Belize Times May 17, 2020- Barrow! Barrow! Barrow!

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The Belize Times

Established 1957

The Truth Shall Make You Free

17 MAY 2020 | ISSUE NO: 5198

www.belizetimes.biz | $1.00

BARROW

BORROW, BORROW “I WILL BORROW UNTIL I CAN BORROW NO MORE” are the most irresponsible words a head of state can utter to his citizens. To add salt to a wounded economy, at his May 8 press conference, Prime Minister Barrow followed with a snapshot of the grim collections done in April and the outlook for an even “dreader” May. What he has failed to tell Belizeans is that this is only the worst-case scenario manifesting itself from a

lackluster 2020/21 budget that he so willingly swept under the rug thanks to COVID 19.

Based on the proposed 2020/21 Budget, we were expected to see an overall deficit of $122.7 million also adding $109.40 million for loan amortization requirements. This would mean that GOB would be expected to find fi-

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BARROW, BORROW, BORROW

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John Briceño Teacher’s Day Message

BMDA STILL DISRESPECTED Pg. 14

Without even a trace of shame, Prime Minister Dean Barrow told the nation that he is prepared to borrow and borrow and borrow until he can’t borrow any more. Of course, he said it like it is something new, but the truth is that this is how Mr. Barrow has operated through three consecutive terms.

That is the reason why our national debt has grown by over $2 BILLION while more and more Belizeans have been pushed into poverty. That is why Belizeans now, and our children, and our children’s children and their children will be stuck paying billions in debt, while we have nothing to show for it

but some broken up roads and dilapidated roundabouts.

Mr. Barrow, if he was capable of normal human emotions, should be overwhelmed by shame for the destruction he and the Cabinet Cartel have brought to our small jewel. Bad back and all, he loves to hobble to the podium and praise himself for development only he can see. And he loves to pretend that he is a saint, and has never been involved in any hanky-panky, when one only has to look at how the wealth of the Barrow friends and family

PANDEMIC OPPORTUNISM: STRIPPINGPg. OF2 CIVIL THEOUR ELYSIAN LIBERTIES BLUES: NO ZEN INCLUDED

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Guatemalan Incursions Continue

CONGRATULATIONS Belizeans; Only you can keep us Covid-free

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BARROW BORROW, BORROW Continued from page 1 nancing for $232 million. On the heels of Covid-19, Barrow has added an additional burden in the forms of Covid relief loans such as the $75 million borrowed from the Central bank. For the past 12 years, we have seen a reckless government increasing our national debt by $1.5 Billion, totalling $3.6 Billion. This was projected to be a whopping 98.1% of GDP and with the additional “Covid relief” loans we can safely expect this to balloon over 100%.

With the expected decrease in export and lower trade and tourism revenues, GDP is expected to contract by almost 7% for this year. To compound the current economic dangers, based on the applications for unemployment relief and last estimates provided by SIB, the unemployment rate is expected to rise to 42%. What does this economic contraction mean?

It means that there can be expected drops in personal income, industrial production, retail sales, a further increase in unemployment, in essence, Belize will remain in a recession.

The reliance on a single industry and countless loans and bloated contracts to satisfy personal egos have left the Belizean economy unprepared for a natural disaster or in this case a pandemic. A two-week pause in the Belizean economy has left the government broke, scrambling for dollars.

Tourism has been the go-to industry during this administration, with UDP’s such as Manuel Heredia, Erwin Contreras, Tracy Panton, Elodio Aragon, and Kim Simpliss being wooed by ‘tourism investors. Some such as Doug Singh and Kim Simpliss are also hoteliers. With the demise of the $500 million giant industry to Covid, unemployment, and minimal export revenue, the Belizean economy is on life support. The excuse of the Superbond can no longer suffice, since 2015, Belize has lost revenue opportunities such as the $30 million Papaya industry, seen the shrinkage in revenue of key exports such as Marine Products, Citrus Concentrate, and Bananas to the tune of $97 million.

The UDP’s excuse will be natural disasters. Whilst the impact of natural disasters has been real, the UDP government has done little to improve the Agro sector of the national economy. With a drought projected for 2020 what has the government done to protect this already frail sector? Will we expect a New River 2.0? Increased forest fires? Loss of crops? Loss of livestock? 2020 has shown the UDP’s inefficiency in managing the Agro sector. Some of these issues include the difficulties in exporting cattle, the temporary impasse with cargo trucks at the western border, and ultimately the resignation of an incompetent CEO of Agriculture. Covid has exposed this Belize for what the UDP has made it into, a BARROWING nation.

At his May 14th press conference, Dean Barrow confirmed the nation’s somber outlook when he offered his sympathy to “those that will have to deal with that particular problem”.We can safely translate this to mean “I’m done with you Belize, exit stage left”

BARROW, BORROW, BORROW Continued from page 1 has grown tremendously since 2008 – to know that Barrow is full of hot air, and is spouting nonsense.

Belizeans need to understand that when Barrow talks about borrowing and borrowing and borrowing, it’s not the same as if you go to your bank or credit union. When we normal Belizeans borrow, we work and we pay back. When Barrow borrows, he gets to go relax on the beach in Placencia, with not a care about the debt he left behind. He will be free – at least until the findings of several audits and investigations which will be launched – to travel the world, and to add more Rolex watches to his collection. When Barrow gets kicked out of office soon, he will leave with his family members loaded. Even the ex-wife got filthy rich thanks to big daddy Dean.

When Dean Oliver says he will borrow and borrow and borrow until he can’t borrow any more – remember that we are in this position be-

17 MAY

THE BELIZE TIMES

cause of corruption, greed, incompetence and mismanagement. One of Barrow’s best friends, Gaspar Vega, is singlehandedly responsible for the vilest raping of our natural resources in the nation’s history.

