Belize Times March 31, 2019- UDP Rejects Belizeans

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The Belize Times Established 1957

31 MARCH 2019 | ISSUE NO: 5140

The Truth Shall Make You Free

www.belizetimes.biz | $1.00

UDP REJECTS

BELIZEANS Thursday, March 28, 2019 ALL of us have stories of our families going to the United States and remittances and barrels. It is an economic and cultural reality.

Even as they are physically away and their accents might undergo a little shift, their hearts are inextricably BELIZEAN. Many of them were still voting up to the last municipal elections. The opportunity to fly home and vote for a least a few days for many Belizean-Americans, is hallowed as a birth right. Many with Belizean parents take the opportunity to get their passports as the law permits. Even Olympic stars feel honored to show the world that their bloodline is Belizean by hoisting the

Belizean flag.

On Tuesday March 26, 2019 the Prime Minister rejected all this love for Belize with this diatribe, “My application is that this is out of order.

It is an abuse of process because the objectives that, according to the honorable member, the petitioner, the objectives that the bill is designed to achieve cannot happen, not on the basis of things as they are and we must proceed on that basis.

So what is the purpose of this Madame Speaker?

And to say that I must… da noh me put anything pan di order paper. What I have to do with when your thing got on or what it got on?”

Pg. 2

PUP LEADER EXPOSES BUDGET WEAKNESSES

Pg. 6 DARING DAYLIGHT AMBUSH IN GUNGULUNG: ONE DEAD, ONE INJURED Pg. 8

ANOTHER UNIVERSITY OF BELIZE STUDENT MURDERED

ANOTHER BANK CLOSED? Pg. 2

Pg. 8

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31 MAR

THE BELIZE TIMES

UDP REJECTS

UDP DESPERATE FOR A YES

BELIZEANS

Continued from page 1 The PUP representative for Caribbean Shores constituency had risen at the very end of the Budget debate sitting in Belmopan to the chagrin of the PM to state: “Madame Speaker, I rise to introduce a private member’s bill pursuant to Standing Order 83 of the House of Representatives and it is a bill to amend the Representation of the People’s Act, Chapter Nine of Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011 to provide the right to vote and register as electors in the Belize/Guatemala referendum to citizens of Belize living abroad, notwithstanding the failure to satisfy the two-month continuous residence requirement and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. Madame Speaker, as you are aware, the Section 83 for private bills, 83 – 4, states that the petition shall be presented by being lodged with the clerk.

This has been done and shall be read at the first ordinary sitting of the House after it is so lodged and thereupon the Speaker shall put the question that the promoters be allowed to proceed.”

The Prime Minister had been privy to this motion since middle December 2018. He of course feels that there is a great disadvantage in allowing Belize-loving citizens to vote in the referendum. It is sad that some Guatemalans might end up voting in the April 10 referendum but not some real Belizeans. This is along with the fact the many living in the jewel have been disenfranchised due to Vital Statistics Unit errors. Yet, the UDP and the Prime Minister are satisfied that the referendum is in a clean process. Not so, and regardless of all the instilling of fear, lavish spending, and rogue tactics the people, on Referendum Day, will tell the PM, “NO.” No to all the corruption and Guatemala.

Belizeans abroad deserve a better leader who has a heart. They deserve John Briceño.

ANOTHER BANK CLOSED? Thursday, March 28, 2019 A couple days ago, PM Barrow was hailing the Belizean economy as stellar and that it is growing and that the UDP are the best stewards and other self-aggrandizing descriptions of their administration of our country.

When our economic climate is in problems, the banks of Belize will show it. This time it is Atlantic International Bank, just as Choice Bank in the past, was being significantly scaled back which usually means that it is closed down.

Their offshore financial transactions are extremely sensitive to this type of news.

In November of 2018, the Atlantic International Bank was named in a civil complaint by the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC had shut down Sanctuary Belize, a large overseas real estate investment scam. Sanctuary Belize was a 14,000 acre development which

was set up as an elaborate scheme by its American principals. The scam purportedly involved $100 million dollars from investors, but lots in southern Belize to be used in a luxury development were never delivered. Many US investors were fraudulently convinced. Millions of dollars now had to be recovered.

The Central Bank of Belize says that the shutdown is not under their purview. A release this Wednesday says, “The Central Bank has received certain information and has initiated remedial action to protect the interests of depositors and customers consistent with its statutory duties and responsibilities. The Central Bank has not undertaken any action relative to the operations

United States

on page 31 ExchangeContinued rate (USD): $ 0.50 of One Belize Dollar

Barbados (BBD): $ 0.97

Thursday, March 28, 2019 Just when we thought the ICJ fears were over we have another. Today, the Prime Minister Dean Barrow, on a stage draped UDP red, white and blue, found it worth the while to make a last gasp effort to save his sinking ‘Yes to the ICJ’ ship. If proof was needed that this is a UDP political event, it was clear.

At the budget debate, the foreign minister Elrington, asked for proof that the government is pushing the ‘yes’ vote and, well, here it is in all the glamour you can ask for. Today’s event was called as a press conference but it was a UDP last plea for a ‘Yes’ vote.

In synchronicity with this high-stepping event, the Senate was meeting for the Appropriations Bill 2019-2020. Again, this is proof that there is no respect for the Senate.

But back to the ‘press conference’, in his usual highfalutin language, PM Barrow begged Belizeans to not waste this referendum. In one hand he said that he is not fear-mongering and, on the other hand, he spelled an International backlash if the ‘No’ was to prevail at the April 10 referendum. Very problematic for him was that the press were not highlighted at this ‘press conference.’ Today, he was presenting to the converted. All the lavish stage décor and video was for the comfort of a few. The masses already have their vote set on No. It is weird how the ‘panel’, comprised of the Prime Minister, our ambassador to Guatemala Rosado, and the seemingly De Facto Foreign Minister to the ICJ Shoman, presented some Judge Schwebel as if we all know him personally. As if, he has a household name. As if, all Belizeans flew to Montana before the ‘press conference’ to interview with him. Judge Stephen M. Schwebel, a former ICJ president, is the latest of judges who is being

2019

lionized and asked to give a legal opinion on this our colossal existential Belizean issue. In a 12-point synopsis of his opinion, the Barrow government slung once more in an extremely expensive manner what the Referendum Unit has been saying over the last 10months. Nothing new, except for, another hundreds of thousands of dollars spent in a process that might be illegal come April 1.

The slew of UDP representatives and operatives filled the room for this last ditch effort. So yes, the UDP was well represented in the room. The transparency of this ICJ process is as muddied as this administration has ever regressed to. When asked for the price paid to Schwebel for his seemingly subjective statement, PM Barrow smirked, the ambassador balked, and Ms. Shoman said that is a joy that will not be given since the value is priceless.

Essentially, they said that the taxpayers who are paying Schwebel don’t need to know the cost. When is the last time anyone bought something without knowing the price? Well, we have an example right here.

This is just another example of why all the invaluable TRUST factor is totally missing. This distrust will all crescendo on referendum day April 10, if it still stands.

The PM repeated over and over that he will not participate in fearmongering yet immediately becomes a veritable scarecrow to tell us that if Belizeans vote ‘No’ that the International community will find it difficult to be in our corner.

His convincing tactics are not working and the people will give him a rude awakening.///

The Belize Times

Established 1957

14 APR 2013

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ISSUE NO: 4840

The Truth Shall Make You Free

www.belizetimes.bz

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serving Belize since 1957 as the longest continuous newspaper.

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LAYOUT/GRAPHIC ARTIST

of Atlantic International Bank Limited to disrupt the operations of the Bank. Any such inference is simply untrue.”

The Central Bank of Belize assures the public that it will be “assessing the situation closely and will act as appropriate and in a manner consistent with its statutory mandate.”

Even as this Atlantic Bank International is not the one accessed by most Belizeans, it is still an important part of our banking sector. It is definitely not how we would like to be perceived by the international community. This is the very same international community that is supposedly hawk-eyed about our upcoming referendum. The public needs to keep its own collective eyes on this one.

Eastern Caribbean Euro (XCD):$ 1.32 (EUR) : $ 0.43

Chris Williams

OFFICE ASSISTANT

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

Email: belizetimesadvertisement@yahoo.com

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Sterling Pound Guatemala Quetzal CANADIAN DOLLAR CHINESE YUAN (GBP): $ 0.37 (GTQ): $ 3.71 (CNY): $ 3.28 (CAD): $ 0.65

Trinidadian (TTD) : $ 3.26

MEXICAN PESO (MXP): $ 9.45

31 MAR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2019

03 3

EDITORIAL

KICKBACK BUDGET?

D

r. Jill Wells PhD is a Senior Policy and Research Advisor with Engineers against Poverty. Her paper titled Corruption in the Construction of Public Infrastructure: Critical Issues in Project Preparation which she presented in March 2015 states “In the period leading up to elections, politicians often interfere to push projects that benefit their constituents (generally roads and bridges). Governments can also use construction projects as a major source of election funding for the ruling party.” Just as the Leader of the Opposition (LOO) stated in his remarks of, what will now be infamously known as the Kickback Budget 2019, Belize is afflicted with corruption in all its multiple manifestations. The symptoms we suffer are similar to those of many developing countries’ because the affliction or disease is the same.

This bogus budget and its orchestrators seek to shrink the budget of the Auditor General who will now be even less equipped to oversee the tendering processes for these infrastructure projects. Perhaps this is just the purpose. The World Bank and other agencies have now shifted focus on the tendering process and in strengthening anti-corruption measures there in an effort to minimize the scourge and to assure that there is proper value for money in public expenditure. Public infrastructure projects must be guarded closely as they have the ability to impact economic growth and poverty.

The country is now littered with “white elephant” projects that are characteristically roads or airports with little demand or traffic. These are the cases in point for both the Caracol Road and the controversial San Pedro International Airport. We can also appreciate another symptom of obvious kickback projects, those that have been built but have no operational budget or whose operational budget is sub-par. These can clearly be seen in the multitude of polyclinics being built especially in the North. Another way in which we are bamboozled are by those capital investment projects that are never completed, such as the 7th Avenue/ Highway Project in Corozal which three years later has not had the lamp posts and lights installed on the meridian.

Clearly, these are tangible and visible instances where corruption is glaringly evident. We must put a stop to this fleecing of the public purse. These high ranking politicians who exert their political influence to award contracts for personal gain, in return for party contributions, or to favour their supporters must stop. Ill-awarded contracts are often bloated, the better to syphon off proceeds. The works are very often sub-standard which makes them, in some instances, dangerous and likely to deteriorate very quickly which reduces the economic rate of return. This makes it easier to continue the cycle of corruption.

It’s a big joke in Belize, we always know when there is an election afoot. We say that because streets begin to be paved, and bridges built and even if there is no river, the projects starts. It signals the start of the campaign season, we think it’s because the UDP will once again try to woo the electorate with grandiose and empty shows of concern for our well-being and their hard work. The phenomenon clearly is not seen only in Belize. These gimmicks are documented symptoms of a plague known as corruption, clearly immune to double-sided machetes, it must be rooted out!

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THE BELIZE TIMES

EDITORIAL

31 MAR

2019

en Español

¿PRESUPUESTO DE SOBORNOS?

