Belize Times June 21, 2020- Flooding Everywhere by Belize Times Press

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The Belize Times

Established 1957

21 JUNE 2020 | ISSUE NO: 5203

The Truth Shall Make You Free

www.belizetimes.biz | $1.00

FLOODING EVERYWHERE UDP Incompetence

and Corruption Revealed Once More

This June 18 flooding is the new UDP scapegoat disaster. Everything will be going bad because of the flood and coronavirus. No way. The flood got out of control because of the UDP. Deforestation and poorly built infrastructure is always the cause of flooding and of flooding disasters, respectively. The incompetent and corrupt UDP has been at the forefront of poor and cheap construction everywhere in Belize and the proof has been unveiled by nature this time. The country has been literally cut-off geograph-

ically into many inaccessible sections by a tropical wave and one night of rainfall. Culverts and bridges that should last at least twenty-five years or eighty if they are FDR quality as PM Barrow has asserted, just gave way after a few years of nature and traffic. Belizeans have long noticed, they have. The UDP was building on the cheap but with a heavy price tag. How can that be?

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PUP Party Leader Listens to the Residents of Blue Creek

NICH STAFFERS RETRENCHED Pg. 7

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PUP RELEASE: UDP MERCILESS IN TIME OF CRISIS

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UDPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DRY WEATHER ROADS Half Day Rain & Highway Disappears

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21 JUN

THE BELIZE TIMES

FLOODING EVERYWHERE Continued from page 1 Will the construction companies be brought now to fix this obvious negligence? Is the UDP’s star contractor Imer involved in any of this? When anything is constructed it is obvious that you cannot get away with using inferior material. The product will not lie. Ask any Belizean, what would they do if their new cement home collapses a few years after it was built? What will the UDP do? Inaction is the forte of the UDP much to Belize’s chagrin. Belizeans have all the right to be totally angry. Taxpayer’s money has not been used wisely. It has been, for all worthwhile intents and purposes, pilfered. We only need to take one look at all the devastation after one rain. There wasn’t even the possibility of a name to this tropical event—just a wave. Even Barrow’s feather most likely stood up to this one. The George Price Highway like many others was obviously resurfaced on the cheap by the UDP. Millions of dollars in bloated road contracts to Imer Hernandez Development Co, including tens of millions for a road to Caracol where ancestors would rather lie in pristine peace, another tens of millions for a road to the south(Coastal Road) while they are still working and just spent tens of millions on the Hummingbird Highway, a road to the south! Tens of millions spent on a road from Mile 8 GP Highway to the airport while the Hattieville/Boom bypass road already exists! Too many horrible UDP decisions. This flooding also exposed Pablo Marin at the Western Regional Hospital. His negligence of the hospital made world infamous for rats infesting baby incubators is way past criminal. Water in a hospital where they are expected to be battle ready for the coronavirus by millions of donations by donors who want the best for Belize. Let us hope that none of the donations were exposed and damaged. The people will wait for a report. Village after village is adding flooding to their coronavirus 2020 disaster list. Village after village has also added the UDP to that list of disasters. The UDP is failing them now yet again. The people of Belize are waiting for the coup de grace to this UDP’s reign of terror but they know that in Belize only the ballot is that silver bullet that will finally put an end to this UDP three recession maladministration. The UDP will be no more as they are en route to be disbanded like many of their ill-conceived ideas and policies. The UDP has got to go the way of the dodos—into extinction.

2020

UDP’S DRY WEATHER ROADS

Thursday, 18 June 2020 Whenever the Prime Minister is asked about the substandard, terrible work done on the roads of Belize, particularly by his favourite contractor Imer Hernandez, he has said that he ‘sees’ nothing wrong. Today, he would have been partly right, because on several stretches of the George Price Highway, there was no road to see. After less than a half day of rain, a huge portion of the recently ‘refurbished’ highway disappeared completely. Thousands of commuters were stranded as the George Price Highway near St. Matthew’s Village was washed away by the flood. As we go to press this evening, that area is still impassable. So is the Hummingbird highway near St. Margaret, where a bypass placed there has been completely washed away by the rains. The same has been reported for other stretches of the Hummingbird Highway, for the George Price Highway near Central Farm which is under water and for the Iguana Creek Bridge to Spanish Lookout. On just one contractor, Imer Hernandez, this UDP government has handed over hundreds of millions of dollars. Sources tell the Belize Times that Hernandez is responsible for the stretch of road which has washed away on the George Price Highway, which should come as no surprise to readers. The ridiculously below-standard work done by Hernandez on a consistent basis has become legend during the three terms of the UDP. Hernandez, the nephew of disgraced former Minister Gaspar Vega, became a multi-millionaire UDP contractor overnight. For years, Dean Barrow and the UDP have praised themselves for the taxpayer monies spent on infrastructure, even as Belizeans have pointed out repeated that the contracts are bloated and the work done has not held up. Just recently, Imer Hernandez was granted an $8M contract for a one mile stretch of road which should not have cost anything over $2M. Within three months of the supposed completion of that project, the cement work on Faber’s Road has already cracked, and the uneven surface of the road has drawn condemnation from residents and other qualified contractors. The UDP has ignored that criticism, and has gone on to pump

more millions into Hernandez. Hernandez was also awarded the contracts for both the Caye Caulker runway and the runway at the Barry Bowen Municipal Airstrip. Both have already required extensive refurbishing. Yet, just before COVID-19 reached Belize, Hernandez was given a HUGE contract to pave the Coastal Road. All of Mr. Barrow’s chickens have now come home to roost, as the City of Belmopan has been turned, for the first time, into an island after only a half day of rain. Imagine that we have just gotten into hurricane season. If one of the most critical arteries in this country could be totally washed away by hours of rain, what would happen in the event of a serious storm or a hurricane? Additionally, Mr. Barrow and the UDP have been unable to source any funding from the IFIs who have no doubt seen the many millions pumped into contracts without any value for money. As is always the case, the people of Belize are paying for the UDP’s incompetence, greed and corruption. Mr. Barrow has said that he grieves for his poor Belize. Belize is poor because of Mr. Barrow and the UDP. Mr. Barrow will grieve for a lot more very soon.

The Belize Times

Established 1957

14 APR 2013

ISSUE NO: 4840

The Truth Shall Make You Free

www.belizetimes.bz

$1.00

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

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21 JUN

2020

THE BELIZE TIMES

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EDITORIAL

Bon Appétit!

eems that Belizeans must wait patiently while the UDP get their affairs in order, on the clock and at tax payers’ expense to boot. The Cabinet room, by all accounts, is the meeting place used, not for the discussion of the nose dive the economy is in or the urgent measures needed to avoid certain disaster. Cabinet is where the defunct UDP try to glue together their remnants while they make a mad dash to find an alpha amongst their sort. The PM says he grieves for Belize… a country he has left moribund. He has promptly shifted his efforts and attention onto an endeavor that he considers will now yield him better returns, the task of resuscitating his party and planning his blissful retirement. To date there has been no effort to formulate or present a clear stimulus platform from which the Belizean economy might catapult forward. The BCCI has provided a few ideas on how to keep the private sector rolling. In a final admission of how bad things will get this year the GOB in a press release stated that they expect the economy to contract by 18 percent. The BCCI say that the measures they are proposing are to ameliorate the impacts employers in the private sector face in an effort that they may be able to weather the economic crisis, retain staff and ease the increasingly heavy payroll burden. Micro financing and fuel tax relief would encourage investment and production especially in the agriculture and secondary sector and buoy up exports and foreign exchange. The simplification of regulations for the environment should be approached with singular care however. The preservation and protection of our environment must never be a tradeoff for some quick cash scheme and it has already been too much compromised as is to be risked any further. The BCCI seems to agree with the popular belief that the high prices of fuel are in large part due to the GOB taxes on these and not due to acquisition and transportation costs. Lowering the costs of fuel would reduce the costs of production and transportation of Belizean products and services. The stimulation would increase productivity, employment, spending and ultimately taxes payable to government. This has been the advice, nay…the plea of the Belizean people that has fallen on deaf ears even before the COVID Crisis. Furthermore, the two hikes in LPG prices by the state sanctioned monopoly in the same month is especially significant. Already the consequences of the severe unemployment and the drying up of relief efforts have cause a spike in crime. LPG is an essential good used for cooking and the survival of those most affected by poverty and unemployment is now threatened by the increases in price. At least where the exorbitant taxes on fuel and LPG are concerned only the lack of political will stands in the way of relief. To top it all off the grapevine is full of the news that the leadership convention to select the patsy will be sooner rather than later. With all the sponsored ads over social media not one of the Big Mess’ recommendations have made it to the Cabinet for consideration let alone approval. This is just another clear indication that not “all is well in the UDP.” The hurricane season is upon us bringing inclement weather and all it carries including floods and the infestation of mosquitos to compound our perilous position. It is clear that a cabinet with no foresight, no contingency plan, no stimulus package and definitely not even a single clue will not last much longer. The PM undoubtedly is busy eating his hat as his oil refinery never materialized and so we bid him Bon Appétit as well as Bon Voyage!

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THE BELIZE TIMES

EDITORIAL

21 JUN

2020

en Español

Bon Appétit!

arece que los beliceños debemos esperar pacientemente mientras el UDP pone sus asuntos en orden, a tiempo y a expensas de los contribuyentes. La sala del Gabinete, según todos los indicios, es el lugar de reunión utilizado, no para la discusión de la economía que cae en picada ni las medidas urgentes y necesarias para evitar un desastre indudable. El gabinete es donde el difunto UDP trata de aglutinar sus restos mientras hacen una carrera loca para encontrar un alfa entre su especie. El Primer Ministro dice que está en duelo por Belice… un país que él ha dejado moribundo. Rápidamente ha dirigido sus esfuerzos y atención en un proyecto que considera que ahora le dará mejores beneficios económicos, la tarea de resucitar a su partido y la planificación de su feliz jubilación. Hasta la fecha no se ha hecho ningún esfuerzo por formular ni presentar una plataforma de estímulo clara desde la cual la economía de Belice se pueda catapultar hacia adelante. La BCCI (la Cámara de Comercio e Industria por sus siglas en inglés) ha proporcionado algunas ideas sobre cómo mantener en marcha el sector privado. En una admisión final de lo mal que se pondrán las cosas este año, el GOB en un comunicado de prensa declaró que esperan que la economía se contraiga en un 18 por ciento. La BCCI dice que las medidas que proponen son para mejorar los impactos que los empleadores en el sector privado enfrentan en un esfuerzo que puede ser capaz de capear la crisis económica, retener al personal y aliviar la carga de nómina cada vez más pesada. La micro financiación y la reducción del impuesto sobre el combustible alentarían la inversión y la producción, especialmente en el sector agrícola y secundario, y estimularían las exportaciones y las divisas. Sin embargo, la simplificación de la normativa en materia de medioambiente debe abordarse con especial cuidado. La preservación y la protección de nuestro medioambiente nunca debe ser una contrapartida de algún plan de dinero rápido y ya se ha visto demasiado comprometida como para seguir arriesgándose. La BCCI parece estar de acuerdo con la creencia popular de que los altos precios del combustible se deben en gran parte a los impuestos del Gobierno de Belice sobre éstos y no a los costos de adquisición y transporte. La reducción de los costos del combustible reduciría los costos de producción y transporte de los productos y servicios de Belice. El estímulo aumentaría la productividad, el empleo, el gasto y, en última instancia, los impuestos pagaderos al gobierno. Este ha sido el consejo, no… la súplica del pueblo de Belice que ha caído en oídos sordos incluso antes de la crisis de COVID. Además, los dos incrementos de los precios del GLP por el monopolio sancionado por el Estado en el mismo mes son especialmente significativas. Las consecuencias del grave desempleo y el agotamiento de las iniciativas de ayuda ya han provocado un aumento de la delincuencia. El GLP es un bien esencial utilizado para cocinar y la supervivencia de los más afectados por la pobreza y el desempleo se ve ahora amenazada por el aumento de los precios. Al menos en lo que se refiere a los impuestos exorbitantes sobre el combustible y el GLP, sólo la falta de voluntad política se interpone en el camino del alivio. Para rematarlo todo, los rumores andan llenas con la noticia de que la convención de liderazgo para seleccionar al “primo bobo” será más bien pronto que tarde. A pesar de todos los anuncios patrocinados en las redes sociales, ninguna de las recomendaciones sobre el gran desastre se ha presentado al Gabinete para su consideración y ni hablar, de su aprobación. Esto es otra indicación clara de que no “todo está bien en el UDP.” La temporada de huracanes está sobre nosotros trayendo el tiempo inclemente y todo lo que lleva incluyendo inundaciones y la infestación de mosquitos para agravar nuestra posición peligrosa. Está claro que un gabinete sin previsión, sin plan de contingencia, sin paquete de estímulo y definitivamente ni siquiera una sola pista no durará mucho más. El Primer Ministro, sin duda, está ocupado comiéndose su sombrero ya que su refinería de petróleo nunca se materializó, ¡así que le deseamos Bon Appétit y Bon Voyage!

21 JUN

2020

THE BELIZE TIMES

BELLY of the

BEAST

UDP Again For years the worthless UDP has been boasting about infrastructure projects in the country. Here at the Belize Times, we’d want to say that when Dean Oliver talks about roads and roundabouts, it is as close to an orgasm as he ever gets. But see what Belizeans have been saying all along? We are told Belmopan is completely cut off from the rest of the country. It didn’t take a hurricane or a volcano. There were no twisters, no perfect storm…no earthquakes. You know what it took for the capital city to be completely marooned? One day of damned rain. It rained for one day and the UDP’s fancy roads went all to hell – washed away completely. Imagine that. Belmopan is completely cut off from the rest of the country, and that’s no joke. The UDP has given hundreds of millions of dollars to Imer Hernandez for roadworks which rarely last more than a month. The ease with which that road washed away, there is little doubt that Imer Hernandez is the contractor who’s responsible. And you know the thing which is really messed up. Knowing how the UDP works, they’ll probably find another few millions to give the same Imer to fix the same roads he royally screwed up. Call elections, Dean. There’s no need to grieve for your poor Belize. Just leave. Rape Cordel was telling the truth when he said that when it comes to being shafted, it doesn’t really matter who’s doing the shafting. Dean Oliver says he didn’t like when we were being shafted by the three Mexican butane importers. Maybe he got jealous or something, and wanted a piece of the action, so he got rid of the three brothers and took over in the shafting position. Can you believe that at a time like this when Belizeans are struggling and have been struggling for months to put food on the table for their families, the UDP has decided to raise the price of butane? It’s unthinkable. Talk about being shafted. The truth is that when the three Mexicans were bringing in butane, we

