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The Belize Times
Established 1957
The Truth Shall Make You Free
26 FEBRUARY 2017 | ISSUE NO: 5034
www.belizetimes.bz | $1.00
BELIZEAN CHEATERS! Gaspar Vega
Edmond Castro
Erwin Contreras
Wednesday, 22 February 2017 As of today, we are told, tens of thousands of Belizeans have joined as eager spectators on social media pages launched over the weekend, entitled Belizean Cheaters, or Belizean Cheaters Uncut. The pages include nude pictures and videos, as well as scandalous and apparently unsubstantiated posts alleging all kinds of sexual activity/promiscuity/cheating. There is much lewd interest in those sites currently, and much less on the real cheaters who have betrayed the Belizean people by cheating us of many millions of dollars through
MINISTER’S ‘SPECIAL’ SON ESCAPES CRIMINAL CHARGES
LEELA
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John Saldivar
any combination of mismanagement, abuse, greed, blatant nepotism and outright corruption. These UDP Ministers have cheated on us. While those on the lurid sites have cost hurt feelings, these political cheaters have taken the nation to the brink of devaluation and insolvency. Even now, the Prime Minister is very cagey in revealing his scandalous relationship with Lord Ashcroft, a relationship which has yielded him and his family mem-
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DEFAULT Pg. 2
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GODWIN SAYS JAIL THEM!
4 MORE DEAD! Pg. 3
“There were also people who go out to inspect that these people were living, who should ask questions where they are, those people at the department, they are also responsible and I would hope that investigation will bring up the names of all those and not only be focusing on which minister gave which permit and who called what?...I would hope that everyone go to jail who was involved in this and we confiscate the passport and nationality of everyone who got..” - Godwin Hulse, 20th February, 2017
Alvaro Aldana
Chester Theus
Eaton Lamb
Walter Dawson
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BELIZEAN CHEATERS!
Continued from page 1 bers millions of dollars. Talk about friends with benefits. Gaspar Vega is one of the worst…a ‘not normal’ cheater. He has cheated Belizeans of millions of dollars from our public coffers and thousands of acres of prime property which he managed to procure for himself and his family members. There is little likelihood that any of that misappropriated money will be recovered, and to add insult to the injury of this blatant cheating, we normal people will have to pay more taxes to make up for that violent rape of our assets. Edmond Castro is a cheater in every sense of the word, and it is anybody’s guess why he has not made it up on one of those scurrilous sites, at least not yet. But worse than that, he has cheated the Belizean people through his very blatant Visa facilitation, his interventions in Immigration, his blatant misuse of public monies for personal gain at the BAA, and so many other ways. This man is a consummate cheater. Erwin Contreras is the undercover cheater. This is the dangerous kind who would sneak up on you in a dark alley and have his way with you before sidling quietly away. Contreras has allegedly made millions from dealings at home and across the borders, but very stealthily. His incestuous relationships with Pablo Marin and Rene Montero, cheaters themselves, have cost the Belizean people plenty. Contreras’ name comes up plenty in the Immigration audit reports, with good reason. And then there is John Saldivar, who didn’t quite escape the indignity of having a picture which allegedly showcases his attributes plastered in the social media. But Saldivar’s sins are far greater than anything which may have happened behind closed doors, even greater than his alleged escapades with William Mason. Saldivar, through his “association” with various business interests, has reportedly managed to make off like a bandit, no pun intended. These, and others in the UDP Cabinet, are the real cheaters who have raped the Belizean people of our pride and our assets. If there are any cheaters who deserve blasting, it is these. More next week…
23 Feb
24 Feb
2017
MINISTER’S ‘SPECIAL’ SON ESCAPES CRIMINAL CHARGES Wednesday, February 22, 2017 As we go to press, the Belize Times has been unable to verify why the son of Minister Godwin Hulse, Kenzle Hulse, has not been charged after a report was made to Police that he assaulted a customer at his business establishment and hit him with his pistol. The incident occurred exactly one month ago, and the Crimes Investigation Branch in Belmopan seems unwilling or unable to move against the Minister’s son, though we are told that they have attempted to do so twice. When Minister Godwin Hulse was asked about the incident, he lost his cool, claiming that his son was defending himself when he assaulted the customer. According to a frazzled Hulse, the man went towards his vehicle and “now my son doesn't know what the hell is coming out of the vehicle and so my son grabbed him. That is my understanding from everybody there, and pulled out his weapon. While he did that, the wife came and whap him in his back with something. Now please explain to me if you should stand there to make some foreigner or some Guatemalan or whoever he is kill you backside and then run across the border and the case done. I say hell no." When it was suggested to Hulse that anybody else would have been arrested and charged, and it is then the purview of the Court to decide innocence or guilt, Hulse again became belligerent, stating “Please, this is defending yourself, your property, your employees and everybody around and God forbid, if you can't do that in this country, then we have a problem." While Hulse has denied any interference in the case, the Belize Times is reliably informed that indeed the Police have been told to stand down, despite the victim’s insistence on the matter going to Court. It is not the first time that well-connected persons have been allowed to walk free from gun charges.
DEFAULT
Wednesday, 22 February 2017 Belize has defaulted on its payment to the bondholders, as of midnight on Monday, February 20th. Pay no attention to the worthless rhetoric of the shady Prime Minister who speaks about a 30-day grace period. The country has defaulted on its payment to bondholders, the group of persons to whom Belize owes the largest amount of loan monies. It is the amount of nearly all the debts owed by Belize. It is a billion dollars plus. To default on such a huge public debt is a major situation…a major crisis. The bad name that the country of Belize has just received is incalculable. A country does not recover from such a bad reputation for decades. This situation will really hurt Belize. Really hurt. And it is not the first time for this Barrow administration. In 2012 Mr. Barrow defaulted on the bond payment as well, which led to the Super-bond 2.0. The leader back then spoke of the restructured bond as ‘nirvana.’ And still he could not pay. He is a real MALPAGO. It is unbelievable that just a few years ago our nation had almost FOUR HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS thanks to Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela and his Petro Caribe program. For Belize to have squandered and stolen this amount of money, knowing we have huge debts is a crime. This crime must be laid squarely on the shoulders of the Prime Minister of Belize. He could have done better. He should have done better. Why did he not do the responsible thing and paid something towards the country’s debt. Instead, the Prime Minister chose to squander hundreds of millions of dollars on his re-election. How many schools did he build from PetroCaribe? How many clinics and hospitals? How many young people have now gone to college, sixth form and University from Petrocaribe? How many Belizeans have been taken out of a life of poverty? How many jobs have been created? None, none, none, none, none is the answer. This is the most tragic thing that has happened to our nation.
MUSICAL LEGEND PASSES Monday, February 20, 2017 Critically acclaimed Brukdown Queen, dancer, musician and Creole activist, Leela Vernon, has passed away. Her heart suddenly and unexpectedly stopped beating in a hospital bed at around 9 a.m. last Sunday. Since last Thursday she had been hospitalized for kidney related challenges. However, this prominent Punta Gorda woman did not seek medical attention abroad or even at our local high tech facilities. She humbly placed her life in the hands of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, the only place which half our country's poverty stricken population is able to afford. Though her heart has stopped beating, the rhythm in her soul will beat on forevermore. Leela will never be forgotten. She was genuine. She was gifted. She cared about the state of the nation. When many said the Creole culture was a myth or lacked authenticity, she audaciously said oth-
WEATHER
LOCAL
26 FEB
THE BELIZE TIMES
25 Feb
erwise as she belted out the words of her classic, "A wah know who seh Creole nuh got no culture." Leela was the first to translate the lyrics of the national anthem into Creole. We can go on and on about Leela who has taught generations of our nation's children how to dance like a true Creole. At age 66, Leela had given her entire life to the preservation and progress of the Creole identity. Myra Manzanares, a long time Creole activist, has told us that Leela wanted the 10th of September, celebrated at the Battle of St. George's Caye, to be celebrated instead as National Creole Day. The National Creole council has expressed that it would be ever aggressive and vigilant in the promotion of the Creole identity. In tribute to Leela, long-time friend and former President of NICH stated, “Leela is an unmatched artist, of enormous integrity, credibility and spirit. She was a kind, generous and free thinking individual whose activism has left Belize better. She was both tenacious and gracious. Her music and her voice remains a testament to the marvel-
ous force that she demonstrated on stage and in life.” The People's United Party joins the nation in mourning the passing of the Brukdown Queen who has gone on to join the Brukdown King, Mr. Wilfred Peters, who passed almost 7 months ago.
The Belize Times
Established 1957
14 APR 2013
27 Feb
ISSUE NO: 4840
The Truth Shall Make You Free
www.belizetimes.bz
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$1.00
serving Belize since 1957 as the longest continuous newspaper. Founder: Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price, People’s United Party Leader Emeritus OFFICE MANAGER
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26 Feb
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28 Feb
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26 FEB
2017
GODWIN SAYS JAIL THEM! “There were also people who go out to inspect that these people were living, who should ask questions where they are, those people at the department, they are also responsible and I would hope that investigation will bring up the names of all those and not only be focusing on which minister gave which permit and who called what?...I would hope that everyone go to jail who was involved in this and we confiscate the passport and nationality of everyone who got..” - Godwin Hulse, 20th February, 2017 Incredibly GODwin has called for public servants to be jailed over the most riveting and widespread immigration scandal to rock this country…a scandal that occurred on the watch of Dean O. Barrow—the self professed saint: the Machete Man who just happened to have lost his machete at precisely the time when the “whiff” of corruption reared its ugly head! Don’t worry about “which minister gave which permit” says GODwin; go after the public officers instead. This is his solution to the “culture of corruption” so vividly described by Teresita Castellanos, the former Finance Officer at GOD-
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THE BELIZE TIMES
win’s ministry. Can you believe the audacity of this now exposed hypocrite? Wasn’t he the one who stalled the Penner investigation? Wasn’t he the one who took months to have the Kim passport returned to Belize? Wasn’t he the one who was at the helm of the Immigration Department at the time that Citizen Kim got his passport whilst sitting in a jail cell halfway around the world? Who does GODwin really think he is fooling by pretending that he is serious about corruption when he sees nothing wrong with Ministers writing “recommendations” for Asian nationals whom they had never met? Never before in the history of this country has we seen the level of official corruption at the Immigration Department as we are now witnessing. There is now an entrenched culture of corruption at the Immigration Department; one that has prospered and was nourished under the corrosive leadership of GODwin. The people of Belize knew that, fundamentally, something was wrong with the throng of foreign nationals flocking the Immigration Department leading up to the 2012 general elections. Penner, August, Castro and other UDP operatives were bee-like in their fervour to “legalize” these nationals. We now
know why they seemed to care so much for these foreigners. Even as GODwin has been quick to call for the imprisonment of public officers, he has no problem with the turtle-pace that the Belmopan police have moved in relation to the incident involving his begotten son! For weeks now the Times has been telling the people of Belize of an incident involving the son of GODwin in which he allegedly assaulted one of his own customers with a firearm. Finally the media got GODwin to comment, and tried as he might, he did not convinced a single soul that his son has not benefitted from some form of political protection. Perhaps if the UDP and Dean Barrow had a track record of leaving the Police to do their work we might be inclined to believe GODwin but we remember when Dean “Piggy” Samuels fired his firearm in public and Dean O. was quick to hatch a plan for him to escape due process. Do you remember the election night shooter? What about Dougie “Saldivar” nee Grant? All instances where the UDP thwarted justice and shielded wrong doing involving firearms. So how are to believe GODwin when he says that there is no political interference? How!? There will be no justice for the customer who was pistol whipped by a royal son but GODwin has the gall to call for public officers to be jailed? It is no secret that under the vindictive UDP, deserving public officers have been side stepped and de-
nied promotions because they refuse to engage in shady business. Meanwhile those with UDP credentials have been living the high life. Remember the once golden boy from the GSU? Remember his meteoric rise to superintendent? What about Candy Saldivar? Remember her more than 18 months sitting at home and collecting a fat salary because they could not find any where to put her? GODwin sees nothing wrong with these but he calls for the incarceration of public officers? Where in the world is Jacqueline Willoughby Sanchez? We have not heard a peep from her about GODwin’s latest assault on our public officers but we hear she is now singing Barrow’s song about removing the Honourable Senator Eamon Courtenay? Politics really does make strange bedfellows.
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Questions to Ministers
Would the Member for Queen Square and Minister of Finance please say exactly how much are in the country’s foreign reserve holdings at this specific time? Could he further say how close we are to a devaluation of the Belizean dollar? Would the Member for Queen Square and Prime Minister please state whether he lied when he said publicly that shares in the utilities would only be sold to the SSB? Could he confirm or deny reports that at least one financial institution in the country has already purchased $20M worth of shares in one or more of the utilities? Would the Member for Queen Square and Prime Minister please say how much Mark Espat is being paid for this new attempt to restructure the bond? Could he further say how much Mark Espat is being paid for going around selling shares in the country’s utilities? Would the unelected Senator and disgraceful Minister of Immigration please say whether he was the one who called the Police to order them not to charge his son? Could he further say whether he signed the nationality documents for the Guatemalan who was pistolwhipped by his son? Would the Member for Pickstock and Minister of Foreign Affairs please say if he would be willing to provide a list of all UDP Ministers’ family members who have been placed in diplomatic positions and are receiving lucrative salaries? And since we’re on that topic, could he please confirm or deny reports that there are serious financial irregularities at the Mission in the United Kingdom? Would the scurvy Member for Belize Rural North and Minister of Transport please say who the owner of Rasta Golf Cart in San Pedro is? Could he confirm or deny reports that he is the owner, and say whether that would not be a major conflict of interest since he is the head of the body which authorizes the licensing of golf carts on the island? Would that same scurvy Member for Belize Rural North and Minister of NEMO please provide an accurate figure for works done under the disaster relief budget? Would he say if he is prepared to allow an audit team to go into the Ministry to determine if NEMO funds are being used where they should be?
26 FEB
2017
IF DAH NOH SOH!
