Belize Times May 17, 2015

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The Belize Times THE BELIZE TIMES

17 MAY

2015

Established 1957

The Truth Shall Make You Free

17 MAY 2015 | ISSUE NO: 4945

www.belizetimes.bz | $1.00

We Noh Di Move!

Mark King Exposed; UDPs First, Belizeans Last Policy in Full Swing

Mark King land grab for political cronies has been exposed by the poor, hardworking occupiers of land behind Gungulung

Pg. 3

New Blood in Dangriga

Long-time Educator Anthony Sabal Named PUP’s New Standard Bearer L - R: Anthony Sabal, Hon. Ivan Ramos and PUP Leader Hon. Francis Fonseca

FAREWELL TO PUP GENERAL: “Mrs. T”

Pg. 8

See Eulogy on page 20

This survey map was completed as of July 2014, but denied by Mark King

Petrocaribe Not Rolling for Met Office Pg. 21

Barrow Lyaad!!

BNTU President Exposes PM’s Lies and Deception

Pg. 4

NO TO OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING!

2 02

17 MAY

THE BELIZE TIMES

OPINION OUT PUP Chairman Henry C. Usher Remembers Ms. Eloisa Trujeque

!

Dear Editor, Paradoxical though it is, there is nothing in life worthwhile that is not attained through suffering and conflict.

But such a cross is not too great a burden to carry for the enriching privilege of touching other lives with compassion and deep understanding. I am certain that this truly reflects Mrs. Trujeque – how she was and how she lived.

Mrs. Trujeque or Ms. T as we all called her was an ardent supporter and humble leader of the PUP and a true servant of the people. She served on the executive committee of the PUP Mesopotamia for many years rising to the post of Chairlady.

She never gave up hope in a division that the Party has not done so well in the last few elections. Meetings, fundraisers, voter registration, campaigning, Ms. T was involved in all of them. She always made sure to remember her people.

Mrs. Trujeque entered as a candidate of the PUP in the 1999 City Council elections winning back to back, serving with recently departed Mayor David Fonseca and other councillors like Danny Madrid and Yasmin Shoman. She held the massive portfolios of Public Health and Environment, Solid Waste Management, Markets and Unions. Her tenure as a city councillor until 2006 was marked by an avid commitment to enrich the lives of her Southside brothers and sisters. No matter where she went Ms. T never forgot her West Street roots.

Mrs. Trujeque was nominated

OUT

and accepted membership in the Order of Distinguished Service (ODS) of the People’s United Party, albeit a little reluctantly because it was tradition that members of the ODS had to remain as impartial observers to Party affairs at the constituency level and report their findings and advice to the National Executive. Well, as all who knew her could attest, Ms. T was never one to just observe and report. She spoke her mind no matter whose ego she may have slighted. But this was always done with the best interests of the people and the Party at heart.

I can still see her sitting at the corner of the table during National Executive meetings waiting patiently to get her points across. She raised and lowered her hands so many times during those meetings but always deferred to other members until it was her turn. And when she did speak everyone listened, because she spoke with passion that the Constitution of the Party is its soul, and that an institution without principles would eventually weaken and die. She brought her union fire to those meetings, saying that change was inevitable but it would only be productive if it was built on a firm foundation. And it would only be sustainable if it had the full participation of the people.

My fondest memories of Ms. T are our road trips travelling throughout the country in service of our Party. As any of the other members of the Convention Team could tell you, if you said you would pick her up at a certain time you had better be there at that appointed time. One minute late and your phone would ring. She never complained, even as her feet grew swollen from having been on them all day. She never said no even if the convention was on Mother’s Day or some family member’s birthday. She just got up even earlier to make sure that Sunday food was ready before she hit the road, sometimes as early as 6:00am.

Recently I heard it said, “Grace is a flower that blooms in noble souls.” Well there must be no nobler a soul than Eloisa Trujeque. She was a woman of grace. She was a woman of dignity. She was a champion of the poor and needy of Mesopo-

Run Di $$ Tracy!

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Dear Editor, A new UDP candidate for the Albert Division, I believe her name to be Tracy Taeger Panton, held her political convention and Mother’s Day program with Petrocaribe Funds involved on the 8th of May at the House of Culture. As a single mother of three children and a voter in the division, I attended the event after begging for an invitation.

After the speeches, I went for a plate of food but was told “no moh food deh, all done”.

I decided to get a soft drink but was told “one dalla for a coke”. I was shocked because I had heard Prime Minister Barrow announcing that every division would be receiving $50,000 from Petrocaribe for their Mother’s Day Cheers. My maths tells me that there is no way that program on Friday cost $50,000. So weh di rest of the money gone? Inna somebody pocket??

I remember last year, when Herman Longsworth was the man in Albert, we mothers received $100. This year, the candidate who is also a mother, gave us $0.00. Nada! Imagine, Tracy noh get into office yet, and she done di chance we.

Weh di money deh Tracy?

Signed, Mavis L.

tamia. She was a proud and strong Belize City Southside woman. Ms. T has earned her place on the wall of Independence Hall.

The Trujeque family has lost ‘Moms’, and the PUP family has lost an anchor, a compass, a steadfast lady who never wavered from the principles and policies of the Party she loved and served.

Goodbye Ms. T. We will miss you.

Sincerely, Henry C. Usher Chairman People’s United Party

WEATHER

LOCAL 15 May

16 May

17 May

18 May

19 May

2015

PUP Secretary General sues The Guardian’s Alfonso Noble Belize City, May 44, 2015 People’s United Party Secretary General Myrtle Palacio has filed a civil suit against the Guardian Newspaper editor, Alfonso Noble, for spurious allegations made against her in the UDP rag sheet.

Mrs. Palacio is seeking damages for libel after Noble refused to retract allegations that the Secretary General endorsed the criminal act of with craft in the Sunday, January 4, 2015 newspaper edition.

Noble is known for using the UDP print organ to vilify and disrespect women, especially if they are believed to be PUP. He apparently has no ethics and no boundaries.

The Secretary General is represented by Senior Counsel and former Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Said Musa.

The matter is now before the Supreme Court.

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The Belize Times

Established 1957

14 APR 2013

|

ISSUE NO: 4840

The Truth Shall Make You Free

www.belizetimes.bz

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$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

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OFFICE ASSISTANT

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

20 May

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17 MAY

2015

THE BELIZE TIMES

We Noh Di Move!

Mark King Exposed; UDPs First, Belizeans Last Policy in Full Swing

Belize City, May 14, 2015 UDP Lake Independence candidate Mark King is one chancey, facey, cold-hearted politician.

King has been undermining the hard efforts of over 50 families to fulfil their dreams of owning a piece of the jewel, to satisfy his political agenda and greed.

The families have now realised that they are being chanced and have stood up to defend themselves. But King has slammed them with his “UDP First, Belizeans last” rule and promised that he will destroy their dreams.

The issue is over a small area of crown land located in the outskirts of Lake Independence. It sits behind the Gungulung area, next to the new development site that flanks the newly opened Chetumal Street.

Before the UDP Government announced any plans to develop the area, a group of mostly Belizeans had already settled, built homes and began living on the land. They squatted for several years until the UDP Government threatened to remove them for occupying land which was sold to private interests. The squatters were forced to retreat and move their dwellings several feet to accommodate the Government’s wishes.

It was at this time that the occupiers of the land were visited by Ministry of Lands officials and guided as to where to re-locate to not be in the way of the new development scheme. They were even assisted

by CISCO Construction Limited who helped to move their homes using heavy equipment and provided funds to them to fill up their lands. They were promised that they could eventually apply for the land.

Mark King, using the premise that he would help, walked on the London bridges to campaign and won the support of the majority of the people, promising that he would help them with their land papers. He even convinced them to work and campaign for him in the 2012 general elections and 2015 municipal elections. When they asked about their land, he responded that the survey process was incomplete.

But King was not telling the truth.

Two weeks ago, one of the residents of the area, Bernarda Rivera, became tired of the run-around and travelled to Belmopan to find out what was the cause of the delay. What she discovered shook the ground below her feet. She found out that since July 2014, the Ministry of Natural Resources had finalised a survey map of the area. But what shocked her most was the three months later, Mark King himself began issuing recommendation letters for persons within and closely connected to his UDP circle for the same land.

