Belize Times March 27, 2016

SCAN HERE

The Belize Times

Established 1957

27 MARCH 2016 | ISSUE NO: 4986

The Truth Shall Make You Free

www.belizetimes.bz | $1.00

“Haad Time Budget”

Pg. 19

PUP lashes out at 2016 Budget Belize imports Vietnamese Catfish for Easter!

CARICOM CONDEMNS GUATEMALA’S AGGRESSION AT SARSTOON Pg. 6

Pg. 23

MINISTER OF HEALTH GOES TO CHETUMAL FOR HEALTH SERVICES Pg. 3

BARROW THROWS GAPI UNDER THE BUS! Pg. 6

Shyne Barrow

Anwar Barrow

NIGHTMARE AT NORTHERN REGIONAL HOSPITAL

Pg. 7

Pg. 9

TOP MODEL

0 22

OPINION OUT UB Going Nowhere, Fast!

!

Dear Editor, Over the past weeks I have read with great interest the articles being shard about the University of Belize. Please allow me some space in your newspaper to share my views on the current situation the University finds itself in; from the perspective of a faculty.

The University has been its fair share of struggles over the years as has been borne out by the previous articles, but it is my studied opinion that nothing compares to the present state of stagnation, demoralization, frustration and cronyism currently being experienced by faculty and staff of the university.

As a Faculty member at the University this is the first time that I can recall a contract has not been issued to any full-time Faculty.

We are currently employed and have no clue if and when our services will be terminated because we have no contracts; our last contract signed ended July 31, 2015. The second semester will soon be over and we have heard nothing about or status within the University. This saddens me and all other faculty because we provide the best quality education to the students although our hearts are torn with the manner the University treats their most important asset.

Faculty has long desired permanency within this institution but instead of engaging us in negotiations, we now find ourselves worst off since we now work without any contracts. This leaves us with the hard reality that the University is going nowhere, very fast! When we question why there are no contracts we get a politically correct response that “it is in process”.

I do understand that at times review and consideration of policies can take some time but at UB they literally take decades, in this case about a decade and a half to be more precise. Let’s examine the case of the Faculty Handbook. The faculty have been governed by a handbook which has been in revision stage from the inception of the University, yes since its inception. The handbook is no closer to being completed today than it was fifteen years ago. Presidents come and Presidents go and the revision has not been completed. We know for a fact that the HR office has prepared and submitted a draft

LOCAL 23 Mar

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THE BELIZE TIMES

handbook, however, to date that document has not seen the light of day. The document had faculty participation similarly several other key documents which would impact our employment positively. Is this the reason why these documents have been suppressed?

We question if it may be unfair to lay the blame entirely on the President since he has an oversight body in the board of directors. So then we must assume that the board of directors are asleep at the wheel.

Otherwise why is the board of directors sitting and watching this happen to the Nation’s National University? Is it not the Board’s responsibility to task the President with the completion of such a vital document? What is priority when it comes to managing the REAL affairs of the University? Again this leaves us with the reality that the University is going nowhere very, very fast!

The University is part of regional initiatives and as such faculty is tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that these initiatives are carried out and fulfilled by the University. However, these responsibilities come with no authority. The sad reality is when the time comes for implementation if the political directorate is not copied in the requests no one is assigned the authority to take action. How will the University provide students with the ability to progress regionally if the control of opportunities remains in the hand of an individual who does not believe in higher education and believes that a first degree is all one needs to succeed? How can someone with only a Bachelor Degree provide the overall vision of a University? If the National University is to have a plan and a vision it cannot be accomplished with an individual who does not have any trust and faith in his faculty and is seemingly accountable to no one. In my humble opinion, the board of directors seem content to attend the meetings and collect their stipends and eat a free meal which is ferried in from a special caterer in Belize City while turning a blind eye to the blatant mismanagement that is taking place at UB. Food for thought: why is a comparative assessment not made between the President of our National University and the Presidents of other Universities across the region? An avid leader does not feel threatened by persons within but inspires and motivates their employees. Why then are opportunities for growth regionally within the University being inhibited by the current president? Who is to be blamed for the lack of vision? Is it the leader who sees no need for further advancement because he holds a leadership position with limited qualifications? Or is it the BOD who refuses to foresee the strife facing the University?

This again leaves us with the reality that UB is going nowhere, fast!

Continued on page 19

WEATHER 24 Mar

25 Mar

26 Mar

27 Mar

2016

OUT Belize Rural South Traffic Concerns

!

Dear Editor, It is it with deep concern that we write to our local news media with regards to the rapid and unregulated traffic woes that are affecting our town in the most negative manner. At a time when traffic congestion is at an all-time high, importations of new golf carts, presumably for rental, are high while solutions and moratoriums are at an all-time low and the constant promise of less vehicle permits turn into a false reassurance to our community.

On a weekly basis the issue of traffic has been a hot topic on the local media as well as public discussions among social gatherings, creating negative reviews from our visitors. Downtown traffic has reached a point where there is no parking space and residents find themselves circling around several times looking for a place to park. To make matters worse, the Council’s only solution so far has been to grant even more permits for the importation of several large vehicles and many more permits for golf cart rentals.

There are many questions to be asked directly to the Mayor and his councillors.

How many more golf carts are yet to come to the island? Are these the result of campaign promises? Who approves these permits, the mayor himself or a traffic committee? Is there an active traffic committee or have they too been overrun? If there is a traffic committee then who are they? The public deserves to know. Why isn’t the list of approvals published in the local papers as was done in the past? These are only some of the many questions that the residents of San Pedro deserve to know.

The Mayor has mentioned that he is creating parking space across from their unfinished dream, the Hon. Louise Sylvestre Sports Complex and Sunset Boardwalk.

The new parking solution can only sum up to be a “sorry excuse for a solution” for a problem affecting almost every single island resident.

We firmly believe that we have reached at a crossroad with chaotic traffic issues and the first test we will face is the Easter Weekend 2016. Therefore we make a public appeal that it is time that the area representative takes a serious look at what is happening at the town hall. After all he is also the minister and certainly he can launch an investigation by way of the Ministry of Local Government. This must be addressed urgently as we stand to kill the proverbial goose that is laying the golden egg.

Sincerely, The People’s United Party Belize Rural South

28 Mar

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SCAN HERE

The Belize Times

Established 1957

14 APR 2013

|

ISSUE NO: 4840

The Truth Shall Make You Free

www.belizetimes.bz

|

$1.00

serving Belize since 1957 as the longest continuous newspaper.

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

Alberto Vellos LAYOUT/GRAPHIC ARTIST

Chris Williams

OFFICE ASSISTANT

Roberto Peyrefitte Printed and Published By TIMES NEWSPAPER LTD. Tel: 671-8385 #3 Queen Street P.O. BOX 506 Belize City, Belize

27 Mar 6 Feb

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Exchange rate of One Belize Dollar

United States (USD): $ 0.50

Barbados (BBD): $ 1.00

Eastern Caribbean Euro (XCD):$ 1.35 (EUR) : $ 0.46

Sterling Pound Guatemala Quetzal CANADIAN DOLLAR (GBP): $ 0.35 (GTQ): $ 3.85 (CAD): $ 0.67

CHINESE YUAN (CNY): $ 3.28

Trinidadian (TTD) : $ 3.27

INDIAN RUPEE (INR): $ 33.71

27 MAR

2016

Pablo Marin ministerial vehicle parked outside hospital

Pablo Marin

Minister of Health goes to Chetumal for health services Chetumal, Quintana Roo, March 14, 2016 While Belizeans are forced to settle for Belize’s crippled and costly health care system, Health Minister Pablo Marin uses tax dollars to access higher standard health services in neighbouring Chetumal, Quintana Roo Mexico.

A few weeks ago, in February, Marin was spotted attending the “Hospital General” in Chetumal for unknown treatment.

Our sources are currently investigating the specific medical reasons Marin was attending the hospital across the border.

While Belizeans struggle to meet the rising cost of healthcare in Belize, Marin takes tax monies outside the country to access the best primary healthcare available.

While Belizeans like young couple Josue Perez and Zoila Botes struggle to deal with alleged negligence at the Corozal Community Hospital, which falls immediately under Minister Pablo Marin’s respon-

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THE BELIZE TIMES

sibility, the Minister rushes to a foreign country to access advanced healthcare.

Under Marin, the health system has become deteriorated. Belizeans have had to deal with rats and snakes at hospitals, and deadly outbreaks due to a lack of hand-washing liquid and deteriorating health facilities. At a time when Marin should explain why the Belize’s Health Ministry is not receiving adequate budgetary support to make the necessary improvements and advancements to meet the urgent needs of the Belizean population, it will be easier for him to give lip-service and praise his political boss Dean Barrow for having confidence to his “political skills” instead. This will be easy on him because he gets health care from neighbouring Chetumal.

UDP Ministers and their families always fly out of Belize in the blink of an eye to get medical care while Belizeans settle for the shoddy health system left behind. When you see the Minister running off to another country to access health services that are available in Belize, you know something is terribly wrong.

For Sale

By Order of the Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Mortgage made the 18th day of September, 2012, between SHERETT MUSCHAMP of Independence Village, Stann Creek District, Belize of the one part, and SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD., of the other part, and recorded in Deeds Book Vol. 22 of 2012 at Folios 119 – 148, the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the schedule hereto.

All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Lot No. 713 comprising 615.270 Square Meters situate in Independence Village, Stann Creek District, bounded and described as shown by Plan No. 404 of 2012 and dated the 9th day of July, 2012, attached to Minister’s Fiat Grant No. 404 of 2012 TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon.

DATED this 15th day of March, 2016.

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

4 04 CARICOM condemns

Guatemala’s

aggression at Sarstoon

CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana March 18, 2016 The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) expresses its grave concern over the incident which took place at the Sarstoon River, the southern boundary of Belize with the Republic of Guatemala, between Belizean Security Forces and Guatemalan Armed Forces (GAF) on 12 March 2016. The GAF entered Belizean internal waters and acted in an intimidating manner towards the Belizean forces at their Forward Operating Base on Belize’s mainland at the mouth of the Sarstoon River.

The GAF claimed that the River belonged to them, although the mid-channel of the River was the settled and agreed border between the Republic of Guatemala and the United Kingdom long before Belize’s independence in 1981. Since Independence Belize has always continued to assert its sovereignty over the area.

Although the incident ended peacefully following contact at the highest level between military and political leaders on both sides, CARICOM notes with grave concern the tension caused as a result of the incident.

The Caribbean Community restates the importance it places on respect for international law and the sanctity of treaties and deeply regrets any actions of the GAF which violate the sovereignty of Belize and attempt to change the status quo prior to the submission of the Guatemalan claim to Belizean territory to the International Court of Justice in accordance with the Special Agreement ratified by both parties.

The Community reiterates its strong and unequivocal support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Belize and calls on the government of Guatemala to agree to Confidence Building Measures, in conjunction with the Organization of American States, to ensure peace and stability along the southern border of Belize with the Republic of Guatemala.

(End)

27 MAR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2016

RUSHEY TRADING LIMITED #56,394 (“the Company”)

Pursuant to Section 102 (4) of the International Business Companies Act, Chapter 270 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, notice is hereby given that RUSHEY TRADING LIMITED: a) is in dissolution b) commenced dissolution on the 21st day of March, 2016; and c) Stella Christodoulou who address is Roupel 9A, 2060 Nicosia, Cyprus is the Liquidator of the Company.

Cititrust International Limited Registered Agent

27 MAR

2016

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THE BELIZE TIMES

EDITORIAL

I

PUP Offers Hope!

t is a great disservice to our people that an important aspect of our governance such as the Budget debate is carried out in these times when most Belizeans are anxious to get away to spend an enjoyable holiday. Perhaps it is intentional.

We are hoping that despite the hype that the long Easter holiday brings, our Belizean people have taken the time to listen to the Budget debate. It is not difficult to discern between the UDP’s rhetoric and propaganda spinning versus the PUP’s real talk and attempts to bring to light the monumental shortcomings of the budget.

PUP Leader Hon. John Briceno kept things real in his presentation, shedding light on the Barrow Administration’s failure to build a Belize that provides equal opportunities for all. Hon. Cordel Hyde returned to the debate table, providing his insight into the poor administration by the UDP Government. Hon. Hyde said that in his view the Budget should be a weapon of mass alleviation for poverty, but the budget presented by the Prime Minister caters more to get rich schemes than anti-poverty measures.

We are also hoping that our people take time to focus on the true meaning of the upcoming holidays. It’s not about running off to the sea and sand, or the next party. There is a great significance to Easter that begun with the first coming of our Lord Christ. The story of sacrifice and redemption through Christ’s resurrection is one of the most powerful in the world, and is the foundation of the Christian faith – showing that Jesus is truly the son of God and that he washed our sins with his life and blood, promising to return for his children. It is a symbol of Hope.

While there are many who would prefer and argue that politics and religion should not mix, we believe there is a natural juncture at which both meet. Both are about people and finding ways of caring and making people’s lives better.