Belizean cheaters… Mein wat a ting wat a ting! I swear we Belizean pipple know how fuh frig up every ting. An look pon all dih cruffy weh hurry fuh gawn join fuh fass pon people C & P business. Unnu try stap it. Dah ting wah cause pipple fuh get hurt. None ah unnu dah saint and none ah unnu private parts any cuter dan dih ones unnu deh blast. Try fuh mih. Unnu behave like we noh gat much biggah tings fuh worry bout. DNA… I swear sometimes I wonder why we’re such an ass-backwards country. William Mason was found with a man’s head in the back of his vehicle in July 2016. It’s now 7 months after that…February 2017 and we still can’t get back the frigging results of the DNA/forensics tests. Seriously! You know what? I bet you anything Mason and his whole crew are going to walk free. It’s 2017 for Christ’s sake. We have Ministers who drive $200,000 vehicles with heated seats for their asses. We have Ministers who travel first class all over the world and have stolen millions from the public coffers. We have a PM who is a multi-millionaire and lives a life of opulence. And we can’t do the DNA ting. That shit isn’t funny. You know how many murderers have walked because of a lack of DNA evidence tying them to the crimes? Shit. I just noh undahstand! Ask Rodwell… So Dean O says he has no clue if HIS law firm, the one called Barrow & Williams, bearing his name, is a major investor in one or more of the so-called white devil’s companies. Like he stood right there and said that, with a straight face. Then he said, but hey, you can go ask Rodwell if you want to know. What the hell! Is this man for real? Listen if you believe that crap there’s a four lane bridge over the Queen Street drain I can sell you. Barrow needs to stop playing the fool. He knows fully well he and his Lord and master are all wrapped up cozy in bed on those fancy Egyptian cotton sheets, as cozy as Mason and that fat fellow who used to frolic on that kingsized bed on that ranch on the hill. Lord man. Dean Oliver is a dead man walking. Shares… I suspect that while the bald rapscallion’s twisted mind is positively labyrinthine, he is not as Churchillian as he believes. Lerd, this man has been good for my vocabulary. Anyway, Dean Oliver is getting kinda transparent in his lies, if not in his accounting. So there he was just days ago telling the Belizean people that GOB would not sell off shares in the utilities to anybody but the SSB, the small man as he referred to it. But maybe he conveniently forgot that just recently his financial wunderkind Mark and the belaboured Fin Sec were at a certain financial institution selling shares no hell. In fact, that certain institution allegedly bought $20M worth of shares in one or more of the utilities. If that is so, and it is, then the Prime Minister lied! Oh say it ain’t so. Not our Dean, so beloved and true. Terrible fellow he is. Positively girlish…! What can I say about Godwin? What can’t I say about Godwin? My lerd the man was positively girlish when confronted by the media recently. All that was left was for him to kimbo and proclaim… these look good…baby girl! What a fool Godwin Hulse turned out to be, beating his chest over how great he is when he’s nothing but a blowhard. The man screwed up at Immigration, so bad that it’s hard to speculate if it wasn’t deliberately. He deliberately blocked a motion to investigate the David Nanes Schnitzer nationality when he was the one who signed it even though this fugitive met none of the requirements. Cho Godwin. Like your Prime Minister you are a dead man walking. Rasta… So the report on David Nanes Schnitzer, fugitive and con man extraordinaire, shows that his recommendation for nationality was signed by none other than the dread. I swear only in the UDP do you get rewarded for being scurvy as hell. Dih man was into cane the other day, screwed up the farmers. So Mr. Clean himself awarded him with a full ministry, NEMO and Transport. So what does the man do? I hear he goes out to the island and since he is the one who approves or disapproves licenses for golf-carts, he allegedly opens his own golf-cart rental. This man has done it all, from land hustling to check hustling to Visa hustling to cane-hustling to NEMO hustling and now, we hear, big time hustling on the island with golf-carts. Somebody better rein in this scurvy fellow fast. Junie… Since enquiring minds want to know, could the barefoot minister please say if he has any shares in San Pedro Belize Water Taxi? Yes, yes he’ll lie and say NO. But then, why is this watertaxi which makes use of the municipal dock on the island NOT paying the usual fees? Everybody else has to, but this bloated scribe understands that since August 2016 this ferry service has been allowed, by Ministerial directive, to not pay. Interesting stuff happening in San Pedro I tell you. Next week, barefoot minister, just so you know, I’ll be wanting to ask you about those departure fees being paid by tourists leaving the island at the Border Management facility managed by your son-in-law. The best is yet to come.
26 FEB
THE BELIZE TIMES
2017
05 5
EDITORIAL
Naked & Shameless
D
ean Oliver Barrow must really think that the Belizean people are a bunch of asses glued to his every word and mesmerized by his rehearsed prose and tired lyrics. His performance for the media and the nation, for performance it certainly was, revealed much more than an Emperor shod in imagined finery. He was naked…and shameless in his rhetoric and outright lies and spin. Somebody needs to put him out to pasture, and fast, because except for those who suck at his shrivelled teat for sustenance, absolutely nobody believes the words that are coming out his mouth. Mr. Barrow tried to spin the hell out of the fact that his law firm still represents and makes money off Lord Ashcroft’s interests in Belize. He, this man who pontificates and fashions himself as a white knight charging off to slay the villain, has gotten wealthy off the villain and continues to enjoy the villain’s largesse. He was shameless as he stated that he is not sure if his law firm is a major investor in Lord Ashcroft’s vast network of companies. He told the media that they would have to ask his law partner. What an absolute clown this man is. What a sick joke. Except it is no joke. Mr. Barrow lied when he refused to reveal what taxes would be increased. He said that hasn’t been decided yet, three weeks away from the reading of the Budget. What a crock of shit that is. Last week the Financial Secretary stated with certainty that increased taxes are inevitable, but the Prime Minister is more comfortable cloaked in deceit and lies. And then he said that if there are taxes, he would ensure that they do not impact the poor, middle class or productive sector. After his Ministers have raped the coffers of the nation dry and he has mismanaged the economy, ensuring that the poor are even poorer, the middle class has shrunk and the productive sector has been devastated. Mr. Barrow lied, not even cleverly, when asked about the nationality scandal in the months before 2012 elections. He started rambling about biometrics, which had absolutely nothing to do with the granting of nationalities to over 2100 persons, many of them not meeting the requirements, so they could vote. What the hell would biometrics have to do with that? Then he said that if anything maybe 30 persons out of 2100 would not have fulfilled the requirements. How would he know that, when his former Director of Immigration revealed, on the record, that MANY of those who got nationality did not qualify, and even revealed that UDP Ministers were pushing the process to get those people to vote, illegally? What kind of crack is the Prime Minister smoking?
The only thing more naked and shameless than Dean Oliver in Monday night’s newscast was the truly incredible, incredibly ridiculous Godwin Hulse. My Lord, that man needs an intervention, nothing less than divine. But the people have come to know him well. He is a selfproclaimed doer, a self-proclaimed mover and shaker, a selfproclaimed man of integrity and a self-proclaimed saint. But what has Godwin done for the people lately. He was put at the Ministry of Immigration in 2012, and presided over what has to be the most corrupt period in that Department in the country’s young history. Senior officials have gone on record to say that everybody, including Godwin, knew what was happening, knew about the culture of corruption. One official has claimed that corruption was rampant from top to bottom. You can take that how you like. Godwin was a non-entity in the Ministry of Immigration, at least as far as addressing the rampant hustling and blatant and very lucrative interference by UDP Ministers. Godwin also served a stint in the Ministry of Natural Resources. His only claim to fame there was a fight with Gapi Vega over an office space. He was at the Ministry of Police for a brief, inauspicious moment. NOTHING! Now he is the Minister of Agriculture and the farmers’ potatoes are rotting in the fields because as the Minister of Agriculture he is completely clueless, except as regards his very lucrative sugar business. But that’s another story for another time. In his interview with the media, Hulse attempted to totally withdraw himself from the mess at the Ministry of Immigration, even though he still acts as the Minister in that hotbed of corruption. Last week another senior official revealed under oath in the Senate that the corruption continues unabated, even now, even with all the scrutiny, even with Godwin’s pompous ramblings whenever a microphone is pushed in his face. It is crystal clear that both Dean Oliver and Godwin are clueless, or in denial. We keep stating, for the record, that we are in trouble as a nation. It is no reason to gloat…it is no reason to jump for joy…it is absolutely no reason to feel any sense of satisfaction. It is the people of Belize who are suffering, and only UDP Ministers, family members and cronies who have fed long and well. It is the PUP which will have to fix this unholy mess whenever the next elections are called. It is all Belizeans, and the next generation, and the next who will have to pay for the criminal mismanagement of the nation’s economy and criminal abuse of our people. The leaders of this party can hide their heads behind the tinted windows of their luxury rides, or under the pillows of their sweethearts. But the reckoning will come, and it will be nothing nice.
06 6 BNTU VICTORIOUS! TEACHERS WILL BE PAID
26 FEB
THE BELIZE TIMES
Luke Palacio Wednesday, 22 February 2017 The Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU) has won over the Ministry of Education in the case of whether teachers who engaged in 11 days of strike in October 2016 ought to be paid. The Ministry insisted that the teachers – who fought for good governance – should only be paid for time worked but the Union countered that they were willing to make up the time lost. If they would not be paid, then the teachers would not make up the time. On Tuesday February 21st, after a couple adjournments the nation finally learned the outcome of the January 16th session with mediator George Swift. Chief Justice Hon. Kenneth Benjamin gave both parties 45 days to arrive at an agreement and when they reported back, BNTU president Luke Palacio called it a win-win for both sides. Ultimately though, it was a complete win for the BNTU as the Ministry had to accept the Union’s position. Palacio referred to the ruling of former Chief Justice Adbulai Conteh that it is not the prerogative of the Ministry to deduct teachers’ salaries but rather, that of the school managements. “We just trust that based on what we have experienced that both parties would have learned something from the matter,” affirmed Palacio. The teachers will therefore make up the time lost by giving back six full days of classes. The first three days will be made up just before the Easter break while the second three days will be done just before the start of the July vacation period. Palacio chalked up their success to determination, steadfastness and
not allowing anyone to intimidate and bully them. He disclosed that “even during the mediation period the Ministry was saying ‘you make up back six days and we will still dock five days’ and our position was ‘then we prefer to go back to Court so that the Judge can make the final decision.’” Palacio declared that “somebody has to be able to stand up to whoever, as long as you are protecting the rights of workers… the rights of citizens and you must not be afraid. Because calling out a government or calling out anybody in authority does not necessarily mean that you hate them. What it means is that you are not in agreement with whatever wrong they are doing and therefore we need to be able to correct them from time to time and hopefully, they will see the other side and it benefits the country in the final analysis.” As to the relationship between the two being affected, Palacio believes that they can move amicably forward. Subsequent working meetings between the two, according to Palacio, have been cordial so he does not think there is any ill feeling. However, he added, “we trust, again, that when we raise issues that concern us and concern our teachers that good judgment, common sense will prevail before it gets
out of hand.” Had the teachers’ salary been docked, the moneys withheld would have amounted to some three million dollars based on the Union’s calculations. Chief Education Officer, Dr.
2017 Carol Babb was not present in Court for the perfection of the order by the Chief Justice. The Government was represented by Solicitor General Nigel Hawke while the BNTU was represented by Senior Counsel Eamon Courtenay.
PUBLIC AUCTION SALE: PROPERTY
Caribbean Coves/Caye Winds Area, west of San Pedro Town; North Ambergris Caye, Belize District PUBLIC AUCTION SALE: PROPERTIES
BY ORDER of the Mortgagees, Messrs. Atlantic International Bank Limited, Caribbean Coves/Caye Winds Area, west of San Pedro Town; North Ambergris Caye, Belize District Licensed Auctioneer Kevin A. Castillo will sell the following properties on Friday 24th February the following locations & times: BY ORDER of the Mortgagees, Messrs. 2017 Atlantic at International Bank Limited, Licensed Auctioneer Kevin A. Castillo will sell the following properties on Friday 24th February 2017 at the following locations & times: 1. At Parcels 8845, 8847 & 8921 situate 6 Miles north of San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye at 11:00 am:
REGISTRATION SECTION BLOCK PARCELS San Pedro 7 8845, 8847 & 8921 (Being three parcels of land (being sold in one lot) containing: Parcel No. 8845 - Building 13 [1,320 sq. ft.]a two storey concrete building:- Ground Floor: 3 bedrooms + living/dining/kitchen + front & rear porches; First Floor: 3 bedrooms + living/dining/kitchen + front & rear porches + roof top balcony and lot [0.278 acre]; Parcel No. 8847 Building 18 [2,860 sq. ft.] a three storey concrete building:- Ground floor: 3 bedrooms + living/dining/kitchen + front & rear porches; First Floor: 3 bedrooms + living/dining/kitchen + front & rear porches; Second Floor: 3 bedrooms + living/dining/kitchen + front & rear porches + roof top balcony and lot [0.278]; Parcel No. 8921 [1.48 acres] situate approximately 6 Miles north of San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, the freehold properties of Messrs. Meridian Beach Resort Limited surety for Messrs. Landtrust Development Corporation 2. At Parcel No. 8150 situate 8.5 Miles north of San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye at 12:00 noon:
REGISTRATION SECTION BLOCK PARCEL San Pedro 7 8150 (Being an incomplete concrete building [approx. 1,620 sq. ft.]and a two storey concrete house [approx. 144 sq. ft. per floor] and land [12.575 acres/mostly undeveloped] situate approximately 8 ½ Miles north of San Pedro Town, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, the freehold of Messrs. Landtrust Ltd. surety for Messrs. Sapphire Beach Belize Owners Group Ltd) TERMS: STRICTLY CASH CASH TERMS: STRICTLY KEVIN A. CASTILLO TELEPHONE: 224-4473 KEVIN A. CASTILLO Email: kevinacas@yahoo.com TELEPHONE: 224 4473 Email: kevinacas@yahoo.com
26 FEB
2017
07 7
THE BELIZE TIMES
BARROW SCREWS UP BIG TIME
Experts say this clause is critical as it actually gives bondholders the incentive to wait for an actual default and increase the value of their claim. Barrow has said he wants to settle the bond once and for all. However, if he could have done so he would have already. It is evident that Barrow and his team are incapable or unwilling to make necessary governmental reforms to ensure proper oversight and accountability which would certainly go a long way in eliminating
much of the corruption which has put Belize in this uncertain position in the first place. Belizeans, the best has long passed and now we must wander the wilderness of rock bottom together as everything around us, save for salaries, will increase and continue to get harder. The government ministers and their families, however, will not encounter a day of hardship and will in fact live comfortably on your hard earned tax dollars, pain and suffering.
