Belize Times October 27, 2013 by Belize Times Press

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The Belize Times

Established 1957

27 OCTOBER 2013 | ISSUE NO: 4868

The Truth Shall Make You Free

www.belizetimes.bz | $1.00

Castro’s

Visa Hustle

“for god’s sake stop it!” - PM Barrow

Belize City, October 24, 2013 A whistleblower has blown the lid on a major visa hustle involving at least one UDP politician who collected thousands upon thousands of dollars in the sale of Belizean visas to Chinese nationals. Two weeks ago, at a press conference on October 10th, a beleaguered Prime Minister Dean Barrow admitted to having learnt that there was a major Ministerial visa hustle, where Ministers had acquired special quotas of visas to sell to make extra cash. Barrow said he had “heard that there are ministers who are procur-

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Sample of a Belize Visa issued to visitors

Francis - A Great Leader

Gang Minister says waiting to see the Mayor is like “waiting for God”

King

“Hotbed of Corruption”

threatens

First Immigration, Now Lands Ministry

Bradley

Pg. 6

Mayor Pg. 31

Hon. Francis visiting Freetown resident

Pg. 9

Landy Meets Recall Target!

PUP gears for victory in Cayo North East

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PENNER & CASTRO MUST GO!!

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OPINION OUT

OUT

Bad back Barrow needs a heart!!

None of us are free…

Dear Editor, Belize’s Ali Baba had to travel to the United States for seven days, in the middle of the biggest scandal involving passport larceny and his forty thieves, because he claims to be suffering from a bad back. Truth be told, he was indeed seen standing up all twisted up, holding his back and clinching his teeth in pain as he walked to podiums to lie away about what’s going on at the Immigration Department. While Barrow is contemplating putting devices into his body to block the pain from being felt in his brain, we need him to go for an urgent surgery to get a heart. Barrow is the most heartless, cold and cruel Prime Minister ever. Even worse than Manuel Esquivel who fired 500 plus workers one Christmas. That still cannot compare to Barrow’s punishment of thousands of workers who have not received a single cent more over the past six years, while the cost of living keeps going higher and higher. He manages Belize as if it were his personal fiefdom, where his family are the royal residents and we, the normal Belizeans, are the slaves left out in a hot plantation to work and deal with our harsh problems. He has not shown care for Belizeans. Not in health care, not in creating economic opportunities, not in family strengthening, not in religion, not in education…not in anything. Barrow might have a bad back, indeed, but his problem is his heartlessness. Signed, Belizean youth

LOCAL 25 Oct

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THE BELIZE TIMES

OUT Poor Family Denied Access to Land

Dear Editor, In one of his most mind boggling songs, “None of us are Free”, blues and ballad singer Solomon Burke sounds a very powerful message. That song informs us that there are many sisters and brothers crying out across the oceans and across our land right here in Belize, and that people no matter from where they came need to come together and understand that many of us are still chained in ignorance and thus feeling our way in the darkness. As long as we continue to hunger for knowledge, denied opportunities, we are not ever free. We are not free when our families go hungry, babies dying at the KHMH and yet no one takes the blame, nor can we be free, when our women and children continue to be abused. Can we ever sing freedom, when most of our basic human rights as citizens, are daily eroding and taken away? Can we as a people claim true freedom, when many of us are totally afraid to even speak out against the growing wrongs that increase daily right our midst? As our sovereignty and dignity as a people are sold out by many of our Leaders we entrusted with authority to govern us? Real and effective freedom can never be attained as long as we continue to live in isolation of each other. For freedom to be attained, we need to show empathy and begin to feel for each other, and through action make some effective long term changes, and help to reverse this mad cycle. Maybe the time is right for our politicians, both in and out of government, to focus on true freedom, and in doing so learn to put aside

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Dear Editor, I would like the government to have compassion on Belizeans and remember that charity begins at home. First I want to make it absolutely clear that nobody is asking for a Minister to get involved in the illegal sale of passport and visas again. This concerns a family of born Belizeans specifically the Wagner family residing on Neal’s Pen Road extension who needs help in getting a letter of recommendation to lease a swamp land that they fill up and built a house on, to escape the terrible burden of house rent. This lot is in an area where many UDP cronies have been given rows of lots near the police sub- station on Faber’s Road extension after squatting on the property as well. When the family asked Anthony “Boots” Martinez, the Area Representative, for a recommendation letter to apply for a Government Lease to the land, they were informed that it would not be prepared for them because they can’t get the property. We are talking about poor people, who need a little help from their Area Representative and the Government

2013

OUT Give us a Whistle Blower’s protection law

Dear Editor, I want to make the following suggestion to the current Government and the future Government of Belize: Government in Belize should put a Whistle Blower’s Law that allows the Belizean people to expose corruption or wrongdoing and protects them from retribution and also rewards them with 10% of whatever Government gets from the exposure and subsequent fines or recovery of taxes due. Sincerely, A Concerned Belizean citizen

to improve their standard of living. What has this country come to now?! It seems Ministers are only interested in helping family members, political cronies, and foreigners who want to buy Belizean passports and visas on the black-market. Signed, Gilroy Usher, Sr.

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The Belize Times

Established 1957

their personal vendettas and egos, work to create an atmosphere which could lead to mutual respect, tolerance and compassion, and bring true economic, social, political and educational opportunities for all. Sisters and Brothers, none of us will ever be truly free until re remove the chains of oppression, that’s imprisoning our greatest human asset that being our minds. Let us free ourselves from mental slavery, of selfishness and greed and until we all do that, none of us will ever be free indeed. We own the power as a people, and let us recognize that now, unite and let our politicians understand that. Signed, Stanley Lemus

2629Mar Oct

14 APR 2013

ISSUE NO: 4840

The Truth Shall Make You Free

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serving Belize since 1957 as the longest continuous newspaper. Founder: Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price, People’s United Party Leader Emeritus EDITOR

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THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

Landy Meets Recall Target!

Liquor License NOTICES

PUP gears for victory in Cayo North East Cayo District, October 23, 2013 Orlando “Landy” Habet, the PUP Standard Bearer for Cayo North East, and his hardworking team, have successfully met and are now surpassing the targeted number of petition signatures required to trigger the Recall Mechanism against disgraced UDP Area Representative Elvin Penner. Up to press time, a total of 1,758 petition signatures had been collected, as the demand swells for the removal of the UDP politician, who has admitted to criminal wrongdoing involving the illegal issuance of a passport to an international criminal who was sitting in jail in Taiwan at the time. The amount represents 30% of the total number of voters in the area, which is the required target to trigger the recall process. Habet and his team are not calling the petitioning off just yet and their boots are still on the ground daily. Having learned from the Oceana referendum debacle, they are being careful and cautious not to re-

peat mistakes. In 2010 Oceana launched a strategic campaign against Offshore Oil Drilling, by seeking a referendum on the subject. They surpassed the 17,000 required signatures to trigger a referendum but only to see the Elections and Boundaries carry out a political hatchet job of disqualifying just about enough signatures to make the number of signatures invalid. The petition collection process has met a few challenges. Immediately after the revelation of Penner’s scandal, the Prime Minister and UDP Leader Dean Barrow ordered his party hacks and thugs to flood the constituency and invade homes with UDP propaganda and intimidation tactics. This newspaper has received many reports of UDP’s threatening to take away jobs, land, scholarships, homes and even revoking citizenship if persons’ names were seen on the petition list. The UDP has resorted to every dirty trick in the book to intimidate constituents. Even the Prime Minister landed in the constituency, for the first time in his entire life, to promise that the UDP Government has “millions upon mil-

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Notice is hereby given that HUA YUAN ZHOU is applying for a Restaurant Liquor License to be operated at “K&K Fast Food”, situate at #124 Freetown Road, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

The Recall team continues to collect signatures lions” of dollars and he is now willing to spend it on Cayo North East if the residents support their disgraced political colleague. Despite the UDPs schemes, people power has prevailed. The brave 30% who have supported the petition drive so far and who have affixed their names to support the move to rid Belize of a criminal politician must be commended. Habet told the BELIZE TIMES that the petition drive will continue, to increase the number of signatures. Once a safe amount is met, it will be collated and prepared for submission to the Governor General, who in accordance with the Recall of Elected Representatives Act, would

then “refer the petition” to the Chief Elections Officer for verification of signatures and confirmation that the 30% target was met. The verification process must be completed within one month of the petition having been submitted to the Chief Elections Officer. Once the petition is valid, within fifteen days, the Governor should issue a Writ of Recall Referendum that will trigger a recall referendum no less than 15 days after. To make a referendum valid, the condition is that 65% of the total number of voters must take part in the referendum. Still, even if the recall is valid, it is up to the Government to comply with the decision of the people.

Notice is hereby given that ISRAEL MARIN is applying for a Convenience Store Liquor License to be operated at “North Star Cafe”, situate at 1 ½ Miles Phillip Goldson Highway, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that RANJIT BALANI is applying for a Shop Liquor License to be operated at “One Click”, situate at #3 Hopkins Street, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that AMPARO LETICIA TREJO is applying for a Beer Liquor License to be operated at “Chuck’s Cool Spot”, situate at Palmar Road, Louisiana Area, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that AMADO OLIVERA is applying for a Shop Liquor License to be operated at “Prime Meats Supermarket”, situate at #66 San Francisco Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

PUP NOTICE Joint Convention for Party Units

The People’s United Party announces a Joint convention for: -Belize Youth Movement -Marshalls Service Corps -United Women’s Group PUP Deputy Leader Hon. Julius Espat & Standard Bearer Orlando “Landy” Espat guiding the recall efforts

will be held on Sunday October 27th, 2013 at 10am Independence Hall

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on the

PARTY UNITS: A CALL TO ACTION! By Francis W. Fonseca This weekend, our People’s United Party will hold Conventions to elect new Presidents and Executive Committee’s for three (3) critically important Standing Units of the Party as established under Article 10 of the PUP Constitution, R.E. 2010. Article 17 of the PUP Constitution establishes The Marshall’s Community Service Corps whose prin-

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THE BELIZE TIMES

cipal functions are to carry out community service projects and works, and to enforce order, discipline, and security within the Party. Article 18 of the PUP Constitution establishes the Belize Youth Movement (BYM), the Youth Arm of the Party, dedicated to promoting political, educational, cultural,

and sporting activities among its members and to prepare the youth members to carry on the work of the peaceful, constructive, Belizean Revolution. Article 19 of the Constitution establishes the United Women’s Group (UWG) which shall be comprised of fe-

2013

male members of the Party and will work to advance women’s rights and to promote the full participation of Belizean women in all facets of national and community life. Our Party thanks those who have served in these important Units in the past and looks forward with great hope and anticipation to the new teams that will assume responsibility for leading and guiding the work of the UWG, BYM, and Marshalls Corps. The success of these Units is directly linked to the

success of our Party. They must be called to action on behalf of our great Party to serve our nation and people. If they faithfully and dutifully carry out their separate mandates and collaborate to serve our Party, they will make our Party stronger and more effective. I look forward to working with the Presidents and their executives and call on all members and supporters of the great People’s United Party to offer them our full support in the work ahead.

