Belize Times April 23, 2017

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The Belize Times

Established 1957

The Truth Shall Make You Free

23 APRIL 2017 | ISSUE NO: 5042

www.belizetimes.bz | $1.00

FABER FAILS AGAIN!

Elena Victorious Despite UDP Tampering

Pg. 3 NO FAIRYTALE ENDING FOR PRINCESS…

BELIZEAN WATERS… GUATEMALAN OWNED!

Pg. 2

MINOR DROWNS… ANOTHER NARROWLY ESCAPES DEATH Pg. 2

Tuesday, April 17, 2017 Belize City Police are still on the lookout for a man, said to be Hispanic, for the brutal murder of Indira Thompson, better known as Princess, just before dawn on good Friday. Thompson,

Pg. 2

Indira Thompson

WPC

Becomes Fifth Cop

Interdicted

in One Month Pg. 3

0 22

23 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2017

MINOR DROWNS…ANOTHER NARROWLY ESCAPES DEATH it was a “freak accident,” with no fault or negligence by his mother and father. The family was winding down after a very busy Thursday at their water company, and they went to a restaurant to have dinner.

The baby was allowed to play with the other children around because the place is normally safe.

At this restaurant, there are 4 reservoir tanks filled with water that supplies nearby businesses, and on that night one of the tanks was not covered.

It appears that a stool was set up nearby by someone who was checking on the reservoir, and Little Zaem climbed up on it, and then unto the reservoir itself. It is believed that he lost his balance and fell in.

No one knows for sure how long he was in the water before the alarm was raised

Wednesday, April 19, 2017 With much focus on water activities during the hot Easter weekend, too frequently the holiday is marred by unfortunate and tragic drowning incidents.

The past weekend was no exception, as one young child unfortunately lost his life and another is hospitalized at the KHMH while her family hopes that she will pull through.

The deceased is 6 year-old Zaem Torres, a resident of San Pedro Town who fell into a vat on Holy Thursday night, April 13. At around 11 p.m., Police visited the Bay Side area of San Pedro town where they saw several persons trying to resuscitate the baby. He was immediately rushed to the Otto Rodriguez Polyclinic, but he was pronounced dead on arrival by the doctors on duty.

His uncle, Andre Perez, told the press that his parents are devastated by his sudden passing, and that

BELIZEAN WATERS… GUATEMALAN OWNED! Thursday, 20 April 2017 Toledo’s Wil Maheia who went on yet another trip to the Sarstoon on Tuesday has reported that Guatemalan fisherfolk were observed fishing with illegal gillnets in numbers.

This, he said, was occurring within a mile from Belize’s Sarstoon Forward Operating Base. He observed 12 Guatemalan vessels in Belizean waters. He questioned for the umpteenth time, “what is the use of the Base if it is not going to stop all the illegal incursions into Belize?” Maheia notes that for a while, the Belize Coast Guard and the Belize Defense Force seemed to be doing their jobs and the incursions appeared to have come to a halt but he surmises that this might have been because of their constant trips to the area but “the minute we dropped our guard it’s like business as usual.”

Maheia also observed that the Guatemalan fishermen had over a dozen gill nets with mesh sizes smaller than those allowed under Belize law. Maheia also observed a BDF vessel leaving enroute to Punta Gorda but they could not be bothered to

LOCAL 20 Apr

stop and intercept the Guatemalan vessels so “the Guatemalans were out having a field day in our waters,” said Maheia. The Belize Territorial Volunteer’s previous trip took place a couple weeks ago and on that occasion, they only observed one Guatemalan vessel in Belize’s waters.

As to that so-called protocol which was to have governed operations in the Sarstoon, the Belize Times has not been able to confirm if Guatemalan Foreign Minister Carlos Raul Morales has started taking the calls of Minister Sedi Elrington. In fact, we cannot even confirm that Elrington has indeed made any attempts to further any discussion on that protocol. We note that under Elrington and the UDP, Belizeans are now barred from the Sarstoon which is controlled by Guatemalan military AND Guatemalan fishers are allowed free access to Belizean waters, more so than our own Belizean fishers. Yet, Elrington boasts of great progress made under his watch.

WEATHER 21 Apr

22 Apr

23 Apr

to his absence, but his parents were in a panic to try to find him. Unfortunately, he was pulled out of the vat, and though exhaustive attempts were made to revive him, he passed away.

In Corozal Town, 9 year-old Samaria Azencio almost drowned on the afternoon of Holy Saturday, April 15, at around 2 p.m. She was swimming with her family in the Miami Beach area, and those near-

by got concerned when she went under and took too long to resurface. She was quickly rescued, and 2 adults came to her aid with emergency CPR. They eventually revived her, and she was transported to the Corozal Hospital in time. She has since been transferred to the KHMH, where she is in a critical but stable condition.

NO FAIRYTALE

ENDING FOR PRINCESS… Continued from page 1 35, was stabbed to death in a small shack built on the grounds of the old Bellevue Hotel. While Police have not revealed why they have come to that conclusion, they say that the man may have tried to force himself on Princess, and when she fought off his advances, she was killed.

According to reports, at around 4:00am that morning Princess arrived at the home she sometimes shared with a friend, Carl Morter. Morter claimed she was in the presence of another man, and he left them there when he went out to buy something. He further claims that when he arrived back, he found Princess dead on a mattress covered in blood, and the unknown Hispanic man hurriedly leaving. When media spoke to Morter, he displayed a jagged cut on his neck which he says was inflicted by Princess’ killer.

Police have sent out alerts asking persons, particularly at medical facilities, to be alert for any sign of a Hispanic man with cut wounds, believed to have been inflicted by Princess as she fought for her life. But Police haven’t ruled out Morter’s involvement or indeed any of the persons who lived in or near the shack where Princess was viciously killed.

According to Asst. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams, “He and every other person who was around at that time are still being treated as suspects but you will know that the law only provides us to be able to hold them for a certain number of hours and those hours have expired and so they were released but the investigation around them still continues."

Princess was well known to many residents on the Belize City Southside.

She was usually seen on either Albert or Orange Streets begging for money, or just relaxing on the street corner. Her

24 Apr

Carl Morter friends and relatives say that she had a very difficult past, and she was forced to fend for herself since her teenage years. There are also reports that she was battling with mental illness, which caused her to live as a homeless person, even though she had a place that she could stay.

Her family told the media that she was a substance abuser, and that is why she frequented the area of the old Bellevue hotel, known to many as a crack-house.

The Belize Times

Established 1957

14 APR 2013

|

ISSUE NO: 4840

The Truth Shall Make You Free

www.belizetimes.bz

|

$1.00

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23 APR

2017

THE BELIZE TIMES

FABER FAILS AGAIN!

Thursday, 20 April 2017 “Never in the almost 50 years of the BNTU have we seen this type of interference…” – Outgoing BNTU President Luke Palacio Voting finished at 4:08 this afternoon, and at 6:25pm today, the announcement was made that Elena Smith, educator, Senator and firebrand union member, had been elected new President of the Belize National Teachers Union, having garnered a majority of the 630 votes cast. It is an especially significant victory for Smith since she had drawn the wrath of the UDP government for her very vocal role in the BNTU strike of October, 2016. To show their displeasure, and likely fear, the UDP in the days leading up to the election did everything in its considerable power to sway the results of the election away from Smith and towards their chosen horse in the race, Mario Mesh from the Corozal Branch.

So overt was the UDP’s attempt to manipulate the election that it necessitated a three-hour long Council of Management meeting today, while hundreds of teachers waited

restlessly at the Escuela Secundaria Tecnica Mexico. While there was no indication what happened inside that closed-doors meeting, unconfirmed reports to the Belize Times suggest that one of the candidates, said to be the UDP’s horse in the race, may have been asked to step down but refused. But there was no confirmation of that as the Council of Management emerged after three hours.

But tension was palpable as current President Luke Palacio took the microphone and spoke at length about the political interference in today’s events.

All present had heard the stories of UDP operatives promising teachers a trip to the Free Zone after the voting, all expenses paid. There had also been reports of select teachers receiving monies to sway their votes, and of course, the ONE MILLION honorarium/bribe offered by Minister of Education Patrick Faber must have been on everyone’s mind.

Palacio pulled no punches, declaring that “Never in the almost 50 years of the BNTU have we seen this type of interference…some of us are fuelling this buy-out mentality that is going on in our country…they buy

WPC Becomes Fifth Cop Interdicted in One Month Wednesday, April 19, 2017 A woman police officer was placed on interdiction earlier this week. She joins another four officers who were recently interdicted and charged internally with “prejudice to good order.”

PC #1241 Ann Marie Anthony was caught on surveillance footage stealing 4 fifty dollar bills during a raid at the “Little Red Shop” in Santa Elena, Cayo on Good Friday. The storeowner filed her report on Tuesday, April 18 and told Police that she was at her establishment on the said date when at around 9:27a.m., some Police officers arrived to conduct a search for liquor (according to the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Act, Chapter 150 of the laws of Belize, “all licensed premises in which liquor is sold under a publican’s general license shall be closed (a) on Christmas Day and Good Friday”). During that search the cops seized assorted liquor but it was only after they had departed that she realized that $200 was missing from her cash box. When she reviewed the footage from her surveillance cameras, she noted that it was the WPC who had stealthily removed the money while the raid was being conducted.

The Commissioner of Police is said to have directed that the Western Regional Commander, Senior Superintendent of Police, Andrew Ramirez carry out an internal investigation. Following that probe, the culprit was identified as WPC Anthony. She has been arrested and charged with theft.

Of note is that a reporter based in San Ignacio was threatened with charges by Police for taking pictures while they were conducting the raid. She stated that she quickly passed by and snapped a couple photographs only to generate cursing from one of the officers present while another called her on her cell phone later and threatened to charge her with “obstruction of justice.”

While on the matter of cops on interdiction, we also note that Police have not reported on charges for additional officers in connection with the wayward behaviour of cops on San Pedro almost three weeks ago. This is despite the fact that the female victim seen in a video being brutalized by Police filed a complaint on April 4th and stated that only a couple of the officers who victimized her had been charged. Minister of Police, Hon. Elodio Aragon that same week told the media that the Professional Standards Branch was still recording statements and that other officers could face charges as well but it appears that with public scrutiny having subsided, the Department has slowed in its progress in the case.

our votes, they buy our loyalty, they buy our freedom and we need to stand up.” He went further to state that, “Individuals have come here in transportation provided for them by people who have nothing to do with the BNTU.” It is not the first time that the UDP has deeply infiltrated any union. In the years prior to the 2008 elections, then Leader of the Opposition Dean Barrow had created cozy relationships with members of the unions, using them for numbers against the PUP. That political interference in the unions so crippled them that even now there is deep division. Only the BNTU has stood strong, and stood up against corruption and mismanagement of this administration. It is that stance, with Elena Smith at the forefront, which has put the UDP against her.

Even against Faber’s promised million, handouts and bribes to certain teachers and overt attempts to manipulate the results of the election, the victory of Smith today is yet another message to the government that the teachers and the BNTU are standing strong and refuse to be bought.

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TIME TO GET UNITED...

AND DRAG BARROW OUT OF OFFICE!

0 44

THE BELIZE TIMES

Questions to Ministers

Would the Member for Queen Square and Minister of Finance please say now exactly how much money was paid to Mark Espat or his company for the restructuring of BarrowBond 3.0? Could he further say if indeed any monies have been paid to Attorney-General Michael Peyrefitte for his role in the restructuring as has been reported?

Would the Member for Queen Square and Prime Minister please say if there has been any accounting for the monies collected abroad by his wife, the Special Envoy for Women and Children, on behalf of the children of Belize? Could he further provide a detailed list of how that money has been spent in Belize?

Would the Member for Corozal Bay and Minister of Health please say what is the status of the Paediatric Ward at the KHMH, which was opened just before elections in 2015? Could he confirm or deny reports that the ward is not open to children over 5 years of age and parents staying with their children must sleep on the floor?

Would the Member for Collet and Deputy Prime Minister please confirm or deny reports that his former wife divorced him on the grounds of repeated mental and physical cruelty and abuse? Could he say if he feels that his reputation as a woman-beater would damage his ambition to be Prime Minister?

Would the Unelected Senator and Minister of Natural Resources please say why she has not allowed an investigation into the criminal wrongdoing of her UDP colleague, former Deputy Prime Minister and two term Minister of Natural Resources Gaspar Vega to be carried out?

Would the Unelected Senator and Attorney-General please provide an update on the lawsuit against son of Gaspar Vega, Andre Vega who was given $400,000 of taxpayer dollars by his daddy and has refused to return it?

Would the Member for Belmopan and Minister of Defence please confirm or deny reports that his Visa was cancelled by the US? And if so, could he say why? Could he also say if he and his run-man Dougie have made up after their lover’s quarrel recently?