NOTICE Triad Trading Ventures Ltd. #71, 041 (“the Company”)
Wednesday, February 22, 2017 Not even two years removed from the 2015 general elections, in which the best was promised to come, Belize is staring default and possible devaluation and total economic meltdown dead in the face. On Sunday Prime Minister Dean Barrow and his financial team of advisors returned to Belize following last ditch efforts in New York to persuade bondholders to accept the government's ridiculous consent solicitation offer. GOB has proposed that bondholders lower the interest rate on the bond from 5 to 4 percent and that amortization payments be pushed back way until 2036 when GOB proposes it will start making three annual payments upwards of $100 Million each. GOB couldn't even make a US $13.3 Million coupon payment on Monday. It is no surprise that bondholders have looked at GOB's proposal unfavorably. Now Belize is eerily close to a default on the 2038 "Superbond". And with foreign reserves barely above the crucial merchandise import benchmark for exchange rate sustainability, US $50 Mil-
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lion worth of arbitration awards pending enforcement, the slowing economy and the inevitable increase in taxes and retrenchment, Belize is in a very volatile state. Still, PM Barrow would have the Belizean people believe all is well. He pointed to a condition in the bond agreement which allows for a 30-day grace period after missing a coupon payment. The strategy is most likely a last ditch attempt to buy enough time to continue negotiations with bondholders in the hope of coming to an agreement soon. Sources have indicated to the Belize Times that GOB may ask for a reduction on the principal amount and offer pushing the interest rate on the bond up to 6 percent. Either way, the only one left footing the bill will be the Belizean public. In the meantime, GOB may try to make a partial payment on the coupon but bondholders reserve the right to reject payment in partial. According to New York law, under which the terms of the bond are stipulated, a default cannot officially be declared until 90 days after missing the coupon payment. GOB is praying that a deal is finalized before then. If Belize does default on the bond, a principal reinstatement clause agreed upon by Barrow and his government during the last round of restructuring states that: "...in the event of any unpaid principal or interest (before the bonds' 10th anniversary), the government has to issue to holders an additional amount of 2038 bonds equal to 11.11% of the original principal amount within five days; amounting to about US $59 Million".
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 Triad Trading Ventures Ltd.: a) Is in dissolution b) Commenced dissolution on the 21st day of February, 2017; and c) Mr. Stephanus Janke whose address is Meadow Star Place, Ou Wapad, Melody Ext. 22, Hartbeespoort, 0216, South Africa is the Liquidator of the Company. CILTrust International Limited Registered Agent
NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the below companies have been dissolved and struck off the International Business Companies Register with effect from the dates indicated: LOUSTEN BUSINESS LTD. - February 15, 2017 NABOO PLANET INC. - February 15, 2017 BRILAND HOLDINGS INC. - February 15, 2017 AZENOR S.A. - February 15, 2017 NAMBRYL TRADING INC. - February 15, 2017 STEEVY CORPORATION - February 15, 2017 CHAVANAC LIMITED - February 15, 2017 SHELANES CORPORATION - February 15, 2017 PINTA HOLDINGS CORP. - February 15, 2017 CLAVINS DEVELOPMENT CORP. - February 15th, 2017 MEMENTO COMPANY S.A. - February 15th, 2017 GERACE CAPITAL LTD. - February 15th, 2017 REDOWA COMPANY CORP. - February 15th, 2017 MEKINAC GROUP S.A. - February 15th, 2017 DARDENAC CAPITAL CORP. - February 15th, 2017 ICAZA BELIZE TRUST CORPORATION LIMITED
NOTICE Karna Group Ltd. #120, 476 (“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 Karna Group Ltd.: a) Is in dissolution b) Commenced dissolution on the 16th day of February, 2017; and c) Stephen C. Reid whose address is Meisgeyergasse 8/3, 1230, Vienna Austria, 1230 is the Liquidator of the Company. CILTrust International Limited Registered Agent
08 8
26 FEB
THE BELIZE TIMES
2017
Barrow Deliberately Deceitful About Stolen Elections Tuesday, February 21, 2017 Prime Minister Dean Barrow has dodged the question of the nationality and voter fraud which happened just before the 2012 General Elections. He says no such thing happened, and answered a question that wasn’t asked with a ridiculous answer that had nothing to do with the question. Readers are aware that Former Immigration Director Ruth Meighan has conceded in the Senate Hearings on Immigration that in the rush before those elections, nationalities were expedited and that the vetting process was compromised. Gordon Wade, the former officer commanding the Nationality Section, told the Senate that Meighan and the then Minister interpreted the Nationality Act in a way which allowed for illegal immigrants not living in Belize for the required time to get nationality. He said that he did not agree, but they were his superiors and they could make the final decision. In her report on Nationality, the Auditor General did mention, “We were provided a spreadsheet by the OIC Nationality Section of persons who received Belizean nationality prior to the 2012 Municipal and General Elections. The list had two thousand one hundred and ten (2,110) names. However, we were unable to request and examine all of those Nationality files to confirm whether those persons met all the requirements for Belizean Nationality under the Nationality Act Chapter 161. Further investigation is required to ascertain whether those persons met all the requirements for Belizean nationality.” In that same report, she also said, “We were unable to get a complete electronic record of all persons who were issued Belize Nationality certificates for the period April 2011 to September 2013. When it was requested from the OIC, Nationality Section, Mr. Gordon Wade, on April 7, 2014, we were told that such information was not available. He gave us an electronic spreadsheet of nationality certificates that were signed by the Minister prior to the 2012 General and Municipal Elections and said that the list was prepared for the Unions as requested by the Prime Minister and that is the only reason why a list of nationality certificates existed.” So, the press asked the Prime Minister about it on Sunday, February 19, when he arrived home from New York. He said, “That's nonsense man, that's absolute nonsense. Listen, you can check the historical records and you can check the anecdotal evidence. You would
have had in your archives footage of the crowds that line up for nationalization before an election because indeed people want to get their citizenship so that they can vote, and that's all that happened on this occasion.” When the press challenged him on the 2,110 who the Auditor General wants further investigation into, he said, “That's nonsense; they are talking about the 2000 where there was not the biometrics system in place. Nobody is saying that there were 2000 passports that were issued fraudulently. I think the media ran off with that kind of characterization from the time the question of the lack of biometrics came up. We had a press conference at the Biltmore where the director, the new director, and the experts showed you that you cannot equate the lack of biometrics with fraud. There is nothing at all that can support any claim that 2 thousand and odd persons were wrongly given nationality." But Barrow was being deliberately deceitful. Nowhere in the issue of these 2,110 persons was there ever a question of biometrics. The Auditor General specified. She is recommending that there be further investigation into their nationality files to ensure that they all qualified. So, no doubt, the Prime Minister changed the conversation, speaking to a topic that is irrelevant and has no context to the real issue. Again, the time period is the run up to the 2012 General Election, and again, the Prime Minister referenced the November 2015 General Elections, two different things. He said, “Let the senate inquiry, let any other official - I'm happy to commission that sort of an exercise - make the kind of investigation into how many people were actually given irregularly or illegally or improperly nationality certificates who then registered and voted. Find that out and then we can start talking again. You cannot seek now to try to delegitimize the resounding victory of the United Democratic Party at the polls on the last election." So, even though he changed the topic about which election is being referred to, he said, that he would be “happy to commission” an investigation into it. When will that be exactly? He left it open, with no clear answer on whether or not that investigation will take place. We won’t hold our breaths and don’t imagine that anybody should.
NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the below companies have been dissolved and struck off the International Business Companies Register with effect from the dates indicated: SHIPYARD SUPPLIERS, INC. - February 11th, 2017 APELLA HOLDINGS LTD. - February 14th, 2017 EFFECTIVE INVESTING INC. - February 14th, 2017 WALTZ LTD. - February 16th, 2017 KEMP HOLDINGS LTD. - February 17th, 2017 CHING HSIA LIMITED- February 17th, 2017 Belize Corporate Services Limited Registered Agent
NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the below company has been dissolved and struck off the International Business Companies Register with effect from the date indicated: CANASIA CAPITAL GROUP LTD. - February 3rd, 2017
ICAZA BELIZE TRUST CORPORATION LIMITED
9 SPORTS 09
8 MAY 26 FEB 12 JUN 19 JUN
THE BELIZE TIMES 2016 2017 2016 WILL NANES SCANDAL FINALLY BE INVESTIGATED? Wednesday, 22 February 2017 On November 3, 2015, a man by the name of David Miguel Nanes Schnitzer was caught on San Pedro with the help of Interpol and US Marshalls. His detention was ordered in 2011 following an investigation started in 2009 into the Mexican arm of the Allen Stanford Ponzi scheme which he headed. Hundreds of investors were defrauded of millions of dollars under the scheme. However, by 2011 Nanes was long gone. He was located in Texas in 2012 but again gave authorities the slip. On San Pedro, he was busted with two fake driver’s licenses in the names of David Banes and David Nanes and that is all he was prosecuted for: uttering upon a forged document. Subsequently, it would be revealed that he had been facilitated with a Belizean Nationality and a passport both of which were later revoked. But there was never a police investigation, and a Senate investigation proposed by the then lead Opposition Senator Lisa Shoman was blocked by none other than Immigration Minister and Leader of Government Business, Senator Godwin Hulse. Shoman had asked for him to recuse himself citing conflict of interest given that he had signed the nationality certificate, but Hulse went ahead and voted down the motion. Nanes was arraigned on November 6, 2015 and the matter was deferred to November 9th when he pleaded not guilty. The prosecution successfully ar-
David Miguel Nanes Schnitzer gued that he was a flight risk and he was remanded. Against all protestations from the prosecution, he would finally receive bail on November 20th based on the successful arguments of his attorney, Liesje Barrow-Chung of Barrow and Co. The bail was granted two days after his Belizean passport was revoked. Senior Counsel Shoman said this week that “somewhere along the line, somebody failed to let the Police know, the DPP know, the Courts know, and [he was] allowed to slip through the hands of law enforcement.” Sure enough, Nanes fled again and the Barrow administration had snubbed Belize’s closest neighbors and friends who were trying to get the international fugitive extradited. The matter has been revived this year since the news emerged that Nanes was recaptured in Mexico City on January 26 on a return flight from Cuba, with a fresh set of fraudulent identification and immigration documents.
WILLIAM “DANNY”
MASON WILL STAND TRIAL Wednesday, 22 February 2017 Accused murderer William “Danny” Mason who was found to have been closely linked with many UDP politicians and in particular former Police Minister, Hon. John Saldivar, has been committed, along with four others, to stand trial in the Supreme Court on June 20, 2017. The five face charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder and kidnapping for the July 15, 2016 kidnapping and cold blooded murder of Pastor Llewellyn Lucas, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping of David Dodd. On Tuesday February 21st, at the Preliminary Inquiry (PI), ACP Chester Williams, lead prosecutor in the matter listed before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith all the evidence (over 100 documents, exhibits, pictures, surveillance footage and others) had in the case minus the DNA and ballistic evidence. After the session, ACP Williams noted that the PI was not contested by the Defense so a paper committal was done. The prosecution will rely on over 20 witnesses to prove its case. Williams is hopeful that the DNA test results will be back from Miami in time for the June session of the Supreme Court when the case goes to trial. However, if those are not back then, according to Williams, “the case of the prosecution is a very good circumstantial case and even in the absence of the tests that we have sent abroad I still do believe that we have a very good
Belizean immigration documents leaked this month show that Nanes obtained Belizean nationality on December 17, 2012. Four days later, he applied for a Belizean passport which was picked up by none other than Immigration Officer Addy Pacheco whose name recurs in the special audit on immigration and nationality. The document that Nanes used to apply for nationality was a fraudulent US passport. Had the usual background check for the required permanent residency application been done, Interpol would have been immediately notified. The Justice of the Peace who signed the passport application was Pedro Gonzalo Heredia, the brother of Minister of Tourism, Hon. Manuel Heredia. Pedro Heredia told the media two weeks ago that he knew Nanes for some three years overall and would have known him for two years before signing his passport application. However, on the document he wrote he had known Nanes for five years which is impossible if Nanes arrived in Belize in 2012. With the new revelations, Minister Godwin Hulse was cornered by the media on Monday February 20th, and his exasperation got the better of him. He claimed not to have blocked the Senate investigation and insinuated that nationality and passport revocation was action enough.
But, as has been pointed out by S.C. Shoman, it does not stamp out the corruption in his Ministry. When pushed about the need for a police investigation now, Hulse stated, “I am saying while we are investigating the senate [sic], it would be ludicrous to have 2 or 3 investigations going along with the same matter." Still under more pressure, he added, “Then let the police investigate! I have no problem with that. You are calling for one, let it happen!" Responding to the submission that the police investigation should have happened a long time ago, Hulse declared, "Listen to me good. If the media is suggesting that Godwin Hulse should run everything in the department, trust me Godwin Hulse can, but the whole department goes home; you'll get 2 passports a year, it'll be genuine passports, you get no visa, you'll get 3 or 4 nationality, but they will be very clean." Senior Counsel Shoman insists, “If for no other reason than to stop incidents like that from occurring, the Senate should have investigated David Nanes Schnitzer and it did not. And up to today, Nanes Schnitzer is now in the custody of Mexican authorities and there seems to be absolutely no political will to find out who facilitated him in getting these documents and to punish any wrongdoing that occurred.”
NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the below companies has been dissolved and struck off the International Business Companies Register with effect from the dates indicated: ODERMINE HOLDING LIMITED - February 3rd, 2017 LATSHAW HOLDINGS LIMITED - February 4th, 2017 ALEMAN, CORDERO, GALINDO & LEE TRUST (BELIZE) LIMITED Registered Agent
William “Danny” Mason case but it would be best to have them… We have a video surveillance tape that the prosecution will be relying on at the trial in this matter.” While William Mason has not given police a statement, as is his entitlement under the Constitution, there is a caution statement for one of the accused. Also entered into evidence was some of Mason’s banking information from Canadian financial institutions as well as certificates of incorporation for his business enterprises in Belize. Indications in Court were that follow up was done with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) but ACP Williams informed the Chief Magistrate that that evidence will not be presented at this time. Of note, ACP Williams has informed that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution will now be taking over the matter and preparing the indictment based on the preliminary inquiry notes to be forwarded by the Court.