27 OCT

2013

THE BELIZE TIMES

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EDITORIAL

THE BAG BUSS There were three curious things happening over the past three weeks. The first was an unusual spike in marijuana arrests and finds. The second was an increase in trafficking in persons’ arrests. The third was an unnatural strength of evidence and whistleblowing coming to the surface about the UDP’s criminal involvement in passport and visa scandals. As much as Belizeans tend to become overwhelmed with the flood of issues, the big question is, why are these things happening? Things are at so much of a boil in Belize that the Prime Minister has admitted twice, in less than a week, of the fact of corruption in his government. Barrow, on his TMZ styled L.A. tour, opened another Pandora’s box by exposing Gapi Vega as presiding over a “hotbed of corruption”. The point cannot be lost, that it is this same minister of corruption who Barrow left in charge as Acting PM in his absence. These shameless declarations of corruption are surely surprising. The last one is the most telling. Why would Barrow admit of more corruption and against his political crush, Gapi Vega? The answer is troubling. Barrow is trying to use smoke and mirrors. He is pointing us to corruption in Gapi Vega’s Ministry for a simple reason. See, the Lands Department scandal is a local one. It does not affect any international agents or parties. On the other hand, the Immigration and Passport scandal has international ramifications. The Immigration scandal is bigger than Belize. Barrow is trying to use his poco tiempo local tricks to try to get the international community off the UDP’s back. But, the fact is that, we have not even seen the tip of the immigration scandal and its iceberg. This immigration and passport scandal will undo and is undoing Barrow and the UDP. We said at the beginning of this Editorial that there are three puzzling things happening. In relation to the Marijuana finds and arrests, the sheer mass of them is an eyebrow raiser. Then there was a very complex police operation. One where the police engaged in what is called in the US, entrapment. Why the tremendous upgrade in the police’s operation? This is unlike Belizean Police. For the full context consider the political angle. Remember that the UDP are hypocritically telling Belize that they are in a decriminalization process. With the second rounds of arrests for trafficking in persons, what makes this worthy of questioning is the fact that we all know that Belizean Police are underequipped. The UDP government ensures that they are unable to execute the most basic of operations. There is no such thing as “police intelligence” in Belize and the immigration coyote system is a robust one. It is institutionalized with the endorsement of no higher than the UDP Cabinet. Seemingly, not even the FIU will do an investigation and is refusing to touch this issue. So to know all and intercept these persons being trafficked is a phenomenal task. How is this possible? The final is the eruption of information and whistleblowers in what started as the Penner Passport Scandal and has now become the UDP Passport, Visa and Immigration Scandal. This is the mother load. Normally, Barrow and his UDP are able to cover up scandals. They either vilify the messenger or completely dismiss it. Being all-powerful political gods in this eight thousand eight hundred plus square miles, they could do as they please. They use fear and intimidation on citizens. Those who dare criticize the UDP are crushed using the agents of the state. So how is it that all this evidence is out? Why are all the whistleblowers so resolute? The whistle blowing is so strong that an agent insider who was part of the visa hustle has come out. She is spilling the beans. Castro is in the

middle again. But this time the evidence is as strong as we have ever had in Belize’s history. If Penner is gone, then Castro never existed. The risk this brave woman is taking must have strong support. When we say strong, we mean international backing. Time for a moment of eureka… America. The United States of America. This explains all these wonders in Belize. In the view of the BELIZE TIMES, this scandal has rubbed the Americans wrong. They are pissed. They see the international threat that the UDP are. They realize how dangerous and corrupt the UDP are. This is why Barrow cannot “abracadabra” this away. America has a Monroe Doctrine. It has been around since 1823. This was expanded by Theodore Roosevelt who is quoted as saying “chronic wrong doing or an impotence which results in a general loosening of the ties of civilized society, may ultimately require intervention by some civilized power”. In the Americas, he added, “the US might be forced, however reluctantly to the exercise of an international police power”. The US will not sit and watch Barrow’s UDP possibly send terrorists to America. The point is that this scandal will not go away. Barrow cannot sweep this big scandal under the rug. If you want to know how bad this will get, take Jamaica for an example. In 2011, the Jamaican Government, JLP was in power at the time, was ultimately brought down because of the sins that a Jamaican drug dealer and Don had committed against the US. In what is referred to as the Christopher “Dudus” Coke scandal. The JLP was accused of protecting the drug king pin, despite Bruce Golding’s controversial complaints about US interference, he ultimately had to resign because of the skeletons in the JLP’s closet of corruption past and present that haunted his government. The parallels with Golding and Barrow are chilling. Golding was a relief to what many had thought was the old age of Seaga and the Shower Posse. Golding was popularly seen as a savior. A breath of fresh air and a change-maker. Barrow swung into power on very much the same mantra. Barrow used to be able to get away with a lot. He could cover up a lot of the UDP’s corruption and wrong doing because of that. But this visa and passport scandal is different. This ain’t going away, Jack. Belize will see that the ramifications will be deep, sweeping and consuming. Belizean politics is not immune from international currents. We remember that the 1984 elections were influenced by Britain’s withdrawal of its presence. So here we are today, with evidence mounting and scandals in a very small area breaking out like zits on a teenager’s face. What does it all mean? What will happen? Barrow said to TMZ’s reporters, that the US governance system needed to be changed. They needed a system like the one he is running, which, allows him to act like a middle-east dictator. Bad move, Jack. This will end very badly and very quickly for Barrow and the UDP. Do not be surprised, if we see a dissolution of the Government and an early election again. This time the PUP is ready. The people of Belize are ready.

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2013

Barrow vs. The Maya Belize City, October 24, 2013 Dean Barrow, the most nepotistic Prime Minister in the history of Belize, has once again hired his “hot-shot” brother Denys to collect big bucks at taxpayers’ expense. It is an all-too familiar song: “I get value for money when I pay millions upon millions to Lois and Denys”. He hired Lois and Denys in the name of nationalism to fight off Lord Ashcroft. That battle, as we now know, was a farce. After paying off his family, Barrow then went to the UK and cozied up with Lord Aschcroft, thousands of miles away from the earshot of Barrow’s zinc fence. At the end of the day, Lois will get millions, Denys will get millions and Ashcroft will get millions. Do you see the value for money he was talking about? But let’s take a look at Brother B’s

latest assignment. The task at hand: to facilitate an oil company’s invasion of the Sarstoon Temash, an area declared for the benefit of the Maya people of the south by former Chief Justice of Belize, Dr. Abdulai Conteh. So we ask: if the Chief Justice has declared the land rights in favor of the Mayan people, why is the government now using taxpayer dollars to fight against our own? Will Dean also try to say that this fight is in the name of nationalism? Dean Barrow is pulling another fast one on us. Without our knowledge or consent, the Belizean people are paying to destroy the Maya in the name of big oil business. So who stands to benefit from the oil anyway? As we have seen, since assuming office, Gaspar Vega, the Minister of Natural Resources, has signed a

“Hotbed of Corruption” First Immigration, Now Lands Ministry

Belize City, October 21, 2013 A hapless and helpless Prime Minister Dean Barrow admitted that his Administration’s Ministry of Lands is a “hotbed of corruption” while speaking before a group of Belizean-Americans in Los Angeles on Sunday, October 20, 2013. Barrow was responding to a concern raised by one of the attendees, who said that she was cheated of thousands of dollars in a land transaction in Belize. Barrow, sitting in his chair slouched under the weight of scandals back home, replied sheepishly, “I believe that the lands department unfortunately is another hotbed of corruption”. With those words, Barrow found his own Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega guilty of presiding over corruption, but not just any level of corruption, in this case, a “hotbed” of corruption. Interestingly, while Barrow travelled to L.A. for 9 days, he left the very same Vega to act as Prime Minister in his absence. Here in Belize, it is not news that the Ministry of Lands is corrupt. When the Minister can admit publicly to giving land to his wife, brother, son, daughter, son’s girlfriend, and

other relatives at rock bottom prices simply because they are “not normal” people, it is clear that something is terribly wrong. But Gaspar Vega’s preference to his family only scratches the surface. There have been thousands of cases all over the country where land belonging to poor and needy Belizeans have been arbitrarily taken away by Vega’s Ministry. The land then makes it in the hands of UDP cronies. Then there are the cases of Ministerial land hustling, in which at least one UDP Minister Edmund Castro was named and had to be fired from Cabinet. Castro’s land scheme sounded very similar to the hustle described by the aggrieved Belizean-American in L.A. She had paid for the land, but got no land. In 2010, Castro was accused of defrauding a Belizean American woman in a land transaction. The woman said she paid $20,000 to Castro for land in the Belize Rural North area, but she had not gotten the land she paid for. While punished, Castro was forgiven a while after, probably because he delivered “where it matters” to Barrow, that is, winning elections.

new agreement that goes against the people of Belize, decreasing the royalties that government will get from oil. This game has gotten nasty on so many levels. We don’t want Denys Barrow to fight our cases anymore. We don’t want our monies being spent to destroy our own. We don’t want Dean Barrow and Gaspar Vega controlling our oil industry any more. It is time for all of them to roll!

The Prime Minister’s brother Denys Barrow is fighting the Mayan People Continued from page 1 on behalf of the UDP

27 OCT

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2013

BELMOPAN IS BROKE! Mayor, CitCo will penalize taxpayers October 23rd 2013 By Norris Hall The Belmopan City Council is broke. It is functioning on a deficit budget. At a town hall meeting held last week the Mayor and the City Council conceded that they were doing nothing about the collapse of the capital city’s infrastructure. The roads and street and drains are rapidly crumbling, the garbage collection service is inefficient. There is increasing dilapidation and slum-like environments in the outlying areas of the City. The Mayor, as a result of mounting public pressure, was also caught lying about the City Council accounts, saying that the audits were up to date. They are not. The Mayor and the City Council had earlier tried to float a $6.25 million Municipal Bond through a proposal to the Central Government. The proposal was dead on arrival when it reached the Cabinet. Without a sense of occasion the Mayor raved about that in his ceremonial welcome address at Independence Day celebrations, blaming everybody but himself. The premise on which the Bond was to be floated was seriously flawed. Worse, the last Audit of the Belmopan City Council accounts was done in 2009. During the last election campaign of 2012, the Mayor lied that all the books were audited up to date. At a public City Council caucus two weeks ago, the Mayor railed that it is not the City Council’s responsibility to pay for the annual audit of its books. He said that he will be approaching the Ministry of Local Government to get a refund on any money the City Council had to pay for previous audits. He also said that these audits are the responsibility of the Auditor General. By law, the City Council has a legal obligation to conduct annual audits but this Council is not in compliance with the law. In the current CitCo budget there is no allocation to pay for an audit. As at 30 April 2013, the City Council’s debt, including monies owed to creditors, was $451

Streets are turned into lakes

thousand. But the City Council still does not seem to understand why its proposal to float the municipal bond backfired. At its caucus, which was held earlier on the insistence of the Ministry of Local Government, and much to the Mayor’s expressed chagrin, the Council was considering a proposal from within its caucus, Continued on page 24

Incompetent Belmopan Mayor Simeon Lopez

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2013

Questions to PM

from the people of Toledo West!

Peace…and the New Revolution By Carolyn Trench-Sandiford-Deputy Party Leader “..Poverty is one of man’s greatest tragedies. The talk of peace in the world makes me laugh. There can never be peace so long as one man has his belly full and another is starving…” - Francisco “Pancho” Villa, Mexican Revolutionary…assassinated July 20th, 1923 The journey of the peaceful constructive Belizean revolution began with a single purpose, to bring to all Belizeans a better life and a just share of the nation’s wealth and our National Prayer speaks of seeking peace, saying “….With your guidance, may all our endeavors tend to peace…” There are many who question the use of the word peaceful in the same sentence as that of revolution, for it appears to be oxymoronic. Why? On the one hand, peaceful denotes quiet and calm, without noise or excitement, not fighting a war, non-violence, and accepting differences. On the other hand, a revolution denotes a forcible overthrow of a government or political, economic or social order that oppresses and dehumanizes people, and condemns them to a life of hopelessness, poverty and despair, in favour of a new system, that is just, dignified, and which provides opportunities for all, regardless of their sex, age, ethnicity, religion, geographic place of residence, political, economic or social standing, and is often accompanied by violence. Today, 63 years after the first step of the journey of the peaceful, constructive Belizean revolution, despite many achievements and successes, we are confronted with a Belize, where nearly half of our people

(43%) are trapped in poverty, living in inhumane conditions, and cannot find $5.30 a day to feed and shelter their families, and keep them safe and healthy. Yet, our leaders are coldly, callously and blatantly in your face behavior, using our taxpaying dollars to provide for their first class travel, expensive SUV’s and dining experiences in exclusive restaurants, enjoying the ‘bling bling’ lifestyle, as they distribute our wealth between themselves, their families and select close friends. They turn a blind eye as our little girls as young as 11 and 12 are having babies, and our children, both girls and boys, are been physically, sexually exploited and abused, their future robbed from them, and as our young people are expressing their anger and frustration with a system and leaders that have betrayed them, through senseless violence against each. How can we be expected to still talk of peace? Our leaders hold no one responsible or accountable when 13 babies died in 20 days, shrug their shoulders when centuries of culture are desecrated, blame the teachers as the education system persistently fail our children, have institutionalized corruption, yet point fingers at public officers when it rears its ugly head, and is committing the highest level of treason by prostituting our most precious and sacred Belizean identity to the highest bidder, including terrorists and criminals, and bastardizing our nationality and good name, all for greed and power. How can we be expected to still talk of peace? Because of them our territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty are under threat, because of cowardice, arrogance and insatiable appetites for borrowing. Imagine. We are now first class beggars, and our survival is at the mercy of others. Our democracy has become a joke. Few people still have trust in it.