By using a bogus compensation scheme UDP cronies benefitted to the tune of tens of millions of dollars. Despite all the evidence against Vega, including heaps of land documents showing he gave himself and family members thousands of acres of prime land, Barrow has done absolutely nothing to recover any of that land or any of that money. Yet, he is now prepared to borrow and borrow and borrow because the government is broke.

Barrow is not broke, and the UDP is not broke, but the country is broke.

Remember also that when Barrow borrows, to infinity, we will be the ones paying it all back. If he borrows a billion, we will pay it back. If he borrows two billion, we will pay it back. How much more can we

THE ELYSIAN BLUES: NO ZEN INCLUDED The coronavirus is hated by everyone on earth but not as much as by the profiteering UDPs. When the Prime Minister keeps thumping the desk in emphasis or frustration, it is, in the most Trumpian fashion, hope that the coronavirus is one rapid test away from oblivion. Many an elite UDP has thrown countless millions into erecting resort sanctuaries speckled all over Belize. These so called Belizean hotels go for prices so obscene that the local tourist dollar is automatically frowned upon with all the disdain UDPs can muster.

Listen keenly to the Prime Minister as he repeatedly makes overtures and scenarios that speculate to, maybe the revival of the comatose tourism sector. The revolving theories about said revival is most likely derived from his imagining the possibilities. This imagination has allowed lawyer Barrow to dabble into epidemiological calls. The latter comes from his point of view on the best practice use of rapid testing success being equal to a safe solution to the eventual opening of the International airport. All in the UDP spirit of feeding their tourism destinations.

If there was a mention of the agro industry during his last two presentations, it has been so negligible enough to miss. The tourism dollar is welcome but after the first two quarters of 2020 it will be obvious that tourism should now be handled as a side dish, sanitized well, guarded with economic masks and economically distant in priority. Tourists can enjoy Belize on our terms just as they do in major destinations around the world.

Tourism can flourish under the shade of the Agro Productive Industry. But this, needs the vision of the PUP. The UDP presently are walking away from their serving of the people. Presently, they are just getting frustrated as they see their zen and elysian dreams go up in coronavirus smoke. take?

Under the UDP, the country has been pushed to the brink of disaster – all our industries destroyed. The mess that this country is in has nothing to do with a pandemic called COVID-19. It has everything to do with a man-made disaster known as Dean Oliver Barrow.

It has everything to do with the UDP.

2020

Guatemalan Incursions Continue A picture that has gotten some attention online is that of cattle grazing purportedly on the Chiquibul or right at the border with Guatemala.

The photographer Tony Rath has this for public consumption so anyone can see with their own eyes on his Facebook page.

The importance of this picture at this time is that we are bracing from the coronavirus and any incursion into our border, in this case from the Guatemalan side is really a double-sided sword. It exposes our ability to contain foreign beings from entering our borders. This notion that Guatemala is passively or maybe stealthily invading us is the other which has been a more than a century old thorn that still hurts.

Many of us are double sensitive today, one for the Guatemala claim and also to the idea that someone coming in from the western border will bring in the 2nd wave of the pandemic. The latter is NOT welcome.

The Prime Minister has voiced that he does not know of the picture. The BDF and patrolling groups should have an answer sooner or later.

Do we have the resources to send them?

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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17 MAY

2020

THE BELIZE TIMES

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EDITORIAL

Building Resilience Against COVID-19

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here were many lessons to be learned from the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. Unfortunately, a prudent fiscal policy which should have prioritized fiscal resilience and economic diversity were concepts, never grasped by the eminent legal minds and economic gurus of the UDP Government. For clarity, we must state that the definition of fiscal resilience is the capacity of any given economy to withstand shock and to recover rapidly to the previous level of growth or better. Tourism in Belize had been the one shining star in the rather lackluster performance of the UDP. An IMF working paper written

by Julian T. S. Chow reports that in 2018 the growth rate of the tourism industry in Belize hit double digits at 15% far above the regional average. It is calculated that the complete contributions to GDP are an astounding 41.3% and engages up to 37.3% of the entire labour force either directly or indirectly. In stark contrast, the Agro Industries have all but withered away and died during the same period. Agriculture now accounts for only about 9.6% of GDP and employs a scarce 15.5% of the working population.

At the Belize Times we have often echoed the sentiments of the Hon. Jose Abelardo Mai in reference to the absolute importance of food security for Belize. We have published many an editorial replete with information in this regard and warning of the predicaments that could develop during disasters. However, investments have been by and large concentrated in infrastructural development, albeit of poor quality, questionable necessity and replete with murky tendering processes in order to develop the tourism industry. Little to nothing has been seriously and tangibly invested in the human resource of this nation. The Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education take the lion’s share of the budget, but we as a nation are no more healthy or educated than we were fifteen years ago. We are more hungry and poor which has direct impact on how healthy we are as a people and how educated we can expect to become. Still, the agriculture industry and our capacity to feed ourselves seem of little consequence to those that govern us and we continue to import huge quantities of food that can be locally produced.

The question that bears asking then is, who profits from the building infrastructure to boost the tourism industry almost exclusively? We all know who benefits from the building contracts, however, there are many political heavyweights and their spouses who have significant personal investments in the tourism industry. The infamous Doug Singh, for instance, has a multimillion-dollar investment in Caye Caulker at the Blue Zen. Condos at the Blue Zen start selling at a mere 500K. The PM’s wife has interests in The Ellysian a boutique hotel on the Placencia peninsula boasting current discounted COVID rates that start at $750 a room per night. The PM’s law partner also has property on Placencia. The investments this country has made have not been those that would have benefited the normal little people. The promises of a public hospital in San Pedro, Caye Caulker, or even Placencia have been left as empty campaign promises from the confused Minister of Tourism.