10 SPORTS
8 JAN 26 FEB 21 29 AUG JAN
THE BELIZE TIMES TIMES THE BELIZE
2017 2016
Annlyn Apolonio & Clayton Greenidge Win SPIEZ Muscle Mania
1st Bikini Fitness, Annlyn Apolonio
Belize City, February 18, 2017 It was wall to wall muscle at the SPIEZ Muscle Mania hosted by the Belize Body Building Federation at the Bliss Institute last Saturday night, with Clayton Greenidge, Annlyn Apolonio and Aurel Lewis taking top honours in their respective categories. Open Men's Physique 1st Aurel Lewis from Neal & Gordon’s Gym 2nd Erick Vasquez from Neal & Gordon’s Gym Open Bikini-fitness competition, 1st Annlyn Apolonio from Neal & Gordon’s Gym 2nd Fiona Malic from Body 2000 3rd Wendy Lizarraga from Spartan Gym, Corozal 4th Fran Malic - Body 2000 Open Men’s Bodybuilding Competition 1st Clayton Greenidge - Body 2000 2nd Mwafrica Hinds - Camp Fit Ladyville 3rd David Requena - Body 2000 4th Rigo Menjivar - Spartan Gym, Corozal 5th Christopher Carter - Neal & Gordon’s Gym 6th Ralph Arnold - BBBFF Gym. SPIEZ Pharmaceuticals Imports owner/ manager Ahmad Shaw Amini was the contest sponsor, and he doubled as Master of Ceremonies, presenting the trophies, medals, certificates and cash prizes to all winners; all athletes took home protein supplements and vitamins. He also presented a special award to the BBBBF’s 5-time winner of the Mr. Belize contest, Rigo Vellos, who did some guest posing, and also to 7-times winner of Mr. Belize, the legendary Ben McKoy who sang some of his popular hits recorded with his U.S. band the Melody Makers, “The War on Cancer”.
1st Mens Open, Clayton Greenidge
2nd Bikini Fitness, Fiona Malic
BES Boys Win 2 in Futures U-13 Football Belize City, February 18, 2017 The Belize Elementary School boys are leading the Futures Football Club Under-13 football competition with 2 wins at the ITVET compound last Saturday. The BES boys gunned down the Survivors: 3-2 with goals by Maddox Heusner, Hector Flores and Jared Mena. Kiwan Pantin and Isani Napata scored for Survivors. The BES boys posted their 1st win in Week 1 of the tournament: 4-0 against Jane Usher Blvd, with goals by Aiden Arnold, Maddox Huesner, Brandon Bouloy and John Paul Jaramillo. In Game 1 Saturday morning, Jane Usher Blvd and Carlston FC drew 1-1, with Zamar Alvares scoring for Jane
Usher, and Raheem Martinez scored for Carlston. In Week 1, Carlston FC bombed Sports In Education Club: 5-0 with goals by Kenyon Pratt, Kylon Roches. Delhart Dominguez scored the 3rd and 4th goals and Shane Pratt scored the 5th goal. In Game 2 Saturday morning, Future FC schooled Sports In Education Club 6-1, with 3 goals by Mushay Morey, and Kayia Requena, Anfernee Samuels and Jerwin Carcamo scored a goal apiece. Kentrell Marshall scored Sports In Education’s only goal. In Week 1 Future FC and Survivors drew 1-1 with Kayia Requena scoring for Future FC and Sanja Pitts equalizing for Survivors. The tournament continues with three games at the ITVET field on Saturday, February 25.
Undefeated BES boys win 2
Carlston win 5-0 Sports in Education
8 MAY 31 JUL 12 JUN 14 26 19 AUG FEB JUN
THE BELIZE TIMES
2016 2016 2017
BELMOPAN COMPRE BOYS WIN NSSSA Football Championship
Belmopan Compre boys
Orange Walk Tech boys San Pedro Town, February 18, 2017 The Belmopan Comprehensive School boys won the 2017 National Secondary Schools Sports Association (NSSSA) football championship, hosted by SPHS at the newly refurbished Ambergris Stadium with artificial turf over the weekend. In Game 1 Friday afternoon, the Western Zone champs, the Compre boys out-gunned the Southern zone champs, the Stann Creek Ecumenical College boys: 4-2 in penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation. Compre’s Jalen Myers scored a free kick in the 43rd minute: 1-0. Stann Creek’s Jonard Castillo equalized with a header in the 50th minute: 1-1. Compre lost a man to a red card issued to Jarrel Young in the 60th minute. No goals scored in the overtime, sending the game to penalties, and Alexander Scott, Jalen Myers, Charleston Gardiner and Ainsleigh Perez scored for Compre. Only Mark Samuels and Kendale Nunez scored for Stann Creek. In Game 2 Friday night, the Northern Zone champs, the Or-
ange Walk Technical High School boys schooled the Central Zone champs, the Gwen Lizarraga High School boys: 4-2. Gwen Liz’s Jadon Macgregor scored a penalty in the 1st minute: 1-0! Sugar City’s Alejandro Novelo equalized 1-1 in the 7th minute and scored a 2nd goal in the 10th minute: 2-1 at the half. Keyron Patnett equalized 2-2 in the 33rd minute, but Sugar City boys took the lead when Alexis Chan scored in the 43rd minute: 3-2. In the 49th minute, Nazim Aldana scored a 35-yard free kick: 4-2 final. In the consolation Game 3 for 3rd place on Saturday morning, the Stann Creek boys stomped Gwen Liz 9-1! Jonard Castillo scored a hat trick with goals in the 17th, 35th and 39th minutes. Gwen Liz’s Shamar Molina scored first: 1-0 in the 4th minute. Hassan Serano equalized: 1-1 in the 13th minute. Other goals came from Donell Arzu, Izon Gill, Latrell Middleton, Aiden Nunez and Mark Samuels. In Game 4 of the championship final Saturday afternoon, the Compre boys outgunned OWTHS 4-3 in penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation. In the 2nd minute, Sugar City
took the lead with a goal by Alexis Chan, but Compre’s Jalen Myers equalized with a penalty in the 17th minute. In penalties, Alexander Scott, Jalen Myers, Charleston Gardiner and Steven Gentle scored for Compre. Sugar City’s Nazim Aldana, Alejandro Novelo and Andir Chi scored their penalties, but the 3rd kicker hit the crossbar, and Best Goalie Kenny Gonzalez stopped the 5th try. Bowen & Bowen Crystal Water and SOL Belize Ltd were the tournament sponsors, and corporate representatives presented team trophies and individual medals to all winners 1st place Belmopan Comprehensive School 2nd place Orange Walk Technical High School 3rd place Stann Creek Ecumenical High School 4th place Gwen Lizarraga High School Individual awards: Best Goalkeeper: BCS Kenny Gonzalez Best Defender: BCS Ainsleigh Perez Best Midfielder: OWTHS No.11 Alejandro Novelo Best Striker: SCEHC No.9 Jonard Castillo Most Valuable Player: Alexander Scott
11 09 SPORTS 11
BCC & Tourist Village Win Thru to BDFA Inter-office Football Finals Belize City, February 16, 2017 The Belize City Council and Tourist Village FC won thru to the Belize District Football Association’s (BDFA) Inter-office football championship finals by wins in the semi-finals at the MCC Garden last Thursday night. In Game 1, BCC eliminated Latinos FC: 3-0 with goals by Mario Chimal in the 17th minute, Daren Leal in the 38th minute, and David “Manu” Macaulay Sr. in the 40th minute. In Game 2, Tourist Village eliminated Belize Bank: 4-1, with goals by John Castro in the 16th minute, Carlos Lino in the 23rd minute and Anthony “Buck” Arnold in the 26th minute. Carlos Lino added a 4th goal in the 53rd minute, before Belize Bank’s Felipo Aldrio scored in the 57th minute. Game 1 of the Finals comes up Thursday night, February 23.
San Pedro High girls win 1st NSSSA football championship
San Pedro Town, February 18, 2017 The San Pedro High School (SPHS) girls remained undefeated to win their 1st ever National Secondary Schools Sports Association (NSSSA) football championship, hosted by SPHS at the newly refurbished Ambergris Stadium with artificial turf over the weekend. In Game 1 Friday, the Southern zone champs, the Julian Cho High School from Big Falls, Toledo upset the defending national champs from the Western Zone, the Belmopan Comprehensive School (BCS) girls: 2-0. Regulation time ended in a nil-zip 0-0 draw, sending the game into overtime, in which Normalee Gomez scored JCTHS’ 1st goal: 1-0 in the 42nd minute, and Sylvia Pan scored the 2nd goal in the 49th minute. In Game 2 Friday night, the SPHS girls won 2-0 over the Central Zone champs, the St. Catherine Academy (SCA) girls, when Ada Cordoba scored a penalty in the 2nd minute: 1-0. Princess Bailey scored a 2nd goal in the 38th minute: 2-0 In consolation Game 3 for 3rd place on Saturday morning, the Compre girls bombed SCA: 2-0 in overtime, after regulation time ended in a nil zip draw. In the 1st overtime, Jayda Brown scored a header: 1-0, and in the 2nd overtime, Ashley Rodriguez scored a 2nd goal. In Game 4 the championship final Saturday afternoon, SPHS up-ended the Toledo girls: 2-1, after Dominga Teul scored JCTHS’ 1st goal in the 4th minute: 1-0. SPHS’ Esther Galeano equalized 1-1 in the 10th minute, and Galeano scored a 2nd goal in the 22nd minute: 2-1 Bowen & Bowne Crystal Water and SOL Belize Ltd were the tournament sponsors, and corporate representatives presented team trophies and individual medals to all winners. 1st place San Pedro High School 2nd place Julian Cho Technical High School 3rd place Belmopan Comprehensive School 4th place St. Catherine’s Academy Individual awards: Best Goalkeeper: SPHS Lisandra Novelo Best Defender: SPHS Yazkari Jones Best Midfielder: SPHS Ada Cordoba Best Striker: SPHS Esther Galeano Most Valuable Player: Ada Cordoba
12
THE BELIZE TIMES
26 FEB
2017
ON THE
MOVE
PUP Leader In Arenal Village OW East Swearing In
Football Tournament OW South
Campaign Manager South Tour
26 FEB
2017
PL Meet with UB Chairman and President
Swearing in Fort George, Caribbean Shores and Freetown
13
THE BELIZE TIMES
POLITICAL LEADERS CALL FOR VOTER RE-REGISTRATION IN 2017
BELMOPAN – Leaders of the political parties inclusive of the PUP and the VIP met last week to call on the Government to comply with the rule of law and immediately begin the legally overdue re-registration of electors. The leaders agreed that in light of the revelation that a number of persons were given fraudulent nationality certificates, which allowed these individuals to register and vote in elections in Belize, that a proper re-registration exercise was the only way to ensure that future elections are free and fair. The leaders agreed that the current voter register is compromised and as a result illegal. They also expressed serious concern over the padding of voter lists in a number of key constituencies. With municipal elections set for 7th March 2018, and the possibility of an early referendum on the matter of going to the ICJ, the leaders are insisting that re-registration occur before the planned re-divisioning announced by the Election and Boundaries Commission. They maintain that re-divisioning before re-registration is a nonsensical proposition, which appears to have gerrymandering of electoral divisions as its sole purpose to create a more favourable advantage for the incumbent UDP. The leaders are also calling on labor unions, civil society and religious organizations and all Belizeans to support the request for re-registration this year.
PUP NOTICE The People’s United Party informs all supporters in the following Constituencies that nominations are now being accepted for positions on the Constituency Executive Committee. 1. Belize Rural South 2. Belize Rural North 3. Belize Rural Central 4. Mesopotamia 5. Collet 6. Queen Square 7. Albert 8. Lake Independence 9. Corozal Bay 10. Orange Walk Central
Port Loyola Donates
Positions for which nominations are being accepted ARE: 1. Chairperson 2. Deputy-Chairperson 3. Secretary 4. Treasurer 5. Assistant Treasurer 6. Campaign Manager 7. Deputy Campaign Manager 8. Communications Director 9. Logistics Coordinator
The Closing Date for nominations for those interested in any position on the Executive Committee is March 3, 2017 at 4:00 p.m.
14
26 FEB
THE BELIZE TIMES
2017
INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) BELIZE FOR A CONTRACT TO OPERATE FIVE (5) SOLID WASTE TRANSFER FACILITIES AND SOLID(IFB) WASTEINVITATION DISPOSAL FACILITY INVITATION FORABIDS FOR BIDS IFB Number: 001-2017/2018
BELIZE
(IFB)
BELIZE
1. The Government of Belize through the Solid Waste Management Authority of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and SusA CONTRACT FIVE FOR (5)bidders SOLID A CONTRACT TRANSFER TO OPERATE FIVE (5) SOLID WASTE TRANSFER tainableFOR Development invite sealed TO bids OPERATE from eligible and qualified for WASTE a Contract to Operate Five (5) Solid Waste Transfer Facilities and a Solid Waste Disposal Facility FACILITIES as set out in moreAND detail A in the Bidding Document: SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL FACILITIES FACILITY AND A SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL FACILITY
a) Operations (loading/transfer and barging, as necessary, of municipal solid waste), management and maintenance of the following transfer stations: IFB Number: 001-2017/2018 IFB Number: 001-2017/2018 Belize City Mile 3; San Ignacio – Santa Elena; Burrell Boom; San Pedro Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker, including all ancillary facilities and appurtenances. 1. The Government of Belize through the Solid Waste 1. Management The Government Authority of Belize of the through Ministry the Solid of Waste Management Authority of the Ministry o b) Operations (landfilling of municipal solid waste), management, maintenance and environmental monitoring of the Mile 24 Regional Sanitary Landfill, Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Agriculture, Sustainable Fisheries, Development Forestry, invite the sealed Environment and Sustainable Development invite seale including all ancillary facilities and appurtenances. bids from eligible and qualified bidders for a Contract bids to Operate from eligible Five (5) and Solid qualified Waste bidders Transfer for a Contract Operate Five (5) Solid Transfe c) Operations (handling and storage), management, maintenance and environmental monitoring of the hazardous to waste cell co-located at theWaste Mile 24 Facilities andLandfill, a Solid WasteallDisposal Facility and as Facilities set out in andmore a Solid detailWaste in theDisposal BiddingFacility as set out in more detail in the Biddin Regional Sanitary including ancillary facilities appurtenances.