And so that which uniquely defines us as Belize, and which many so bravely and courageously struggled and sacrificed for on our behalf, and which is so vital to the survival of our nation state and people, is of no significance. How can we still be expected to talk of peace? I have no doubt in my mind that the talk in 1950 was peace, but the walk, the reality, was anything but peace. Just ask the generals and soldiers of the revolution. Their life stories say it all. Their scars reveal a different picture, for there was no peace, when they fought against injustice and oppression, were beaten with clubs and shot upon, and their headquarters reduced to ashes. There was no peace when women were dragged to “piss house” and sang we shall overcome, and there surely was no peace when the people openly defied the colonial leaders in public meetings and protests. Why do you think that there is a Battlefield Park and not a peace park? It was a revolution. But in 2013, there is no better life for so many. The revolution was derailed. Maybe too much talk of peace. A new revolution must now take root. But it must be about everybody belly full, and if one belly is empty, then all must be empty. It must also be about protecting the people and nation state of Belize, for if there is no nation state, there is no us, and if there are no us, there is no Belize. About regaining the confidence of the Belizean people in our party and our democratic processes; About eradicating poverty and bringing about social progress; And it must be, about forging national unity and creating a Belize that all of us can be proud to leave for our children; Only so can the new revolution be meaningful and bring about true change and reform, so that all Belizeans, not a select few, can enjoy a high quality of life in a just and safe society. It may require sacrifice, but only then can we talk of peace.

By Hon. Oscar Requeña, PUP Toledo West Area Representative The people of Toledo listened keenly as the Prime Minister bragged how money is not a problem for him and his government. In fact, he boasted that millions will be spent to try to buy the election in Cayo North East in a last attempt at saving his sinking ship. Well the people of Toledo have the following questions for the Prime Minister: 1. When will our village roads, farmers’ roads and streets in the villages be fixed? They are in the worst condition ever after six and half years of total abandonment. 2. When will he allocate the money for new trucks and equipment urgently needed for the Ministry of Works to carry out the work? Two dump trucks, sometimes one, because there are no tires and spare parts answers the question why the 53 village roads in Toledo are in the condition they are. 3. When will the Prime Minister find the money for the Pueblo Viejo Water system that is not working for the last seven years? It only needs a new well to be drilled. The dry weather is almost here. Will the people continue to be punished to drink dirty creek water? In 2013, Jalacte, Pueblo Viejo, Santa Elena, Mafredi, Crique Jute, Mabilha, Graham Creek, Machackila still don’t have potable water. But the PM has millions to buy an election. 4. When will the San Jose/Santa Cruz bypass be repaired? This is urgent and will benefit our farmers and students by reducing travelling mileage time and fuel? 5. When will the PM make available a least two million dollars to create a revolving fund to assist our rice, cacao, cattle farmers, our fishermen, youth women and other entrepreneurs of the Toledo District? 6. When will the much needed electricity expansion in San Pedro Columbia, Big Falls, San Antonio and other communities be carried out? When will Indian Creek, Golden Stream and Medina Bank get electricity? The highway has been completed for the last four years. What is the excuse, when according to the PM, we have millions!! 6. When will the Crique Sarco Bridge be completed? 7. When will the San Antonio Polyclinic get the ambulance urgently needed? 8. When will our teachers, police, BDF and public officers get their much needed salary raise? We have millions so money is not a problem!! Mr. PM, no more excuses! By your admission, you and your government are awash in millions that you can’t even keep track. Deliver the goods and services to the tax payers of this country. We expect no less!!

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Francis - A Great Leader Belize City, October 24, 2013 Hon. Francis Fonseca has all the substance of a great leader. Good things are coming to Belize through Francis. In contrast, despite all the recent press given to the rotten leaders in the UDP Government, including Central and local government, there are excellent proven leaders in the PUP. Francis Fonseca is a shining example of what the industry standard for leadership outlines. As a leader, he shares some commonalities that make all leaders great. Here are five of those characteristics that define Francis Fonseca. 1. Francis listens There is so much noise in the world, and each of us is constantly called to filter out the unnecessary while holding on to the rest. It can be hard to hear, let alone listen, in such an environment. Even so, great leaders manage to do just that. Great leaders, like Francis, know how to slow down, focus, and listen to what’s being said to and around him. As a result he is better at recognizing and anticipating problems and opportunities, and he is able to form a lasting bond with people who appreciate the issues as much as they appreciate being heard. 2. Francis “walks the talk” Great leaders have integrity and can be trusted to behave in a way consistent with their stated beliefs. Nobody wants to follow a phony, like Penner and Godwin Hulse, who says one thing and does another or a coward who believes whatever he has to believe to get along. However, people will willingly and enthusiastically follow Francis because he consistently displays good character by being transparent, honest, and trustworthy. 3. Francis is a humanitarian Great leaders are okay with their humanity and the humanity of others Great leaders, like Francis, know that Belize is all about people and that people like and deserve to be treated as humans. While this may sound like a rather basic truth, many leaders miss it

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because they’re too busy creating a façade of strength or power or omniscience or whatever it is they believe will make them appear to be more “leader-like,” The UDP and Barrow are not humanitarians. They are cold politicians. They are only concerned about “winning elections” at whatever million dollar price. 4. Francis Fonseca is not afraid to seek a good idea wherever it can be found A great leader is always on the look out for a good idea wherever it can be found, because she knows that anyone—including her peers, subordinates, and competitors—can have an idea that will benefit her business. This is why Francis Fonseca could open the Chetumal Boulevard and outshine the den of UDPs who are still shocked at his acceptance of the invitation to lead the opening. And because as a great leader, he cares more about good ideas than his pride, he will take that good idea and utilize it, giving credit where credit is due to team members who contributed to his success even while accepting full responsibility for any failures. 5. Francis Fonseca is humble This is one thing no one will ever, ever say about Dean Barrow. Every great leader knows that his success is not by his doing alone and that the support and assistance of others, as well as a touch of great timing, plays an important role. It is not his ego but God who controls his leadership. This knowledge keeps him humble, grateful, and grounded, all qualities that ensure he’ll never harm this country. Unlike Barrow who failed to recognize his own limitations, Francis is a team player and is humble and steady in his leadership. We thank God for the leader that the PUP has and the leader the country will soon have as Prime Minister. There will surely be a marked difference in leadership. Belize will be the better for it. Belize continues to pray for our great leader, Hon. Francis Fonseca.

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 Assignment of Mortgage made the 26th day of April, 2010, registered in Deeds Book Vol. 13 of 2010 at Folios 827-844, between HERITAGE BANK LIMITED (the Assignor) Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., and RUPERT MARIN, and under Deed of Assignment of Mortgage made the 31st day of December, 2002, recorded in Deeds Book Volume 2 of 2003 at folios 975-988, between SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD. (the Assignor) and HERITAGE BANK LIMITED, which said property was mortgaged by the said Rupert Marin to the said SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD. on the 15th day of May, 2002 and recorded at the Land Titles Unit in Deeds Book Vol. 19 of 2002 at Folios 1033-1056; and the said SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LTD. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the schedule hereto. All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. THE FIRST SCHEDULE ALL THAT lot piece or parcel of land situate at Lake Gardens Area, Ladyville Village, Belize District, a part of a subdivision of 164.63 acres being the lot numbered 375 and comprising about 1,341.27 square yards coloured yellow all as the same is shown on a plan of subdivision by Henry D. Flowers, Licensed Surveyor, dated the 10th day of February, 1999 recorded at the office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys in Belmopan at Entry No. 4379 Register No. 2 hereto annexed TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon. THE SECOND SCHEDULE ALL THAT lot piece or parcel of land situate at Lake Gardens Area, Ladyville Village, Belize District, a part of a subdivision of 164.63 acres being the lot numbered 389 and comprising about 1,416.46 square yards coloured yellow all as the same is shown on a plan of subdivision by Henry D. Flowers, Licensed Surveyor, dated the 10th day of February, 1999 recorded at the office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys in Belmopan at Entry No. 4379 Register No. 2 hereto annexed TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon. DATED this 9th day of October, 2013. MUSA & BALDERAMOS 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorney-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.

For Sale By Order of the

Hon. Francis addressing young students

DATED this 9th day of October, 2013. MUSA & BALDERAMOS 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorney-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Castro’s Visa Hustle Continued from page 1 ing visas for people” and he bawled out to those Ministers, saying “for God’s sake stop it, stop it!”, because according to him, “…that is what will cause the government to fall”. Well, Barrow’s catastrophic prophecy is coming of age. UDP Minister Edmund Castro has been fingered in a corrupt hustle where the UDP has prostituted our country The whistleblower has for fast money. Casexposed Castro’s scam tro, we understand, is only one of five Ministers who has been engaged in this illegal act. Then they would tell me to come back According to the whistleblower, who in half an hour or an hour, because the gave Channel 5’s Mike Rudon an exclu- visa would already have been implantsive interview on Wednesday, October ed in the passports.” 23rd, she has proof that Castro sold over The allegations of a Ministerial visa 200 visas for no less than $2,000 per hustle has been denied by Immigration visa. The proof is that Castro used her to Minister Godwin Hulse, who vouched facilitate the sale. She provided the buy- that no such thing is happening under his ers, and Castro used his Ministerial au- nose. “Absolutely none, I don’t know thority to request and process the visas. where they got that information from. “…when I go to Minister Castro’s No minister is allowed to sell visas. office, before he has his secretary do Nobody in this country is allowed to these letters, I have to pay him first. sell visas,” he said to the media. Now He would say well let me see what what does Godwin Hulse has to say? you have for me…how much money. Castro has not responded to the One time when I took twelve thou- very serious allegations. Actually, Castro sand dollars for six passports he said has avoided the public light for weeks, ‘ah come on, you know you’re mak- as he was recently named in a sex asing more than this. I think I should sault allegation by a female Government be paid three thousand for one’…but officer in Taiwan. Castro was an official then I told him I can’t do that,” report- dignitary in that friendly nation when a ed the whistleblower. protocol officer claimed that he made inShe then explained in detail how it appropriate sexual advances. The Prime is that Castro’s visa hustle would obtain Minister has confirmed that his Governthe visas in only two days. ment received a complaint by telephone, “The process would only take but that is not sufficient to act against two days. If I go to see Minister Castro Castro. today, he would have his secretary prePrime Minister Dean Barrow repare that letter. She would deliver it to mains out of the country until Friday Ochim in front of me. He would then sign tober 25th. on it and take the application form and other paperwork that I take to him and put them in an envelope and deliver it to his secretary who then sends the Liquor License driver or the messenger to the ImmiNOTICE gration office with these applications. That is like maybe today. Tomorrow Notice is hereby given that I would get a call from his secretary Chen Jian Xing is applying for saying that the application forms have Publican Special Liquor Libeen approved so I can go into Immicense to be operated at Route gration. I already had the passports so 88 Restaurant & Sports Bar I knew exactly the persons’ name that located at 81- A1-Northfront I was going to pick up the little piece of Street, Belize City, Belize, Bepaper that they give you with the imlize District under the Intoxicatmigration stamp on it. And then they ing Liquor License Ordinance would tell me this is the paper, go to Revised Edition 1980. the window and pay. But at that time I wouldn’t have the government money Notice is hereby given that so I would have to come outside, call Chao Gui Cao is applying for my contact who gave me the money Publican Special Liquor Lito pay Minister Castro. And he would cense to be operated at Everythen come and bring the cost for the day Supermarket located at 15 government – like if its six passports ¾ miles Hattieville Village, BeI have had approved, the applications, lize District under the Intoxicathe would bring that twelve thousand ing Liquor License Ordinance dollars that I would pay to the cashier Revised Edition 1980. to the government. Then I would get the receipt and leave the passports.

2013

For Sale By Order of the

SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Lot No. 497 situate on the Southern side of the Western Highway near Mile 8 Belize District and bounded as follows: On the North for 12.190 Meters by a street; On the South for 15.237 Meters by a portion of Lot No. 495; On the East for 30.474 Meters by Lot No. 498; On the West for 27.442 Meters by a Street and on the Northwest for 4.308 meters by a Daylight Cut; containing 459.888 square meters of land as shown on Plan No. 2160 at the office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon. DATED this 22nd day of October, 2013. MUSA & BALDERAMOS 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorney-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.