L

a Dra. Jill Wells PhD es un asesor senior de políticas e investigación con ingenieros contra la pobreza. Su trabajo titulado Corrupción en la Construcción de Infraestructura Pública: cuestiones críticas en la preparación de proyectos que presentó en marzo 2015 declara “en el período que conduce a las elecciones, los políticos a menudo interfieren para impulsar proyectos que benefician a sus constituyentes (generalmente carreteras y puentes). Los gobiernos también pueden utilizar proyectos de construcción como una fuente importante de financiamiento electoral para el partido gobernante.

Justo como el Líder de la Oposición (LOO por sus siglas en inglés) afirmó en sus observaciones de lo que ahora será infamemente conocido como el Presupuesto de Mordidas 2019, Belice está afligido con la corrupción en todas sus múltiples manifestaciones. Los síntomas que sufrimos son similares a los de muchos países en desarrollo porque la aflicción o enfermedad es la misma.

Esta farsa de presupuesto y sus orquestadores buscan reducir el presupuesto del Auditor General que ahora estará aun menos equipado para supervisar los procesos de licitación para estos proyectos de infraestructura. Tal vez este sea el propósito. El Banco Mundial y otras agencias han desplazado ahora el enfoque en el proceso de licitación y en el fortalecimiento de las medidas de lucha contra la corrupción en un esfuerzo por minimizar el flagelo y asegurar de que exista una optimización de los recursos financieros en el gasto público. Los proyectos de infraestructura pública deben estar estrechamente protegidos, ya que tienen la capacidad de impactar el crecimiento económico y la pobreza.

El país está ahora plagado de proyecto inútiles a la “elefante blanco”, estos son característicamente carreteras o aeropuertos con poca demanda o tráfico. Ejemplos ilustrativos son los casos de la carretera a Caracol y el controvertido Aeropuerto Internacional de San Pedro. También podemos apreciar otro síntoma de proyectos de sobornos obvios, los que se han construido pero que no tienen presupuesto operacional y aquellos cuyo presupuesto operacional es deficiente. Estos se pueden ver claramente en la multitud de policlínicas que se construyen especialmente en el norte.

Otra forma en la que estamos siendo embaucados son los proyectos de inversión de capital que nunca se completan, como la 7ª Avenida/proyecto de carretera en Corozal que tres años después no tiene los postes de luz y luces instaladas en el meridiano.

Es evidente que estos son casos tangibles y visibles en los que la corrupción es manifiestamente evidente. Debemos poner fin a esta fuga del bolso público. Estos políticos de alto rango que ejercen su influencia política para otorgar contratos de ganancia personal, a cambio de contribuciones para su partido, o para favorecer a sus partidarios deben detenerse. Los contratos mal otorgados son a menudo inflados, aun mejor para el sifón de ganancias. Las obras son muy a menudo subestándar que los hace en algunos casos peligrosos y propensos a deteriorarse muy rápidamente lo que reduce la tasa de rentabilidad económica. Esto hace que sea más fácil continuar el ciclo de la corrupción.

Es una gran broma en Belice, siempre sabemos cuando hay una elección en curso. Decimos eso porque las calles empiezan a ser pavimentadas, y los puentes a ser construidos, incluso si no hay río, los proyectos empiezan. Señala el inicio de la temporada de campaña, creemos que es porque el UDP intentará una vez más cortejar al electorado con espectáculos grandiosos y vacíos de su preocupación por nuestro bienestar y su arduo trabajo. El fenómeno claramente no se ve sólo en Belice. Estos trucos son síntomas documentados de una plaga conocida como corrupción, claramente inmune a los machetes de doble filo, ¡debe ser desarraigado!

31 MAR

2019

05 5

THE BELIZE TIMES

QUESTIONS TO THE MINISTERS 1. Will the Prime Minister please inform Belizeans how much Lisa Shoman is making as a consultant on the ICJ and will the Prime Minister also say considering how much she spoke at the Press Conference if she is being paid by the word?

2. Will the Minister of Works please tell Belizeans who are the persons who will be paid land compensation for the Phillip Goldson Highway?

3. Will the Minister for Election and Boundaries please say if enough public officers will be available to work on Referendum Day and if not who will working as election monitors?

4. Will the Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of BIL please inform Belizeans how much was paid out to the Head of Belize Investors Limited (BIL)?

5. Will the Former Foreign Minister Sedi Elrington say if he has been given a pay cut to accommodate the new Foreign Minister Lisa Shoman? And will Minister Elrington also say if he is prepared to share travel and subsistence allowances with Amb. Shoman.

Mayor Belize City 5 Weeks Dominoes Tournament Result from Week Two Dominoes Tournament which took place on March 24, 2019 at Long Island Bar

Winners Losers Outlaw: 3000 Riverside 2916 Backyard: 3075 Truckers 2539 House Bottom: 3024 Ground Fighters 2454 Grabs: 3018 Third World 1997 Dirty Rebel: 3018 Another World 2989 Mopan Street: 3000 Mango Tree 2298 So far, the biggest block for the tournament is still going to Another world with 92.

All the games were played with the winner reaching 3000 points. ***The third week is scheduled for Sunday, March 31 at Rali’s Cool Spot.

Come out and support!

CARTOON

6 06

THE BELIZE TIMES

31 MAR

2019

Response by Leader of the Opposition Hon. John Briceño To the General Revenue and Appropriation Bill 2019/2020 Belmopan, Monday, 25th March 2019 Excerpts from the Party Leader’s Speech Madam speaker, the state of our nation is unhealthy, it is sick. We are afflicted with a severe case of the UDP. The symptoms are corruption, greed, incompetence, cronyism and nepotism. So terrible is this affliction that the UDP’s economic policy is simply to spend millions for concrete, so they can hustle millions in kickbacks. This budget then is designed solely to mislead and mask the common corrupt intent of this UDP government and the harsh realities that the people of this country face every day.

Almost forty years after independence, our national priorities should be a nation where families can prosper; where every Belizean family can have a proper roof over their heads. Where all our children can go to good schools and receive relevant, quality education and where our people can live healthy lifestyles, which will see them content in their golden age. Where our social and economic programs ensure that each year we lift thousands of Belizeans out of poverty and into prosperity.

Ten days ago the Prime Minster came to this honourable House and in his trademark fashion gave the nation a budget that will not move us any closer to meeting the needs of our developing nation nor meet any of our national development goals like growing the productive sector and generating new jobs.

Instead, once again he presented a budget that seeks to spend excessively more than they spent last year and collect significantly more from the Belizean people than they did last year.

Seventy point three million more will be spent this year and close to forty-three million dollars more will be collected in taxes.

In light of all this, it is truly mind-boggling that the Prime Minster would introduce this year’s speech saying that for 11 years they have increased investment and propelled development.

What development? So many of our children are going to bed hungry at night.

So many of our young men are killing each other. Our local farmers have their products rotting on their farms while UDP cronies are given import licenses. Sixteen thousand Belizeans who want to work can’t find a job.

The middle class continues to be burdened with heavy taxes while a growing number of poor Belizeans wait in line for government handouts that can only be accessed in Belize City and only if you are a UDP. Our biggest industry is not tourism, as we are led to believe...but crime This 2019/2020 Appropriations bill can best be summed up as a kickback budget.

Not focused on people, but on round-a-bouts and roads from which ministerial hustle can fill their pockets and pay for their excessive lifestyles and those of their cronies, friends and families.

Each year of this Barrow/UDP Administration, they squandered a billion dollars and once again they will spend another billion plus, piling more on to the still unaudited 3 billion spent in the last three years.

This budget book, which should be a reflection of the Government’s management of the nation - this budget book, which is supposed to be as the PM puts it the “fountainhead for the running of our society,” is for all intents and purposes useless.

This budget means nothing in light of this government overspending 1.3 billion dollars in illegal appropriations and with what has now become well know by Belizeans as those “below the line” payments in the millions, which has resulted from a decade of lawsuits that they continue to lose and legal fees we continue to pay. In the waning days of this Barrow Administration, its legacy is this — a decade where life for the average Belizean has been harder out ya.

Corruption and incompetence are at their highest levels ever in the history of Independent Belize. More than 1,100 young Belizeans have died violent deaths in this unending crime wave that has gripped our nation over the past decade under this administration.

The promise that with the UDP would come this great era of uplift where an unbound Prometheus would take flight never happened. When the UDP took office they inherited a strong economy and a confident private sector. They inherited a mixed economic model that saw new industries like papaya and shrimp beginning to take flight.

The sad truth is that the economy is not really growing, and these so called investments in infrastructure, which are all government driven, are no more than special vehicles for UDP cronies to have access to taxpayers’ money for kickbacks Ten days ago the Prime Minister went to some lengths to try and make a comparison between PUP borrowing and PUP debt compared to UDP borrowing and UDP debt.

It is true that the PUP borrowed over a billion dollars in our ten years in office.

The Prime Minister’s two-step tango with the numbers is tripping up no one when he talks about the debt to GDP ratio. The fact is that the IMF whose economic numbers he quoted at the start of his speech is the very institution that puts debt to GDP under this UDP administration at 96 percent.

The Belizeans people know the truth; the 64 percent external debt is only a part of the total picture. The other part being the domestic debt. Debt is debt and the fact is that what we owe externally and what we owe domestically is 96 percent of GDP. But the real story is the obvious deception.

All this borrowing and the lives of average Belizeans have not changed for the better. They have not changed for the better because this administration was never about people. It was never about building up - it was about legal fights, lawsuits and

concrete contracts for kickbacks. This government plans to borrow 180 million dollars to pave 54 miles of road to a Mayan site in a part of our country where few if any of our 200 villages are located. There are no schools on this road, no clinics, no churches, no vegetable farms or livestock farms, no other income generating facility other than a few tourist attractions far away from our major tourist centers.

A caring government, a government for the people would have invested that kind of borrowed money in flood mitigation in low-lying areas like the Lakeland area in Dangriga. They would have invested in feeder roads in the south and north to help our small and large farmers get their products to the markets and factories.

They could have done something about the roads in Toledo where when it rains our children walk for miles in mud and water just to reach school. A caring government would have done this because they would know that it is those children who will pay it back.

The Prime Minister is right about one thing, Madam Speaker - that in the plain unchallengeable numbers stand the bright and bold differences between we on this side and those on his side. We borrowed to help our farmers and our school children.

We bought books and built libraries. We borrowed to help the people. They borrowed for steel and concrete to build roads and roundabouts to facilitate their hustling and to fill the coffers of UDP fat cats.

Yet there is another bold and bright difference between this selfish UDP administration, and we in the PUP and it is their lack of compassion, shown in the way they continue to tax hard working Belizeans. Eleven years under the UDP finds Belizeans being taxed to death.

The last PUP administration worked to bring down GST from that crippling 15 percent under the Esquivel/UDP Administration to 12.5 percent. This Barrow/ UDP administration again increased taxes so that the combined taxes on goods and services is now 14.5 percent.

And when it comes to the tax on fuel --well this Barrow/UDP Administration continues to suck from Belizeans consumers--so much so that already this year government has changed the cost of fuel six times. So the pronouncement that there will be no new taxes is yet another big, fat life.

In our budget consultations I was encouraged by the discussions we had with stakeholders; from our Party supporters to those in the productive sector and from the Belize Chamber of Commerce. All believe that we have the necessary ingredients to make our country better. What is lacking in our current political climate however, is the will and the desire to seriously address the challenges that are hindering our development; challenges that begin with the fact that the Belizean people have lost trust and confidence in this UDP Government.