Would the Member for Port Loyola and Minister of his own development please provide a list of properties and assets he has compiled since taking office? Could he also confirm or deny reports that his US Visa has been cancelled as a result of suspicion of involvement in certain criminal activities?

23 APR

2017

IF DAH NOH SOH!

Woman beater…

Patrick Faber, that little boy in a man’s body who wants to be the next Prime Minister of Belize, is a man who seems to enjoy beating up women. That really pisses me off. I was reading through some of the documents from his divorce just now and it’s a sad, sad thing what he put that woman through. Imagine that she had to basically run from this drunken, abusive fool to escape, leave the country even. He’s a sick little guy. And it’s a pattern. I remember him beating up another woman who ended up reporting him to the Police, and then withdrawing the report because, see, he was her boss at the Ministry of Education. I can’t imagine where this aggression against women comes from, but I know studies suggest that very often violence against women masks homosexual tendencies, or maybe even over-compensation for some deficiency in some other area. Just saying. And he wants to lead this country. He thinks he has what it takes, this little pissant who loves punching woman who are much smaller than him in the face. Incredible. I’m wrestling with my conscience here on whether I should just release the official Court document…we’ll see what happens.

30 pieces…

While the Ministry of Finance has just approved the disbursement of ONE MILLION DOLLARS of union busting money, this bloated, decrepit scribe understands that certain select teachers, those believed to be firmly in the UDP camp, were able to enjoy their Easter thanks to gifts of $350 and $500 each. I guess these were the openly rabid political teachers who threatened students to keep them in class during the strike and openly criticized the BNTU for standing up against the Government. I hope they enjoyed their thirty pieces of silver…

Political interference…

As I write this, the BNTU election is in an uproar because of the blatant interference by the UDP. According to the Council of Management, never in the 50 years of the union’s existence have they seen this level of interference. My people, seriously. What is happening to us? Is this really what we want for ourselves? Are we content to be sheep? I swear this shit frustrates me. The UDP has no place in the BNTU elections. But Faber is afraid of Elena Smith. Seems he’s afraid of strong women, those he can’t just punch in the face and bully. The election isn’t over yet…but I’m predicting that Faber and the UDP will get the sense before it’s done with.

Cookie jar…

There’re serious rumblings this week in the Dangriga Town Council after one of their own was allegedly found with his hand deep, deep, deep in the cookie jar. According to reliable reports, this certain fellow, Mr. Francisco, has been given some time to deliver monies he collected for the Mayor’s Cup football competition and also monies which were collected at the Bar but somehow haven’t made their way into public coffers just yet. From what I hear, the Mayor has threatened to call in the Police if the Councillor doesn’t come clean, and the Councillor has threatened that he will come clean on some of the shady happenings at the Council if the Mayor doesn’t back the hell off.

So that’s where it is at this point. Always some scurvy crap going on in this UDP I swear.

PICU… Here’s the thing…I remember hearing about big fundraiser in far-off Dubai and other exotic locales, hosted by the wife of the Prime Minister who is not the First Lady despite her loving that title. Anyway, it would be nice to know how much exactly was raised, and where exactly it went. For a while now we’ve been hearing that quite a significant money was raised and put into this foreign trust operated by the PM’s wife and Perla Perdomo, our representative at the UK. As far as we know, that money was for the PICU at the KHMH, but money details have been noticeably scarce. That unit was opened before elections with a lot of fanfare, but now we’re hearing that there’s still no room for patients to stay with their kids in the unit, so they have to sleep on the floor. We’re also hearing that children over the age of five have to go to the general ward because there’s no space in the PICU. Not casting any blame here…well not much, but we’d like some answers on this one.

Pablo’s niece…

Could somebody please explain why the parcel of prime property in front of the old SSB building in Corozal has been given to Pablo Marin’s niece? We’d just really like to find out what’s happening with that? Anybody? Lerd man couldn’t OB think about cleaning it up and maybe using the area as a public beach? How greedy do these UDPs really need to be? Haven’t they gotten enough?

Sorry Mayor…

So over the Easter weekend Hilberto Campos decided to go to Sarteneja but the line at the ferry was long. When he was told that the wait could be as long as two hours, the fellow decided to try his luck and drove to the front of the line. Well that was the saddest mistake he ever made. The people in line promptly told him to get back in line and when he refused, the Police were called in to deal with the matter. Of course, they tried to intervene on his behalf but the people weren’t having it and in the end, Campos had to get to the back of the line. It’s a small thing I know…but shows that the people are getting fed up of these idiot UDPs who think they’re better than everybody else and deserve certain privileges. There…that’s my rant. I’m done.

23 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2017

EDITORIAL Bigger than the Garland

A

s it always is, the debate over the results of the annual Holy Saturday Cross Country race has been fast and furious. As it always does, Facebook has become an instant breeding ground for experts – in this case cycling and sporting psychologists, analysts, trainers and coaches. None of the passionate rhetoric will change the fact that a Guatemalan cyclist, Alejandro Padilla, the defending cross-country champ, will be taking the garland to Guatemala once again. And not one of the Facebook arguments which generally deteriorate into petty and personal insults will change the fact that the top three spots were taken by foreigners – the second spot by an American, 48 years old, and the third by another Guatemalan, Alder Torres.

We extend congratulations to all the athletes who participated in the gruelling race – ALL of them regardless of nationality. Like all Belizeans, we share the disappointment that it was not one of our own who crossed that finish line first. And like most Belizeans, we share a certain discontentment in the knowledge that we have been upstaged by a country which refuses to accept our territorial integrity and continues to annex territory which is ours. But we hold absolutely no malice against the Guatemalan who won, or indeed any of the foreigners who bested our Belizeans.

In a response to one of the many Facebook posts, post-cross country race, masters class cyclist, long time sponsor and former UDP Minister Santino Castillo wrote, “…A National Team would be nice; but it is a very expensive venture.

Government would have to be prepared to shell out quarter million dollars yearly minimum for a 10-man team.” Santino should know, since he was in the belly of the beast, that $250,000 is the cost of just one of the luxury SUVs being driven by UDP Ministers. So we wouldn’t exactly call it an expensive venture in the scheme of things.

But this isn’t about Castillo, about our Belizean cyclists or even about the Guatemalan who won. It is about the culture of abandonment which shackles our athletes.

Why is it that we have to engage in so many of these particular discussions where our athletes are concerned? Why is it that we as a people are always fighting over why we didn’t win, why we didn’t perform flawlessly, why we didn’t place? We are a small nation. We understand. But there are smaller nations who have put their names on the world stage consistently where sports are concerned.

You know what the difference is? The governments of those countries take their youth and sports seriously. They look for the potential early and foster and fashion that potential. They recognize that sports is serious business and the entire country and people get a come-up when their athletes do well on the world stage.

They prioritize properly, and allocate monies to sporting programs which guide their athletes. And they see the results.

Here in Belize our Minister of Sports is an expert in lip service. There is no real interest in our youth, and no real interest in sports as a gateway to bigger and better things. This government would buy twenty SUVs for its Ministers, with heated seats, before it would sponsor even one cyclist, much less a national team. We have seen this lack of support, disrespect and disregard of our youths so many times. It is a national shame and disgrace.

What has to happen for our government to take our athletes seriously? Recently our national football team placed last in Panama – last place. When that happens, there is resounding silence from the Ministry of Sports and from the Minister of Sports, the man who would be Prime Minister of this country, Mr. Faber. If Belize had done well, Faber would have been posing for photo opportunities and hosting parties for our boys, taking credit where absolutely none is due. It must be humiliating for our athletes to face off against other countries, representing Belize, yet knowing that officialdom in the country they stand for did not have their backs.

Why is it that our young athletes, our stars, need to stand on the road near speedbumps with little cans in their hands begging for donations so they can represent our country? Why is it that we can spend thousands and thousands of dollars to claim an American gymnast and fete her and her family but we cannot fund one football program?

In this entire country, all 8,867 miles (minus what Guatemala has taken) there is not one adequate sporting facility for our athletes. There is not one state-sponsored program in any discipline which grooms our young stars and readies them for representation of the country on the regional or world stage. There is no government support - nothing for those who put it all on the line for our flag.

Until this government understands that it is more important to spend money on our youth than it is to spend many millions on momentary bribes to buy fleeting favour and win elections, we are doomed to mediocrity or less. Like his political boss the glimmer man, our Minister of Sports is a man of no substance. And sadly, even though we are a nation which produces exceptionally talented Belizeans, we will continue to fall short and fail because this government does not care.

05 5 en Español

Más Grande que la Guirnalda Como siempre, el debate sobre los resultados de la Carrera Ciclística Anual del Sábado de Gloria ha sido rápido y furioso. Como siempre, Facebook se ha convertido en un caldo instantáneo para expertos-en este caso de ciclismo y psicólogos del deporte, analistas, formadores y entrenadores. Ninguna de la retórica apasionada cambiará el hecho de que un ciclista guatemalteco, Alejandro Padilla, el campeón defensor de la carrera, se llevara la guirnalda a Guatemala una vez más. Y ninguno de los argumentos de Facebook que generalmente se deterioran en insultos personales y mezquinos cambiará el hecho de que los tres principales puestos fueron tomados por los extranjeros, el segundo lugar por un americano, con 48 años de edad y la tercera por otro guatemalteco, Alder Torres.

Extendemos felicitaciones a todos los atletas que participaron en la agotadora carrera – todos ellos sin importarnos su nacionalidad. Como todo Beliceño, compartimos la decepción de que no fue uno de los nuestros que cruzó esa línea de meta en primer lugar. Y como la mayoría de los Beliceños, compartimos un cierto descontento en el conocimiento que hemos sido eclipsados por un país que se niega a aceptar nuestra integridad territorial y continua anexando territorio que es nuestro. Pero no sentimos absolutamente ninguna malicia contra el guatemalteco que ganó, o de hecho cualquiera de los extranjeros que superaron a los Beliceños.

En respuesta a uno de los muchos comentarios del Facebook, posterior a la carrera del sábado de Gloria, el ciclista de la categoría máster, patrocinador de ya hace mucho y ex ministro UDP Santino Castillo escribió, "... Un equipo nacional sería bueno; pero es una empresa muy costosa. El gobierno tendría que estar preparado para desembolsar un cuarto de millón de dólares anuales como mínimo para un equipo de 10 hombres". Santino ha de saber, puesto que estuvo en el vientre de la bestia, de que $250.000 es el costo de un SUV de lujo que manejan los ministros UDP. Así que no lo llamaríamos exactamente una empresa costosa dado el esquema de las cosas.

Pero esto no es sobre Castillo, sobre nuestros ciclistas Beliceños o incluso sobre el guatemalteco que ganó. Se trata de la cultura de abandono que constriñe a nuestros atletas. ¿Por qué es que tenemos que participar en muchos de estos debates en particular que lo se refiere a nuestros atletas? ¿Por qué es que como pueblo estamos siempre discutiendo sobre por qué no ganamos? ¿Por qué no logramos ejecutar impecablemente? ¿Por qué no logramos clasificarnos? Somos una nación pequeña. Lo entendemos. Pero hay naciones más pequeñas que han colocado sus nombres en la escena mundial consistentemente en cuanto a deportes. ¿Sabe usted cuál es la diferencia? Los gobiernos de esos países toman seriamente a su juventud y los deportes. Buscan el potencial temprano y fomentan y diseñan ese potencial.

Reconocen que el deporte es un asunto serio y que el país entero y el pueblo se elevan cuando a sus atletas les va bien en el escenario mundial. Priorizan correctamente y asignan fondos para programas que guían a sus atletas. Y ven los resultados.

Aquí en Belice, nuestro Ministro de Deportes es un experto en palabrería. No hay ningún interés real en nuestra juventud y ningún interés real en el deporte como portal de entrada a cosas más grandes y mejores. Este gobierno compraría veinte vehículos todoterrenos (SUV) para sus ministros, con asientos calefactables, antes de patrocinar a un ciclista, mucho menos un equipo nacional. Hemos visto esta falta de apoyo, falta de respeto y desprecio a nuestros jóvenes muchas veces. Es un escándalo y vergüenza nacional. ¿Qué tiene que pasar para que nuestro gobierno tome en serio a nuestros atletas?

Recientemente nuestro equipo de fútbol se colocó de último en el torneo en Panamá, último lugar. Cuando esto sucede, es rotundo el silencio del Ministerio de Deportes y del Ministro de Deportes, el hombre quien pudiere convertirse en Primer Ministro de este país, el Sr. Faber. Si Belice hubiera hecho bien, Faber habría estado posando para tomarse fotografías y festejando con nuestros chicos, tomando crédito donde absolutamente no lo merece. Debe ser humillante para nuestros atletas enfrentarse a otros países, representando a Belice, a sabiendas que los funcionarios del país que representan no los apoyan. ¿Porque es que nuestros jóvenes deportistas, nuestras estrellas, necesitan pararse en el camino cerca de baches con recipientes pequeños en sus manos pidiendo donaciones para que puedan representar a nuestro país? ¿Por qué es que podemos gastar miles y miles de dólares para presumir de un gimnasta americana y festejarla a ella y a su familia pero no podemos financiar un programa de fútbol?