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were all getting it cheaper than we are now. So how exactly are we benefitting from this? Reminds us of BTL, when the old Dean made us pay over half a billion to his good friend Lord Ashcroft because he said we would see the benefits of owning the company. We know he saw the benefits, and we know Anwar and a whole bunch of UDP cronies have seen the benefits. But what about us? Just go, Dean. Just go. The people are tired. It is past time for a change. Remember the Rat This week a meme circulated with a rat floating on a slipper in a pool of water. Everybody found it funny, because the slogan was that the rat was waiting for the best that the UDP said would come. Even we thought it was a joke. We laughed too. But that crap is real. It’s real. The rat is the same one that lives with his family and all his in-laws and cousins and friends at the Western Regional Hospital. Remember that rat who was almost evicted after he decided to go chill in an incubator with a new-born baby? Same one. Let’s call him Pablo the Rat, just for fun. Anyway, this week the Western Regional Hospital almost floated away after it rained for a day. We are told that the Coast Guard had to be called in to anchor the building down. Fun and joke aside though, this is sick. One slight rain and the entire hospital is under water. That’s insane. Remember that this is the same building that was declared too old to be of any use to anyone. The EU had offered over $30M to Pablo – the Minister, not the rat – for him to build a new one for the people of Belize. We are reliably informed that the offer fell through because some of the words on the form to secure the grant were too big and Pablo couldn’t understand them. True story. Sick Puppies The UDP has announced a whole bunch of cuts in education. Minister ‘Pibil and Rum,’ not looking as high as he did after that jaunt in Corozal, announced that there is no money in education, so they are cutting all sorts of things. They are cutting transportation for students, and scholarships, and money to deserving students. See, when the UDP was having the time of their lives spending all the Petrocaribe money on rum and rallies and parties and fun, it was all good. “Petrocaribe roll it,” they said. Where’s the money now? Back then Barrow said they had it all in the kitty. Then they killed the damn kitty. The coffers were full, millions and millions and millions. Where’s is the money now? The UDP has a lot to pay for. You think you’re grieving now, Dean Oliver? You ain’t seen nothing yet

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21 JUN 14

THE BELIZE TIMES

QUESTIONS TO THE MINISTERS

1. Where is the Minister 1. Will the Prime Minof NEMO? Whileofthe west ister and Minister Finance and south floods, the NEMO please confirm or deny if the Minister is ofbusy Government Belizesmoking entered his meat. thatthe notowners a clear into a leaseIswith abandonment of his duties? of Keystone Building to rest 2. Is Government the Minister of space for offices NEMO aware we how are and will the PM that also say in therent rainywill season and so much be paid forifthis why did he not contact the office space? Ministry ofthe Works to ensure 2. Will Minister of Finance please inform the Belizean public whether had it makes sense that our so-called climate resilient highways the proper for government to enter intonot a long term lease for space in highway a private ditches and canals so as to cause our most busy high end,inhigh rise 38? building in Belize City mere months before the to cave at mile new3. government-owned facility in of theHealth Lake Independence is Where was the Minister when the SanArea Ignato completed? ciobeflu clinic was floating away? Will the Minister of Health 3. Where the Minister of NEMO? Will the of Cabplease provideis Belizeans with justification for members him to remain in inet please say if Minister Castro is fulfilling his duties as a minister his post? of government duringofthis time when are being 4. Where or is whether the Minister Works Rene villages Montero? With flooded if he is too busy with his private meat smoking business to the highways breaking apart after only two days of rain, what attend to his responsibilities as NEMO minister? could be more important than the Minister of Works being on 4. Will the Minister of the Public Service please inform theitBethe job making sure our highways are operational? Could be lizean public if Delroy Cutkelvin being paid by taxpayers and, if so, that the Minister is busy withispiglets? is it 5. not Belizeans against thestay public service for a government safe, payrules attention to weather,employee those in to be writing political articles for news organizations? Fire Delroy. low lying areas and near rivers please look out for flash flooding Good job we Belize, continue to besocial safe when we keep and5.remember still we have to practice distancing and practicing social distance, good hygiene and wearing our mask in wear our mask in public. public.

2020

BY ORDER OF MORTGAGEE 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 Mortgagee under and by virtue of a Deed of Mortgage registered at the Land Titles Unit between DUDLEY MICHAEL GARCIA of the one part and HRCU of the other part. 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 being Lot No. 47, comprising 582.384 Square Metres situate along the Northern Side of the Lord’s Bank Road, Cuellar’s Layout, Lord’s Bank Village, Belize District, and more particularly shown and delineated on a Plan of Subdivision Survey by Cyrus B. Samuels Sr., Licensed Land Surveyor, recorded at the Office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys, Belmopan City, Cayo District in Entry No. 12953, Register No. 21TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon, the freehold property of DUDLEY MICHAEL GARCIA DATED this 2nd day of June 2020 HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED 1 HYDE’S LANE, BELIZE CITY, BELIZE Phone: (501) 224-5644 Fax: (501) 223-0738 Email: foreclosures@hrcubelize.org

CARTOON

21 JUN

2020

THE BELIZE TIMES

PUP Party Leader Listens to the Residents of Blue Creek “It is now time for the PUP to roll out our plans to rescue our country, to put our economy back on a path to growth and to look ahead so that we can present our plans for good jobs, better education, less crime and more opportunity.” - John Briceño Tourism Should Flourish Under the Shade of a Massive AgroProductive Industry Just at the onset of new decade 2020, the novel coronavirus, SARSCovid-2, was just another trivial story made in China. The notion that social media had totally taken over human interest was prevailing. Human population was inexorably gathering towards the coastlines of the world and there was a concerted push away from the physically and socially distant rural and agricultural lifestyles. The world was already being threatened by climate change which was triggering Earth’s natural reactions to certain critical points. Nevertheless, two thousand nineteen’s novel coronavirus had its own devastation ready to unleash and it did. Viruses exploit weaknesses and this Covid-19 attacked one with impunity. Historically humankind has been mobile for reasons of food acquisitions, conquering of lands, moving far from threats but today people moved for business and pleasure. We do so heedlessly and without regard to our health or the earth’s. Human interaction is pervasive and more undeniable than anyone had theorized. We were freely breathing in each other’s exhaled particles. This weakness was fine until Covid-19 took advantage of that freedom. Osama’s twin tower attack pales to the coronavirus to the umpteenth power. In a massive shock, air and sea travel was not as safe as the millions who travelled and toured the world thought. In one fell swoop, the Covid-19 disease took over as the number one killer, bar none. People had to stay home to shelter from this unknown and unseen assailant. Each nation took a severe punch to its economic nose. The power of that impact was directly proportionally to the individually countries’ level of addiction to tourism dollars or Euros or any other foreign currency. Caveats were ignored by entire countries and their administrations. The heeds in the case of our Central American country of Belize were many. These heeds were simple yet urgent. Tourism is very high risk; one major occurrence to your country and the world, and bam the economy and its people could be in a tailspin for the ages. One war. One disaster—artificial or natural. One disease. As addictions go, acceptance of the problem is the most difficult hurdle. Denial persevered profoundly in the government of Belize. With Covid-19, isolation and physical distancing is as close an anti-coronavirus as any vaccination can get. In a virtual about turn, NOW, rural is

John Briceño visits with and listens to residents of Blue Creek in the Orange Walk District. The PUP Party Leader is on record that a plan towards economic recovery will the unveiled in the coming weeks. Here he visits with Belizean Farmers who provide to the food subsistence of our nation. better, agro productivity is the key to strong and resilient economies and keeping tourists at bay and highly measured is a smart and a novel way of building an economy especially one with a pre-existing recession. The citizens of the world will come especially since the country Belize is gorgeous and in many ways pristine. Quality should be first and foremost as that will conserve the environment in a revisitable form. Quantity tarnishes the jewel’s flicker. Consider a glorious agro productive Industry laced with the relevant regional agreements, government support, financial stability, prepared human resources and agriculture-friendly land policy. Match all that with a well-balanced Tourism policy. Belize could be the newest best practice. People could be saying, “that country is the new Belize,” akin to thriving and prosperous economy for a small country. As the UDP government became complacent in their ill-thought expensive yet poorly-done infrastructure projects, they were placing all their eggs in the tourism basket. Tourism went up and down but the UDP saw it as easier money than tilling the soil. And yes, the coronavirus showed us that agriculture in the small to medium scale was doing well in spite of the treatment offered by the UDP government. If these farmers were not doing well enough to take losses at the beginning of the pandemic, Belize might have been starving and without food security. Belize is still importing way too much. For the scale of our production, we should be able to enter foreign markets for a variety of items that are consumed by our neighbours. At this point and the foreseeable future, what we consider as being large amounts is miniscule when it enters Mexican markets or Central American markets. Belize though needs to be an entrepreneurial country with a government that supports its citizens at whatever level is needed. With a government in tandem with its citizens, Belize should be able to rise to become our own type of economic power. With our size and with the resources that are being envied in the Caribbean, we only need a true leader. Too bad, the UDP failed to see this as their economic retinas were blinded since February 7, 2008. When the People’s United Party rolls out the plans to work with Belize it will be obvious that the AgroProductive sector will be one of the heavy lifters. The beautiful unsustainable SUV(Tourism) bogged in the terrain of uncertainty(UDP recession) will be hauled out by the tractor. There was no need to explain the end of the analogy. It is clear. The PUP and John Briceño will haul a prepared Belize to the promised land with a plan, hard work and dedication of its cadre 31 and 400,000 willing Belizeans. Tourism can have its place. It can prosper but only under the shade of a massive agro productive Industry. Our children and their children deserve that and more.

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NICH STAFFERS RETRENCHED

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 17th, 2020 STATEMENT The “protection and promotion of all forms of tangible and intangible culture” is vital to our country and a major contributor to the lives of Belizeans and our foreign visitors. Our country is experiencing an unprecedented health and financial crisis due to COVID19 and many Belizeans have lost their jobs while some are struggling to meet daily needs under greatly reduced wages. We were not under the illusion that NICH would be spared, but to ensure that the Arts and Culture remain a vital part of our economy, we were prepared to endure the financial storm. On April 29th, during the SOE and lockdown, the President of NICH hosted a Zoom meeting in which she outlined a “proposal”. That proposal was a reduction of salary by 50% as part of a series of ideas to cut costs at NICH. This would be for an initial 2 months (May & June) during which time NICH’s financial position would be monitored and staff appraisals carried out to determine redundancies. The staff voiced concern at the size of the cut. On April 30th, the President sent a letter informing everyone that that they had until May 7th to respond whether they agreed or not to the 50% salary cut. After May 7th, she shared that 95% of the staff were in agreement. We were in the 5% expressing reservations. The two senior managers were informed that unless they changed their vote to yes, they would be immediately terminated. With that understanding, our votes were changed. On Monday, June 15th, 2020, irregular deposits from NICH were noted in our respective bank accounts. Explanations were sought from the accountant and then the HR officer, none of whom knew what we were referring to. After 5 pm we received emails from HR informing of our immediate termination. To say we are disappointed in how our termination was handled would be an understatement. The blatant lack of due process and respect for employees of NICH was glaring. Where were the staff appraisals that were promised? For an institution founded on the principles of tolerance, respect and mandated to safeguard culture in all its diversity, to treat its employees whom have dedicated over 10 years of service so reprehensibly shows little regard for the employees and the culture sector. To then blame, NICH’s current financial mismanagement on COVID19 is disingenuous, duplicitous and A FARCE. From the day she took office, the current President, despite having no experience in managing a cultural institution, has operated in an autocratic manner which raised a number of red flags for the then internal auditor. She was later suspended by Cabinet under a cloud of suspicion. The whistle blower, the then internal auditor, was later fired. To staff’s complete consternation, NICH has never replaced the following key positions which are critical to the effective management of the institution that have been vacated during this President’s term. These are: Administrator Internal Auditor Business Development Manager Human Resources Manager Without an adequate system in place for staff to lodge grievances in a fair and reasonable manner, they work under constant fear of being victimized if they voice dissent. Upon closer analysis of the press release sent out by NICH on June 17th, it is hard to believe that cutting staff by 6% will ensure NICH’s survival. We were victimized for speaking up about our concerns regarding NICH’s management. As such we implore the Minister responsible for Culture to restore proper fiscal management, transparency and due process within the Institution as soon as possible. SIGNED: Karen Vernon: FORMER Theatre Director, The Bliss Center for the Performing Arts , ICA-NICH Suzette Zayden: FORMER Coordinator, Film and Media Arts Unit, ICA-NICH Jackie Castillo: FORMER Creative Industry Development Officer, ICA-NICH Teresita Torres: FORMER Administrative, Finance Assistant/ National Celebrations Commission (NCC’s) Secretary, ADMIN-NICH

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21 JUN

THE BELIZE TIMES

2020

Virtual

Commencement

Open Letter to the Minister of Tourism June 19th 2020 Manuel Heredia Minister of Tourism & Civil Aviation City of Belmopan, Cayo Belize Dear Minister Heredia Since the end of March, the overnight tourism sector has had no business with the airport and land borders closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As has been reported, the tourism industry accounts for 1 in 4 jobs and contributes approximately 40% of the GDP. The residents of Belize Rural South which includes Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye can attest to the devastating and direct impact this has had on the livelihoods of thousands since March. It is getting worse with each passing week and a possible humanitarian crisis is developing. I write to register my deep concern that as you are the Area Representative for Belize Rural South and the Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, there has been no public address by you, the Director of Tourism and the Director of Civil Aviation on the most devastating tourism crisis to hit Belize. After 3 months, at minimum, one should have heard from your Ministry on what plans, procedures or processes are being worked on to help with a slow restart of the industry, to guide the industry on preparing for the coming difficult months and since you are the current Area Representative, to help the residents of Belize Rural South for which tourism is the core of the revenue generation for the community. The devastating impact is seen with the thousands of persons who have been laid off from hotels, restaurants, local airlines, tour companies and other tourism related services. Many people have fled the islands in search of work on the mainland of Belize which is also feeling the impact of no tourism. Unemployment in Belize Rural South and across the country are at its highest levels. In addition to this, your government has hiked the butane and fuel prices which compounds the problem for residents and businesses. The few who remain with a job are on significantly reduced wages and the cost of basic living necessities is proving difficult to meet each week. Health care access is even more unaffordable during these times and the ability to hold on to house mortgages is becoming increasingly difficult. It is unacceptable that the community of Belize Rural South has not heard from you and that the tourism business sector and thousands unemployed have not heard from the Director of Tourism or the Director of Civil Aviation on what is being done to address this. There has to be a coordinated effort with tourism authorities and health authorities to address when the industry can reasonably expect a limited, phased approach to re-opening the Phillip Goldson International Airport. We all fully appreciate that the land borders cannot be opened but it is time to establish a firm date for the limited reopening of the PGIA. Those in the industry and Belizeans on a whole recognize that this has to involve parameters required to make this a phased approach that considers the interest of the health of the people to mitigate the risk of spread as well as the economic hardships that also threaten the health of all Belizeans. I find it hard to believe that, after this crisis hit this nation three months ago, the BTB, the Belize Airport Authority and its private management company have not been working on plans for the new operating procedures. And if it is that they have, it is completely insufferable that those in the industry who depend on tourism for their day to day living have not heard from any of you on the status of these plans. All the major airlines have significantly cut their flights and fleet to Belize and many of the accommodations in Belize will remain closed for some time. Therefore, arrivals at the PGIA will be limited. If the industry is to rebound, it has to start even in a limited manner and with all the necessary protocols to mitigate and manage risks since it will take considerable time to build visitor confidence in travelling to Belize and to market Belize as ready for business. The BTIA and the BHA as tourism associations as well as the many other tourism business sectors should be consulted as there are many ideas on how this can be done in a phased approach and in as safe a manner as possible. The continued silence from you, the Director of Tourism and the Director of Civil Aviation cannot go on and is an insult to the thousands of Belizeans who depend on this industry. The people of Belize Rural South demand better, especially since the island of Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker contribute the lion’s share of the tourism taxes. The thousands of Belizeans across the length and breadth of Belize expect better from their leaders in this industry, and even more so in times of crisis. I call on you, as the Area Representative of Belize Rural South and the Minister of Tourism and on the Director of Tourism and the Director of Civil Aviation to face the nation and address the many questions and concerns. Your lack of action and response on the biggest crisis that has hit this industry and Belize Rural South is unacceptable. Regards _______________________ Andre Perez PUP Standard Bearer/Belize Rural South Cc Hon. Dean Barrow- Prime Minister of Belize Hon. John Briceno – Leader of Opposition Karen Bevans - Director of Tourism