So many convincing arguments show that this Prime Minister and this Cabinet accept or at least condone corruption almost as a cultural norm, since they collectively protect and even reward cronyism, practice nepotism shamelessly, and make excuses for incompetent and criminal actions, in some instances even by ministers.

In their response many on that side will be tempted to go back two decades to PUP scandals of the 98 to 08 Administration, but that will not erase what they have done. Today we who have offered ourselves for public office must be committed to a different way; a less corrupt and selfless kind of governance that will put our people first and prioritize investment options for optimal benefit of the nation, restoring the confidence of investors in our economy and in the productive sector.

I intend to be the kind of Prime Minister who listens to constructive suggestions, who will include the ideas and recommendations of our social partners, our producers and yes even the good intentioned advice from those on the other side.

Continued on page 7

31 MAR

2019

THE BELIZE TIMES

BELLY of the

BEAST

Feeding at the Trough The Belize Times would love to know how much all these people who are dancing to the piper’s tune where the ICJ is concerned are getting paid. We know that everybody is claiming that they love Belize so much so this is a matter of patriotism and all that, but at this newspaper we are hearing some huge figures. Some people in the know tell us that all the diplomats milling around are making an extra $300 per day. We wonder how much that attorney who seems to be hanging on to the Prime Minister’s coattails now is making. We wonder how much the Facebook trolls are making, because WE KNOW they have been put on a stipend. And then there’s the question of where this money is coming from? Are we the taxpayers funding this feeding frenzy? Or is it coming from the money donated to us for an education campaign? We figure an accounting of how that money has been spent should be demanded. But we know how this Barrow administration operates, so we know that’s not going to happen.

Just Plain Wrong The UDP seems to not give a damn that thousands of Belizeans have been disenfranchised during the re-registration exercise, through no fault of their own. Only now are people finding out that they won’t be able to take part in the referendum, and nobody at the Elections and Boundaries Department is providing any answers. What can they say? Rats eating birth certificates. Roaches sneaking documents through the back door. Ridiculous. And besides that, how hard is it to get one simple ID card right? You go in, your information is taken, entered into a computer and then the card is printed. But now there are cards with a name and picture of one person, and a signature of a whole different person. This has to be the most bizarrely incompetent government in existence today. It is way past time for them to go!

ASSad Has anybody seen Assad Shoman? We’re hearing a Missing Person’s report has been filed for him. It appears he was last seen at the BNTU forum, when he was asked if he could disclose who is funding Citizens for the Defence of Sovereignty. That’s it. Not a sign of him since. We guess he’s busy planning the press conference which he told teachers would be held the next day (two weeks ago) which hasn’t happened yet. That’s the press conference where he said he would disclose all the funders of the CDS. But since then it’s like somebody did a disappearing magic trick on him. The fellow has gone MIA. We at the Belize Times could have saved him all the hassle. Belize is small. We know who is funding Assad. Everybody knows that. The Belizean people are not fools. The UDP is already calling a YES on April 10th. We think they’re in for a rude awakening.

Caracol Road The contract for the Caracol Road is, quite frankly, obscene. At the Belize Times we weren’t surprised to hear Minister of Works Rene Montero say in the House just this week that the road is a dream come true. Of course it is. It means that the value of all the prime acres UDP cronies have allegedly gobbled up in that area will go way up. Everybody knows what’s happening under the Barrow administration. We hear that there are various Ministers who have a lot of land along the Caracol Road. That’s why they’ve been foaming at the mouth to get it done. This is a sick bunch of scoundrels. No shame in their hustling game. They better enjoy it while it’s there and prepare for the consequences when the PUP forms government in a few months. But there’s always a bright side. The Police Department has committed to fixing up their cellblocks all over the country. So at least they’ll be comfortable.

Team Player Months ago – literally months – the Belize Times broke the news that UDP flunky John Mencias would be the next CEO of BEL. Months ago political sources within the UDP told us at the newspaper that former CEO Locke was on the way out. They claimed that he was not happy with some proposed project being spearheaded by the First Son. They claimed that when he was pressured to give the First Son consideration, he refused to budge. We knew then he was a dead duck. Nobody challenges the First Son. Nobody. Mencias was the perfect solution. He’s a team player, a decent enough guy but he doesn’t and will not rock the UDP boat. And he knows who butters his bread. See, because the mental capacity of the UDP is so limited, there is this small set of people that they recycle and reuse and regurgitate – over and over and over and over again. It’s sickening. Belizeans need to pay close attention to the First Son, who has already made millions thanks to the Prime Minister’s fatherly love. His name is going to pop up back very, very soon.

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Response by Leader of the Opposition Hon. John Briceño To the General Revenue and Appropriation Bill 2019/2020 Belmopan, Monday, 25th March 2019 Continued from page 6

We can no longer run government by showing disdain toward those who do not support us in elections or dismiss good policy because we are the winners and to the winners go the spoils. We are seeing this in action today and we are seeing the result, which is the erosion of the very foundation of our young democracy.

Madam Speaker the Belizean people are tired of politics as usual. This old school brand of politics and corruption have become like a tightening noose around our people’s neck. We on this side recognize that corruption from politicians and those who encourage and live off it must be rooted out. For sure many who conduct business are tired. For the abuse of ministerial and administrative discretion and the unnecessary bureaucracy causes uncertainty in the conduct of business and adds substantially to both the cost of doing business and the time to get things done.

Putting government’s house in order, is the first step in expanding economic growth. Working with the private sector we will not rest until we achieve sustained and sustainable annual economic growth of no less than 6 percent.

For local manufacturing and industry, we will eliminate reverse discrimination against locally produced products both in terms of taxations and licensing to ensure a level playing field for our local manufactures.

The agricultural and productive sectors needs to be deregulated. We have got to stop the nonsense of introducing rules on top of rules which do not encourage economic development and we will start by making sure that BAHA becomes a facilitator and not a hindrance to economic development.

The same is necessary for the tourism sector. We will take the necessary steps to facilitate its continued growth while mitigating potential threats beginning with a national plan to deal with the Sargassum threat.

To encourage investment as a whole, we will consider eliminating the requirement of Central Bank exchange control approval for foreign direct investment into Belize.

Let me be clear, every action we take on taxes will at worse be revenue neutral and at best will increase revenues for government through improved tax collecting practices.

Our PUP government will focus on people centered upliftment. We will do this by Increasing investment, commerce and industry that is private sector driven. This will no doubt lead to more jobs. With a rejuvenated economy, we can generate 8,000 new jobs per year. More jobs equal more income, more independence, more hope and less poverty.

Our strategic goals then are to grow the economy at the rate of at least six percent annually in order to reduce the unemployment rate by half in 10 years, reduce the overall trade deficit by half in 10 years, cut the poverty rate in half in 10 years, and enhance citizen security for all Belizeans. This is what distinguishes us from those on the other side for we dare to be bold --to set targets that will manifest our commitment to our true social justice creed, our true blue philosophy: Always ‘bout the people. So we are not afraid to lay out for the nation that our PUP-led Government will work full-throttle toward the kind of nation that puts people first again.

Look, we know this will require coordination and synergies across ministries. And yes we know this will be hard work, but if we plan to achieve positive results that will improve the lives of our people, then it must be done.

To achieve a simplified, fair, efficient and development-driven system that works for everyone, tax reforms will be necessary. Reforms that will encourage investment which will in turn create more jobs for our people to earn more and save more. We must do these things if we will reduce poverty by half in ten years.

As a nation of caring and loving people we cannot continue to watch as almost half of our people are mired in the vicious cycle of poverty. We must find a way to break this. All of us have potential. For this reason our PUP leaders have already started the work to develop plans that will invest in the future of our youth and women.

Madam Speaker, I have set forth for our nation a response that not only exposes the truth about this dishonest budget, but also about the failure of the UDP administration, which once again exposes their tenure as an incompetent and corrupt administration.

The Belizean people put their trust in the United Democratic Party based on what has turned out to be a historic deception.

From the lie about a mythical double sided machete chopping so much as the whiff of corruption to the bigger lie of a government for all.

From the failure to keep our children safe at home to their inability to protect our full territorial integrity resulting in Guatemalan soldiers in their gunboats intimidating Belizeans on the Sarstoon.

Never before have we seen such poverty, such despair and such hopelessness.

Never before have the Belizean people seen such obscene corruption.

We all deserve better.

The vision laid out in the second half of my presentation today shows that we have the capacity to lead this nation to better days. It reaffirms our commitment to a different era of governance.

We will never forget and therefore promise never to return to those days which caused the people to lose faith in us. Our true blue philosophy has and always will always be about our people. The PUP is ready to win and ready to lead and we look to the day when with the guidance of our Creator we can fulfill our promise to build a Belize that works for everyone.

8 08 8 BELIZE CRIME REVIEW

31 MAR

THE BELIZE TIMES

By Aaron Humes Thurs. Mar. 31, 2019 Another University of Belize student murdered

26 year old Kevin Frutos of Bullet Tree Falls, Cayo District, was found was found murdered and partially buried in some bushes off the George Price Boulevard in Belmopan on Wednesday. A postmortem conducted shows that his throat was slashed before he was disposed of. Family members said they last saw him five days ago at the Belmopan Bus Terminal. The University of Belize student’s phone was missing as well as his wallet and he was known to have gotten paid that day.

Daring daylight ambush in Gungulung: one dead, one injured

22 year old Jordan Lorenzo and 17 year old Rakeem Cruz woke up on Wednesday morning at a residence of M&M Street, CET Site Area to gunfire. Police found Lorenzo on a mattress in the living room with multiple gunshot wounds, while Cruz was hit to the right shoulder. Cruz is in hospital in stable condition. Police are yet to announce a motive in the attack of the men who are originally from Dangriga.

Fire destroys fast food vendor’s structure 46 year old Martha Ramirez was alerted on Wednesday morning around 2 a.m. that her establishment at the corner of Lacroix Boulevard and Balan Street was on fire; she had locked it up at 9 p.m. the night before.

The total value of the damages is unknown.

The establishment and its contents were not insured. Police are investigating./// Chopping in Orange Walk Police have arrested and charged 27-yearold Jovanny Diaz, and 30-year-old Adoneas Ignacio Diaz, both of San Lazaro Village, jointly for the crime of Attempted Murder, Dangerous Harm and Use of Deadly Means of Harm. 36 year old Gonzalo Flota of San Lazaro told police he was assisting his brother Jeffrey around 12:10 p.m. on March 23 when he got into a fight with the men. Flota stabbed Jovanny to the left side of his chest and the Diaz’s responded with multiple chop wounds using a machete.

Arrests for recent murders

A resident ofTigris Street in Belize City was arraigned in San Pedro Magistrate’s Court for the double murder of Deon Faber and Allen Martinez that occurred on Thursday afternoon. Police believe that Anthony Carballo, another man and a woman who carried a baby, travelled to Ambergris Caye via water taxi intending to kill Faber and Martinez at Faber’s Boca del Rio house.

Carballo was nabbed just after two p.m. on Thursday, but his accomplices, who are known to the police, fled and returned to Belize City by water taxi.