The People’s United Party and the Belize Times wish all Belizeans and visitors a Happy and Safe Easter Holiday

As today’s and tomorrow’s budget debates will reveal, if ever there was a time for our people to hear the message for us to love each other, and to be our brother’s keep, it is now.

Belize continues to face a multitude of threats, inside and out. Not only are we led by a Government that has lost every sense of its priorities which means that the real needs of our people are ignored, but our very own existence as a nation remains under constant threat by a bully neighbour to the West and South.

Despite the struggles, it is each of our responsibility to not give up on our young nation, which despite its trials, continues to have great promise. Now more than ever the example of service, sacrifice, peace, respect for each other and kindness is needed in our nation, and it starts with each of you.

The People’s United Party is very cognizant of its social and moral responsibility to the country and our people. Our promise is to drive our people out of poverty through meaningful education and the creation of opportunities that will give each and every Belizean that equal right to participate in the development of the country. Our objective transcends just politics. This is why our Party has supported and joined the Government’s efforts to find a solution the threat that is Guatemala’s unfounded claim. This responsible bi-partisan approach has already produced some benefit, with immediate reaching out to international friends and partners who are willing to support a peaceful resolution to the issue. This week our friends in CARICOM spoke out in defense of Belize, signalling that the re-internationalization of this issue as recommended by the PUP is key to a peaceful future. The PUP is committed to a solution.

This Easter our prayer is focused for peace in our land, for an end to the senseless violence and for us to respect one another. On behalf of the People’s United Party have a restful, safe and blessed Easter.

Condolences The Leader of the People’s United Party Hon. John Briceno, the PUP Corozal Bay Executive Committee and Standard Bearer Gregorio Papas Garcia express deep sympathies to the Alpuche Family on the passing of Baldemar Alpuche Jr. (Bambito).

Gone too soon…you will be sadly missed.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Barrow throws Gapi under the bus!

March 22, 2016 Inquiring minds would like to know the real reason why Gapi Vega, the second most powerful man in Belize as Deputy Prime Minister and next in line to lead the UDP, would out of the “red” resign.

Some speculate that it had to do with some kind of outside pressure but Gapi has faced those issues for years and he withstood those pressures all along.

For those in the inner circle, Gapi’s resignation is a direct result of any ongoing problem between him and Dean, who cited the resignation as a personal hit. He must have meant a hit on his arrogance and dictatorship.

The truth is that Gapi has slowly seen no way forward in a Party that holds no democratic events, that holds secret meetings for a select few to make decisions, and that fixes conventions against non-favorites like Delroy Cuthkelvin in Stann Creek and David Constanza in Orange Walk. Gapi, a man of great ambition, had no choice but to resign.

For some time, Gapi’s resignation has been in the works. He has absented himself from several special meetings after House Meetings.

We also took note of the odd strategy to leave the country whenever Dean travelled, so as not to “act” as PM for Dean Barrow.

When Gapi was dissed with the removal of the Natural Resources portfolio from his belt, he refused to leave his old office, forcing Godwin Hulse to settle for a smaller office elsewhere in the building. Not only did Dean take away the most resourceful Ministry from him, but it was give to unelected Godwin Hulse, who has done little or nothing in contributions compared to Gapi, in cash and kind.

Gapi was demoted and embarrassed. His constituents saw that he had lost his greatness in the UDP. They know that Gapi worked hard and waited patiently for his time to become the next leader of the UDP. But then came Dean’s answer: no Gapi, No! It is said that when Gapi sent in his letter of resignation it was a nuclear bomb within the UDP circles.

In fact, reliable UDP sources say that Dean called him but he refused to answer that call. Others tried too, unsuccessfully. Gapi’s mind was made up. Let the chips fall where they may.

Close sources tell us that there was further contact between Dean

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Dean Barrow and his former Deputy Leader.

Gapi sent an emissary to

Gapi Vega Dean asking him to let Gapi become Prime Minister for the latter portion of the third

27 MAR

2016

term or for Dean to give a date and a surety that Dean would back Gapi for Party Leader. Dean, indicates our source, repudiated Gapi’s envoy and said publicly “How dare dem!” That for Gapi was the straw that broke his UDP back.

Gapi’s problem is a major UDP problem no matter how much they bury their heads in the sand. For the next four years, it will be Dean’s problem since the UDP has been turned into his personal domain.

The question is now: Gapi is just a ticking time bomb and all the cards are now on the table and the UDP better play this one out smartly.

This includes the portfolio of Deputy Prime Minister and even the Orange Walk North seat, which could all be up in the air to create even more instability.

We dare you Gapi. Show Dean who really calls the shots. Free the people of Orange Walk North from Dean’s bondage. The PUP is ready.

27 MAR

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THE BELIZE TIMES

2016

INTERNATIONAL CONSULTING SERVICES LIMITED #14,189

(“the Company”)

Pursuant to Section 102 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, Chapter 270 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, notice is hereby given that INTERNATIONAL CONSULTING SERVICES LIMITED has been dissolved as at 16th March, 2016 and has been struck off the Register of International Business Companies.

PUP Leader meets church leaders on 2016 budget Belize City, March 21, 2016 At a meeting that lasted over two hours, the country’s key religious leaders had an opportunity to discuss public spending in the 2016-2017 Budget with the Opposition Leader, Hon. John Briceno, and other officials of the People’s United Party.

The religious leaders met with Hon. Briceno, PUP Chairman Henry C. Usher, Deputy Leader Kareem Musa and recentlyappointed Secretary General Linsford Castillo at the Independence Hall on Queen Street on Monday morning.

In attendance were the Anglican Bishop Rt. Rev. Philip Wright; Canon Rev’d Leroy Flowers; Catholic Auxiliary Bishop of Belize City and Belmopan Most Reverend Christopher J. Glancy; and Methodist Rev. Roosevelt Papouloute, the President of the Belize Council of Churches.

The leaders discussed public spending and the need for greater equity and accountability. They committed to the Opposition Leader that they are prepared to play an important role in the restoration of society and discussion of solutions to many of the problems that plagues the country.

Nightmare at Northern Regional Hospital Young Crooked Tree mother says hospital lost the fetus she delivered Shameka Flowers next to empty coffin

Orange Walk Town, March 21, 2016 The administration of Northern Regional Hospital is under heavy fire after a Crooked Tree young woman has accused them of losing the premature baby she delivered during a miscarriage.

An empty coffin reminds Shameka Flowers of her painful tragedy. She bought the coffin so she could give her unborn child a proper burial, but it hasn’t been possible since the hospital where she delivered left the baby’s body has not been able to say where the body is.

Flowers said that into her fifth month of pregnancy, she experienced complication

Continued on page 23

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08 8

THE BELIZE TIMES

Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Ministry of Health UNICEF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE – BELIZE ECD OPERATIONAL STRATEGY PLAN Background Early childhood is the most rapid period of development in a human life. Although individual children develop at their own pace, all children progress through an identifiable sequence of physical, cognitive, and emotional growth and change. The Early Child Development (ECD) approach is based on the proven fact that young children respond best when caregivers use specific techniques designed to encourage and stimulate progress to the next level of development.

The ultimate goal of Early Child Development (ECD) programs is to improve young children’s capacity to develop and learn. A child who is ready for school has a combination of positive characteristics: he or she is socially and emotionally healthy, confident, and friendly; has good peer relationships; tackles challenging tasks and persists with them; has good language skills and communicates well; and listens to instructions and is attentive. The positive effects that ECD programs have can change the development trajectory of children by the time they enter school. A child who is ready for school has less chances of repeating a grade, being placed in special education, or being a school drop-out.

ECD interventions include educating and supporting parents, delivering services to children, developing capacities of caregivers and teachers, and using mass communications to enhance parents and caregiver’s knowledge and practices. Programs for children can be center or home-based, formal or non-formal, and can include parent education.1 In the year 2010 a situation analysis on Early Childhood Development program in Belize concluded that there was a need to have an ECD policy and provided 21 recommendations for the mainstreaming of ECD within social sector line ministries and other stakeholders providing care and services to the target children. The three line ministries with direct responsibility for the design and implementation of ECD programs have now an approved ECD policy that will guide the strengthening of the program countrywide. The previous ECD TA yielded a mapping of the ECD program, defined strategic outcomes and possible phases for policy implementation.

General Objective To have a five year national inter-sectoral strategic operational plan on early childhood development for Belize developed and disseminated to key stakeholders.

Specific objective 1 The ECD strategy plan must define by consensus and based on evidence the actions [with costing] that are necessary to contribute to the following outcomes and most critical issues from the ECD policy to be addressed or implemented, with consideration of the ECD outcomes:

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2016

Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Ministry of Health UNICEF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE –BELIZE ECD COMMUNICATION MATERIALS Terms of Reference Production of Belize ECD Communication Materials Consultant Duration of Assignment: 6 Months Start Date: April 2016 Background Early childhood is the most rapid period of development in a human life. Although individual children develop at their own pace, all children progress through an identifiable sequence of physical, cognitive, and emotional growth and change. The Early Child Development (ECD) approach is based on the proven fact that young children respond best when caregivers use specific techniques designed to encourage and stimulate progress to the next level of development.

The ultimate goal of Early Child Development (ECD) programs is to improve young children’s capacity to develop and learn. A child who is ready for school has a combination of positive characteristics: he or she is socially and emotionally healthy, confident, and friendly; has good peer relationships; tackles challenging tasks and persists with them; has good language skills and communicates well; and listens to instructions and is attentive. The positive effects that ECD programs have can change the development trajectory of children by the time they enter school. A child who is ready for school has less chances of repeating a grade, being placed in special education, or being a school drop-out.

ECD interventions include educating and supporting parents, delivering services to children, developing capacities of caregivers and teachers, and using mass communications to enhance parents and caregiver’s knowledge and practices. Programs for children can be center or home-based, formal or non-formal, and can include parent education.1 In the year 2010 a situation analysis on Early Childhood Development program in Belize concluded that there was a need to have an ECD policy and provided 21 recommendations for the mainstreaming of ECD within social sector line ministries and other stakeholders providing care and services to the target children.

The three line ministries with direct responsibility for the design and implementation of ECD programs have now an approved ECD policy that will guide the strengthening of the program countrywide. The previous ECD TA yielded a mapping of the ECD program, defined strategic outcomes and possible phases for policy implementation.

Recommended roll out strategies in phases: Phase 1 – strengthening ECD within each sector: Phase 2 - increasing ECD coverage by each sector Phase 3 - moving toward a comprehensive, intersectoral ECD approach General Objective: By the end of 2016, a comprehensive ECD policy communication plan is completed to support the national ECD intersectoral strategy roll out.

Specific Objective 1: Comprehensive ECD policy communications plan The design and utilization of a comprehensive ECD communication plan is essential for supporting the long-term implementation of a national, intersectoral ECD roll-out plan. An increased awareness to the importance of investing in ECD and the expanded support for implementing an intersectoral ECD strategy is key to guarantee the rights of all young children to a good start in life. More directly related to results for young children, early childhood development in essence is a change in behavior on how institutions, the family and community interacts to enable caregivers and the environment for children to develop, learn and reach their fullest potential, hence contribute to their country’s development as a successful adult citizen. In order to optimize resources a comprehensive ECD communication plan will be developed with the following priorities: • Design and implement communication actions focusing on public awareness on and support for increased investments for ECD • Advocate and mobilize decision-makers and technical staff of the different line ministries to support the ECD Strategy rollout plan.

• Provide service providers from the three line Ministries with the required communication and operational materials to improve the quality of their actions and to strengthen family support/ orientation actions.

• Provide families and caregivers with more family focused materials to assist their daily actions to support early childhood development within the home environment.

Specific objective 2 The ECD strategy plan will include 5 core and 5 important indicators per outcome that the country will focus on in the next five years. A metadata of each selected indicator will be annexed to the strategy plan.

Specific objective 3 The ECD strategy plan will include specific cross-cutting communication components to support the implementation of the ECD roll-out strategy, incorporating those key elements found in the comprehensive ECD communication plan to be prepared during 2016.

Specific objective 4 The ECD operation manual for guiding the ECD strategy roll-out will outline the individual sector (ministry) administrative /technical elements and intersectoral strategy components required for the planning, coordination, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of the ECD strategy plan.

Products 1. Consultancy work plan 2. Strategy plan with focus on outcomes, policy and outlined stages (including the cross-cutting strategies that support an intersectoral approach) 3. ECD indicators metadata dictionary 4. ECD operation manual for ministry technical coordinators and district level social sector workers 5. One national consultation session with stakeholders for their feedback on above products 6. Presentation of the strategy plan and other products to stakeholders Duration The estimated duration of the consultancy is for three months.

Qualification • Academic Degree/ Level & Years of Professional Work Experience: Advanced degree/postgraduate qualifications in education, social sciences, public health or related field. Five or more years of professional work experience in Early Childhood Development or social development, project administration, monitoring and evaluation. At least 5 years general experience working with children 0-5 years.

• Languages: English • Areas of Expertise: Specific experience in early childhood development is desired • Skills: Excellent communications skills, results oriented and capacity to manage complex situations towards targets/ goals achievement Products Property All documents produced as a result of this consultancy are property of the Government of Belize. Final products are to be delivered to the CEO’s MHDSTPA, MOEYS and MOH who will certify acceptance of product [s] and recommend payment.