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Eyes Wide Shut! Belize City, October 15, 2013 Godwin Hulse is a wolf in sheep clothing. After years of pretending to be someone who stood for reform and righteousness, when the PUP was under constant criticism, he is now showing his true self. Hulse is standing center stage of the biggest immigration scandal in the history of Belize with eyes wide shut. One where everyone around him has admitted to massive corruption, wholesale exploitation and the abuse

Sanctimonious Godwin is sinking deep in scandal

In Loving Memory of

Rennick Reneau

Sunrise: May 29, 1976 Sunset: October 16 2007

If tears could build a stairway and memories were a lane, we would walk all the way to Heaven, to bring you home again. No farewell words were spoken, no time to say goodbye. You were gone before we knew it only God knows why, our hearts ache in sadness and secret tears will flow, what it means to lose you no one will ever know. Sadly missed by: Mom, dad, son, sisters, grandmother family and friends.

of power and authority. It is so bad, that the UDP’s sins have vilified Belize’s name and image on the world stage. But instead of cleaning up house and doing the honorable and right thing, Hulse has defended his colleagues in the UDP Cabinet. There is no evidence of anything criminal, he has held. And when there is proof of it, he refuses to expose it, because “I cannot!” Belizeans must wonder who this man really is. Is he just an opportunist who once given absolute authority and power, he joins the band of the absolute corrupt? Belizeans can clearly remember Hulse, the sanctimonious Senator, who just a few years ago beat his chest at even the slightest perception of wrongdoing under the former PUP Government, purporting to be the savior and reform

11 guru, but who now has been silenced by Ministerial plums. To so willingly accept to be a part of the band of UDP thugs, among who are those who have sold out Belize to criminals and terrorists, Hulse begs one to wonder if he really is as incorruptible as he always claimed to be. Hulse is losing credibility… fast. His once home-base, the VIP third party, now calls his name with disgust. “We feel that he should do the right thing and resign from that portfolio,” the VIP have demanded. The Chamber of Commerce, National Trade Union Congress of Belize, Public Service Union and even Human Rights Commission have all called for a criminal investigation into the Ministry presided by Hulse. Hulse was made a UDP Senator and given the Ministry of Immigration to run, because as the Prime Minister explained, wrongs had taken place in that Ministry and needed to be corrected. Hulse made little to no difference. His nervous and incoherent explanations and excuses over the past days of the affairs taking place at the Immigration Department are revealing of the interest and manner he manages. He runs the Continued on page 29

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TOPMODEL 13

ENTERTAINMENT

NEWS

Keisha

Cummings wins Miss

Orange Walk 2013 Miss Keisha Cummings was crowned as Miss Orange Walk when the 2013 Miss Orange Walk pageant was held at the Multi-Purpose Complex in Orange Walk Town on Saturday night. Five beautiful Orange Walkeñas contested the pageant: Miss Beatriz Garcia, Miss Daina Balan, Miss Ileny Aguilar, Miss Keisha Cummings and Miss Kimberly Selgado. After the night of cultural and educational presentations, the winners were announced. Outgoing Miss Orange Walk Negrill Crawford presented the crown to Miss Cummings. Miss Illeny Aguilar was 1st runner up, and winner of Miss Photogenic. Miss Beatriz Garcia was 2nd runner up and was announced as Miss Amity.

Jessica • • • •

Beatriz Garcia

Height: 5’ 6” Career Plan: Host, Journalist, Model Sign: Pisces Favourite Food: Italian Food

TOP MODEL Clothing and Accessories provided by CATWALK FASHIONS

• • •

Likes: Sports, Music Lives in: Caye Caulker Fav. Quote: “What goes around comes around”

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

Cor. North Front Steet & Queen Street Belize City

14 SPORTS Byron Pope

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qualifies to Central American & Caribbean Games Curacao, October 20, 2013 Congratulations are in order for National Road Champion, Benny’s Megabytes Byron Pope, who qualified to participate in the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games to be held in Veracruz, Mexico. Pope finished in 10th place overall in the road race and got the eighth and final qualifying slot. Seven riders: Byron Pope, Nissan Arana, David Henderson Jr., Joel Borland, Robert Liam Stewart, Shalini Zabaneh and Kerah Eiley of the Belize Cycling Association (BCA) represented the Jewel at the 2013 Caribbean Cycling

Championship, which was the last qualifying event to participate in the Central American and Caribbean Games. Team Belize competed in both the Individual Time Trial (ITT) and the Road Race, for 8 available slots for countries to participate in the Central American and Caribbean Games. Nissan Arana and Robert Stewart were also able to complete the race in 30th and 39th positions, while Shalini Zabaneh and Kerah Eiley placed 10th and 12th respectively. The success was only possible due to their team effort and support from

the National Olympic Committee and BCA. The Team returned home on Monday, October 21. Athletes cannot participate in games by invitation. Athletes required to qualify for the games, starting with the Central American and Caribbean Games, which in turn qualifies teams for the Commonwealth Games, Pan American Games and finally the Olympics.

Byron Pope qualifies

Belmopan Bombers bomb Warriors in men’s softball Camalote, October 19, 2013 The Belmopan Bombers walloped the Camalote Warriors 14-7 when the Cayo Softball Association’s men’s competition continued at the Denbigh Fuller Stadium in Camalote on Saturday, October 20.

BDF lead football league Dangriga, October 19, 2013 The undefeated Belize Defence Force are No. 1 in Premier League football after posting a 2-0 win over FC Belize at the Carl Ramos Stadium in Dangriga on Saturday night. This third victory gives BDF the lead with 9 points. Stephen Martinez scored against FC Belize after just 8 minutes of action to lead 1-0 up to the half. FC Belize came up empty in 90 minutes of regulation, and Tarrel Flores’ injury time 2nd goal iced the 2-0 win. It was FC Belize’s second loss in 4 outings, so they are now ranked at 4th in the league with 4 points from a win and a draw.

Troy Wiliams made 3 runs

Dion Guzman

Sgt. Myles scores

The Bombers’ pitcher Dion Guzman gave up 5 hits, struck out 5 batters but walked 10, which allowed Warriors Amir Quintanilla, Brian Arnold and Tyler Pollard to come home in the 1st inning. The Warriors’ pitcher Jamie Brown had relief help from Brian Arnold and Ryan Arnold, but they gave up 8 hits, walked 7 batters, while the Warriors’ diamond made 7 errors, allowing the Bombers to take over the lead 4-3 when Troy Williams, Francisco Gutierrez, Dion Richards and Colin Webster also came home in the 1st. The Warriors led again when Joseph Trapp, Sean Caliz and Ron Waight came home in the 2nd inning, but the Bombers regained the lead 7-6 when Troy, Gutierrez and Stephen Williams came home in the 2nd. The Bombers extended their lead when Dion Guzman came home in the 3rd inning and Richards, Stephen Williams and Webster came home in the 4th to lead 11-7. Troy, Gutierrez and Stephen came home in the 5th and only Kenroy Banner scored a 7th run for the Warriors. The Bombers had left four runners on base, but made only one error forcing the Warriors to leave 7 runners on base. The Las Flores Shooting Stars also got the easy bye to their 1st win, 7-0, when over the Camalote Rising Stars forfeited their scheduled game. The tournament continues with two more games in Camalote on Saturday, October 26.

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Belmopan Bandits

SPORTS 15

bounces back, beats Police FC City of Belmopan, October 19, 2013 The Belmopan Bandits made a comeback when they defeated Police United FC, 1-0, at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in Belmopan on Saturday night, October 20. Harrison “Kafu” Roches looked to get the Police on the scoreboard early after getting past the last defender, but he was denied by goalie Woodrow West who beat him to the ball. Lennox “Criminal” Castillo also tried to injure the Bandits when he robbed the Bandits’ defense of the ball and blasted off a right foot shot but it unfortunately sailed over the crossbar. Down at the other end, Police goalie Jamie Brooks continued to live dangerously when Jerome “Jaro” James failed to finish a forward push from Elroy Kuylen and Dion

McCauley failed to catch up to a cross to the goal mouth from David Trapp. However, McCauley made amends when he connected to a pass from Elroy Kuylen, beat the last defender and drilled a shot into the back of the net to give the Bandits a 1-zip lead in the 45th minute. The Police responded immediately as Bernard Linares executed a free kick with deadly intentions, but West punched out the ball to secure the 1-0 lead at the half. Kuylen tried for an encore with another wonderful pass to McCauley, but this time Dion’s shot was outside the sticks. Danny Jimenez tried to get the equalizer for the Police but his shot to the center of the goal was an easy save for West. The Police won another free kick and again Bernard Linares tried to float it in under the crossbar, but West was there. The Bandits are No. 3 with 7

Deris Benavides attacks

points from 2 wins and a draw, coming back from a 2-0 loss to the Paradise Freedom Fighters. The Police are at the bottom of the standings with only 1 point from a draw and 2 losses. Other match: Verdes FC vs. Paradise Freedom Fighters - 1-0 Goal by Nahjib Guerra Upcoming match: Freedom Fighters vs. Police United, Toledo Union Field, Punta Gorda, Sunday San Ignacio United vs. B.D.F, Norman Broaster Stadium, Sunday Verdes vs. FC Belize, MCC Garden

Nazarene girls team

Ports’ Earl Johnson scored 18pts

Ports Belize Ltd wins Interoffice Championship Game 1 Belize City, October 18, 2013 Undefeated Ports Belize Limited is No. 1 in 2013 Belize District firms’ basketball championship finals, winning Game 1 of the series: 71-61 over the Customs Department at Bird’s Isle on Friday night. Earl “Bolo” Johnson led Ports with 18 points, 6 rebounds and with Ian “AC Augustine adding 14 points, 6 rebounds, Ports led 19-16 in the 1st quarter and 37-33 at the half. Leroy Forbes hit a long trey to add 12 points, while Vince Estrada drained in 3 treys for 9 points from long range. Ports led 54-43 in the 3rd quarter. Ports’ Jason Wade drained in a trey while and Angus Cherrington, Lennox Bowman and Warren Garcia added a bucket each for the 71-61 win. Game 2 of the series comes up on Friday night, October 25.

Police’s Lennox Castillo

Nazarene girls team

Nazarene girls & ACC boys win volleyball games Brown Bombers lead SMART Mundialito Football BES girl shoots

BES boys & girls undefeated in primary school football

Sherwin Requena scored Bombers’ 2nd goal BES boys controls the ball

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Alfred Schakron Happy, smiling and always content, Loved and respected wherever you went, Always willing, helpful and kind, What a beautiful memory you left behind, Close to our hearts you will always stay, Loved and remembered everyday, So treasure him lord in your garden of rest, Because he was simply the best.

Sadly missed by: his mother Hamideh, Children: Daniel & Renee, Close Family and Friends

17 Sunrise: June 6th, 1961 Sunset: October 24th, 2012

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Barrow has millions… but not for Cayo South Armenia Village, Cayo District, October 24, 2013 The Prime Minister’s inducement of Cayo North East voters with “millions and millions” has angered many struggling families and right thinking organisations who have been clamouring for the Government to provide financial support or ease in these harsh economic time. Teachers, public officers, police officers, nurses and doctors have been denied an increase over and over again. Barrow said then that the UDP Government didn’t have the money. But today, with the Cayo North East seat in limbo, he suddenly has millions upon millions. The BELIZE TIMES drew its attention to an appeal made by PUP Cayo South Area Representative Hon. Julius Espat just seven months ago to the Government. Armenia Village, one of the bread baskets of the country, was facing severe drought. They needed the existing well to be deepened to be able to tap into the supply of water. Hundreds of farmers feared that their crop would be devastated and the lack of water would affect their families. Recognising the urgency of the situation, Hon. Julius consulted with experts and wrote the Prime Minister, citing the cost of the well project and asking for the Government to foot the bill. But instead of providing assistance, Barrow dismissed the request claiming there was no money: “I regret greatly that at this time no funds are available to accommodate your request. If the situation should change I will let you know.” In Barrow’s own words, the situation has changed now. He has advertised that he has “millions upon millions” and can build schools and install culverts at will. This is good news for Armenia Village who should be getting the needed assistance any time now. And such is the case for every other community with needs for better road access to their farm lands, bridges to connect communities and water and electrification expansions. Those millions and millions are also good enough for teachers, public officers, police officers, nurses and doctors who have been struggling in our hard times under the UDP.