Into A Really Empty Job Market The numbers are not yet calculated but definitely hundreds of students will be graduating from the University of Belize, from Galen University and hundreds more from the Junior Colleges in every district, and thousands from the secondary schools via virtual graduation exercises. The grim reality forecast to them as 2019 rolled away has been multiplied by a thousand fold. These graduates will listen to addresses designed to inspire hope. Alas, these speeches will not blame the United Democratic Party for their rank incompetence and visionless manoeuvring of Belize right off the economic cliff. Political correctness and etiquette will prevent speakers from cracking the heedless skull of the real culprits for the mess the country is mired in—a full blown economic crisis. Graduations are a lot of pomp and circumstance and are an integral part of an educationally oriented person’s psyche. The country’s morale is uplifted as the silky academic gowns and mortar boards flutter in the winds of expectation. Unbeknownst, society and individuals expect to fill the jobs of a few that are retiring. It is taken for granted that job searches will inordinately reap interviews and land at least one coveted opportunity to work and be paid. This year’s graduating pool also has the right to expect a government growing the economy to fit the numbers greater than the retiring Belizeans. This right will be disappointed under this UDP regime. Alas, even before Covid-19 was even a figment of anyone’s imagination, there was no possibility of new jobs in an economy besieged by its third UDP recession in as many failed UDP terms. Covid-19 brought the fingerprint dust and the PCR test to prove beyond any reasonable doubt that the UDP had raped and pillaged Belize into a nation International Financial Institutions (IFIs) balk at hearing our name uttered. The UDP has brought shame to us. The Ministry of Education’s own virtual graduation is destined to be an exercise in futility. Faber’s attempt to get as much air time as possible continues. Will he unveil a vast array of jobs? No! He will only unload, as he has said already, “sympathy.” Who has been kissing Barrow’s ascertains for 12.5 years? Who was high on Petrocaribe tacos? Who was insulting teachers and imposing a draconian Education Act signed without final consultations? Who was disrespecting women and turning Government vehicles into submarines? Blame Faber and the rest of the UDP. Each one of them sat in the Cabinet room where Barrow chairs all meetings. They all nodded yes, over and over and over. Name the infamy and they nodded yes. The last yes they will nod to will be when Barrow announces their judgement day. Many of the Class of 2020 are also waiting to cast their first ballot. These young women and men will issue a Final grade of the UDP’s reign of terror which they masked as an administration. Young people of Belize are in love with John Briceño. He and the PUP are looking after them in 2020 and beyond. Everyone will work together to build a Belize that will work for everyone.

BCC Helps MoH Control Mosquitoes His Worship Mayor Bernard Wagner and the PUP City Council have risen above the fray and delivered another alluring reason to add truth to their motto ‘Always”bout the People.’ The solved issue this time was the annual challenge by the disease-laden mosquitoes--the killer of millions.

21 JUN

2020

BARROW’S UDP RUNS BELIZE BROKE

“we are equally resolved not to lay off one single solitary public officer. For us retrenchment is absolutely not on the table.” – PM Dean O. Barrow, May 8, 2020 Apologies accepted Mr. Barrow, don’t forget to date it and send to the GG whom the AG has said is willing to sign anything. Resign Prime Minister, your show is over!! The Public Service Union (PSU) leaders and the BNTU (leaders) and the obsequious Managers(UDPs) agreed to a salary cut by giving up their yearly 2percent increment due for this year. This is actually thousands of dollars in a lifetime especially when coupled with pension. Even with that agreement we are seeing and have seen terminations. Firings. Furloughs. Whatever term the prolix Barrow places he is replacing his 1995 Christmas Retrenchment with Covid Retrenchment. Twenty five years later and

LIQUOR LICENSE NOTICES Notice is hereby given that Midtown Company Ltd. is applying for a Shop Liquor License to be operated at “Midtown Company Ltd” located on Newtown Barracks, BTL Park, Belize City, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

099

THE BELIZE TIMES

Barrow still cannot run a country and much less an economy. Barrow can only run Belize broke. The UDP axes 12 from NICH Under the PUP the National Institute of Culture and History “rolled out Arts and Culture”. Those are the words of a Belizean caller to ‘The Whip Morning Show’(102.9/90.5). In a very obscene contrast the UDP has cut subsidy to 12 to 15 year olds, cut the pay of our teachers and public officers, terminated 12 from NICH and let’s not forget the BTL salary cuts and the Belize Tourism Board layoffs. The latter folded when the Tourism sector had barely blinked. If Tourism was so successful wouldn’t they have funds allocated for contingencies? Of course we know that Covid was only the perfect excuse for the already imminent layoffs. You see, The BTB and BTL are a microcosm of your roughshod UDP sizzling incompetence. These two have managers who were devout to the same economic policies that ran the country Belize. As Belize impatiently awaits the opportunity to exercise their sacred vote, they observe with disdain the utter neglect the UDP has for Belize. Their leaderless party needs to understand that a convention makes not a leader. Give up! You will not be placed by our intelligent and suffering

Belizeans anywhere except under intense legal scrutiny. Belize has a leader already. He saved and gave the Over Sight Committee real credibility. As Belizeans heard “Oversight” we believed that all the entities represented were being heard because of John Briceño. Belize will be in awesome hands as the PUP and leader Briceño works along with and listens to ALL to Build a Belize that works for everyone. Was Shyne Barrow one of the 12 fired Since Shyne got slapped silly or because he was silly he has continued doing nothing as Music Ambassador. The anti-role model to our children just collects taxpayer’s money to be a son of the PM and feign at being a Standard Bearer. Word is that his torture of trying to help people will soon end. Did the Prime Minister lie when he said that there would be no cuts in the public sector? Are they saying that creativity is not essential? That might be the reason Shyne Barrow was not let go since he doesn’t have an iota of creativity in him. Is the agonizing Barrow administration still trying to woo the International Monetary Fund(IMF) by making dents into his wage bill?

CONGRATULATIONS!! NEWLY Elected President of Belize Police Association

Sgt. Jane Usher The 1,673 officers of the Belize Police Department that were eligible to vote, cast their ballots on June 17, 2020, to elect a new president for the Belize Police Association. Sergeant Jane Usher is the granddaughter of HRCU pioneer Jane Usher was successful on her bid. There were other seats contested to the new Police Association Team: WPC Shelene Myers, Cpl. William Usher, Cpl. Belky Gilharry, Cpl. Reina Mendoza, and WPC Vindy Marin. We wish her well. Congratulations Jane!!

Notice is hereby given that Marta Luz Carillo is applying for a Beer Liquor License to be operated at “Alexie’s Store” located in San Jose Palmar Village, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980. Notice is hereby given that Hussain Ahmed/MD Shahen Alam are applying for a Beer Liquor License to be operated at “Chatak Grocery Shop” located at # 116 Riverside Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

NEEDED: Helper at AL Tope Class clothing store, located at # 27 Albert Street, Belize City. Call 600-9047 for more information. Caretaker to work on a farm in Belmopan City, Cayo District. Call 610-8779 for more information.

NOTICE QUEEN’S SQUARE

STANDARD BEARER ENDORSEMENT CONVENTION FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2020 6:00 P.M. @ INDEPENDENCE HALL

21 JUN JUN 14

THE BELIZE TIMES

2020 2020

PUBLIC AUCTION SALES: PROPERTIES

Libertad Village, Corozal District; San Estevan Village, San Jose Palmer, Trial Farm, Orange Walk Town & Carmelita, Orange Walk District BY ORDER of the Mortgagees, Messrs. The Belize Bank Limited, Licensed Auctioneers Kevin A. Castillo & Christiana R. Castillo will sell the following properties on Monday 22nd June 2020 at the following locations and times:

1. At Parcel No. 383 Libertad Village, Corozal District at 9:00 am:

REGISTRATION SECTION Libertad Village

BLOCK 1

5. At Parcel No. 120 off the Phillip Goldson Highway, San Jose Palmar, Orange Walk District at 12:00 noon:

PARCEL 383

(Being a two-storey concrete residential building: Ground floor [15 ft. X 18 ft.] and First Floor [9 ft. X 15 ft.] + Veranda [9 ft. X 15 ft.] situate in Libertad Village, Corozal District, the freehold property of Mr. Sergio Mesh) 2. At Parcel No. 315 San Estevan Village, Orange Walk District at 10:30 am:

REGISTRATION SECTION San Jose Palmar

BLOCK 4

PARCEL 120/1

(Being a fabulous two storey concrete residential complex and lot situate beside the Phillip Goldson Highway, Orange Walk Town, the leasehold property of Mr. Luis Romeo Urbina) 6. At Parcel No. 1290 San Felipe Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District at 1:30 pm:

REGISTRATION SECTION San Estevan

BLOCK 1

PARCEL 315

(Being an attractive fenced timber bungalow dwelling house [32 ft. X 42 ft] containing 4 bedrooms + 1 bathroom + Living/Dining/Kitchen and lot [492.000 S.M.] situate on corner San Estevan and Sarteneja/Progresso/Chunox Roads, San Estevan Village, Orange Walk District, the freehold property of Mr. Mr. Agusto Angel Blanco) 3. At Parcel No. 315 San Estevan Village, Orange Walk District at 10:30 am:

REGISTRATION SECTION San Estevan

BLOCK 1

PARCEL 639 &640

(Being two vacant parcels of land [639 - 2.786 acres & 640 - 2.786 acres] situate on the San Estevan Road just outside the developments of San Estevan Village, Orange Walk District, the freehold properties of Mr. Manuel Jesus Blanco and Mr. Agusto Blanco) 4. At Parcel No. 16/1 San Estevan Village, Orange Walk District at 11:00 am:

REGISTRATION SECTION Ann Gabourel

BLOCK 4

PARCEL 1290

(Being a concrete bungalow dwelling house [34 ft. X 36 ft.] containing 3 bedrooms + 1 bathroom + living/dining/kitchen + front, side & back porches and lot [447.22 sq. yds.] situate on San Felipe Street, Orange Walk Town, OrangeWalk District, the freehold property of Ms. Lilia Constantino) 7. At Parcel No. 1290 San Felipe Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District at 1:30 pm:

REGISTRATION SECTION Ann Gabourel

BLOCK 4

PARCEL 2770

(Being an elevated metal sided building [14 ft. X 21 ft.] containing 2 bedrooms + kitchen/living + bathroom and lot [583.773 S.M. or 698.19 S.Y.] situate on Snapper Street, Trial Farm Village, Orange Walk District, the freehold property of Mr. David Enrique Navarette) 8. At Parcel No. 1290 San Felipe Street, OrangeWalk Town, OrangeWalk District at 1:30 pm:

REGISTRATION SECTION San Estevan

BLOCK 4

PARCEL 16/1

(Being a concrete bungalow dwelling house [25 ft. X 34 ft.] + Building B measuring [13 ft. X 19 ft.] and lot [1,039 S.M. or 1,242.64 S.Y.] situate in the Village of San Estevan, Orange Walk District, the leasehold property of Ms. Irma Olivera)

REGISTRATION SECTION Ann Gabourel

BLOCK 4

PARCEL 1080

(Being a vacant lot [557.35 S.M.] situate in Pucte Villas Subdivision, Orange Walk District, the freehold property of Mr. Marlo Perrera) Continued on page 11

21 JUN 14

THE BELIZE TIMES

2020

OUT

defeated by Dolores Balderamos Garcia. They should spend time in Belize Rural South, where Manuel Heredia will be eradicated by the rightful Mayor of San Pedro Dear Editor, Town, the industrious Andre PePlease allow some rez. space, The UDP should use their Nuh Watch Musa, energies in Pickstock, where the Watch Yuself ostracized Sedi Elrington will be June 11, 2020 - It has been ob- annihilated by the vibrant Anthoserved that the United Democrat- ny Malher. ic Party has been speculating on The UDPs energies can be what Monchi they believe will happen in better the Albert, on the ground in Trialinvested Farm in Village. the Fort George Division in the upwhere Tracy Panton will be Assisting residents with flooding problems. coming General Elections. We find soundly defeated by Mr. Paul it very repugnant that the UDP has Thompson. resorted to exploiting the illness of The UDP should invest the former Prime Minister in an at- their energies in Mesopotamia, tempt to gain political mileage. It where after a shameful forty-one is shameful that they would stoop years of UDP incompetence, so low. the young, inventive fighter, Dr. The Rt. Hon Musa would have Candice Pitts will deliver for the unambiguously said to them, “Noh PUP! watch me, watch yuself”. That is The UDP should expend right! The UDP has enough inter- some of their energies in Port nal issues to deal with. There is Loyola. Not that it would make no need for them to worry about a difference though, as the hardwhat will happen in Fort George or working Gilbert Usher will defiCaribbean Shores. Their energies nitely deliver for the PUP. would be better utilized in trying to There UDP should spend find a leader so that the elections some energies in Cayo North can be called as soon as possible. where the ghost, Figeroa will be Do that. Get your house in order exorcised once and for all by the and then call the elections. Good Senator Michel Chebat. They should utilize those enThe UDP should send some ergies to deal with Corozal Bay, tranches to Belmopan, where where the despicable Pablo Marin John Saldivar, Lev Dermen’s is sure to be wiped out by Dido henchman will be sacked by the Vega when elections are called. Upright Major Oscar Mira. They should amplify their The UDP should invest their energies in Orange Walk North, energies in Dangriga, Hope where the No-Show Gapi Vega Creek and Sarawee, where Papa will certainly be ousted by Mon- will be soundly obliterated by the chi Cervantes. brilliant Dr. Zabaneh. They should expend their As a nation, we are going energies in Orange Walk East through one of the most challengwhere Elodio Aragon, who just ing times in our history. Many of could never have been seen fit to our people have lost their jobs. become Minister of National Se- The people are suffering out here curity, will be trashed by Mayor while a headless UDP is aimlessKevin Bernard. ly jumping all over the place. It is They should invest their ener- time for them to go! gies in Belize Rural Central where Beverly Castillo will be soundly By Sebastian Morales

ON THE

MOVE

! STANDARD BEARER RAMON “MONCHI” CERVANTES

The International Business Companies Act (Chapter 270) TAKE NOTICE that George Duroy Ltd. has been dissolved And has been struck off the Register. Dated this 13th day of June, 2020 GEORGE R. SWIFT Liquidator FINAL NOTICE

Continued from page 10

PUBLIC AUCTION SALES: PROPERTIES

Libertad Village, Corozal District; San Estevan Village, San Jose Palmer, Trial Farm, Orange Walk Town & Carmelita, Orange Walk District

BY ORDER of the Mortgagees, Messrs. The Belize Bank Limited, Licensed Auctioneers Kevin A. Castillo & Christiana R. Castillo will sell the following properties on Monday 22nd June 2020 at the following locations and times:

9. At Parcel No. 1189 in an Alley off San Francisco Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District at 2:15 pm:

REGISTRATION SECTION Orange Walk Town

BLOCK 4

PARCEL 1189

(Being a concrete bungalow dwelling house [24 ft. X 26 ft. + bathroom addition 8 ft. X 8 ft.] containing 2 bedrooms + 1 bathroom + living/dining/kitchen + laundry/open ended shed 8 ft. X 16 ft. + block wall storeroom 5 ft. X 8 ft. and lot [371.988 S.M. or 444.90 S.Y.] situate in an Alley of San Francisco Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District, the freehold property of Mr. Gilbert Bernard Jr.) 10. At Parcels Nos. 1141 & 1143 Phillip Goldson Highway, San Jose Palmar, Orange Walk District at 3:00 pm:

REGISTRATION SECTION San Jose Palmar

BLOCK 4

PARCELS 1141 & 1143

San Jose Palmar

1141 & 1143

11. At Parcels Nos. 1141 & 1143 Phillip Goldson Highway, San Jose Palmar, Orange Walk District at 3:00 pm:

(Being two (2) lots -: Parcel No. 1141 containing (0.298 of an acre or 1,442.32 square yards) together with an incomplete concrete building [28 ft. X 47 ft. + open area 14 ft. X 28 ft.]; Parcel No. 1143 containing (0.585 of an acre or 2,831.4 Square Yards) together with 2 block making sheds [each 24 ft. X 24 ft] + storeroom [16 ft. X 15 ft.] + office building [8 ft. X 16 ft.] + horse stable [12 ft. X 36 ft.] + water well situate beside the Phillip Goldson Highway, San Jose Palmar, Orange Walk District, the freeholdBLOCK properties of Mr. Roamir Gonzalez) REGISTRATION SECTION PARCELS 11. At Parcels Nos. 1141 & 1143 Phillip Goldson Highway, San Jose Palmar, Carmelita 4 206/1 Orange Walk District at 3:00 pm: (Being an incomplete building and lot [1,042.6 S.M. or 1,246.95 S.Y.] situated in Carmelita Village, Orange Walk District, leasehold property of Mr. Zayne Palacio) 12. At Parcel No. 283/1 corner Trinidad Village/Orange Walk Town Road and a Street, Trinidad Village, Orange Walk District at 4:00 pm:

REGISTRATION SECTION Carmelita

BLOCK 1

PARCEL 206/1

REGISTRATION SECTION (Being an incomplete building andBLOCK lot [1,042.6 S.M.PARCELS or 1,246.95 S.Y.] situated in Trinidad VillageOrange Walk District, 4 leasehold 283/1 Carmelita Village, property of Mr. Zayne Palacio) (Being a concrete bungalow dwelling house 24 ft. X 30 ft. containing 2 bedrooms + living/dining/kitchen + wrapped around verandah 8 ft. X 24 ft - south side + 8 ft. X 28 ADDITIONAL - the corner of the ft. west side and corner lot [943.200 S.MINFORMATION or 1,128.07 S.Y.] situate on Trinidad Village - Orange Walk Town Road and(foreclosure a Street in Trinidad Village, Orange Walk www.belizebank.com listing) District, the leasehold property of Mr. Luis A. Cowo)

TERMS: STRICTLY CASH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION KEVIN A. CASTILLO www.belizebank.com (foreclosure listing) TERMS: STRICTLY CASH TELEPHONE 223-4488 KEVIN A. CASTILLO E-mail:CHRISTIANA kevinacas@yahoo.com R. CASTILLO Face Book: Belize Auctions TELEPHONE 223-4488 E-mail: kevinacas@yahoo.com Face Book: Belize Auctions

12 OUT PG Development Committee Writes to PG Mayor (excerpts)

21 JUN

THE BELIZE TIMES

15th June, 2020 His Lordship the Mayor Mr. Ashton Mckenzie Punta Gorda Town Council Toledo District Mayor Mckenzie, As a follow up to the various conversations held last week, we write to you as very concerned citizens and stakeholders of Punta Gorda Town about a building project which suddenly appeared a couple of weeks ago on the plot of land which is known locally as the ‘Y’ area and where the iconic WELCOME TO PUNTA GORDA ‘DALLA’ sign is located. … Our request for a meeting last week was to gather as much factual information from you as possible as you are our elected representative and have access to the information. Unfortunately, our request for information was taken as an attack and we were left locked out of the multipurpose building and unable to get information directly from you. As a result, we have formed a task force and are formally writing to you and all other interested parties to get the answers that we are entitled to. … Questions which require urgent consideration: • What will be the impact with regards to sewage disposal? • What about health and safety issues with regards to the placing of holding tanks and pumps for a gas station? • What if there is a natural disaster? Is the local Fire Department equipped to handle 4 gas stations in such proximity should there be a spill or fire. • A church was established in

2014, in the BoneVille establishment next to the property, isn’t placing a gas station next to a church illegal? • Has any consideration been given to the adverse effect of toxic emissions and spills in and to the neighbourhood? To the land? To the fresh water creek a few yards away? To the sea and coastline? To the families who swim and fish there on weekends? • Were the interests of local business people taken into consideration when issuing licenses? • What about building tourism in a prime area of the town? Local tourism is encouraged now more than ever due to the Covid- 19 pandemic, will this project promote local or foreign tourism? • How will this affect the flow of traffic into the town? As a group - representative of the wider community - youth, adults, business owners, community activists - we are unanimous in our strong objection to this project. We ask, in the name of democracy and respect for our rights as citizens of this town which we love and which we respect that a STOP ORDER be placed immediately on this project as you promised in a live feed earlier this week. We are asking, for the sake of transparency and accountability, that the following documents be available for public scrutiny by Tuesday 16th June, 2020. • A development plan for the location • Name of engineer who did the design • Documents indicating stamped approval by an architect and by an engineer for those plans. • Stamped documents of approval from the following Authorities: 1. The Central Building Authority 2. The Department of the Environment 3. The Fire Department 4. The Police Department We want to work with you in the interest of all that is healthy, safe, good and beautiful for Punta Gorda. We want to protect our patrimony - ‘our tranquil haven of Democracy’ right here in our town - for our children, our grandchildren, and their heirs for generations to come. Yours in Partnership,

2020

PUP RELEASE: UDP MERCILESS IN TIME OF CRISIS During the time when thousands are still waiting for Covid Relief in the form of petty cash or food the UDP imposes higher butane and gasoline prices. Just when Fishermen are distraught as Lobster prices have tumbled from 33 to 16 dollars their boating fuel is more expensive. The International Monetary Fund does not want to know about Belize and its present UDP government’s heedless ways. GoB continues it crackhead mannerism of selling our children’s futures by offering a most expensive bond. Belizeans will pay back too much when compared to the UDPs renegotiated what Hulse called the “superbond.” ’ Incidentally, the UDP has now signalled that it could essentially default on their August payment on that same superbond. This transaction was way out of his league so Barrow couldn’t comprehend

it. Now, his UDP owes three times the amount of the superbond(about 4 BILLION) and it is easy to understand that the incompetent UDP is mishandling even that. They can spend recklessly but who will pay it back? The Belizean children whose education is being held hostage are being saddled with paying the rude lawless spending by the incompetent and corrupt UDP. The Southern Regional Hospital is being asked to control printing and the use of Toilet Paper while they see a Panton-driven Prado visiting a Tourist location using taxpayer fuel. The UDP needs to go for economic and social healing to instil onto Belize. The PUP can then foment a new Belizean economic atmosphere with real hope and vision that prosperity is definitely within our grasp. The PUP release essentially addresses all this and more.

St Luke Hospital

#3 Mountain view Blvd Belmopan, Belize, CA Phone: 822-2379 Email: stlukehospitalbze@gmail.com

VACANCY Exist for: Radiology Technician At St. Luke Hospital Ltd. Minimum Qualification: . Associates Degree in Radiology . Valid License from the Ministry of Health (Allied Health License) . At least 1 year experience as an X Ray Technician/Radiology Technician Please send application to: Manager St. Luke Hospital Ltd. #3 Mountain View Boulevard Belmopan, Belize Deadline June 30th, 2020 St. Luke Hospital Ltd: Caring from the Heart

St Luke Hospital

#3 Mountain view Blvd Belmopan, Belize, CA Phone: 822-2379 Email: stlukehospitalbze@gmail.com

The International Business Companies Act (Chapter 270)

VACANCY Exist for:

TAKE NOTICE that MPC Group, Inc. has been dissolved And has been struck off the Register. Dated this 13th day of June, 2020 GEORGE R. SWIFT Liquidator FINAL NOTICE

Physician Specialist – Anesthesiologist At St. Luke Hospital Ltd. Minimum Qualification: . Medical Degree . Specialist Degree in Anesthesia . Valid License from the Belize Medical Council Please send application to: Manager St. Luke Hospital Ltd. #3 Mountain View Boulevard Belmopan, Belize Deadline June 30th, 2020 St. Luke Hospital Ltd: Caring from the Heart

21 JUN

THE BELIZE TIMES

2020

PUBLIC AUCTION SALES: PROPERTIES

Placencia Village, Bella Vista Village, Tobacco Caye Range, Red Bank Village, Independence Village Stann Creek District; Sea Front Cattle Landing Area; Punta Gorda Town; Elridgeville Village; Toledo District BY ORDER of the Mortgagees, Messrs. The Belize Bank Limited or Messrs. Belize Bank International Limited or The Receiver Indeco Enterprises Limited, Licensed Auctioneers Kevin A. Castillo & Christiana Castillo will sell the following properties at the locations, dates and times below listed:

A. Placencia Village, Stann Creek District: In front The Belize Bank Limited, Placencia Village, Stann Creek District on Monday 29th June 2020 at 10:00 am: 1. Parcel No. 1715 Placencia Village, Stann Creek District:

5. Lot No. 21 (1141.14 S.Y.) Red Bank Village, Stann Creek District:

All that piece or parcel of land being Lot No. 21 comprising (1141.14 Square yards) situate in Red Bank Village, in the Stann Creek District of Belize and bounded and described as shown colored red on Plan No. 677 of 2002 attached to Ministerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fiat (Grant) no. 677 of 2002 dated 5th September, 2002 TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon. (Being a concrete bungalow dwelling house [19 ft. X 24 ft.] containing 1 bedroom + sitting room + kitchen and lot [1141.14 S.Y.] situate at Lot No. 21 Red Bank Village Layout, Stann Creek District, the freehold property of Mr. Mateo Teul) REGISTRATION SECTION Placencia North

BLOCK 36

PARCEL 1715

B. Independence Village, Stann Creek District: On Site - Lot No. 41 & 4,623.880 meters or 5,530.16 square yards (1.14 acres), Independence Village on Monday 29th June 2020 at 1:00 pm:

(Being a two storey commercial concrete/timber/metal building: Ground Floor - 39 ft. x 76 ft. + Upper Flat - 18 ft. x 22 ft. Ground Floor accommodates Office + 3 bedrooms each with bathrooms and laundry + Aisle + Restaurant + Bar + Kitchen + Store Room + Stair Case: Upper Flat - 2 bedrooms with bathrooms and lot [687.87 square yards] situate on the MAIN ROAD in the Village of PLACENCIA, Stann Creek District, the freehold property of Mr. Miguel Meitin) 2. Parcel No. 2159 Placencia Residences, Placencia Peninsula, Stann Creek:

1. Lot No. 41 Independence Village, Stann Creek District:

REGISTRATION SECTION Placencia North

BLOCK 36

PARCEL 2159

(Being a canal side vacant lot situate in the sub-division known as The Placencia Residences near Mile 13 Placencia Road, Placencia Peninsula, Stann Creek District, the freehold property of Mr. Ryan Pott). *******NB. Restrictions on use of Property is available upon request********* 3. Lot No. 4 Bella Vista Village, Stann Creek District:

All That piece or parcel of land situate in Bella Vista Village, Toledo District and being Lot No. 4 containing 352.706 square meters as can be seen on Entry Plan No. 5940 Register No. 22by Licensed Surveyor Ellis Arzu, dated 9th day of November 2000, lodged at the office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys, Belmopan, Cayo District Together with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon. (Being a concrete bungalow dwelling house [20 ft. X 25 ft.] 2 bedrooms + 1 bathroom + living/dining room + outdoor kitchen and fenced lot [containing 352.706 square meters situate in Bella Vista Village, Toledo District, the freehold property of Mr. Benedicto Mendez) 4. 1.60 acres East Side of Tobacco Caye Range, Stann Creek District:

ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Block No. 1 comprising 1.60 acres situate along the East Side of Tobacco Caye Range in the Stann Creek District of Belize and bounded and described as shown by Plan No. 578 of 2006 attached to Ministerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fiat (Grant) No. 578 of 2006 dated 26th May 2006 TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon. (Being 1.6 acres of land along the East Side of Tobacco Caye Range, Stann Creek District, the freehold property of Mr. Karl Gabourel Jr.)

ALL THAT lot, piece or parcel of land situate in Independence Village in the Stann Creek District bounded and described as follows:- On the Northwest for a distance of 16.762 meters (55.00 feet) by Lot No. 42; On the Northeast for a distance of 39.004 meters (127.96 feet) by Lot No. 44; On the Southeast for a distance of 16.762 meters by a street; On the Southwest for a distance of 39.077 meters (128.20 feet) by Lot No. 40 and a portion of Lot No. 39; Being Lot No. 41 containing 654.215 square meters or 782.44 square yards as shown on a plan of survey by E. H. Arzu Licensed Land Surveyor dated 3rd February 2000 registered at the Lands and Surveys Department in Belmopan in Entry No. 4868, Register No. 22 TOGETHER with all building and erections standing and being thereon. (Being a vacant lot [654.215 square meters or 782.44 square yards] situate in the vicinity of the market in the Village of Independence in the Stann Creek District, the freehold property of Messrs. Indeco Enterprises Limited) 2. 4,623.880 meters or 5,530.16 square yards (1.14 acres) Independence Village, Stann Creek Distict:

ALL THAT piece or parcel of land situate in Independence Village in the Stann Creek District bounded and described as follows:- On the North for a distance of 81.702 meters (268.05 feet) by a street; On the South for a distance of 64.684 meters (212.22 feet) by a street; On the East for a distance of 48.041 meters (157.61 feet) by a street; On the West for a distance of 79.264 meters (260.05 feet) by Lots Nos. 49 & 50; On the Northeast for a distance of 3.895 meters by a daylight cut; Being a parcel of land containing 4,623.880 meters or 5,530.16 square yards (1.14 acres) as shown on a plan of survey by E. H. Arzu Licensed Land Surveyor dated 3rd February 2000 registered at the Lands and Surveys Department in Belmopan in Entry No. 4868, Register No. 22 TOGETHER with all building and erections standing and being thereon. (Being a vacant property [4,623.880 meters or 5,530.16 square yards (1.14 acres)] situate in the vicinity of the market in the Village of Independence in the Stann Creek District, the freehold property of Messrs. Indeco Enterprises Limited) Continued on page 21

21 JUN

THE BELIZE TIMES

STANDARD BEARERS

2020

Belize Rural Central: Dolores Balderamos Garcia David Young called on to Party Leader’s virtual celebration, which was a smashing success !!

ON THE MOVE

Orange Walk Central: Hon. John Briceño At the San Lorenzo Housing Site along with Mayor Kevin Bernard and Deputy Mayor Cal.

Belmopan: Oscar Mira Winning at the Mother’s and Father’s Day event.

Queen’s Square: Councillor Alan Pollard Young and Vibrant, the answer to the forgotten constituency

Collet: Councillor Oscar Arnold

Caribbean Shores: Hon. Kareem Musa along with City Council Tackling the drainage issues.

With residents of Partridge Street Ext.