Supervision and Reporting: The Early Childhood Education and Development Center of the Ministry of Education will be the executing agency responsible for the implementation of the work. The ECD task force formed with representatives from all three ministries (Heath, Education and Human Development), and led by the Chief Executive Officers in these three ministries, will meet on a regular basis to review progress and provide guidance and direction.

Administrative Information Suitably qualified applicants are asked to submit their application with the consultancy as subject by: • E-mail to: ncfc@btl.net & belize@unicef.org OR • Post to: National Committee for Families and Children Cleghorn Street, Belize City PH: 223-0059, FAX: 223-1229 Application to include: • Curriculum vitae • Technical and financial proposal Applications close: 17:00 on 08 April 2016 Please note that only complete application packets will be considered.

Specific Objective 2: ECD materials adapted to the Belize context • UNICEF and WHO along with other international agencies have developed generic early childhood materials / kits e.g. ECD kit: a treasure box of activities, care for child development field practice, CDC positive parenting tips from birth to 8 years of age. Whilst the materials are of high quality they need to be culturally sensitive to Belize, including the name of the ECD program. The ECD package of materials for Belize needs to be ensemble using generics and provided to all stakeholders responsible for the ECD policy implementation. The consultant will make the adaptations for Belize, conduct a pilot testing and make necessary changes before submission of the final products.

OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSIGNMENT The Consultant or a team/company/agency will provide support to UNICEF and partners in the development of ECD materials adapted to the Belize context (specific Objective 2) SCOPE OF WORK Under the overall guidance and supervision of the ECD/Education Officer with support from the Communications Specialist, the consultant will produce the following products: 1. Consultancy work plan 2. Collection and analysis of existing ECD materials in Belize and in the region, to support adaptation or development on materials for Belize.

3. Selected ECD materials adapted to local context (with a priority focus on increasing parenting/caregiver skills). A local team along with consultant will participate in the selection of materials available to be adapted to the Belize context.

4. Report on Pilot testing of materials. Once the adaptation process is concluded, a pilot testing will inform the clarity of messages and acceptance by target audiences.

5. Samples of ECD Communication materials: Radio and TV spots, posters, memorabilia, parenting tips, banner, flyer (including specific information and messages on the importance of ECD investments) 6. Parenting messages booklet for social sector workers 7. Parenting messages booklet for parents – popular version The Consultant will operate from their home-base, participate in meetings, and undertake missions as necessary.

INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT The consultant will report directly to the ECD/Education Officer with support from the Communications Specialist. The ECD task force formed with representatives from all three ministries (Heath, Education and Human Development), and led by the Chief Executive Officers in these three ministries will also provide oversight and guidance. The consultant will provide briefs and updates to the ECD Officer, Communications Specialist and ECD task force on the progress of the work, challenges encountered, risks foreseen, proposed or taken mitigation measures, and where UNICEF support may be required. UNICEF and partners will review for certification of acceptance the outputs produced by the contracted consultant.

UNICEF staff will provide technical and administrative support to the contracted consultant.

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS The contracted consultant will report monthly to the ECD Officer and the Communications Specialist to ensure a timely delivery of the expected outputs.

Duration The estimated duration of the consultancy is for six months.

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE The Consultant/team/company/agency most suited to complete this consultation should have: • A university degree in graphic design, communications, journalism, public relations, or social sciences.

• A first level university degree with at least five (5) years of professional training/certification • Previous experience producing similar products • Previous experience working with education and child development programs • Previous experience with UN agencies or projects is a distinct asset Other skills: • Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Design software Language: Fluency in written and oral English is required ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Suitably qualified applicants are asked to submit their application with the consultancy as subject by email to: belize@unicef.org by 16:00 on 08 April 2016 Application to include: • curriculum vitae • UN personal history (P11) form, including contact information for three references. See link for UN personal history (P11) form: http://www.unicef.org/ videoaudio/PDFs/P11.doc and • price proposal.

Only completed applications will be considered.

27 MAR

2016

THE BELIZE TIMES

Belizean Beauty

Vianni

• • • • • •

TOPMODEL 09

Career Plan: Entrepreneur Sign: Libra Favourite Food: Chirmole Likes: Swimming Lives in: Belize City Fav. Quote: “Nothing is impossible.”

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

TOP MODEL Clothing and Accessories provided by CATWALK FASHIONS

Cor. North Front Steet & Queen Street Belize City

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Kaydine Pinelo wins

27 MAR

2016

Sacred Heart Jr. college girls

2016 Junior Cross Country

Belize City, March 20, 2015 Team SMART’s Kaydine Pinelo won the 17th annual BEL Junior Cross Country Cycling Classic, setting a new record of 3:12:10 on the 70-mile ride from the San Jose Succotz Village ferry to the finish at Leslie’s Imports on the George Price Highway in Belize City on Sunday.

Other finishers: 2nd Brian Sutherland – Team Cabral Marin 3rd Darien Anderson – Team WKC Strikers 4th Andre Belisle – Team Cabral Marin 5th Gian Lino – Team Cabral Marin Youth Category 1st Gian Lino – Team Cabral Marin 2nd/ Prince of the Hills – Shaun Codd - Team Westrac Alliance 3rd Patrick Williams – Team WKC Strikers 4th Gabriel Giovanni – Team Big Shep 5th Kevaughn Cacho – Team WKC Strikers

Sacred Heart wins ATLIB football champs Kaydine Pinello

UB Jaguars girls Brian Sutherland, 2nd, Kaydine Pinelo, 1st

Sacred Heart Jr. College boys

Centro Escolar Mexico boys

St. Creek Ecumenical Jr College boys

San Ignacio, March 20, 2015 The Sacred Heart Junior College male and female football teams won their first ever Association of Tertiary Level Institutions of Belize (ATLIB) national football championships at the Sacred Heart College football field on Sunday.

Sacred Heart outgunned the University of Belize 3-2 in a penalty shootout, after regulation and 10 minutes of overtime ended in a nil-zip draw. Naomi Gamboa, Shamera Wade and MVP goalie Jasmine Armstrong scored for Sacred Heart; while Armstrong also blocked 2 penalties and only Delmi Cornelio and Tracy Chi scored for UB. In 3rd place, the Northern regional champs, the Belize Adventist Junior College girls won 2-1 against the San Pedro girls. Judy Ico scored BAJC’s 1st goal, Eden Velasquez equalized 1-1, but Mirely Itzab finished a pass from Ico for the 2nd winning goal.

In the male category, the Sacred Heart male team won 4-2 victory against the defending national champs, Centro Escolar Mexico. Camilo Sanchez scored CEM’s 1st goal, but Jarret Davis equalized for Sacred Heart, and Jamil Cano scored the 2nd goal for a 2-1 lead at the half.

After the break, SHJC’s Christopher Chan scored a 3rd goal with a header and Davis scored the 4th goal: 4-1. The Centro Escolar’s team won a penalty and Camilo Sanchez converted for the 4-2 score.

The 1st, 2nd and 3rd place team received team trophies and individual medals and Jarret Davis won the MVP award.

Belize Adventist girls

27 MAR

11

THE BELIZE TIMES

2016

THIRD NOTICE Pursuant to Section 10 (3) of the Belize Mines and Minerals Act, Chapter 226, Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000-2003, Allan Michael Duncker Sr. for and on behalf of Aquamar Belize Ltd., Independence Village, Stann Creek District, has applied to the Honourable Minister of Natural Resources and Immigration, through the Inspector of Mines, Mining Unit; for a mining license to mine clay and sand from an area located south of Big Creek, Toledo District. The areas to be mined are bounded by UTM co-orinates:

Eastings

Northings

347052

1825580

347052

1825355

346239

1825355

346239

1825656

For Sale

By Order of the Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under an Assignment and Transfer of Mortgage made the 6th day of June, 2013, recorded as LTU-201301050 between DEVELOPMENT FINANCE CORPORATION (the Assignor) SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD., and EDWARDO G. PINSEAU, which said property was mortgaged by the said EDWARDO PINSEAU to the said DEVELOPMENT FINANCE CORPORATION on the 24th day of January, 2001, and recorded at the General Registry in Deeds Book Volume 41 of 2001 at Folios 1169 – 1210, the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the schedule hereto.

THE SCHEDULE All that leasehold interest in all that piece or parcel of land being Lot No. 252 situate in Independence Village, Stann Creek District and bounded on the Northeast for 100.00 Feet by Lot No. 253, on the Southeast for 50.00 Feet by A Street, on the Southwest for 100.00 Feet by Lot No. 251; and on the Northwest for 50.00 Feet by Lot No. 240 containing 555.6 Square Yards of land as shown on Big Plan 35 at the Office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys, Belmopan TOGETHER with all buildings and erections and developments standing and being thereon.

DATED this 22nd day of March, 2016.

The areas to be mined comprise approximately forty-five (45 acres).

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

12

THE BELIZE TIMES

27 MAR

2016

Budget Debate Statement by Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition Belmopan, 22 March 2016 Mr. Speaker, Fellow Citizens It is my honour to address this house and our nation in response to the budget presented by our Prime Minister on behalf of his UDP Administration.

We in the PUP believe that the budget is the most significant part of our legislative agenda and the budget presentation and debate is a very important exercise.

We take it very seriously and participate in this annual exercise in a sprit of patriotism and in fulfillment of our responsibilities as elected members of this Honourable House.

As is our practice, we prepare not only through our work as a Parliamentary Caucus, but also by consulting with our Party Supporters, Private Sector Organizations, the unions, the churches and civil society.

We do this so that our contribution, as best as possible reflects the will and concerns of the people.

And so on behalf of all of us here on this side of the House I thank all those who assisted us and engaged with us during our consultations.

Likewise I wish to thank the fine members of the Public Service who assisted in the preparation of the budget.

All those finance officers, the Financial Secretary and everyone in the Ministry of Finance, we thank you for your hard work.

Perhaps this is a good time for me to lend support to the much needed salary adjustment to Public Officers and teachers, which the Prime Minster mentioned in his presentation.

That is one aspect of the budget we can enthusiastically support.

We believe that at the heart of any budget and by extension this exercise should be the confidence that better days are ahead of us.

We believe that this exercise should inspire in all our people HOPE and from all of us it SHOULD elicit action.

Indeed, we expect the budget to be more than just numbers.

Any responsible government in 2016 should formulate, present and pass a budget that prioritizes its programmes.

This budget must also show the efficiency and effectiveness of the administrations stewardship.

The budget should be the ultimate exercise in the effective allocation of the nation’s resources.

And it seems this year; our nation’s resources are very scarce indeed.

Perhaps this fact has been willfully ignored in these past years, since the Auditor General’s report indicates that this Administration seems indifferent to affordability and efficiency of the spending of the public purse.

Mr. Speaker Belizeans are incredible people; we are a creative, productive, friendly and compassionate people.

For the most part we are optimistic people.

This 2016/2017 budget, I am afraid, does not reflect any of the qualities that we see in our collective Belizean identity.

This is not a budget that is optimistic.

This is not a budget for Belizeans.

It is not creative and it is neither hopeful nor resourceful as we are.

The priorities set out in this budget, if any, are not the priorities of the Belizean people, they are recycled initiatives and programmes put in place by an administration that lacks the competence to find real solutions to the serious problems that face our generation.

This budget will not make us safer; it will not provide those much-needed jobs that will grow our economy; it will not encourage any new growth in the business sector; it will not expand education for our young people, who are out of school and it is not reflecting the fairness we need if we are to lift up all Belizeans.

Indeed after the tax increase on fuel leveled on us just days before the budget speech, Belizeans listened to the Right Honourable Prime Minister’s speech with fear, afraid that with the Petro Caribe money all but gone that this government may be one pay check away from bankruptcy.

Everyone knew that with the elections now behind us, this would be a year filled with pain and sorrow.

Having just won in the General Elections in Orange Walk -- and let me take a moment here to record my

In preparation for the budget debate, Party Leader John Briceño, along with Party officials, met with Civil Society stakeholders such as environmemtal leaders as seen in this picture.

gratitude to the good people of Orange Walk Central--I wished we could all anticipate a good year.

After all the best, they said, was yet to come. So before the speech I really expected a good budget.

Sadly, this budget is a let down. UDP’s, PUP’s and all of us have been let down by a budget that lacks any meaningful plan for the future, it offers no path to the creation of new jobs or the improvement of productivity.

There is no plan or idea for an improved investment climate and no blueprint for social uplift for those Belizeans who are living below the standard of living.

Will this budget result in any significant reduction in poverty? It will not.

Will this budget instill the confidence needed by the private sector to create jobs?

It will not. Will it grow the Belizean economy at a pace that we can bring some support to our struggling middle class?

NO it will not!

This is a budget that lacks the imagination one would expect from a new administration and it certainly lacks the confidence that will make young Belizeans want to stay in Belize and invest.

There is nothing here that even attempts to encourage any entrepreneurial spirit; nothing that speaks about reigning in government spending; nothing to make our people on the margins hope for a good year.