After using the poor people for

his political gain, King plans to flush them out. He is now calling them squatters and telling them they must leave. “…people are texting me to send the immigration, half of them you know aren’t Belizean. So send in immigration, to send in the GSU, the powers that is mighty invested in me as a minister. Boy, I could go out there like Dracula,” King told Channel7 News on Wednesday.

King did not deny that his UDP

Bernarda Rivera

cronies have been promised the land. Among them are UDP Councillor Jason Edwards, the Councillors father Ronald Edwards, King’s political secretary Melissa Williams and others.

03 3 Recommendation letters for those people currently sit at the Ministry of Lands.

Rivera, Candy Garbutt, Kirk Vernon and other residents no longer trust Mark King. They say he is a liar and a backstabber.

“He deceived us and lied to us,” Rivera told the BELIZE TIMES on Thursday morning. The mother of three remembered the blisters on her hands from the many days of cutting and clearing with a machete, and the investments made to build on the land.

Rivera was also disappointed at King “woman-tactic” of launching personal attacks at her, calling her a “PUP operative”. She said the UDP representative is not being truthful and reminded him that she was part of his campaign team who worked Continued on page 4

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Barrow Lyaad!!

BNTU President Exposes PM’s Lies and Deception Belize City, May 12, 2015 Fresh of his re-election, the no nonsense President of the Belize National Trade Union Congress, Luke Palacio, has exposed Prime Minister Dean Barrow as a liar and deceiver.

The Prime Minister, it appears, has been on a mission to undermine the unity and strength of the social partners in an attempt to get away with his illegal borrowing and spending of Petrocaribe millions. Barrow has concocted all kinds of stories to make it seem that the social partners have been feeding on the Petrocaribe pie, but little by little he is being exposed as speaking with a forked tongue.

The BNTU opposes the lack of accountability and abuse shown by this Government in the use of Petrocaribe money. But PM Barrow has tried to make it look like the teachers are content with the Petrocaribe programme, because according to him, GOB is using Petrocaribe monies to give teachers a salary adjustment.

Barrow is trying to confuse teachers and muddy the issue. No teacher would oppose a salary raise; there-

We Noh Di Move!

Continued from page 3 for him in 2012 elections and as recent as the 2015 city council elections in which Councillor candidate Jason Edwards was his sidekick.

While King is adamant that he will move the current residents, Rivera and the over 50 families say they will not give up.

“We have worked too hard for what we have here. We will have to do what we have to do to defend ourselves,” said Rivera.

“Dey Venezuelan money, dey Petrocaribe money…everything…from Taiwan all a deh deh no mean nothing to we Natural born Belizeans yah. We struggle hard. You know how long we deh inna dis bush ya? If we neva fall di big tree yu helicopter couldn’t see we. Long time we deh back ya and we noh plan fu give up,” said Kirk Vernon.

“Give up what? My house… they wah kill me een deh. They noh deh move me from out deh.

My house coming down with me,” commented Ines Antonio Bonilla.

17 MAY

THE BELIZE TIMES

fore, none of them would oppose the spending of Petrocaribe monies, if it were only true. But BNTU President Luke Palacio says that is not the case.

On Friday, May 8th, 2015 Palacio rejected the Prime Minister’s assertions and set the record straight that teachers are not seeing any kinds of Petrocaribe benefits.

“We can categorically say to the Prime Minister that that is defi-

nitely not true,” Palacio explained, “the Prime Minister has once again tried to mislead this nation”.

Palacio added that teachers are getting salary adjustments through a formula which the Unions had negotiated in mid-2013. He further explained, “When the matter of the salary adjustment was discussed, negotiated and agreed upon, a formula was given. The formula speaks to the revenue

2015

that government gets one year over the revenue it gets the other year. Nothing in that formula that was proposed, speaks of any PetroCaribe. Nothing says ‘this revenue will be generated because PetroCaribe will help us to save some money’. That is not what it is”.

Palacio clarification is an important one. The Prime Minister is a liar. In fact, Palacio is even more right. The PM is a deceptive liar. When the Unions had forced the Government to the negotiating table it was after months of resistance from the Government who used the excuse that they had no money for any kind of salary raise for teachers.

The Prime Minister didn’t stop there; however, and Pala-

cio also had to clear up another deception. He denied that the Unions had “negotiated” for an appointment on the board of the UDP’s National Bank. Palacio said that the Prime Minister planted the appointment on them and told them that if it was not accepted he would just “give it to somebody else”. Palacio said that in the best interest of their members, the Unions accepted the offer which was really an ultimatum from the Prime Minister. Today, it is clear that it was all a sick trick in a larger ploy to eventually twist the truth to advance the UDP’s dangerous political agenda.

17 MAY

2015

THE BELIZE TIMES

5 05

EDITORIAL

A Backward Government

P

rime Minister Dean Barrow’s Petrocaribe Law is one of the most backward moves by a political party in Belize’s history.

Instead of taking us forward into stricter reforms, strengthening what exists in our laws and systems of oversight, the UDP is reversing.

It has reversed the efforts of the Unions, the Chamber, the student movements and concerned citizens who rallied and lobbied for the Finance and Audit Act to cover all aspects of Government borrowing and spending when dealing with $10 million or more.

Barrow has done much more things that are backward.

Instead of embracing the call for a stronger Senate with the appointment of a 13th Senator, Barrow has rejected it.

Instead of recognising the Maya people’s right to communal land, as is their tradition and as affirmed time and time again by our High Courts, Barrow refuses to give our indigenous peoples the respect that they are due. Instead, he snobbishly argues that his Government recognises only recognises a right to land as a human right and not any form of communal land.

Instead of ending nepotism and cronyism, Barrow proudly practises it. His sons, daughter, wife, ex-wife and brother have all benefitted from his position as Prime Minister. It is with his consent that they are awarded legal contracts, diplomatic postings, executive position in Government entities and the perks that come with it. Like an emperor who appoints his children as Lords over kingdoms, so has Barrow’s control spread Instead of allowing international scrutiny, Barrow thumbs his nose at Transparency International who is yet to conduct its annual review of Government honesty and accountability for the past six years.

Instead of appointing the Commission that

keeps Government Ministers in check, there has never been a functional one under Dean Barrow.

He has allowed Ministers like Mark King, Elvin Penner, Pablo Marin and Edmond Castro to run roughshod over Belize. They do as they please.

Similarly, there is only a political Public Accounts Committee; one ran by John Saldivar instead of the lawfully appointed Opposition member. A proper PAC would ensure that spending of public funds is kept in order.

Barrow is running a backward Government that is taking Belize backward.

In January 2005, the former People’s United Party Government Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Said Musa introduced a document entitled the “Public Finance Reform – a working paper”. “…this government is determined to take the necessary corrective measures to put things right and to keep moving FORWARD in order to ensure that public finances are used to maximise opportunities and benefits for the Belizean people, enhance social capacity and reduce poverty,” said Hon. Musa in introducing the forward-thinking reform measures.

The Finance and Audit Reform legislation was a major feature of these measures. It contained fundamental changes with the awarding of government contracts, disposal of public assets, protecting our natural patrimony, strengthening the powers of the Contractor General and controlling borrowing of loans.

The reforms were celebrated by all right thinking Belizeans as the proper way forward.

Now here comes the backward Prime Minister who wants things done his way.

Dean Barrow has risked taking this tremendous political fall-out for the sake of gaining what he has calculated to be greater political might with the millions that will become available to him and his Government and the friends he can win over with it. Barrow has disregarded reform despite the political reprisal that is coming.

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17 MAY

THE BELIZE TIMES

2015

Freetown Mothers Celebrate Mother’s Day with Hon. Francis Fonseca

Sharing gifts and prizes

PUP Leader & Freetown Area Representative Hon. Francis Fonseca receives warm embraces from the mothers of Freetown

Awarding the lucky winner of a 40� flat screen TV

Hon. Francis listening to the guidance of his people

It was an elegant evening specially made for the mothers of Freetown

17 MAY

THE BELIZE TIMES

2015

WOMAN IN THE HOUSE

By Dolores Balderamos Garcia

A SOP TO CERBERUS In ancient Greek Mythology there is a fearsome creature, a dog or monster called Cerberus.

