you deal with things. You can’t go and meet squatters there and just act in a Draconian manner as though you are trying to impress the world that you have a twenty-five to six majority in the government so you can do what you want. You have to approach it and have some empathy and understand why the people are there in the first place. People don’t go and squat and build three hundred foot of London Bridges because they want to. They go there because they have to. They can’t afford rent, they can’t afford to. They can’t get a piece of land, they’ve been turned round and round like a merry-go-round and so you have to approach the process with a little bit of sympathy, with a little bit of understanding and try to sit down with the people. Nobody knew that the government wanted to build a city center, wanted to put a bus terminal there, nobody. You can’t go there in the middle of the night and break down people’s houses with no regard for human life, with no regard for their property. That’s cold, that’s senseless. That’s cruel in 2011. This is not way back time, this is present time,” said Hon. Hyde.

As for the Police’s brutal actions both against the families who were removed and the protestors who were harmed, PUP leader Hon. John Briceño said legal assistance would be provided to sue the Barrow Administration for their inhumane and illegal behaviour.

Along with the Opposition, the aggrieved families are supported by Belizeans for Justice and the Coalition for Liberty through Action.

THE BELIZE TIMES

31

Flippin Minister, flips his lid yet again!

By Carla Bradley One day before the official start of the hurricane season, Albert Hendy, a resident of Hattieville, was visited by the Chairman of Hattieville, who was accompanied by a truck filled with tools, which were to be use to dismantle his small home.

Hendy said the chairman told him that he had orders from NEMO, which falls under Minister Melvin Hulse’s portfolio, to “take back” the home.

Belize City, June 1, 2011 Despite repeated pleas from the Freetown Area Representative, Hon. Francis Fonseca, on behalf of the concerned residents of Belama, Police Minister Doug Singh and the UDP continue to keep the Belama Police Substation closed. As a direct result of their ineptitude and blatant neglect, businesses in Belama continue to fall prey to criminals, residences continue to be burglarized and most recently, a cab driver was shot and executed followed a few days later by the firebombing of a resident’s car.

While Dean Barrow and the Royal family sleep every night under 24-hr. police guard and

Hendy was told that there are others who are in more need of a home than he is.

The small, wooden home had been given to Hendy by NEMO after his original home was destroyed by hurricane Richard last year.

The UDP’s cruelty; however, was blocked when friends gathered to protect Hendy and his home. The reason behind Hulse and NEMO’s shameless attack remains questionable, and it is believed the move was politically motivated. Hendy who is a proud PUP

supporter, who showcases a PUP flyer and PUP flag on his house.

While Hendy’s friends stopped the NEMO workers from carrying out their blatant chanciness, the arrival of the media was able to chase them away.

The BELIZE TIMES understands through discussion between Hattieville chairman and Linsford and Wendy Castillo, an agreement was arrived at which resulted in Hendy keeping his home.

Belama Police Substation closed…again!!

Doug Singh lavishes in his high security fortress, the hardworking, law-abiding residents of Freetown are forced to live in an environment of fear and insecurity. Are the police not sworn to PROTECT & SERVE every citizen?

It appears not under Dean Barrow and the UDP.

32

THE BELIZE TIMES

Sunday, June 5, 2011