19 Stories of a

Dem Sell We Out! It is very sad to see how the present administration has turned our country into one big bargain center. It’s almost like you can purchase anything that this “beautiful jewel” has to offer. First they started by selling out our natural resources, our logwood, or forest and marine territory, but that wasn’t enough for them. They had special, unbeatable offers to trade our birthright. I remember as a young boy growing in the 80s, we used to frequent the old Belize City market which was located where the commercial center presently is. This market used to be a place full of excitement. There was a lot of shouting, a lot of noise always, but there was this old man who my friend knew very well. The old man would often tell us, “no study di nize ina di maaket, check yo change”. We Belizeans always tend to get caught up in the political gossip going on around us, but never question the motive behind our political leaders. I could picture this present administration for two reasons 1. for their lingering stench 2. By their actions. I could picture Lisel Alamilla trying to get the best deal on the rosewood, Gapi Vega shouting out “prime land at rock bottom prices”, Boots saying “jus gimme anything, I wah eat”, Elvin Penner and UDP ministers arguing who should get the bigger share of the passports, and last but not least, the UDP bosses saying, “Unu jus clean up before unu go”. Another phrase that the old man used to share was “fisherman wah neva seh I fish stink”. Even though the Prime Minister knows his administration is “messing up”, he would never be honest and admit it to the people. But what I want Dean Barrow to know is “shop close” because we tyaad ah unu di sell we out!

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Reid UDP Corruption Inc. By G. Michael Reid The United Democratic Party is experiencing serious implosions which will undoubtedly lead to the eventual crumbling of this delicately constructed dolly house. It seems unlikely that the Penner situation is going away anytime soon and well into its second month, it is still the hottest topic on the talk show circuits. Belizeans continue to call for a criminal investigation and the Prime Minister himself has admitted to the emergence of more incriminating evidence. Still, Mr. Barrow continues to keep Penner safely tucked under his wings and bristles at the very mention of any type of investigation involving his rogue minister. Makes one wonder exactly what and how much does Elvin Penner really know. The Penner situation resurrected another serious matter which the UDP’s were sure they had effectively swept under the proverbial rug In June of this year, one Carlos Murga was detained in Cuba after he was found in possession of seven Chinese passports with freshly minted visas. The situation is that there are Chinese citizens with lots of money who want to travel. Apparently, it is not easy to get a visa in China to travel anywhere in the western world except for Cuba. Chinese can easily travel to Cuba even without a visa. Once in Cuba, they then need a visa to travel to Belize from which they can easily make their way to the United States. This is where a group of scurvy politicians realized that there was money to be made. Channel Seven, in an excellent investigative story, last week outlined the details of what they described as “a highly efficient, very lucrative international visa smuggling operation run from Belmopan to Cancun to Cuba”. What it exposes is a very elaborate,

Prime Minister, he had been able to fire four low-level clerks from that ministry whom he felt were a major part of the corruption there. The interesting thing is that while making that revelation, he neglected to tell Belizeans over there, that the man he had left behind in charge of the country was no other than the Substantive Minister of that very Lands Department which he was describing as a “hotbed of corruption”. How very comforting! The fact is that that very minister, who is famous for his statement that he is not a “normal Belizean” has been at the very center of much corruption since assuming that office. Why did the Prime Minister not think of relieving him instead of those poor low-level clerks? The buck stops at the top and if anyone is responsible, it would have to be the minister himself. That same minister has admitted to giving out land to his daughter, his brother, his in-laws and many other family mem-

and in an interview last week, Sedi Elrington claimed to have fired his secretary and the driver who were supposedly involved in the visa hustling. Investigations revealed however, that it was just an example of another politician lying through his teeth. Both persons are still very much employed though no word if they are still involved in the hustling. The question is though, where multi-ministerial network of high levare the Unions that are supposed el hustling that threatens to totally to be representing these workers embarrass Belize in the eyes of the and defending their rights? We civilized world. For sure, all Belizeans are happy to see the unions finally should be embarrassed. making statements on Pennergate Interestingly enough, the Prime but what about these workers who Minister was asked about reports are being sacrificed. Of course, we that several of his ministers were inneed to question also the integrity volved in a visa quota system during of some of these Public Servants. a press conference last week. The Somebody has to know something! Prime Minister revealed that he had If not the workers who are being heard the about the racket himself let go, then certainly some others and as a result, had pleaded with his in the department. It would be ministers to “For GOD’s sake, stop good for the Opposition to assure it”! Word has leaked out that the them that if they are fired because ministers involved had an arrangeof blowing a whistle, that they would be reinstated with full benefits once Sedi Elrington claimed to have fired his this corrupt government secretary and the driver who were supis removed. It is also time for us to put in place a posedly involved in the visa hustling. Whistleblower Protection Investigations revealed however, Act. All persons who work for the government that it was just an example of anshould be encouraged to other politician lying through his file complaints whenever they become aware of teeth the violation of any law, rule or regulation. Government workers should be encouraged to blow a whistle bers. Not to mention the many acment where each month, one or the whenever they see gross waste cusations of hustling of Rosewood other would be allowed a specific of funds, abuse of authority or and involvement in the razing down number of visas for which they would any disregard to public health or of a well-known Mayan temple. In be responsible and from which they safety. There should be a reward fact, many believe that this very could collect a handsome fee. There whenever these actions result in Minister of Lands is as deserving of are speculations that the arrangethe saving of government monexpulsion as Penner himself is. Long ment was that a percentage of the ey or the arrest of situations that have Belizeans wondered what it is fees would go into their “war-chest” could hurt the image of our counthat Gapi Vega has over the Prime and would later be used for camtry. It is time that we put our monMinister’s head. paign financing. It is obvious that ey to better use than just buying We know now that four clerks this was no fly-by-night operation votes and rewarding cronyism. were fired from Lands Department. but one elaborately and ingeniously Let us begin this journey to better We know that three public servants designed and involving operatives governance! are on suspension from Immigration from as many as five different countries. Could this be a reason why there are millions and millions of dollars in the coffers? This past weekend in Los Angeles, the Prime Minister made another startling revelation. When asked about some land by an ex-pat in that city, the Prime Minister explained that the Lands Department was another “hotbed of corruption”. According to the

27 OCT

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

Home Economics Taxation and Financing for Community Charity By Richard Harrison In the time before these times it used to be that in Belice a business paid taxes on the profits that they would declare. It used to be....that a business... in preparing its tax filing for the year.... could deduct from taxes....all those contributions that the business made during that year, to charity.....in support of sports, culture, education, arts, etc. So… a business that sold $500,000 for the year... with net profits calculated at perhaps $50,000 should pay 25% of that amount, or $12,500. However, if they could show proof that they donated $6,000 to charity, perhaps in scholarships for kids of poor families who spent their wages in the business then, they would deduct the $6,000 from the $12,500, and only pay $6,500 in taxes to government. And that is how it was. In those days, businesses were able to do a lot more for sports, arts, culture and charity in general.....there were big horse racing....boxing....basketball....football....you name it.....it was much bigger and more vibrant than it is today...it was a lot more COMMUNITY DRIVEN and SPIRITED....even though economic statistics show that the GDP of Belice has grown from US$413m in 1990, to US$1,400m in 2010....almost 240% over this 20-year period. Then in 1998, a Business Tax on sales replaced the business tax on profits....and no deductions were allowed for businesses to deduct their contributions to community charity. So now, a business had to pay this tax whether they made profits or not..... from the first year of starting up the business. The INCENTIVE for businesses to contribute to community charity was, for all intents and purposes, killed. All the money that businesses used to give to charity....was now being taken in by central government in

the form of taxes. This is why area representatives and politicians have money to sponsor football and softball tournaments these days....something that was purely community sponsored in the past. In fact, Belizeans EXPECT the government to finance more of sports, culture, arts, etc.....as was evident in the Belize Jaguars run up to the Gold Cup. It seems however, that those who control the purse strings in government these days.....do not know the history of how taxes and financing for community charity has changed over the years....and they perhaps do not understand their RESPONSIBILITY to appropriate these finances....since they decided to exercise their RIGHT (as government) to capture what used to be charity funds, in the form of taxes. So....if one looks objectively at what Belice achieved by way of its changing from business income tax.....to business sales tax.....can it be argued that the only change is bigger government? Deciding for the people where to spend the money, taking away from the community’s businesses ability to fund local community charities, sports, culture, education, arts, etc.? Taking away the vibrant community spirit? Is that what the people wanted? Is that how these changes were sold to the people, in terms of what results could be expected from them? Are these changes bringing us closer to where we want to be as a people? Change for the sake of change is an exercise in futility. Richard Harrison is a local businessman and investor in the manufacturing and service industries. Mr. Harrison holds a Masters in Business Administration degree from Lancaster University, United Kingdom. Send comments to harrisonbz@yahoo.com

PUP NOTICE

Belize Rural North Standard Bearer Convention The People’s United Party Standard Bearer Convention for the Belize Rural North Electoral Division is scheduled for November 30, 2013.

Applications can be picked up from the Secretariat or Mrs. Carol Williams, Chairlady for Belize Rural North Executive Committee. Completed applications are to be submitted to Mrs. Carol Williams and the Secretary General. The non-refundable fee is to be submitted to the Secretariat along with the necessary documentation to complete the application package. Deadline for submission is October 30, 2013.

The Government of Belize invites qualified and professional applicants to apply for the post of Solicitor General, Attorney General’s Ministry Belize. Main responsibilities include: a. Manage the Administration of the Attorney General’s Ministry in Belize; b. Facilitate the implementation of Cabinet decisions relating to the business of the Attorney General’s Ministry; c. Assist with the supervisory management of the Civil Litigation Department, Legislative Drafting and Law Revision Department and the International Affairs Department of the Attorney General’s Ministry and the Legal Aid Centre; d. Prepare legal opinions for the Attorney General, Cabinet and the Governor General of Belize, on inter alia, matters of administrative law and constitutional law; e. Provide general advice and legal opinions to Ministries, government departments and semi- autonomous bodies; f. Provide legal opinions to the Belize Police Department, the Constitutional Commissions and the Belize Advisory Council in accordance with the Public Service Commission Regulations and the Belize Advisory Council Rules; g. Prepare, vet and draft various legal documents ( leases, agreements, licences, memoranda of understanding) etc; h. Assume the conduct of litigation on behalf of the Government of Belize in all Courts; i. To report to and be accountable to the Attorney General Requirements: (a) Bachelor of Laws Degree (b) Legal Education Certificate (c) At least (10) years Post qualification experience (d) Sound knowledge of Constitutional and Administrative law (e) Specialization in any civil or legal international field would be an advantage; (f) Detailed knowledge of court and practical knowledge of the Civil Procedure Rules (g) Ability to adapt and work extended hours. Persons interesting in applying for the post of Solicitor General can send their applications, along with curriculum vitae on or before the 30th November 2013, to: The Cabinet Secretary Office of the Prime Minister Edney Cain Building Belmopan, Belize Central America

27 OCT

2013

The Importance of the Criminal Code (Amendment) Act, 2013

By Dr. Angela Banner Joseph The Criminal Code (Amendment) Act, 2013 is the greatest gift that we can give the children of our country. When I heard that the act was read in the House of Representatives, I was extremely thankful to all policymakers (too many to mention from all political parties) for their steadfast support in the future enactment and implementation of this Act to protect our children from child sexual abuse. With all of your support, the Act to Amend the Criminal Code, Chapter 101 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000-2003, will allow us to work collaboratively to strengthen our current practices and policies and to safeguard our children. Child sexual abuse is a grave violation of a young person’s rights that can lead to so many adverse health conditions. The amendment will put local and global sexual predators on notice that we are serious-minded about the welfare of our children, and the law will ensure that

THE BELIZE TIMES

many will spend their lives behind bars for such injustice to a child. On behalf of the children of our country, thank you in advance for enacting this Act. Your work will not be in vain. This Act is important because the great people throughout this country have put party politics aside to see that this Act is enacted. I am sure that you will continue to fight to make this law as tough as possible to protect our children from the predators who thought we were lax. Some members of our community may not agree with this Act when the policy is passed, but I know for sure that this law will make many bad people go to jail for violating a young person. With a tougher law in place, we hope that offenders will think twice about violating our children. Further, we hope that children will bravely step forward and tell the truth, if they or someone they know has been sexually violated. Thank you for your support to see that the Criminal Code (Amendment) Act, 2013, is passed. I hope that our children will no longer remain silent. We can prevent child sexual abuse by speaking up and by passing a strong and enforceable law. Thank you, policymakers, for all you already do to help our children grow up free from sexual abuse. Job well done! Dr. Angela Banner Joseph holds a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership and Change from the Fielding Graduate University

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF BELIZE A.D. 2012 (DIVORCE) Action No. 167 RACHELLE REBECCA ESTEPHAN CODIANNE

PETITIONER

BETWEEN and PATRICK CLARENCE CODIANNE

RESPONDENT

TO: PATRICK CLARENCE CODIANNE TAKE NOTICE that a Petition for dissolution of marriage dated the 13th day of September, 2012 endorsed with a notice to you to appear and answer the charges therein has been filed in the Supreme Court of Belize by RACHELLE REBECCA ESTEPHAN CODIANNE and that you are required within fourteen days of the second publication hereof to enter an appearance at the Supreme Court in Belize City, Belize, should you think fit to do so and thereafter to make answer to the charges in the said Petition AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that in default of your so doing the COURT will proceed to hear the said charges proved and pronounced judgment, your absence notwithstanding.