Corozal North: David Castillo with CTC

Corozal Town Council

Creative Hand wash Station Installed; OthHelping to fix the Altamira - er works continue Paraiso Road!

Belize Rural North: Marconi Leal Still listening to his constituents.

Already working to Build a Belize that Works for Everyone.

21 JUN

2020

THE BELIZE TIMES

TEAM 31

Oscar Mira for Belmopan The People’s Soldier in Belmopan Major Oscar Mira (Ret’d) is a career soldier, a man whose life has all been about serving his country. He is a disciplined man - a man of integrity and he is now ready and able to serve the people of Belmopan in another capacity. He is a worker who served with distinction as a member of the Belize Defence Force, earning commendations for his strategic intelligence and his skill on the field. He has brought that same skill and experience to his work in Belmopan and is committed to making the lives of

all his people better. Oscar attended primary school in Belmopan and went on to earn his diploma from the Belmopan Comprehensive School. Even in High School he knew what he wanted to do with his life, and right after joined the BDF Volunteer Machine Gun Platoon in Belmopan. That led to an exemplary career in military service which spanned more than two decades, after he sat and passed the Officer’s Selection Board and went to attend the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, UK. Recognized for his abilities, he was trained all over the world, firstly in the area of Jungle Warfare, Flight Training and Combined Arms Tactics, and then in Strategic Defence, Intelligence, Managing Defence and Senior Management. He has held various senior administrative posts, including Deputy National Security Coordinator, National Security Council Secretariat; Force Intelligence Officer, Belize Defence Force; Military Attaché to Guatemala and Force Operations and Training Officer, Belize Defence Force. Following a distinguished career in the BDF, he entered the private sector where he has continued to service in senior intelligence posts. In 2018 he decided to enter politics and to represent the area he has always called home. He now serves as the Standard Bearer for Belmopan. He is determined to return integrity to office, and to ensure that all residents of Belmopan, including the surrounding communities, are afforded equal access to education, health and employment opportunities. Because of his commitment to his people, demonstrated through a lifetime of service, Oscar Mira is the man for Belmopan, and the only choice to represent the people.

51 16

21 JUN

THE BELIZE TIMES 2020

21 JUN

2020

21 JUN

2020

18 JAN

THE BELIZE TIMES 2015

TEAM 31

Dolores Balderamos Garcia for Belize Rural Central

Andre Perez for Belize Rural South

Integrity, Service and Commitment in BRC

New Hope and Vision for Belize Rural South

Dolores Balderamos Garcia is widely recognized and respected as a fighter for the rights of Belizeans. She is the architect of much of the legislation which speaks to the rights of women and children and continues to advocate for them at every opportunity. She is a quiet warrior, a strong woman who believes in service, and who shows at every turn that she is prepared to work tirelessly for the people of Belize Rural Central. Dolores attended St. Catherine Academy, and then St. John’s College Sixth Form. After Sixth Form she taught at St. Catherine Academy until she was able to receive a scholarship which allowed her to earn her Bachelor’s Degrees in English and Literature. From there she went on to Marquette University in Wisconsin where she attained her Master’s Degree in English. She returned to Belize and once again followed her passion for teaching until she was able to study law at the University of the West Indies and the Norman Manley Law School. She also took an active interest in advocacy for women and in politics, and she served as women’s organizer and President of the women’s group of the People’s United Party. In 1998 Dolores was elected to the House of Representatives and was appointed Minister of Human Development, Women and Civil Society. She was an “activist” minister and representative, working hard in her constituency and in government. In 2000 she was appointed as the first Chairperson of the National AIDS Commission, a position she held until 2008. From 2003 to 2008 she also worked for the Government of Belize as Ambassador/Special Envoy for Children, Gender and HIV/AIDS, bringing her high energy approach and passion to the advocacy work that was needed for these social challenges. Dolores has also done public service as an Opposition Senator from 1993 to 1998, and then as a Senator on the Government side of the Senate from 2005 to 2008. In 2012 she was elected in the Belize Rural Central constituency as an Opposition Member of Parliament. While working in private practice, she has returned to BRC where she plans to bring her unique, straightforward approach and determination to improve the lives of her people. She is the only choice in Belize Rural Central.

Andre Perez is the man who is leading the charge for change in Belize Rural South, while working hard to ensure that the people of San Pedro Town and Caye Caulker are represented well, with integrity and honesty, and have access to opportunities which have been denied to them for so long. Andre graduated from St. John’s College and went on to earn an Associate Degree from St. John’s College Sixth Form, with a major in Economics. Straight out of school, he embarked on a career in banking, but left that field to become an entrepreneur. He currently co-owns one of the largest bakeries in the country, providing employment to over eighty Belizeans. He is also committed to his community and works as a volunteer teacher while also serving on the Board of the San Pedro High School. Andre has been long-time supporter of the People’s United Party and has served as the President of the Orange Walk Branch of the Belize Youth Movement. He has also worked as the Treasurer of the Party on the National Executive, and has worked in Belize Rural South since 1997, as Campaign Manager, Chairman, Mayoral candidate and now Standard Bearer. Because he is a man who believes in spending time on the ground with his people, Andre knows the issues which affect the residents of Belize Rural South. He has seen first-hand the inequality and lack of access to opportunities. Despite San Pedro and Caye Caulker being tourism destinations that contribute significantly to the country, and bring in a large amount of revenue, there is still great underdevelopment when it comes to the residents of the islands. Andre has committed to working to ensure that residents have access to affordable, quality housing and education for their children. One of his priorities is ensuring the construction of a hospital and a proper fully, functional and effective network for fighting fires on the islands. Andre is a hard worker, a man of integrity and a man who keeps his word. He is the only choice for Belize Rural South.

THE BELIZE TIMES

TEAM 31

21 JUN

2020

Dr. Louis Zabaneh for Dangriga Progress & Development for Dangriga Dr. Louis Zabaneh is an outstanding thinker, educator and economist who brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the service of his people in Dangriga. He is a man of the soil who has returned home to bring growth and development to an area which has been neglected, and a people who have become demoralized and disenchanted with the lack of proper representation. He has the skill and the plan to effect REAL change in Dangriga. He earned his Associate Degree in Business Administration from St. John’s College Sixth Form and went on to attain his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Economics from Rockford College in Illinois. He then earned his Master’s Degree in Economics with a specialization in International Economics from Clemson University in South Carolina. Armed with a passion for learning, Dr. Zabaneh then went on to earn his Doctorate in Applied Economics from Clemson University, and has since earned a second Doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from Western Kentucky University in Kentucky. Since returning to Belize, he has worked in the fields of Education and Economics, with distinction, in the public and private sectors. Notably, he was responsible for the formation of BELTRAIDE, the well-known and respected trade and investment promotion entity, and he also served as the President and Director of the Galen University, as well as teaching for years at both Galen University and the University of Belize. Zabaneh, after a life of service in the fields of education and economics, has now turned to greater service of his people in Dangriga, a community he has always called home. In 2018 he won a hard-fought convention for the right to be Standard Bearer of that constituency, and currently serves as a Senator of the People’s United Party. He is a consummate team player, and has maintained that the objective of the team is to work with and for all citizens of the division to alleviate poverty and increase prosperity through Sustainable Human Development initiatives, including increasing employment opportunities, developing human capital, strengthening social cohesion, and protecting our natural environment. With a firm commitment to “Love, Unity, Prosperity for All,” Dr. Louis Zabaneh is the only choice for Dangriga.

21 JUN

THE BELIZE TIMES

2020

The Time is NOW

By Karim Adle, President The year 2020 has been one hell of a rollercoaster, to put it mildly. However, as the saying goes ‘all bad things will pass.’ As we prepare to weather the storm it is time to highlight the lows 2020 has brought to light. One thing is for sure, if you don’t understand and fix the ailments we are set up to repeat them, again and again. The UDP has been in gov-

ernment since 2008 and they have been campaigning ever since, although they have won three consecutive terms they pretend it is still the PUP in government and blame us for everything. It is time for us to unmask them for the fraudulent characters they are. Covid-19 brought to light the true state of our economy. A couple months ago Barrow boasted for the Budget Presentation that we are living in a robust economy with unprecedented spending in infrastructure and other areas. Fast forward to a couple months since then, Covid-19 has brought the government to its knees, rumors of mass retrenchment plague the halls of every government office or institution across the country. Government employees face harsh budget cuts and many agencies have undergone pay cuts while the bills continue to go up. The government has offered little to no assistance and are now begging the Bond Holders for Mercy. Quite frankly, it shows how hypocritical they are, they have given their people no assistance but beg internationally on our behalf. Where are all the millions bor-

rowed? I can name hundreds of people that still have not even gotten a response on their $150 assistance from GOB. I cry for my people, we deserve better. We are a resilient young and bright country but this government has had no mercy on us and this government has brought us to our knees. While consumers income has been decreased to unprecedented lows the utility bills have risen to unprecedented highs. As a country, as a people the Government has failed its people and have not prioritized their needs, instead they built roads and bridges and roundabouts and even buildings. Boasting on their unprecedented spending. A couple months ago they boasted about signing a 180 million contract for a road to nowhere. Not a single dollar has been spent on housing for the less fortunate, little to no resources pumped in our health sector. I could sit here and bring forward all other areas they could have invested in but let me stick to the fact that these roads cost us the Belizean tax payers millions upon millions. We made Imer Hernandez and company filthy rich while receiving lackluster work. As I sit and write this article, we in the West are cut off from our brothers and sisters in the South and into Belize City as the road is impassable to one night of constant rain, yes you read that right, ONE NIGHT! I pray the creator’s mercy on us this hurricane season as this one night further brought to light the fact that even after spending hundreds of

millions on infrastructure we are not better prepared today for a natural disaster than we were 12 years ago. This government failed all of us as they put all their eggs in the infrastructure basket and failed miserably even at that. It is evident that the time has come for them to leave office, they have lost the confidence of the populace and the time for Belizeans to decide our way forward is now more clear than ever. They have no credibility in the eyes of Belizeans and even in the International markets. They used our foreign national reserves to pay for BTL, money that we are now longing for, money we wish we would not have accessed. As credit card holders keep getting restricted, look at BTL and remember Barrow prioritized that over the security of your reserves and risked us all. While all of us undoubtedly dislike Corona Virus, it brought to light how much of a fraud Dean Barrow and his government are. His cabinet is comprised of ghosts and artificial individuals that have not offered any solutions. They stood by and believed their own stunt of giving up one month’s salary which should now be heralded as heroic when it is simply a hypocritical stunt as Belizeans know where their true wealth comes from. As a nation, as a people we must understand that we deserve better and let us all get on our knees and pray that our Belize is spared from a natural disaster as these rains show how unprepared we are for a national disaster. MR. UDP IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO CALL THE ELECTIONS AND GET OUT!!!

FREETOWN WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY TEDDY’S MUSIC & MOVIES J. M SHOP For Chicken, Turkey Parts; Grains, & Grocery Items. Local chicken & ducks by order. Stop by Booth 43 @ the Michael Finnegan Market or call/ watsapp 615-2209 to place your orders. We cut your whole chicken for you as well!

Lisbey Wood Work, Maintenance, Cabinet & Furniture Shop For excellent cabinet & furniture! We Customize! Call Emil @ 650-4312 Or visit 127 Signa York St., Belama PH 1, Belize City.

The only place to get quality Movies, Music & Electronics at affordable prices. Visit us @ 16 King Street in Belize City or call/ watsapp 604-2019

KJ’S DELIGHTS Johnny Cakes & Powder Bun $0.75 for 1. Contact 624-1482 to place order.

CHRIS TAXI SERVICE For guaranteed safety & comfort, call Christian at 622-0083.

BRAINZ KITCHEN We have Specials every Friday! To find out more, call, text or watsapp us at 615-5888!

J.C. MEAT SHOP We

specialize in Beef, Pork, and Lamb. Visit us at Booth #38 Michael Finnegan Market for your choice of Steaks, Chops, Ribs, Sausages & more. Call us @ 207-0376 or watsapp at 615-9605. We also deliver!

KING’S PARK CAR WASH For your basic or

detail car cleaning. We are open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm. Visit us at 5727 Lottie Waight St., King’s Park or call us at 604-2019.

21 JUN

THE BELIZE TIMES

2020

PUP Standard Bearers

Appealing to their Constituents Excerpts of FB Posts

Oscar Mira, Belmopan FLOOD!!

Mira is about the people of Belmopan. (The Whip) Houses by Maya Mopan are under water. The amount of water is too much for the drainage system. There is an engineering department that should be looking at these things. There is a bridge on the George Price Highway that has cut off the west of the country. I had plenty of calls this morning that many people and their homes are flooded. We are about to open a shelter at the Family of God Church for families that have been displaced by the rising water./// Regardless, Happy Father’s Day to the Fathers in Belmopan and the entire country of Belize. We need to make a big deal out of Fathers. A family complete with at mother and father is a wonderful thing to behold. By this medium I want to tell my own father a Happy Father’s Day and I remain eternally grateful for the lessons and love you gave me. Belmopan, let’s celebrate our Fathers! It is time for a fresh start in Belmopan. New government and new representation. #TeamMira

Hon. Julius Espat, Cayo South (The Whip) It’s happening again. It is a difficult situation for us. Cayo South has long been clamouring for basic infrastructure to live in a time like this. Priorities are not in place. They (the UDP government) does not clean the rivers and nothing to help. We need to alert the Ministers

in charge like Castro. We have to do what we have to do to help the people. All the white elephant projects out there were worth millions of dollars; these are of no help. It has suddenly become a river by St. Matthews in Cayo South. It is a sad situation when compounded with the last flood a few days ago and Covid-19. People are being displaced. Here is the George Price Highway collapsing. Reports are that the Western Regional Office has a roof broken down also, The UDP continues its slow agonizing painful death and still refuses to leave. Hon. Landy Habet, Cayo Northeast Three weeks ago, I warned about the possible infestation with mosquitos following the advent of the rains. I also recommended that we all do our part in prevention by eliminating as much as possible the breeding grounds (stagnant water, high bushes, dirty lots and