He has three heads, a mane of serpents, and the claws of a lion. He guards the entrance to Hades, the Underworld, so as to prevent the dead from leaving and the living from entering.

And he has, in some renditions of the story, an appetite only for live meat so as to allow just the spirits of the dead to freely enter the underworld but allow none to leave. In other renditions he enjoys honeycakes, and the meat or cakes were used by the ancient heroes to distract Cerberus so that a living person could enter the underworld. The twelfth labour assigned to Greek hero Heracles

was capturing Cerberus.

A “sop” is a thing given or done to appease or bribe someone. In literature there are many references to the term “a sop to Cerberus,” meaning a concession or bribe to conciliate a person otherwise liable to be troublesome. In Roman literature Aeneas threw a sop to Cerberus in order distract him and slip by.

Other meanings are a “bribe or something given to propitiate a potential source of danger or problems” or “to give a gift to a troublesome person” in order to appease or to quiet him/her. You no doubt get the picture!!

In his long-winded press conference two weeks ago, the Prime Minister tried mightily to distract the Belizean people. He

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G.S.L. Law & Consulting Limited # 100,976 (“the Company”)

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made futile efforts to try to argue away the terrible wrongs he has committed and the clear illegality in relation to him not following the law, and, even worse, trying to turn wrong into right.

He announced that the Petrocaribe money can be used to pay down the Superbond. He touted that Petrocaribe money can help repay the multi-millions that we owe for BTL and BEL. He offered an ecumenical chapel at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. He told an untruth and said that the Belize National Teachers Union had negotiated with him the use Petrocaribe moneys to assist their members.

He did everything in his power to distract all of us away from what for him is an inconvenient truth - that he has broken the law and flouted the Constitution so as to give himself and his government unbridled access to multi-millions of Petrocaribe funds for their general election campaign.

He tried to divide and conquer by crassly offering goodies to all and sundry. “You Church Leaders – I don’t like how your Representative Senator rejected my self-serving law; so here is an ecumenical chapel for you,” says the PM. “Here is a piece of meat or a nice

7 sweet cake for you all.”

“You Unions – I know that you know I am doing wrong, but here is money for you so that you all can shut up and allow me to get away with this.” “You Belizeans – Lef’ Me ‘Lone – let me pay down a bunch of debt. We will have to pay it off anyway; so Mek We Use Petrocaribe money for all these purposes.” “You UB students – Here - have some tablets.” “Be placated and pacified!!”

All of this, dear Belizeans, is nothing else but A Sop To Cerberus!! The PM knows fully well that he never intends to right his wrong. The goal for him, as is pellucidly clear in the Petrocaribe Loan Act, is to use Petrocaribe money in WHATEVER way he pleases. And what, dear Belizeans, is Dean Barrow’s most important goal?? That Third Term, of course. ¿Como No? It is nothing short of AN APPEASEMENT, A DISTRACTION, A BRIBE, A PROPITIATION in order to calm down and quiet the Cerberus of Belizean vexation over Barrow’s blatantly illegal acts. We therefore see it – and expose it – for what it is: A SOP TO CERBERUS!!!

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THE BELIZE TIMES

New Blood in Dangriga Long-time Educator Anthony Sabal Named PUP’s New Standard Bearer

Belize City, May 13, 2015 A surge of energy and interest has preceded the People’s United Party’s announcement and presentation of a new candidate for the Dangriga constituency for the upcoming general elections. Longtime educator Henry Sabal has stepped up to the plate, giving residents of the culture capital another major reason to continue supporting the only Party that has shown them respect.

At a press conference held on Wednesday, May 13th, PUP Leader Hon. Francis Fonseca introduced Mr. Sabal to the public, underscoring his distinguished career as a teacher and service to his community.

“We are very proud to welcome Mr. Anthony Sabal as the new Standard Bearer for the People’s United Party. He is a man I have tremendous faith and confidence in. He understands the issues and challenges affecting Belize. He has a long distinguished career as an educator. He is a man of great principle. A humble man,” remarked the Party leader.

Mr. Sabal spent more than 30 years in the classroom, before retiring. As a teacher and then administrator, he transformed lives across the country in a manner that matters, from St. John’s College High School and Junior College in Belize City to Ecumenical High School and Junior College in Dangriga; he served dutifully and humbly.

When it was his turn to address the media, Mr. Sabal demonstrated skill in handling mischief-making by some of the media houses, in particular Channel 7’s Jules Vasquez who apparently came to Independence Hall with a political agenda and with intentions of concocting an illusion of a divided PUP. But there is no division to exploit for the UDP’s gain. Those dark days for the PUP are over, and now it’s all about building a solid movement under the leadership of Francis Fonseca.

At the press conference, Sabal was joined by the current area representative and outgoing Standard Bearer Hon. Ivan Ramos, who confirmed that the decision to step aside was solely his and with the aim of finding a more effective role to play in the community.

“I am confident that getting out of this position at this point in time will boost my energy and I can do, as the Party Leader said, much, much more and I will prove that and rise to the occasion,” said Hon. Ramos.

Hon. Ramos also made it clear that he fully supports Mr. Sabal’s candidacy and will be assisting in his victory.

“When Mr. Sabal came to me and talked about the politics and running, I gave him my assurance that I will have absolutely no problem in supporting,” Hon. Ramos disclosed.

Hon. Ramos will continue to serve as the elected representative and continue to work through the PUP. The PUP Leader added that Hon. Ramos’ style in politics is a standard to admire and respect.

“There are very few people in politics who are as gentle and respectful and as humble as the Hon. Ivan Ramos; a true gentleman, a man of tremendous principle, a man of integrity. I want to pay tribute to him, honour him for his

tremendous contribution to the People’s United Party and thank him in particular for the contribution and service as the representative for the people of Dangriga,” said Hon. Francis.

Hon. Ramos and Mr. Sabal now share a stronger, common thread. They both have witnessed their community neglected and their people punished by the UDP Government as retribution for supporting the PUP. Together, they will do great things for the people of Dangriga, Sarawee and Hope Creek. Only with the PUP great things happen.

17 MAY

2015

Castillo de San Cristobal S.A. #135,742 (“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 Castillo de San Cristobal S.A. has been dissolved as at 30th April, 2015 and has been struck off the Register of International Business Companies.

Lugano Corporate Services Ltd. Registered Agent

17 17 MAY MAY

2015 2015

THE BELIZE THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES

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10 SPORTS

THE BELIZE TIMES TIMES THE BELIZE

Hurricanes & Warriors battle for NEBL playoff berth

Hurricanes’ defense shut down Red Taigaz Terrel Eskridge

Farron Louriano goes for a layup; scored 11pts

2015

Belize City, May 8, 2015 The Yellow Pages Hurricanes and Dangriga Warriors will battle it out at the Stann Creek Ecumenical auditorium on Saturday night, May 16, for a spot in the National Elite Basketball League playoffs.

The Hurricanes are highly confident after defeating the Belmopan Red Taigaz 76-65 at the Belize Elementary auditorium last Friday night.

Ty Bradley led the Hurricanes with 22 points, while Brian White added 18 points and 9 rebounds.

Red Taigaz’ Travis Lennan scored 16 points and 6 rebounds; while Terrell Eskridge added 12 points.

The San Pedro Tigersharks are No.1 after their scheduled game with Belize City No Limit was not played last Saturday night, May 9. No Limit did not make the trip to la Isla Bonita and forfeited the game to the Tigersharks, thereby dropping out of the playoff race.

The Western Ballaz delighted their home fans by a slim 63-61 win against the Orange Walk Running Rebels at the Sacred Heart College auditorium in San Ignacio last Saturday night. The Ballaz’ Akeem Watters high-scored with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Upcoming games: Western Ballaz vs. Belmopan Red Taigaz, UB Gym, Saturday Running Rebels vs. Tigersharks, Orange Walk, Saturday

Team Digicell 4G dominates

Bandits scorch Verdes FC 1-0 in finals game 1 Belmopan, May 7, 2015 The defending champs Belmopan Bandits lost 2 players to red cards, but still pulled off a 1-0 win against Verdes FC of Benque Viejo in Game 1 of the Premier League of Belize football championship finals at the FFB Stadium in Belmopan last Thursday night.