Investments in Agriculture including storage facilities, which would have benefitted our economy by diversification and increased food security have been left by the wayside. Agriculture has the potential to employ unskilled labour which is still a large demographic in our country despite the gargantuan budget of the Ministry of Education. Still, the papaya, banana, and citrus industries have been allowed to fail. Potato and onion growers have had no support from the GOB that continues to import these products to the detriment of local producers. Cattle exports have recently been stopped, which means that an industry with the potential for almost $30M in revenues has been effectively slaughtered.

Experts agree that having employment spread out across different industries, which is economic diversity helps to avoid big drops in employment in times of global economic crisis. This is because tourism is one of the first industries to be severely affected as seen in the drop during the 2008 GFC and now during the 2020 Great Lockdown. Goetz, Fleming-Muñoz, and Han in a study in resilience concluded that countries with a more experienced workforce and those with higher levels of self-employed and entrepreneurs also benefit from higher protection from financial shocks. These are precisely the sectors of Belizean society that receive the least support from the GOB. Instead of diversification, and entrepreneurship, this government insists on promoting oligopolies and monopolies. Their support continues to focus on the tourism industry instead of the self-employed. The importance is even now heaped on the importance of local tourism when we can scarcely afford to feed ourselves.

The old proverb warns those that “fail to prepare, must prepare to fail.” The Red Circus continues to feign concern but in reality, they are trying to save their own million-dollar investments. They have no regard for the peasants that must till the soil and toil under the hot sun, the free zone worker, or the casino worker.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

EDITORIAL

17 MAY

2020

en Español

Creando Resiliencia Contra COVID-19

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ay muchas lecciones que aprender de la crisis financiera mundial de 2008. Lamentablemente, la política fiscal prudente que debería haber dado prioridad a la resiliencia fiscal y la diversidad económica, fueron conceptos que nunca captaron las eminentes mentes jurídicas y los gurús económicos del Gobierno del UDP. Para mayor claridad, debemos afirmar que la definición de resiliencia fiscal es la capacidad de cualquier economía para resistir el choque y lograr recuperarse rápidamente al nivel anterior de crecimiento o mejor. El turismo en Belice había sido la única estrella brillante en el desempeño poco lustroso del UDP. Un documento de trabajo del FMI escrito por Julian T. S. Chow informa que en 2018 la tasa de crecimiento de la industria del turismo en Belice alcanzó dobles dígitos en un 15% por encima del promedio regional. Se calcula que las contribuciones completas al PIB representan un sorprendente 41,3% y ocupan hasta el 37,3% de toda la fuerza de trabajo, ya sea directa o indirectamente. En marcado contraste, las Agro Industrias casi se han marchitado y muerto durante el mismo período. La agricultura representa ahora sólo alrededor del 9,6% del PIB y emplea a un escaso 15,5% de la población activa.

En el Belize Times hemos hecho eco a menudo de los sentimientos del Honorable Jose Abelardo Mai en referencia a la importancia absoluta de la seguridad alimentaria para Belice. Hemos publicado muchos editoriales repletos de información a este respecto y alertando sobre las dificultades que podrían surgir durante los desastres. Sin embargo, las inversiones se han concentrado en gran medida en el desarrollo de la infraestructura de mala calidad, necesidad cuestionable y lleno de procesos de licitación turbios con el fin de desarrollar la industria del turismo. Poco o nada se ha invertido seria y tangiblemente en los recursos humanos de esta nación. El Ministerio de Salud y el Ministerio de Educación se llevan la mayor parte del presupuesto, pero nosotros como nación no estamos ni más sanos ni más educados que hace quince años. Estamos más hambrientos y pobres, lo que tiene un impacto directo en lo saludables que somos como pueblo y en los educados que podemos esperar llegar a ser. Sin embargo, la industria agrícola y nuestra capacidad de alimentarnos a nosotros mismos parecen de poca importancia para los que nos gobiernan y seguimos importando enormes cantidades de alimentos que pueden ser producidas localmente.

La pregunta que cabe plantearse entonces es: ¿Quién se beneficia de la infraestructura de construcción para impulsar la industria del turismo casi exclusivamente? Todos sabemos quiénes se benefician de los contratos de construcción, sin embargo, muchos políticos de gran peso y sus cónyuges tienen importantes inversiones personales en la industria del turismo. El infame Doug Singh, por ejemplo, tiene una inversión multimillonaria en Caye Caulker en el Blue Zen. Los condominios en el Blue Zen se han comenzado a vender al mínimo de tan sólo $500.000. La esposa del Primer Ministro (PM) tiene intereses en The Ellysian un hotel boutique en la península de Placencia actualmente ofreciendo descuentos COVID en tarifas que comienzan en $750 por habitación por noche. El socio legal del PM también tiene propiedades en Placencia. Las inversiones que este país ha hecho, no han sido las que habrían beneficiado a la gente normal. Las promesas de un hospital público en San Pedro, Cayo Caulker e incluso Placencia se han quedado en promesas vacías de campaña del despistado Ministro de Turismo.

Las inversiones en agricultura, incluidas las instalaciones de almacenamiento que habrían beneficiado a nuestra economía por la diversificación y el aumento de la seguridad alimentaria, han quedado a la zaga. La agricultura tiene el potencial de emplear mano de obra no-calificada que sigue siendo una gran población en nuestro país a pesar del gigantesco presupuesto del Ministerio de Educación. Aun así se ha permitido que las industrias de papaya, banano y cítricos fracasen. Los cultivadores de patatas y cebollas no han recibido apoyo del Gobierno de Belice, que sigue importando estos productos en detrimento de los productores locales. Las exportaciones de ganado se han detenido recientemente, lo que significa que una industria con el potencial de casi 30 millones de ingresos ha sido efectivamente sacrificada.