Document:
2. The Operations Services period is 36 months.
Document:
a) Operations (loading/transfer and barging, as necessary, a) Operations of municipal (loading/transfer solid waste), and barging, as necessary, of municipal solid waste
3. The procurement process for this contract will be generally in compliance with GoB and IDB procurement policies and guidelines and is open to all bidmanagement and maintenance of the following transfer management stations: and Belize maintenance City Mile of 3; the following transfer stations: Belize City Mile 3 ders from Eligible Source Countries as defined in the Bidding Documents.
San Ignacio – Santa Elena; Burrell Boom; San Pedro San Ignacio Ambergris – Santa CayeElena; and Caye Burrell Boom; San Pedro Ambergris Caye and Cay Caulker, including all ancillary facilities and appurtenances. Caulker, including all ancillary facilities and appurtenances. 4. Qualifications requirements are as follows: b) Operations (landfilling of municipal solid waste), b) Operations management, (landfilling maintenance of municipal and solid waste), management, maintenance an a) For a Bidder to qualify,monitoring it must haveof onthe its team, Solid Wasteenvironmental Management Expert (sub consultant) who 24 hasRegional been actively involved in at least two environmental Mile a24 Regional Sanitary Landfill, monitoring including of the all Mile Sanitary Landfill, including a out of the three typesfacilities of operations listed below, one of which shall be # (1),facilities of at least sizes as mentioned within the last five years immediately ancillary and appurtenances. ancillary andthe appurtenances. prior to the the Bid: and storage), management, c) submission Operations of(handling c) Operations maintenance(handling and environmental and storage), management, maintenance and environmenta 1) Operation of a municipal solid waste landfill facility receiving at least 50 Tonnes per day of waste; monitoring of the hazardous waste cell co-located at monitoring the Mile of 24 the Regional hazardous Sanitary waste cell co-located at the Mile 24 Regional Sanitar 2) Collection and transportation of municipal solid waste in a City or Town of at least 5,000 residents; Landfill, including all ancillary facilities and appurtenances. Landfill, including all ancillary 3) Operation of a transfer station or a material recovery facility processing at least 10 Tonnesfacilities per day. and appurtenances. 2. The TheBidders Operations Servicestoperiod is 36 months. letter2.to The Operations period isprovided 36 months. are required provide a reference the nature of theServices above services from their clients.
3. b)The process will be generally The procurement compliance forGoB thisand contract IDB will be generally in compliance withmanaging GoB and IDB Theprocurement Annual Turnover will befor thethis Netcontract Annual Sales or3.Revenue ofin the Bidderprocess or itswith subcontractors or subconsultants, received for operating, and maintaining solid waste transfer stations and disposal facilities (sanitary landfills) and collection of solid waste: procurement policies and guidelines and is open to allprocurement bidders frompolicies Eligibleand Source guidelines Countries and as is open to all bidders from Eligible Source Countries a i. the Bidder shouldDocuments. have generated a minimum average turnover the past three (3) years of greater than the equivalent of BZD$1,500,000.00 defined in the Bidding defined in theduring Bidding Documents. per annum. ii. the Bidder should have generated a minimum turnover in at least one year of the three (3) year period of not less than the equivalent of 4. Qualifications requirements are as follows: 4. Qualifications requirements are as follows: BZD$2,500,000.00.
a) For a Bidder to qualify, it must have on its team, aa)Solid ForWaste a Bidder Management to qualify,Expert it must(sub have on its team, a Solid Waste Management Expert (su
consultant) who has been actively involved inOwner at least consultant) two outwho of has three beentypes actively of involved at least two out of the threethe types o c) The Bidder shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the that he/she hasthe in his/her possession or shall in lease, rent or otherwise acquire following equipment to perform the Operations Services operations listed below, one of which shallasbeneeded: # (1),operations of at least listed the sizes below, as mentioned one of which shall be # (1), of at least the sizes as mentione within the last five years immediately prior to the submission within the of the lastBid: five years immediately prior to the submission of the Bid:
Quantity Description 1) Operation of a municipal solid waste landfill facility 1) receiving Operation at of least a municipal solid waste landfill facility receiving at least 1 Track type bulldozer ≥ 200 Hp 50 Tonnes per day of waste; 50 Tonnes per day of waste; 1 Motor road grader ≥ 140 Hp 2)hydraulic Collection and≥ transportation of municipal solid2)waste Collection in a and transportation of municipal solid waste in a 1 Crawler excavator 140 Hp City City or Town of at least 5,000 residents; 5 Front end loader ≥ or 120Town Hp of at least 5,000 residents; Operation of a transfer station or a material recovery 3) facility Operation of a transfer station or a material recovery facility 2 Wheel3) loader/backhoe 1 Water truck with tank and sprinkler ≥15m3 5 Tipper truck ≥ 14m3 1 Engine driven pump 6” 1 Double cab pickup truck 1 Barge or other craft of similar nature Others: sky track loader, bobcat loader, tow heads, trash trailers or equivalent dumper trailers greater than 60 cubic yards capacity, roll on/off containers and associated truck, if possible, stationary compactors with containers for San Pedro and Caye Caulker operations. 5. Interested eligible bidders may obtain further information from Solid Waste Management Authority of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development at the address below from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 6. A complete set of Bidding Documents in English, on a Compact Disk (CD) may be obtained free of charge by interested bidders on the submission of a written request to the address below. Alternatively, bidders may make their official request to the email below and receive the Bidding Documents by DropBox. 7. Bids must be delivered to the address below at or before April 21st, 2017 at 1:00 PM. Electronic bidding shall not be permitted. Late bids shall be rejected. Bids will be opened on April 21st, 2017 at 1:05 PM in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend in person at the address below. 8. Site visits will be held as follows: (i) On February 23rd, 2017 at 10:30 AM Caye Caulker Transfer Station and 2:30 PM at San Pedro Transfer Station; and (ii) February 24th, 2017 at 09:30 AM Belize City Transfer Station; 11:30 AM Mile 24 Regional Sanitary Landfill and 2:30 PM San Ignacio – Santa Elena Transfer Station. Bidders can visit the Burrell Boom Transfer Station on their own, with prior request to the Owner. 9. A Pre-Bid Meeting will be held on February 28th, 2017 at 10:00 AM at the DOE Conference Room, Market Square, Belmopan. 10. All bids shall be accompanied by a Bid Security of BZD$250,000. 11. The address referred to above is: Solid Waste Management Authority of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development, Queen Elizabeth II Blvd., Cohune Walk Area, City of Belmopan, Belize C.A. sw.director@naturalresources.gov.bz
26 FEB
15
THE BELIZE TIMES
2017
MY PERSPECTIVE By Dolores Balderamos Garcia
DON'T BLAME THE VICTIM
I have been focusing lately on the issue of violence against women and girls and domestic violence. There are thousands of cases and examples of this pernicious reality at home and abroad. I will be talking about cases in Belize, in Trinidad and Tobago and in the United States. Let me begin by quoting a journalist in Trinidad named Sophia Chote. She just wrote an opinion piece about comments Prime Minister Keith Rowley made when there was yet another vicious killing of a young woman in the twin island republic. “Domestic violence is a human rights violation. It is NEVER acceptable, excusable or tolerable,” she said. I no doubt agree wholeheartedly, and I want to comment as well. The Trinidadian PM made an off-the-cuff remark about the murder of the young woman and is quoted as saying that women must be careful about who they invite into their bedroom. This careless comment, obviously well meaning on his part, has sparked much discussion. Intimate partner violence is a very troubling matter, and men do not go around with a sign saying “Abuser” on their foreheads. Ms. Chote feels that the inference one can draw from the PM's remarks is of a woman playing a role in creating her own victimhood through poor choices of partner. In Belize there have been several glaring examples of this victim blaming just in the past week. Ten years or so ago a man viciously stabbed up his lady friend to death. Now his charges are being reduced to manslaughter. His attorney blithely told the press that the woman provoked him by saying that he was no good sexually. Yes, defence counsel must do his job, but I find it disturbing to say the least that a dead woman who cannot defend herself is being blamed for her vicious slaying. This week too there has been the report of the rape of a fifteen year old girl in Benque Viejo del Carmen. The radio reported that she had been drinking liquor and smoking weed with two men. Police press officer Year-
wood made sure to say that she ought not to have been drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana in any case. I am sure that he meant no harm in giving this opinion, but we must look at the issue carefully. What comes across pellucidly is that the victim of rape is being chided for helping to cause her own suffering by engaging in illegal activity. Does officer Yearwood know all the circumstances? Suppose this teenager is a victim of human trafficking ? I say we have to be circumspect in drawing conclusions. We must not rush to judgement. This is blaming the victim. Alarmingly, I have read this week also about a case in the State of Texas, USA. An undocumented Mexican woman was driven by a victim's advocate to court to seek a Protection Order against her boyfriend who was seriously abusing her, but officials from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were right there waiting to arrest her. Who else but her abuser could have tipped off the law enforcement people ? The woman did have a prior criminal record and had previously been deported, but there were no charges outstanding against her. One commentator said this will cause “an incredible chilling effect for all undocumented victims of any crime.” Clearly we see here the continued victimization of victims of domestic violence. It is not uncommon in the US for abusers to threaten to report undocumented partners as a means of control. In this case the judge did say, however, that Immigration officials should not act on tips from abusers and that there is no place for that in the family court. From these examples from Belize, Trinidad, and the United States it is plain to see that victim blaming is very much alive and well in our societies. Journalist Sophia Chote, whom I have quoted, has said that Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa tells us “It is in standing up for the rights of women and girls that men truly measure up as men.” How can I possibly not be ad idem? We have to say resoundingly and MEAN IT: “Stop blaming the victims.” Only in this way can we truly begin to fight this pernicious gender based violence that continues to plague our communities.
NOTICE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND THOSE WITH INTEREST WITH PARCEL NO. 1866 Notice is hereby given that the Orange Walk Town Council will be demolishing the dilapidated building situated on parcel no. 1866 that is situated on Arthur Street directly in front of the Town Councils building and next to the Post Office. This is being done for the safety of the citizens of the Town since this building is infested with vermin and is being used at nights by drug users and is also being used as a bathroom; has become very unsafe, unhealthy and dangerous for our citizens. This building is thereby now being considered by the Council to be a nuisance to our Town and its citizens. This is being done with the authority vested to the Council under Chapter 40 of the Public Health Act Revised Edition 2000 Section 135 (b) of the Public Health Act that reads: (b) any dwelling or premises or part thereof which is or are of such construction or in such a state or so situated or so dirty or so verminous or so damp as to be likely to be injurious or dangerous to health or which is or are liable to favour the spread of any infectious disease. The Council hopes to get your full cooperation in the above mentioned notice.
NOTICE 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 31st day of August 1999, between MIGUEL TZIB of San Antonio Village, Cayo District (hereinafter called “the Borrower”) of the one part and THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA (hereinafter called “the Mortgagee”) of the other part, and recorded in Deeds Book Volume 28 of 1999 at Folios 797- 822, the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the schedule hereto. All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. SCHEDULE ALL THAT LEASEHOLD INTEREST IN ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Lot No. 51 situate in San Antonio Village, Cayo District, and bounded as follows: On the Northeast for a distance of approximately 113 feet to a concrete pillar; On the Southeast by a road and a lot for Modesto Gutierrez; On the Southwest by a road and a lot of Feliz Tzib; On the Northwest by a lot now or formerly belonging to Feliz Tzib containing approximately 1666 square yards as can be found on Tracing 89 being a Field Plan of San Antonio Village in which same can be seen at the office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys TOGETHER with all building and erections standing and being thereon. DATED this 9th day of February, 2017. MUSA & BALDERAMOS LLP 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorneys-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.
16
THE BELIZE TIMES
Aldana Executed by Belize City Assassin?
Alvaro Aldana Belize City, Wednesday February 22, 2017 The common-law wife of 23 yearold Alvaro Aldana, a resident of San Ignacio, is left with the horror of hearing him gunned down and killed by some unknown assailant. Police have reason to suspect that a man who was killed shortly afterwards may have been his assailant, acting as some sort of assassin. The incident happened on Sunday, February 19, at around 12:58 p.m., when Aldana and his common-law, Shelee Lemus, were attempting to get to the hospital. She told the media that she was feeling ill, and they were about to catch a taxi to get to the hospital. He reportedly stopped off at a relative’s house while she went ahead. Aldana walked into the park area behind PK restaurant, where it is believed that a gunman snuck up on him from the darkness. Realizing the danger, Aldana ordered
Lemus to run for her life, but it appears that he was the target. She recounted that while she was fleeing, she heard the sounds of gunshots behind her. Lemus said, “…I heard a gunshot and then he said run, so I start running. And then, while running I heard other gunshots and then I heard a scream from him, then I heard more shots and he screamed like 2 more times and by the time I was really far I was at the highway running, screaming, someone help me please.” She heard his distress, his screams of agony and fear, and she finally managed to get the attention of a taxi driver who then took her to her mother-in-law’s house. They called the Police and went looking for him. That’s when they found him dead; he been shot under the left eye, twice in the body, and the officers also observed that he had a stab wound to the back. It is still unclear why he was murdered, but his family acknowledged that when he was younger he did get into trouble with the law. He has been a suspect in several robberies. Aldana was the father of a 3 year-old son.
WHO KILLED THE ALLEGED KILLER?
Chester Theus Wednesday, February 22, 2017 Police are investigating a possible connection between the murder of 23 year-old Alvaro Aldana and 22 year old Chester Theus, both of whom were shot and killed within hours of each other. Up until Tuesday, February 21, Police did not know Theus’ identity. They discovered his body on Monday, February 20, at around 6 a.m. That was only 5 hours after the murder of Alvaro Aldana, and Police say that he was dressed in attire matching the description of Aldana’s shooter. The cops found him on lying in the middle of 1st street, in San Ignacio Town, with a bullet wound to the head. There were no eyewitnesses forthcoming, and nobody to offer any
insight to the cops about what happened to him. Inspector Fitzroy Yearwood, police press officer, confirm to the press that he matched the description of a man they had been trying to detain for the murder of Alvaro Aldana. He said, “Based on the way that person was dressed when he was found, it would suggest that he might be the suspect for the murder that took place earlier last night.” It is too early to tell if he was killed in some bizarre and swift street justice, or if he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Theus is originally from the Long Barracks area of Caesar Ridge Road, and he was raised by a family who took him in when he was a baby. He was raised by this family until he was older and he reconnected with his mother. Sometime later in life, he landed in trouble with police, and he ended up in jail. Police have intelligence which suggests that he is associated with a Belize City gang.