The skills that had scored 11 goals for Verdes in their last 2 playoff matches were not in evidence as Verdes’ strikers Jarret Davis, Alcides Thomas, Richard “Cheety” Jimenez, Nahjib Guerra, Jesus Patino and Sam Mendez could not get the ball past national team goalie Woodrow West.

Bandits lost their top striker Randy Padilla in the 1st half, and defender Ian Gaynair in the 2nd half; but even then the Verdes’ 11 could not score on the Bandits’ 9. Verdes lost Chris Gilharry to a 2nd yellow card for wasting time on a throw in, and Belmopan’s Jordy Polanco exploited the gap in the Verdes’ defense when he set table for Edmund Pandy Jr to score the winning goal in the 86th minute.

Game 2 of the Finals comes up on Sunday at the Norman Broaster Stadium in San Ignacio, and the winners should be representing Belize in the CONCACAF Champions League this year.

17 MAY

Weekend Warriors Boom circuit race

Verdes’ Jarret Davis shoots

17 17 MAY MAY

THE BELIZE THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES

2015 2015

BES girls & boys win

11 SPORTS 11

in primary schools football

Belize City, May 8, 2015 The undefeated Belize Elementary School girls and boys are leading the Belize City primary schools football tournament which continued at the MCC garden on Tuesday.

The BES girls had debuted with a 4-0 win against the Wesley Upper School girls when the tournament kicked off last Wednesday. Allyanah Musa led Elementary School’s attacks, scoring 2 goals, while Rhyana Chebat and Leanna Cocom scored a goal apiece.

On Tuesday, the BES girls struggled to a 0-0 draw with the St. Mary’s Anglican School girls.

The BES boys have 2 wins, as they too debuted with a 3-0 win against the Wesley Upper School boys last Wednesday. Sergio Pech led the attacks scoring 2 goals, and Ajani Vaughn scored the 3rd goal.

The BES boys also posted a 2-1 win against the St. Mary’s Anglican boys on Tuesday, even though Jezer Neal scored first for St. Mary’s in the

2nd half. Adjani Vaughn equalized for BES, and Sergio Pech scored the winning goal when he connected with a header to finish a corner kick executed by Ajani Vaughn.

Other matches: Wesley Upper vs. James Garbutt 7th Day Adventist – 0-0 Holy Redeemer girls vs. St. Mary’s - 1-1 Goal scorers: Ophelia Gladden, Wareyni Gillett Holy Redeemer boys vs. St Mary’s Anglican - 3-0 Goal scorers: Ryan Woods (3) Unity Presbyterian boys vs. Hummingbird Elementary School boys - 3-0 Goal scorers: Luis Martinez (2), Emerson Aldana Queen St. Baptist boys vs. Trinity Methodist boys - 3-2 Goal scorers: J. Gillett, A. Bailey, S. Gabourel, J. Castellanos, M. Hernandez Queen Square Anglican boys vs. Ebenezer Methodist School – Queen Square wins by Forfeit All Saints boys vs. Central Christian School – 1-1 Goal scorers: Byron Tillett, Derrick Castillo St. Ignatius RC boys vs. St. John Vianney - 0-0

BES boys

BES girls

Brown Bombers lead 2015 Smart Mundialito Belize City, May 9, 2015 The undefeated Brown Bombers are leading the 2015 SMART Mundialito annual football tournament with 3 wins and a draw at the MCC garden last Saturday.

In Game 1, the undefeated Collet Strikers posted their 2nd win: 1-0 against the London Strikers, with a strike by Troy Gentle.

In Game 2, Heights FC and Carlston FC each picked up a point by a nil-zip draw.

In Game 3, the undefeated Young Warriors also posted their 2nd win: 1-0 against the defending champs City Boys; on a strike

by Jose Garcia.

In Game 4, the Brown Bombers posted their 3rd win to hand the Ladyville Jaguars their 3rd loss, when Eshaq King scored the winning goal; King now leads the tournament with 5 goals.

In Game 5, the undefeated Hattieville Youth FC also posted their 2nd win: 4-0 against a winless Third World as Austin Shal scored the 1st winning goal in the 1st half.

Shal scored a 2nd goal in the 2nd half and Brian Martin and Jaheed Baptist joined the party, scoring a goal apiece for the 4-0 win.

In game 6, the undefeated Rising Stars picked up their 4th point by their 4th draw in 4 outings, this time: 1-1 with the Face of Belize. Rising Stars’ Elan White scored first, but Ajani Vaughn equalized 1-1 in the 2nd half; Vaughn now has 4 goals, scoring a goal in each of 4 games.

Upcoming Games, Saturday, May 16 Rising Stars vs. Young Warriors Face of Belize vs. Hattieville Youth FC Third World vs. London Strikers Ladyville Jaguars vs. Heights FC Brown Bombers vs. Carlston FC City Boys vs. Collet Strikers

Eshaq King scored Bombers’ goal against Ladyvile Jaguars

Easy Does It, Orchid Girls & DHC win in Belize Rural women’s softball

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17 MAY

THE BELIZE TIMES

2015

OW Town Council Celebrates Mother’s Day

Councillor Ian Cal shares out gifts

Orange Walk Mayor Kevin Bernard hands over prize to special mother

Deputy Mayor Ladrick Shepard spreads Mother’s Day cheer

Sunday May 10th, 2015

PUP Mother’s Day in Orange Walk East

PUP Standard Bearer Josue Carballo greeting mothers for Mother’s Day in Palmar

...giving special tokens to mothers of Tower Hill

...sharing gifts in Santa Martha

17 MAY

2015

THE BELIZE TIMES

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Hon. Julius Espat Celebrates Mother’s Day

PUP Deputy Leader and Cayo South Area Representative celebrating Mother’s Day in the communities throughout the constituency

Mothers having fun in Cotton Tree

PUP Corozal Bay Celebrates Mother’s Day

PUP Corozal Bay standard bearer Gregorio “Papas” Garcia treating over 500 mothers a very special event

Over 500 mothers were present and were treated to a fun filled evening with entertainment, raffles, gifts, games, prizes, snacks and refreshments. Each mother was greeted with a rose by Gregorio Papas Garcia. The grand prizes were 2 large stoves, one 40” Flat Screen Smart TV and a 3 piece Sofa Set. Dozens of other prizes were raffled making mothers very happy.

The PUP Corozal Bay Executive and Gregorio Papas Garcia would like to thank all the businesses and persons that donated and all the others who helped to make this wonderful evening possible.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

17 MAY

2015

Celebrando El Dia de la Madres en OW Norte Otra Benque Park, OW Town

San Roman/Rio Hondo

PUP Orange Walk North Standard Bearer Ramon Monchi Cervantes shares special day with the mothers of his constituency

San Jose Village

Ariel Rosado Foundation Scholarships Available May 14, 2015 The ARIEL ROSADO FOUNDATION (ARF) hereby invites applications for Secondary School and University Scholarships for Academic Year 2015 – 2016.

Secondary School Scholarships are tenable at any recognized Secondary School in Belize and covers the cost of Tuition and Books. University Scholarships are tenable at Galen University only and cover the cost of Tuition.

ARF Scholarship awards are primarily based on Financial Need. Application Forms are available from our website www.arielrosadofoundation.bz or by calling 223-5674/600-6665. Closing date for applications is Friday 12th June 2015.

Trial Farm Village

PUP Mother’s Day in Cayo North

17 MAY

THE BELIZE TIMES

2015

Sedi has it wrong once again BELIZE CITY, Thur. May, 14, 2015 Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action (COLA) heavily condemns and scowls upon the recent comments of Foreign Affairs Minister Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington concerning his intention, with the blessings of the current administration, to travel to Guatemala City in a few weeks to sign an amendment to the infamous Special Agreement, or Compromis, to allow for the Republic of Guatemala to host a referendum on going to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ahead of Belize instead of honoring the Agreement’s original intention that both countries should hold the referendum simultaneously.