NOTICE COMBO GLOBAL LIMITED (“the Company”) Pursuant to Section 102 (4) of the International Business Companies Act, Chapter 270 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, and notice is hereby given that COMBO GLOBAL LIMITED has been dissolved and has been struck off the Register as at 12th October, 2013. CITITRUST INTERNATIONAL LIMITED Registered Agent

NOTICE Direct Focus Corporation (“the Company”) Pursuant to Section 102 (4) of the International Business Companies Act, Chapter 270 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, and notice is hereby given that Direct Focus Corporation has been dissolved and has been struck off the Register as at 2nd October, 2013. CITITRUST INTERNATIONAL LIMITED Registered Agent

27 OCT

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

Recipe of the week

Pibil-Style Pork Ribs Ingredients: 2   tablespoons achiote seeds 2   teaspoons cumin seeds 1   teaspoon whole black peppercorns 1   teaspoon coriander seeds 1   teaspoon brown mustard seeds 1/2  teaspoon dried oregano 4   whole allspice 3   whole cloves 1   bay leaf, crumbled 2   limes 2   oranges 1/4  cup white vinegar 3   fresh jalapeno peppers, halved, seeded (if desired), and coarsely chopped 2   tablespoons tequila 8   cloves garlic, coarsely chopped 1   tablespoon sea salt 5   pounds boneless pork country-style ribs 2   large onions, cut into wedges Banana leaves (optional) Hot cooked long grain rice Lime wedges Snipped fresh cilantro

Directions • In a spice grinder combine achiote seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, oregano, allspice, cloves, and bay leaf. Cover and process until finely ground; set aside. • Using a vegetable peeler, remove one strip (each from) one of the limes and one of the oranges, avoiding the bitter white pith underneath. • Coarsely chop the peel (you should have about 1-1/2 tablespoons); place in a blender. Squeeze the juice from limes and oranges. (You should have 6 tablespoons lime juice and 2/3 cup orange juice.) • Place juices in a blender; add vinegar, jalapeno peppers, tequila, garlic, and salt. Cover and blend until smooth. • In a large bowl combine ribs and onion wedges. Add the jalapeno mixture and the spice mixture. Toss to coat. • Line a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with one or two layers of banana leaves, allowing some leaves to hang over the edge of the cooker. • Place the rib mixture inside the banana leaves. Fold the edges of the banana leaves over the pork. • Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 9 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 4-1/2 hours. • Transfer the ribs to a platter. If desired, use some of the banana leaves to line a serving platter; transfer ribs to lined platter. • Drizzle the ribs with some of the cooking juices. Serve with hot cooked rice, lime wedges, and cilantro.

BELMOPAN IS BROKE! Continued from page 7 to tweak its proposal and make another submission to the Central Government. They seem not to get it. Their books are not in order. They are operating on a deficit budget. They are grappling to get money to meet their operating and other cost in order not to declare what would be tantamount to being bankrupt. The total budgeted income for the Belmopan City Council for this year 2013/14 is $4.28 million. This includes $850 thousand it expects to collect from arrears in land and other taxes. Out of a potential $2 million in property taxes plus arrears, the Council’s projection indicates a reduction in its estimates of property taxes down from $1.4 million in 2008 to $1.3 million in 2009 to $800 thousand currently. It expects to collect half of that, or even less. According to its budget, even if it takes legal action against tax payers, it will be unable to collect more than $50,000 through the Courts. So what the Mayor and the City Council propose to do is to try to increase the revenue stream. But there is nothing creative. The plan is to penalize faithful taxpayers by reducing the incentives for the early payment of property taxes in January, February and March starting next year. Where tax payers were given a 25 percent discount on their annual property payment in January, 20 percent in February and 15 percent in March this will be reduced to 15 percent in January and to 10 percent in February and March. In doing so, the Council will try to make up for its inability to collect taxes from half the number of tax payers, some of them with serious arrears but with strong political connections. A further indication of the total collapse of the Belmopan City Council’s finances is that 55 percent of its total budget or $2.37 million is paid out in salaries

and wages and other staff perks and benefits. One that stands out suspiciously is “Allowances”. This is more than one-third of the amount stipulated for salaries. Among the Council’s numerous malfeasances is that it is allowing a number of businesses and bars to remain open despite their owing thousands of dollars for business and liquor licences. It is illegal to operate or remain open any business, liquor store or bar without a current paid up licence. Yet the Council’s budget shows a total of $249 thousand in outstanding arrears for business and liquor licences. To bridge the deficit the City Council’s immediate plan (which is not sustainable) is to sell off the Council assets. There are no indications if these sales will be legally conducted through public tender. They include the sale of land (not specified) for $275,000, a building (not specified) for $50,000 and a vehicle (not specified) for $5,000. The Council also operates as a Bank or Credit Union for its employees for which it charges interest. Its budget reflects thousands of dollars in loan arrears. In 2009, in an unprecedented move, the Barrow administration also granted the Belmopan City Council, as one of its favoured politically correct Council, an infusion of $700 thousand, in addition to its annual subvention of $600 thousand to prop it up. Yet the current Belmopan Mayor and City Council continue the reckless spending and mismanagement in its inability to manage the affairs of the City. The City continues to crumble, even though a bi-lateral loan between the Central Government and the World Bank is being used to rehabilitate the Central Market Square. The City has no debt obligation or encumbrances under this project. The

Mayor has said, at last week’s public meeting that he intends to collect, in advance, one year’s rent from each vendor. This is another back-handed decision to boost the Council’s diminishing fortunes. The Mayor and his Council also plan to piggyback on a World Bank National Solid Waste Management project. The challenge to the City Council is that it will have to come up to speed and drastically improve its dismal track record for garbage collection and disposal. The Council earlier this year bought and paid for, through a local agent, a dump truck from England. It is still sitting at an English port to be sent to Belize. As a last resort, the Mayor says he has asked the new British High Commissioner for his help. If not, there is a likelihood that a computer “delete” button, or “Whiteout” or vanishing cream will be used to make some adjustments in the budget. The Council is also planning to increase its revenue stream if it improves its garbage collection service. When the Mayor first came to office, he inherited three brand new garbage compactor trucks. They are not seen anywhere. Garbage collection now is primitive. The Council must come up with 3 percent counterpart funds, amounting to $80 thousand for a $2.4 million programme of works from the Social Investment Fund (SIF) to improve certain streets in the City. The Mayor has not been able to set out the criteria for these works. It has become suspect. But at his City Council caucus he complained about SIF’s delay in doing the works “because of their mess”. He was referring the recent scandal in Dangriga where a politically correct Contractor fleeced money from SIF for the building of a new market in that town. The market has not been completed. Without these projects, and without

the government’s annual subvention, the collapse of the Council would have been completed. Despite the government’s inputs, the infrastructure continues to crumble. Yet the Area Representative, the Mayor and the redundant Reconstruction and Development Corporation, continue to expand the outlying areas of the city with more roads that they cannot maintain and without proper drainage, water and electricity. It is all on display in a deficit budget the City Council cannot seem to fix. Yet it is now considering an “Entrepreneurial Water Theme Park” for young business people. It is grandiose idea given the Council’s inability to meet its basic functions in its role for the proper upkeep of the basic needs of the Capital City. This project is to be partially funded by a Canadian agency. While it may look good on paper, the Belmopan City Council is clearly not capable, nor does it have the wherewithal to take this on. Apparently like the street and roads, upkeep has not been factored into this project. For now, Mr. Mayor, just fix the streets, repair the walkways, clean and improve drainage, improve the garbage collection, maintain the landscape and cut away the encroaching jungle from the roadsides. But who cares? The Mayor and one of his Councilors recently returned from a junket to South Korea. It has been reported that earlier this year, he and five members of his staff were also in the Mexican City of Merida partying disguised as official business. The Mayor is on record saying that he does not repair potholes, he is not responsible for street lights and he has a group of “machete men” cleaning the City. It is now clear that he expects everybody to do the City Council’s job and to blame everyone else when the work is not done. This is not, and should not be accepted. Mr. Mayor, you and your City Council should be fired!

27 OCT

2013

THE BELIZE TIMES

27 OCT

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

BRAIN

TEASER

SUDOKU PUZZLE #40/2013

PUP officials talk Agriculture with President of the University of Zamorano Orange Walk District, October 23, 2013 As part of the President of the University of Zamorano, Honduras, Dr Roberto Cuevas Garcia’s Scholarship Raising Tour in Belize, an official lunch meeting was held with People’s United Party officials. The Zamorano Alumni Association invited the Hon Jose Abelardo Mai, Hon John Briceño and Hon. Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez to a luncheon

held at the “Come and Dine” restaurant in Orange Walk Town. At the meeting, Hon. Briceño addressed the members of the Zamorano Alumni Association and the invited guests. He stressed on the importance of Agriculture in Belize and the critical role which trained agriculturist play to keep the sector alive. He also stated that Zamorano graduates have contributed tremendously in developing agriculture in Belize.

See answers NEXT WEEK

PUP Parliamentarians attend meeting in Guatemala

PUP Corozal South West Area Representative Hon. Ramiro Ramirez and Senator Hon. Collet Montejo join their Belizean counterparts in a meeting with Guatemalan and OAS officials

Answers for last week’s puzzle SUDOKU PUZZLE SOLUTION #39/2013

Answers for last week’s puzzle

See answers NEXT WEEK

27 OCT

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

BELIZE TIMES WEEKLY

SCIENCE & TECH R

Selected By Chris Williams

Monster Oarfish Beachings Raise Earthquake Questions By Russell Goldman A series of serpent-like sea creatures have recently been found washed up on California beaches, leading some scientists to speculate that an ancient myth about the fish portending earthquakes could be true. In recent weeks several oarfish, rarely seen giants of the deep that can grow up to 50-feet long, have been found along the southern California coast. A centuries-old Japanese myth holds that oarfish beach themselves prior to an earthquake. One 2010 report found that some Japanese feared an earthquake in that country following oarfish sightings prior to destructive tremors in Chile and Haiti. The fish, believed to be the ocean’s largest scaled fish, also washed up in the months before the 2011 earthquake and tsunami near Sendai, Japan. Some scientists have speculated that the ancient myth

could be rooted in reality, speculating that the deep-dwelling fish might be attuned to seismic changes. But most marine biologists believe there still is not enough evidence to conclude that oarfish

are harbingers of earthquakes. The beachings, they say, may be coincidental. “I don’t discredit or disrespect the Japanese theory at all,” Pat Abbott, a seismologist at San Diego State University told reporters.

“The science and study just isn’t there. There’s a big difference between suggesting something like that and proving it. What did an animal sense that maybe we didn’t that told them about a coming event?”

Dolphin sonar inspires coin-sized bomb detector 23 October 2013 by Paul Marks FLIPPER would be impressed. Dolphin clicks have inspired the development of a cheap, coin-sized radar gadget that can sense hidden electronics. The device could be used to find covert surveillance bugs, bomb triggers or timers – even if they are hidden in large piles of clutter or garbage. While watching a nature show, acoustics engineer Timothy Leighton of the University of Southampton, UK, wondered why dolphins blow clouds of bubbles from their blowholes to corral fish. Surely, he thought, these “bubble nets” must reflect sonar clicks and wreck the dolphin’s ability to locate their prey? “Even the best man-made

sonar couldn’t distinguish between the fish and bubbles,” he says. “There had to be something else going on.” By experimenting with different forms of acoustic signals, he found that a large pulse followed by a small one could reflect sound waves in such a way as to allow fish and bubbles to be easily distinguished. “We built a sonar that did this and took it out to sea and it worked beautifully,” Leighton says, though he adds that he isn’t sure this is how dolphins detect their prey. The same technique should also work with radio waves, so Leighton built a prototype radar and tested it.