Los expertos coinciden en que la distribución del empleo entre diferentes industrias, que es la diversidad económica, ayuda a evitar grandes caídas en el empleo en tiempos de crisis económica mundial. Esto se debe a que el turismo es una de las primeras industrias que se ven gravemente afectadas, como se vio en la caída durante el GFC 2008 y ahora durante el Gran Confinamiento 2020. Goetz, Fleming-Muñoz y Han, en un estudio sobre la resiliencia, concluyeron que los países con una mano de obra más experimentada y los países con mayores niveles de autoempleo y empresarios también se benefician de una mayor protección frente a las crisis financieras. Estos son precisamente los sectores de la sociedad beliceña que reciben menos apoyo del Gobierno de Belice. En lugar de diversificación y emprendimiento, este gobierno insiste en promover oligopolios y monopolios. El apoyo sigue centrándose en la industria del turismo en lugar de los trabajadores autónomos. La envergadura se ha colmado en la importancia del turismo local, cuando apenas podemos darnos el lujo de alimentarnos a nosotros mismos.

El viejo proverbio advierte a aquellos que “no se preparan, deben prepararse para fracasar”. El Circo Rojo sigue fingiendo preocupación, pero en realidad están tratando de salvar sus propias inversiones de millones de dólares. No tienen consideración por los campesinos que deben labrar la tierra y trabajar bajo el sol caliente, el trabajador de la zona franca ni el trabajador del casino.

17 MAY

2020

THE BELIZE TIMES

BELLY of the

BEAST

It’s the UDP…Stupid!

The pathetic PM has taken aim at the public officers of Belize who have insisted that before hard working career employees take any pay-cut, Barrow will need to come clean about all the millions and millions and millions which have been misspent by the UDP government. How the hell could this man be crying on the podium about those selfish public officers who don’t want to bail out government?

What a fool. He certainly wasn’t crying when all those hundreds of millions in contracts were being signed for Imer Hernandez. He wasn’t crying when his Ministers were accused of corruption time and time again. He wasn’t crying when he put his son Anwar at BTL to become a millionaire. The PSU is absolutely right and we will stand by them. The mess that this country is in has nothing to do with COVID-19. We were in a mess long before COVID-19. It’s the UDP, stupid! Barrow has another thing coming if he believes that he can push around the PSU or the BNTU. They’re not going to back down – just another nail in the UDP’s coffin.

Dodo Bird Denton The PSU leadership made a senior point which bad back Barrow will not be able to answer. Check this out. On one hand you are praising your front-line personnel like essential workers and nurses and doctors and law enforcement officers and public officers for being the real heroes and on the other hand you are telling them that they need to take a pay-cut. But there are people like waste of time CEO of Housing Denton Belisle, father of the UDP Mayor Khalid Belisle, who has been getting a fancy salary, government vehicle and all the perks for years, just to stay home. That fellow wouldn’t know a good day’s work if he tripped over it and hit his big head. Like the PSU has said clearly, the Ministry of Housing has not built not even one house in the past ten years. Yet millions are budgeted to that

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Ministry every single year. Imagine – NOT ONE HOUSE IN TEN YEARS. And stories like these are legion. When the UDP looks at all the millions paid in wasted allowances to political appointees, then the government can look at public officers.

SSB Waste And since we’re on the subject of wasting taxpayer monies, perhaps the UDP crony who was SSB CEO and is now SSB Chairman, Colin Young, can explain why the people’s money continued to be paid out to a legal advisor who left the country a year ago. The Belize Times has been very reliably informed that Donelle Hawke, wife of the former SolGen Nigel Hawke, left the country in mid2019, but continued to be paid as manager of the SSB’s Legal Department up to last month. We are told her annual pay amounted to around $100,000. Remember that Belizeans have been asked to bail out the SSB because that entity says it is broke. All of us have had to dig deep in our pockets to make a sacrifice, yet it appears that those connected to the UDP continue to live high on the hog.

Thank God the end is very near for the UDP. You ARE the Father Dean Oliver may have abandoned Jamal before birth, and may have ignored him all his life. Maybe he still doesn’t accept him. But for us here at the Belize Times, there is no doubt. As our cousin Maury would say – Dean Oliver, YOU ARE THE FATHER. Dean talks all pretty, but at heart he’s nothing but a snake-oil salesman, a slimy shyster with the morals of a grinning hyena—Jamal all over.

Dean has gone through his entire political life as the man with all glitter and no substance—Jamal all over. That sucker Jamal Moses Leviy whatever, who fancies himself as the next representative of Mesopotamia, is nothing but a con man trying to feed people his con plan. There is nothing worse than a man who will give people a plate of food, but then insist they have to pose with him and the plate of food for a photo, and then he has to post about giving them that plate of food, and praise himself for feeding them. People in Mesopotamia know that Jamal does nothing for anybody if there’s no photo in it. And he loves to remind people about what he’s done for them. Jamal may have thought that being bitch-slapped was bad enough – but when elections are called he’ll get the whipping of his life.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

17 MAY

2020

COVID QUESTIONS

1. Why is the NEMO Minister selling smoked beef at the market in Belize City? Did he get a license to be handling and peddling food?

2. Will the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance please say why he is still paying UDP cronies half of their entertainment allowance if all the restaurants, bars and places of entertainment are currently closed? Should entertainment allowances not be cancelled in this time when the nation is under a State of Emergency and a curfew?

3. Will the Prime Minister explain to Belizeans why he is not prepared to consider the cost saving measures being proposed by the Unions, since these measures go beyond the temporary withholding of increment?