Notwithstanding our dislike towards the Compromis, we stand utterly dismayed at the Foreign Minister’s assertion, via the interview with Channel 5, that the Belizean public should not be consulted on

such a critical change to this Agreement.

By suggesting that “It is not our obligation to go back to the public every time we are taking an action”, it highlights that the minister is clearly psychologically affected either by his ego or by some sort of academic leaning.

Mr. Elrington and his Government actions as it relates to this issue only push the public to believe that they are compromise and kow-towing to Guatemala’s whims. Each time the minster opens his mouth, he offends the Belizean populace and his statements are vile and obscene.

But he is not always left to his own devices; it is the Prime Minister who deserves the most stringent condemnation for condoning this continued sanctioning of the destruction of Belizean democracy by not allowing us to participate effectively in the development of the ICJ conversation.

We are adamant that any

Sunday Knockout Boxing kicks off Belize City, May 14, 2015 The boxing event is called Sunday Knockout and it will start on Sunday may 17th 2pm at the Old CET compound on St. Thomas street , There will be about 5 bouts featuring Local boxers who are on there way to a great future in boxing if given the support. We are asking for a contribution of $5 for general and $10 for ring side and small children free. its a family friendly event where you can bring you entire family to a Sunday afternoon of being entertained by dedicated young men who have dedicated their lives to something progressive. These young man need your support on their Journey to success. This event will he held under the guidelines of the BBF which is Governed by Technical Rules of AIBA.

proposed changes should be brought to the Belizean public first and any philosophical premise that this is not necessary is tyrannical and dictatorial. The public should ALWAYS be informed every step of the way when it comes to the issue of our territorial integrity, and the Government should

15 not exercise its whim to decide for us.

It is not our territorial and maritime borders that are artificial; it is Sedi and his Government who are ARTIFICAL for not being consistent and honorable towards the Belizean people. COLA continues to reiterate our position by saying NO to the ICJ.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

17 MAY

2015

Gilroy Usher Sr. Conducts

Community Cleanup in Port Loyola Belize City, May 11, 2015 On Thursday, May 7th, 2015 both Maurice Dena St. and a portion of Arlington Drive in Port Loyola got a long needed facelift when Gilroy Usher, Sr., members of his Constituency Executive Committee and residents of the division carried out a long overdue cleanup campaign of the area.

The drains that were overgrown with grass and clogged with debris were thoroughly cleaned with the aid of a backhoe tractor that was hired by Usher. Heavy duty machine was also used to drain two very large pools of dirty water that were a health concern and major hindrance to

PUP Port Loyola Standard Bearer Gilroy Usher Sr. walks the walk and delivers for the people

Cleaning out the clogged drains

Heavy equipment used to carry out the clean-up

residents.

For several months, residents have complained about the flies and rats thriving in the unclean areas and the health risks that they are exposed to. Residents say that their cries have gone unheard and ignored by the elected representative, UDP’s Anthony Boots Martinez.

Usher launched his community clean up campaigns earlier this year. The first location that benefited from this program was the Central American Boulevard. He is steadily moving throughout the constituency providing a much useful service to the residents.

In a show of appreciation for the cleaning of the area a number of area residents participated in the cleanup campaign.

17 MAY

2015

THE BELIZE TIMES

Reid Adding Fuel to Fire

By G. Michael Reid Mother’s Day has come and gone and for the UDP’s, the day was full of Cheer. In his last Press Conference, Prime Minister Dean Barrow proudly and arrogantly proclaimed that all seventeen members on his side of the House would receive fifty thousand dollars each to spend on the mothers in their constituencies. He did not expressly stipulate it but it was no doubt clearly understood that those would be, UDP mothers. His fourteen standard bearers also received hefty sums while members of the Opposition were encouraged to “come beg” for some. Of course, according to the Prime Minister, they could only get half of what those on the UDP side would be receiving. Not one member of the press dared to ask him how he could justify that. Of course, according to his new Petro Caribe Act, he doesn’t have to. He has all authority to borrow at will and spend at will with no obligation to account to anyone or any group. This has got to be considered the most dictatorial and “facey” law ever enacted by any government.

The Leader of the Opposition Honorable Francis Fonseca had of course, already announced at a recent House Meeting that representatives of the People’s Unite Party would not be accepting any money from the Petro Caribe Fund.

According to Mr. Fonseca, the PUP “will not be accepting a single copper whether it be the Mother’s Day, the X-Mas or any other cheer”.The Leader of the Opposition has gone as far as to label the actions of the Barrow Administration “criminal” and has said that in the face of those actions, “the PUP, cannot and will not be a party to any such criminality”. The PUP has accused the Prime Minister of unlawfully using the money and has filed a lawsuit to that effect; a case which is currently awaiting trial in the Supreme Court. In what was clearly preemptive action and in anticipation of a court ruling against him, Prime Minister Dean Barrow went to the House of Representative last month and rushed through a bill which, as the Leader of the Opposition pointed out, “runs afoul of both the Belize Constitution and the

and must be stopped. The PUP’s had their flaws but never were they so forward and blatant in their partisanship.

Many big UDP’s received scholarships under the PUP and many others got houses and other types of assistance.

The UDP’s must understand that once the elections are over, the partisanship must end and whoever wins must be a government for all the people. It is not enough to just proclaim this on billboards and in costly television ads but it must be felt on the ground. Dean Barrow has been shameless in his rewarding of some and victimizing of others. Mr. Barrow boasts of fifty million dollars of Petro Caribe money going to fund the National Bank but many are the stories of people who have been turned away simply because they are perceived to be PUP’s. Belizeans must stand as one and condemn this unfair distribution of our nation’s wealth.

The Prime Minister continues in his effort to murky the waters where the Petro Caribe Initiative is concerned. He would have the nation believe that anyone who is asking for accountability or fair distribution is against development.

That is absolutely not true and Mr. Barrow should once and for all come clean and honest with the Belizean people. All that anyone is asking for is the transparency and accountability that this United Democratic Party promised in their

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money and that the country was not as badly off as he had thought. Yet he, his minions and his sycophants continue in their attempt to deceive the people into believing that the PUP’s were as extravagant and wasteful as they are with this borrowed money. It will come out though, if not in the wash then definitely in the rinse!

There is one aspect of the whole Petro Caribe hullabaloo that few peoFinance and Audit (Reform) Act 2005”. ple are paying attention to. The govIn passing his widely opposed and ernment to date has collected over much questioned Petro Caribe Act, the 300 million dollars from Petro Caribe.

Prime Minister not only gave himself This is in keeping with the projection unfettered access to the Petro Caribe of a hundred million dollars per year. money but also made his illegality legal.

That then accounts for only half of This is the same game that Mr. Barrow what Belizeans spend on fuel; folks, played with the BTL Appropriations Act, this is obscene! For a small and poor which still stands to cost Belize a whole country like Belize to be consuming heap of money in the not too distant fuso much fuel is reason for major conture. Deja vu all over again! cern. With this being a money making The chief problem with only giving venture, the government instead of Opposition representatives half as much urging our people to conserve energy, from the Petro Caribe Fund is that this are instead, encouraging the waste money is from a loan that we must all and even facilitating it. Anybody ever pay back. When I go to the service stawonder why we have so many checktion to buy my gas, I do not pay half as points and so many detours? Ever much and when I pay my taxes which wonder why repairs to main thoroughwill go toward paying the loan, I do not fares take inordinate amounts of time pay half as much. Why then must half and why all of a sudden, Belize has of the mothers of this country be exso many traffic jams even during off cluded from the cheers and sweets of hours? this program? Under what authority do It has been proven that aside from these people feel justified in sharing causing local air pollution, the burning monies among themselves that belongs of so much fossil fuel releases a lot of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This is ...this is obscene! For a small and poor country a greenhouse gas that conlike Belize to be consuming so much fuel is reatributes to climate change and causes economic, enson for major concern. With this being a money vironmental and safety and making venture, the government instead health problems. The world’s oil reserves are being rapidly of urging our people to conserve energy, depleted and here in Belize, are instead, encouraging the waste and BNE’s production is currently down to about 2,000 from even facilitating it. a peak of 5,000 barrels per day. Sometime soon, inmanifesto and which they campaigned stead of cement streets, we will be to all of us? In an ideal world, even the upon so vigilantly. No one in their right pointing to ration lines and smog filled ones benefitting would object, knowing mind would be against development skies and realizing that “Petro gimme that someday the shoe might be on the and least of all the PUP. The PUP’s are dat too!” By the way, if Petro has givother foot. If it was the PUP’s who were the ones responsible for initiating this en us everything, then what did the doing this and favoring only their people program and left most of the money Municipal Bond give us? What has the would this also be so readily acceptable? that they collected in the Central Bank. head tax, increased taxes and licensOne would think that the Unions or the Dean Barrow himself in an interview on ing fees given us? And what will we Churches or the Chamber of Commerce Krem Radio following the 2012 general look to for survival once Petro Caribe is would stand and object but only weak elections admitted that he had found gone? Inquiring minds want to know. utterances of dissent. This is not enough and this law must be repealed!