Budget Consultations Mr. Speaker during our consultations, many issues were raised; questions were asked and suggestions given, especially on issues dealing with poverty, education, health and safety, jobs and corruption.

I will refer to these issues as we go along, however one point that resonated everywhere we went is that the Belizean People are tired of the way we conduct ourselves in this honourabe chamber.

One woman observed that our behavior was equivalent to a circus; another inquired whether we behaved with such disrespect even when students attended our sessions.

The point was made that we seem to prefer to conduct the business of the nation like people involved in a street quarrel and hurl insults at each other rather than debate the issues.

Another point that was made involved the responsibilities of the Opposition.

I was asked directly if our only function as the opposition was to object or disagree. I wish to give every assurance that as a responsible opposition we will do more than just oppose.

As the opposition we will continue to carry out our mandate in a responsible way.

Yes, we will provide strong but respectful reactions to those things that negatively affect our national development, but we are also ready to offer remedies.

Overview of the Belizean Economy Let us now review some of the main points of this budget.  In 2015 our economy grew by a meager 1.2 percent, well below the 2.5 percent that Government projected and well below the average world economic growth of 3.1 percent.  Government overspent by more than 143 million dollars. In a 4 billion dollar economy, Government spending seems out of control.

Government is spending 25 cents out of dollar in our economy.  At the end of 2015 we owed 2.35 billion

dollars, with a “B” and we are going to borrow another 183 million this year, and according to the Right Hon. Prime Minister we should end up at 2.8 billion by this time next year. I will say more on this later.  The national debt will soon be at 80 percent of GDP  The government spent Petro Caribe money-“bonanza” style-- over what he called an “Emergency with a small “e”; and we squandered even more borrowed Petro Caribe money on feel good projects and tacos in an election year. In October alone, Government spent $44,7 million.  According to the Auditor General, we continue to be plagued by a lack of transparency and accountability.  Our agriculture products suffered major hits and we go into this new financial year with no real plan to help the primary sector recover and return to growth.  Capital financial flows have gone down by $100 million.  Big companies like Fruta Bomba in the north is packing up and the Meridian group in the south has already closed down and  The oil is drying up.

Well Mr. Speaker the chickens have come home to roost and in 2016 as the soca song says “the paaty done!”

Just before the budget speech the PM whapped us with that fuel tax to the tune of $50 million and then proclaimed this budget has no new taxes.

The truth is that this 2016 Budget is no celebration of stability, there is no boldness in this budget, the big picture here is that Belizeans wah tek lick in 2016 and when the step up on super bond 2.0 comes next year we will take an even bigger licking.

Let me break down for you and the Belizean people what is really yet to come:  In spite of the $50 million in the new tax on fuel, the deficit is projected to be $62 million.

Of course last year they projected the deficit to be $87 million and it ended up at $180 million, which they said was because they had to pay Mr. Ashcroft.

Well guess what, Mr. Ashcroft is going to collect more --plenty more—when the Arbitration is settled. It is not over yet.  Then there is the 135 million, which he said was recorded as financing.

Call it what you want, the Belizean people still have to pay it back.  Government Spending will once again outweigh revenue, this time by $192 million.  Over 39,000 Belizeans who want to work won’t be able to get a job and thousands more will join the work force this summer.  And for yet another year, Boost and Boots and other so-called uplift programmes will do nothing to lift close to half of our people who are poor out of poverty.

These are the facts.

Now the Right Honourable Prime Minster said in his presentation that this budget is a bold one given the current circumstance.

It doesn’t seem that way to me and here is why:  Of the $126 million we are proposing to spend in health, not a single penny will be spent on addressing the mental health problem, a

growing issue in Belize.

Also, there are zero dollars for critical maternal and Neonatal services, which affect our youngest and most vulnerable, our babies.  Close to $1 million was cut from housing and urban development.  In a billion dollar budget, only $1million is budgeted for poverty alleviation; the food pantry will be cut by $100,000 from $2.8 million to 2.7 million  In the ministry of Social Transformation, Constituency assistance program $0, Back to School assistance programme 0, Mothers Day Appreciation 0.

Sorry folks this is not an election year.

These actions don’t seem bold; they seem irresponsible, for what we see is increased spending and increasing debt.

Yet our poor remain poor and no better off.

What is so bold about that?

The Right Honourable Prime Minster also said that we are entering a period of stability in a time of change.

What he does not say is that we are already in a recession, one with no end in sight and one, which this budget at best fails to address and at worst pretends does not exist.

The Truth of the matter is that for each of the past two consecutive quarters of 2015, the economy shrank.

In the second quarter of 2015, the economy shrank by 1.6 percent. In the third quarter of 2015, the economy shrank by 1 percent and for the fourth quarter, the SIB is yet to announce the figures. But if you go by the Prime Minister’s announcement that overall the economy grew by 1.4 percent in 2015, then there has not been any growth since the first quarter.

Economists define a recession as two consecutive quarters of negative growth.

The Prime Minister knew this situation fully well when he unveiled his election promise of “The Best is yet to Come.” So now the Prime Minster comes up with another slogan, “a period of stability in a time of change.”

The only stability we are going to get Mr. Speaker is continued “haad times” and the only change we will get is change for the worst. Mr. Speaker the last external trade bulletin from the Statistical Institute of Belize spells out the disastrous state of our economy.

Exports for January 2016 are down 29.5%. Drilling down just a little bit deeper, Marine exports shrunk by 79%. Banana exports shrunk by 34%. Sales of orange concentrate shrunk by 30%.

These were only partially offset by some sales in petroleum of $3million and increased sale of volumes of sugar. By any standard, local or international, it is clear that our economy is contracting.

Mr. Speaker, WE ARE IN A RECESSION. And how is the government planning to get us out of this recession? By spending and by putting a $50 million “wap” on the Belizean people. Do you know how much of that $50 million each of us will have to pay? Every Belizean man, woman and child will have to pay $143 more to Government this year.

This is the true picture, an economy in recession; our national debt reaching 80 percent of GDP and a government clueless about how to fix one of the key pillars of our economic growth, the agro productive sector. Now Mister Speaker recessions come and they go. We survive them best when we ensure that productive Belizeans drive our development. Of course sometimes government has to intervene.

We on this side believe that in times like these we have to work with our partners in the productive sector so that we can put all our collective talents into fixing what is wrong and getting us back on track. I met with people from the agro productive sector and what they are saying is that 2016 is not looking good. Papaya is going out of production in part due to government’s ineptitude. This will cost over 800 jobs and millions of dollars in income.

The people in the productive sector are asking if Government can end the delays in paying back their GST refunds. They are once again asking if Government would once and for all move to charge GST on the back end of production instead of the current practice of charging on the front end. We would support this.

The productive sector would also like to see its Government consult more when it comes to trade

27 MAR

2016

negotiations and do its part to get more of our products into markets in the Caribbean.

Petro Caribe Roll It Mr. Speaker I have no way of proving this, but I want to believe there is no other government in this region where the words Petro Caribe are used more than here in Belize by the UDP. It would seem like no sitting of this National Assembly can occur without some utterance of Petro Caribe.

It seems to be the linchpin of our Government’s development strategy. Sadly Petro Caribe can no longer roll it, because di bonanza done! In two years, this UDP Administration spent over $325 million of Petro Caribe funds.

One would have hoped that this kind of spending would have served as a catalyst -- a driving force -- for our development. So let us see if such was the case.

Of the 325 million spent from Petro Caribe funds, 35 million was put into the National Bank.

From what the records show, it appears that the National Bank is operating at a loss. In the past two years the National Bank has lost about $2.6 million and the main reason for that loss is because the operating cost seems greater than the income it can earn.

This is not sustainable and we can’t keep putting more and more money into the bank, it must be managed in a sustainable manner.

Let us now look at the infrastructure projects that were done.

I wonder if many of the inferior quality streets and roads that were rehabilitated with Petro Caribe funds were done cost effectively.

We won’t know until we see a report of how much these streets and roads cost and who got those contracts, this may very well be why people keep telling us about a lack of transparency and accountability.

You know Mr. Speaker the Member from Belmopan loves to remind people of the past and about what we supposedly did between 1998 and 2008.

He pretends to forget that it was the PUP who did the Marine Parade reclamation project, we built the Boom/Hattiville road, the Orange Walk by-pass, we did work on the Humming bird Highway and built the Southern Highway.

New communities were built in Fresh Pond, Los Lagos, Mile 8, San Lorenzo Housing Site and Maxboro.

Perhaps the people from the “special vehicle” institution called BIL can provide for us a list of their projects and let us see if those projects impacted Belizeans the way ours did.

Now I was the person who signed the Petro Caribe Agreement some years ago and as I understood it at the time, the role of the fund was mainly to assist in the development of the country. It is clear that some of the $325 million was spent in fulfillment of that objective.

What is also true however is that many millions of these loan funds were spent mainly in public sector spending and frivolous cheer programs instead of investing and strengthening our job creating exportled industries like the papaya, sugar, citrus, banana, shrimp and the very important tourism industry.

Some of the millions spent giving “cheer,” buying flat screen televisions and pibil should have been used to develop and fortify a sustainable economic base.

We did not do this. Petro Caribe monies should have also been invested in creating a formidable trade infrastructure to support our industries, enabling them to compete not only in regional but international markets.

As we see it, the most important economic challenge facing Belize today is how to create an environment that will allow our private sector to flourish and grow in these days of dynamic change.

We should have used some of that $325 million to help the productive sector brace for what was coming.

Many of the industry stakeholders already have good ideas and answers to some of these problems, but lack the resources to fix them.

Those Petro Caribe Funds would have gone a lot further in helping Belizeans than flat screens, road trips and party bags.

Job Creation and Wages Development will come if we invest in our human capacity, it will come if we spend money on efficiency; if we focus on those sectors and commodities where we have a competitive advantage.

If we can increase the yield and productivity of our production, manufacturing and service enterprises. Did any of the $325 million in Petro Caribe funding get spent on initiatives that would impact on this either directly or indirectly? Those we spoke to in the agro productive sector and the Chamber do not feel it did.

If we are to invest in our people then we need to make sure that wages are fair and that what we earn is enough. Today 90 cents out of every dollar

THE BELIZE TIMES the average Belizean earns is going in just meeting the necessities of life.

That leaves only 10 cents is left for savings, or investing or for taking a little vacation.

Earlier I mentioned that we on this side support the salary adjustments for the teachers and public officers, and we do, but where wages are concerned it ends there.

The Rt. Honourable Prime Minister took pride in declaring that his Government advanced the wellbeing of the working class by touting the lowest unemployment in a decade and a surge in wages.

Let’s take a closer look at the facts. Since 2008, more than 1500 jobs have been lost in the Corozal Free Zone alone. When we left office in 2008 over 3000 employees worked in the Corozal Free Zone, today that number stands at 1,521.

In papaya, over 260 jobs have been lost. At its peak, papaya employed over 700 people, so really the job loss in papaya has been even more devastating when looking beyond just this past year. In banana, over 400 jobs have been lost over the past six months.

All together, over 3,300 jobs have been lost in key industries alone.

So to say that the unemployment rate has gone down is at least a fiction if not a fraud on the people.

With respect to real income, today’s working man or woman who earns above the threshold of $26,000.00 annually or $500 per week and expected relief from this UDP Government is now paying more taxes than before.

What they got instead of relief was the tax “wap” on fuel, further eroding their income. Today a working class Belizean earning $26,000 pays more than 40 cents of every dollar earned to the government.

For every dollar earned, Income tax goes with 25 cents, plus twelve and a half cents on GST, which equals thirty-seven and a half cents of direct taxes.

Add social security, fuel tax, and property tax and you see how we get to forty cents.

As for the purported surge in salaries for public officers, let us look at the whole story on wages. No less than the statistics produced by the IMF show that over the eight years of the UDP, the average income per person in real terms after accounting for inflation has increased from $7,318 to $7,663 an increase of only $43 per year or 0.6 percent per annum.

That is an increase of less than $1.00 per week. In other words, with the UDP you can’t even afford to buy an extra pound of beans.

This is in stark contrast to the nine years under the PUP during which the average income per person grew more than five times faster than under the UDP increasing from $5,675 to $7,318 or by over $182 per year per person.

So for all the hundreds of millions of Petro Caribe monies, the millions more in borrowing and spending by this UDP government, the people have gained nothing, not so much as an extra pound of beans.

Education in the 21st century Mr. Speaker our economy will grow and sometimes, like now, that growth is not going to be enough to lift people up.

Still we have to find ways to sacrifice today so we can do right by our children to ensure they inherit a better Belize then the one we inherited.

Our future then, depends on investing in our best resource: the creativity and skills of Belizeans. Education for tomorrow Mr. Speaker means that today we must provide relevant education. Our students must learn using digital technologies and they must learn computer science as well as reading, writing and arithmetic.

All these subjects should be taught in every primary and every secondary school in Belize. We must commit to this if we are to allow our young people a chance and a future PUP Government will ensure that we get computers and computer science in all our primary and secondary schools.

This should work hand in hand with those critical thinking skills, life skills, the natural sciences, physical education and Belizean History, which should include African and Mayan History.