En este país, en todas las 8.867 millas (menos lo que Guatemala se ha tomado), no hay una instalación deportiva adecuada para nuestros atletas. No hay un programa patrocinado por el estado en cualquier disciplina que prepare a nuestras jóvenes estrellas y que los aliste para la representación del país en lo regional o al nivel mundial. No hay ningún apoyo del gobierno - nada para aquellos que ponen toda su dedicación en línea por nuestra bandera.

Hasta que este Gobierno entienda que es más importante gastar dinero en nuestros jóvenes que el gastar muchos millones en sobornos momentáneos para comprar favores efímeros y ganar las elecciones, estamos condenados a la mediocridad o menos. Al igual que su jefe político el hombre vislumbre, nuestro Ministro de Deportes es un hombre de ninguna sustancia. Y lamentablemente, a pesar de que somos una nación que produce Beliceños excepcionalmente talentosos, vamos a seguir quedando cortos y fracasando porque a este gobierno no le importa.

0 66 TOMARI’s FAMILY SUES MONKEY BAY Wednesday, April 19, 2017 It’s been just over 14 months since the 14-year-old American student, Tomari Jackson, died in Belize from drowning while he was on a week-long study-abroad trip. He was part of a group of 33 US students and their chaperones from North Cobb High School in Kennessaw, Georgia. His family is now suing Belize’s Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, the Cobb County School

2017

Brothers Die in 40Ft Well Wednesday, April 19, 2017 Two brothers died over the Easter weekend after suffocating. They were trying to clean out a well, but the toxic gases at the bottom overwhelmed them.

It happened on Holy Friday, April 14, at the Coyoc family farm in the Goat Hill area of Orange Walk, sometime around 11:30 a.m. Twenty-six year-old Jeovani “Jovi” Coyoc, and his older brother, 41 year-old Isidro “John” Coyoc were working on the 40-foot well to clean it. Jeovani was at the bottom, and he suddenly started to choke on toxic fumes.

Seeing his brother’s distress, Isidro Coyoc reportedly went looking for help nearby, but he couldn’t find any.

He then rushed back to try to rescue his brother, and he entered into the well also. Unfortunately, the ters of the Sibun River, and his attempts to get the attention of others around. It also reportedly shows him saying “help” more than once before sinking to the bottom of the river. His body was later found, and police believed that he became tangled in underwater debris.

The family’s attorney told reporters that the video shows inattention from the chaperones who were supposed to be looking after the safety of the children. She said, “There is evidence from the video [that] there were chaperones…not

System, and the trip’s chaperones.

A key piece of the evidence expected to be part of the case is video footage, which, according to US Press reports, captures Jackson’s last moments alive. He was wearing a portable camera, and his family believes that it is proof that his death was preventable.

They held a press conference on Good Friday, April 14, and their attorney told US reporters, “We now have…possession of that video camera with the video tape…

It chronicles his last breath.” Jackson’s mother, Adell Forbes added, “I’m led to believe after looking at the video that his safety was never a priority or concern. That’s beyond amazing and it breaks my heart even more… This really should never have happened.”

The video of his last moments were not released to the press because the family says that they want to blur the images of the other students and their chaperones and protect their identities. The press reports out of the US all indicate that a part of the video was played for reporters who attended the press conference. It reportedly showed Tomari Jackson in the wa-

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THE BELIZE TIMES

paying attention to what was going on… We hear his cries for help. No one was paying attention to Tomari Jackson.”

On Tuesday, April 19, Matthew Miller, the Managing Director of the Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary sent out a press release responding to inquiries for a comment on the lawsuit. The statement does not address the lawsuit at all, but it does say, “Our Monkey Bay Crew is very compassionate about our work. We are in good standing with all local licensing and regulatory agencies, and actively maintain and rehearse safety and security procedures on a recurring basis. Immediately following Tomari's accident, Monkey Bay directors reached out and communicated with Tomari's family and witnessed to his mother Adell what had happened at the Sibun River.

Matt Miller, Monkey Bay Director, travelled to Atlanta with Tomari's remains to meet with Adell and personally express our collective sorrow for the accident. We also contributed funds to assist with funeral expenses and later visited Tomari's gravesite in Marietta, GA to pay our respects.”

Jeovani “Jovi” Coyoc

Isidro “John” Coyoc

fumes which overcame his brother also overpowered him, and by the time any help arrived, both men were already unconscious and holding on to ropes. First responders say that one of the men was already face down in 4 feet of water that was at the bottom of the well.

They were removed as quickly as possible, but when they were transported to the Northern Region-

al Hospital, they both were pronounced dead on arrival. It is suspected that the fumes were a mix of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide that is naturally released by the earth’s crust at the bottom of wells deeper than 30 feet. Because these gases are trapped and stagnant, they become poisonous to anyone who descends to the bottom of these wells and breathes them in.

FINGER LICKIN' BBQ Support The PUP Corozal Bay Executive Finger lickin' BBQ Sale.

$7.00 a plate - 10:00 am on Saturday April 29, 2017 at the PUP Corozal Bay Office on College Road

23 APR

2017

Barrow Approves Faber’s MILLION DOLLAR Middle Finger

Thursday, 20 April 2017 Word has been received that the Ministry of Finance has given its approval for the disbursement of a MILLION DOLLAR honorarium to teachers who did not join the strike of the Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU) last October. The big payout was promised by Education Minister, Hon. Patrick Faber (with the Prime Minister’s consent).

Faber told the media on April 3rd that they hoped to make the payment

Guatemalan Congress Rejects Bid to Change Official Map Thursday, 20 April 2017 The Guatemalan Congress recently considered a proposal for its official map to be changed to include Belize as part of its territory with the annotation that there is a “territorial, insular and maritime differendum pending resolution.” If passed, the map would include a dotted line instead of a straight line indicating the boundary and above the dotted line would be written the words “limit not d e f i n e d .”

H oweve r, the proposal was voted down. 84 parliamentarians voted against it while 26 voted in its favour.

The resolution was proposed by Congressman Luis Fernando Montenegro who stated that currently, Guatemala’s map is truncated

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THE BELIZE TIMES

but parliamentarian Mario Taracena responded that while he understood Montenegro’s good intentions, “the foreign policy of the country is directed by the President of the Republic.”

Had the motion passed, all entities of the state would have been required to carry and display the map with the dotted line.

before the Easter break. However, we have been informed that the Ministry of Finance only just notified of its approval this week.

We have learned that the payment could not be disbursed for all non-striking teachers because the responsible government staff was still processing the salary adjustment for teachers and public servants to be reflected in this month’s payroll. Therefore, the honorarium should be paid out next month.

There are credible reports, though, that some teachers have in fact received payments of $350 and $500 which constitute the honorarium they are expected to receive. The $350 payment is going to the teachers who showed up for classes during the 11 days of strike in October while those getting $500 would have also showed up for work on the three days in January that the Ministry (in concert with school managements) set aside as make-up time without consulting the BNTU. The Minister of Education has refused to confirm any of this information to the media but what is 100% certain is that if the Min-

istry proceeds with the payment of the honorarium, the Government would be ignoring the collective hue and cry of unions and civil society organizations including the BCCI which have roundly condemned the decision as an act of union busting and reckless spending.

The ruling party has been accused of trying to buy votes for the BNTU election slated for Thursday April 20 in San Roman Village, Corozal. Three people including Senator Elena Smith, Troy Coleman of the Stann Creek branch and Mario Mesh of the Corozal Rural branch vied for the position.

But reports have been rampant that the UDP shamelessly embarked on a bold crusade to have Mesh elected in fear that the tenacious Elena Smith with a proven unionist track record could be chosen. They have been accused of intending the MILLION DOLLAR so-called honorarium to serve as payment for votes. On Wednesday evening, the DPM and his agents were meeting to coordinate efforts and Faber himself was seen in the North a couple times recently meeting key people.

PUP NOTICE The People's United Party informs ALL supporters in all nine (9) municipalities countrywide that applications are now being accepted for the posts of MAYOR & COUNCILORS for the March 2018 Municipal Elections. For further information, please contact your local Executive Chairperson or the PUP Secretariat.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Shenanigans at Sales Tax Department – Part I Contributed Article The Ministry of Finance’s attempt to explain away the allegations made by OIC of PG Elmer Reyes, is a week attempt to deflect any damage Reyes’ letter may have caused. How can the Ministry say that it categorically rejects "any suggestion of manipulation on the part of the GST Senior Management of any Audit carried out by mid-level to lower level GST Auditors," when Reyes’ letter sites several cases without calling names?

One would think that instead of throwing Reyes under the bus, the FINSEC would have embraced this opportunity to meet with Reyes and review the cases he referred to.

After all, the objective of the GST ACT is to protect the tax payer from abuse by the GST Department, and to protect the revenue from unscrupulous tax payers. This means that the law demands just and fair treatment of the tax payer. The Commissioner must act within the confines of the law. Any assessment methodology adapted must be fair and transparent, and must conform to those internationally accepted standards. The Commissioner has an obligation to share methodology and working papers with the tax payer. Not to do so is a position that has been frowned on by the Supreme Court on numerous occasions on similar matters. A number of Supreme Court Justice Courtney Abel’s summations have seriously criticized organization such as the Business Tax Department for acting capriciously. He seems to be totally against organization depriving persons of property without offering reason and advising the aggrieved party of any rights they may have to appeal.

As to the SolGen’s quote regarding the letter sent by Mr. Reyes stating that "it is highly improper for a (regular) Officer to challenge the method of assessment recommended by (senior) Management/ Supervisor of Audit and it is an attempt to bring a major revenue department into disrepute," this is a feeble attempt at insulating the Commissioner.

However, it has no basis in this case since GST is a creature of law requiring specialized personnel.

The processes and tools adapted in terms of assessments standards must conform to internationally accepted principles. Mr. Reyes, as an experienced tax assessor is more than competent to differentiate what is the acceptable standard.

As a matter of fact, he is more competent and equipped than the Commissioner to determine such

processes and methods. This is why he is the Field Auditor. The Commissioner has years of experience in the Finance Sector of Government is basically a retired white elephant that was brought back from retirement to fulfill a task that was deemed possible for her to handle by the PM himself, nothing else. She depends on the technocrats in her department to read, defend against and fight for summations derived from ALL spreadsheets brought to her. She does not possess any special skill set that would place her above Mr. Reyes’ competence whatsoever.

On the other hand, the Commissioner holds a dual function.

The Commissioner administrates the tax functions set out in the GST ACT. The Commissioner also acts as an Arbiter in tax review cases. The Commissioner therefore must be a balanced and objective person. She must therefore not get too personally involved in the assessment process, since it could well be required to be objective and fair when her assessments are called into question.

Since the Reyes exposure, numerous business houses have come forward with their own horror stories of bad experiences with a seemingly obnoxious commissioner. It appears that there is a mounting arrears situation at GST that is quite vexing to the Commissioner. This is so because the Commissioner arbitrarily violates the very same ACT that she is charged with administrating, either willfully or through ignorance.

On February 19, 2010, the Commissioner wrote a registrant informing that for a review to be considered, a deposit of 50% of taxes in question must be first paid. This demand we now know is unconstitutional. The deposit was made, and up to today’s date the result of that review is still

pending.

In a meeting with this tax payer’s agent, the Commissioner informed the agent that his employer should consider himself lucky because the tax payer was no angel. In another case before Hon. Justice Abel, during a court recess the Commissioner verbally abused a prominent businesswoman from Daily Street, to everyone’s surprise before the very SOLGEN. It is alleged she hinted that the businesswoman was living lavishly off GST’s money.

Recently, the Hon Abelardo Mai brought up a case from one of his constituents in Blue Creek during his Budget Debate. That case is centered around the Commissioner’s illegal deregistration of a registrant to forcefully take away almost $200,000 in refund due the tax payer since 2013. The tax pay-

23 APR

2017

er it seems is of the opinion the Commissioner illegally confiscated the refund to cover up the fact that the Department was in violation of section 35 (3) of the GST ACT which mandates refunds to be paid after 3 months with interest. This tax payer apparently was harassing GST for his refund which remained outstanding from 2013.

The Ministry of Finance by saying it supports the illegal action of the Commissioner’s assault on legitimate business persons is egregious. The Commissioner’s assault on businesses is tantamount to an abuse of office and the Ministry of Finance should not in any way countenance such bad for business behavior.