26 FEB
2017
A PACT WITH THE DEVIL
By: Eduardo Santiago Our present government, as the days go by, continually finds itself in a political quandary. As the days go by, the sins of yesterday are slowly being revealed and the picture we see is nothing that can justify their 2015 slogan ‘the best is yet to come.’ Instead it seems that we have been immersed in a tragic play with the plot being inspired by the German writer and statesman Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. In Gothe’s novel ‘Faust,’ Heinrich Faust is a scholar who craves additional knowledge and makes a pact with Mephistopheles, an agent of the devil. In return for unlimited knowledge, Faust signs away the right to his soul (in another variation, the soul is that of his son). As he receives the unlimited knowledge he so much desires, it comes with certain effects. His actions causes the death of a young woman and his son. In our government, we can clearly see a similar scenario being played out. On one hand, we see certain politicians’ names being mentioned continuously whenever any scandal is exposed, and also at the same time, their immediate families’ fortunes begin growing at an alarming rate. For what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffers the loss of his soul? In this case it will only lead to the downfall of the present government and a big loss to our treasury. As with Faust, some of the more unscrupulous ministers have used their ministries and operated them as private business entities. Even with the attempts by the Prime Minister to curb this activity, his actions are as effective as putting a miniscule bandaid on a sliced vein. The first casualty of his so-called attempt to clean his Cabinet has been Elvin Penner who was accused in the court of public opinion, of being one of the masterminds in the ‘Citizen Kim’ passport scandal. In any other country, this transgression would have been dealt with in a court of law with the probable outcome being some serious jail time. But alas, for his actions, his penalty was that he was stripped of all ministerial privileges and was allowed to fade silently into the sunset.
Other serious scandals that emerged included the issuing of land titles that were private property for a pittance and having to compensate the new ‘owners’ with a king’s ransom. From the beginning, this issue had all the signals of a scam wherein the ‘new owners’ and whoever were in cahoots with them would have had prior knowledge that the said property had to have an owner. The idea that these prime lots were still the properties of the Government of Belize is somewhat ludicrous. In the end, our treasury took a massive hit and although there is a directive to return the money to the government, I can foresee a long drawn out legal wrangling where again this will be swept into the dustbins of forgotten history. Our present government now finds itself in an eternal crisis without any hopes of salvation. In order to save itself and our country, there is a need to take the bull by the horns and to begin cauterizing all malignant tumors that are causing havoc within the government. In reality, this would be the pragmatic solution to the ills of our government but it is easier said than done. The domino effect in reprimanding just one of the transgressors can lead to the collapse of the government and the ultimate destruction of the UDP. With that in mind, I am of the opinion that our present leader is hell-bent on keeping the uneasy truce so as to finish his third term with little or no internal tremors. In the end, the rampant abuse of power and the lack of strong leadership is the reason we now find ourselves in this financial debacle. The governments’ spin doctors and ‘yeri-soh’ artists will paint you a picture that all the sins of our country have been caused by our past administration. It is now high time that we, the citizens of Belize, regardless of political affiliation, demand that our government become more responsible for their actions. If we are to wait until 2020 when the next national elections are being held, then it might be too little too late. If the present administration cannot fully deal with the management of Belize, then do the right thing and call elections soon. We already know that it will be a landslide victory for the PUP under the able leadership of John Briceño. The longer we have this government in power, the faster we will slip into economic oblivion.
26 FEB
2017
17
THE BELIZE TIMES
THE MINISTERIAL IMMIGRATION SCANDAL:
WILL THE SENATE INQUIRY UNRAVEL?
By Norris Hall TWO major and politically connected players involved in the nasty ministerial immigration scandal have recently ducked an invitation from the Senate Special Select Committee inquiring into this sordid affair, to give sworn testimony about how deeply they were involved in this mess. This begs the question: Will the inquiry, under the chairmanship of a government-appointed Senator, unravel, or be allowed to? The two invitees, a former Deputy Mayor of the Belize City Council and a Finance Officer employed by the City Council, who appears to have been moonlighting in the illegal Passport and Visa business, are believed to be deep in the facilitation of Chinese and Taiwanese citizens seeking warmer climes and with some allegedly involved in the business of human trafficking. One of the five or more ministers of government who have been fingered by the Auditor General and who have been running his own passport and immigration scam from a resort island, have publicly called for an end to the Senate Inquiry. ATTEMPTS TO BLOCK INQUIRY It would appear that this Special Select Committee, which was constituted, despite numerous attempts to roadblock the inquiry, is proceeding even though there have been subtle attempts by government Senators on the Committee, including the Chairman, to divert testimony that implicated certain politicians. It proceeds, notwithstanding their bias, because of the strong leadership displayed by the Opposition’s lead Senator, the Private Sector Senate representative and the Senator representing the Belize Trade Union Congress. They hammered their witnesses and at times extricated information like a dentist extracting a wisdom tooth. But in the light of recent developments, and the refusal of the two key witnesses to participate in this dirt-digging inquiry, the Special Select Committee is appearing to be as toothless as a ninety-odd-year-old granny. It appears not to have any powers of subpoena. But when in doubt, turn to the Chairman. However, after his explanation to the media, we still do not know the price of rice. It would appear, at that time, that neither did he. TEXT BOOK BULLSHIT! Speaking to Reporters about the power of the Senate to summon witnesses, the Chairman groped for a textbook explanation but uttered a mouthful of nothingness. We quote verbatim: “I think if at the end of the day,
the Senate does not have the ability to compel - I’m not saying that this is the case, let’s say that’s just the worstcase scenario - if the Senate is unable to compel them to come in a timely fashion; if there is litigation about what are the powers of the Senate in that regard, I’m not ruling that out - if the Senate is unable to compel them at that point, my view is that the Committee is still bound to afford everybody fairness and natural justice principles…” It goes on, but in publishing we need to consider the economy of space, especially when we assume that there is no need to have been to a farm to know the smell of bullshit. The Chairman of the Senate Special Select Committee was clueless about the price of rice - in this case the roles, functions and legal authority of his own Committee. The Senate is a part of the legislative pillar appointed under the supreme laws of Belize - the Constitution. It enjoys no judicial powers and has no authority to subpoena witnesses. That is the long and short of that, Mr. Chairman! TOO MUCH MINISTERIAL INDISCRETION That there are numerous examples of ministerial indiscretion and illegal tampering of the Immigration laws of this country by government ministers, their cronies and senior public officers in the passport and immigration department is evident. It even goes beyond this. There is a menu of documents, including birth certificates from the Vital Statistics Department that deals with births and deaths and so on. This under-the- table menu comes listed with various costs and timeframes. There are blatant examples of these illegal practices. Remember the guy who was born in Guyana but was able to provide proof, with birth certificate, that he was born in the village of Crooked Tree? With the testimonies given so far by Immigrations Officers who have had to testify under duress, there is enough for the Chairman to request a criminal investigation by the Director of Public Prosecution. He has that power, if he gets the support of his Committee. He would. There is no need to play word games here. A CORRUPT CULTURE Public officers in the Immigration Department, have, at the Senate inquiry, unveiled the level of ministerial corruption and implicated their colleagues. One Administrator, in her testimony to the Senate Special Select Committee, minced no words when she declared that the “Immigration Department has an entrenched culture of corruption and hustling”. It is not likely, if we are to take the signal from one Minister, who called for an end to the inquiry, that any Minister will be called to testify. If they are, they will decline the “invitation”. This will include the Prime Minister, who
has been implicated in the scandal. However, we hasten to add, that from documents we have gleaned, the PM did not, unlike his Ministers, act illegally (at least in one instance), in recommending his wife’s brotherin-law, a Swiss, for Belize citizenship. This is legal under an amendment to the Belize Nationality Act of 1981.This amendment provides for citizenship of Belize by descent. He acted in accordance with the law. For that he gets a halo. With that he should encourage, if not decree, his band of ministers implicated in the immigration and passport scandal, to give testimony to the Senate Committee to clear their “good name”. Miracles still happen if you believe. Without their participation, and with a Chairman who is out of his depth, the inquiry will end and so will the Senate Special Select Committee. It will unravel. NOT FRUITLESS DESPITE UNRAVELLING But-but! There are a number of conclusions that have been derived. It has not been fruitless: The Prime Minister and his government knew of this scandal and did little to stop it. The de facto Minister of Immi-
gration, while promising to fix the problem and to streamline the process to eliminate corruption in that Ministry and in the Department of Immigration, did nothing but talk and spin. At least five Ministers virtually camped out at the Department of Immigration with the tacit approval of the Director of Immigration. It was, and remains a multimillion dollar scam. Belize’s security has been compromised with the granting of fraudulent citizenship to thousands of Guatemalans whose names have padded the voters list. There are Ministers and Immigration Officers who are criminally culpable. That includes the former Chief Immigration Officer and senior staff. THE CHAIRMAN’S LACK OF INTEGRITY THAT! is the price of rice. Mr. Chairman of the Senate Special Select Committee you are overseeing the unraveling of your Committee, a committee in which you and your colleagues have subtly tried to derail testimony that implicated those involved. By doing so, you and your colleague, the woman who is also a government-appointed Senator and an over-rated and unelected Minister, must also take responsibility for being a part of a cover-up in this inquiry. Those implicated in the Auditor General’s report are all guilty, if we are to listen to the verdict handed down by public opinion.
NOTICE BY ORDER OF CHARGEE NOTICE OF INTENTION TO SELL HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED a statutory body formed and registered under the Credit Union Act, Chapter 314 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, and whose registered office is situated at No. 1 Hyde’s Lane, Belize City, Belize District hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Chargee under and by virtue of a Charge registered at the Land Registry between Vidhya Baxani (Chargor) and Suraj Baxani (Borrower) and the said Holy Redeemer Credit Union Limited. HRCU will at the expiration of three months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the Schedule below. ALL offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing to HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED from whom full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained.
SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece or parcel of land comprising 612.7 square yards being Parcel 731, Block 1 in the Corozal Central Registration Section situate at 5th Street South, Corozal Town, Corozal District, TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon, the freehold property of VIDHYA BAXANI, surety for SURAJ BAXANI. DATED the 15th day of February 2017 HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED 1 HYDE’S LANE, BELIZE CITY, BELIZE Phone: (501) 224-5644 Fax: (501) 223-0738
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26 FEB
THE BELIZE TIMES
leaching into the sea, where we swim…sorry you swim…because I stopped swimming in the best kept secret for years now! Please wonder and wander around!
2017
THE WONDERER……thewondererbz@gmail.com
THE WONDERER AND BELIZEAN HAZARDOUS WASTE!