Education is about the formation of the whole person, body, mind and spirit.

So we agree with the Right Honourable Prime Minister when he says that as much as Government is spending on education, it is not going far enough.

Education is not only the key to social transformation but also the key to economic uplift and prosperity.

This is why when it comes to investing in education it must be meaningful and it must be sustainable. If we are to properly educate Belizeans for the 21st Century we can no longer grow in small increments, we have to leap forward. To be honest, I am disappointed every time I think about all that was done with the $325 million in Petro Caribe funds. I wish more had been invested in education.

In spite of its entire purported obsession with

education, of the 325 million Petro Caribe dollars, a mere pittance was invested in education. Yet the next generation will have to be paying back this money.

I believe that like the Prime Minster the Minister of Education care deeply about the future of this nation and about our children and young people.

I hope, that like we do, the UDP believe wholeheartedly that we cannot build this country if we do not have a plan for education that envisions the direction and path we want our country to embark on. Where will our nation be in 2050? Upon what priorities will we build our development?

Once we have decided upon that path then we can develop our plan for education. So I ask, what is this plan? What are the industries of the future that we want our country to be participating in?

Please don’t tell us they are the same industries we are already in, as BELTRAIDE year in, year out, focuses on, that is to say agriculture and tourism. For if this is the case, all it shows is that there is no thought, no vision for our future. I suggest we work with the churches and other education providers, with industry stakeholders and with other partners to devise a plan that will result in relevant education.

A plan that will provide a relevant and holistic education that equips our young people for tomorrow’s careers. A plan that will allow students to create jobs for themselves and other Belizeans.

Mr. Speaker I want to remind all of us what Alec Ross the author of “Industries of the Future” wrote: “There is great shame in our leaders when a life is made less than what it could be because of a lack of opportunity.”

Future Challenges and Priorities Mr. Speaker eight billion dollars in eight years, that is more or less what this Government has spent since coming to office in 2008. This is how much they have asked of the Belizean people.

By any measure this is a grandiose amount of money. Of course the Government will be the first to tell us that their performance over these eight years has brought about prosperity.

And yet after eight years and eight billion dollars, 175,000 Belizeans live on less then $10 a day. The minimum wage is still at three dollars and twenty-five cents, the exact same place we left it in 2008.

Crime is completely out of control and our economy can’t even grow enough to keep up with the growth of our population. The Right Honourable Prime Minister says that the forecast for the state of the public finances of Belize are sturdy and stable.

Is it sturdy enough to withstand another year of anemic economic growth? I fail to see how this will happen, when by his very admission the production from virtually all export commodities is expected to contract.

Add to this is the mother of all problems, the rising national debt. I do not believe that we can achieve financial sustainability if government is constantly borrowing to pay its light bill, its water bill, and its rent.

This is very much like using your credit card to pay your bills because your expenses are higher than your earnings. The economists tell us that we should do all possible to make sure that the ratio of our national debt to GDP does not pass 60 percent; ours will soon exceed 80 percent.

As I said, the Right Honourable Prime Minister projected GDP growth this year of between 1.5 and 2 percent, however in a recent statement put out by the IDB, countries in our region are expected to grow at a rate of 4.5 percent thanks to the significant drop in oil prices.

This drop in oil prices is creating a favourable climate to implement reforms, to increase productivity and international competitiveness. If what the IDB is saying is true, why is the PM projecting our rate so low, or better yet, what must we do to reach that 4.5 percent?

We share the opinion of those we consulted in the private sector who told us they believe we can do better than 4.5 percent, but we have to be focused.

In so doing we are prepared to work with the government on the following: 1. We will help on initiatives that bring meaningful relief to the poor.

While we are at it, why not give a large portion $5 million that is budgeted for Belizeans with disabilities to the churches? They already have the mechanisms in place to effectively manage these kinds of funds and I am sure they will be very open and transparent in doing so.

2. We will work with the Government if they want to find the money to roll out NHI for every Belizean man, woman and child.

3. We are prepared to take to the streets if this government will work with us to develop a plan to stop the killings.

Mr. Speaker I beg the Minister of National Security to give us a plan that will bring the killings to under 100 murders per year and end the

13 urban civil war that has over taken some of our best communities in our cities and towns.

4. Let us come up with a plan to develop our human capacity so Belizeans can be more relevant, efficient and productive both in the public and private sector 5. We are ready to cooperate on initiatives that will help our struggling agro productive sector.

6. We will work across the isle with you on initiatives that will help create more small businesses in Belize.

7. We will cooperate on initiatives that will help to strengthen transparency and accountability.

MR. Prime Minister let us together sign the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC).

8. We will work with you to fulfill our commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals.

9. And make no mistake about it Mr. Speaker, we will work with the Government on finding a peaceful and lasting solution to Guatemala’s unfounded claim to Belizean territory; clear in the understanding that we will never surrender one square centimeter of what we know is rightfully Belizean territory be it land, sea or RIVER! To show our serious commitment to this let me say now that we say YES to the following measures in this Budget.  Yes we support the salary increase for teachers and Public Officers  Yes we support the provision that will provide for more officers in the police and coast guard.  Yes we support those initiatives that will allow for more money to be spent in education that will directly benefit students as opposed to administrative costs.  Yes we support those pro poor initiatives provided they are being properly managed.

A Belize That Works for Everyone We say all these things Mr. Speaker because our sole purpose as PUP’s and as Belizeans is to promote and support a development vision that can succeed in delivering the best quality of life for all Belizeans.

Yet, I fear that there are dark clouds looming overhead.

The numbers tell us that last year’s budget was just a bunch of figures for the Government. After all, they outspent what they had forecasted by 142.8 million dollars.

Last year’s budget was yet another exercise in incompetence; it was a fairytale without a happy ending.

That is proof enough that this is an irresponsible budget. The projections for this year offer no more than a promise of stability; inadequate economic growth, insufficient funding for investment for our young people at risk.

No initiative that will improve the investment climate thereby bringing about new job creation and it will not seriously address poverty and uplift those on the margins.

What it will succeed at doing is continue to waste and spend much more than we can afford to spend.

Because we believe this budget fails the Belizean people, we vote NO to the excessive spending.

Mr. Speaker during last week’s consultation a gentleman got up and spoke of the living conditions of a Belizean family he visited. He spoke of visiting a home in the Toledo district where the only possession that family had was one small table and a fire hearth.

The children, he said, went to bed every night on the damp floor. This is the sad reality for too many of our people and this should tear at our conscience.

NO Belizean should have to live like this in 2016.

NO Belizean should have to survive like this in our four billion-dollar economy. Every Belizean child who will go to sleep on a cold floor tonight is proof of our failure to lead this nation to prosperity.

Our vision, the PUP vision, is for a fair and thriving Belize with an economy that is growing on pace with our population growth, where our children can go to sleep on a bed; where young people can get a relevant education and then find good jobs that they can turn into careers; where our elder citizens can retire with dignity, where parents can send their children to school and families can thrive in safe neighbourhoods.

We in the PUP believe that just as responsibility is shared, so too must opportunity.

This is what we mean by the promise of prosperity.

The PUP is ready to work with anyone who shares this vision.

To our supporters we say it is time once again to come home.

To everyone else we say Believe Again!

We promise you that together we can build a Belize that works for everyone.

Mr. Speaker I still believe in Belize.

Thank you.

14

THE BELIZE TIMES

27 MAR

2016

MEGA PUBLIC AUCTION SALE FOR ORANGE WALK DISTRICT Licensed Auctioneer NOEL J. CODD will sell the following properties at NOEL J. CODD office located in Carmelita Village, Orange Walk District on Wednesday 30 March, 2016 at 10:00 a.m.

All that lot, parcel or piece of land in Orange Walk being Registration Section Orange Walk Town Block 4 Parcel 1911. Property contains 4 bedrooms, 2 Full bathrooms, Living, Kitchen and dining area. The building is also comprised of 1786 S.FT. Being the Fee Simple property of Ana B. Castillo.

ALL that piece or parcel being Block 4 Parcel 421 Orange Walk Town Registration Section, Orange Walk District and containing 711.11 square yards as shown on R.I.M Subject property is located in front of the B.S.I. football field. Property belongs to Amory Jacobs

ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being block 4 Parcel 3871 Orange Walk Town Registration section. The subject building is 1,260 square feet containing 5 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, 2 livings rooms and 1 kitchen area being the Freehold property of Juan August.

ALL THAT piece or parcel of land containing 1045.045square meters being Lot 648 situated in Trial Farm village, Orange Walk District. Property is vacant lot. Being the Fee Simple property of Melbourne Rodriguez

ALL THAT LOT, PARCEL OR PIECE OF LAND, IN TRIAL FARM being Registration Section Trial Farm Block 4 Parcel 762, Orange Walk District, Belize. The property contains 3 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, living, kitchen, and dining area being the freehold property of Benjamin Torres.

ALL THAT LOT PARCEL OR PIECE OF LAND BEING PARCEL 284/1, TRIAL FARM REG. SECTION BLOCK 4, O/ WALK. Property contains 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, Living and kitchen area. Property for Lisandro Vargas

All that piece or parcel of land being lot No.72 situate at the corner of Evelyn & St. Peter Street,Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District. Being Block 4 Parcel 1618 Orange Walk TownRegistration Section, Orange Walk District and containing 479.3 square meters. The subject building is a 2 storey concrete structure. Main level having 8 bedrooms, 1 part-bath,and living area. 2nd level 3 bedrooms,2 full bath, family room, laundry room, living, dining and kitchen. THE LOWER FLOOR IS USED AS DOCTOR’S OFFICE THE UPPER AS RESIDENCE. BUILDING IS IN VERY GOOD STATE being the Freehold property of Ricardo Fabro

All that piece or parcel of land containing 645.890 s. m.3744 Cor. Palmar Boundary Road & Macal River Street, Orange Walk.

The Subject Building comprises 1,360sft.

The same is occupied as a family home of 2 bedrooms & 2 bathrooms, complete with kitchen, dining & living room spaces. Being the freehold property of Roger Tun.

All that lot, parcel or piece of land, in Orange Walk being Registration Section Orange Walk Town, Block 4 Parcel 4255, Orange Walk district. The property has 775 square feet and contains three bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, a living, a kitchen and a dining area. Being the Fee simple property of Dr. Jose Lahera.

All that lot, piece or parcel of land containing 614.2 square meters, situated at 2186 Aurora Street Orange Walk District. The building is a concrete bungalow structure of 1140 square feet. The building has 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, a living/ kitchen area and a dining area. Being the Freehold property of Lorraine and William Usher.

All that lot, piece or parcel of land containing 642.82 square meters. Being parcel 1460, Block 4, Registration Section Orange Walk Town .The building is a one storey concrete bungalow with a gross floor area of 934 square feet. The structure was renovated in 2015. It is a family dwelling of 2bedrooms, 1 bathroom, a kitchen, a dining area and a living room area. Being the Fee simple property of Lionella Chell.

ALL THAT LOT, PARCEL OR PIECE OF LAND, IN Orange Walk being Registration Section Ann Gabourel Block 4 Parcel 1814. The house contains 2 bedrooms, 1 full bathroom, living, kitchen and dining area being the freehold property of Levy Blanco.

27 MAR

2016

THE BELIZE TIMES

Continued from page 14

15 All that piece or parcel of land being parcels 157 and 158, Douglas Registration Section, Block 1, and Orange Walk. The Lot 158 contains 1045.159 square meters and it’s the corner lot on the roadside. Lot 157 contains 1040.57 square meters and it’s the inside lot for which the street is not open yet. Both lots are presently in its natural state. Being the Property of Erica Cabral

ALL that piece or parcel being Block 4 Parcels 623,624,625 & 631 orange Walk Town 2054.41 square meters Orange Walk Town Registration Section. Vacant Land. Being the freehold property of M.V. Imports Ltd ALL that piece or parcel Being Block 1 Parcels 228, 229, 230, 231 San Estevan Registration Section. Land measuring 657.1 sm, 710.8 sm, 641.7sm, & 729 sm respectively in San Estevan Village, Orange Walk. 39 x 39 feet Concrete bungalow structure: 3 bedrooms, 2 full bath, lkitchen, dining and living room. There is also an open shed, which is used as an additional kitchen & washing area. Being the Freehold property of Wilber & Erica Vega.

ALL THAT LOT, PARCEL OR PIECE OF LAND, being Registration: Ann Gabourel Block: 4 Parcel: 1247/1. The property contains IA 26’ X 24’, 2 BEDROOMs, BUNGALOW DWELLING HOUSE being the leasehold property of Felix Rejon

ALL THAT LOT, PARCEL OR PEICE OF LAND, IN ORANGE WALK being Registration Section Ann Gabourel, Block 4, Parcel 2755 being the freehold property of Van Clarke.

ALL THAT Being Block 4 Parcel 3706, Orange Walk Town Registration section being Registration Section Orange Walk Town Block 4 Parcel 3706, Orange Walk District, Belize. 3 bedrooms, 1 full bathroom, living, kitchen and dining area being the freehold property of Ester Vargas.