This is but the tip of the iceberg and a serious attempt to take a class action suit to the Supreme Court is being contemplated since this set of actions, insults and irregularities seems to be the norm, condoned by the Ministry of Finance, defended by the Sol Gen and condoned by the FINSEC. This will not blow over.

A BELIZE THAT WORKS FOR ALL OF US!

23 APR

2017

Barrow, Faber and the BNTU!

By: Major (Ret’d) Lloyd Jones Patrick Faber boldly announced on April 3rd, 2017, that he and the Barrow Administration intends to give, as an honorarium, one million dollars of tax payers money to those teachers who did not heed the noble call of the Belize National Teachers Union (BNTU) to stand up for Belize. The backlash was fast and furious: the BNTU, the NTUCB, the CWU, the BCCI and just about every decent Belizean complained about this glaring use of public funds for overt political ends even as Faber and the UDP raised taxes on the poor.

Many thought that the move by Faber and Dean Barrow was a long term investment to undermine any future industrial action by the BNTU. Many thought the honorarium would cause more teachers to defect the next time around. Remember now, the BNTU has already told Barrow that re-registration must commence in July of this year, as required by law.

And we all know that Barrow, Faber and the UDP don’t wish to clean up the voters list, certainly not before the next municipal elections. They hope to take us to the next general elections

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THE BELIZE TIMES

with that same contaminated voters list if we let them.

Though the above train of thought is legit, the real motive for Faber’s honorarium is to take over the BNTU leadership altogether. When the nation became aware that the BNTU’s elections were right after the Easter holidays Faber’s underhanded plot was laid bare. Faber, unlike many of us, knew that the elections for senior leadership positions of the BNTU would be coming up after the Easter so he timed the delivery of the honorarium to coincide with the Easter holidays. Those disloyal teachers

would be given an inducement not for remaining in the classroom, as had been indicated by Faber, but in effect to cast their vote against the Hon. Senator Elena Smith and in favor of a UDP flunky. An outright bribery, using public funds. Faber’s thinking is that having just received an honorarium of about $500 each, those teachers

would be hard pressed not to do his bidding. We now know what tickles Faber’s fancy. He wants the President of the BNTU to be a UDP loyalist!

He trembles at the idea of becoming Prime Minister and having to face an independent and united BNTU. If Faber can be intimidated by the idea of a strong, vibrant, unarmed union; imagine what he will do in the face of a saber rattling Guatemala. Is this the man we wish to lead this country?

Luke Palacio, the outgoing president of the BNTU, has been a fierce defender of anything Belize. He led the BNTU to the justified position that

they had to take back Belize from an increasingly arrogant, corrupt and incompetent Barrow Administration.

Such a move took great courage. He has become political enemy number one. The Barrow Administration threw everything they had at Palacio and the BNTU: Patrick, Sedi, Finnegan, John, Tracy… but Luke would not be moved. He was David-like in his resistance. The Teachers succeeded in making Belize’s democracy so much better and all Belizeans should be thankful.

We don’t know when or at whose behest it happened but it appears that the UDP made a decision that there must never be a repeat of the strike by the Teachers. We would have been happy if they had made a decision to never give the Teachers an excuse to repeat such a strike. We would suggest that good, corruption-free governance would ensure that there would be no such strikes in the future. But that is way too much to ask of Barrow, Faber and the UDP. If their naked attempt to interfere in the affairs of the Teachers is any indication of things to come, we can safely say that we should not expect any good, corruption-free governance from them. Since we understand that it is Faber who has engineered the assault against the Teachers, we are certain we won’t get such governance under his watch as PM. Perhaps we might be prepared to take our chances with John?

Belizean Beauty

TOPMODEL

Nestora Trapp

School: Sacred Heart Junior College Location: Belize City FB: Nyra N Lopez DOB: November 23rd, 1995

"I see a Belize riddled by crime, poverty and generally on the wrong track. As a country we have enough problems, so instead of tearing down each other, let us focus on what we can do TOGETHER to make Belize a better place for all Belizeans."

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2017

Bex Walks Hellish Road to Miss Universe Thursday, 20 April 2017 Miss Belize Universe 2016, Rebecca Rath, won the hearts of Belizeans who banded together to cheer her on during her intense journey to the Miss Universe pageant in Manila in January 2017. Reproach and odium, however, allegedly came from an unlikely source - the Miss Belize Universe country director, Opal Enriquez.

In a five-part blog released piece by piece during the 2017 Easter break weekend, Rebecca’s father, Tony Rath, the acclaimed photographer based in Dangriga made the detailed and insightful revelations of the family’s dalliance with the pageant world. It wasn’t just fun and roses – and they did not expect it to be all smooth sailing but neither were they prepared for the turbulence they would experience.

Rebecca was inexperienced in the pageant world but as her father meticulously outlined, she was born to thrive. “You’re built for a kill shot, not high heels,” Tony told his daughter when Bex, as she is affectionately known, first pitched the idea of competing in the Miss Belize pageant. The sleek “rough and tumble” volleyball enthusiast would soon (in a few short months) turn herself into a powerful beauty queen contender, putting in hours upon hours of practice to walk in high heels, model and rehearse speeches—and the smile? That one came naturally.

But as Rath details, all of Rebecca’s hard work was greatly undermined by Enriquez, therefore much of her training and overall preparedness for the three-week Miss Universe pageant was due in great part to Bex having lucked out on overwhelming support from Belizeans and strangers who, in some case, were meeting the charming 23-year-old for the first time. In part one of the blog titled “The Rocky Road to Miss Universe”, Rath recounted, “I found that pageants can bring out the good in a country; the bad in people; and the outright ugliness in individuals.” He would later tell in part 2 that Rebecca’s stress to transform herself into a competitive beauty queen was augmented by “the appalling, narcissistic and bizarre behavior of the Miss Universe country director Opal Enriquez.”

Rath revealed that as the days un-

Tony Rath

Opal Enriquez

folded ahead of the Miss Belize pageant on September 10, 2016 they “began to see glimpses of Opal Enriquez’s true nature as a bully of the most insidious kind, a woman in a position of authority over younger, less experienced women…

Enriquez made disparaging remarks to a less experienced candidate, mortally wounding her confidence and turning her Miss Belize pageant into a nightmare. She then tried to pit the young women against each other, fostering ‘competition’ she would say.”

Once Rebecca had won the Miss Belize pageant, as recorded in part three of Rath’s blog, Enriquez allegedly dared to suggest that Rebecca get breast implants and injections to remove lower back fat. Rath further reports that “valuable time and energy that should have been put towards preparing and supporting Bex for the Miss Universe contest went into managing every aspect of her schedule — training, social media exposure, wardrobe and fund raising — all the things Enriquez promised but failed to do as the country director.”

Perhaps the most egregious underhandedness on the part of Enriquez and Queen of the Jewel Ltd., claims Tony Rath, had to do with financing and the organization’s responsibility to get Bex to Manila. Essentially, the Raths had to fend for themselves, running after Enriquez to cover all the bases and when they began discovering the truth about her, she threatened to take away Rebecca’s crown. Specifically, the Raths allege that the family had to make the outstanding US$4,500 payment for the Miss Universe Organization license fee. Additionally, it is said that while Re-

es Enriquez’ most heart-breaking and devious diatribe against Rebecca. According to Rath, other contestants and even a country director divulged that Enriquez had spread rumours to whoever would listen before the finals and during the preliminaries that the Raths had stolen money from the online GoFundMe account and that they were bad people. Tony Rath feels that this might have had something to do with Rebecca not placing in the top 13 of the pageant.

During the early stages of the promotion of the Miss Belize pageant when the organization received endorsements from entities like BTB and NICH, Enriquez alluded to a $25,000 scholarship from the Ministry of Education but to date, that has not been awarded. Enriquez has not responded to requests for comment about Tony Rath’s blog which can be found on his Facebook page in his name.

becca was to receive a BZ$10,000 prize towards her Miss Universe wardrobe upon winning Miss Belize, she only received US$1,000 and a Fernando Wong dress. Enriquez reportedly claimed that since the dress was worth US$4,000, her wardrobe obligation to Bex was fulfilled.

Even the professional videographer and photographer, Christian and William Byrd from LA experienced Enriquez’ “shoddy accounting practices” as they were not paid for their services and are suing as a result, according to Rath. As a norm, Rebecca was to take a gift for all the other contestants but Enriquez failed to provide those so the Raths had to step up to the plate.

In part five of the blog, Rath expos-

NOTICE

BY ORDER OF THE SUPREME COURT OF BELIZE LICENSE AUCTIONEER NOEL J. CODD will sell the following vehicles on Tuesday May 2ND, 2017 AT 10:00a.m. in front of Noel J. Codd office, Carmelita Village, Orange Walk District 1 Mitsubishi Outlander 1 Suzuki Grand Vitara TERM: STRICTLY CASH

NOEL J. CODD Licensed Auctioneer

Carmelita Village, Orange Walk District

Tel: Office: 677-5184 cell: 624-5184 Email:noelcoddaction@yahoo.com www.noelcoddinc.com

@Noel Codd Auctioneer

23 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2017

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12 SPORTS

THE BELIZE TIMES TIMES THE BELIZE

8 JAN 26 FEB 21 29 AUG JAN 23 APR

2017 2016

GUATEMALA TAKES THE GARLAND… AGAIN Belize City, April 15, 2017 No Belizean brought home the garland this year, as last year’s champ - Guatemalan cyclist Alejandro Padilla Miranda returned as Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Champion in the 89th edition of the Cycling Federation of Belize’s annual classic race from Belize City to San Ignacio and back on the George Price Highway.

Padilla clocked 5:53:05 over the 140-mile race, which was 13 minutes slower than 19-year-old Ryan Bauman’s 2008 record time of 5:40:12. The visitors also cleaned up most of the cash prizes on the road; Padilla and American Patrick Raines had sat in the back of the peloton conserving their energy until the final 19 miles, but Padilla won another $625 in prizes from mile 8 to mile 6.

Raines won 4 station prizes of $1,000 each at Mile 13, Leslie’s Imports, at Jawmeighan’s grave and at the BWS offices, as well as 8 other prizes between Vernon Street and Famers market, for a total of $5,050 in prizes.

Torres was “The Winner Takes It All” as he swept 48 station prizes from Blackman Eddy on the outward leg, to mile 36 on the return for an $8,970 haul. He also cleaned up another $1,250 in prizes from Mile 19 to the finish, for a total of $10,220 in cash, plus many other prizes.

In the 20/20 vision of hindsight, the Guatemalans strategy becomes clear: Torres was the ‘rabbit” for the Belizean riders to give chase, destroying their energy reserves and stamina in futile pursuit.

When the chase group finally caught Torres at mile 35, it gave him a chance to catch his second wind; while Mexican rider Rudy Rincon and a few others Brandon Cattouse, Nissan Arana and Bill Elliston won a few station prizes; and Padilla bridged the gap from the main peloton to the lead group.

Then with Padilla in tow, Torres was off again at mile 19, and only Raines gave chase. Padilla had the energy reserves to win the final sprint in the last 500 yards to the finish.

1st Alejandro Padilla– Guatemalan team – 5:53:05 - $6,400 prize & 5 trophies.

2nd Patrick Raines – Team Ken’s Bike Shop (USA) - 5:53:26 - $4,100 prize.

3rd Alder Torres – Guatemalan team - 5:53:28 - $2,000 prize & trophy.

4th Ron Vasquez – Team SMART/C-Ray - 5:55:08 - $1,000 prize.

5th Brandon Cattouse – Team SMART/C-Ray - 5:58:42 - $800 prize.

6th Bill Elliston (USA) – 2005 Cross Country champ - 5:58:44 $600 prize.

7th Oscar Quiros – Team SMART/C-Ray - 6:00:03 - $425 prize.

8th Giovanni Lovell - Team DigiCell 4G - 6:00:07 - $325 prize (9th actual) Justin Williams – 2015 champ -6:01:28 – penalized for illegal passing in the sprint, set back to 22nd place.

9th David Flynn –Team Ken’s Bike Shop (USA) - 6:01:28 - $225 prize.

10th Joslyn Chavarria – Team DigiCell 4G - $150 prize.

11th John Delong - Team Ken’s Bike Shop (USA) - $100 prize.

12th Phillip Truppelli - Elliston’s Coaching - $100 prize.

13th Rudy Rincon - Team Quintana Roo - - $100 prize.

14th Kenroy “Smokes” Gladden - Team Kulture Megabytes - $100 prize.

15th Richard Santiago - Team Benny’s Megabytes - $100 prize.

16th Quinton “Baddest” Hamilton - $75 prize.

17th Angel Tzib - Team Westrac Alliance - $75 prize.

18th Robert Liam Stewart - - $75 prize.