I’ve been wandering around the countries’ dumpsites. Most towns are still in bad shape but all villages are in very bad shape. Take the back street of any village and follow it and you will come to the village dumpsites and notice many of them very near or on top of creeks and streams. Have you visited the Corozal Consejo road dump site? It’s awful, it stinks…it is dangerous. Have you ever wondered what happens to all the hazardous waste of Mother Nature’s best kept secret? Yes, Belizeans us! It seems we don’t produce HAZARDOUS WASTE! Because when I wondered around the Mile 23 solid waste landfill which has the only hazardous waste landfill in the country it was still totally empty after some 5 years since it was inaugurated. According to DOE regulations, “hazardous waste” means any material or substance characterized as being toxic, corrosive, flammable, reactive, explosive, infectious, or pathogenic that may pose a threat to the environment and human health, and if you go to the DOE webpage (Table 1 and 2 of the schedule) it includes many, many waste materials that is common to us but we don’t pay attention. Table 1 gives a list of discarded goods, containers and listed waste streams. Table 2 gives a whole list of discarded mixtures and solutions. Interestingly there is a list in annex 1 according to the Basel Convention on the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste. This convention is basically to make sure you dispose of your hazardous waste within your own country in an environmentally sound and efficient manner. Also if transboundary movement is to occur this should be permitted only when conducted under conditions that do not endanger human health and the environment. Some of these hazardous wastes leaving our country are like batteries and used oil, etc. Have you ever wondered what types of activities may produce hazardous waste? Take a look at these if they exist around your neighborhood: Land clearing, wrecking and demolition; heavy construction; carpentry and floor work; paint preparation and painting; specialty contracting activities; dry cleaning; automobile engine and body repair; metalworking; graphic arts-plate preparation; woodworking; Degreasing, equipment cleaning, rust removal, paint preparation, painting, paint removal, spray booth, spray guns, and brush cleaning; Furniture manufacturing and refinishing; Diagnostic and other laboratory testing; Leather manufacturing; Transportation; Unloading and Cleaning Tank Trucks; Degreasing, Parts Washing, Rust Removal; Storage of Cleaning Chemicals; Pesticide application and cleanup; Processing and Developing Negatives and Prints; Using Ink in Lithography / printing, Letterpress, Screen Printing, Flexography, and Gravure; Textile Industries; Vehicle maintenance / Battery Replacement / Body Repair and Refinishing / Car Washing / Oil and Fluid Replacement / Shop Cleanup; Air Conditioner Maintenance; Tire Replacement; Radiator Repair. So after wandering around the above list please explain to me why the mile 23 hazardous waste landfill is empty. Perhaps the Ministries of the Environment and Public Health can explain that. Or is it that all hazardous wastes are being dumped with the regular garbage and going to all the dump sites and only sanitary landfill we have in this nation. It puzzles me as we have the laws but we don’t implement them. Have you ever wondered if perhaps these hazardous wastes that are being disposed of around us are the ones responsible for so many diseases around our nation: cancer of all types, lupus, skin diseases, lung diseases, people dying suddenly with no explanation….? Think about it. Look at the garbage that has accumulated lately in Ambergris Caye and right next to the wetlands. Do we know what all is in there? Yes, hazardous wastes all mixed inside, unless they are separated somewhere! Did you know that practically none of the hospitals of Belize have a working incinerator! What do they do with their hazardous waste….maybe they produce none! The biggest national dump site was the abandoned one in Belize City and now covered up and being used as a transfer station. For decades and decades this site received 100% of all waste from Belize City…they are still their leaching into the sea, where we swim…sorry you swim…because I stopped swimming in the best kept secret for years now! Please wonder and wander around! THE WONDERER……thewondererbz@gmail.com
26 FEB
THE BELIZE TIMES
2017
19
EDITORIAL en Español DESNUDO Y DESVERGONZADO
D
ean Oliver Barrow realmente debe pensar que los Beliceños son una bola de imbéciles apegados a su cada palabra e hipnotizados por su prosa ensayada y sus liricos manidos. Su actuación para los medios de comunicación y la nación, porque actuación sin duda fue, reveló mucho más que un emperador vestido de gala imaginada. Se encontraba desnudo... y desvergonzado en su retórica y mentiras y falsedades descaradas. Alguien tiene que echarlo al pasto y lo antes posible porque a excepción de aquellos que maman de sus tetas marchitas para sustento, absolutamente nadie cree las palabras que salen de su boca. El Sr. Barrow intentó darle un sesgo positivo al hecho de que su firma de abogados todavía representa y hace dinero a costa de los intereses del Señor Ashcroft en Belice. Él, este hombre que pontifica y se convierte a sí mismo en el caballero blanco listo al ataque para matar al villano, se ha vuelto rico a costas del villano y continúa disfrutando de la generosidad del villano. Fue descarado cuando dijo que no estába seguro si su despacho es un inversor importante en la red de empresas del Señor Ashcroft. Le dijo a los medios que tendrían que preguntarle a su socio. Un absoluto payaso es este hombre. Que broma de tan mal gusto. Excepto que no es ninguna broma. El Señor Barrow mintió cuando se negó a revelar qué los impuestos se incrementarían. Dijo que no se ha decidido aún, a tres semanas de la lectura del presupuesto. Esa es nada más que una olla de mierda. La semana pasada el Secretario de Finanzas afirmó con certeza que el aumento de los impuestos era inevitable, pero el Primer Ministro se siente más cómodo engañando y mintiendo. Y después dijo que si hubieran impuestos, aseguraría que no afecten a los pobres, clase media o al sector productivo. Esto después de que sus ministros han transgredido las arcas de la nación dejándolas secas y maladministrado la economía, asegurándose de que los pobres sean aún más pobres, la clase media se ha reducido y el sector productivo ha sido devastado. El Señor Barrow mintió, ni siquiera inteligentemente, cuando se le preguntó sobre el escándalo de la nacionalidad en los meses antes de las elecciones del 2012. Comenzó divagando sobre biometría, que no tenía absolutamente nada que ver con la aprobación de nacionalidad a más de 2100 personas, muchos de ellos que no reunían los requisitos, para que pudieran votar. ¿Qué tendría que ver la biometría con eso? Luego dijo que tal vez 30 de las 2100 personas no habrían cumplido los requisitos. ¿Cómo sabría el eso, cuando su ex Directora de Inmigración revelo, y está documentado, que muchos de los que consiguieron la nacionalidad no reunían las condiciones e incluso revelo que Ministros UDP estaban presionando el proceso para lograr que las personas votaran ilegalmente? ¿Qué tipo de crack está fumando el Primer Ministro? La única cosa más remangada y desvergonzada que Dean Oliver en el noticiero de la noche del lunes fue el verdadera-
mente increíble, e increíblemente ridículo Godwin Hulse. Señor mío, este hombre necesita una intervención, pero nada menos que divina. Pero la gente ha llegado a conocerlo bien. Él es un autoproclamado todopoderoso, un autoproclamado líder de opinión, un autoproclamado hombre de integridad y un autoproclamado Santo. Pero que ha hecho por el pueblo Godwin últimamente. Fue puesto en el Ministerio de Inmigración en el 2012 y presidió lo que tiene que ser el período más corrupto en ese departamento en la joven historia del país. Altos funcionarios han dicho oficialmente que todos, incluyendo Godwin, sabían lo que estaba sucediendo, sabían acerca de la cultura de corrupción. Un funcionario afirmo que la corrupción era descarriada a todo nivel. Usted puede tomarlo como le guste. Godwin era un don nadie en el Ministerio de Inmigración, al menos en cuanto se trata del ajetreo desenfrenado e interferencia flagrante y muy lucrativo por los Ministros UDP. Godwin también sirvió una temporada en el Ministerio de Recursos Naturales. Su única fama fue la lucha con Gapi Vega sobre un espacio de oficina. Estuvo en el Ministerio de Policía por un momento breve y desfavorable. ¡NADA! Ahora es el Ministro de Agricultura y las papas de los agricultores se están pudriendo en los campos porque como Ministro de Agricultura se encuentra totalmente perdido, excepto en lo relativo a su muy lucrativo negocio del azúcar. Pero esa es otra historia y para otro momento. En su entrevista con los medios de comunicación, Hulse intentó aislarse totalmente del desorden en el Ministerio de Inmigración, aunque todavía actúa como el Ministro en ese semillero de corrupción. La semana pasada otro alto funcionario reveló bajo juramento en el Senado que la corrupción continúa sin disminuir, incluso ahora, incluso con todos los controles, incluso a pesar de todas las divagaciones pomposas de Godwin cuando se le empuja un micrófono a la cara. Queda muy claro que Dean Oliver y Godwin están totalmente despistados, o en total negación. Seguimos afirmando, que conste, que estamos en problemas como nación. No es razón para regodearse... no es razón para saltar de alegría... no es absolutamente ninguna razón para sentir cualquier sentimiento de satisfacción. Es el pueblo de Belice que están sufriendo, y sólo los Ministros UDP, miembros de familia y compinches que se han alimentado y bien, durante mucho tiempo. Es el PUP que tendrá que arreglar este tremendo desastre cuando sean las próximas elecciones. Son todos los Beliceños y la próxima generación y la siguiente que tendrán que pagar la mala gestión de la economía de la nación y el abuso criminal de nuestro pueblo. Los dirigentes de este partido pueden ocultar sus cabezas detrás de los vidrios polarizados de sus vehículos de lujo, o debajo de las almohadas de sus amantes. Pero llegará el día del juicio final, y no va a ser nada agradable.
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Protesta en la Ruta Interamericana, tomada por 48 Cantones
2017 2017
Al menos nueve puntos en la ruta Interamericana han sido bloqueados este martes por integrantes y directivos de los 48 Cantones de Totonicapán.
Protesta en el km 127 de la ruta Interamericana. Guatemala: 21 de Febrero de 2017 Cientos de automovilistas han quedado atrapados en los puntos bloqueados, donde permanecen unos 20 mil manifestantes. Se informó que autoridades indígenas de Sololá, también participan en las protestas en la ruta Interamericana; mientras que en la cabecera departamental permanece paralizada la actividad comercial. Maximiliano Julajuj, líder comunitario, dijo que están dispuestos a seguir con las protestas. Añadió que este miércoles se sumarán más personas. Los dirigentes indígenas de Sololá y la junta di-
Imagen del 11 de octubre del 2016 que muestra a una madre amamantando a su hijo que sufre desnutrición aguda crónica en Sudán del Sur.
Cerca de 1.4 millones de niños en riesgo de morir por malnutrición Unicef alertó el lunes que la grave desnutrición que afecta a países como Nigeria, Somalia, Sudán del Sur y Yemen coloca este año en "inminente" riesgo de muerte a 1.4 millones de niños. Naciones Unidas: 21 de Febrero de 2017 "Todavía podemos salvar muchas vidas", afirmó en un comunicado el director ejecutivo de la organización, Anthony Lake. "El tiempo se agota para más de un millón de niños", agregó el titular de Unicef. En el caso de Nigeria la organización calcula que durante este año se espera que en el noreste del país lleguen a cerca de 450 mil los niños que sufren una aguda malnutrición por los conflictos armados de la región. La sequía que vive Somalia, por otra parte, ha ocasionado que cerca de 6.2 millones de personas, la mitad de la población, atraviesa una "aguda inseguridad alimentaria" y se teme que a lo largo del año cerca de 185 mil menores sufran de malnutrición. En Sudán del Sur, los conflictos armados y la pobreza del país ha generado que unos 270 mil niños estén gravemente malnutridos, mientras que en Yemen las guerras que afectan a esa nación desde hace dos años han causado una aguda malnutrición a 462 mil niños. "La grave malnutrición y la hambruna amenazante están ocasionadas en su mayor parte por el hombre", afirmó Lake. "La humanidad que compartimos demanda acciones rápidas", agregó.
Fiscalía salvadoreña pide embargo US$23 millones a empresas ligadas a Saca San Salvador, El salvador: 21 de Febrero de 2017 La Fiscalía General de la República (FGR) pidió al Juzgado Séptimo de Paz de San Salvador que embargue más de 11 millones de dólares al conglomerado de radios Grupo Samix, del que Saca es accionista, unos 5 millones a América Publicidad, 3 millones a la empresa ANLE, S.A. y 4 millones a Funes Asociados. Todas esas empresas son vinculadas por la FGR al blanqueo de 22 millones de dólares provenientes de los 246 millones que supuestamente Saca, presidente del país entre el 2004 y el 2009, malversó del presupuesto nacional. La petición fue hecha durante la audiencia inicial del proceso penal contra 17 personas, incluida la esposa del exmandatario, Ana Ligia de Saca, realizada entre el este lunes y la media noche del martes y cuya resolución se dará a conocer mañana. El ente judicial también solicitó que los bienes y cuentas bancarias de los procesados sean embargadas como garantía de retribución de lo malversado, en caso que sean declarados culpables en un futuro juicio. La ex primera dama es procesada por lavado de dinero y agrupaciones ilícitas por su supuesta participación en el blanqueo de los 22 millones, detalló la FGR. El fiscal general, Douglas Meléndez, aseguró a mediados de noviembre de 2016 que
rectiva de los 48 Cantones de Totonicapán han informado que mantienen sus demandas. Algunos comerciantes de Totonicapán indicaron que se oponen a las medidas tomadas este martes y aseguraron que los bloqueos les causan pérdidas de unos Q2 millones. Puntos bloqueados: Km 117 Las Trampas, Sololá, Km 127 Los Encuentros, Sololá, Km 130 La Cuchilla, ruta a Panajachel, Km 187, aldea Xecanchavoj, San Cristóbal Totonicapán, Km 205 Ruta de Totonicapán a Quiché Además, en la ruta de Zunil, Quetzaltenango, hacia la costa sur, también se reportaron bloqueos por parte de pobladores que se oponen al costo de la energía eléctrica. A eso de las 13 horas, el paso fue liberado. Antonio Machic, agricultor de Almolonga, Quetzaltenango, dijo que pagó un flete extra para llevar su producto a la zona costera, ya que su picop no pudo pasar en el peaje de Zunil, donde hubo protesta. “Tengo que pagar el préstamo que hice para tener mi cosecha, pero con este obstáculo tengo que pagar otro flete para vender mi verdura en Retalhuleu. yo respeto a los que protestan, pero también deberían de respetar a los que trabajamos”, manifestó. “Todo un día perdido, contraté a varias personas para ir a recoger cosecha, pero no podemos llegar y la gente no quiere caminar”, expresó el agricultor Martín Siquiná.
Ex-Presidente salvadoreño Elías Antonio Saca guarda prisión preventiva por el caso de corrupción la esposa de Saca movió un millón de dólares de una cuenta a su nombre en un banco de Dubái, transacción que puede tener relación con la malversación atribuida al exmandatario. No es la primera vez que la esposa de Saca es relacionada con este proceso, ya que, según la Fiscalía, el expresidente utilizó más de 13 mil 300 dólares de fondos estatales para pagar las deudas de su cónyuge. Saca y sus exsecretarios privado, de Comunicaciones y de Juventud, Elmer Charlaix, Julio Rank y César Funes, respectivamente, se encuentran en prisión provisional en la cárcel de La Esperanza, al norte de San Salvador. A ellos se suman Pablo Gómez, Francisco Rodríguez Arteaga y Jorge Alberto Herrera, “colaboradores directos” del exmandatario Saca y quienes aún eran empleados de la Presidencia, ahora procesados por los cargos de peculado, agrupaciones ilícitas y lavado de dinero. Para el fiscal Meléndez, estas personas tenían una estructura dentro de la Presidencia que movió 246 millones de dólares a catorce cuentas personales de Charlaix, Rodríguez y Gómez, de las que posteriormente retiraron 116 millones de dólares “en efectivo” y, de ellos, lavaron 6 millones. El expresidente Saca llegó al Gobierno bajo la bandera del partido de derecha Alianza Republicana Nacionalista (Arena) , de donde fue expulsado en el 2010. El partido Arena también está salpicado por este caso, porque, según la Fiscalía, recibió un cheque por 400 mil dólares de los fondos supuestamente malversados. Esposa de Saca conocerá mañana su futuro la exprimera dama de El Salvador Ana Ligia de Saca (2004-2009) conocerá mañana miércoles su futuro en el proceso legal que afronta por supuesto blanqueo y agrupaciones ilícitas, cuya audiencia
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2017
18 JAN
THE THEBELIZE BELIZETIMES TIMES 2015
Trump urge a acelerar proceso de deportación de indocumentados El Gobierno de Donald Trump estableció este martes las nuevas directrices para llevar a cabo las deportaciones de inmigrantes indocumentados en EE.UU., entre ellas acelerar el proceso legal, dar más capacidad a los agentes y eliminar las exenciones aplicadas previamente por la Administración de Barack Obama.