He found it could tell the difference between a wide range of materials (Proceedings of the Royal Society A, DOI: 10.1098/rspa.2013.0512). The radar is small – about 2 centimetres across – and Leighton says it can be built for just €2. “If you have

bombs hidden in roadside rubbish like plastic bags, wood scrap, bike wheels and drinks cans it distinguishes the interesting devices – those containing metal wires and semiconductors – so you might pinpoint a bomb circuit for instance,” he says. It could also be used after an earthquake to locate people buried in rubble by seeking their iPods or phones. “This advanced radar shows promise,” says Gary Kemp, programme director at Cambridge Consultants in the UK. Any technology that increases the probability of detecting improvised explosive devices or buried casualties will undoubtedly save lives, he says. “Evolution has once again sparked ideas for remarkable innovation.”

THE BELIZE TIMES

Jesus, Pharisees, and Halloween

alloween is coming up in just a few days. Soon the streets will be overflowing with children in costumes as creative as a ‘toilet paper monster’, as adventurous as Spider-man, and as cliché as a witch. They will be going from door to door, yelling out the age old phrase ‘Trick or treat!’ and waiting expectantly to see if the persons behind the door will humor them with a small sweet or if they will stubbornly refuse to open the door at all. Some churchgoers don’t see anything wrong with Halloween, and so they fully participate, dress their youngsters in the latest characters and yell right along with them: “Trick or treat!” Some, like a friend of mine, opens the door only to deliver sermons on the waywardness of participating in such a ‘devilish holiday’ (the neighborhood kids have learnt to avoid her house). Whichever way Halloween is celebrated or berated in your house, everyone knows the masks and hats and costumes eventually come off. Life, on the other hand, hits us with people that wear masks all the time. They stand in the front of the church, waving fans of righteousness. They jump up and down when the worship gets particularly heavy. They yell ‘Amen’ and ‘Lord have Mercy’ when the preacher hits a sensitive chord in the sermon. You would never tell that making noise in church is the pinnacle of their ‘service’ for the Lord. These people act like they have all the answers. They look down on the new generation of believers. They turn their noses at those with questionable pasts. They gossip amongst themselves and get mad when someone sits in their church pew. While they are caught up in keeping their masks in place, the world hungers for the Kingdom of God. Jesus didn’t get mad when He dealt with the demon possessed man. He didn’t get upset when the woman at the well lied about having a husband when He knew that she’d had five husbands before and the man that she was living with was not even her husband. He wasn’t put off when the woman who had been losing blood for twelve years and had spent her life savings on doctors touched Him in a crowd and was healed by faith. You want to know when Jesus got really ticked off? Jesus held nothing back when he scolded the Pharisees and teachers of the law (Mathew 23). The Son of Man tore off the pious masks that the Pharisees utilized and exposed their selfishness and hardened hearts. God said in Revelations, “Be hot or be cold, for if you are lukewarm I will spit you out of my mouth”. Our Creator means business when it comes to being honest and pure of heart. One thing he cannot stand is self-righteousness and empty religion. Before I go, here’s food for thought. Halloween is the one holiday neighbors come out in droves and socialize door-to-door. Find ways to influence those neighbors for God’s kingdom, not push religion, but show love. See how God uses anything and everything to further His kingdom. Until next week, God bless.

27 OCT

2013

Fibromyalgia By Dr. Francis Smith

If you are among those who complain of pain all over the body and tiredness despite long hours of sleep, you may be suffering from fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome. Both illnesses are serious chronic illnesses with their own diagnostic criteria. Fibromyalgia is not exactly chronic fatigue syndrome but many patients have symptoms which meet the diagnostic criteria for both. Fibromyalgia affects mostly women and some men, and presents with multiple bone and joint pains, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, depression, tiredness and fatigue, bad memory and bad moods. Fibromyalgia may begin after a major surgery, accident, serious infection or any illness or condition causing prolonged or intense psychological stress. Sometimes, there is no history of the aforementioned causes. Symptoms: Persons with fibromyalgia complain of a constant nagging discomfort or dull ache in muscles, bones and joints on both sides of the body and above and below the waist (torso, pelvis, upper and lower limbs). There are specific areas of the body which hurt when pressure is applied and these are called tender points. There are 18 tender points which include the back of the head, between the shoulder blades, the top of the shoulders, the front sides of the neck, the upper chest, the outer elbows, top part of the hips, sides of hips and inner aspect of the knees. Physicians may diagnose fibromyalgia if there are 11 or more, of 18 tender points, if the pain has been present for at least three months, and if other illnesses like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, thyroid disease and peripheral vascular disease have been ruled out. Cause: Doctors don’t know exactly what causes fibromyalgia but believe that genetics may be a contributing factor, as well as other triggering events such as physical trauma (accidents) or emotional trauma and infectious disease. It is also believed that people with fibromyalgia may have a lower threshold for pain. Risk factors: Risk factors for fibromyalgia include sex (mostly affect women), hormonal fluctuations such as post-menopausal syndrome, infections, genetics or family history, sedentary lifestyle, rheumatoid arthritis or lupus erythematosus, fatigue, anxiety, depression, changes in the weather, lack of sleep, prolonged periods of traumatic or emotional stress. Treatment: Treatment for fibromyalgia involves medication, encouraging healthy lifestyle and regular exercise, psychological counselling and alternative medicine. Medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen (Alleve), and tramadol can help to relieve pain and stiffness. Amitriptyline or fluoxetine may improve sleep. Cymbalta may ease pain and fatigue. Neurontin or Lyrica may also reduce symptoms of fibromyalgia. People suffering from post-traumatic syndrome or emotional stress may benefit from a consultation with a psychologist. Getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and eating healthy food are most important in the treatment of fibromyalgia. Alternative medicine such as acupuncture, massage therapy, yoga and tai chi also help some people with fibromyalgia.

27 OCT

2013

THE BELIZE TIMES

Dean Barrow’s Moral High Ground

Five years ago, Prime Minister Barrow, in momentous decree at the foot of the National Assembly in Belmopan, declared “our national nightmare is over... I rise to report to you today, Mr.

Eyes Wide Shut! Continued from page 11 Ministry with his eyes wide shut, it seems. Hulse has been caught lying naked in a bed of lies. At first, he tried his best to deviate the attention away from the corrupt nationality section where some of his close allies are said to be placed. He insisted that the problem is the passport section of the Department, as if the fraudulent Kim Won Hong nationality document was insignificant. On the contrary, without the issuance of the illegal nationality document, the system would have been much more difficult to subvert. Hulse then launched a charade investigation into his own Ministry, where the rat was investigating who stole the cheese. He spoke reluctantly of a Senate investigation, only highlighting the challenges and limitations, even though some years ago, he championed the Senate’s involvement in investigating wrongdoing. Then he claimed that the Kim Won Hong document was the only one known to exist with Elvin Penner’s signature. But soon after, we saw another then another. Now suddenly there are so many that the UDP Leader has had to beg Penner to resign from the UDP. The biggest subversion and the most despicable of them is shameful Hulse’s denial of the corrupt sale of visas that is happening under his nose. “Absolutely none, I don’t know where they got that information from. No minister is allowed to sell visas. Nobody in this country is allowed to sell visas,” he pontificated before the media. But the Prime Minister shamed him, not only confirming reports that UDP Ministers are selling visas, but that the reports are that it is occurring at such an alarming rate that it could “bring down the UDP Government”. Godwin, you have been exposed. You have been weighed, measured and found wanting of the kind of stuff that makes good leaders. You are just another opportunist who will soon fade into the memory of what has been a UDP nightmare.

Speaker, that here in Belize finally our long nightfall too is lifted.” In reference to the PUP’s term in office, he said, “A people bludgeoned by abuse and lies jettisoned what must surely qualify as the foulest rule ever inflicted upon independent Belize.” But fish get ketch by ih mouth, and five years into his tenure, Belize now jettisons and endures the foulest yet in the form of the Noh Mul and Rosewood scandals, a grossly corrupt and mismanaged Public Health System, a hotbed of corruption in the Ministry of Lands and the passport and visa scandals. Dean Barrow and the UDP seized power with the promise of transparency and accountability, convincing the Belizean people that their obligation was to truth, and first loyalty, to the citizens of Belize. He is a brilliant lawyer, a professional at doublespeak, the language that deliberately disguises, distorts, or reverses the meaning of words. A study of Dean Barrow’s speeches and utterances confirms George Orwell’s view that political speech and writing are largely the defense of the indefensible. In response to questioning about his Minister of State, Elvin Penner, the Prime Minister said, “That nationality certificate was signed by Hon. Penner. Therefore, how are you going to look at the officers in the Nationality Section? In other words, who has had to fall on their

sword with respect to nationality is the Minister of State and this administration will not in fact preside over a process where public officers are made to take the fall for the actions of politicians.” As it turns out the only persons taking the fall are three public officers. Jules Vasquez created a vivid depiction of the UDP regime’s protecting a criminal when he asked, “Why are you circling the wagons around Penner”. Has the Prime Minister no conscience, no personal sense of ethics and responsibility-has he lost his moral compass? The UDP pressed for criminal charges and spoke of putting “bangles” on former PUP ministers but refuses to acknowledge and investigate the criminal actions of their own. Senator Godwin Hulse presides over a passport and visa quota scandal, which, like a wild bush fire, is spreading to the ministerial levels of the immigration, police and foreign affairs. To paraphrase Martin Luther King Jr., Prime Minister Dean Barrow, five years ago, signed a promissory note to which every Belizean was to fall heir: “There is no room for failure. We know that there is no room for anything other than to walk the straightest, truest governance course ever on behalf of the people of this country…We will lower GST. We will reduce the cost of living. We will bring down the price of fuel. We will distribute land to the poor. We will expand free edu-

29 cation. We will create jobs. We will do this, Mr. Speaker, while stamping out ministerial corruption and creating an administration properly policed by the Contractor General, the Auditor General, the Ombudsman, and the Upper House.” Corruption is defined as an act in which the power of public office is used for personal gain in a manner that contravenes the rules of the game. Prime Minister Dean Barrow, Sedi Elrington, John Saldivar, Senator Godwin Hulse and the kit and caboodle of the UDP have proven to be nothing more than self-aggrandizers and self-perpetuators who subvert and debauch key institutions of government to serve their interests and not that of their people. It is obvious today that the Prime Minister has defaulted on his promissory note, giving the Belizean people a bad, bad check. What will satisfy us? What will it take to lift our nation from the quick-sands of corruption, injustice and bad governance? It cannot be about the UDP or PUP. It is about truth, and first loyalty to the Belizeans citizens, before loyalty to party. It is about the Public Accounts Committee and Good Governance. It will take a joint enterprise of the media and civil society and all persons of goodwill to recover for Belize, the moral, political and social high ground. We will not be satisfied until “justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

THINK ABOUT IT CESSPOOL VS HOTBED The wanton and widespread hustling and corruption at the immigration department relating to passports and visas has been described as a cesspool of corruption. Speaking to Belizeans/American in Los Angeles a few days ago Prime Minister Barrow described the mess at the Ministry of Lands as a hot-bed of corruption. But he put the blame on the public officers. Dictionaries tell us that cesspool means a pit or a pool where sewage is collected. You know what sewage is. Dictionaries also tell us that hot-bed is a glass covered bed heated by a layer of fermenting manure for bringing forward plants rapidly. It is a place or a condition which allow for rapid growth of things that are bad. For example, the Ministry of Lands is where all the stealing, hustling, forgery, irregularities and corruption are rapidly growing from bad to worst to scandalous. To describe a government department or ministry as a hot-bed of corruption is the worst description that can be used. Coming from none other than the head of government who is both Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, it begs the question what corrective and preventative measures have been put in place? It raises the recent shocking statement from the Prime Minister when asked by the media about reports of ministerial hustling with visas. His responses – I have told my Cabinet if any of them are doing it, for God’s sake, stop it! Stop it! Unfortunately for Belize and the Prime Minister, the use of God’s name is of no consequence to corrupt and hustling Ministers. The duty of the Prime Minister was to put in place measures which are effective, transparent, punitive and accountable; with outside the department scrutiny and checks and balances on the regular basis. The call by Belizeans, the media, Canon Leroy Flowers, the Chamber of Commerce, The Teachers Union, Public Service Union, the Trades Union Congress, VIP political party, Francis Gegg and the Constitutional opposition for an Independent investigation into the Immigration Department must be intensified.