piled garbage etc). I also warned about a possible Dengue outbreak amid a potential COVID-19 2nd and 3rd Wave and how disastrous that could be. Also, I requested from the Public Health Department’s Vector Control programme to step up their fumigation/fogging especially in public and wide open areas, the villages and towns. It is about two weeks now that the mosquito population has been on the rise. Today it is unbearable. Please Vector Control, We know you are strapped for resources (personnel, No. of vehicles, fumigation machines) but try your best to do a round-the clock effort with what you have. GOB, Ministry of Health...please spend the little money we have where it matters most! Hon. Rodwell Ferguson, Dangriga FLOOD Possibilities!! (The Whip) Whenever Cayo South rains the next to follow is Stann Creek West. There can be major flooding in our area. We has requested that our drains be cleared. When the PUP wins we will concentrate in our communities so that flood do not happen./// I never realize our health care workers are taking such a ‘licking.’ They no longer provide food and toilet paper for them at work. Getting messages from around the country the health care workers are drained and frustrated and if they complain they received treats that they will be sent home. They have them working late hours and with no transportation home. At the Belmopan hospital they work in fear. They are reminded that they need a job especially at this time very sad these people are professionals. There is breakdown in the system. The people can only take so much. Time to change the Government they will be going around making all the offers and after they win nothing is done for rural areas. Hon. Kareem Musa, Caribbean Shores George Floyd there Allyson Major here END INJUSTICE everywhere #BelizesupportsBLM Hon. Florencio Marin, Corozal Southeast Se invita a todos que apoyen al Partido Unido del Pueblo y que aún no se han registrado y quiera hacer este ejercicio, de debe poner en contacto con los líderes del PUP en su comunidad para que se les explique el proceso a seguir. Recuerden que su voz es su voto. Participe y regístrese ahora... Hacia La Victoria con el PUP... Allan Pollard, Queen’s Square (The Whip) Dean Barrow, you cannot switch your integrity on and off. It doesn’t work like that. When it comes to the Faber’s Road. Why was there no ribbon cutting for that road? The history of this country is the history of PUP. The young need to know that there is a better way. If we can bring everyone together we can make a difference. I was campaigning and a young man tell me, “I know that you will be better than this.” “I deh with you.” Candice Pitts, Mesopotamia Another Great Project in Mesopotamia!! Our team, young men from the community, and some workers from the Belize City Council started the ground work for the development of a basketball court and the renovation of the Armadillo Park. The young men and residents from the community were asking for a while for assistance with their basketball court and their park. They explained that they didn’t feel comfortable going to other areas for sports and leisure, so they really needed these means of entertainment. The Mayor of Belize City registered the concerns and had approved the project since last year. As with other projects, COVID-19 forced a delay. But with the help of partners, the Mayor has secured funding, so the work commenced today. Besides creating a space for the community to express themselves positively, this project is also creating means of employment for the young men in the community, especially during this time when many of them are still unemployed. My team and I are here to listen to the residents, get the work done, and let residents be involved in their own development! #Mesopotamia #newbeginnings #bettermustcome ******************************* Notably, though the UDP has held control of Mesopotamia for the past 30 years, most of the development in the area has been done by a PUP representative or PUP government: Armadillo Park: Richard “Dickie” Bradley Fire Station: Richard “Dickie” Bradley Post Office: Richard “Dickie” Bradley Rebirth of St Michael’s College (Now Maud Williams): Richard “Dickie” Bradley Hostel Field / Albert Hoy Field: Richard “Dickie” Bradley Swimming Pool (which was a benefit to the community, high school, and Raccoon St Police, and which the UDP neglected and therefore ruined): Richard “Dickie” Bradley Raymond Park’s Night Shelter: Remijio Montejo and Stephen Latchman (et al) Mesopotamia Sewing Center: Partners and Dr Candice Pitts Mesopotamia Soup Kitchen: Partners and Dr Candice Pitts We are truly All About the People! Andre Perez, Belize Rural South (Vibes Interview) The lobster season was opened on Monday, June 15. We started off with people going out to see what can be done given that the tourist is down. To add insult to injury as we are ailing, we find that gas went up…over nine

Continued on page 21

21 JUN

THE BELIZE TIMES

2020

PUP Standard Bearers

Appealing to their Constituents Excerpts of FB Posts

Continued from page 20

dollars. It is unacceptable and is a slap on the face. They know that price for lobster is nowhere close to the prices last year. I believe, at the close of the last season, the price was 33 dollars; they are talking about probably getting 16 dollars per pound this year. So economically speaking we are faltering. It is so offensive. It is callous. Oscar Arnold, Collet LIVING FACTS: 17 Years of Patrick Faber in Collet and he have not built a single HOUSE/HOME for anybody, No new Development in 17 years. Currently he’s the Minister of Education, Youth Sports and Culture since 2012. Question: What has he done for the youths in Collet (highest murder rate in the city) SPORTS: No football field. No Playgrounds CULTURE: We have lost our identity as a people EDUCATION: You have to run down a minister for a little assistance #teampolocollet. Ramiro Ramirez, Corozal Southwest We the farmers are suffering with this Government, Cane farmer Cattle farmer all agricultural sector we need good governance good plan we have to save Belize. Senator Louis Zabaneh, Dangriga Greetings Brothers and Sisters. It has been brought to my attention of a picture taken in our PUP Constituency office in Dangriga has been circulating with insinuations that the surprise visit by Mr. Ashcroft means that he may be funding my campaign. I would like to set the record straight that fortunately I have been blessed with the resources necessary to fund my campaign, and may I add that I am also blessed with a fantastic team. Mr. Ashcroft was visiting Dangriga and passed by our offices located on the main street, and stopped in. We had no previous knowledge of his visit. Hopefully this statement puts all speculations to rest. Please stay safe and God bless. Jorge ‘Milin’ Espat, Cayo West Digamos SI a la prosperidad de Cayo Oeste y el bienestar de nuestra gente y mejor gobernación. ¡Nos cansamos de esperar lo mejor, por eso vamos con todo a decir NO AL ABANDONO! ¡JUNTOS PODEMOS! Esta elección 2020 votemos por nuestros candidatos PUP #2020añodelCAMBIO Are you registered to vote? REGISTER TO VOTE The Elections and Boundaries office in Cayo West is now open from Monday-Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. If you need assistance in getting registered please contact Mr. Manuel Mendez 604-0673, Mr. Alfred Kuylen 625-6163, Mr. Joe Mendez 635-5977 or Mr. Marco Chable (Succotz) 652-2995. Our country is in crisis with an incompetent government which has failed our people during the most vulnerable moments. The best never came and certainly will never come with this administration. It can only be possible if we make a change. The only way you can change the direction of our future is by VOTING. YOUR VOTE MATTERS! Get registered on time as we gear towards a decisive moment in Belizean Politics. Stay Safe. Best wishes from your PUP Cayo West candidate.

PUBLIC AUCTION SALES: PROPERTIES

Continued from page 13

C. Toledo District: In front Messrs. The Belize Bank Limited, 30 George Price Street on Tuesday 30th June 2020 at 10:00 am 1. 196.91 + 177.12 Acres SEA FRONT Properties (approx. 4.8 Km northeast Punta Gorda Town, Toledo District):

A. All that piece or Parcel of Land containing 196.91 acres of land situated in the Cattle Landing Area, Toledo District , Toledo and bounded and described as shown by Plan attached to Ministers’ Fiat (Grant) No. 1244 of 2007 dated the 3rd day of January 2008, together with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon. B. All that piece or Parcel of Land containing 177.12 acres of land situated in the Cattle Landing Area, Toledo District , Toledo and bounded and described as shown by Plan attached to Ministers’ Fiat (Grant) No. 1245 of 2007 dated the 3rd day of January 2008, together with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon. (Being two vacant SEA FRONT parcels of land situate in Cattle Landing Area, Toledo District, the freehold property of Messrs. Belize Basics Resources Limited). 2. Parcel No. 1710 Mahogany Street, Punta Gorda Town, Toledo District:

REGISTRATION SECTION Punta Gorda

BLOCK 42

PARCEL 1710

(Being a timber/plycem building [3 bedrooms + 2 bathrooms + Living room + Dining Room + Kitchen + Open Shed [10 ft. X 13 ft.] and lot [464.576 S.M. or 555.6 S.Y.] situate on Mahogany Street, Punta Gorda Town, Toledo District, the freehold property of Ms. Elizabeth Borland). 3. Lot No. 1 Pappishaw Road, Elridgeville Village, Toledo District:

Ed. Note: Readers please be mindful that these are excerpts. For the complete comment/releases/posts of our PUP leaders visit, like and follow their FB profiles and pages and the Whip Show saved videos.

Congratulations!!

ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Lot No. 1 containing 1,381.029 square meters situate along Pappishaw Road, Eldridgeville Village, Toledo District TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon. (Being vacant Lot No. 1 containing 1,381.029 square meters situate along Pappishaw Road, Eldridgeville Village, Toledo District, the freehold property of Mr. Ronald Lee Baker) 4. Block No. 24 Pappishaw Road, Elridgeville Village, Toledo District:

Graduate of St. Joseph Primary School

Arayana Peyrefitte

ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Block No. 24 containing 1.30 acres – (6,292 square yards) situate along Papishaw Road, Elridgeville Village, Toledo District bounded and described as follows: On the North for a distance of 134.617 meters (441.65 feet) by Block No. 21; On the South for a distance of 139.074 meters (456.27 feet) by Block No. 25; On the East for a distance of 57.327 meters (188.08 feet) by the Papishaw Road and on the West for a distance of 21.100 meters (69.22 feet) by Block No. 22as shown on a plan of survey numbered Plan No. 1893 signed by L.S. Tingling, Government Surveyor TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon. (Being an elevated [2 1/2 ft. above grade] timber dwelling house [24 ft. x 32 ft.] 2 bedrooms + living room + bathroom + verandah + wash room and land (1.30 acres) situate on Pappishaw Road, Elridgeville Village, Toledo District, the freehold properties of Mr. Cesar Briceno)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION www.belizebank.com (foreclosure listing) TERMS: STRICTLY CASH KEVIN A. CASTILLO CHRISTIANA R. CASTILLO We also congratulate The Belize Times Office Assistant Roberto Peyrefitte who is the proud father of Arayana. She looks forward to being a successful High School student at Pallotti.

TELEPHONE 223-4488 E-mail: kevinacas@yahoo.com Face Book: Belize Auctions

THE BELIZE TIMES

THINK ABOUT IT

BARROW IS A BLACK SUPREMACIST “Turning and turning in the widening gyre the falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;” Those are the opening words of W.B. Yeats poem, “The Second coming.” It is a short poem with a disturbing vision of the future. “…the best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity” “Surely some revelations is a hand.” The Prime Minister of Belize, a few weeks ago uttered words that his heart grieves for Belize. Mourning or grieving comes from the noun grief, which means deep sorrow, like that caused by the death of someone. The Prime Minister continued on national television, to say that whoever comes after him will have to speak with IMF and will have to deal the loss of jobs (and other catastrophe that the IMF will impose). What a shocking statement. More shocking because it comes from the very person who is entirely the cause of Belize’s unfolding crisis. For twelve and a half years the Prime Minister ruled Belize. With five months left until the November elections, his famous mouth slipped and out came rushing the revelation of what Belizeans will be inheriting. We will be inheriting an economy that will be falling apart. A government that is dead broke, ongoing loss of jobs and a lack of any opportunity to better our lives and a widening gyre of crime and hard times. “What rough beast, its hour has come around at last, slouches towards” Belmopan? Things are falling apart, in this wonderful little country that God’s goodness gave to us. For twelve and a half years our Prime Minister never had a development plan. There was never any commitment to better the lives of Belizeans. The hustling, stealing, corruption, vote bribing and winning elections were all that matters. The word accountability never emerged from the lips of our Prime Minister. He ruled the roost. He answered to no one. He was above the law. He was even above the Constitution and above the Ten Commandments that Moses brought down from Holy Mount Sinai. When the laws of the land sought to protect the monies of the people that was not a problem for the mighty Prime Minister. He summoned his minions to a meeting at the House of Representatives and the looting went on – unabated. Ask the Auditor General, ask any accountant, ask about the Finance and Audit Law which made it a crime to be messing with taxpayers monies. Honourable Barrow got his hands on Petro-Caribe millions and entered hog heaven. No law could stop him. During his ignoble and scandalous reign as Prime Minister, Mr. Barrow conducted himself as a Supreme leader. A white supremacist in the horrible days of apartheid. His word was law. What is right and what is righteous was never a concern to him. Only, that he was Belize’s first black supremacist. A leader who truly believed he was smarter and superior to all others. A white supremacist is a terrible human being. He is an extremist who believes that his colour makes him superior to those who ae black, brown and others. A black supremacist would be the same kind of pathetic fool who believes being black makes him superior to whites and so on. A black supremacist in Belize, as a politician, as a Barrow, believes that as Prime Minister he is superior to all Belizeans because he has the power to do whatever he wants to do. Dean Barrow is Belize’s version of black supremacist. Our hearts should grieve for his terrible abuse and legacy that awaits us when he leaves his throne. PEOPLE LIKE LOIS Superman the comic character, had two girlfriends, Lara Lang and Lois Lane. Eventually Superman and Lois Lane got married. Lois Young may have been named after Lois Lane. Lois Young did marry local superman When the PUP blew away 28 seats from the UDP in the 1998 general elections, 3 seats for the UDP 28 seats for the PUP. The PUP, led by Said Musa went on to blow away the UDP by a massive margin in the 2003 general elections. And then things started to fall apart for the PUP, external forces, internal intrigue and subterfuge along with a bad image and bad policies

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soured the electorate. Lois formed or became a member of a new group of UDP citizens in 2004 called the ACB – Association of Concerned Belizeans. The group comprised of Steve Duncan now of Heritage Bank and former UDP Senator. Glen Ysaguirre, made governor of Central Bank and is recently in the news because of lands in Cotton Tree Village has been rewarded, Jeremy Spooner – the only ACB member who worked hard to bring down the PUP government and had received no reward from the Prime Minister. Lois Young who seemed to have been the most rewarded by the Prime Minister, [ naturally]. Allegations are that she paid millions for her services. The full amounts paid to her by the Prime Minister for numerous unsuccessful government court cases, remains a secret. We mention all these things to make these points. There are many good, decent, honest Belizeans in the PUP and likewise in the UDP. We are at a loss to understand why there is such a deafening silence from the good, decent, honest UDP Belizeans over the last several years of government abuse, mismanagement of our nation and the rampant corruption. It is written that a main reason why evil succeeds is because good people do nothing. BUTANE PRICE GONE UP AGAIN The price of butane under the new UDP government monopoly butane company has gone up again. Twice in two months. PETROL GONE UP AGAIN Petrol increased last month on the backs of a broke citizenry. This week petrol jumped up again. This means the cost of living will go up again. Even though all over the world petrol prices are down, way down. From $150.00 US dollars to $32.00 US dollars for a drum. Lawd Prime Minister, how you so chancy and cold-hearted. COVID-19 GONE UP Three new cases of the deadly coronavirus have been imported into covid free Belize. Mainly due to the slackness of the government which is eager to open the airport and our borders.