Meanwhile, twelve days after the murder of Luis Cabrera Junior in Punta Gorda, his alleged killer was charged for murder. Over the weekend, thirty-seven-year-old Alexander Ruiz was charged for the homicide that occurred on the night of March thirteenth at Dahanny’s Bar in that southern municipality. Cabrera Junior was stabbed to the neck with a broken bottle allegedly

by Ruiz, who then fled the scene on a motorcycle with William Garcia. The duo would end up in an accident on the San Antonio Road upon which Garcia lost his life.///

LIQUOR LICENSE NOTICES Notice is hereby given that Jieyu Wu is applying for a Shop Liquor License to be operated at ”Mike’s Shop ” located at # 326 Manta Ray Blvd., Vista Del Mar, Ladyville Village, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that Michael Heusner is applying for a Restaurant Liquor License to be operated at ”Belize River Lodge ” located in, Ladyville Village, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that Lining Wu is applying for a Publican Special Liquor License to be operated at ”Sky Restaurant ” located at # 8 ½ Miles Philip Goldson Highway, Ladyville Village, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that Guanning Wu is applying for a Convenience Store Liquor License to be operated at ”Convenience Store North Gas Station ” located at 8 ½ Miles Philip Golson Highway, Ladyville Village, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

2019

NOTICE Trade License Reform The Belize City Council in collaboration with the Government of Belize and the Belize Mayors’ Association through the Ministry of Labour, Local Government & Rural Development hereby notify the general public and in particular the business sector that it is embarking on an exercise aimed at amending the Trade Licensing Act effective the licensing period beginning January 1st, 2020. In this regard, the Belize City Council will be conducting an exercise to collect data on businesses to inform the methodology to determine Trade Licensing Fees for businesses operating from established premises.

Between the period of April 15 – 27, 2019 data collectors will be working within the municipality to collect data on the total square footage of the productive space of businesses. Business owners are being asked to cooperate with the data collectors as they embark on this very important initiative.

The establishment of the new trade licensing regime is grounded in the principles of transparency, objectivity, predictability, ease of administration and revenue neutrality.

For more details regarding the exercise kindly contact the Belize City Council or the Ministry of Labour, Local Government & Rural Development.

NOTICE VENTCE INC. #130,529 (“the Company”)

Pursuant to Section 102 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, Chapter 270 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011, notice is hereby given that VENTCE has been dissolved as at 26th March, 2019 and has been struck off the Register of International Business Companies.

CILTrust International Limited Registered Agent

31 MAR

2019

BELIZE YOUTH MOVEMENT

By Karim Adle, President Thursday, March 28, 2019 As the curtain closes on what is Dean Barrow and company’s 12th Budget presentation and subsequent debate wraps up we are left wondering where have all the millions gone? As our national debt soars to unprecedented heights and astronomical figures the question of whether our lives have improved arises. The Leader of the Opposition summed it up best in his budget presentation, he brought forth a sobering reality of what every man, woman and child faces. Perhaps by far the most insulting point brought forward by the Prime Minister was his arrogance and outright disrespectful manner in which he brought up and boasted on a small inflation rate over the past year when in fact all Belizeans know the cost of living has increased tenfold and continues to rise.

As the President of the Belize Youth Movement and as an active member of the Cayo North executive committee, I stand hand in hand and applaud our Representatives in the house that weathered the storm and brought forth the harsh realities faced by the thousands of Belizeans.

Reality in Belize is as follows, you have a couple privileged well-connected friends of the government that have continuously fleeced our country’s coffers. I am sure many

Vacancy SE.B.I is looking for a dynamic individual for the position of caretaker.

Serious enquiries may call 634-5580 for more information.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Belizeans are sickened whenever they hear the name Imer Hernandez obtaining another multi-million dollar contract for subpar roads. Is it only Imer Hernandez that can obtain these contracts? He clearly cannot obtain these contracts based on good, quality work as can be seen by the controversial results he has had in the past.

As the Budget presentation uncovered the millions being wasted on an ICJ “education” campaign we are left to wonder, why so much for such a one sided and bloated and excessive campaign that has further put a burden on the backs of tax paying Belizeans. An education campaign should not be comprised of beach parties across the length and breadth of Belize but should be comprised of informed discussions that present both sides of the coin, the advantages of going and not going! An education campaign should not entail those close to the Prime Minister fleecing the tax payers as

all ads go through a specific color blind company. As the latter implies, this government has proved to us to in fact be color blind and only red is seen. That’s why members of the ruling RED party can boast that they in fact live in a good country because all they see is their close surroundings and their color RED. The fact remains that as this budget passes, the youth have no real opportunities, and there is no budgetary increase for young entrepreneurs that need a boost in order to make something for themselves. As this budget passes, there are no new homes for the hundreds if not thousands of young Belizeans that are now becoming parents from a very young age. As this Budget passes, there is no introduction of new industries that will give jobs to my fellow youth that will shortly be graduating and might be relegated to working at their nearest Call Centre as their student loans need to get paid. There are no new opportunities for the talented, young artists that need a push for real

world exposure in order to make a name for themselves. The fact is that there are no opportunities for our talented players in basketball or football, or any sport at that! However, the well-connected cronies have opportunities to obtain cosmetology scholarships on the backs of the tax paying Belizeans. Our Belize is rich in resources, which for years have remained untapped and have been squandered in the billions of dollars enriching the well connected.

At the end of the day the list can go on and on, the thousands of lies uttered

by Dean Barrow and company and the list can go on and on the hopelessness faced by the common Belizean. However, as the Leader of the Opposition and Prime minister in waiting, wrapped up his speech he once again restored hope that a better Belize is possible and the PUP will seek to restore pride and integrity to our Belizean culture and heritage.

I applaud the concept of the basic Belizean Bill of Rights being enshrined within our constitution and I welcome it with open arms. Our Belize can and will do better! The dawn of a new day is soon approaching and a Belize that works for everyone is not only possible but it is soon coming. ///

PUBLIC AUCTION SALE

BY ORDER OF THE CHARGEE HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED, a Licensed Public Auctioneer will sell on site the following property at the time as listed.

At No. 1 Belona Street, Belama Phase III, Belize City on Thursday, April 11, 2019 at 10:00a.m.

SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Parcel 3149, Block 16 in the Caribbean Shores/Belize Registration Section situate on Belona Street, Belama Phase III, Belize City, Belize, comprising an empty lot of 365.612 square metres clean and filled the freehold property of VICTOR SEYMOUR VASSEL

DATED this 27th day of March 2019

LIQUOR LICENSE NOTICES Notice is hereby given that Guanning Wu is applying for a Shop Liquor License to be operated at ”Sky City Supermarket ” located at 8 ½ Miles Philip Golson Highway, Ladyville Village, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that Margaret Dawson is applying for a Malt & Cider Liquor License to be operated at ”Dawson Cool Spot ” located at 16 Miles Philip Golson Highway, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

Notice is hereby given that Jianfu Xu is applying for a Shop Liquor License to be operated at ”Lake City” located in Crooked Tree Village, Belize District under the Intoxicating Liquor License Ordinance Revised Edition 1980.

All sales are strictly cash and deemed final. For more information contact: HOLY REDEEMER CREDIT UNION LIMITED 1 HYDE’S LANE, BELIZE CITY, BELIZE Phone: (501) 224-5644 Fax: (501) 223-0738 Email: foreclosures@hrcubelize.org

10 SPORTS

INDEPENDENCE HIGH GIRLS WIN NSSSA SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Belize City, March 23, 2019 The Independence High School girls won the National Secondary Schools Sports Association’s (NSSSA) softball championships, hosted by the Independence High School on Friday and Saturday, March 22-23.

In Game 1 Friday afternoon, the Northern Zone champs – San Pedro High School girls, led by pitcher Sueny Vasquez won 3-1 over the Central Zone champs – the Edward P. Yorke High school girls. The score was tied 5-5 at the end of 5 innings, but the winner was decided by the tie-breaker rule, that determined the winner was who was leading at the last complete inning, which was San Pedro – up 3-12 at the end of the 3rd inning.

In Game 2 Friday evening, the Southern zone champs – the IHS girls, led by MVP pitcher Daveesha Cardinez, hammered the Western Zone champs – the Belmopan Baptist High School girls 11-1 by mercy rule in 3 innings.

In Game 3 – the consolation game

21 8 MAY AUG 31 MAR

THE BELIZE TIMES TIMES THE BELIZE

Champs - IHS girls

2nd place San Pedro High girls

2016 2019

for 3rd place Saturday morning, the pitcher Darla Guerra led the E.P.Yorke girls to wallop the Belmopan Baptist girls and pitcher Leonie Aldana: 11-1 by mercy rule in the 4th inning.

In Game 4 – the championship final Saturday afternoon, MVP pitcher Daveesha Cardinez struck out 8 batters to lead the IHS girls to an 8-4 win vs the San Pedro girls, even though pitcher Sueny Vasquez also struck out 7 batters.

IHS principal Omar Longsworth and members of the NSSSA executive committee presented team trophies and individual medals, sponsored

by SOL Belize Ltd, to the 1st ,2nd and 3rd place winners at the awards ceremony after the finals.

Individual awards: Most Stolen Bases- Kadisha Coe - IHS Most Runs Batted In (RBIs) – Reah Burgess - IHS Most Strikeouts – Daveesha Cardinez - IHS Most Wins – Daveesha Cardinez - IHS: Best Batting average: Shadiamond Joseph – IHS. Most Valuable Player - Daveesha Cardinez - IHS

Independence High boys win

Belize City, March 23, 2019 The Independence High School boys won the National Secondary Schools Sports Association’s (NSSSA) softball championships, hosted by the Independence High School on Friday and Saturday, March 22-23.

In Game 1 Friday afternoon, the Central Zone champs – the Ladyville Technical High School boys, led by pitcher Mark Estell, eliminated the Northern Zone champs – Orange Walk Technical High School boys: 16-4.

In Game 2 Friday evening, the Southern zone champs – the IHS boys, led by MVP pitcher Jeffton “Biggy” Apolonio, eliminated the Western Zone champs – the Our Lady of Guadalupe (OLAG)High School boys from Belmopan: 16-9. OLAGS’ pitcher Carlos Beardall did not help his cause when he was thrown out of the game for unsportsmanlike conduct when he would not accept an umpire’s decision, and he was barred from playing on Saturday.

In Game 3 – the consolation game for 3rd place Saturday morning, the Orange Walk Tech boys and pitcher Andir Chi won 7-0 by OLAG’s forfeit, after they were leading 15-2 against OLAG boys and their substitute pitcher Rajeni Matura.

In Game 4 – the championship final Saturday afternoon, MVP pitcher Jeffton “Biggy” Apolonio struck out 10 batters to lead the IHS boys to a 6-5 win, coming from behind after Ladyville Tech boys and pitcher Mark Estell were leading 5-2 in the top of the 4th inning.

IHS principal Omar Longsworth and members of the NSSSA executive committee presented team trophies and individual medals, sponsored by SOL Belize Ltd, to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners at the awards ceremony after the finals.

Individual awards: Most Stolen Bases – Marlon Flores - IHS Most Runs Batted In (RBIs) – Juan Chirinos - IHS Most Strikeouts – Mark Estell – Ladyville Technical Most Wins – Jeffton Apolonio - IHS: Best Batting average: Jaheim Webster – – Ladyville Technical.