ALL THAT piece or parcel of land containing 348.33sm being BLOCK 4 PARCEL 1473 ANN GABOUREL REGISTRATION SECTION. Located at #49 Yo Creek & San Joaquin St., Orange Walk Town. The Subject Building is a one storey concrete bungalow with a gross floor area of 1971sft, including open area. The same serves as a 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom residence with kitchen/dining and living room areas. House was originally constructed in 1998 and renovated in 2011.

House is 50% tiled, plastered and painted.

There is also a second structure within the lot that is currently used as a store room.

Property of Edison & Rosita Johnson.

Lease property being lot no. 309 Guinea Grass Village, Orange Walk District, containing 1200.467 sqyds Two storey concrete structure; 2400 sqft Main: 1 living, dining, kitchen, 4 bedrooms, 2 bath rooms,laundry room Second Level - 80% completed: 1 living room, dining, kitchen , full bath, 4 bed rooms being the Leashold property of Primitivo Chan

ALL THOSE THREE pieces or parcel of land containing 1,719.013 s.m. being Registration Section Indian Hill East Block 4 Parcel 514,515,516. Ishwar Mahbubani

ALL that piece or parcel of land being Block 4 Parcel 1946 Orange Walk Town measuring 1199.638 sq yds. being the Freehold property of Ricardo Fabro.

ALL that piece or parcel Being Block 1 Parcels 485 & 486 San Estevan Village Lots Layout, Orange Walk and containing 1084.1 square meters (parcel 485) and 1018.6 square meters (parcel 486) respectively.

Land only Property of Amelio Cansino.

ALL THAT piece or parcel of land containing 464.454 s. m. being lot no. 3235 CABBAGE STREET, Orange Walk District, Belize. The house contains 2 bedrooms, living, kitchen and dining area.

The house has an outdoor facility being the Freehold parcel of Martin Jimenez.

ALL that piece or parcel of land being BLOCK 1 PARCEL 499 SAN ESTEVAN REGISTRATION SECTION in San Estevan Village, Orange Walk Town. Land measuring 461.9 S.M. Building:Concrete bungalow house with 3 bedrooms, full bath, living, Dining, Kitchen Area and laundry room.

Being the Freehold property of Eudaldo & Macaria Patt.

All that piece or parcel of land containing 522.5 Square Meters being Registration Section Orange Walk Town Block 4 Parcel 879, Orange Walk District, Belize. Land only being the freehold property of Pabel Torres

ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Parcel 206/1 Block 1 Miller’s Bight Registration Section containing 36.7 acres being the leashold property of Apolonio Ramirez.

16 Continued from page 15

THE BELIZE TIMES

27 MAR

2016

MEGA PUBLIC AUCTION SALE FOR COROZAL DISTRICT

Licensed Auctioneer Noel J. Codd will sell the following properties in front of Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. Corozal Town Branch on Thursday 31 March, 2016 at 10:00a.m.

ALL That piece or parcel being Parcel 188 Block 1 San Jose/San Pablo Village.Containing a one storey concrete bungalow with a gross floor area of approximately 700sft.

Holding 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, living/ kitchen area.Being the Freehold property of Otilio Cacerez & Macedonia Chi. ALL that piece or parcel of land being Parcel 2157/1 Block 1 in Corozal North situate in Hall’s Layout, College Road, Corozal Town Land - 727.06 sqyds, Building 47.5ft x 32.5ft-split level concrete house, Main level holds 5 bedrooms, 2 full bath, 1 kitchen and living room. Second level 2 bedrooms and a storage area. There is also a 13ft x 15 ft single building in the yard being the leasehold property of Ezekiel Gilharry.

ALL THAT piece or parcel of land containing 20acres being BLOCK 4 PARCEL 65 DOUGLAS RURAL REGISTRATION SECTION. Located in San Jose/San Pablo Village being the Freehold property of Vicente Escalante.

ALL THAT piece or parcel being BLOCK 4 PARCEL 428/1 SAN JOSE/SAN PABLO REGISTRATION SECTION containing 1646.7 square meters being the Leasehold property of Miguel Briceno.

ALL THAT LOT, PARCEL OR PIECE OF LAND, BEING PARCEL # 31 Block 1, PARAISO/ SANTA RITA REGISTRATION SECTION. Building:2 ½ storey with 5,013 sq. ft. with Main:- 2,294 sq. ft 2 Bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, 1 part bath, with kitchen, dining and living room areas and laundry room. Second:- 2,077 sq. ft. 2 Bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, 1 part bath, with kitchen, dining and living room areas and laundry room. Third:-642 sq. ft. and is used as an additional living room space being the freehold of Ramesh Buxani Co Ltd

All that lot, parcel or piece of land, in Corozal North being Registration Section Corozal North Block Parcel 2146.The building is 1050 square feet it comprises of 4bedrooms, 2 Full bathrooms, a living, a kitchen and a dining area. Being the Fee simple property of Teleford Flores.

ALL that piece or parcel being Block 1 Parcel 282, situated at No. 96 5th Street North, Corozal Central, Corozal Town, Land measuring 669.91 SqYds, Building - Concrete bungalow structure containing 3 bedrooms, 2 full bath, kitchen, living room, dining room, and office being the Freehold property of Froylan & America Gilharry.

AT 10:00 a.m. on site ALL that piece or parcel of land containing 2160.701 square meters. being Registration Section Indian Hill East Block 4 Parcel 523, Orange Walk District. The property currently hosts a one storey structure which is unoccupied. Being the Freehold property of Roberto Santos

ALL that piece or parcel of land being Corozal Central Registration Section Block 1 Parcel 278, located at No. 8th Street North, Corozal Town, Corozal District.

Land - 505.33 sq yds. Building - One single storey bungalow house with 1 bedroom, 1 bath, living, dining and kitchen area. The original house is 21 X 31 fully complete, with an extension that is considered 40% completed and measuring 17 X 31 being the freehold of Abimael & Monica Catch.

All that lot, piece or parcel of land being parcel 510/1. REGISTRATION SECTION: SAN JOSE/SAN PABLO BLOCK: 1 PARCEL: 510/1. The Building is a 2 bedroom bungalow house. Being the leasehold property of Edwin Patt

ALL that piece or parcel being Parcel 62 Block 1 COROZAL CENTRAL REG. SECTION. Located at No 3. 4th Ave Corozal Town. Building is FULLY CONCRETE, DWELLING COMPRISING OF A PARTIAL BASEMENT WHICH CREATES A TWO-STOREY. Measuring aprox. 1800 sq ft. Property of Albertico Gongora

All that lot, parcel or piece of land in Corozal North Registration Section, Corozal North, Block 1 Parcel 846. The property contains 3bedrooms, 1 Full bathroom, a living, a kitchen and a dining area. On the second floor there are 3 bedrooms on the first floor 1Full bathroom, a living, a kitchen and a dining area. The house comprise of 1200 Square feet. Being the Fee simple property of Guadalupe Anderson.

ALL THAT LOT, PARCEL OR PIECE OF LAND, BEING PARCEL # 1450/1 CONSEJO ROAD S.E REG SECTION BLOCK 1, COROZAL District being the Leasehold of Jose Cawich

27 MAR

2016

Continued from page 16

ALL that piece or parcel being Block 1 Parcel 682 Libertad Village Registration Section, Corozal District Land: 10,811.87 s. y Building is a two storey concreted dwelling - Main level contain 3 bedrooms, 1 full bath, kitchen, dining, living and laundry room, Second level is incomplete. According to the owner it has been sub-divided into 4 large lots. There is also a thatch house on the property a open trench that may have been initial work for a swimming pool. Being the Freehold property of Herman Botes.

17

THE BELIZE TIMES

ALL THAT LOT PARCEL OR PIECE OF LAND BEING PARCEL 57/1, BUENA VISTA REG. SECTION BLOCK 1, COROZAL. Containing Approximately 1310.6 S.Y. THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS NEAR CENTRALLY LOCATED LOT IN THE VILLAGE AND TWO STREETS PARALLEL TO THE NORTHERN HIGHWAY.Holding a two storey concrete building: main level has 1 bed room, living and dining area. Second level has 3 bedrooms, living, dining and kitchen area.

Leasehold property for Florencia Pott

Fee Simple Property being PARCEL # 552, LIBERTAD VILLAGE REG. SECTION BLOCK # 1, Corozal District, Belize. THE PROPERTY IS A BIG AND LONG LOT containing 1799.63 S.. IT IS DEVELOPED WITH 2 HOUSES. THE 1ST HOUSE IS A TWOSTOREY WOODEN AND CONCRETE STRUCTURE WITH 5 BEDROOMS, 1 FULL BATH, KITCHEN, DINING AND LIVING. IT MEASURES ABOUT 2100 SQ. FEET. WHILE THE 2ND AT THE BACK IS WOODEN WITH A CONCRETE, BACK ADDITION WHICH GIVES IT SORT OF AN L - SHAPED and HAS ABOUT 1300 SQ. FEET. IT HAS 3 BEDROOMS LIVING DINING AND KITCHEN. PROPERTY OF EMILIO & MELVA SARMIENTO (EMILA & BALDOMINIO MONTEJO)

All that piece or parcel containing 639.4 Square Meters, being Registration Section Grants Land Block 1 Parcel 322/1 Copper Bank, Corozal District. The property is appraised under the assumption of good marketable title in fee simple volume 28 of 2002.

The property in review has a single family bungalow residence with a gross square footage of 980 sq ft at ground floor and 260 sq ft at first floor and land 639.4 S.M. being the freehold property of Sarah Cobb

ALL THAT LOT, PARCEL OR PIECE OF LAND, IN SAN ANDRES/RANCHITO being Registration Section San Andres/ Ranchito Block 1 Parcel 792 Corozal District. The building contains 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, living, and kitchen area being the Freehold of Jeorge Zetina

ALL THAT piece or parcel being PARCEL 539/1,SANTA CLARA/ SAN ROMAN REG. SECTION, BLOCK 1, COROZAL being the leasehold property of George Moralez.

Note:

Parcels 95 & 97 are in the name of Armando Martinez and Ervin Rancharan and Parcels 13, 93, 225 & 302 are in the name of Leonardo Folgarait.

ALL that piece or parce being Block 3 Parcel 614 Sarteneja Registration Section, Corozal District. Vacant land measuring 1106.8 s.m. being the Freehold property of Juan Perez.

ALL THAT LOT PARCEL OR PIECE OF LAND BEING PARCEL 28,CAROLINA CALCUTTA REG. SECTION, BLOCK 1, COROZAL containing 907.43 SQUARE YARDS. THE PROPERTY IS IN KEN’S LAYOUT, AN EXPANSION OF XAIBE VILLAGE AND IS FIVE LOTS OFF THE MAIN ROAD. Building is a one storey concrete structure with 1 bath, living dining and kitchen area. Property is designed for more bedrooms but is not complete. Fee simple property of Valentin Nicholas

ALL that parcel Sarteneja Registration Section, Block 3, parcel No. 348/1 COROZAL. Structure is a mix concrete bunglow with addition at the top, holding 3 bedrooms, bath, living/dining/kitchen areas. Property of Ariolo & Diana Samos

All that piece or parcel containing 1.17 Acres being lot 5 situate approx 10 1/2 Miles On the Belize Corozal Road. Land Only being the freehold property of Noguera Sugarcane Derivatives

ALL THAT pieces or parcels of land being 1 Parcel 120 containing 50.2 acres Parcel 97 containing 14.798 acres, Parcel 95 containing 62.79 acres and Parcel 86 containing 88.16 acres situated in Libertad Rural Registration Section cane land only being the Freehold properties of Armando Martinez and Ervin Rancharan.

ALL that lot, piece or parcel being Block 1 Parcel 93 Libertad Rural Reg Sec. Land only. Being the Fee simple property of Leonardo Folgarait

All that lot, piece or parcel being Block 1 Parcel 93 Libertad Rural Registration Section. Land only. Being the Fee simple property of Leonardo Folgarait

18 Continued from page 17

All that lot, piece or parcel of land being Block 1, parcels 302 Libertad Rural, Registration Section. Only being land is the fee simple property of Leonardo Folgarait

THE BELIZE TIMES ALL THAT piece or parcel of land containing 2995 sm being Block1 Parcel 141 San Andres/ Ranchito Registration Section. The Subject Property houses 3 structures. Building No.1 is 1,200sft. and is occupied as a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom home complete with kitchen, dining & living room spaces. Building No.2: concrete two storey structure of 1,920sft. Each floor is a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom space each with kitchen, dining & living room spaces. Building No. 3 is aq 1,200sft. structure with floor & walls in place only Freehold properties of Armando Martinez and Ervin Rancharan.

27 MAR

2016

All that lot, parcel or piece of land, in Corozal District, being Block 1, Parcel 468, Buena Vista Village, Corozal District. The building is divided into differect secetions. The first floor is divided into three secections as follow: a left sectcion is presently being used as a one bedroom apartment. The middle section is open up from the front like a corridor and sitting area. The right section has 2 bedrooms. The second floor of the buliding is a new completed construction. Being the Fee simple property of Ricardo Gutierrez .