19th Chris Harkey – Team Ken’s Bike Shop (USA) - $75 prize.

20th Herman “Hijo” Requena – Team Westrac Alliance - $75 prize.

All top 20 finishers received trophies.

29th Veteran Cross Country champ Fitzgerald “Palas” Joseph 6:23:36 – 1st Masters 50+ 32nd Nashan Ysaguirre – Team Cabral/Marin - Youngest Rider trophy.

Champ, Alejandro Padilla

2nd, Patrick Raines

3rd, Alder Torres

4th, Ron Vasquez

5th, Brandon Cattouse

6th, Bill Elliston

7th, Oscar Quiros Jr.

8th, Giovanni Lovell

8 MAY 31 26 JUL FEB 12 JUN 14 23 19 AUG APR JUN

2016 2016 2017

09 11 SPORTS 13 BDF Challenge Bandits in PLB Football Playoffs

THE BELIZE TIMES

Verdes Take on Police United…

Champ, Kaylon Godoy

Kaylon Godoy & Roberta Usher Win BBBFF Strongman

Belize City, April 9, 2017 Kaylon Godoy and Roberta Usher won the 2017 Belize Body Building & Body Fitness Federation (BBBFF) Strongman competition at the BTL park in Belize City on Sunday.

The women competed in 4 disciplines which included bench press, squats, dead-lift & tire flip; while the men competed in 6 disciplines: bench press, squats, dead-lift, tire flip, farmer’s walk and the ultimate crowd pleaser – the Vehicle Pull.

Female final results: 1st Roberta Usher of the Hill View Train Station Gym in San Ignacio, Cayo.

2nd Jasmine Armstrong - Hill View Train Station Gym 3rd Emma Jones - Belize Body Building and Fitness Federation Gym (BBBFF).

Men’s results: 1st Kaylon Godoy of Muscle Hut Fitness Club in Belmopan.

2nd Robert Williams of the Belize Body Building and Fitness Federation Gym 3rd Justin Awe - the Hill View Train, San Ignacio Robert Williams won 1st Place –in the Bench Press Category, successfully lifting 415lbs off his chest and did 10 repetitions with 315lbs.

Justin Awe won 1st place –in the Squat Category, successfully squatting 545lbs and did 8 repetitions with 405lbs. He also won 1st Place –in the SUV Pull over the 100foot course in 38.44 seconds.

Kaylon Godoy won First Place – in the Dead Lift Category, setting a Belize record of 600lbs in the Dead-lift. He also got 1st place in the Farmers Walk; completing the 120 yards course with two 140 pound dumb bells in a first time record of 15.91 seconds.

Sean Gillett won 1st place –in the Tire Flip; completing the 120 yards course in 4 minutes 22 seconds.

The 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place win-

Devon Makin vs BDF's Raymond Ramos

2nd, Robert Williams

Belize City, April 16, 2017 The Belize Defence Force and Verdes FC clinched their Premier League of Belize football playoff berths in the games of Week 14 over the weekend. Verdes FC was a shoo-in for the No.3 berth getting an easy 3-0 win by FC Belize’s forfeit at the Norman Broaster Stadium on Sunday.

The BDF won the No.4 berth by a 2-1 win over FC Belize in a midweek match at the MCC Garden on Wednesday night, where Ernest Wiltshire scored first for FC

Belize, but goals by Shane Flores and Brian Martinez gave the BDF the 2-1 win.

At the MCC Garden on Sunday, the BDF drew 2-2 with Police United; with Colombian import Anderson Cordoba and Trevor “Burger” Lennan scoring for the cops, while Shane “Chucky” Flores and Jeremy Gentle equalized for the soldiers.

The undefeated Bandits entered the playoffs with 36pts from 11 wins and 3 draws, taming the Placencia Assassins: 2-1 on April 8; and coming from behind to eliminate Wagiya FC

Asrel Sutherland vs BDF's Brian Martinez

2nd FEMALE Jasmine Armstrong

ners among the women were awarded with cash prizes courtesy the Belize City Council, a 1st place trophy, Glamour Protein, medals and multivitamins for all competitors, courtesy of Spiez Pharmaceuticals. The top 3 winners also received a gift certificate courtesy of Chukka Adventure Tours for an: ATV ride, Jungle Buggy,

Zip Lining, and Crystal Cave Tubing combo.

They also won a lunch buffet for 2 courtesy of the Belize Biltmore Plaza Hotel. The 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place winners among the men were awarded with cash prizes courtesy of the Belize City Council, and trophies from the Belize Trophy Depot. They

also received Military Trail Whey Protein, medals and multivitamins, courtesy of Spiez Pharmaceuticals. The champion also received a Cellular Phone Samsung Xpress 3 courtesy Cellular World, a round trip to San Pedro Courtesy, San Pedro Belize Express Water Taxi and two nights for two at Costa Blue Resort courtesy Sandy Point Resort, and a dinner for 2 at Chon Saan Palace.

3-2 at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium last Wednesday night. Krisean Lopez and Horace Avila scored for Wagiya to lead 2-0 at the half, but the Bandits won with goals by Elroy Smith, Jerome “Jaro” James and Highking Roberts.

On Wednesday night, the Police and Verdes drew 1-1 with Gilroy “Bredda” Thurton scoring first for Verdes; before Trevor Lennan equalized for the cops.

Upcoming games for Sunday, April 23: BDF vs. Belmopan Bandits at MCC Verdes vs. Police United at Norman Broaster Stadium.

14

23 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

MY PERSPECTIVE

By Dolores Balderamos Garcia

PRO LIFE?

There is a Roman Catholic Benedictine nun by the name of Sister Joan Chittister who has become quite renowned over the course of her career. She is 80 years of age now, and is a prolific author and public speaker. She has tackled difficult topics such as spirituality, religious life, peace, and justice for all people, especially women and the poor. She was the prioress of the Benedictine sisters of Erie, Pennsylvania, and she holds a Master's Degree from the University of Notre Dame and a Doctorate from Penn State University. Currently she is Co-Chair of the Global Peace Initiative of Women, a United Nations-sponsored organization creating a worldwide network of women peacemakers.

Intriguingly, the Vatican forbade her to speak on discipleship at the Women's Ordination Worldwide Conference, but supported by her religious community she spoke anyway, although she has said that women's ordination has never been her primary focus. She has also authored over fifty books and over seven hundred articles in numerous magazines. She is described as an articulate social analyst and influential religious leader of this age. She has received many awards and recognition for her work for justice, peace, and equality especially for women, so getting my hands on some of her important writings is certainly on my TO DO list.

Sister Joan came to my attention recently when I read about comments which she made while being interviewed on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) with Bill Moyers. What caught my attention was the headline “A Catholic Nun Explains Perfectly the Major Hypocrisy of the ProLife Argument.” Said she: “Being against abortion doesn't mean you are pro-life.... your morality is deeply lacking if all you want is a child born, but not a child fed, not a child educated, not a child housed.” She continued: “And why would I think so? Because you don't want any tax to go there. That's not pro-life. That's pro-birth. We need a much broader conversation on what the morality of pro-life is.”

We surely have to get the point. And she went on to explain that there is a difference between advocating for birth and advocating for that child's entire life. If anti-abortion proponents are truly pro-life then they would not argue for de-funding programs for school lunches and health care, for example. In the United States many who oppose abortion also oppose access to contraceptives.

Anti-abortion congressmen (I hope not congresswomen) consistently advocate for de-funding Planned Parenthood, which provides women with birth control options. Cutting social benefits limits the feasible options for women if they cannot obtain abortions.

Then of course there are two major orders of Donald Trump, US President, orders he effected within his first three days in office. First, he signed an executive order preventing the US Government from funding international non-profit organizations if they so much as counsel women on reproductive options that might include abortion. American money is thus prohibited to any family planning NGO that includes information on abortion as part of reproductive counselling. Secondly, he has ordered budget cuts which acutely affect women victims of sexual assault and domestic violence, so that there can be no violence against women funds. Funding has also been cut for legal aid, shelters for battered women, and training on sexual violence. Many commentators are remarking on the great irony that Trump infamously bragged about sexually assaulting women, and now he has just used his Presidential powers to further endanger women who are victimized by similar crimes.

What, you may ask, does all this have to do with Belize? Is what Sister Joan Chittister says of relevance in our context? And do Trump's actions affect us? The answer to both questions is yes, and I intend to say more about these issues in a subsequent entry, which will need to be for another time. In the meantime, I would commend Sister Joan and her ideas to readers.

2017

THINKING OUT LOUD BY: KEVIN BERNARD

As we jump back into the grind after an extended Easter break, I thank God that for the most part, as far as bad news goes, it was relatively quiet. Still, there were notable tragedies, including the death of a child on San Pedro and the loss of two brothers here in Orange Walk.

I send out condolences to the families and wish them comfort during this difficult time.

By the time many of you read this in the newspaper, the BNTU will have elected a new President to replace outgoing brother Luke Palacio. I wish to state here and now on the record that I reject the attempts by this government to influence and manipulate the results of that election.

That blatant foolishness has got to stop, and those involved on the highest levels should be ashamed of themselves.

As far back as 2005, the Barrow administration was able to infiltrate the leadership of our unions and use them to achieve victory in 2008. The unions have only begun to recover from the divisiveness caused by that manipulation. This is no time to go backwards.

As Mayor of Orange Walk Town and as a responsible and honest politician, I have condemned publicly the $1M handout which Minister of Education Patrick Faber announced he would share among selected teachers. I believed at the time of the announcement, and I believe now, that it is the vilest attempt at union-busting and cannot be countenanced. It is only insult to injury that the Minister is attempting to union-bust using our monies, and at a time when we have to pay much more taxes.

But the $1M handout at this time takes on much more meaning when we understand the elections to be held this week. What is in the dark always comes out to light. What is now clear is that this UDP administration, with Patrick Faber as Minister of Education and Deputy Prime Minister, are trying to buy the results of the election by

buying out the votes of teachers who have received, or will receive their share of the $1M Easter basket. That is a despicable act by this government.

I firmly believe that as they continue to do, Prime Minister Dean Barrow and Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber are underestimating the teachers. They are taking the teachers of this country lightly. They believe that our teachers are for sale and can be bought cheap to do the whims of the politicians. Apparently these UDP ministers do not understand the strength and common bond which holds our teachers together. It is that strength which brought the government to its knees in October last year.

My friends, it is time for us as Belizeans to work together to end this divisive culture which has been perpetuated by our politicians. None of us should think that it is okay to hand out $1M in taxpayer monies to a select few just because a politician says it is okay. That money is not his to hand out. That money is ours and it is hard to come by these days.

We are not in the best of times and we know now that when the UDP talked about the best that was to come, they meant for them and their families and their cronies…not for us.

None of us, whether supporters of the UDP or PUP or any P, should think that corruption is okay because it is being done by those we support. None of us should think that abuse and victimization and mismanagement are okay, just because we voted for the party doing it.

I am a politician who aspires to greater things, but always in service of my people. And by my people I mean all those I serve, regardless of political affiliation.

Truly, politicians have done us a great disservice, and if we don’t come together as a people to fix what is wrong, then we are in serious trouble.

Today, and always I will stand with our teachers. All right-thinking Belizeans should. Stay strong and resist all attempts to divide you. Solidarity forever.

23 APR

2017

Judgment Day

Once upon a time, I respected Dean Oliver Barrow. Don’t hate me. I really did. Now I can’t believe I was so stupid. DOB is a power-hungry, ruthless, selfish, uncaring man who really does not give a damn about the people of Belize. To him, we are worth nothing more than a vote on election day. The rest is superfluous. He really has brought this country to its knees economically and socially just to cement his legacy and political victory for the UDP. I wonder if he realizes, when he is staring at his ceiling in the dead of night, what he has done to the people and country he swore to serve.

I have listened to this man swear to his own integrity as if his word is binding law. It makes me nauseous.

He is as corrupt as the most corrupt Minister in his Cabinet. His family has creamed off the public trough and continues to do so, simply because he has decided that they are the ‘bestest’ and ‘brilliantest,’ and nobody should dare to question him. He has made of nepotism a fine art, and condones the most blatant corruption and abuse of the public trust. He will leave office fabulously wealthy, with every member of his family richer for his time there. But he will leave the country broken and divided.

But enough about that scurrilous fellow. Because as cynical and jaded and cantankerous I am, and as much as I despise what politics has become, I feel that there is some light at the end of that proverbial tunnel.

A man who would be leader of this country, John Briceño, posted a message this week. It reads, “We will only build this nation if we see one Belize, where we are judged more for who we are than who we voted for.”

Those who know John Briceño well understand that this is who he is. This

15

THE BELIZE TIMES

is what he stands for. This IS the Belize he wants to see and the Belize he is determined to see.