Washington: 21 de Febrero de 2017 Las directrices, firmadas por el secretario de Seguridad Nacional, John Kelly, indican que no solo se perseguirá a los inmigrantes indocumentados con cargos criminales violentos, sino también aquellos que hayan “abusado” de los beneficios públicos o que, “a juicio de un agente de inmigración, puedan suponer un riesgo para la seguridad pública y seguridad nacional”. Entre las directrices, firmadas por el secretario de Seguridad Nacional, John Kelly, figura la contratación de 10 mil nuevos agentes para el Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE) y 5 mil más de la Oficina de Aduanas y Fronteras (CBP). El sábado último fue filtrado a los medios un memorando firmado por Kelly. Se trata del reglamento de las órdenes ejecutivas sobre el muro y las ciudades santuario del 25 de enerorecién pasado, por ello incluye cuestiones clave para aplicar la nueva política migratoria de Trump. Entre las cuestiones más relevantes, especifica una lista de prioridades con los extranjeros que serán deportados de manera acelerada: Aquellos que han cometido crímenes o delitos graves. Aquellos indocumentados que fueron deportados y regresaron a Estados Unidos sin autorización. Los indocumentados con orden de deportación final, aunque no hayan cometido delitos. Los indocumentados con orden
Fiscalía salvadoreña pide embargo US$23 millones a empresas ligadas a Saca Cont’do de pagina 20
inicial fue realizada este lunes, informó hoy la Fiscalía. La fuente detalló que el Juzgado Séptimo de Paz de San Salvador emitirá su resolución sobre el proceso, en el que también son acusadas otras 16 personas, el miércoles 22 de febrero. De acuerdo con el Ministerio Público, todos los procesados son parte de la trama de corrupción por la que el expresidente Elías Antonio Saca guarda prisión preventiva con sus bienes embargados. En dicha resolución, el tribunal puede desestimar las acusaciones de la Fiscalía o enviar el caso a la etapa de investigación judicial. También señalará si la ex primera dama y otros dos procesados deben ir a prisión preventiva o seguirán en libertad porque supues-
John Kelly (i) escucha a Donald Trump durante una reunión sobre seguridad en la Casa Blanca. de deportación final en ausencia o que asistieron a las cortes de inmigración para cumplir con sus citas ante un juez. El documento también reitera la orden de Trump de poner fin a la práctica de detener y liberar (catch an release),
tamente padecen enfermedades que les impiden ingresar a una prisión y a los que la Fiscalía ha pedido imponer una fianza de 500 mil dólares. En la audiencia, que culminó pasada la media noche de este martes, el juez impuso la prisión preventiva de forma preliminar a los otros 14 imputados por el vencimiento del plazo legal para decidir sobre su libertad. El fiscal general, Douglas Meléndez, aseguró a mediados de noviembre del 2016 que la esposa de Saca movió un millón de dólares de una cuenta a su nombre en un banco de Dubái, transacción que puede tener relación con la malversación atribuida al exmandatario. No es la primera vez que la esposa de Saca es relacionada con este proceso, ya que, según la Fiscalía, el expresidente utilizó más de 13 mil 300 dólares de fondos estatales para pagar las deudas de su cónyuge. Saca y sus exsecretarios privado, de Comunicaciones y de Juventud, Elmer Charlaix, Julio Rank y César Funes, respectivamente, se encuentran en prisión provisional en la cárcel de La Esperanza, al norte de San Salvador. A ellos se suman Pablo Gómez, Francisco Rodríguez Arteaga y Jorge Alberto Herrera, “colaboradores directos” del exmandatario Saca y quienes aún eran empleados de la Presidencia,
y que "todos los extranjeros sin autorización de permanencia serán detenidos, arrestados y procesados" por el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional. Otra cuestión determinante es la eliminación de todos los beneficios que existían para indocumentados, aunque se anuncia que se activarán beneficios para ciudadanos víctimas de indocumentados criminales. Quiénes podrán permanecer A diferencia de los decretos sobre el muro en la frontera y las ciudades santuario, que hacen hincapié en cuáles son los indocumentados que deben ser deportados, el memorándum de Kelly menciona quienes no son una prioridad de expulsión para el gobierno. Aquellos que el secretario del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional, o a
ahora procesados por los cargos de peculado, agrupaciones ilícitas y lavado de dinero. Para el fiscal Meléndez, estas personas tenían una estructura dentro de la Presidencia que movió 246 millones de dólares a catorce cuentas personales de Charlaix, Rodríguez y Gómez, de las que posteriormente retiraron 116 millones de dólares “en efectivo” y, de ellos, lavaron 6 millones. Ex vicepresidenta investigada por enriquecimiento ilícito La Corte Suprema de Justicia (CSJ) confirmó este martes que su Sección de Probidad está investigando a la ex vicepresidenta de El Salvador y actual diputada, Ana Vilma Albanés de Escobar, por un posible enriquecimiento ilícito en el ejercicio de sus funciones en el Gobierno entre el 2004 al 2009. La diputada por el partido derechista y opositor Alianza Republicana Nacionalista (Arena) fue la vicepresidenta durante cinco años del ex presidente Antonio Saca, quien se encuentra detenido y procesado penalmente desde octubre pasado por graves hechos de corrupción, que incluye peculado y lavado de dinero por un monto de 246 millones de dólares. El magistrado de la CSJ, Rodolfo González apuntó que el nombre de la ex vicepresidenta está incluido en el listado de 76 funcionarios y ex funcionarios que se indagan por presuntos hechos irregulares en sus declaraciones patrimoniales. "La investigación fue autorizada por la
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quien él designe, en uso de su discrecionalidad, detengan la deportación. Los extranjeros que obtengan una orden de alivio o protección contra la deportación (congelan sus casos). Aquellas personas que, tras ser detenidas, el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional determine que se trata de un ciudadano, residente legal permanente, asilado, refugiado o tiene un estatus temporal válido en ese país. (Aplica a aquellas personas detenidas y que no llevaban consigo identificación que pruebe su permanencia legal en el país). Los extranjeros que obtengan libertad condicional. Aquellos que luego de pedir asilo hayan demostrado un temor creíble y el proceso continúa. Los indocumentados beneficiarios de la Acción Diferida del 2012 (Daca) que no han cometido delitos. Estos memorandos internos son el primer paso para la aplicación de la promesa de campaña de Trump de expulsar del país a los inmigrantes en situación irregular -unos 11 millones en total, la mayoría mexicanos- independientemente de que hayan o no cometido crímenes violentos en su país de origen o en territorio estadounidense. Por el momento el gobierno de Trump no parece dispuesto a modificar el Daca, que protege de la deportación a jóvenes inmigrantes indocumentados que fueron traídos a Estados Unidos por sus padres cuando eran niños, y al que también prometió poner fin durante su campaña. El pasado 23 de enero, el portavoz de la Casa Blanca, Sean Spicer, había dicho que la prioridad del gobierno eran inmigrantes con antecedentes criminales. "Personas que pueden hacer daño o han hecho daño y tienen antecedentes criminales son el centro de la atención", dijo Spicer, para quien "en la actualidad la prioridad está en las personas que han hecho daño a nuestro país".
Corte Suprema de Justicia por su calidad de ex funcionaria, como vicepresidenta del periodo 2004 - 2009", detalló González a medios de prensa locales. "Hemos pedido informes del sistema financiero, de registros de armas, de vehículos, de propiedades y de movimientos en migración, entre otros puntos a investigar", agregó González. Escobar dijo que "no tiene ningún problema de que investiguen su patrimonio", y añadió que "sus ingresos no sólo provienen de sus actividades políticas si no también de los ingresos que tiene su esposo, Carlos Patricio Escobar, quien durante 40 años ha sido vicepresidente del Grupo Poma", un poderoso grupo económico de El Salvador. Junto a Saca también están detenidos tres ex funcionarios que tenían rango de ministros en su gobierno, así como tres contadores. Su esposa, Ana Ligia de Saca, está procesada en libertad bajo fianza, junto a una red de personas, entre estos, varios destacados publicistas, por el delitos de lavado de dinero. De acuerdo con la Fiscalía, con las últimas acusaciones suman 23 las personas implicadas en peculado, lavado de dinero y enriquecimiento ilícito en la trama conocida como "Caso Saca", un hecho de "los más escandalosos de manipulación del erario nacional", según sostuvo el magistrado de la Corte Suprema de Justicia, Sidney Blanco.
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26 FEB
THE BELIZE TIMES
2017
PUBLIC AUCTION SALE: PROPERTY North Ambergris Caye, Belize District BY ORDER of the Receiver, Sueno Del Mar Limited, Licensed Auctioneer Kevin A. Castillo will sell the following property ON SITE [13 Miles north of San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, Belize District] on Monday 27th February 2017 at 11:00 am: SUENO DEL MAR RESORT - 13 MILES NORTH OF SAN PEDRO TOWN, AMBERGRIS CAYE
REGISTRATION SECTION BLOCK San Pedro 7
PARCEL 8843
(Being Sueno Del Mar Resort situate 13 Miles north of San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye and includes: Palapa Bar & Grill; Two Swimming Pools; Direct TV Satellite System; Isotropic Satellite Internet System; Electrical System provided by Belize Electricity Ltd.; Resort Electricity back-up Generator; 45,0000 gallon resort water storage; Laundry Facility; Guest Storage; Staff Housing; Resort Maintenance Storage; 32 ft. Boat with 2 - 200 HP Yamaha Outboard Motors; 9 Resort Villa Buildings (36 villas are partially furnished and 3 villas unfurnished) (32 two bedroom villas) (6 one bedroom villas) (1 three bedroom villa); on 9.6 acres of land with 506 feet of frontage on the Caribbean Sea in the Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve, Ambergris Caye, Belize District, the freehold property of Messrs. Sueno Del Mar Limited
TERMS: PAYMENT BY UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY TERMS: STRICTLY CASH KEVIN A. CASTILLO TELEPHONE: 224 4473 Email: kevinacas@yahoo.com
26 FEB
2017
THE BELIZE TIMES
Cousin Murders Cousin Over Money Argument IN MEMORIAM In loving memory of a dearly beloved Wife, daughter, mother & grand-mother.
Mrs. Glenda Louise Brown
Wednesday, 22 February 2017 24 Tishawn Hamilton, a resident of Pelican Street in Belize City, has been arraigned and remanded for the stabbing murder of his cousin, 17 year-old Eaton Lamb. Police say that that they saw Hamilton chasing down his cousin Lamb who was already bleeding from stab injury to the chest and back. The entire family is distraught and torn between grief and anger that a family disagreement led to this. According to Police, on Sunday, February 19, they were on patrol in the Antelope Street area when they spotted Lamb running for dear life. By
Sunrise: February 7th, 1951 Sunset: February 25th, 1994
Who departed this life 23 sad years ago. So sudden was your call; She bid no one farewell. God took her hands and we had to part. He eased her pain; but broke our hearts. We do not think of her as gone away; Just resting in a place of warmth & comfort. Sadly missed by: Mother, husband, daughter, Son, brothers, sisters, grand-children & other family and friends.
IN MEMORIAM
LIQUOR LICENSE NOTICES Notice is hereby given that Mirna Portillo is applying for a renewal of a Night Club Liquor License to be operated at “Club Eruption”, 11.5 Miles Philip Goldson Highway, Belize City under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that Holanda Chan is applying for a renewal of a Night Club Liquor License to be operated at “Foxxi’s Bar”, Cor. Mosul Street & Cemetery Road, Belize City under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.
that time, Lamb was bleeding profusely and they saw Hamilton chasing behind him with a huge knife. They immediately rushed Lamb to the hospital, but some 40 minutes later, he succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment. His older brother told the press, “It's so close, it hurts but it's not
Mr. Anthony Attlee Castillo
Walter Dawson
Sunrise: June 2nd, 1951 Sunset: February 27th, 2008
Who departed this life 9 sad years ago. In life we loved you dearly; In death we love you still. In our hearts you hold a place no one could ever fill. And there you shall remain; to walk with us throughout Our lives until we meet again. Sadly missed by: Wife, children, grand-children & other family and friends.
LOST CERTIFICATE Notice is hereby given that Mr. William Edward Phillips, owner of “Tiempo De La Isla” boat bearing Corozal registration number CZL 0333 is declaring that he has lost the boat registration certificate as well all other accompanying documents.
something that I could get over so easily. But all of them are friends because they are cousins, because they are around every day. Right beside us they lived, but I don't know what really triggered it to make the man do a crucial death to his own cousin. He left the family in a verdict where everybody was panicking. These people feel scared now because they feel as though this happened because of arguing and something like this will always happen. I just want everybody know that my brother is gone, he was a loving young boy, regardless of what happened.” Hamilton has since been arrested and charged with murder, and he has been arraigned before the Magistrate’s Court. Due to the nature of the offense, he has not been granted bail, and he will remain on remand at the Belize Central prison until his next adjournment, which is scheduled for May 2. His father is in pain that he must mourn his nephew’s passing, while he watches his son answer for the terrible decision he made.
LADYVILLE MURDER PUZZLES COPS
In loving memory of a dearly beloved Husband, son, father & grand-father
Vacancy Vacancy exist for a Store Manager to operate at One Stop Country Shop in Maskall Village, Belize District. Call 620-3002 for more information.
Eaton Lamb
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Wednesday, 22 February 2017 The Dawson family from Ladyville are stunned and perplexed by the very gruesome murder of 57 year-old Walter Dawson, a resident of mile 11 on the Phillip Goldson Highway. The older gentleman was found almost decapitated. According to police, on Sunday, February 19, at around 7:40 am residents of the Marage Road area called them out to the near vicinity of the Caribbean Shrimp Farm. That’s where they discovered Dawson’s body on the side of the road. On closer inspection, they observed that he had a chop wound to the left side of the head and another to the neck, which almost sev-
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated for
George Edward Domingo Jr. on February 26th 2017 7pm at St Martin De Porres Church
ered it completely from his body. It is a bizarre murder, and the only clue that Police have so far is that sometime around 3:30 am to 4 am, neighbors in the area heard their dogs barking unusually loud. No one really followed up, thinking nothing of it, and it was not until the next morning that the murder was discovered. Dawson’s family say that the Marage Road area, where he was found dead, is not a location that he ever frequents, and so they believe that he was lured to his death by his assailants. The majority of his immediately family are in the US, and he moved into his mile 11 house about 2 years ago, renting it from one of his relatives. He leaves behind a daughter who is abroad. Sara Dawson, one of his family members, said, “We were shocked and surprised by the call. We didn't expect it and we didn't know. His death came so suddenly to us. So we are really shocked by everything that happened. Walter is a great guy. He socialized with everyone. He will surely be missed; the laugh, the talks, we had a lot of fun times together hanging out.”
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THE BELIZE TIMES
26 FEB
2017