4. Considering that the Hon. Edmond Castro has been busy with the smoking of cows and selling in the market, will the Minister of NEMO please inform Belizeans of the state of readiness for the coming Hurricane season which begins in June? Is the Minister aware that the predictions are for a very active Hurricane season?

5. Good job Belize, we now have no new COVID case in Belize. Please continue to be safe, practice social distancing, have good hygiene and wear a mask in public.

CARTOON

17 MAY

2020

THE BELIZE TIMES

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Hon. John Briceño’s Teacher’s Day Message Hi Everybody In these days when all our children are home from school and so many of our parents must now take on the full-time supervision of our children and manage their studies, we understand the role teachers play in their development.

Now more than ever, we are able to appreciate the heroic efforts of our teachers.

For sure our nurses, doctors and other front-line workers in the fight against the coronavirus and those who are working while we stay safe at home deserve our gratitude at this time, but so too must we show our appreciation for our amazing teachers.

Yes, even in these challenging times, we must honour our teachers as we celebrate Teacher’s Day. And from all of us in the People’s United Party to all our teachers we say, Thank You! God bless you! Please keep safe and know that we are eternally grateful for your good work and for your dedicated service to building Belize.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

BATTLE CRY -ContributedIt’s back to the drawing board between the GOB and the Unions. PM would like us to believe that he does all he can exclusively for the good of Belize.

We are not so sure of that. Many in the private sector have taken massive financial hits, more so the small businessman, the tacos vendor and those engaged in informal trade and businesses.

These are in fact the very people who drive the economy, the entrepreneurs who take a chance, invest, produce and grow the Belizean economy. However, the UDP once again shows their elitist roots and side with big business against the small man. This week it was the pig farmer turned LPG kingpin who is calling the shots and naming his price with the backing of the GOB, because according to Lloyds Bank estimates that half of GOB’s tax revenues come from hydrocarbons. Therefore we can expect no economic relief on that end. Far from trying to jump start the economy by using fiscal policy to drive up demand… the UDP have chosen another route.

The idea it would seem is to tighten the belt or noose and implement the strictest austerity measures. However these

cost cutting measures must start from the bottom up much to the consternation of the PSU who has quite suddenly come up with many alternative ways to streamline government expenditure.

As pertains the Ministry of Housing we are in complete accordance and we go a step further to indicate that the entire Ministry should be completely shut down. The savings would amount to 1.8M approximately and over the last ten years Belizeans should have saved no less than 10M. If we were to add the salary and perks given to the Member from Orange Walk North who has been absent and has refused without any valid excuse to represent the people he was elected to do, there would be an additional sum.

Let us not forget the obscene amounts paid to Anwar Barrow as the CEO of BTL or the outstanding debts of Andre Vega and Ms. Pitts. It seems that GOB is unwilling to lead by example and make the hard choices it must, instead trying to make us believe that CEO positions are not political appointments of retired public servants as is exactly the case in the failed Ministry of Housing. The CEO of Housing is Mr. Denton Belisle, father of the Mayor of Belmopan.

Finally, it is truly uplifting to notice that the PSU have made a bright come back fists swinging. It is evident that they are here to play hardball, it is after all better late than never. While the PM continues to stall, the situation remains dire. If indeed the Governor General signs into law the proposed SI, it will be the straw that finally broke that tired donkey’s back. Clearly the policy is not to stimulate the economy but to further

17 MAY

2020

strap it for much needed cash while protecting cronies and their privileged positions. They must also scratch the backs of the big business they are in cahoots with by allowing them access to reopen and continue their operations while stifling the lee man out deh. Hon. Polo Briceño made famous in Belize the saying “los pobres somos mas.” The UDP will do well to heed the battle cry of Don Polo!

17 MAY

2020

Dear Sirs:

THE BELIZE TIMES

099

RE: Notice of Dissolution‐ NEWCO Limited.

Kindly publish the following notices in the next issue of The Belize Times Newspaper:

IN THE MATTER of the Companies Act, Chapter 250, Laws of Belize

IN THE MATTER of the voluntary liquidation of NEWCO LIMITED (the ‘Company’)

NOTICE OF VOLUNTARY LIQUIDATION AND CREDITORS’ MEETING

to give him money. He appeared in court AT an extraordinary general meeting of the above-named Company duly convened it was resolved where he pleaded guilty to common asthat the Company be wound up voluntarily and that Corporate Nominee International Limited with

registered office at 35 Barrack Road, Belize City, Belize, be appointed liquidator for the purposes of sault.

such winding up.

He told the court he was asking her

for money to purchase a pack of bread.

TAKE NOTICE that a meeting of all creditors and contributories is scheduled to take place at 3:00

Other family members contradicted his p.m. on the 29th May 2020 at the offices of Glenn D. Godfrey & Company LLP, 35 Barrack Road,

statement saying he wanted the money Belize City, Belize. All creditors and persons having claims against the Company are invited to

to purchase marijuana. attend.

He appeared unrepresented before

Dated the 11 day of May 2020 Senior Magistrate Tricia Pitts-Anderson

who remanded him for one week.

GLENN D. GODFREY & COMPANY LLP. He is to re-appear in court on Mon Attorneys at Law for the Liquidator day, May 18, 2020. ///

CRIME NEWS

GRIGA AMMUNITION BUST May 13, 2020 Crime might be down but there is definitely a wave that is dangerous nonetheless. There have been several shootings in the south and police say it is as a result of gang rivalry. Police have conducted several operations in the area and last Friday one of those special operations turned up a black plastic bag in an abandoned lot located in the 2nd New Site Area, Dangriga. Inside police found a high powered Mack 10 weapon along

with (52) 9mm rounds of ammunition, (1)

thirty-eight special revolver along with (2)

thirty-eight rounds and (105) two-twenty three rounds of ammunition.