But it is the Book of Revelations that is of more concern to us right now. If we could apply some of its lessons to our sinful behavior. Since the UDP became the government in 2008, its leader did nothing to make changes and improvements in any of the departments. The power and the abuse of Ministers continued and no reforms in the areas of importance were done. Places like customs, Police, Immigration, Lands, Hospitals, Petroleum, and many others continued as they always did. Nothing changed with the change of government. The behavior of the UDP government and its leader was found wanting by the time of 2012 general elections and the people wanted a change. The UDP defeated the will of the people by bribery, corruption and treachery. Large numbers of immigrants were improperly given citizenship documents and placed on the voters list to corrupt the outcome in many constituencies. The very poor were taken for sucker and they were bought with dirty money. The UDP won the election by the skin of their teeth. And still nothing changed. Corruption and wrong doing became more pronounced. What Cabinet did with Rosewood angered many. The trampling of the Maya people to appease oily men was a hurtful thing. The callous response to the death of innocent babies at KHMH was an arrow in our hearts. Noh Mul and S.I.F. and on and on were too much to take. Even the patience of the Chwekes have been offended with the jacking of the Public Accounts Committee. And so, when the Penner scandal broke and the Prime Minister acted with his usual arrogance, the people would not take it. No amount of “I have put Penner out of Cabinet, so this matter is closed” would do. “I have already punished Penner so you people don’t tell me what else to do”, Oh, yea! Revelations came out on Wednesday night. A person who has been involved in obtaining visas for Chinese nationals, took to Channel 5 with revelation of what went down involving one of the several government Ministers. Other Ministers are involved. Other stories will come out. What is done in the dark will come out in the light.

Minister. He was shown a lot of photos of person who obtained visas through the Ministerial hustle system. He says he did point out several photos of person with Arab features who got visas. The Americans regularly ask Belize to extradite persons for trafficking drugs into the U.S.A. Let’s see if they will extradite anyone for trafficking Chinese, Indians and Russians into the U.S.A. Let us see which current Minister will have his U.S. visa revoked for endangering America’s security. Under U.S. law, if Penner passes through any U.S. airport he will be detained for questioning. DUTY CALLS The Constitutional Opposition represents 48% of the voters of Belize (2012 elections). The call by right thinking citizens for an independent investigation into the Immigration department coupled with the call from the Unions, the Chamber of Commerce and other civil organizations cannot go in vain. The Opposition has also called for such and investigation. The Opposition must now start to flex with court challenges and practical actions. One such action is for the Opposition to withdraw from all National Assembly Committees and from the Services Commissions, Advisory Council and any Boards in which it sits. The Opposition must reserve its right to attend certain House and Senate meetings and should hold meetings with all leaders of civil society to sensitize them on the gravity of the situation. The Prime Minister cannot mock and scorn the will of the people for a criminal investigation and an independent inquiry into immigration. The Opposition has a duty to the people and the Country. WHY SO HIGH Belize is now obtaining petrol and diesel through Venezuela at prices far cheaper than when the US companies Esso, Shell et al was selling us. Why are Belizeans paying so high prices at the pump for regular, premium and diesel? The new companies Puma, Uno and the Government have some explaining to do.

SURPRISE! SURPRISE! WHAT HUNDRED MILLIONS CAN DO

REVELATIONS In the Christian religion, the Holy Bible is probably the most important thing after God, and Jesus. The first book in the Bible is Genesis. It is about the beginning. The last book is called Revelations. It is about the end of all wicked things and a new beginning. There are 66 books that comprise the bible. In the second book called Exodus is to be found, at Chapter 20, the Ten Commandments. One of those Commandment is that we are not to take the name of our God in vain, for the Lord will not hold us guiltless that take his name in vain. We should not say, “for God’s sake, stop it”. Because that is using the name of our God wrongfully, for petty personal reasons that have nothing to do with him.

27 OCT

THE BELIZE TIMES

Surprise, surprise, the FIU is not investigating Penner for true. The public pronouncement of the head of the Financial Intelligence Unit, F.I.U. that an investigation had already started into the Penner matter was not true. The FIU cannot investigate any Minister in the UDP government. The FIU knows this and the Ministers know this. What the P.M. cannot do, and what the FIU cannot do, is stop the USA from investigating. A visa facilitator who has worked with a Ministry for two years in hustling thousands of dollars from the visa trade, went to the US Embassy in Belmopan to renew his visa. He was taken to a room at the Embassy and two person questioned him for over two hours getting full details of all his shenanigans with the

The Prime Minister who is also Minister of Finance has said there are millions of dollars in the coffers. He further elaborated by saying “millions upon million upon millions”. On another occasion he rolled out projects which would cost in the region of one hundred million dollars. A recent report of Caribbean countries economic situation shows Belize to be the third poorest country in the English speaking Caribbean. The World Bank annual index shows Belize to be as low as 15 out of 192 nations in the world. We are among the poorest of the poor. Where did one hundred million dollars in excess cash come from? Surely visas, passports and rosewood money did not increase the revenue that much. One hundred million dollars could go

2013

along way in helping the ailing economy and the suffering masses while keeping the ship of hard working citizen afloat. A cost of living adjustment for all public service employees, police, nurses, teachers, and BDF must be approved early. A quantum jump in the number of young people accessing high school and sixth form must be a priority. Massive education for all our young people and good health care are two priority. Poor people can’t eat stadium, bridge or cement streets. As important as there are, people come first. OMBUDSMAN MUST INVESTIGATE The Ombudsman is an important position. The person is appointed by a Resolution of both the Senate and the House of Representative. His other legal name reflects this. The law calls his the Parliamentary Commissioner. He is not a public officer. He answers directly to the National Assembly, which is made up of the two major political parties. The Ombudsman law, Chapter 5 of the law of Belize, gives the Ombudsman the power to investigate any Minister or public official if there is grounds to believe corruption or other wrongdoing has taken place. The ombudsman, if he has not already done so, needs to take his staff into the Immigration Department and immediately start a through investigation. If he does not, he will likely be taken to the Supreme Court for an order of mandamus to do the job which the taxpayers monies are paying him to do. Sir, don’t make Lisa Shoman have to haul you in front of the Chief Justice. SPEAKING OF LISA Lisa Shoman is a formidable attorney, Senator, Diplomat and Activist. Her suggestion to Hon. Godwin Hulse, Leader of Government Business in the Senate, to hold a Senate inquiry into that hot-bed currently known as the Immigration Department, should be well heeded. Our advice to Hon. Godwin, your reputation is taking a pounding in public opinion. You must have heard your erstwhile colleague Francis Gegg on television expressing his and many others’ deep disappointment with you. Do the right thing brother. Do the right thing. The Prime Minister and his cabinet are dragging you down, down, down. Down to the ground. You are part of a snake and ladder government. So you go up the ladder, the snakes swallow you and you go back down. JOSE MARTI Jose Marti was in Belize Who is Jose Marti? He is a national hero of Cuba. He is also one of the great writers and poets and nationalist leaders of our region. He lived from 1853 to 1895 and is considered the Apostle of Cuban Independence. He went to jail as part of Cuba’s war with Spain for Independence. In 1863 this great man accompanied his father in a travel to Belize. He wrote letters from Belize to Cuba. Those letters are in the Museum in Havana. Belize should honor the great Jose Marti in some way. Another well-done sculpture by Okeke, perhaps.

The Hon. Francis W. Fonseca and the People’s United Party congratulate and thank the Pallotine Sisters of Belize for 100 years of Service to our Country and People. May God continue to guide and bless your work in Belize!!

27 OCT

THE BELIZE TIMES

2013

King threatens Mayor Bradley

Wanted: Eric Chang! Belize City, October 23, 2013 Mayor Darrel Bradley’s incompetence and deceit is in full display in his inability to reel in passport scam suspect Eric Chang back to Belize, so he could face the public and answer some very serious allegations. Chang has been absent since early September. He had travelled with the Mayor and UDP Minister Edmond Castro to Taiwan, but took a sudden detour for unknown reasons. Since then he hasn’t returned to Belize, but his name has been kept on the news following the exposure of the Kim Won Hong passport scandal in which Chang and UDP Elvin Penner have been fingered as key players. In Chang’s absence, the Belize City Council has had no Deputy Mayor and no Councillor in charge of Works. But more importantly, an elected Councillor is accused of criminal wrongdoing and the Mayor has been unable to act properly. Can someone tell the Mayor of Belize City to stop pussyfooting over the passport scam suspect and pick up the phone to order him back to Belize? As Mayor, Bradley knows that the longer Chang stays away the worse it gets for his Council. Stripping Chang of his Deputy Mayor seat was meant to remove some of the heat Bradley is facing, but that hardly deals with the real issue. To save face, Bradley has been coming up with excuses and explanations for the reasons Chang has not returned home. Arrival dates have been postponed, and most recently, Bradley said that Chang’s parents are ill and he must stay longer in Taiwan. A guilty mind needs no accuser and Chang’s refusal to return to Belize is compelling. Maybe he believes the matter would have blown over like a little breeze, but clearly it hasn’t and won’t. Almost a month after the passport scandal was exposed, the issue remains the number one topic on the evening news and morning talk shows. Chang and Penner continue being the subjects of scrutiny and inquiry, but no criminal investigation. Come on Mr. Mayor. Pick up the darn phone. Call Chang! If that fails, then email him, or send him a tweet or facebook message! Let him know his stink can bring down your Council. The longer he stays away, the more suspicious he looks. Mr. Mayor, no more excuses, Eric Chang must be made to answer to the Belizean people and he needs to do so now.

Belize City, October 23, 2013 It seems like a smart political offensive set up by his challenger in Caribbean Shores, but the threats launched by UDP Lake Independence Area Representative Mark King on UDP Belize City Mayor Darrel Bradley come off much too personal to think that Santino Castillo may be instigating it. In an leaked email under the subject “Lake I” sent by King to Bradley on Tuesday October 22nd, King lets off on Bradley for failing to provide support for two projects which King had promised to deliver to residents in Lake Independence.

In the email, King berates Mayor Bradley for his failure to communicate with him and attacked him saying that “even sitting at the council to see you is like waiting for God”. King’s anger boiled over a few times as he wrote his email. “Is it so hard to pick up the God damn phone?” he asked. He also accused the Mayor of being a “one man island”. While King would have to explain what he meant by that, there was no ambiguity in his open threat to Bradley and the UDP Council when he wrote, “I will be sure to deface any support in cabinet for this f…ing council”.

Darell Bradley To remind Bradley of the kind of power which he believes he wields, he closed his email menacingly, “I hope Our new Deputy can talk some sense into u [sic]. We made Zenaida Rise and we made her fall…head [sic] the call…”

Canon Leroy Flowers calls for Independent Inquiry into passport scandal

“You cannot investigate yourself; that is impossible…” “…you cannot circumvent the process and expect that I will be satisfied,” he commented. Canon Flowers now joins a number of organizations who have called for an independent investigation at the Ministry. The Chamber of Commerce, the National Trade Union Congress, the Belize National Teachers Union, the Public Service Union, the Human Rights Commission and the Opposition have all called for an investigation. Prime Minister Dean Barrow has refused to heed the calls. The Opposition has said there must be an independent (Senate led) as well as a criminal (Police) probe into the glaring evidence of corruption at Immigration. The PUP Senators will introduce a motion for the Senate to approve the establishing of a Senate Inquiry at its next hearing.

I would like to confess that there is corruption in every single ministry of government starting with Lands and Immigration

WAT CH YOUR STEP : SEX SCA N AND DAL VIS SCA A M UND ER THE RUG

CARTOON

Belize City, October 23, 2013 The ever-outspoken Canon Leroy Flowers of the Anglican Church has added his voice to the loud calls for an Independent Inquiry into the scandal at the Immigration Department. While appearing on Channel 5’s Open Your Eyes on Friday morning, Canon Flowers called on the authorities to investigate the allegations of wrongdoing at the Ministry of Immigration. He said that the administration of justice must be fair, noting that ordinary people are prosecuted swiftly for regular crimes but others seem to be getting away with very serious crimes. Canon Flowers criticized Immigration Minister Godwin Hulse for his decision to investigate his own Ministry, saying, “You cannot investigate yourself; that is impossible…” He added that such an investigation damages the credibility of the process and cannot be viewed as genuine.

I really hope that I no have to come out from under this rug

THE BELIZE TIMES

27 OCT

2013