And he insists on taking the high road at all times, which I will be honest and admit pisses me off sometimes.

There are those within the PUP, myself included sometimes, who would want to see civil unrest – not the fake civil unrest instigated by a power-hungry Dean Oliver in 2005, fuelled by thugs, alcohol, drugs and cash – but REAL agitation fuelled by anger at the corruption, mismanagement, abuse, victimization and overlying it all, the arrogance of this UDP administration. The anger is very real. The frustration is very real.

I am constantly amazed that one of the UDP’s inner circle has not yet felt the wrath of a people scorned. YET! Hell, at times I am driven to the point of wishing violence on those who have managed to drive our country to the brink. From Dean Oliver down, they appear so callous and cold and unfeeling. It is as if they are buffered from reality by the riches they have managed to amass.

And it is OUR money, plundered and seized.

I believe there is a special place in that dark, hot place for people like Gaspar Vega.

I have no use for him. He used his position in government to steal from

the people. He used his position in government not to do good, but to enrich himself and all his family members. He didn’t serve his people, but served himself. Serious and for true, I think he is scum. I think all his family members who stood there with hands and pockets open and accepted what they knew was being taken from the Belizean people wrongly are scum. I would be content with Gaspar Vega spending the rest of his days behind bars. That is what he deserves. And there are so many others who have taken from us.

But that man who was comfortable kneeling in the dust to share a moment with some children during his Southern tour recently, represents hope and change. He represents a difference in the status quo.

Like DOB in 2005, John could incite civil disobedience for real, because we are at that point in this country where a tiny spark could become a burning inferno. But he keeps his

cool and counsels calm. He knows that any irresponsible action could further divide and damage a country already teetering. Gotta give him respect for holding his course.

I believe that he is exactly the leader this country needs at this time after a charlatan the likes of DOB. I think this is the time. Let’s make it happen.

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671-8385 or

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To place advertisement in the Belize Times Newspaper

16

A DANGEROUS MF…! - Part 2 By: Norris Hall BEYOND HIS CONSTITUENCY Sedi Elrington seems to feel that he has enough political currency to fool the people of his constituency.

In an earlier snafu when he again put his foot in his mouth, he asserted that the people of his constituency couldn’t care less about the Belize/Guatemala problem. He failed to grasp that his national responsibility as Foreign Minister goes beyond his more personal concern about retaining his seat in the Legislature by a persistent hoodwinking of his supporters. He seems unable to grasp his national responsibility.

So far removed or indifferent is he from the gravity of the Guatemalan claim, that as he once sat in a press conference with his Guatemalan counterpart, he allowed to slip by, unchallenged, an assertion made by the Guatemalan FM about a non-existent agreement Guatemala claimed it had with Belize for Belize to suspend the building of military installation on its southern cayes or for a Forward Operating Base on the Belize side of the Sarstoon River, which forms a natural border between the two countries. It was just another display of his incompetence and ignorance, or his endorsement of yet another Guatemalan lie. It was three former PUP Foreign Ministers who denied that assertion by the Guatemalan Foreign Minister.

DO-IT-YOURSELF DIPLOMACY Because we cannot trust the Belize MF, we do not know what type of concessions he has made to the government of Guatemala behind closed doors. We have good reasons to believe that he has given tacit approval to the Guatemalans for an interim exercise of sovereignty over the Sarstoon River for now, until some agreement is reached he hopes at the International Court of Justice. This could well be a death trap for the country’s national sovereignty. We have no way of knowing. Neither do we know of any other concessions he may have made to Guatemala. But outside of the amendment to the amendment made by the Barrow Administration to revert to the original referendum Act that was passed by the Musa Administration, there may be others we will never know about.

Belize’s Foreign Minister has been playing bluff poker with his “friend” and Guatemalan counterpart, who no longer takes his calls.

He has also been too strident in pushing for a plebiscite on whether or not we should consider taking the Guatemalan claim to Belize to the ICJ. It just doesn’t smell right.

Given the diplomatic mess created with Guatemala by the Minister and his equally incompetent and untrained diplomatic staff in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there

23 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

are very strong reasons to be skeptical.

NO MORE INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH The Foreign Affairs Minister has said that there is no need for any further internationalization of the Belize case. In contrast to that position of the Belize government, the Guatemalan government seems to think otherwise and is quietly pushing its case to the international community. This could influence the ICJ. Should we again not be skeptical about our Foreign Minister’s intransigence or indifference? Furthermore, the Belize Ministry of Foreign Affairs is weak. It lacks the expertise. The Foreign Service is stacked with unskilled diplomats who suck on their political plums.

Most have no training in diplomacy nor international affairs.

UNSKILLED Sources have revealed that one of these diplomats will soon be recalled after his unskilled and poor performance during the recent visit of the OAS Secretary General. He is to be replaced by another an equally unqualified Ambassador to the Caribbean Community.

The people of Belize should not even, at this time give any consideration to a referendum on the ICJ given the uncertainty created by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and his continuous outrageous statements that only serve to weaken Belize’s position and national integrity.

In the criminal justice system and in most democracies the “Miranda Rights” or something like it, applies that whatever you say may be used against you in a court of law.

If this is so, the Guatemalan government has enough pronouncements by the Belize’s Minister of Foreign Affairs that have already compromised Belize’s strong position as an independent and sovereign nation.

There is also a case to be made, notwithstanding the international treaties that guarantee Belize’s independence. That independence was attained under a number of United Nations resolutions and declarations on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples.

Under the Barrow Administration and the incompetence of the Foreign Minister, Belize has never been in a weaker position that it is in today. The government has squandered both its economic and diplomatic strengths as Belize continues to appear to look like a failed state. Under the current political leadership, and worse, under the current Foreign Minister of Belize, the case for Belize has been weakened.

Lef da ICJ ting lone-fe now!

2017

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT The Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) invites applicants for the temporary post of Administrative Assistant.

Duty station:

Belize City

Qualifications:

Essential: High School diploma with formal training in the administrative or financial operation fields.

Experience:

Essential: 5 years of experience in administrative work related to project management activities, including experience in financial or budgetary operations.

Skills:

-

Ability to write/originate routine correspondence and reports in English and Spanish

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Skills in planning, organizing, problem-solving, and decision-making of office management processes

-

Ability to research, analyze and organize information in order to prepare charts, graphics, reports etc.

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Ability to plan, organize, coordinate and carry out administrative processes such as: maintenance of expenditures records, preparation of statistical or periodical reports, etc.

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Ability to prepare working translations

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Ability to organize and carry out administrative processes such as: meetings, acquisition of supplies and equipment, preparation of reports etc.

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Ability to coordinate, monitor and control administrative services involving the allocation of work, developing/adjusting operational procedures, evaluating priorities, coordinating and supporting internal day-to-day activities etc.

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Demonstrated ability to effectively use a computer and utilize software programs such as Microsoft Office – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint and Outlook.

Other IT skills and knowledge of other software programs such as Visio and Project would be an asset.

Languages:

Very good knowledge of English and Spanish

Deadline:

Letter of application, two current letters of recommendation and completed Personal History form (available at www.paho.org/blz - job opportunities) should be sent to P.O. Box 1834, Belize City no later than May 2, 2017. An interview will be held for this post and only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

PAHO/WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco

For Sale

By Order of the Mortgagee Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Mortgage made the 7th day of October 2009, between WILBOURNE C. CUTHKELVIN & YCELA CUTHKELVIN of Hope Creek Village, Stann Creek District (hereinafter called “the Borrower”) of the one part and SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LIMITED (hereinafter called “the Mortgagee”) of the other part, and recorded in Deeds Book Volume 24 of 2009 at Folios 10411070, the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the schedule hereto.

All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Lot No. 44 comprising of 861.020 Square Yards situate in Hope Creek Village, Stann Creek District, bounded and described as shown by Plan No. 732 of 1997 attached to Minister’s Fiat Grant No. 732 of 1997 TOGETHER with all buildings, erections and developments standing and being thereon.

DATED this 3rd day of April, 2017.

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

23 APR

17

©The"Moffa0"Girls"

10

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10

11

6

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12 2

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11

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Roll, Add and Color

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Directions: Count the number of dots on each domino and write the numbers on the lines. Add up the dots and put the sum in the box.

7

THE BELIZE TIMES

2017

©The&Moffa:&Girls&

Fill in the missing numbers in each row.

3

4

10 15 26

6 14

12

19

16 29

©The"Moffa0"Girls"

18

23 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

NOTICE Nebbie Inc. # 158, 519 (“the Company”) Pursuant to Section 102 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, Chapter 270 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, notice is hereby given that Nebbie Inc. has been dissolved as at 12th April, 2017 and has been struck off the Register of International Business Companies.

CIL Trust International Limited Registered Agent

NOTICE FOSTER FINANCE LTD. # 119, 291 (“the Company”) Pursuant to Section 102 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, Chapter 270 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, notice is hereby given that FOSTER FINANCE LTD. has been dissolved as at 13th April, 2017 and has been struck off the Register of International Business Companies.

CIL Trust International Limited Registered Agent

NOTICE KESIGNTON FINANCIAL INC. #62, 702 (“the Company”) Pursuant to Section 102 (4) of the International Business Companies Act, Chapter 270 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, notice is hereby given that KESIGNTON FINANCIAL INC. : a) Is in dissolution b) Commenced dissolution on the 12th day of April, 2017; and c) KECIA KERUBE ALTAMAR whose address is 50th and 74th Street, San Franciso, PH 909, 15th floor, Panama City is the Liquidator of the Company.

MACLACHLAN & DENNIN LIMITED Registered Agent

NOTICE BANYOLE MANAGEMENT CORP. #62, 702 (“the Company”) Pursuant to Section 102 (4) of the International Business Companies Act, Chapter 270 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, notice is hereby given that BANYOLE MANAGEMENT CORP. : a) Is in dissolution b) Commenced dissolution on the 11th day of April, 2017; and c) ALFONSA DONAIRE whose address is c. Part de la Creu, 83, baixos, AD500 Andorra La Vella is the Liquidator of the Company.

MACLACHLAN & DENNIN LIMITED Registered Agent

2017

NOTICE BLAUZENC INC. #158, 452 (“the Company”) Pursuant to Section 102 (4) of the International Business Companies Act, Chapter 270 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, notice is hereby given that BLAUZENC INC. : a) Is in dissolution b) Commenced dissolution on the 11th day of April, 2017; and c) PATRICIA PATINO CAMPOS whose address is C. Part de la Creu, 83, baixos, AD500 Andorra La Vella is the Liquidator of the Company.

MACLACHLAN & DENNIN LIMITED Registered Agent

NOTICE KARISTA INC. #159, 794 (“the Company”) Pursuant to Section 102 (4) of the International Business Companies Act, Chapter 270 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, notice is hereby given that KARISTA INC. : a) Is in dissolution b) Commenced dissolution on the 11th day of April, 2017; and c) ALFONSA DONAIRE whose address is C. Part de la Creu, 83, baixos, AD500 Andorra La Vella is the Liquidator of the Company.

MACLACHLAN & DENNIN LIMITED Registered Agent

NOTICE MILANTA CORP. #163, 392 (“the Company”) Pursuant to Section 102 (4) of the International Business Companies Act, Chapter 270 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, notice is hereby given that MILANTA CORP. : a) Is in dissolution b) Commenced dissolution on the 11th day of April, 2017; and c) ALFONSA DONAIRE whose address is C. Part de la Creu, 83, baixos, AD500 Andorra La Vella is the Liquidator of the Company.

MACLACHLAN & DENNIN LIMITED Registered Agent

NOTICE VISLOW CORP. #163, 721 (“the Company”) Pursuant to Section 102 (4) of the International Business Companies Act, Chapter 270 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, notice is hereby given that VISLOW CORP.: a) Is in dissolution b) Commenced dissolution on the 11th day of April, 2017; and c) ALFONSA DONAIRE whose address is C. Part de la Creu, 83, baixos, AD500 Andorra La Vella is the Liquidator of the Company.

MACLACHLAN & DENNIN LIMITED Registered Agent

23 APR

19

THE BELIZE TIMES

2017

What the Children See, the Children Do

By: Tanya Santos, UWG President About a month or so ago I was watching the local news on television when an advertisement aired showing a woman making sexually explicit moves. It took me a few more seconds before I realized what was actually being advertised. It was alcohol, specifically Belikin Stout. Then this week again I saw another advertisement, with a sexily clad young lady being enticed to ‘go for a ride’ in a Nissan Frontier.

Both of these commercials are being aired during prime time on local television networks. Thankfully my keenly observant seven-year-old daughter wasn’t around to see this, but since it airs during prime time it is inevitable that she will see at least one of them and ask the tough questions. Now I am forced to ask: Am I the only one offended by the fact that companies such as these continue to perpetuate the sexual exploitation of women? Is it that there is such a vacuum of marketing creativity that we have to resort to the old adage that “sex sells?” It appears that this is now the norm, so much so that we are comfortable with these sexual ads being on display even when our young children are in the living room with us.