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2020

THE BELIZE TIMES

The Big Lies

By Gilroy Usher, Sr. “The land is the only thing in the world worth working for, worth dying for, because it’s the only thing that lasts.” Gerald O’Hara, Gone with the Wind. Land is power. With land people can build their own homes to uplift themselves, free from the burden of very costly house rent or the challenges of overcrowded family homes. With land people can also secure loans to address pressing family issues or investment to improve their lives. Only opponents of social justice deny that statement. For the last 12 years this UDP administration had a yearly budget of over $1.3 billion ($1,300,000,000,000.00); nevertheless more Belizeans are landless and living in poverty today than when the party was elected to office in 2008. They claim that the vast majority Belizeans, who were interested in a piece of land already have it, and secondly that the people, who are now clamoring for a piece of land in the country are practically all illegal immigrants from Central America, who shouldn’t even be in Belize. Total nonsense. 97% of the people, who have been pleading with the government for a piece of land for more than ten years since

2008 are born Belizeans. Our brothers and sisters are squatting in swamps in Port Loyola, Collet, Lake I, and Freetown divisions, in addition to other parts of the county, because they have no other places to live. Ninety seven percent of those, who are tired of paying high and often unmanageable rent for houses they can never own, or are tired of living in overcrowded homes and yards with all the accompanying social challenges are born Belizeans. Visit the landless and see for yourselves. Government also claims that making land available for ordinary Belizeans is too costly for the administration even in the best of times. The leaders in Belmopan make it seem that providing a few hundred house lots or farm land for ordinary Belizeans would result in a humongous unaffordable cost like $400 million or the equivalent of concreting 50 miles on the George Price Highway from Belize

City to Belmopan at the whopping double price of $8 million to concrete a mile of Faber’s Rd. According to the experts in the sale of land and land development even if the administration has to purchase the land, with $6 million yearly they can provide 1,000 70’ x 85’ filled lots with provision for streets for Belizeans. It must also be noted that if the administration decides to make Crown land available for ordinary Belizeans, it would cost them far less to address the pressing land problem within our borders. The UDP squandered over $500 million from Petro Caribe without allocating even a $1.00 of so much funds for land for poor people. The government spent $46 million for a Civic Center that is seldom used and in the midst of an underprivileged community, but they adamantly refused to spend $6 million to make 1,000 house lots available for Belizeans in desperate need of land to build their own homes. Land for people to build their homes is more important than a sporting center. With a similar $46 million dollars the government

23 could have provided deserving families with over 7,500 filled lots with provision for streets. Furthermore, the almost $1 million ($400,000.00 each) that was gifted to Vega and Pitts in a bogus land deal at taxpayers’ expense could have provided more than 130 filled lots to deserving Belizeans. In their plot to keep Belizeans landless Willoughby and other prominent persons in the UDPs claim that it is a waste of time to give grass roots people land. Willoughby defended that position in a comment on Facebook when he said, “They (ordinary Belizeans), will sell the land or lose the property when they pawn it for a loan.” What an unfair, stereotypical, and undermining statement against poor people. Ninety nine percent of ordinary Belizeans, who are lucky to get a piece land use the property to build their own homes. Top persons in the government further claim that providing land for ordinary Belizeans is a dead spending as such expenditure does not result in an increase in revenue for the public purse. That is totally untrue. Every land owner has to pay taxes whenever he sells a property even if it’s sold to the government. Secondly making land available for ordinary Belizeans creates many jobs, as the undertaking requires a wide range of services including those in the businesses surveying, land filling, sale of construction supplies, home building, road construction, and the provision of utility services. The increase in business for those services naturally results in more revenue for the government. Making land available for ordinary Belizeans is therefore a winning situation for everyone. One doesn’t have to be Superman to see that. Reject the big lies, reject the propaganda to keep yourselves and your families landless, poor, and beholden to the UDP for your daily survival.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

2020

President of Honduras Hospitalized for Coronavirus

By Frances Robles and Kirk Semple, New York Times The president of Honduras was hospitalized on Wednesday for Covid-19 and is being treated for pneumonia, a day after testing positive for the illness, a government health official said. The president, Juan Orlando Hernández, was admitted after laboratory tests and X-rays revealed the pneumonia. He was receiving medicine intravenously, said the health official, Francis Contreras, in a televised statement to the news media. But Mr. Contreras sought to reassure the country about the president’s condition. “His general state of health is good,” Mr. Contreras said, adding that the president’s medical team had recommended that he be treated as an inpatient at a hospital rather than remain at home. Mr. Hernández’s transfer to the hospital came hours after he announced, in a televised statement late Tuesday night that he had tested positive for the coronavirus, joining a small group of world leaders infected in the pandemic that has swept the globe and reached into the halls of power of several governments. In his televised statement, Mr. Hernández said he was well enough to continue working remotely and would be examined to determine the next steps. Doctors recommended rest, he added. He said that he began feeling unwell over the weekend, and that the diagnosis was confirmed on Tuesday. “I feel enough strength and energy to continue forward and beat this pandemic,” he said in the Tuesday statement. “We are going to get ahead of this. I trust in God, Honduran doctors and medicine.” Mr. Hernández said his wife and two of his two aides had also become infected. He said his wife, Ana García, tested positive for the virus but was asymptomatic. He urged Hondurans to continue to follow social-distancing guidelines, as he had not been able to. “Because of my job I have not been able to stay 100 percent at home,” he said. As the virus has ricocheted around the globe, the Americas have become an epicenter of the outbreak, with Brazil reporting the highest number of deaths after the United States and nations like Peru, Chile and Mexico collectively reporting hundreds of thousands of confirmed cases. The president of Guatemala, Alejandro Giammattei, writing on Twitter, expressed solidarity with Mr. Hernández and wished him a “speedy recovery.” Honduras has confirmed more than 9,000 cases of the coronavirus, with 322 deaths, according to

OUT

(President Juan Orlando Hernández of Honduras addressing the nation on the pandemic last month. Credit...Honduran Presidency, via Agence France-Presse — Getty Images) the Pan American Health Organization. The country was battered by a dengue epidemic last year that sickened more than 100,000 people and left 180 dead. The country — which closed its borders, mandated a blanket curfew and severely restricted the ability of people to leave their

homes because of the coronavirus pandemic — began reopening its economy last week after nearly three months of a shutdown. About half a million jobs were lost or suspended, according to estimates by the business sector.

Dear Editor Pardon my English. Please print as is. I am between totally vex and frustrated. See… me and my husband have lost our jobs...they called it temporary layoffs. Sounds like a joke but my child cries and it is not a joke. Thanks God we were saving for our child’s education. Guess what?? We are eating our child’s education. Really Faber, you will allow Barrow to punk you like that. You make cuts into my child’s education and you try to make that look like a reason to make you a leader of your UDP. Patrick can’t you see they push you to the public to announce such insults to bury you further than the February Dermen convention. We lost our jobs the week after the Covid Relief Website closed. Darn UDP just ONE more week. We are praying that planes start flying once more before my child’s money runs out. Those who depended on me are wishing the same. Dear Cordel has said...”I don’t like to be shafted.” Me neither. Belize needs to be pulled in a different direction. I love where Cordel and Johnny the next PM and the PUP are headed. Like dem song seh, My mind is made up, I will vote for PUP this time. Thanks Belize Times Your Voter Now

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THE BELIZE TIMES

2020

Section

Chetumal: Se desvanece la reactivación económica del sur de Quintana Roo

Othón P. Blanco encabeza la lista de municipios en rojo con 259 casos positivo

Cómo Uruguay logró contener el avance del coronavirus sin cuarentena obligatoria

(These three siblings turned up to class but not all parents sent their children. Reuters)

Por Enrique Mena, sipse.com La normalización económica en el sur del estado se ve cada vez más lejos. Contrario al norte del estado, los números de Covid-19, principalmente en el municipio de Othón P. Blanco empeoraron. En la primera semana del Plan Reactivemos Quintana Roo, Othón P. Blanco encabeza la lista de municipios en rojo con 259 casos positivos, la variación es de 60 por ciento, es decir, 97 personas enfermas. Eso representó casi 14 personas contagiadas diariamente. En el caso de Bacalar, los números se mantuvieron en 10, José María Morelos pasó de cinco a seis, mientras que Felipe Carrillo Puerto cambió de 24 a 29 casos positivos. Ante esa situación, en la capital del estado se reactivaron las restricciones fuertes, como el cierre de calles y avenidas como la Insurgentes y el Bulevar Bahía. El escenario es muy diferente en los siete municipios de la zona norte: Benito Juárez, Cozumel, Lázaro Cárdenas, Isla Mujeres, Puerto Morelos, Solidaridad y Tulum, donde se ha desacelerado el crecimiento de casos. Para Joaquín Ismael Noh Mayo, presidente de la Unión de Propietarios, Bares, Restaurantes y Similares (Uprobars) en el municipio de Othón P. Blanco, los mismo chetumaleños son los responsables de poner en peligro la reactivación económica.

El líder empresarial consideró que todas las actividades en los diferentes sectores económicos se retraen, que en lugar de ir hacia delante se retrocede porque hay un incremento exponencial de casos, por culpa de quienes no cumplen con las indicaciones y siguen propagando el Covid-19.

Redacción BBC News Mundo Mientras el número de casos y muertes crecen exponencialmente en países de América Latina como Brasil o México donde los fallecidos a causa del virus se cuentan por decenas de miles de personas, Uruguay mantiene la pandemia a raya. Las medidas de distanciamiento continúan, pero cuando han pasado casi 3 meses desde que se detectara el primer caso de coronavirus en el país, su relativamente bajo número de contagios y de muertes ha permitido al país comenzar a abrir su economía. Con prudencia, el país retorna a la nueva normalidad: ha retomado el año lectivo y el comercio en general se reactiva. ¿Qué hay detrás del éxito de Uruguay? Lo explicamos en este video. Editor: Para un video sobre este tema, visite bbc.com/mundo

QUINTANA ROO COVID Update 7 nuevos positivos en Quintana Roo Hasta las 12 horas del 15 de junio, se han notificado 248 en estudio y 2512 positivos: 581 activos (442 en aislamiento y 139 hospitalizados), 472 defunciones y 1459 personas recuperadas a COVID-19. #QuédateEnCasa ACTIVOS por municipio (15 de junio)  287 Benito Juárez  135 Othón P. Blanco  91 Solidaridad © 23 Tulum  14 Cozumel El resto menos de 10 casos activos

THE BELIZE TIMES

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2020

Section

Aeropuerto de Chetumal alista

reactivación total de vuelos comerciales Por Enrique Mena, sipse.com 15 de Junio - El Aeropuerto Internacional de Chetumal (AIC) comenzará, a partir de mañana, la reactivación total de sus vuelos comerciales, luego de una larga espera de más de dos meses y medio de inactividad por el coronavirus. Aunque el 1 de junio, Volaris reactivó su ruta Chetumal-Ciudad de México, Interjet hará lo propio mañana, según informó. Con lo anterior, sus vuelos que dejaron de funcionar el 1 de abril, volverán a restablecer la operatividad y conectar a la capital con el centro del país de forma completa, aunque los pasajeros usarán obligatoriamente cubreboca, uso de gel antibacterial y se someterán a la lectura de calor corporal. Aunque esto se realizará de manera paulatina y bajo los más rigurosos esquemas de prevención

del coronavirus para evitar que se propague entre ambos puntos de conectividad. De acuerdo con lo que dio a conocer la aerolínea Interjet, la ruta a Chetumal es una de las siete que reactivará mañana, las otras son Acapulco, Mazatlán, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Veracruz, Villahermosa y Zihuatanejo. En su momento, Alberto García

Magaña, administrador del Aeropuerto Internacional de Chetumal, comentó que las actividades aéreas en la capital se restablecerían de forma paulatina, por aquello del coronavirus. Con la reactivación de esta otra ruta de vuelo comercial se podrá transportar a mayor número de viajeros entre ambas ciudades y mejorando la regularidad durante el día con los

Un nuevo brote de coronavirus de China hace que Beijing adopte medidas de “tiempos de guerra” mientras la ciudad lucha por contener la propagación

Por Nectar Gan, cnn.com/español (CNN) — Beijing está reintroduciendo medidas estrictas de confinamiento y extendiendo las pruebas en masa después de que surgieran nuevos casos de coronavirus del mercado de alimentos al por mayor más grande de la ciudad, lo que generó temores de un resurgimiento del mortal brote. La capital china reportó 36 nuevos casos de covid-19 este lunes, lo que eleva el número total a 79 desde que se informó de una infección de transmisión local el 12 de junio por primera vez en casi dos meses, según la Comisión Nacional de Salud.

El covid-19 podría haber estado en China desde agosto, según estudio de Harvard. Los casos están vinculados al mercado de Xinfadi en el suroeste de la ciudad, que abastece a la mayoría de las frutas y verduras frescas de la capital. El mercado, que también vende carne y mariscos, ha estado cerrado desde el sábado. El brote ya se ha extendido a las provincias de Liaoning y Hebei, donde se encontró que un total de cinco casos nuevos eran contactos cercanos de pacientes en Beijing. El nuevo grupo ha enviado alertas a toda China, y el portavoz del gobierno municipal de Beijing, Xu Hejian, lo

describió como “un período extraordinario” durante una conferencia de prensa el domingo. Los medios estatales chinos han promocionado repetidamente las medidas efectivas de China para contener el virus a medida que la cantidad de infecciones y muertes aumentaron en el extranjero, contrastando su éxito con los fracasos de los gobiernos occidentales, especialmente Estados Unidos. La repentina reaparición del virus en Beijing, anteriormente considerada entre las ciudades más seguras del país, ha planteado la posibilidad de una segunda ola de infecciones y la posible reintroducción de los tipos de bloqueos que anteriormente habían detenido a gran parte del país y afectado la economía. En una reunión del Consejo de Estado, el gabinete de China, el domingo por la tarde, el viceprimer ministro Sun Chunlan dijo que el riesgo de la propagación del último brote era “muy alto”, citando a la población densa y altamente móvil del mercado, según la agencia estatal de noticias Xinhua. Medidas de “tiempos de guerra” El distrito de Fengtai, donde se encuentra el mercado Xinfadi, anunció el sábado el lanzamiento de un “mecanismo de guerra” y el establecimiento de un centro de comando para frenar la propagación del virus. En las redes sociales, el Global

diferentes horarios. Hasta el momento la aerolínea no definió cuáles serían los horarios de los vuelos, aunque hasta antes de la emergencia sanitaria por coronavirus, se tenía por la mañana y noche. Eloy Quintal Jiménez, presidente DEL Consejo Coordinador Empresarial (CCE) de Chetumal, comentó que son buenas noticias en materia de conectividad por la vía aérea, sin embargo se debe considerar que todavía hay un aumento de contagios en la zona sur, con lo que se deberá extremar precauciones. En lo que se debe enfocar el mayor esfuerzo es que los viajeros sigan las indicaciones para que el Aeropuerto no sea un foco de propagación, porque en caso de ser así se corre el riesgo de que se vuelvan a cancelar operaciones.

Times, un periódico sensacionalista nacionalista dirigido por el gobierno chino, publicó un video de agentes de policías paramilitares con máscaras que patrullaban el mercado después de que se cerró el sábado. Rastreando la fuente El brote en Beijing será la prueba máxima a la estrategia de contención de coronavirus de China. Hu Xijin, editor en jefe de Global Times, dijo en Twitter que Beijing no se convertirá en el segundo Wuhan, el epicentro original de la pandemia donde el coronavirus se detectó por primera vez en diciembre de 2019. “No hay forma de que Beijing se convierta en Wuhan 2,0. El mundo verá la poderosa capacidad de China para controlar la epidemia, incluido el fuerte liderazgo del gobierno, el respeto a la ciencia, la disposición del público a cooperar y la coordinación nacional de las medidas de control. Ganaremos nuevamente”, escribió Hu en una publicación este lunes. Las autoridades de Beijing todavía están tratando de localizar la fuente del último brote, sin embargo, se comprometieron a realizar “las investigaciones epidemiológicas más estrictas”. “Pero aún no se sabe cómo se originó el virus. Podría provenir de mariscos o carne contaminados, o haber sido transmitido por personas que ingresaron al mercado a través de sus secreciones”, dijo Yang Peng, el investigador, a la emisora estatal CCTV el domingo. Editor: For the full story visit cnnespanol.cnn.com

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THE BELIZE TIMES

2020

Section

Bonaire Registers first Homicide for 2020

By BES-Reporter.com Kralendijk- Bonaire has registered its first homicide for the year. Although details are still sketchy, the 39 year old male victim R.A.S.B has succumbed to his wounds, after he was stabbed in the early morning hours. According to information from the Police, the victim

The Police have been busy with various violent incidents. Photo: ABC Online Media

was stabbed in his neck at his home on the Kaya Otomac in Nord di Saliña. After the stabbing, the victim was transported to the hospital for medical care, but later succumbed to his wounds. Detention Police communicated late Sunday evening that a 26 year old female suspect, with initials D.R. had been arrested in relation to the homicide. No further details were provided. The 13-year old son of victim R.B. is said to have witnessed the traumatic event.