Later on Friday afternoon, police visInitiated by the European Union and the United Nations:

ited a Caye located East of Dangriga that

they say are controlled by gangs. There

they found an AK-47 wrapped in a grey

tarp along with an empty magazine. Also,

on Friday night sometime around 8:30

p.m., police made a huge bust in Santa SPOTLIGHT INITIATIVE BELIZE BELIZE SPOTLIGHT INITIATIVE

Cruz Village, Stann Creek.

CIVIL SOCIETY NATIONAL REFERENCE GROUP Police searched a house where JioCIVIL SOCIETY REFERENCE GROUP CALL NATIONAL FOR NOMINATIONS vannie Castro (26) Guatemalan national, CALL FOR NOMINATIONS was present at the time and could not give a satisfactory reason as to why he What is the Civil Society National Reference Group (CS-NRG)? was at that specific home. Police then firms practice independently and not in a relationship for the joint practice of law.

What is the Civil Society NationalMember Reference Group (CS-NRG)? took him to his home where a search The CS-NRG is a group of around 15 pre-eminent national and local experts on eliminating VAWG as well as on Themore CS-NRG a CS-NRG group will: of around 15 pre-eminent national and local experts on was conducted. That search resulted in women’s rights broadly.isThe the discovery of (1) 9mm pistol which had eliminating VAWG as well as on women’s rights more broadly. The CS-NRG will: ▪ Provide advice on the overall strategic direction of the Spotlight Initiative’s Country Programme in Belize in its magazine (1) 9mm round of ammu• Provide advice on the overall strategic direction of the Spotlight Initiative’s and on cutting-edge national policy issues on eliminating VAWG. nition. Also found was one 38 revolver, Programme in Belize and onascutting-edge national issues on one 5.56 high powered rifle with scope, ▪ Partner on Country high-level advocacy and communications as well political dialogue, including policy by supporting 101 .56 rounds of ammunition along with eliminating visibility and promotion ofVAWG. the Initiative’s goals at the national level.

2 magazines, one 158A smoke grenade.

• Partner on high-level advocacy communications as well as political ▪ Provide advice on ongoing interventions, possibilitiesand for scaling up the Spotlight Country Programme in diaCastro has been charged for several logue, including by supporting visibility and promotion of the Initiative’s goals Belize. offences relating to firearms and ammuat the national level. nitions found.///

Who can apply?

AMERICAN NATIONAL CAUGHT INSIDE FREE ZONE May 13, 2020 A U.S. National who was caught inside the Corozal Free Zone compound has been arrested and charged with entering Belize illegally a per the State of Emergency regulations.

Quenton Lavon Askew (40) was caught on Saturday after he was caught by authorities entering through a hole in the fence. He was detained and placed into mandatory quarantine but Askew somehow evaded police and escaped.

He was quickly recaptured by Corozal Police.

COMPOL Chester Williams said “there are a number of vulnerable areas on our borders. We continue to police those areas as best as we can. It has yielded the arrest of a number of persons, who came in illegally.” COMPOL did not provide an exact figure as to the number of persons detained so far.

Askew will answer to all charges in Belize before he is deported.//// Teenager Assaults his Mother We think that COVID is a health and financial matter but it is also a psychological and family matter. A teenager is on remand at the Belize Central prison after he assaulted his very own mother.

According to information, the teen assaulted his mother after she refused

•

Provide advice on ongoing interventions, possibilities for scaling up the Spot-

•

Leaders or members of national and/or local/community-based women’s rights organisations/networks 1and other relevant networks of CSOs working on eliminating VAWG using a human rights-based approach.

Representatives from important constituencies working on eliminating VAWG using a human right-based approach as follows: as youth networks, progressive faith-based groups, networks of men and boys, Persons with Disabilities, Key Populations (sex workers, LGBTI), Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, indigenous groups.

▪ Leaders with significant experience working on light Country Programme in women’s Belize. rights and gender equality and have expertise in eliminating VAWG, • ▪ Leaders or members of national and/or local/community-based women’s rights organisations/networks Who can apply? and other relevant networks of CSOs working on eliminating VAWG using a human rights-based approach.

• Leaders with significant experience women’s rights and gender ▪ Representatives from important constituencies working on working eliminating on VAWG using a human right-based equality and have expertise in eliminating VAWG, approach as follows: as youth networks, progressive faith-based groups, networks of men and boys,

• •

How to apply In order to qualify for consideration as a member of the CS-NRG an individual can either be nominated by a third party or self-nominate. All candidates are required to submit their CV along with a Nomination Expression of interest (EoI) Form (see Annex 1) to rco.belize@one.un.org no later than 5:00pm on 22 May 2020. Email subject: Spotlight Initiative CSO Reference Group Please download the TOR and Form at the following links: TOR: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1CSjBo-TFtQON7j8fgAx8cXuusbErjzig Nomination Form: https://drive.google.com/open?id=19a6cP9O_j6UfoMaTSTBNJMZF9mNqotwc

10

17 MAY

THE BELIZE TIMES

OUT

OUT

!

Dear Editor, Anyone remember when they earned 75 dollars a week? Oh... we don’t have to go far back. Some people got that in the middle of April 2020. So I hear. I want to say earned because the Covid relief money is NOT charity. It is our own money that the government is distributing to us.

I hope the idea is this: Instead of misspending on making the UDP look good or on unnecessary roads that they are re-routing the money which we need for food. I cannot go to a restaurant anymore to entertain myself and family, so I stay home and eat; it actually allows for more food.