Of course the response, as usual is that the “PUP did it too.” I have searched my memory and search the archives but nowhere can I find where any government has been so blatant and partisan in the dispensing of government’s goods and services to the people. For sure, the spoils system did not just start but never has it been so open and widespread.

Regardless of who does it, it is wrong

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17 MAY

THE BELIZE TIMES

2015

For Sale

By Order of the

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 5th day of February, 2008, between CUPERTINA PULCHERIA TEUL of New City Area, Toledo District, Belize of the one part, and SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD., of the other part, and recorded at in Deeds Book Vol. 6 of 2008 at Folios 1189 – 1214, 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.

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 5th day of March, 2012, between NAZARIO ITZA JR. of San Jose Succotz Village, Cayo District, Belize of the one part, and SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD., of the other part, and recorded at in Deeds Book Vol. 5 of 2012 at Folios 1163 – 1170, the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the properties 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.

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

SCHEDULE

SCHEDULE

ALL THAT piece and parcel of land being Lot Number 31 containing 464.576 SM situate West of Punta Gorda Town, Toledo District being more particularly shown on Plan of Subdivision of Block Number 28 by surveyor Valdez, Register 4 Entry 2194 at the Office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys in Belmopan TOGETHER with all buildings and erection thereon.

ALL THAT piece and parcel of land being Lot Nos. 284 and 285 comprising of 609.718 Square Yards and 495.109 Square Yards respectively situate in Succotz Village, Cayo District, bounded and described as shown on Plan No. 1151 of 2003 attached to Minister’s Fiat Grant No. 1151 of 2003 TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon.

DATED this 23rd day of April, 2015.

DATED this 4th day of April, 2014.

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

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

17 MAY

2015

THE BELIZE TIMES

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Eulogy for

Eloisa Marie Trujeque nee Santos

Monday, May 11th 2015 St Ignatius Church, Belize City Read by Dale Trujeque So what it is it about Eloisa Trujeque that brought all of you here today? What made her so special when all she did with her life was to live it according to the master plan God gave her? And now, at the end of her life, as she rests from her labours, we can ask ourselves, “Did Eloisa make her parents, brothers and sisters, her husband, children, grandchildren and us proud? Did she make her world at least a little bit better?” I am certain you will all say yes. The evidence of her beautifully imperfect life confirms that.

I am also certain that while confined to bed the last few weeks, she had many private moments when she wished she could have gotten up and keep going. She probably wished she could get up and finish many things she knew she was going to leave undone. Her brain, which kept working like clockwork despite her body being ravaged, convinces me of that. She certainly wasn’t going to wish for money. That was never really a priority. Perhaps, though, Moms would have wished to spend more time with her family who she loved unconditionally. But things undone that we are certain were on her mind during her last days tells me that to the very end, her family accepted the fact that, because of all the love and smarts in her, because of her great soul, they had to share her with her God, with the St Vincent de Paul Society, with those she fed in the neighborhood, with the PUP, with her trade unionists friends, and with the many issues and people she found time to occupy her mind with.

Mrs T was not babbling without sense in those last days on her sick bed when she told her caregivers she needed to get up and go to Independence Hall for a PUP meeting or a meeting of the ODS. She was not babbling without sense when she said we need to solve our garbage problem.

Who, in this world, has time to think about garbage while lying terminally ill on a bed in excruciating pain? Eloisa did as that great sense of duty overcame her! She was not babbling when she reminded her caregivers that the people of her neighborhood, right up the street, who she fed on Sundays, the old, the young, the sick, the suffering, the criminals, the homeless, would be coming for their food and she wanted her children and grandchildren to feed them. These worries are not the worries of a terminally ill mother who did not have long more to go.

These were the worries of a humble, caring, smart, truly Christian woman--a rock, solid soul whose life is an example to all.

A week in Loisa’s week life in the last few years was almost a fixed schedule, except that every day was a day for politics and counselling. Nonetheless, if you did not realize it, God came first and it started right here at St Ignatius with the Anticipatory Mass on Saturday evenings after our pastor discontinued the Sunday night mass. When you did not see Moms in church on Saturday night, it was because she was out there

keeping other commitments for the Lord. She was devoted to the Church and was a devout Catholic. Faith was something that had to be lived, and as a result, in exchange for spending time with God, our Maker gave her that boundless, zealous energy to share His love for us through her giving of her life to service to her people and her country. And she did that with tremendous humility and the quietness that accompanies it.

Sunday in her life was time for the grandchildren and politics. Keanie or Linz might call her and ask, “Gran, what’s for dinner?” Or she would call and invite them over for dinner.

Usually that meant her favorite Sunday dish which was shake and bake chicken with rice and beans. She always wanted to know how her food tasted, and the grandkids, happy for a free lunch, would gladly oblige with “nice”. After coming out of retirement from St Ignatius School, it would be shake and bake many Sundays. Then she started surprising them with soup, and later the gourmet dishes came--fish, crab conch and beef.

What a blessed bunch!

Her sister Yolanda who lives in the states says that she will always remember Loisa spoiling her whenever she visited. Loisa would ensure that Yolanda got her plate of split peas and pigtail. And Yolanda’s blessing would not be affected by the day of the week.

Mom’s love for her children and grandchildren and the less fortunate in the neighbourhood, exceeded all others so much so that even when she had to go to a PUP convention on a Sunday or a trade union activity, she would be up from 2.00 am to cook for son Paps, the grandchildren and those less fortunate who came religiously to her door on Sundays for a free midday meal. She would “whop up” that midday meal and leave for her political jaunt when all those she was serving were still asleep. I remember telling our mutual friend Sharole Saldivar that I never knew Moms could handle herself in the kitchen. Sharole retorted, “You know, she confided in me, that she doesn’t know how to cook the rice well, but they all eat it and they always tell her they enjoy it. I enjoyed it too.”

Ms T never retired after giving almost half her life to St Ignatius, first as a student and then as a teacher and principal.

So when Monday came around, she would be the true blue homemaker. But her door was always open to everyone and the people would come. They would come from all walks of life to her door. They would come for JP and Commissioner services; they would come for tea (she was always offering that); they would come to say hello; they would come to talk politics; and some came to be counselled. Come they did and she always found the time to share herself and to share what was really God’s love, God blessing each one of us through her!

Being a tireless soul, Tuesday would see the routine take off as usual. She would be up at the crack of dawn and make the best effort to get food on the table. Her calendar had to allow for those who would come by but many times on a day like Tuesday she would be running off to Independence Hall or to deal with other commitments. Like her devotion to God, Moms devotion to politics was another religion, but in it she found another way to serve her people and her country. And if there is nothing I learnt from her through the years since we did not speak

Mrs. Eloisa Trujeque Sunrise: March 3, 1938 Sunset: May 6, 2015 with each other often, I learnt that she had strong convictions, and she stuck to those convictions no matter what. She knew what it meant to be loyal and faithful to her family, to the PUP, to the workers of this country, and to her Church. I learnt this about her by observing her from a distance. She was most uncompromising in her loyalties and devotion and anything she started she had to see through to finish.