If we do not teach them otherwise, any young boy or girl will believe that this is actually normal behavior; to sexually use the female body to

Indira “Princess” Thompson sell or to get something. I am reminded of a sign I saw once advertising the opening of a new bar, clearly announcing “Ladies’ at the bar. Interestingly, there are much less promotions or advertisements that use men in similar fashion (I can’t think of any actually), exploiting their sexuality. To me, this is bare-faced discrimination and exploitation of women. I believe that the local networks have a duty to the Belizean public to carefully scrutinize what is considered appropriate advertising; otherwise they too run the risk of being an agent of this discrimination and exploitation, as well as exposing young children to these unsavoury sights.

This brings me to a most recent unfortunate and sad tragedy which occurred on Good Friday, which is the murder of Indira “Princess” Thomp-

EDGAR RAMON WILTSHIRE

Our deepest Condolences to the family of Edgar Ramon Wiltshire From: The People's United Party, PUP Marshalls and the Belize Times Newspaper

son. Indira it appears was a mentally challenged lady, but by all accounts was a kind woman who was much loved and appreciated. Apparently she was solicited by a man for sexual intercourse and because she refused, she was stabbed to death. Her murderer is on the loose; I hope and pray he is caught before he hurts another human being. The audacity of this animal: to kill an innocent woman, a mentally challenged woman at that, because she refused you. It speaks volumes of his character to brutally attack the most vulnerable in our society. It also speaks volumes of our society itself, where sexual exploitation of women to sell a product appears to be accepted and normal. You may not think there is any connection between what we see and what we do.

But ask any parent, what a child sees,

Belikin Stout ad he or she imitates. Yet as we sit and watch the news at 6:30 we shake our heads wondering why we have beasts abusing and slaughtering our fellow citizens. What the children see, they do.

We are the ones enabling this vicious cycle. Think about it.

PUP NOTICE The People’s United Party informs all supporters in ORANGE WALK CENTRAL, and portions of ORANGE WALK EAST & ORANGE WALK NORTH constituencies that applications are now being accepted for the posts of MAYOR & COUNCILORS for the March 2018 Municipal Elections. The closing date for all applications for those interested in any of the above positions is Friday, April 28, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. For further information, please contact your local Executive Chairperson or the PUP Secretariat.

PUP NOTICE The People’s United Party informs all supporters in COROZAL BAY and portions of COROZAL NORTH constituencies that applications are now being accepted for the posts of MAYOR & COUNCILORS for the March 2018 Municipal Elections. The closing date for all applications for those interested in any of the above positions is Friday, April 28, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. Please contact your local Executive Chairperson for further information or the PUP Secretariat.

20

ESPAÑOL

2323APR APR

THE THEBELIZE BELIZETIMES TIMES Pasajeros de la aerolínea estadounidense United Airlines han sido expulsados de varios vuelos en las últimas semanas

IBAN A CASARSE A COSTA RICA PERO FUERON BAJADOS A LA FUERZA DEL AVIÓN Una pareja que viajaba a Costa Rica para casarse es el nuevo incidente por el que la aerolínea United Airlines ha dado de qué hablar Por la Redacción 18 de Abril de 2017 Se trata de Michael Hohl y su novia, Amber, quienes viajaban desde Salt Lake City, Utah, para casarse, pero fueron bajados del vuelo 1737 de la aerolínea estadounidense.

2017 2017

El motivo por el que la pareja fue retirada del vuelo, cuando hicieron una escala en Houston, no ha quedado muy claro, según los afectados.

La pareja dijo que cuando subieron al avión se percataron de que un hombre estaba recostado sobre los asientos que tenían asignados, por lo que ocuparon otros ubicados varias filas adelante.

Una azafata le pidió a la pareja que volvieran a sus asientos, pero luego se les pidió que bajaran del avión y fueron señalados de ser un peligro para el vuelo por el desorden que ocasionaron.

La aerolínea argumentó que los pasajeros trataron de ocupar otros asientos sin pagar y no siguieron las instrucciones brindadas por la tripulación.

Finalmente, los pasajeros pudieron retomar su viaje a Costa Rica, donde los esperaban invitados; sin embargo, la pareja aseguró que no volverá a utilizar la aerolínea.

El 10 de abril último, el vuelo 3411 de la aerolínea United Airlines que salía de Chicago a Louisville, Kentucky, no fue muy placentero para un médico, quién luego de una golpiza por parte de agentes de seguridad, fue obligado a bajarse inconsciente del avión.

Las pruebas nucleares de Corea del Norte tensan al mundo.

Theresa May anuncia su decisión de adelantar comicios

MAY SORPRENDE Y ADELANTA COMICIOS EN REINO UNIDO

La primera ministra británica, Theresa May, sorprendió este martes al Reino Unido al anunciar la convocatoria de elecciones anticipadas para el 8 de junio.

18 de Abril de 2017 May justificó su acción a fin de garantizar “certeza y seguridad” de cara a las negociaciones sobre el brexit.

Después del receso por la Pascua, la “premier” conservadora salió a la puerta de su residencia de Downing Street para comunicar su intención de llamar a los británicos a las urnas dentro de siete semanas en vez de agotar la actual legislatura en mayo del 2020.

May argumentó que la decisión, totalmente inesperada, la tomó bajo el argumento de que el país necesita estabilidad y un liderazgo fuerte tras las divisiones provocadas por el referendo europeo del pasado 23 de junio, cuando los británicos votaron a favor de la salida del Reino Unido de la Unión Europea (UE).

“He llegado a la conclusión de que la única manera de garantizar certeza y seguridad en los próximos años es con la convocatoria de unas elecciones”. Theresa May, primera ministra británica El adelanto de los comicios se produce en momentos en que los conservadores de May llevan una ventaja de 17 puntos frente a los laboristas de Jeremy Corbyn en los sondeos sobre intención de voto.

El Gobierno presentará mañana la moción que autorice esta cita electoral, aunque se tratará de un trámite formal dado que los “tories” tienen mayoría en la Cámara de los Comunes y los laboristas han indicado que la apoyarán en la votación de este miércoles.

Semanas después de haber descartado la posibilidad de convocar elecciones este año, la primera ministra reconoció que llegó “a la conclusión”, aunque con “reticencias”, de que tenía que anticiparlas, dada las divisiones entre los partidos de la oposición británica sobre las negociaciones sobre el “brexit” .

GUERRA PUEDE DESATARSE EN CUALQUIER MOMENTO Corea del Norte causa una serie de advertencias, tanto contra ese país, como entre otras naciones.

Por AFP / Washington 18 de Abril de 2017 El director general de Organizaciones Internacionales de Corea del Norte, Kim Chang-min, aseguró este lunes en una entrevista que la situación en la región es “extremadamente peligrosa” y que en cualquier momento puede desatarse una guerra.

“Hoy en la península de Corea se ha creado una situación extremadamente peligrosa en la que nadie puede prever cuando se va a quedar fuera de control y a derivar en una guerra total”, aseguró el alto funcionario del Ministerio Exteriores de Pionyang.

Kim culpó a Estados Unidos de las actuales tensiones en

la región y aseguró que el vicepresidente estadounidense, Mike Pence, ha dicho en su visita a Corea del Sur que quiere defender a sus aliados asiáticos, pero en realidad lo que busca es “un ataque preventivo para derrocar al régimen” comunista norcoreano.

El vicepresidente de Estados Unidos, Mike Pence, recomendó este lunes a Corea del Norte no poner a prueba la “determinación” del presidente Donald Trump frente a los programas balísticos y nucleares de Pyongyang y advirtió de que “todas las opciones están sobre la mesa”.

Pese a las presiones internacionales, Corea del

Norte intentó el domingo último sin éxito lanzar un nuevo misil y se teme que el país se esté preparando para llevar a cabo un sexto ensayo nuclear.

Washington quiere lograr la desnuclearización del Norte “por medios pacíficos, mediante negociaciones pero todas las opciones están sobre la mesa y seguimos al lado del pueblo de Corea del Sur”, dijo Pence en una conferencia en Seúl, tras visitar la tensa frontera que separa el Norte y el Sur de Corea.

“No aceptamos las aventuras nucleares y balísticas de Pionyang en violación de las resoluciones de la ONU, pero ello no quiere decir que sea posible violar el derecho internacional usando la fuerza” contra Corea del Norte. Serguei Cont’do pagina 21

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Odebrecht debe pagar US$2 mil 600 millones, dice juez Un juez federal de Nueva York condenó este lunes a la constructora brasileña Odebrecht a pagar una multa de US$2 mil 600 millones por el escándalo de sobornos Por EFE / New York 17 de Abril de 2017 Odebrecht deberá pagar US$2 mil 390 millones en Brasil, US$116 millones en Suiza y otros US$93 millones en Estados Unidos tras la sentencia que dictó el juez Raymond Dearie, según confirmó un portavoz de la fiscalía federal del distrito este de Nueva York.

La multimillonaria sanción, que se dio a conocer en un tribunal de Brooklyn, es el resultado de un acuerdo negociado por la constructora brasileña con el Departamento de Justicia de EE. UU., así como con las autoridades de Brasil y Suiza.

Según el Departamento de

Justicia, Odebrecht pagó aproximadamente 788 millones de dólares en sobornos en 12 países de Latinoamérica y frica, incluido Brasil, donde es investigada desde hace más de dos años en el marco de los desvíos en la petrolera estatal Petrobras.

En diciembre pasado, un tribunal de Nueva York condenó a la petroquímica brasileña Braskem, controlada por el grupo Odebrecht, a pagar una multa de 632,6 millones de dólares, después de declararse culpable de los cargos en su contra.

Los pagos se hicieron en relación con “más de 100 proyectos en 12 países, incluidos Angola, Argentina, Brasil, Colombia, República Dominicana, Ecuador, Guatemala, México, Mozambique, Panamá, Perú y Venezuela” , según los documen-

GUERRA PUEDE DESATARSE EN CUALQUIER MOMENTO Cont’do de pagina 20 Lavrov, ministro ruso de Exteriores.

“Estas dos últimas semanas, el mundo ha sido testigo de la fuerza y determinación de nuestro nuevo presidente durante operaciones llevadas a cabo en Siria y Afganistán”, declaró Pence en referencia al bombardeo estadounidense contra una base aérea del régimen sirio y al lanzamiento de una súperbomba contra yihadistas en Afganistán.

“Corea del Norte haría mejor en no poner a prueba su determinación, o la potencia de las fuerzas armadas de Estados Unidos en esta región”, añadió Pence junto al primer ministro y presidente surcoreano en funciones, Hwang Kyo-Ahn. Trump, que el jueves prometió que el “problema” norcoreano sería “tratado”, había anunciado anteriormente el envío a la península coreana del portaviones Carl Vinson, escoltado por tres buques lanzamisiles, y habló de una “armada” de submarinos.

Trump ha advertido de que no permitirá que Corea del Norte desar-

rolle misiles balísticos intercontinentales capaces de transportar cabezas nucleares hasta el oeste de Estados Unidos.

El número dos del régimen norcoreano respondió el sábado que su país estaba listo para “responder a una guerra total con una guerra total” y “a cualquier ataque nuclear con un ataque nuclear a nuestra manera”.

Corea del Norte asegura que necesita esas armas, incluso nucleares, para protegerse de la creciente amenaza de invasión por parte de fuerzas estadounidenses.

Zona militarizada Mike Pence, que llegó el domingo a Corea del Sur, se desplazó este lunes a la frontera entre las dos Coreas.

Estados Unidos, que tiene desplegados a 28 mil 500 soldados en Corea del Sur, “aniquilará cualquier ataque y opondrá una respuesta aplastante y eficaz ante cualquier utilización de armas convencionales o nucleares”, declaró el vicepresidente, instando a la comunidad

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la constructora brasileña Odebrecht

tos del tribunal.

La mayor constructora de Brasil firmó un acuerdo de colaboración con la Justicia brasileña el 1 de diciembre que, además de admitir su culpa y pagar una multa, incluye delaciones ofrecidas por 77 ejecutivos de Odebrecht a cambio de reducir sus futuras condenas.

Estos testimonios salpican a cerca de 200 políticos en desvíos de Petrobras y en financiación ilegal de campañas electorales, entre los cuales estaría el actual presidente de Brasil, Michel Temer, según diferentes medios.

Temer no sancionará El presidente brasileño, Michel Temer, reiteró hoy que los ocho ministros salpicados por declaraciones de exdirectivos del grupo Odebrecht sobre la corrupción que

campeó en el país mantendrán sus cargos, a menos mientras no haya pruebas que los incriminen.