After I lost my job at the mismanaged and ignored Corozal freezone, I have no coin in my realm. I did not sign up immediately for the relief. I thought it was only for the lucky tourism workers from fancy hotels.

Anyway, I did signup later and, guess what? I still haven’t received a dime. Pablo and Patt are of no help. I want to tell them, this is not political; this is food for my family.

How is it that some got helped so quickly? A sister of a friend, according to here say, got relief help without even applying. Maybe someone applied for her but how is the mystery.

I heard the PM say that I should be getting helped. But I am not PM. It is mid-May, every minute I wait I get more frustrated. I hope to get help soon. My dad will not help always.

!

Dear Editor, I am a Forgotten Private Sector Worker: With the arrival of the COVID -19 pandemic, the Government of Belize financially assisted tourism workers who lost their jobs as a result, and even some of those people who were unemployed before the pandemic. The assistance varies from $200 to $300 monthly, a pittance but better than nothing. Besides the financial assistance program, the government also assisted with a Food Pantry Program.

I must say that I have also noticed a considerable amount of donations from the local business communities, especially towards the front-line workers. This I applaud very much.

Almost on a daily basis, we witness the hands-out on the local news. This again, I applaud but my issue with all this is - what about the private sector workers who were not immediately affected by the pandemic? We did not qualify for any financial assistance, nor for any food pantry programs. We are now facing salary cuts and even loss of employment due to the fact that many businesses just cannot cope with the economic impact the economy suffered and is still suffering from the pandemic. Normalcy is still months away.

I am really worried about what will become of us working in the private sector. How are we to survive with a 20-50% salary cut or total job loss?

The work force is presently completely stagnant. Are we supposed to sit in our homes and starve or wait until the banks repossess our assets? There IS ABSOLUTELY nothing in place to assist the private sector workers? We are being affected by COVID -19 too.

Last I checked, we pay taxes too just like any other employee.

Thanks Editor, PSW

Thanks, Born Corozaleño

2020

NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the Companies listed below have been dissolved and duly struck off the IBC Register as follows: NAME OF COMPANY SUNMOON HOLDING LTD. SANBORE CAY SHIPPING & TRADING (BELIZE) LTD. Docker Group Financial Corp.

VISTA FINANCE CORP. Summer International Investments Inc. LUMEX INTERNATIONAL CO., LIMITED FRIMBEY BUSINESS INC. EXPERTECH S.A. NERAK HOLDING S.A. Eternal Fountain, Inc.

Date of Dissolution March 4, 2020 March 24, 2020 April 1, 2020 April 2, 2020 April 2, 2020 April 9, 2020 April 11, 2020 April 14,2020 APRIL 17, 2020 APRIL 21,2020

Morgan & Morgan Trust Corporation Belize Ltd.

NOTICE OF COMMENCED DISSOLUTION Notice is hereby given BEAUTON INTERNATIONAL LTD. commenced dissolution on 8th April, 2020; 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 FAYE HOLDINGS CORP. and BIAGIOLI MANAGEMENT INC. both commenced dissolution on 14th April, 2020; 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 DALILA PROPERTIES LTD. and CARIBBEAN PORTFOLIO S.A. both commenced dissolution on 16th April, 2020; 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.

Morgan & Morgan Trust Corporation Belize Limited

NOTICE OF COMMENCED DISSOLUTION Notice is hereby given SITCUS FINANCIAL CORP. commenced dissolution on 22nd April, 2020; 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 STERLING AGENCY LTD. commenced dissolution on 24th April, 2020; 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 COMTER HOLDINGS LTD. commenced dissolution on 27th April, 2020; 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

FIRST NOTICE FIRST NOTICE

NOTICE

o Section 10 (3)toof the Belize Mines and Mines Minerals Chapter 226, Substantive Laws of Pursuant Section 10 (3) of the Belize and Act, Minerals Act, Chapter 226, Laws of Belize, Leonard Revised Edition 2000for - 2003, Loewen for and Construction on isedSubstantive Edition 2000 - 2003, Loewen andLeonard on behalf of Excel Ltd., of Excel Construction has applied to the Honourable of Naturalof Mines, MiningCUBIX INTERNATIONAL LIMITED IBC # 53,161 to behalf the Honourable MinisterLtd., of Natural Resources, throughMinister the Inspector Resources, through the Inspector of Mines, Mining Unit, for a Mining License to ex(“the Company”) Mining License to extract limestone and marl from a hill within a property, Unitedville area, tract limestone and marl from a hill within a property, Unitedville area, Cayo District. ict. The Thearea area mined is bounded UTM-coordinates: to to be be mined is bounded within within UTM-coordinates: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6)

Easting Northing 293112 1902337 293112 1902316 293226 1902162 293268 1902162 293268 1902203 293305 1902203

7) 8) 9) 10) 11)

Easting Northing 293305 1902249 293349 1902249 293349 1902367 293212 1902367 293212 1902337

The area to be mined comprises approximately (7.7) acres. be mined comprises approximately seven pointseven sevenpoint (7.7)seven acres.

Pursuant to Section 102 (4) of the International Business Companies Act, Chapter 270 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, notice is hereby given that CUBIX INTERNATIONAL LIMITED: a) Is in dissolution b) Commenced dissolution on the 13th day of May, 2020; and c) Charalambos Jeronymides of 7 Ayias Elenis Street, Engomi, Nicosia 2406, Cyprus, is the Liquidator of the Company.

CILTRUST INTERNATIONAL LIMITED Registered Agent

17 MAY

11

THE BELIZE TIMES

2020

Cornered, UDP Lies to Belize

OUT

The agonizing UDP is in an exposed economy induced coma.