I could never accuse her of compromising her trade union loyalty with her political allegiance. Her commitment to the workers’ cause and to active political participation is an incredible tightrope to walk without selling out one of them. Moms walked that tightrope easily for half her lifetime and never once compromised herself! We ought to applaud her.

Wednesday of the past few years was a family day with her sisters at Gibnut Street.

This was a special time and it was made more special because she spent quite a lot of it with her sister Esther, who passed away a little over a week ago. Teach would go over to her sisters’ around mid-morning and she would stay through to mid-afternoon. It was in these sessions that Loisa, Esther and her nephew, Alexis, would debate all the current issues and talk politics. Alexis says she kept current and read a lot. She had tremendous insights into things happening in our country and hence, he looked forward to these family times together. He especially appreciated her perceptions on issues as they were shaped by her unionism background and as an educator.

17 MAY

2015

Thursday and Friday were routine days but she always found time on Fridays to visit with her sisters again. Evidently family came second only to God, and Moms gave generously of her time to them. They were super-important to her. That is why she stood out as not only loving, smart, and very spiritual, as Alexis remembers her, but she was the matriarch of this family, in spite of all the commitments she was juggling.

In reminiscing about his sister-in-law Ian remembers when she went to study at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne. That is cold country, but like he says, Loisa took it all in stride and one day found time to accompany her sister and husband Ian to one of those good old British pubs for a beer. In her generosity, when she was coming back home, she gave Ian and Maggie her pots and pans. But don’t be distracted because I must tell Elena, her daughter-in-law, to give yourself a pat on the shoulder also for those few times your children and you took her to Chet by the sea for a break and for some “Modelos”. I just don’t know how she found the time for that, but she did deserve those drinks. She earned it.

Ms Eloisa Trujeque, today we are standing in your territory. This is where you grew up--in Mesop! You are the real and only true lady of Mesopotamia! You were strict but fair. Firm but compassionate. Yours was a powerful personality that was slow to judge but quick to analyze! You gave selflessly to our society and never blew your horn. Your works of charity were done as our Christ commanded us, never letting the right hand see what the left hand was giving!

Your sister Margaret asked me to tell you that you were the brainiest of the bunch. You had a determination that was never matched by your contemporaries and they never knew because you covered it with your humility. And yes, you were Maggie’s “iron lady”. But Maggie, I think she was quietly the PUP’s Lady of Steel. She was all these things because, as it is written in the book Women of 2000, Moms, “. . . believes that a mother is of best value to a child when she is teaching the child to love the Lord, and also promoting family unity and developing a support system for family members. She feels that the crime rate could be reduced if parents were better neighbours, and were willing to help each other. This is because it takes a whole community to raise its children by giving love and support overall.”

You see all these things Moms believe.

It does take an iron lady to impart them.

Loisa saw years ago when the crime started that we do need an iron lady. She saw that what we need in Belize is not violence, not hatred, not division, not a society that separates the rich and poor, blacks and non-blacks. What we need in this country is the love Eloisa had for us and for Belize— the compassion, the caring, the understanding, so we can tame the savagery of our people and make a legacy for her that will be a better Belize for all of us!

And so off you go, Moms, off you go with the words of the scriptures to comfort us: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” Loisa believed in the Christ, so we know she is in the safest hands now.

Eloisa Marie Trujeque nee Santos, Woman of God, devotee to Mary and the Church, mother to her boys, a wife to David, matriarch to the Santos family, and a true Lady of Mesopotamia, Good-bye until we meet again.

Continued from page 4

17 MAY

2015

Petrocaribe Not Rolling

THE BELIZE TIMES

PUP Marshalls Assists Needy Family In San Pedro

for Met Office Key radar equipment not functioning since October 2014 Ladyville, Belize District, May 10, 2015 The UDP Government Ministers have been rolling in Petrocaribe millions but the Meteorology Office has been left to fend for itself, begging for funds, to repair the very important radar system which has deteriorated and stopped working.

Since October 2014, the Met Office’s vital tool, the Doppler radar, has not been functioning. This equipment provided a live imagery of weather conditions over Belize and helped to analyse the weather and make accurate forecasts. It also provided real-time visual information to online users around the world.

Without the radar, the Met Office has had to rely on external support and assistance to carry out its work. This has taken their service a decade or more behind.

While getting the Doppler radar back on stream has been a priority for the Met Office, this apparently isn’t the case for the Government who has dragged its feet to approve requests for funds requested by the weather experts.

Chief Met Officer Dennis Gonguez said that a request for finances to acquire the parts needed to repair the radar “sits at the Ministry of Finance at this time”.

This is outright shameful. The Minister of Finance is no other than Prime Minister Dean Barrow.

Just a few weeks ago Dean Barrow announced that he had approved the spending of $1.3 MILLION for UDP politicians to use as Mother’s Day cheers.

That money was issued out with rare efficiency and fizzled in a matter of hours.

That type of efficiency has evaded the Met Office’s requests however.

Gonguez also pointed that the radar will be out of service indefinitely, and that the repairs depend on when the payments can be made to the supplier of the parts.

This means that when the Hurricane Season kicks off in two weeks, June 1st, there will be no Doppler radar.

Only under a UDP Government.

Such a shame.

LIQUOR LICENSE NOTICES Notice is hereby given that SALVADOR MARIN is applying for a Night Club Liquor License to be operated at “I and I Reggae Bar”, situated at Caye Caulker, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

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PUP Marshalls of Belize Rural South assisted the family with a connection to save potable water

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THE BELIZE TIMES

THINK ABOUT IT GUNGULUNG FAMILIES The families in the Gungulung area of Lake Independence, Belize City, who are facing a cold hearted eviction, have now taken a stand. They say to evict them in the circumstances is unfair and unjust and they will fight any effort to evict them.

These families entered deep swamp and thick mangroves years ago to chop and fill up a portion of murky, disease infested water to turn into a habitable piece of “land”. This is a long process of years before a family can fully cut thick mangroves, destroy the stump and fill the area with garbage, debris and eventually some clay.

There are no roads or streets to carry in any landfill or items. Everything is by buckets and by hand. It is an arduous and painstaking challenge.

It is a sign of the desperation involved in their human desire for habitation and somewhere to call their own.

The land is for the government.

This means the government is holding the land in trust for the people. It was not private land seven years ago when these pioneers set out to have a piece of needed land for their families.

This procedure of individual families painstakingly and back-breakingly carving out a little patch of mangrove and swamp to make a home is the story of hundreds of citizens in the Collet, Port and Lake Independence areas. It is the only way desperate human beings can have a piece of land. If anyone has earned the right to a piece of government land, it is these people.

Their decision to fight eviction is righteous. Their fight should be supported by all Belizeans. These people have a righteous cause. The government is wrong. The government is doubly wrong to have sold six acres to one individual and to have sold those six acres which include fourteen families’ portions of land.

We support the families. We call on the social activists to become involved.

We call on the Human Rights Commission to join in advocating for justice for these families. We call on the UDP Area Representative to come down off his high horse and champion the just cause of these poor desperate families who do not deserve to be thrown off their land or carted off to Cotton Tree Village like cattle.

All across our country, all manner of immigrants, legal and illegal are hastily given citizenship papers and land title by UDP politicians eager to place them on voter’s list. In Gungulung, Belize City, the UDP Area Representative is either part of a scheme to give six acres of the land to an individual or he is in support of such a scheme. If this is so, the facts will soon expose him.

We recall, in the Collet division an individual was given twenty acres of swamp near the cemetery. As a big shot businessman, the individual started a rush with hundreds of truckloads of landfill to ensure the land could not be taken from him. Today, Belize City residents are forced to bury their dead

13 miles in a barren area, way off the roadside. Land that could have been reclaimed for the cemetery was given away to one individual by the UDP government.

Since becoming Prime Minister, Mr. Barrow has done absolutely nothing to improve the methods by which ordinary citizens can apply and obtain a piece of land. That failure of leadership is once again on public display with the disturbing television images of these desperate people crying out for justice.