Most Valuable Player - Jeffton Apolonio - IHS:

NSSSA softball championships

Champs IHS boys

2nd place Ladyville Tech boys

31 MAR

2019

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THE BELIZE TIMES 2015

PUP REPRESENTATIVES DEFENDING BELIZEANS Lake Independence Caribbean Shores

Kareem Musa

Cordel Hyde

Orange Walk Central and Party Leader

Juan “Johnny” Antonio Briceño

Fort George

Freetown

Said Musa

Francis W. Fonseca

Orange Walk South

Jose Abelardo Mai

Cayo North East

Toledo East

Mike Espat

Orlando Habet

Cayo South

Julius Espat

Toledo West

Ruben Oscar Requena Stann Creek West

Rodwell Ferguson

Our progress as a nation will be guided by our commitment to social and economic justice that will allow for us to increase our minimum wage, provide a decent quality of life for all our people, protect our environment and create a better nation. We are ready to get on with this work.

DEBATE ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET 2019-2020

Corozal South East:

Florencio Julian Marin

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2019

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2019

MY PERSPECTIVE

By Dolores Balderamos Garcia

THE USES OF POWER

About two weeks ago Cynthia Williams, Executive Director of the National Women’s Commission, called me and asked if I would be willing to give a few remarks at what she styled as a Women’s Night Out along with Jankunu Productionz at the Bliss Center as part of Women’s month activities. I of course agreed. She asked me to speak briefly on women’s political participation in our country’s development. My friend Ellypat Skeet was asked to remark on community involvement and action, while young Dominique Noralez spoke on building and sustaining future efforts. After we three women shared briefly our thoughts on women and development with the audience of women, the Belize Rewind show was presented.

I was pleased to be part of the proceedings last Thursday, and I had the opportunity to greet Hon. Faith Babb. It got me thinking about women in politics generally and how politics is about the use or uses of power. I like to read now and again about the great civilizations of the past. New technology is allowing archeologists unprecedented insight into our region’s Mayan civilization. LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) laser image technology enables airplanes to shoot millions of laser impulses at the ground, so that massive cities like Tikal and Caracol can be mapped like never before. Our area supported populations of millions of Maya, who cultivated huge agricultural plots to support all these city folks. The Maya were also very warlike, and they built large fortresses to resist attack from rival cities and rulers.

They no doubt wielded power to increase their influence over ever larger areas and people. I wonder what role women played in those times. Did they wield power or contribute to the longevity of certain dynasties ?

Recently I have also been fascinated to read about one individual during the ancient Egyptian civilizations, in the times before and around King Tutankhamun, the most celebrated of the pharaohs. There was then a queen/ king named Hatshepsut, over a thousand years Before the Common Era (B.C.E.) or Before Christ. In her day, the most important women in the imperial family were the king’s mother and the king’s principal wife. The king’s mother would serve as regent if he succeeded his father as a boy.

Hatshepsut outlived her husband, and she defied the tradition of male only power by remaining as queen/

king and maximum leader long after the rightful heir came of age. Her attitude was “let him wait” !!

Hatshepsut was the daughter of King Thutmose I, who did very much to expand and consolidate the Egyptian empire. She carried on from his lead, not being at all reticent in wielding power for the betterment of the empire and its people. During her time great progress was made in social services for her subjects, and the Egyptian empire expanded its power and influence all the way down to the Fourth Cataract of the Nile River and even into the Sinai Peninsula.

Her twenty-two year reign was also marked by unprecedented peace and prosperity for the good of her people.

As a young “princess” she became the principal wife of King Thutmose II, her half-brother. She did not have a son by her husband/brother, and his young heir, Thutmose III, was the son of a secondary wife.

As I said, she was not shy to assert herself, and in order to ensure her legitimacy in a society which assigned proper rule to men only, she took the title of King ! She had herself portrayed as Pharaoh, and she adopted all the emblems and titles associated with kingship. Her depictions on statues and carvings showed her with a lion’s mane and a Pharaoh’s beard, and one inscription commissioned by her proclaimed “No one rebels against me in all lands. All foreign lands are my subjects.” (!!) Talk about spunk.

That was indeed some use of power. So much good can be accomplished with the magnanimous and generous use of power. On the contrary, the wrongful use of power can be selfish and self-aggrandizing.

We are seeing so much of that today, as we are witnessing at this time of budget debate. I don’t care if Hatshepsut had herself portrayed with a beard or if she learned quickly that power is mostly wielded by men and in masculine ways. If she did great things for her people and brought prosperity to the mighty Egyptian empire of that time, more power to her. She had it and used it, no apologies. Women cannot be afraid or ashamed to wield power, but not for the purpose of self-enrichment.

Political involvement for women is a worthwhile endeavor, as I said in my remarks last week. Perhaps we need a Belizean Hatshepsut. The men have had their turn !!

For Sale

By Order of the Mortgagee Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Mortgage made the 30th day of November, 2012, between MARIA DE LOS ANGELES ARRIAZA of St. Margaret’s Village, Cayo District, Belize (hereinafter called “the Borrower”) of the one part and SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LIMITED (hereinafter called “the Bank”) of the other part, and recorded in Deeds Book Volume 29 of 2012 at Folios 143-210, the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the schedule hereto.

All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece and parcel of land being Lot No.92 containing 1184.397 square yards situate in St. Margaret’s Village, Cayo District, Belize and bounded and described as shown by Plan No. 593 of 2012 TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon.

DATED this 19th day of March, 2019 MUSA & BALDERAMOS LLP 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorneys-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.

For Sale

By Order of the Mortgagee Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Mortgage made the 8th day of July, 2008, between ALFARO BOL (also known as ASCUNCION ALFARO BOL) and MIRNA E. PEREZ both of 273 Heron St., Ladyville, Belize District, Belize (hereinafter called “the Borrowers”) of the one part and SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LIMITED (hereinafter called “the Mortgagee”) of the other part, and recorded in Deeds Book Volume 24 of 2008 at Folios 889-918, the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the schedule hereto.

All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Lot No. 262 comprising 761.590 square meters situate in Silk Grass Village, Stann Creek District, bounded and described as shown by Plan No.444 of 2008 attached to Minister’s Fiat Grant No. 44 of 2008 TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon.

DATED this 19th day of March, 2019 MUSA & BALDERAMOS LLP 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorneys-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

VOICE OF THE COMMON MAN

PRAYING FOR FOOD PANTRY

By Hilly Bennett Thursday, March 28, 2019 “Halving poverty by 2015 is the First Millennium Goals. How can regulators contribute to achieving this? Helping to create the conditions for economic growth, though, important is not enough—there is no guarantee that wealth will “trickle down” to the poorest.” CRC Policy Brief November 11, 2006- Regulating against poverty.

The echoing truth to the latter part of the above-mentioned statement transcends the dire realities being faced by the underprivileged and marginalized citizens. This sector of Belizean society religiously pray to the political god(Fathers) for morsels of the UDP manipulated social programs to trickle down—the Conditional Cash Transfers (CCTs), Boost and Food Pantry.

During the decade of rule, the Prime Minister of Belize, Dean Oliver Barrow has paraded the hallowed confines of the National Assembly lauding his Hallmark pro-poor policy. However, poverty and inequality is festering under his leadership. His hypocritical refrain is “the welfare of the people has always been at the core of the equation.”

The 2019 budget presentation was no different. PM Barrow raised his fist to the heavens, pumped up his chest, and patted himself on the back for the measly three (3) million dollars in allocation for the struggling poor.

Since taking the high stool as Prime Minister in 2008, the PM had the benchmark embedded in the First Millennium Goal to prove that as leader he seriously considered the welfare of the people. Additionally, he had at his disposal almost five (5) hundred million in Alba Petro funding to put a dent in poverty across the Jewel. The statistical indicators prove that the Barrow administration political rhetoric regarding poverty alleviation is a total lie. The Poverty index hovers at 40% with 16% becoming indigent.

The United Democratic Party deceivingly portray their social programs as home-grown and a novel idea to fool the populace that they have a heart and care for the poverty stricken many.

During the woeful global financial crisis in 2008-2009, developing nations sought to shoulder the burden of poverty affecting developing countries, inclusive of Belize. A surge of funding to these new types of welfare programs flooded nations engulfed by poverty and inequality.

A study done at the time by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) identified 72 different social programs around the globe, “Dedicated to the elderly, the ill or down and out!” These programs varied from subsidized pension to gas and food subsidies for cooking. India has ad-

opted the latter. Brazil’s Bolsa Familia (Family Stipend) is similar to Belize’s Conditional Cash Transfers and proved a success for Brazil, contrary to the results in Belize. The income of Brazil’s poorest grew 6.8 percent a year and in Belize there has been no growth in income.

Some time ago, a Panamanian advisor to social policy, in this region, explained on one of the media stations here in Belize the reason for the failure of the social programs.

There were “errors of inclusion and errors of exclusion”—meaning individuals not qualified for the programs got on the roll—whilst those who qualified was barred from the benefits of the programs. Honourable Oscar Requena got up in the National Assembly and railed against the very exclusion of people from his constituency. Due to their political preference, they were denied entry into the social programs. Another compounding factor is the lack of proper census-taking to verify the extreme poor and then to focus on the neediest individuals.

Audits conducted to some of the programs revealed occurrences of waste and corruption. Some of the participants were unverifiable and no proper accounting existed regarding the management of the funds.

International regulators drew a concern relevant to instances in Belize.

Governments operating the programs, especially the CCTs, can too easily turn on the money spigot to pump up the recipient rolls at election time.

It is imperative that the Barrow administration understands that the policies and practices intended to narrow the gap between the haves and the have nots is not solely ethically desirable but makes sound economic sense.

Infrastructural development as a condition to grow the economy is important but it is simply not enough.

True development of any country is dependent on the development of its people.

UDP Senator Aldo Salazar in defending more monies supplemented for the Caracol road project said “Infrastructure is a means to alleviate poverty.”

However, aside from almost five (5) hundred million in Petro Fund for the poor, the heralded UDP social programs and a frenzy of the UDP infrastructure projects nothing has changed regarding conditions of the ‘down and out’ Belizeans. Evidently three (3) million earmarked for socially disadvantaged lot will serve the sole purpose of UDP political pandering.

The People’s United Party has embarked on its 20/20 Development Plan for Belize. The center piece of this plan is to create a Belize that works for everyone, including the marginalized, the single mothers, the sick, the elderly and importantly the disenfranchised youths.

PUP ready to win, Ready to lead!!!!!!!

2019

For Sale

By Order of the Mortgagee Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Assignment of Mortgage made the 7th day of March, 2003, registered in Deeds Book Vol. 9 of 2003 at Folios 623 – 638, between DEVELOPMENT FINANCE CORPORATION (“the Assignor”) of the first part, THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA (“the Assignee”), of the second part and ERESTATO MARCUS GENTLE of # 4 Mayflower Street, Belize City, Belize District, Belize (hereinafter called “the Mortgagor”) of the third part, which said property was mortgaged by the said ERESTATO MARCUS GENTLE to the said Development Finance Corporation on the 26th day of June, 2000 and recorded in Deeds Book Volume 38 of 2000 at Folios 923-968, the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the schedule hereto.

All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Lot No. 79 (1105.6 Sq. Yds.) situate along the Western Highway, near Mile 17, New Hattieville Layout bounded and described as shown by Plan No.403 of 1998 TOGETHER with all buildings, erections and developments standing and being thereon.

DATED this 19th day of March, 2019 MUSA & BALDERAMOS LLP 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorneys-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.