Bonaire, an island municipality of the Netherlands, lies off Venezuela’s coast in the southern Caribbean. Its reef-lined coast is protected by Bonaire National Marine Park. Beyond its rich marine life, the island shelters lizards, donkeys and birds within its immense Washington Slagbaai National Park, marked by beaches, lagoons, caverns and desert-like hills. Is has about 30 thousand people and it has had seven cases of the coronavirus and no deaths. While other countries in the region have been registering record numbers of murders before, during and after Covid, Bonaire had been spared.

St. Kitts-Nevis: Public Gathering Sees New Harris Cabinet Sworn-In By Loshaun Dixon, thestkittsnevisobserver.com Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris’ new cabinet was sworn in Sunday for a five-year stint leading the government. The nine elected representatives that were successful at the polls June 5 and two Senators took the oath of office Sunday evening before thousands in attendance at the Warner Park Cricket Stadium. PM Harris in an address at the inauguration ceremony said the new cabinet was ready to deliver on the plan for safer streets, bigger homes and more opportunities for young people. “I have assembled a talented team. It took time to put the team together. This is a larger team. It is your team. My new Cabinet mixes the energy of youth and the wisdom of years of experience and Ministers who have been involved in taking our Country in the right direction. It brings new faces with fresh ideas and energy to our government. “ He promised the electorate to never become complacent or take the people for granted. “We know that you have lent us your vote – and that we must deliver for you and deliver for the

future of our country. The nature of the challenges this government faces requires each Minister to perform at his/her very best. It was a testament to your maturity that our democracy continued to work effectively despite and during these unprecedented times in which we are living,” PM Harris said. In announcing the new cabinet Dr. Harris said Mark Brantley will continue serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs while Lindsay Grant continues in Tourism and is now given Transport. Major changes have Deputy Prime Minister Shawn Richards now Minister of Public Infrastructure, Posts Urban Develop-

ment and newcomers Jonel Powell, the new Minister of Education, Youth Sports and Culture and Akilah Nisbett Byron, Minister of Health. Vincent Byron was again appointed as a Senator to serve as Attorney General as well as Wendy Phipps who will serve as Minister of International Trade, Industry and Commerce, Labour and Consumer Affairs. PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENTS OF CABINET JUNE 2020 The Honourable Dr. Timothy Sylvester Harris, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Sustainable Development, National Security and

Immigration, Skills Training Empowerment Programme The Honourable Shawn Richards Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Infrastructure, Posts Urban Development. The Honourable Mark Anthony Graham Brantley Minister of Foreign Affairs and Aviation. The Honourable Eugene Alastair Hamilton Minister of Human Settlements, Social Development and Gender Affairs, National Health Insurance. The Honourable Alexis Allison Jeffers Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources. The Honourable Lindsay Fitz-Patrick Grant Minister of Tourism and Transport. The Honourable Akilah Mawusi Kamilah Byron-Nisbett Minister of Health and Communications. The Honourable Eric Rohan Evelyn Minister for Environment and Cooperatives. The Honourable Jonel Franchette Herbert Powell Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture. The Honourable Wendy Colleen Phipps Minister of International Trade, Industry and Commerce, Labour and Consumer Affairs. The Honourable Vincent Fitzgerald Byron Attorney General and Minister of Justice and The Legal Affairs.

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2020

Section Nobel Prize winner Michael Kremer calls for digitalizing agriculture in Latin America and the Caribbean to overcome the impact of Covid-19 and alleviate poverty By Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture, IICA. Int/eng San Jose, June 10, 2020 (IICA) - Michael Kremer, who was awarded the 2019 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics for his studies aimed at alleviating global poverty, recommended that Latin America and the Caribbean develop public policies that focus on agricultural digitalization, which he considers to be a key tool for improving the situation of rural populations and overcoming food vulnerability, which has been aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic. The economist, Nobel prize winner and Gates Professor at Harvard University made these recommendations during a conversation with Manuel Otero, Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), as part of a webinar entitled “Opportunities for Digital Agriculture in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Prompt Response to COVID-19”. The conversation, which focused on the opportunities afforded by agricultural digitization to boost productivity on small-scale farms, as well as the crucial role played by smartphones in meeting those objectives, is now available on IICA’s website (www.iica.int) and social networking sites. The dialogue between Kremer and Otero primarily focused on the challenges, opportunities and distinctive features of Latin Americ10an agriculture, at a time when the health and economic crisis triggered by the pandemic is increasing food vulnerability in some countries throughout the region. “Covid-19 has created a health crisis and an even greater economic crisis. Unfortunately, it is also generating a food security crisis for many people”, stated Kremer. He added that, despite the significant progress that has been achieved with respect to production, many Latin American and Caribbean countries have failed to achieve a widespread adoption of technological developments in rural areas. “Twenty percent of Latin America’s rural population is living under extreme poverty, primarily on small-scale farms with low levels of productivity. There are about 16 million of these farms. More productive technologies are now available, yet they are not being adopted”, explained the economist. “There are many barriers:

During an online conversation with Manuel Otero, Director General of IICA, Kremer stated that technologies to improve yields on farms and mobile phone-based extension services are key to reducing poverty and hunger across the region. credit barriers, market barriers and behavioral barriers. Agricultural extension services offer a series of approaches to alleviate some of these barriers”, he added. Mobile phones: a gateway to knowledge The use of mobile phones for knowledge transfer should be the cornerstone of strategies, which,

By Michelle Roberts, BBC. com A cheap and widely available drug can help save the lives of patients seriously ill with coronavirus. The low-dose steroid treatment dexamethasone is a major breakthrough in the fight against the deadly virus, UK experts say. The drug is part of the world’s biggest trial testing existing treatments to see if they also work for coronavirus. It cut the risk of death by a third for patients on ventilators. For those on oxygen, it cut deaths by a fifth. Had the drug had been used to treat

according to Kremer, countries should adopt to reduce technological gaps. The economist has championed this approach within the framework of projects aimed at eradicating hunger in Asia and Africa. “As smart phones become more widely accessible, many opportunities will arise for more advanced forms of communication, such as sending video

instructions to farmers”, he stated. Much of Kremer’s work has focused on developing strategies to reduce poverty and hunger through technological developments, which he has brought to countries in Asia and Africa through Precision Agriculture for Development (PAD), the NGO he co-founded in 2019. According to the economist, “mobile agriculture can prove useful not only for farmers, governments and extension services for farmers, but also for private companies”. “The current pandemic is an ideal time to begin investing in digital extension, which is an effective means for supporting farmers during the spread of Covid-19 while also laying the groundwork for a very valuable long-term system”, he noted. He also explained that, because of the pandemic, extension workers may not be able to visit farmers, “but these services enable them to collect data from farmers to better understand how they have been affected by Covid-19, as well as get a sense of disruptions with respect to market and supply chains, access to credit opportunities, and so on. This, in turn, can help policymakers to design better policies”.

Coronavirus: Dexamethasone proves first life-saving drug patients in the UK from the start of the pandemic, up to 5,000 lives could have been saved, researchers say. And it could be of huge benefit in poorer countries with high numbers of Covid-19 patients. About 19 out of 20 patients with coronavirus recover without being

admitted to hospital. Of those who are admitted to hospital, most also recover, but some may need oxygen or mechanical ventilation. These are the high-risk patients whom dexamethasone appears to help. The drug is already used Continued on page 29

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In the W.H.O.’s Coronavirus Stumbles, Some Scientists See a Pattern Artists perform with red balloons at a protest to honour people who died from the coronavirus during its outbreak in Brasilia, Brazil, on June 8. Adriano Machado/ Reuters

By Apoorva Mandavilli, New York Times Even as the World Health Organization leads the worldwide response to the coronavirus pandemic, the agency is failing to take stock of rapidly evolving research findings and to communicate clearly about them, several scientists warned on Tuesday. In a news briefing on Monday, a W.H.O. official asserted that transmission of the coronavirus by people without symptoms is “very rare.” Following concerted pushback from

researchers, officials on Tuesday walked back the claim, saying it was a “misunderstanding.” But it is not the first time the W.H.O.’s assessment has seemed to lag behind scientific opinion. The agency delayed endorsing masks for the general public until Friday, claiming there was too little evidence that they prevented transmission of the virus. Virtually all scientists and governments have been recommending masks for months.

IMF Managing Director Statement

Introduction by Andrew Walker, World Service economics correspondent The managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) says that governments around the world have spent $10tn (£8tn) tackling the pandemic and its economic consequences.

But Kristalina Georgieva said they needed to do more, and she warned that up to 100 million people could be pushed into extreme poverty. In a blog, the IMF’s top official said it was good news that governments had taken what she called “extraordinary policy measures” to save lives and protect livelihoods. But she said

The W.H.O. has said repeatedly that small airborne droplets, or aerosols, are not a significant factor in the pandemic’s spread, although a growing body of evidence suggests that they may be. “The W.H.O. has been out of step with most of the world on the issue of droplets and aerosols,” said Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota. These scientific disagreements have wide policy implications. Many countries, including the United States, adopted lockdown strategies because they recognized that isolating only people who were sick might not be enough to contain the epidemic. If the virus is transmitted by small airborne droplets, people will need to continue to avoid congregating in poorly ventilated spaces, even if they practice rigorous hand hygiene. Some scientists are suspicious that W.H.O.’s stance on masks and aerosols may stem less from scientific research than from a concern over supplies of personal protective the crisis was inflicting most pain on those who were already most vulnerable. Further stimulus from government budgets would be needed during the recovery, she argued, including on healthcare to minimise the risks from future epidemics. She also called for more investment in education, warning about children whose education had been disrupted by the virus and who were at risk of what she called “learning poverty”. Kristalina Georgieva: “A policy response like no other The good news is that governments around the world have deployed extraordinary policy measures to save lives and protect livelihoods. These include extra efforts to protect the poor, with many countries stepping up food aid and targeted cash transfers. Globally, fiscal actions so far amount to about $10 trillion. But given the severity of the crisis, significant further efforts are essential. This includes taking the measures needed to avoid a scarring of the economy, including from job losses and higher inequality. It is clear that increasing access to opportunities is now more critical than ever if we are to avoid persistent increases in inequality. Continued on page 30

equipment for medical workers. Editor: For the complete article and pictures visit msn.com/en-us/news/ world.com

Coronavirus: Dexamethasone proves first life-saving drug

Continued from page 28 to reduce inflammation in a range of other conditions, and it appears that it helps stop some of the damage that can happen when the body’s immune system goes into overdrive as it tries to fight off coronavirus. The body’s over-reaction is called a cytokine storm and it can be deadly. In the trial, led by a team from Oxford University, around 2,000 hospital patients were given dexamethasone and were compared with more than 4,000 who did not receive the drug. For patients on ventilators, it cut the risk of death from 40% to 28%. For patients needing oxygen, it cut the risk of death from 25% to 20%. Chief investigator Prof Peter Horby said: “This is the only drug so far that has been shown to reduce mortality - and it reduces it significantly. It’s a major breakthrough.” Lead researcher Prof Martin Landray says the findings suggest that for every eight patients treated on ventilators, you could save one life. For those patients treated with oxygen, you save one life for approximately every 20-25 treated with the drug. “There is a clear, clear benefit. The treatment is up to 10 days of dexamethasone and it costs about £5 per patient. So essentially it costs £35 to save a life. This is a drug that is globally available.” Prof Landray said, when appropriate, hospital patients should now be given it without delay, but people should not go out and buy it to take at home. Dexamethasone does not appear to help people with milder symptoms of coronavirus - those who don’t need help with their breathing. The Recovery Trial has been running since March. It included the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine which has subsequently been ditched amid concerns that it increases fatalities and heart problems. Another drug called remdesivir, an antiviral treatment that appears to shorten recovery time for people with coronavirus, is already being made available on the NHS.

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Coronavirus came to UK ‘on at least 1,300 separate occasions’ By James Gallagher Health and science correspondent BBC News Coronavirus was brought into the UK on at least 1,300 separate occasions, a major analysis of the genetics of the virus shows. The study, by the Covid-19 Genomics UK consortium (Cog-UK), completely quashes the idea that a single “patient zero” started the whole UK outbreak. The analysis also finds China, where the pandemic started, had a negligible impact on cases in the UK. Instead those initial cases came mostly from European countries. The researchers analysed the genetic code of viral samples taken from more than 20,000 people infected with coronavirus in the UK. Then, like a gigantic version of a paternity test, the geneticists attempted to piece together the virus’s massive family tree. This was combined with data on international travel to get to the origins of the UK epidemic. They found the UK’s coronavirus epidemic did not have one origin - but at least 1,356 origins. On

each of those occasions somebody brought the infection into the UK from abroad and the virus began to spread as a result. “The surprising and exciting conclusion is that we found the UK epidemic has resulted from a very large number of separate importations,” said Prof Nick Loman, from Cog-UK and the University of Birmingham. “It wasn’t a patient zero,” he added. The study showed that less than 0.1% of those imported cases came directly from China. Instead the UK’s coronavirus epidemic was largely initiated by travel from Italy in late February, Spain in early-to-midMarch and then France in mid-tolate-March. “The big surprise for us was how fluid the process was, the rate of and source of virus introduction shifted rapidly over the course of only a few weeks,” said Prof Oliver Pybus, from the University of Oxford. Cases that started outbreak mostly came from Europe. 80% occurred from 28 Feb-29 Mar “This happened later than per-

IMF Managing Director Statement

Continued from page 29 With this in mind, I would like to highlight three priorities: 1. Use fiscal stimulus wisely Substantial fiscal stimulus will have to be deployed during the recovery phase to boost growth and employment. We know from the global financial crisis that countries that experienced larger output losses relative to the pre-crisis trend tended to have higher increases in inequality. 2. Empower the next generation through education The virus-related disruption to education has left millions of children at risk of “learning poverty,” which means being unable to read and comprehend a simple text by age 10. Driven by poor access to quality schooling, learning poverty is already too high, especially in emerging markets and low-income nations. 3. Harness the power of

financial technology COVID-19 has triggered a mass migration from analog to digital. But not everyone has seen the benefits; and the growing digital divide is set to become one of the legacies of the crisis. What can policymakers do? A key priority must be to broaden the access of low-income households and small businesses to financial products, which will allow households to smooth consumption in the face of shocks and businesses to undertake productive investments. This “inclusion revolution” is now gaining momentum as governments are providing emergency cash transfers in record amounts. For example, in Pakistan and Peru, new support programs cover one-third of the population. Editor: For the complete blog entry visit, blogs.imf.org

haps we would have expected,” added Prof Loman. The study estimates 80% of those initial cases arrived in the country between 28 Feb and 29 March - the time the UK was debating whether to lockdown. After this point, the number of new imported cases diminished rapidly. The earliest one could be traced back to the beginning of February, but it is possible there were cases even earlier that could not be picked up by the analysis. The study also says the controversial football match between Liverpool and Atletico Madrid, on 11 March, probably had very little impact on bringing the virus into the country. An estimated 3,000 fans flew in from Spain to watch

the game, but there were 20,000 people flying in from Spain every single day in mid-March. “[It] shows that individual events such as football matches likely made a negligible contribution to the number of imports at that time,” the study says. The imported cases each started off a chain of transmission where the virus is passed from one person, to the next, to the next and so on. However, the study shows lockdown has massively disrupted the spread of the virus. “If there’s good news here, these chains of transmission were and are being suppressed and going extinct as a result of social distancing and we continue to see that now,” Prof Loman said.

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THE BELIZE TIMES