OUR COURT SYSTEM There is a dire shortage of Magistrates. Each morning hundreds of citizens are seen waiting to be called into Court as only three Magistrates are available in Belize City where there are usually six. We understand the situation is worst in the Cayo District.

There is no magistrate for Benque Viejo, none for San Ignacio and only one in Belmopan.

We cannot understand this terrible shortage in the justice system. Is the treatment of Belizean lawyers so shabby that none wish to work in the Magistrate Courts? There are four attorneys at the family court. There are two magistrates at the “City Council” court upstairs the commercial center. The bulk of overcrowding and back-logs are in the Magistrate Courts behind Brodies.

In the Supreme Court the situation is worse. There is no judge for Stann Creek and Toledo. We are reliably informed that the list of cases for trial for the Belmopan Court is over one hundred.

The list for trial for Orange Walk and Corozal is over fifty cases. We heard on Monday night on Channel 5 that a man was remanded when he was 19 years, this week at the age of 26 years he is about to have his trial finally started.

In Belize City there are only two judges available to preside over hundreds of trials with the list growing each week. Two judges, Judge Lucas and Judge Gonzalez can never complete their long trial lists. Even the Chief Justice has taken on some additional cases in an effort to reduce the waiting time of persons rotting in jail, unable to have a trial.

On Tuesday of this week, on “Open Your Eyes” TV program, the United States Ambassador made specific reference to the shameful situation of the judiciary, pointing out that the government has only allocated one percent of the national budget to the Courts.

That, dear citizens, is an absolute disgrace.

Our Court system which is the only place where trials can be heard, is on the verge of breaking down.

PAUL AND KAREEM The appearance on Love TV Tuesday morning of standard-bearers Paul Thompson (Albert Division) and Kareem Musa (Caribbean Shores) was refreshing and informative. Let us see more and hear more from the opposi-

tion candidates.

We thought it an eye opener when Paul Thompson, whose contribution to the development and improvement of basketball is almost legendary, spoke of the misuse of Petro Caribe funds.

Paul pointed out the disparity in the costs of building two basketball courts in San Ignacio at the insistence of politicians there. One cement court costs a whopping nine hundred thousand dollars. Another, an indoor facility with two or three wood courts cost a little over one million. Paul, quite rightly, questioned this glaring disparity in costs.

It is another example why the Petro Caribe money in being spent with no accountability.

IS OUR PRIME MINISTER A LIAR? The Prime Minister of Belize has escaped the slings and arrows of outrageous party politics for a long time.

So much so that he is the one regularly shooting rather than receiving such arrows.

Last week the opposition held a press conference. It was to inform the nation there would be a legal challenge in the Supreme Court against the Prime Minister for refusing to bring the law into effect for the appointment of a thirteenth Senator.

Former President of the Bar Association of attorneys and Senior Counsel Eamon Courtney, in a presentation of the grounds of the lawsuit at the press conference openly and forthrightly stated that the Prime Minister, Dean Barrow is a liar.

Wow! Very strong words.

That pointed criticism was backed up with a clear explanation of why he was accusing the Prime Minister of lying.

For several years the Prime Minister has refused to bring the law into effect. He claims that having another Senator who is not a UDP in the Senate will be able to block government laws and cause the government to be paralyzed. Being that he is such a smooth liar no one questioned his explanation.

Eamon Courtney did, and produced the proof of the lie. It turns out it is not one lie but two lies that the P.M told.

Eamon pointed out that the Constitution of Belize at Section 78 and at Section 80 specifically provide for a procedure whenever the Senate does not pass a law from the government or delay passing that law for too long.

It is as clear as a Belizean day in the month of May. Mr. Barrow is a liar and the proof of his lie has been provided to the nation.

Now the ball is in Barrow’s court.

He must use the Petro Caribe monies to unfold this lie, to white wash his lie and to get Joe and Alfonso to distract attention with personal attacks against Eamon, his family, his friends, his pet dog, his vehicle, his court case, his name, his this and his that.

There is another big lie, recently created by the lips of the P.M. That lie is that the reason behind passing the Petro Caribe law which totally removes Venezuela monies from any prior approval of the National Assembly, any

17 MAY

2015

oversight, any accountability or control. This law had to be passed said Mr. Barrow, because it was too difficult and complicated to figure out the sale price of oil.

Whew!

This lie was cogently exposed and shattered by Mose Hyde on his Krem morning show.

How did our Prime Minister sink so low to be making up false hoods, deliberately deceiving Belizeans and telling huge lies in the process.

“When Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams, he found himself transformed into some kind or monstrous cockroach in his bed” So said the opening sentence of Franz Kafka classic novel “The Metamorphosis”.

Our Prime Minister is Transforming.

POPE SUPPORTS PALESTINIANS The new progressive Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic faith has said that the Vatican will shortly recognize Palestine as a state. The racist Israeli government is furious.

In 2012 the United Nations upgraded the Palestinians status as an observer member of the U.N. A number of European countries have publicly announced that they will soon be formally recognizing Palestine as a nation state.

What is left of Palestine includes the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, all of which remain under illegal Israeli occupation in defiance of dozens of United Nations Resolutions to remove themselves from controlling millions of Palestinians.

Israel has been able to defy the world in illegally seizing and building houses on occupied Palestinian territory because the U.S.A, Britain, Germany, Spain, France, Italy and some other nations or allies of the U.S.A do not support the Palestinians.

In the affairs of tiny Belize, the U.S.A. has had a long history in supporting Guatemala in her claim to get a portion of the south of our country. The Belize government is working closely with the U.S.A and the British.

Guatemala had signed an agreement with Belize in 2012 which is endorsed by the U.S.A and the British. It is called a Compromi. It binds both Belize and Guatemala to hold simultaneous referendum on the question of whether the Guatemalan claim should be settled in a far-away unknown court called the I.C.J (International Court of Justice).

In October 2013 Guatemala violated the Compromi and refused to hold a referendum. Belize went along with Guatemala’s plan to hold the referendum another time.

Belizeans learned this week that once again, the Belize government was allowing Guatemala to change the terms of the Compromi. The change will allow Guatemala to hold their referendum during their elections in November this year. The Guatemala decision is supported by the U.S.A and the British. The Belize government, as usual, is going along with the plan.

The nation of Belize is being endangered by the present government.

17 MAY

THE BELIZE TIMES

2015

BYM Condemns Statement by Minister of National Security # of Homicides, January-April, 2013-2015

Saldivar says crime is down

May 13, 2015 The Belize Youth Movement condemns the attempts

by Acting Prime Minister and Minister of National Security John Saldivar to mistreat the seriousness of the crime situation in the country. The Minis-

Year

Number of Murders

2013

99

2014

123

2013*

2014* 2015

January

13

10

9

February

8

5

8

March

9

6

12

April

11

12

18

Total 41

33

47

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FOOTPRINTS FOR PEACE ANTI-CRIME MARCH IN SAN PEDRO

(*Denotes data provided by Police Department)

Roaring Creek mothers praying for peace in their community ter, at an event in Crooked Tree Village on Wednesday, accused the media of “sensationalising crime” and seemingly boasted that major crime has decreased by 30%.

The BYM condemns the Minister’s dangerous approach in dealing with the level of crime, in particular gun/gang violence involving mostly young people.

While the Minister claims that major crimes have reduced by 30%, official data (see below) provided by the very same Police Department which Saldivar leads, shows that the number of homicides has increased significantly since 2013.

It is clear that the Ministry of National Security is clueless about the crime situation. The Minister’s statement is irresponsible and a clear attempt to distract from reality. His Ministry apparently utilises an “ostrich approach” to the issue where they stuck their heads under the ground and pretend that the situation is not so bad and that the media is simply exaggerating the figures.

There is no exaggeration. There was a 25% increase in the number of murders from 2013 to 2014.

Most disturbing is the level of violent murders this year. From January to April alone, there has been a 42% increase in the number of murders when compared to the previous year.

We are calling on Minister Saldivar to take the level of violence in our community seriously. This is the direct result of the socio-economic breakdowns in our commu-

nities caused by increasing poverty, the lack of access to education, joblessness and withering community support and development.

[End]

CARTOON

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THE BELIZE TIMES

17 MAY

2015