For Sale

By Order of the Mortgagee Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd., a company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Mortgage made the 20th day of June, 2012, between OMAR WILLIAMS of Bullet Tree Falls Village, Cayo District, Belize (hereinafter called “the Borrower”) of the one part and SCOTIABANK (BELIZE) LIMITED (hereinafter called “the Bank”) of the other part, and recorded in Deeds Book Volume 15 of 2012 at Folios 1087 -1150, the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the schedule hereto.

All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. SCHEDULE ALL THAT piece and parcel of land being Lot No.137 containing 418.237 square meters situate in Bullet Tree Falls Village, Cayo District, Belize and bounded and described as shown by Plan No. 501 of 2012 TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon.

DATED this 19th day of March, 2019 MUSA & BALDERAMOS LLP 91 North Front Street Belize City Attorneys-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.

31 MAR

17

THE BELIZE TIMES

2019

Tribute to the Life of Rita Anderson

By Gilroy Usher, Sr. Am humbled by the opportunity to share a few words as we celebrate the life of Miss Rita Matura nee-Anderson, who was like a family member to me. Sincere condolences to Mr. Clifford Anderson, Sr. her husband of 19 years, her eleven children, her many grandchildren, and all her other relatives and friends.

Miss Rita was born on September 30, 1966 to her proud parents John and Althia Matura. She was called home by the Savior on Sunday March 17, 2019 after a brief illness. We are all thankful that the Lord blessed Miss Rita with 52 years. She had 12 siblings. During her time on Earth, Miss Rita showed us how to care for one’s family; how to work hard for one’s own upkeep, how to service the community, and how to be thankful for life.

A beautiful lady Miss Rita had four beautiful daughters and seven handsome sons. As a loving wife and mother she always made sure she was there for her family. Once she told me that she wouldn’t be able to attend a meeting beyond a certain time, because she had to go home to prepare food for her husband and other family members. As a parent, who always wanted the best for her family Miss Rita always encouraged her family members to treat others with love and respect.

Miss Rita Anderson was a lady, who believed in making an honest living. In that regard, she was a dedicated employee of the Belize City Council for many years. When that employment came to an end, Miss Rita created employment for herself by selling coconut water and other products near the gas stations on Central American Blvd.

I first met Miss Rita about eight years ago in the Port Loyola Division. She was a community activist. As such, Miss Rita was concerned about justice, equal opportunities, and betterment for everyone. With that interest in her community, Miss Rita Anderson became one of our best committee members and campaigners. At the time of her passing Miss Rita

was a member of the PUP Port Loyola Executive Committee.

Miss Rita was also a mem-

ber of the PUP national United Women’s Group (UWG). She was also instrumental in the formation and success of the PUP Port Loyola Women’s Group.

Whenever we had any community event we could count on 200% support from Miss Rita.

For any of such activity Miss Rita’s favorite words were “Boss, please remember to pick me up by the gas station on Blvd. when you all are ready.”

Miss Rita’s favorite music was souls. Her favorite song was Thank You Mama by Sizzla. Two of the lessons Miss Rita’s family learnt from her are 1) “Learn to be independent” and 2) “Do unto others as you would like them to do unto you.”

In closing I can say that Miss Rita was thankful to the Lord for everyday of her life. Few persons knew she was ill, because she was not a complaining person.

She had faith and trust that the Lord knew what was best for her.

Miss Rita cannot speak with us anymore, but by her life she showed us how to love each and work together to make our dreams come true. One of the best ways all the relatives and friends of Miss Rita can show continued appreciation for her life is by following her example of showing love to one another.

Miss Rits, although you have departed this life, you will never be forgotten. Rest in Peace until we meet again.

The funeral service for Miss Rita Anderson was held at Church of Christ on Elston Kerr St. in Belize City on Saturday March 23, 2019. She was laid to rest at the Lord Ridge Cemetery.

The family expresses their sincere gratitude to all those, who supported them during their time of loss.

R.R. 36 (4) REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE REGISTRATION RULES CAP 9 SECOND SCHEDULE Registration Office Cayo North Electoral Division 28 West St. San Ignacio Town

LIST OF OBJECTIONS I, ANITA LISBEY, Ag. Registering Officer for the CAYO NORTH ELECTORAL DIVISION, hereby give notice that the following List of Objections were received by me in accordance with Rule 36 (2) of the Representation of the People Registration Rules:Names and Addresses Of Persons Objected To

Name and Address of Objector

Grounds of Objections

POLLING AREA No. 73 ALEGRIA, Alisha Aracelie Teodocio Ochoa St.

TILLETT, Hubert Nelson 22 Guadalupe St.

Does not reside at given address

ALEGRIA, Bertha Araceli Teodocio Ochoa St.

TILLETT, Hubert Nelson 22 Guadalupe St.

Does not reside at given address

ALEGRIA, Victor Eduardo Teodocio Ochoa St.

TILLETT, Hubert Nelson 22 Guadalupe St.

Does not reside at given address

AUGUST, Luis Alberto Bougainvilla Park

TILLETT, Hubert Nelson 22 Guadalupe St.

Does not reside at given address

WHITE, Vash Ti Karsie TILLETT, Hubert Nelson Does not reside at given address 22 Alvarado St. 22 Guadalupe St. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ TAKE NOTICE that the Revising Officer will hear the above cases on 2nd April, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. at the Magistrate Court, Magistrate Court Building, San Ignacio Town.

DATED this 26th day of MARCH, 2019

Signed: ANITA LISBEY

AG. REGISTERING OFFICER

Cayo North Electoral Division

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31 MAR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2019

NOTICE OF COMMENCED DISSOLUTION Notice is hereby given A.J.K. Management Services Inc. commenced dissolution on 4th March, 2019; and International Liquidator Services Ltd. whose registered office is at Withfield Tower, 3rd Floor, 4792 Coney Drive, Belize City, Belize, is the Liquidator of the company.

Notice is hereby given PALMIERI FINANCE S.A. and CROSGAR PRODUCTION LTD. both commenced dissolution on 13th March, 2019; and Belizean Liquidators Services Inc. whose registered office is at 50 Shirley Street, P.O. Box CB-13917 Nassau, Bahamas, is the Liquidator of the companies.

Notice is hereby given KLOSIN INTERNATIONAL LTD. commenced dissolution on 18th March, 2019; and International Liquidator Services Ltd. whose registered office is at Withfield Tower, 3rd Floor, 4792 Coney Drive, Belize City, Belize, is the Liquidator of the company.

Morgan & Morgan Trust Corporation Belize Limited

NOTICE OF COMMENCED DISSOLUTION Notice is hereby given A.J.K. Administration Services Inc. commenced dissolution on 19th March, 2019; and International Liquidator Services Ltd. whose registered office is at Withfield Tower, 3rd Floor, 4792 Coney Drive, Belize City, Belize, is the Liquidator of the company.

Notice is hereby given BEVAN UNITED LTD. commenced dissolution on 19th March, 2019; and Belizean Liquidators Services Inc. whose registered office is at 50 Shirley Street, P.O. Box CB-13917 Nassau, Bahamas, is the Liquidator of the company.

Notice is hereby given APTUS MANAGEMENT LTD. commenced dissolution on 21st March, 2019; and International Liquidator Services Ltd. whose registered office is at Withfield Tower, 3rd Floor, 4792 Coney Drive, Belize City, Belize, is the Liquidator of the company.

Morgan & Morgan Trust Corporation Belize Limited

BELIZE DISTRICT INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSING NOTICE Notice is hereby given to the general public that the Board will convene on, Friday, April 5, 2019 for its Second Quarterly Meeting at the Belize City Hall Conference Room for Belize City and Out District Applications from 10:00am to 12:00noon • • • • • • • • • • •

Vessel License Application Hotel Application Membership Application Night Club Application Publican General Application Beer Application Malt & Cider Application Convenience Store Restaurant Application Publican Special Application Shop License Application

All proprietors of establishments, seeking to obtain a liquor License, are required to bring one of the following valid forms of identification: Passport, Driver’s License, Social Security or Voters ID. In Addition, those who fail to attend these meetings will be required to submit payments of $100.00 to facilitate a special convening of the Board.

NOTICE OF COMMENCED DISSOLUTION

BISHOP MARTIN HIGH SCHOOL

Notice is hereby given MUTILA TRADING LTD. commenced dissolution on 22nd March, 2019; and Belizean Liquidators Services Inc. whose registered office is at 50 Shirley Street, P.O. Box CB-13917 Nassau, Bahamas, is the Liquidator of the company.

Notice is hereby given VITAVA DEVELOPMENT INC. commenced dissolution on 22nd March, 2019; and Belizean Liquidators Services Inc. whose registered office is at 50 Shirley Street, P.O. Box CB-13917 Nassau, Bahamas, is the Liquidator of the company.

Notice is hereby given MEVA INVESTMENT LTD. commenced dissolution on 22nd March, 2019; and IAN DAVID FEBER of Gretenweg 13, 8038 Zurich, Switzerland, is the Liquidator of the company.

Notice is hereby given F & V INVESTMENTS INC. commenced dissolution on 25th March, 2019; and Belizean Liquidators Services Inc. whose registered office is at 50 Shirley Street, P.O. Box CB-13917 Nassau, Bahamas, is the Liquidator of the company.

Morgan & Morgan Trust Corporation Belize Limited

¾ MILE SAN LORENZO ROAD, ORANGE WALK TOWN ● P.O. BOX 177 ● TEL. 322-3469/ 671-4567 ● Email: bishopmartinhigh@ymail.com ● WEBSITE: http://www.bmhs.edu.bz

Martin High School, a Roman Catholic Diocesan High for BishopBishop Martin High School, a Roman Catholic Diocesan High School, has a vacancy School, has a vacancy for the following teaching positions tenable the following teaching positions tenable April, 2019.

April, 2019.

1. 1 Science (Physics) Teacher 2. 1 Business (Accounting) Teacher 1. 1 Science (Physics) Teacher 3. 1 EDPM/ Computer Applications Teacher Business (Accounting) 4. 2.1 1English/Literature Teacher Teacher

3. 1 EDPM/ Computer Applications Teacher

Minimum Bachelor’s Degree in the content area. Applicants will also be 4. 1qualifications: English/Literature Teacher expected to participate in all school activities, participate in student supervision, and in furthering the mission of Bishop Martin High School, among others.

Minimum qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree in the content area.

Applicants willinclude also be expected to participate school activities, Applicants should properly authenticated copies ofin allall documents, including: participate in student supervision, and in furthering the mission of Letter of Application, Resume, Valid Teacher’s License, Qualifications (transcript & Bishop Martin High School, among others. diploma), Social Security Card, Birth Certificate/Passport, Medical Certificate, Police Applicants should include properly authenticated copies of all Record (original), References (2 character references), Work Permit (where applicable), documents, including: Marriage/Divorce Certificate (where applicable), Release Letter (where applicable) Letter of Application, Resume, Valid Teacher’s License, Qualifications (transcript diploma), Social Security Card, Birth languages Certificate/ ALL copied documents & must be certified & ALL documents in foreign must Passport, Medical Certificate, Police Record (original), References be accompanied by official English translation (2 character references), Work Permit (where applicable), Marriage/ Applications should be submitted April 5, 2019Release to: Divorce Certificate (where by applicable), Letter (where applicable) The Principal ALL copied documents must beHigh certified Bishop Martin School & ALL documents in foreign languages must be accompanied by official English transla¾ Mile San Lorenzo Road Orange Walk Town tion Or by April 5, 2019 to: Applications should be submitted The Principal Bishop Martin High School ThePOPrincipal Box 177 Bishop Martin High School Belize

¾ Mile San Lorenzo Road Orange Walk Town Or The Principal Bishop Martin High School PO Box 177 Belize

31 MAR

2019

MAYOR KEVIN BERNARD SPEECH IN TAIWAN

Thursday, March 28, 2019 Representatives from Taiwan’s International Cooperation and Development Fund. Representatives from different countries from around the world, colleagues, friends.