All that lot, parcel, or piece of land in Sarteneja being Registration Section Sarteneja Block 3 parcel 604/1. The house contains 2 bedrooms, 1 full bathroom, a living, a kitchen and a dining area and comprise of 954 sq. ft.

Being the Leasehold property of Jael Cobb.

ALL that lot, piece or parcel of land being Block 1 Parcel 225 Libertad Rural Registration Section. Land with frame structure. Being the fee simple property of Leonardo Folgarait All that lot, piece or parcel land being Block 1 Parcel 129 Paraiso/Santa Rita Registarion Section. Land with frame structure. Being the fee simple property of Leonardo Folgarait

All that lot, piece or parcel of land, in Louisville. Being Parcel 1, Registration Section Louisville, Block 1, Corozal District. The building is 1051 square feet, it has 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, a living room, a kitchen and dining area. Being the Fee simple property of Saturnino Coba

All that lot, parcel or piece of land, being parcel number 571 Sarteneja Registration Section, Block 3, Corozal District. The building contains 900 square feet on the main floor and 960 square feet on the second floor. The building has 4 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, 2 living rooms, a kitchen and a dining area. Being the Fee simple property of Leonelo Chuck.

All that lot, piece or parcel of land being Block 1 Parcel 221 Libertad Rural Registration Section. Building is 1410 square feet.

Contains 2 bedrooms, 1 full bath, a living, kitchen and family room. Being the fee simple property of Leonardo Folgarait

All that lot, piece or parcel of land being Block 1, parcels 302 Libertad Rural, Registration Section. Only being land is the fee simple property of Leonardo Folgarait

All that lot, piece or parcel of land, in San Andres/ Ranchito. Being parcel 453, Block 1, Registration Section San Andres/ Ranchito . . The property comprises of 1128 Sq. Ft. and has 3 bedrooms, 1 full bathroom, living, Kitchen and dining area. Being the fee simple property of Patrick Smith.

All that lot, piece or parcel of land being Block 1 Parcel 53 & 54 Corozal Central Registration Section. Building is 1615 square feet 2 storey building. Lot 53 houses a radio station and studio at the top and a television studio at the bottom. Lot 54 has an out toilet, concreted courtyard/dancehall with a portion of a kitchen/bar. Being the fee simple property of Leonardo Folgarait

NOEL J. CODD Carmelita Village, Orange Walk District Tel: Office: 677-5184 cell: 624-5184 Email:noelcodd@yahoo.com

@Noel Codd Auctioneer

27 MAR

2016

OUT

19

THE BELIZE TIMES

“Haad Time Budget”

PUP lashes out at 2016/2017 Budget UB Going Nowhere, Fast!

Continued from page 2

Of recent the government has announced another percentage increase for public officers and teachers. The Faculty of the University will enjoy no such increase because the President prefers to spend over $300,000 on a Consulting Group to provide information we are already aware of. Compared to the Regionally, the lecturers of the University of Belize are unpaid. Let’s compare the salary of a lecturer at the University of West Indies. Master in area of expertise with 5 years of experience gets $75,000.00, plus allowances. Master in area of expertise at the University of Belize if you negotiate properly gets $42,000.00. This is the type of assessment the President is paying a consulting group to tell him when we already know this. So I must ask why pay $300K to retrieve information that’s already public knowledge when that financing could have been utilized to increase our salaries?

In order to earn extra cash these qualified lecturers teach as adjuncts for the competition Galen University because we are grossly underpaid. The Faculties have sat and waited hoping they would have been invited to come together in order to negotiate for a raise on behalf of the University’s employees. To date there is nothing but the wasted option of learning that after the Consulting Group review a decision will be made.

The KHMH worked with its management to redeem rewards on behalf of its employees, the Statistical Institute of Belize worked together to redeem rewards on behalf of its employees and the National University pays out $300,000 to a foreign consulting group to tell us that the faculty is underpaid! Who is to blame for such shenanigans? Then again, the reality hits us: UB going nowhere, fast!

But not everyone at the University is upset with the management, oh no, there are one or two who are quite happy with the current situation. In fact the faculty has received word that the current Director of Finance for the University of Belize earns over $99,000.00 plus 15% gratuity per annum and holds a Master Degree in Business Administration. That person is not a CPA and, based on information received, is the highest paid Director at University. That person earns more than the Provost who holds a doctoral degree. As a matter of fact the person is also paid better than the individuals who possess a doctoral degree in the University and who have reached the end of their pay scales.

There is no promotion criteria for an Assistant professor and therefore, they remain at that scale for years with no upwards mobility.

A promotion criteria is required for the lecturers and presently there are at least 12 lecturers who are currently in the situation where their salaries remain stagnant because the promotion criteria for the Faculty has not been addressed. Where is the equity of salaries, I ask, how can one person be so highly compensated while other much deserving persons are underpaid? I will seek to answer that question on a subsequent article. This type of favouritism is merely one factor fueling frustration at UB. The faculty will no longer sit and allow the inequities that continue to plague us to prevail.

We want everyone to know the conditions under which we have been operating and will take back the control of the University. The University will move forward and we now request the changes be forthcoming or industrial action will be in effect! It’s high time that we take back the controls of the University and steer it towards a path of growth, prosperity and equality instead of the road to nowhere that it is currently on.

UB DAH FU ALL AH WE!

City of Belmopan, March 22, 2016 The proposed Budget for the year 2016/2017 fiscal year went under the microscope today as the debate of the Government’s revenues and spending commenced before the House of Representatives.

The Opposition Leader Hon. John Briceño opened the debate with a forceful speech, lashing out at the Budget. He referred to it as a “haad time” budget, as it will not provide any alleviation to the increasing poverty, rising cost of living and high unemployment but deliver another year of pain and sorrow.

“The priorities set out in this budget, if any, are not the priorities of the Belizean people, they are recycled initiatives and programmes put in place by an administration that lacks the competence to find real solutions to the serious problems that face our generation.

“This budget will not make us safer; it will not provide those much-needed jobs that will grow our economy; it will not encourage any new growth in the business sector; it will not expand education for our young people who are out of school and it is not reflecting the fairness we need if we are to lift up all Belizeans,” remarked Hon. Briceño.

The PUP Leader pointed out that the Belizean economy under the Barrow Administration has landed once more in recession. He noted that in the second and third quarters of 2015, the economy shrank by 1.6% and 1%, and reminded that economists define two consecutive quarters of negative growth as a reces-

sion.

The Barrow Administration’s 2016/2017 budget is not depicting any silver linings and instead looming dark clouds, despite the spending of $325 million in Petrocaribe funding between 2012 and 2015 ($44.7m spent between October and November 5th 2015). Those Petrocaribe loan funds have dried up, with little impact on the economy which only grew by 1.2% in 2015. The Petrocaribe loans have added to the external debt, however, which has ballooned to $2.35 billion, or a crippling 80% of the Gross Domestic Product.

Hon. Briceño said uneasily, “the chickens have come home to roost and in 2016 as the soca song says “the paaty done”.

The Opposition leader warned about the signs of more troubling times ahead. He pointed out that the National Bank is operating on an operating cost which is “greater than the income it can earn”. He added that while the deficit in Government revenue and spending was projected at $87 million in 2015, it ended up at $180m due to overdue payments for compensation liabilities for Belize Telemedia Limited. The pace will remain. Despite projections that GOB will collect $50m in increased fuel taxes, the deficit is forecasted to be $62m.

“The truth is that this 2016 Budget is no celebration of stability, there is no boldness in this budget, the big picture

here is that Belizeans wah tek lick in 2016 and when the step up on super bond 2.0 comes next year we will take an even bigger licking,” Hon. Briceño remarked.

Opposition members Hon. Cordel Hyde, former Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Said Musa, Hon. Francis Fonseca, Hon. Mike Espat and Hon. Rodwell Ferguson, also weighed and measured the proposed budget.

Hon. Hyde called the budget “hollow” and “a disappointment”, as it failed to meet the important targets for national development by a long stretch.

He condemned the Government’s top-heavy spending on vehicles, bridges and buildings, instead of the Belizean people who need it most.

“Every year the Government spends more money on new vehicles than they spend on the entire food pantry programme for Belize City. Every year the Government spends six times more on new vehicles than the Ministry of Education spends on their entire school feeding programme for the many thousands of primary school aged children who need their assistance. Government spent more on the purchase of new vehicles last year than they spent on the Apprenticeship Programme, Youth For the Future, the National Sports Council and the Ministry of Housing combined!” stated Hon. Hyde.

The Budget debate will continue on Wednesday, March 23, 2016. The House accepted to adjust the meeting time to 9:00am since over nineteen members have yet to speak.

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27 MAR

THE BELIZE TIMES

MY PERSPECTIVE

By Dolores Balderamos Garcia

THE BEDS ARE BURNING!!

There is an Australian rock music group called Midnight Oil, and they have a famous song with an intriguing lyric that goes: “How do you sleep while the beds are burning?” That is exactly what Prime Minister Dean Barrow, Minister Sedi Elrington and the entire UDP administration have been doing in relation to the Sarstoon River issue which has dominated the news recently. This is a very serious, even dangerous situation that we find ourselves in, and it will take gargantuan efforts to extricate ourselves from this one.

Don Hector Silva, who never tires of giving his insightful views, has called the recent reaction of Rt. Hon. Barrow and his Government as “going from the sublime to the ridiculous.” And it surely has. Much continues to be said and written about Minister Sedi. I call him the Great Appeaser, but of course the buck stops with his boss the Prime Minister. And boy, have they failed us!!

I decry in the strongest terms the lame and lily-livered attempts by the Prime Minister and his Foreign Minister to lay blame at the feet of the Belize Territorial Volunteers for the escalation of tensions and the worsening situation at the Sarstoon. This is Guatemalan naked aggression, and it has become worse not due to the BTVs but because of the terrible neglect, negligence and lack of proper response from the Government of the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister Barrow.

Ambassador Assad Shoman was too kind in saying that the Government is taking this seriously. I would not be as diplomatic.

And while I am at it, let me say that I beg to differ greatly from the pronouncements of the Belize Progressive Party folks, who are saying that both the PUP and the UDP have mishandled the Guatemalan claim to our country. I say that there is a big difference between how the two governments have dealt with Guatemala. The PUP has been sober, mature and decisive when you look at the history. This is now the ninth year of the Dean Barrow administration, and the UDP have been weak, capitulating, accommodating and a downright failure in their duty of care to protect Belize and Belizeans.

Look at the difference between the responses of Assad and Sedi to the media after their trip to Washington, DC this past week. As usual the Foreign Minister prevaricates, and pontificates, and chats nonsense, only further embarrassing himself and his Government. Assad has stated clearly that he does not agree that we should find fault with the Territorial Volunteers.

And even Ministers Saldivar and Faber, in attempting to sing from the Barrow and Sedi song sheet, seem not to really believe that it is Wil Maheia & Company’s fault. Naturally, they know better.

We have the spectacle of the Prime Minister continuing to say that it is preposterous for the Guatemalan Armed Forces to say that they own the Sarstoon. But if the situation on the ground is that they are exercising de facto control, then Barrow and Sedi are living in a fool’s paradise to keep intoning that the Sarstoon Island and half of the river are Belizean territory.

That may be so on paper, but the irresponsible inaction and cowardly lack of response of the Government has brought us to this pass. So-called strongly worded protests to the acts of aggression have done nothing to stop the Guatemalan Armed Forces. Barrow and Sedi have been sleeping while the beds (the Sarstoon) are burning!!

And the recent utterances of the Foreign Minister are, as usual, completely disgusting and disappointing.

In response to reporters’ questions, he claimed he had not seen the report of the BDF about the chronology of Guatemalan Armed Forces aggression, and he laughed at them and made light of the continuing and escalating belligerence.

Let us bear this in mind - the Prime Minister, in trying his latest damage control media briefings, has spoken about a direct causal link between the trips of the BTV and escalating Guatemalan belligerence. To me, the real causal link or cause and effect factor that cannot be ignored is squarely the pitiful lack of response on our Government’s part. This is the true reason that the Guatemalan Armed Forces have been emboldened.

So let us not believe the silliness and the ridiculous assertions that the BTVs are to blame. Belizeans are not buying it. Let us put the blame exactly where it should be – on Prime Minister Dean Barrow and his administration. Straight like that. They are sleeping while the beds are burning!!

2016

For Sale

By Order of the Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Mortgage made the 9th day of July, 2014, between ANTUANETTA MARGARITA GILLETT of No. 85 Fresh pond, Burrell Boom Village, Belize District, Belize of the one part, and SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD., of the other part, and recorded at the Land Titles Unit as Instrument LTU-201401207, the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the schedule hereto.

All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Lot No. 85 comprising 0.22 AC. situated in Boom Pine Ridge Area on the Boom Hattieville Road, Belize District as shown on a plan of Sub-division prepared by Kenneth A. Gillett, Licensed Land Surveyor and registered at the Lands and Surveys Department in Belmopan, Cayo District in Register No. 16 Entry No. 7252 TOGETHER with all buildings, erections and developments standing and being thereon.