“No voy a dimitir o exonerar simplemente porque alguien habló” de la supuesta implicación de un ministro en esas prácticas, declaró el mandatario a la Radio Jovem Pam, al tiempo que volvió a insistir en que un ministro sólo perderá su cargo “si hubiera pruebas robustas” en su contra.

Los testimonios prestados por exdirectivos del grupo Odebrecht en el marco de un acuerdo de cooperación judicial implican en asuntos de corrupción a ocho ministros, incluidos entre casi un centenar de dirigentes políticos de catorce partidos que serán investigados.

internacional a presionar a Corea del Norte.

“Es alentador ver a China comprometerse en este sentido”, dijo Pence. “Pero Estados Unidos está preocupado por las represalias económicas de China contra Corea del Sur después de que esta haya tomado medidas apropiadas para defenderse”, dijo.

“Corea del Norte haría mejor en no poner a prueba su determinación, o la potencia de las fuerzas armadas de Estados Unidos en esta región”. Mike Pence, vicepresidente de EE. UU. Se trata de una referencia a las medidas adoptadas por Pekín en respuesta al escudo antimisiles estadounidense THAAD en Corea del Sur, cuyo despliegue Washington y Seúl quieren acelerar.

China, molesta por la instalación tan cerca de su territorio de un dispositivo estadounidense, que considera una amenaza contra sus intereses, ha obligado al cierre de decenas de tiendas surcoreanas en China. Para Seúl, se trata de medidas de represalias al despliegue del THAAD. Se trata de la primera visita de Pence a Corea del Sur, una etapa de una gira por la región Asia-Pacífico

que incluye paradas en Japón, Indonesia y Australia.

Rusia advierte a EE. UU. En tanto, Rusia espera que Estados Unidos no actúe de manera “unilateral” para resolver el problema de los programas balístico y nuclear norcoreanos, afirmó el lunes el ministro ruso de Exteriores, Serguei Lavrov.

“Espero que no habrá acciones unilaterales como las que hemos visto recientemente en Siria” dijo Lavrov en conferencia de prensa conjunta en Moscú con su homólogo senegalés Mankeur Ndiaye, refiriéndose al reciente bombardeo estadounidense contra una base del ejército sirio.

“No aceptamos las aventuras nucleares y balísticas de Pionyang en violación de las resoluciones de la ONU, pero ello no quiere decir que sea posible violar el derecho internacional usando la fuerza” contra Corea del Norte.

Respecto de la advertencia de Mike Pence a Corea del Norte, Lavrov replicó: “Si hay que interpretar esta fórmula como una amenaza para utilizar la fuerza de manera unilateral (...) entonces desde luego es un camino peligroso”.

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Blood from human babies make brains of elderly mice young again DAILY NEWS 19 April 2017

By Alice Klein Do you feel like your brain is getting sluggish with age? A protein found in umbilical cord blood may help restore its youthful vigor.

Researchers have previously found that blood from human teenagers can rejuvenate memory and cognition in elderly mice, probably due to factors present in the plasma – the liquid portion of the blood. Now, blood harvested from babies’ umbilical cords has been found to have even stronger anti-ageing effects.

Joseph Castellano at Stanford University in California and his colleagues discovered this by collecting blood from people at three different life stages – babies, young people around the age of 22, and older people around the age of 66 – and injecting the plasma component into mice that were the equivalent of around 50 years old in human years.

The most dramatic effects occurred when these mice received babies’ cord plasma. They became faster learners and were better at remembering their way through a maze. This corresponded with enhanced activity in their hippocampi – the brain regions responsible for learning and memory.

Mice that received young people’s plasma also had modest improvements in hippocampus function, but those that received plasma from older adults showed no such improvement. This suggests that human plasma gradually loses its rejuvenating potential with age.

Magic ingredient?

Castellano’s team found that umbilical cord plasma contains more of a protein called TIMP2, and levels in the blood decline with age – a hint that this protein may be responsible for young blood’s rejuvenating properties.

Sure enough, injecting old mice with TIMP2 alone boosted their hippocampus activity and improved their maze-navigation.

It also restored their ability to make a nest – a skill that older mice lose.

Moreover, old mice that were

treated with cord plasma that had been stripped of TIMP2 showed no cognitive improvement, confirming that the protein is responsible for

Earbud lets you control your phone with a wink or smile

By Timothy Revell Send a smiley with a smile. A prototype earbud can detect facial expressions and convert them into smartphone controls, like answering a phone call when you wink or launching Wikipedia when you open your mouth. It could be used by people with impaired movement or as a hands-free tool for drivers.

“We’re not trying to replace current input methods, just complement them,” says Denys Matthies at the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research in Rostock, Germany. You’re not always able to take your phone out of your pocket or look down at the screen, but might still like to be able to pause your music or pick up a call, he says.

Matthies and his colleagues developed a prototype system consisting of an earbud kitted out with electrodes that recognise changes in ear-canal shape when you make different facial expressions. A reference electrode attaches to the earlobe with a peg. When someone smiles, for example, muscles in the ear move as well. This causes the earbud to deform and produce a detectable change in electrical field that can be mapped to the corresponding face movement.

At the moment, the system can detect five different expressions – smiling, winking an eye, turning your head to the right, opening your mouth and saying a “shh” sound – with an accuracy of 90

per cent.

“It’s currently still just a research project, but something as simple as answering a call with a facial expression could be possible soon,” says Matthies.

It could also give people with disabilities more options to interact with their smartphone.

False smile A consumer version of the product could stop the system acting on false positives – like sending a message to someone every time you smile – by taking context into account. It could look for face movements that correspond to answering or declining a phone call only if the phone is ringing, for example.

The work will be presented at a human–computer interaction conference in Denver, Colorado, in May. Many people are looking into “socially unobtrusive” ways to interact with technology, says Daniel Ashbrook at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, who works on handsfree user interfaces. “It can be rude or inappropriate to look down at your phone and say, ‘Hey Siri block that call’,” he says.

Technology like this could make basic tasks less disruptive. “It takes four seconds to get your phone out of your pocket and in a position to do something meaningful,” says Ashbrook, “so anything you can do in that time with just an earbud is a big win.”

the strong anti-ageing effect.

The mechanism by which TIMP2 improves cognition is still unclear, but it is known to inhibit a group of enzymes called matrix metalloproteinases, some of which are involved in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

The protein may have potential as a treatment for age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. Using TIMP2 as a treatment would be better than using cord plasma itself because it can be synthesised in a lab, avoiding the need for donor supplies, says Castellano.

Plasma in the clinic But first, we need to understand what TIMP2 does to the hippocampus, says Colin Masters at the University of Melbourne in Australia. “There’s a long way to go before showing that it has any therapeutic potential,” he says.

Several teams are already experimenting with blood plasma.

A trial is under way at a hospital in South Korea to test whether injections of human umbilical cord plasma have anti-ageing effects in healthy people aged 55 or older.

The final results are due to be collected in August.

Meanwhile Castellano’s co-author, Tony Wyss-Coray, has recently finished a trial investigating the effects of administering adolescent plasma to elderly Alzheimer’s patients. The results have not been published yet.

Still, injections of donated cord blood plasma may not be the wonder-drug they sound like.

There is a risk that growth factors in cord plasma might induce cancer in older people, says Castellano.

He now plans to investigate how declining TIMP2 affects cognitive capacity and Alzheimer’s disease. “If and when TIMP2 looks promising as a possible therapy, I’d imagine there would be a great deal of interest,” says Castellano.

“As the ageing population grows each year, I think we’ll increasingly need to look for ways to limit the harmful effects of ageing.”

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North Korea tension: China 'seriously concerned' about nuclear threats

BBC News, April 19, 2017 North Korea's vice-foreign minister told the BBC Pyongyang would continue to test missiles and would launch a pre-emptive nuclear strike if it thought the US was planning an attack.

Foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China opposed words or actions that could further raise tension.

North Korea-US tension is growing.

There has been heated rhetoric from both sides in recent days. US Vice-President Mike Pence, who has been visiting the region, warned the North not to test Washington and said the US "era of strategic patience" with Pyongyang was over.

The BBC's Stephen McDonell in Beijing says the Chinese government appears to be becoming increasingly frustrated with North Korea, its traditional ally.

"I have noted the recent report," Mr Lu said, referring to the BBC interview.

"China expresses serious concern with recent trends about North Korea's nuclear and missile development.

"China is unswerving in its commitment to realising the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, maintaining the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula, and continue to solve matters through dialogue and negotiations."

Venezuela crisis: Teenager and woman shot dead at antigovernment protests

China says it is seriously concerned about North Korean nuclear development, in the wake of a BBC interview with a top official from the North.

North Korea showed off military hardware at a parade in honour of the anniversary of founding father Kim Il-sung's birth

Colombia landslide kills at least seven in Manizales At least seven people have been killed and 20 are missing after heavy rains caused landslides in the city of Manizales, in central Colombia.

BBC News, April 19, 2017

Thirty homes collapsed in different sectors of the city in the early hours of Wednesday.

The landslides happened after the monthly average of rain fell in one night, the city's mayor said.

Earlier this month, more than 300 people were killed in landslides in Mocoa, in southern Putumayo province.

The mayor of Manizales, José Octavio Cardona, said he feared the number of dead could rise further.

The mayor tweeted that President Juan Manuel Santos was on his way to the city to inspect the situation.

He said that the worst affected areas were those built on steep hills.

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Emirates to cut US flights after Trump travel restrictions Emirates will reduce flights to five US cities from next month, after new security rules targeted travellers from the Middle East The Dubai-based airline said the change was due to weaker demand for US travel.

In March, the US banned electronic devices larger than a mobile phone from cabin luggage on flights from 10 airports.

This included Dubai, as well as from other airports in the Middle East, north Africa and Turkey.

The UK imposed similar rules to the US. US President Donald Trump has also signed two executive orders to bar refugees and nationals of several Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East and north Africa from travelling to the US. Those bans have been contested in court.

An Emirates spokeswoman said: "The recent actions taken by the US government relating to the issuance of entry visas, heightened security vetting and restrictions on electronic devices in aircraft cabins have had a direct impact on consumer interest and demand for air travel into the US. "Over the past three months, we have seen a significant deterioration in the booking profiles on all our US routes, across all travel segments."

Emirates president Tim Clark said last month that demand to the US had fallen by about a third since Mr Trump's announcements.

The airline has also introduced new services to cope with the laptop ban, lending tablets to premium passengers and offering to check in electronics at the gate.

At least two people have been shot dead in Venezuela in protests against the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

BBC News, April 19, 2017 A teenager died in the capital Caracas and a woman was killed in San Cristobal, near the Colombian border.

Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets to demand new presidential elections and the release of jailed opposition politicians.

President Maduro has accused the opposition of attacking the police and looting shops.

He said more than 30 arrests had been made. Supporters of the government are holding a rival rally in Caracas.

Despite having the world's largest proven oil reserves, Venezuela has suffered for several years from high inflation, rampant crime and a shortage of basic goods.

What is behind the turmoil?

The protests taking place across the country were expected to be the biggest in three years, putting extra pressure on President Maduro to negotiate with the opposition and find a way of easing the country's economic crisis.

Anti-government protesters have described it as Venezuela's "second independence day".

Elections are not due until 2019, but the opposition says the country is on the verge of collapse. Inflation is expected to top 700% this year, the IMF says.

The latest crisis was triggered by last month's Supreme Court decision to officially take over power from the opposition-controlled parliament.

The Supreme Court reversed its decision after three days, but it was too late to prevent a new wave of protests.

Nigeria's Buhari suspends spy chief after $43m found in Lagos Muhammadu Buhari has ordered an investigation into how the spy agency headed by Mr Oke came into possession of the money, his office added.

Mr Oke has not yet commented.

However, unnamed intelligence officials told local media that the money was kept in the flat for covert operations.

Anti-corruption officials have uncovered bundles of cash in

Nigeria's foreign spy chief Ayo Oke has been suspended after anti-corruption officers found more than $43m (£34m) in a flat in the main city, Lagos, the president's office has said.

Nigeria this year.

Mr Buhari took office in 2015 with a pledge to root out corruption in government.

In a statement, his office said he had also suspended his close aide, David Babachir Lawal, pending an investigation into contracts awarded to deal with the humanitarian crisis in the north-east. The region has been hit by an insurgency by militant Islamist group Boko Haram.

A three-member panel,

led by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, will investigate both cases, Mr Buhari's office added.

Apart from US notes worth $43.4m, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) found nearly £27,800 and some 23m naira ($75,000) at the empty flat in Lagos's affluent Ikoyi suburb.

The National Intelligence Agency (NIA), which led by Mr Oke, had laid claim to the money, Mr Buhari's office said.

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