First, on behalf of a grateful nation, Belize, let me express our gratitude and assurance of continued friendship and cooperation. Our country has benefited tremendously from its long relationship with Taiwan, in many sectors including technology, infrastructure, education, agriculture and health. This workshop on Smart Transportation Development is just another symbol of that relationship.

I was asked to present an overview of Smart Transportation in Belize, not an easy task, but let me start by saying that perhaps the closest we have gotten as a nation to anything resembling Smart Transportation is a project, funded and spearheaded by Taiwan, which seeks to network our transport monitoring systems countrywide—meaning that all transport departments will be linked. I can’t begin to tell you how critical this one small step toward Smart Transportation will be.

To give you an idea of what I mean, let me say that Belize is small—68 miles at its widest point and 170 miles long from its furthest point north to its furthest point South.

Our population is relatively small— about 370,000 persons. YET, currently a person in one district can commit a traffic offense in one district, and another transport department in another district 50 miles down the road would know nothing about it. So linking all departments would mean that any officer in any district would be given countrywide access to records of any individual in the system, absolutely critical.

I wish that today I could stand here and provide a glowing overview.

I wish I could tell you that our transportation systems are stellar, and that our network is second to none. But that would not be true. Smart Transportation refers to the use of modern technologies and management strategies to provide innovative services relating to different modes of transport and traffic management and enable users to be better informed and make safer and ‘smarter’ use of transport networks.

I can say with all sincerity that we are quite some time away from a point where as a nation Belize can boast the successful and effective use of Smart Transportation. And that is why I will pay keen attention at this workshop.

Perhaps one of the most critical components of our transportation

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THE BELIZE TIMES

sector is public transportation. Currently there are an undetermined number of bus operators who operate buses which carry commuters between the six districts of the country, broken up into seven towns and two cities. Each of these towns and cities operates a main terminal where passengers wait for buses. There is no ticketing system, and at peak hours there is no less than a very dangerous stampede to get on these buses.

That is one major challenge, and another is that 90% of the buses being operated are decades in age,

purchased second hand by bus operators. If there is one area which desperately needs attention in Belize, it is public transportation.

Where the monitoring and management of traffic on our roads and in our cities and towns are concerned, there are also many challenges. Each district and town has a traffic or transport department, and the national department of transport is responsible for monitoring the highways and arteries that link them. But resources are scarce...both vehicular, manpower and technology. For years we have watched Police shows where

authorities would pull someone over and radio in their license plates, and in seconds they know everything about that person. That sort of technology may be ancient in developed countries, but in Belize we haven’t even gotten there yet. Again, the move made by Taiwan very recently to assist with linking our transport departments countrywide will be a huge step in providing the first critical infrastructure to the implementation of real Smart Technology.

There are other challenges we face. Several of our municipalities have put traffic lights in place, but not anywhere near at the level that we need. Across the entire country, there are perhaps six sets of traffic lights in place.

I could go on and on, because this is really a critical area, and one that demands urgent attention. But I will stop here to present some statistics I have been able to compile which will provide a better idea of our traffic and transport situation— including amount of vehicles on the road and traffic accidents. Road traffic fatalities have become one of the leading causes of death in Belize.

So, my friends, I can tell you that this workshop could not be more important, and could not have come at a better time for Belize. I can also tell you that I intend to pay the keenest attention, because anything we learn here will benefit the eventual implementation of Smart Technology in Belize.

I Thank You, our friends from the ICDF, for this opportunity, and for the hand of friendship and assistance you extend not only to Belize but so many countries who desperately need such help.

Thank you.

PUBLIC AUCTION SALE: VEHICLE Belize City; Belize District

BY ORDER of the Supreme Court of Belize, Licensed Auctioneers Kevin A. Castillo & Christiana R. Castillo will sell the following Vehicle At No. 170 Beltex Avenue, Belama Phase 1, Belize City on Saturday 30th March 2019 at 10:00 am:

2009 Land Rover Defender Viewing at 170 Beltex Avenue, Belama Phase 1, Belize City TERMS: STRICTLY CASH KEVIN A. CASTILLO TELEPHONE: 223 4488 Email: kevinacas@yahoo.com FACEBOOK: Belize Auctions

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3131MAR MAR

THEBELIZE BELIZETIMES TIMES THE

ESPAÑOL

2019 2019

Avianca dejará de volar desde El Salvador a Boston, Cali y Cartagena El Economista: Lunes 25 de Marzo 2019 Avianca informó que ante la venta de la totalidad de la flota Embraer 190, las rutas que antes se operaban con estos aviones ahora usarán Airbus A320.

Estos vuelos tendrán un 56 % de capacidad adicional por vuelo, pues los aviones Airbus son más grandes y cómodos.

Los vuelos desde El Salvador hacia Managua, Miami, Houston, Tegucigalpa y Panamá, son algunos de los que serán operados con los aviones Airbus A320, de mayor capacidad y con clase ejecutiva.

No obstante, algunas rutas que salen desde El Salvador, Guatemala, Cartagena y Bogotá serán suspendidas.

Así desde el 1 de mayo próximo cesarán los vuelos desde Bogotá a Boston y a Chicago; así como los vuelos desde Cartagena a Pereita, Nueva York y San Salvador. Así como los vuelos desde El Salvador a

Cali y Cartagena Mientras que desde el 1 de junio de este año cesarán los vuelos desde Guatemala a Tegucigalpa, Nueva York, Chicago y Orlando.

Así como los vuelos desde El Salvador a Boston.

La companía informó que las ventas de boletos en estos segmentos continuarán abiertas para los vuelos operativos hasta la fecha definitiva de suspensión (01 de mayo o 01 de junio según la ruta).

“Todos los pasajeros con tiquetes comprados para fechas posteriores a la fecha de suspensión, serán contactados por Avianca para brindarles diferentes opciones que les permitan continuar con sus planes de viaje. A la fecha, más del 80% de los pasajeros que tenían tiquetes comprados en las rutas modificadas han sido contactados y reacomodados”, dice el comunicado de la empresa.

Costa Rica impulsa recuperar el control de la riqueza atunera EL ECONOMISTA : Lunes 25 de Marzo 2019 El presidente de Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado, presentó este lunes un proyecto que busca recuperar el control de la riqueza atunera de forma sostenible y firmó un decreto para entregar licencias de pesca de atún de forma más ordenada.

El proyecto de ley pretende generar recursos que ayuden a mejorar las pesquerías y contribuir con el desarrollo sostenible de la pesca en el país, así como eliminar las licencias gratuitas, formalizar los criterios para establecer el canon y regular que la totalidad de las capturas sean descargadas en el país.

“El Gobierno ha dado prioridad a la reforma del sector pesquero para mejorar la situación de las poblaciones que dependen de la pesca y buscará alcanzar esta meta con la introducción de una serie de acciones, como una mejor gestión del sector, de la capacidad institucional y la creación de un entorno empresarial propicio para la participación del sector privado”, afirmó Alvarado.

La iniciativa también establece que los barcos atuneros cerqueros de bandera nacional

o extranjera no podrán ejercer actividades en las áreas marinas en las que esté vedada la pesca o en la zonificación definida por el Estado.

Además, será prohibida la pesca de atún con buques cerqueros en las primeras 60 millas náuticas medidas desde la línea base de la costa.

“Mejorar la gestión de la pesca de Costa Rica, buscando la sustentabilidad en el uso de los recursos, aumentará las oportunidades de desarrollo económico que el sector pesquero puede proporcionar al país y a las comunidades costeras y contribuye a la resistencia de este

sector al cambio climático”, destacó el ministro de Agricultura y Ganadería, Renato Alvarado.

Por su parte, el decreto firmado este lunes establece una metodología que determina el valor y la cantidad anual de licencias para pesca de atún mediante redes de cerco en la Zona Económica Exclusiva del Pacífico costarricense.

La propuesta instaura un proceso de subasta pública para la entrega de esas licencias, con el objetivo de garantizar transparencia y efectividad en su distribución.

Según explicó el Instituto Costarricense de Pesca y Acuicul-

“Se invita a los pasajeros a contactar el Call Center de la aerolínea (Colombia 01 8000 958 722- El Salvador 2267 8222 y Guatemala 2470 8220) para resolver cualquier inquietud. Los viajeros que deseen conocer el estado actual de su boleto pueden hacerlo a través de los diferentes canales digitales de la compañía como la aplicación y el sitio web”, agregó Avianca.

tura los recursos oceánicos o pelágicos, como el atún aleta amarilla, tienen un papel estratégico clave pues han impulsado una industria procesadora nacional.

Sin embargo, históricamente han sido poco usadas por los pescadores nacionales ante la competencia que tienen con flotas cerqueras extranjeras que pescan en aguas costarricenses mediante licencias, desembarcando solo una pequeña fracción de sus capturas en Costa Rica.

Desde hace varios años organizaciones han denunciado que los recursos atuneros están siendo aprovechados por la flota extranjera, mientras que el Estado no potencia una flota nacional responsable y de calidad.

Costa Rica cuenta con una Zona Económica Exclusiva 10 veces más grande que su porción terrestre, que se suma a una posición geográfica privilegiada donde confluyen corrientes marinas que permite se concentren importantes poblaciones de atún.

Datos de Fundación MarViva indican que en la zona económica de Costa Rica se capturan, en promedio, 25.000 toneladas métricas de atún por medio de redes de cerco y de estas, solamente se desembarcan 7.500 toneladas métricas para ser usadas en la industria de enlatado de atún en puertos nacionales.

31 MAR

2019

THE BELIZE TIMES

21

One Vision…One People BILL OF RIGHTS The People’s United Party wants to share its vision with the Belizean people. It is rooted in a philosophy that goes back to the Father of our Nation the Right Hon. George Price. Mr. Price always believed ours was a work in progress; he led a revolution that is at its core peaceful, always constructive, progressive and uniquely Belizean.

These values remain true today and form a part of our PUP Creed. We are committed to the protection of our territorial sovereignty. We cannot, and will not risk even an inch of our beloved country, from the Rio Hondo to the Sarstoon. And we are committed to an accessible, fair and independent justice system and the rule of law in Belize.

The PUP will always seek to achieve social, economic and environmental justice. It is a commitment to the socio-economic improvement of all Belizeans. Our plan is to rid Belize of poverty. To the PUP, poverty is an ugly scar on our nation’s collective conscience, and no amount of cosmetic surgery can paste over the suffering of close to half of our people, most of them women and children, who live on less than ten dollars per day.

This is not only a task for governments. We all have a stake in this enterprise, but government must LEAD and bold leaders must show that they truly care. For us the task ahead is clear - to build a Belize that works for everyone, so that every Belizean should come to expect five things. This vision, this determination, has created what we call our BELIZEAN BILL OF RIGHTS. FIRST - Every Belizean should have access to a piece of land. With land we immediately create opportunities for upliftment and personal growth.