DATED this 15th day of March, 2016.

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

For Sale

By Order of the Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Mortgage made the 23rd day of August 1999, between CAROL YOUNG of Lord’s Bank Village, Belize District, of the one part, and SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD., of the other part, and recorded in Deeds Book Vol. 26 of 1999 at Folios 857 – 880, the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the schedule hereto.

All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. SCHEDULE ALL THAT LEASEHOLD INTEREST IN ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Lot No. 11 situate in Lord’s Bank Village, Belize District and bounded as follows:- On the Northeast for 120.00 feet by Lot No. 10; On the Southeast for 70.42 feet by a Road Reserve; On the South for 60.68 feet by Well Road; On the Southwest for 130.20 feet by Lot No. 12 and; On the Northwest for 47.43 feet by a Portion of Lot No. 25; containing 1272.92 S.Y. as shown on Plan No. 1399 at the office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon.

DATED this 15th day of March, 2016.

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

27 MAR

2016

THE BELIZE TIMES

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THINK ABOUT IT

LORD RHABURN-THE GREATEST Lord Rhaburn is the greatest song writer and performer in the history of Belize.

He is also the most prolific writer of songs.

Prolific means he has written the most songs and lyrics in Belize.

In short, Lord Rhaburn is a musical genius.

His musical career has spanned a whole generation, if not two such generations. From the 1960s, Lord Rhaburn has been burning a musical trail which is unprecedented and unparalleled in our history.

No amount of praise can be too much to bestow on this musical and lyrical giant.

We who write this know so little about the man, where he came from and what awful inspiration beckoned and propelled him from one fantastic song to the other, to the other and on and on through the years.

Who among us can forget when the tenth of September parades were throbbing through the streets of Belize City with Lord Rhaburn and his band and the huge number of fans and followers revelling to his beats?

Who can forget getting ready in Los Angeles or New York or Miami for him to arrive and give one of his unforgettable performances?

And who can forget, through the years, hit song after hit song. Where did this man get the genius to write “Belize, You Born Deh”,“Pump It Up”, “Gumagarugu Water”. And the sly, wicked “Gimme Some Ah Dat Nice Thing”.

The growth of Holy Redeemer Credit Union and its legions of members would have been much longer had it not been for the inspirational “Save, save, save-the Credit Union way. Save, save, save-it will make you rich someday”.

We call on the officials at N.I.C.H and the Ministry of Education to do a full scale professional documentary on this living legend.

We salute you Gerald Rhaburn, a.k.a Lord Rhaburn, musical giant and musical genius, a king of Brukdown music and living legend.

We are so, so proud of you and all that you have done for us and for Belizean music.

MINITA GORDON Minita Gordon is Belize’s first Governor General. She would also be the first woman to be the Head of State of our country.

Starting from the bottom of the socio-economic ladder, this lady from Plues Street, Belize City worked her way up the education ladder to reach the heights of replacing the British Governor.

The great George Price was impressed with Minita’s abilities and achievements and on many formal occasions he extolled her as role model and example to the nation.

On attaining the long fought for independence it was only natural that the visionary George Price would appoint her to be the Queen’s personal representative for Belize.

Minita Gordon attended what was called one cent school back when Belize was a colony of the British. Eventually this disciplined and motivated woman would raise herself up through education to become a university graduate and a scholar.

When the UDP became the government by the slimmest of margins-one vote in Collet and four votes in Toledo, Minita Gordon was kicked out of office as Governor General by Esquivel and Dean Barrow as part of their campaign of malice and victimization.

As Minita Gordon fades from public view, this quiet self-effacing, strong and proud black Belizean should not be forgotten.

5 MILLION We must have heard wrong. Or if we heard right the report must be wrong.

We heard it is reported that the Organization of American States’ little office in Benque Viejo del Carmen, Cayo District is costing 5 million dol-

27 MAR

THE BELIZE TIMES

lars each year.

Five million? Something is wrong. We have a right to see the accounts for an office set up on our soil, doing work for us. And Guatemala.

For five million dollars a year, we could attract villages of Cubans, Jamaicans, Guyanese and Nigerians to populate our western jungles to open up our country, do agriculture and forestry and bring prosperity to themselves and to Belize.

8 MILLION Pine Lumber Company, a one hundred percent Belizean Company which invests in Belize, provides jobs, saves foreign exchange and is a cut above the rest, opened a branch this Monday.

At the opening ceremony at the Corner of George Price Boulevard and Goerge Price Highway, Mr. Amin Bedran noted the role the Pine Company has been playing in preserving and protecting the forest from whence it extracts its pine trees.

What was disturbing was the mention of the many, free for all licenses given out by politicians for anyone to import pine and other lumber into Belize. Last year alone some EIGHT MILLION dollars of pine lumber were imported by UDP cronies. Shameful and shocking.

What was wonderful was to hear, on Plus TV, Mr. Bedran praise his illustrious wife Sandy Bedran without whose dedication and knowledge and resourcefulness, Pine Lumber Company would not be where it is or what it is.

The man who has a wonderful, faithful woman as his wife and partner is truly blessed.

So is it written in the Holy Bible.

We congratulate Amin and Sandy, their family and staff for not getting discouraged, not giving up (for they can easily turn to importing pine and other lumber at no risk to their investments).

Respect and may your work be blessed and prosperous.

FREE ZONE DEAD It is with heavy heart and sad mind that we announce the death of the Corozal Free Zone.

Like the loss of the Sarstoon River, it happened on the UDP’s watch. Maybe the Prime Minister was so obsessed and consumed with winning a third election, which involved the massive waste and squandering of over three hundred and fifty million Petro Caribe dollars; that he could not find time for the Free Zone.

Free Zone used to employ over 2,500 Belizeans. It was a bee-hive of buying and selling.

It was also a cover for nuff illegal activities, but where in Belize, Mexico, USA and elsewhere where millions of dollars are involved are there no illegal activities?

Free Zone couldn’t have picked a worse time to turn over and die. Fruta Bomba just got a fatal stroke and released two hundred and fifty workers. Corozal is now dread.The hard times are upon that district. What helps is that they can get smuggled goods from their neighbors.

CATO FOR EASTER This is Easter weekend. Jesus had handpicked several of his disciples from the fishermen who hang out by the Sea of Galilee. After Jesus was murdered and turned up at his resurrection he ate fish to prove he was still alive.

Fish is a part of the Easter resurrection ritual.

Belizeans love fish for Easter.

We do not know if it is another UDP hustle, but someone got permission to import fish to sell for Easter.

But dig this. The fish they imported is the infamous catfish or Kyato. Cato is considered nasty by Belize City folks. This came about when the British refused to build a sewer system and city residents had to throw their shit in the city canals. Thousands of cato were the side effect.

Cato eat shit so Creole don’t eat Cato.

UDP sick fi import cat-fish this Easter.

NO WONDER The Karl Heusner Hospital is advertising for a doctor. The newspaper advertisement says the doctor will be paid $38,064 for the year. Excuse me, $3,172 a month. Anwar Barrow makes $25000 each month. And that doesn’t take account of his bulging perks. Another Barrow get $1000 an hour from government.

No wonder we cannot keep good doctors and good lawyers in the public service.

BELIKIN VS. PRESIDENTE Belizeans need to drink more Belikin and less Presidente. Otherwise, Belikin factory will close, hundreds of Belizeans will be out of work; thousands of their family members will suffer and a handful of importers will benefit from selling a foreign beer.

Ideally, we would wish that Belizeans drink less alcohol, but that ain’t going to happen. Not even for Lent. This weekend alone, drinking alcohol will be at an all-time high (no pun intended).

Belizeans really need to be more nationalistic. Eat and drink what we produce.

To hell with imported foods and drinks.

Straight up like that.

WHITE SNAPPER Last weekend we saw the most amounts of boats out at sea. They were not fishing for the Easter.

What were they doing? Looking for cocaine.

Word was out that cocaine was floating all over the place.

It turned out to be true.

We might be short of fish right now, but there is plenty of white snapper available.

JOE NORTH GONE GAY Since Sunday night a big breeze has been blowing over the land. All day Monday it continued from the North.

2016

When the wind is like this we call it Joe North. It’s a north-easterly breeze. The system would bring rain and cold. The rain and cold would come and is followed by the north winds. But lo and behold, this Joe North is a strange thing. The rain and cold is coming from behind.

Boy! CUBA Jamaica has a population of 2,700,000 million, Trinidad has 1,350,000 million, Guyana has 800,000. Most of the rest of the English speaking Caribbean countries are Barbados 300,000, Belize 350,000 and Grenada 100,000. Other islands are tiny.

Cuba has a population of eleven million.

They are highly educated and highly disciplined. They are a work-force to be reckoned with. The time is coming.

The visit of the President of the U.S.A to Cuba this week is significant and historic.

For fifty years the American government has tried to kill Fidel Castro and take over control of Cuba. It has not happened.

What will happen is that American investors and capitalists will be pouring into Cuba. Tourism to Belize and the Caribbean is likely to see a downturn.

One good that may come of the new relations between Cuba and America is that Cuba supports Belize and America supports Guatemala. Imagine if both Cuba and America supported Guatemala in its unfounded claim of half our country.

POETRY READING On the third Thursday of each month there is poetry reading at Spoonaz on North Front Street. It is small but it is growing. Last Thursday three female poets or poetess turned up and they were tough in the traffic.

Also a young poet from West Canal Street by the name of Gabourel was the baddest writer of them all last week. He is good.

Grandmaster, Pulu Lightburn, and Sean Taeger were the icing on the cake.

27 MAR

2016

THE BELIZE TIMES

Belize imports Vietnamese Catfish for Easter!

Belize City, March 21, 2016 With the long Easter holiday weekend here the demand for traditional Easter foods is on the rise. Here in Belize, hot cross buns Cato might end up on Belizean’s dinner table this Easter and fish are two special features. While the consuming? source of the hot cross buns are likely Basa fish is no fancy delicacy. It is a species local fire hearths and kitchens, an imof catfish or “cato” as we call it in Belize, cenportant question Belizeans need to ask trally from the continental portion of Southeast themselves is where is your fish coming Asia. from?

A few years ago, several countries (U.S., The BELIZE TIMES has confirmed Australia and UK) who were importing Basa that for Easter, Belize imports Basa fish fish raised serious health concerns. Basa fish all the way from Vietnam. Tons of Basa are farmed along the Mekong River—one of the fish will make it into the Belizean market most polluted rivers in the world. and onto dinner plates this week as the In June of 2001, the US Food and Drug Adlocal fishing industry is unable to meet ministration imposed increased and more thorthe growing demand. ough testing on Southeast Asian farm-raised Basa fish is slowly taking over the seafood including the Basa fish after repeatedly local fish market triggering concerns discovering fish contaminated with heavy metals among local fishermen. It is becoming a and banned antibiotics. popular sea food item at supermarkets In 2007, the Australian Quarantine and Inspecbecause it is cheaper and tastes like regtion Service surveyed 100 fish from this river and ular catfish, but do we know what we are detected 14 antimicrobial chemicals at low levels, including sulphonamides, tetracyclines, malachite green, penicillin, quinolones, flouroquinolones and phenicols antimicrobial chemical groups.

Peter Collignon, director of microbiology and infectious diseases at the Australian National University medical school reported that “this means [that] antibiotics were used in the production of those fish…[and] superbugs can develop and they can remain [in the fish] and come Continued from page 7 across to people and cause problems”. which led to a devastating miscarriage on Friday.

Consuming infectious fish can lead to fatal The body of the fetus was left at the hospital at food poisonous. the medical institution’s request. Flowers was We hope that the Basa fish entering the Betold to sign a permission form which she left the lize market undergoes the proper tests and analyhospital. She was told that her child’s body will sis to prevent any possible health crisis among be secured until she returns. our population.

She left for one day, to make preparations

Nightmare at Northern Regional Hospital

for burial, but when she returned no one has been able to say where the body of her baby is.

“When I went this morning to go get my baby, there was no baby there. I don’t know what to do because I want my baby in his box; to put him at rest. Now I don’t have my baby, what am I going to do with this box? Everyone is already home at my village in Crooked Tree waiting for me to bring the baby to bury him. They already made the tomb. This isn’t right,” Shameka told CTV-3 news in an interview.

It’s a tragedy beyond belief. This, at a hospital which had become notorious for botched maternal care a few years ago.

The Hospital has made no public comment. No one is giving answers.

According to Flowers, instead of giving her direct answers the hospital has offered her money so she pays for the funeral. But how can there be a funeral, if the hospital doesn’t account for the child’s body.

Flowers said the hospital administration has no idea about the pain they are putting her through.

“They can’t find the baby. We went to the administration and they told us that they wanted to pay us for the funeral costs and things like that. They just want us to shut up and do nothing about it, I’m not looking for any money but I at least want my baby. If they would just call me and say ‘miss we found the baby’, well I’d be happy to put my baby at rest. No one knows what I’m going through,” she remarked.

And where is the Minister of Health Pablo Marin throughout all of this? Chetumal, maybe? Or Cayo, where we are told he spends a majority of his time pursuing new interests.

CARTOON

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2016