SECOND - Every Belizean should be able to own a decent home. The 17th Century Jurist and politician Edward Coke in speaking on human rights said: “A man’s home is his castle.” Every Belizean in 2017 should expect such an entitlement whether they live on Bocotora Street or on Seashore Drive.

THIRD - Every Belizean should be given the chance to go to school from pre-school to junior college. We have to make education free from pre-kinder to Junior College. If we will give our young people a chance at success, it must start with a good education.

FOURTH – Accessibility to quality basic health care is critical, which means every Belizean should be enrolled in the National Health Insurance Program. If we can invest 42 million dollars in a basketball stadium, then we should be able to provide basic health services to all.

FIFTH and most important, the driving force behind it all is JOBS - good jobs that can lead to meaningful careers; jobs that will give Belizeans a chance for personal growth and prosperity and provide a hand up for those at the very bottom of the economic ladder.

If we do these things, if we create a fair and just society, if we build on these principles we will then be able to change people’s lives and together we will rid our shores of the scourge that is poverty.

22

By Angeles Itzab Thursday, March 28, 2019 March is celebrated as Women’s Month, a month in which we should celebrate the uniqueness, strength, intelligence and beauty of what being a woman is. Although off to an unfavorable beginning, we are ending the month on the right track. For three days the Wonder Women competition was hosted by the Belize Coast Guard in what makes the fourth year that the competition is taking place. The competition originated as an internal competition within the Coast Guard, and recently the Belize Defense Force and Police Department were invited to join.

This year was the first year that all three forces were represented in a total of five teams.

On Day one of the challenge the teams were tasked with completing the Coast Guard Fitness test which included best efforts in push-ups, sit ups, pull ups followed by a two-mile run.

Day two started with a six-mile relay run along the George Price Highway starting at the Coast Guard Headquarters and in the afternoon a medley which is designed to test the team’s ability to carry weights and burden under the pressure of time. Day three began with an eight-mile march with combat equipment along the Burrell Boom Road. The teams later participated in a live Firing Falling Plate competition at the Hattieville Range. Being on its final stretch the competition got even more challenging with the final event. A cross fit competition, dubbed the Crucible it had the wonder women compete in a log race and tire flip event. The teams then finished the course with a twenty-foot rope climb.

In the words of Jules Vasquez, they are called wonder women for good reason because their feats, their dauntlessness, can seem super heroic. At the end of the three days the Coast Guard’s Alpha team won the competition but in the eyes of the public all of these women are and not only winners but wonder women. The team spirit, resilience and strength displayed throughout the competition is truly something to be admired. As Diana Velasquez of the Coast Guard’s Alpha Team stated “most of the women taking part in this event are physically stronger than their male counterparts” goes to further emphasize the idea that women can and do anything they set their mind to.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

2019

There is nothing stopping these women, not the idea that women should not be aggressive, or muscled, or tough or that women should not be allowed in combat forces such as these. They have proven that they can and they will continue to demonstrate that women are as tough as they come.

The United Women’s Group and People’s United Party would like to congratulate all the women who participated in this competition and thank the women in the BDF, Police Department and Belize Coast Guard for their service.///

For immediate release Belize Youth Movement says NO to the ICJ The relationship between the governing UDP and the Belizean masses is one of disconnect. The UDP, through government-mandated “education” campaigns and through representation from its own ministers, For immediate release has consistently offended, dismissed and neglected the interests, queries and uncertainties of the Belizean people. The character of what should have been a comprehensive and unbiased education campaign has Belize Youth Movement says NO to the ICJ been irresponsibly corrupted by partisan interests of the incompetent UDP leadership.

The relationship between the governing UDP and the Belizean masses is one of disconnect. The UDP, The nature of the “education” campaign has taken the form of a “Yes to the ICJ” campaign, and has through government-mandated “education” campaigns and through representation from its own ministers, unfairly disrespected the sincere interests of the people in seeking out the best possible resolution of the has consistently offended, dismissed and neglected the interests, queries and uncertainties of the Belizean unfounded Guatemalan claim to Belizean territory. The Belize Youth Movement considers it people. The character of what should have been a comprehensive and unbiased education campaign has indescribably offensive and despicable that the UDP has used monies intended to carry out an education been irresponsibly corrupted by partisan interests of the incompetent UDP leadership. campaign to fund a campaign of indoctrination.

The nature of the “education” campaign has taken the form of a “Yes to the ICJ” campaign, and has As such, the National Executive of the Belize Youth Movement unfairly disrespected the sincere interests of the people in seeking out the best possible resolution of the unfounded Guatemalan claim to Belizean territory. The Belize Youth Movement considers it HAVING DETERMINED indescribably offensive and despicable that the UDP has used monies intended to carry out an education campaign to fund a campaign of indoctrination.  that under the leadership of Prime Minister Dean Barrow and Foreign Minister Wilfred “Sedi” the Executive Government has Belize failed to conduct a timely and comprehensive education As such,Elrington, the National of the Youth Movement campaign;  that the United Democratic Party has failed to conduct an education campaign in general, HAVING DETERMINED promoting in its place a “Yes to the ICJ” campaign; that under the controversial wording of the 2008 Special Agreement has not been accepted by “Sedi” the  that the leadership of Prime Minister Dean Barrow and Foreign Minister Wilfred Belizean masses, the masses having played no role in developing the document’s terms Elrington, the Government has failed to conduct a timely and comprehensive education or any other aspect of the referendum framework; campaign; that the the United majorityDemocratic of the baseParty of thehas People’s United Party’s membership and theinparty’s  that failed to conduct an education campaign general, supporters throughout all the nation’s constituencies have indicated their intention to vote “No” promoting in its place a “Yes to the ICJ” campaign; on referendum day; wording of the 2008 Special Agreement has not been accepted by the  that the controversial

Belizean masses, the masses having played no role in developing the document’s terms or any ENCOURAGES all members of the Belize Youth Movement and the People’s United Party to vote “No” other aspect of the referendum framework; on referendum day.  that the majority of the base of the People’s United Party’s membership and the party’s supporters throughout all the nation’s constituencies have indicated their intention to vote “No” on referendum day; Belize City 27th March 2019 ENCOURAGES all members of the Belize Youth Movement and the People’s United Party to vote “No” on referendum day.

Belize City 27th March 2019

31 MAR

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THE BELIZE TIMES

2019

PUBLIC AUCTION SALE: PROPERTIES 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 at Unit No. 4 Corner Belize/Corozal and San Antonio Roads, (First Traffic Light) Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District on Monday 1st April 2019 at 1:30 pm: PUBLIC AUCTION SALE: PROPERTIES

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 at Unit No. 4 Corner Belize/Corozal and San Antonio Roads, (First Traffic Light) Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District on Monday 1st April 2019 at 1:30 pm: 1. Parcel No. 1264 corner Tate & Lyle Streets, Otro Benque, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District:

REGISTRATION SECTION BLOCK PARCEL Orange Walk Town 4 1264 (Being a Concrete Bungalow Dwelling House [25 ft. X 30 ft. + 17 ft. X 28 ft.] containing 3 bedrooms + 1 bathroom + living/dining/kitchen; Office Building [12 ft. X 30 ft.] containing manager's office + secretaries office + reception area; Store Room [7 ft. X 20 ft.] and lot [302.89 square meters (362.26 square yards)] situate at corner Tate & Lyle Streets, Otro Benque, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District, the freehold property of Mr. David Enrique Navarette) 2. Parcel No. 2770 Trial Farm Village, Orange Walk District:

(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, Orange Walk District, the freehold property of Ms. Lilia Constantino) 7. Parcel No. 2923 off the San Antonio Road, Orange Walk District:

REGISTRATION SECTION BLOCK PARCEL Ann Gabourel 4 2923 (Being a vacant lot [1154.802 S.M.] situate off the San Antonio Road, Orange Walk District, the freehold property of Ms. Lilia Novelo) 8. Parcel No. 3245 off May Plum Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District:

REGISTRATION SECTION BLOCK PARCEL Orange Walk Town 4 3245 (Being an elevated metal/timber dwelling house (16 ft. X 20 ft.) and lot [555.50] square yards situate off May Plum Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District, the leasehold property of Mr. Joseph Jacobs and Ms. Marlita Jacobs) 9. Parcel No. 38 corner Cactus Street & Oleander Avenue, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District:

REGISTRATION SECTION BLOCK PARCEL Ann Gabourel 4 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) 3. Parcel No. 1080 Pucte Villas Subdivsion, Orange Walk District:

REGISTRATION SECTION BLOCK PARCEL Ann Gabourel 4 1080 (Being a vacant lot [557.35 S.M.] situate in Pucte Villas Subdivision, Orange Walk District, the freehold property of Mr. Marlo Perrera) 4. Parcel No. 16/1 San Estevan Village, Orange Walk District:

REGISTRATION SECTION BLOCK PARCEL San Estevan 4 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) 5. Parcel No. 206/1 Carmelita Village, Orange Walk District:

REGISTRATION SECTION BLOCK PARCEL Carmelita 1 206/1 (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) 6. Parcel No. 1290 San Felipe Street, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District:

REGISTRATION SECTION BLOCK PARCEL Orange Walk Town 4 38 (Being a concrete dwelling house elevated 2.5 feet above grade measuring first [44 ft. X 34 ft.] + [13 ft. X 17 ft.]+ garage [19 ft. X 21 ft.] + laundry/storeroom [13 ft. X 19 ft.] + recreation den [13 ft. X 19 ft.] containing Master Bedroom/Bathroom/Walk-in-Closet + 2 other Bedrooms with shared Bathroom + Small Office + Living/Dining/Kitchen + Porch [6 ft. X 44 ft.] and lot [1950.70 square meters or 2333.04 square yards] situate at corner Cactus Street & Oleander Avenue, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District, the freehold property of Mr. Carl Michael Meggs) 10. Parcel No. 24 San Jose Palmar Village, Orange Walk District:

REGISTRATION SECTION BLOCK PARCEL San Jose Palmar 4 24 (Being two concrete buildings: Building No. 1 [24 ft. X 38 ft.] 4 bedrooms + 1 bathroom + living/dining/kitchen; Building No. 2 L-Shaped [8 ft. X 11 ft.] + [17 ft. X 18 ft.] 2 bedrooms + living/kitchen and lot containing 0.363 acre or 1,756.92 square yards situate in San Jose Palmar Village, Orange Walk District, the freehold property of Mr. Edgar Salas.)

11. Parcel No. 120 Phillip Goldson Highway, Orange Walk Town, Orange Walk District:

REGISTRATION SECTION BLOCK PARCEL San Jose Palmar 4 120/1 (Being a two storey concrete residential complex and lot situate beside the Phillip Goldson Highway, Orange Walk Town, the leasehold property of Mr. Luis Romeo Urbina) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION - www.belizebank.com (foreclosure listing) TERMS: STRICTLY CASH KEVIN A. CASTILLO belizebank.com CHRISTIANA (foreclosure R. CASTILLO listing) TELEPHONE 223-4488 E-mail: kevinacas@yahoo.com Face Book: Belize Auctions

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION www.

TERMS: STRICTLY CASH

REGISTRATION SECTION Ann Gabourel

BLOCK 4

PARCEL 1290

KEVIN A. CASTILLO CHRISTIANA R. CASTILLO TELEPHONE: 223 4488 Email: kevinacas@yahoo.com Face Book: Belize Auctions

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THE BELIZE TIMES

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2019