In a blatant UDP move they oozed Singh frustration, Saldivarian misjudgment, Marin-like ineptitude and Barrow arrogance in rolling out a political LIE. All this during a time when they should be engaging in processes that would bolster Belize in the economic and health fronts thus preempting the still looming coronavirus. But no, that is too honorable for the UDP. The attempt to mislead, and thus lie, was in the form of a video ad on their fave stations. Since the UDP cannot show their finance books nor the list of their contract officers, they attack on feeling cornered. Blaming themselves for an economy riddled with Imer, BIL, Petro Caribe, BTL, Sanctuary Bay,

!

Dear Editor, Please give me some space to talk about, Ministers ‘HEFTY’ salaries and allowances.

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought many challenges for Belizeans.

Thousands of Belizeans are now unemployed and thousands more are seeking some kind of assistance to bring food to their families.

Meanwhile, many struggle to find food for their families and money to pay the unending amount of bills, the Government Ministers are enjoying their salaries and allowances.

The Government now wants to relax the increments and allowances of public servants included in their cost-saving measures.

In a leaked letter, the financial secretary tells the union that the Ministers are giving up one month’s salary and have agreed to cut their housing and telephone allowance by half.

What!! By half during a nationwide pandemic.

Government Ministers receive $81,000 annually and the Prime Minister receives $91,800 annually. Foregoing one month’s salary is not enough.

The UDP administration has enjoyed many pleasures and perks. This is the time to give back! Give back to the people that you represent!

This means that monthly, the Prime Minister collects $7650, and the Ministers of government collect $6750.

The Ministers housing and entertainment allowance is $1600 and their telephone allowance is $1000!! Completely ridiculous when the average Belizean with an Associate’s degree makes about $1500 monthly. No wonder, these politicians enter politics with empty shelved, bankrupt businesses and turn millionaires while their government is in power.

Cutting their allowances in half does not suffice! If the Government plans to implement cost-saving mea-

sures, the first ones that must lead the charge and sacrifice their hefty salaries for more than one month and their allowances are these rich Government ministers and cronies.

They have managed for 12 years to suck their blood out of everything this country has to offer, from the sale of lands, sale of passports to a hot bed of corruption!

NOTICE IN THE MATTER of NEWCO LIMITED in members’ voluntary liquidation AND IN THE MATTER of the Companies Act of Belize TAKE NOTICE that in pursuance of section 188 of the Companies Act of Belize (Cap 250) a General Meeting in the above matter will be held on Friday, the 29th day of May 2020 at #35 Barrack Rd, 3rd Floor – International Financial Centre at 3 o’clock in the afternoon when a Statement of Account of the winding up of the above-named Company will be laid before the meeting.

DATED this 5 day of May 2020 CORPORATE NOMINEE INTERNATIONAL LIMITED Liquidator of NEWCO LIMITED

dos. No one will grieve for you. The PUP is ready…not because the UDP could not handle into progress means that the PUP cannot. Go ahead, give Belize a better chance. Call elections now.

Gapi and other scandals is too honorable. Instead the UDP uses some Faber pettiness in changing the channel with a malware banner which will soon be swiped clean from Belize.

So, the UDP can find funds to produce and pay for prime time ads yet has run the country’s coffers broke.

‘No money noh deh’ and a closed portal and long lines for nought but the UDP government can still spend recklessly.

Advise to the leaderless UDP and their exleader Barrow: you are still in charge of calling elections. Why are you worried about the Public Service Union getting Belizean support and PUP support? Govern... Even if you are agonizing, quit shirking your duties. Word to the wise: call elections now...cut your losses. If not, the UDP will race right off the cliff like the do-

The time to give back is now! After all, it is the ministers, their families and cronies that have benefitted over and over again from bloated contracts.

PM, you want cost-saving measures? Begin there!

Thanks Editor, Name Withheld

Obituary

Armando Reyes, Sr.

Sunrise: September 24th 1932 Sunset: May 10th, 2020 “The Reyes family regrets to announce the death of Mr. Armando Reyes, Sr. – better known as Mr. Tux. He was born on September 24th 1932 and died peacefully at home on May 10th, 2020.

He is survived by his wife of fifty years Leonila Reyes, three daughters Phyllis Reyes, Asusena (Susie) Reyes and Laura Almora. Two grand-sons Armando Reyes and Amin C. Moguel, One granddaughter Mariselli Soberanis and one great granddaughter Serenity Soberanis. He is also survived by one brother, Roque Reyes. Mr. Tux is pre-deceased by his parents, Pedro Reyes and Josephina Lord, one brother, Pedro Reyes, and two sisters, Hilda Rosen and Noemi Castillo.

Mr. Tux leaves a legacy of memories from days at his restaurant to days he was seen walking around with that container of delicious sandwiches. Memories that his many, many nieces and nephews friends and family can now reminisce on. A memorial will be held at a further date as soon as the social distancing has been cancelled! May his sweet and jovial soul rest in peace. We love and will miss you so much Dad! Until we meet again!” – Asusena (Susie) Reyes The People’s United Party family extend the deepest of condolences on the passing of Mr. Tux. May his soul rest in eternal peace and rise in eternal glory.

NOTICE Position Available for an Attorney-at-law.

Must have been called to the Belize Bar. Applications along with CV and 2 references may be submitted to P.O. Box 1780, Belize City, Belize.

Deadline for submission is May 31st, 2020.

12

THE BELIZE TIMES

Indian Community

give back to Belize City Residents

As the country slowly begins the measured journey towards normalcy or as close to it as possible, many families in the old capital continue to struggle on account of the Covid-19 crisis. In light of this, the Belize Indian Community (BIC) remains committed to providing food essentials for over 2000 of those families totalling $80,000.

BIC, represented by past president, Dinesh Bhojwani, Honorary Consul General of India, Arun Hotchandani and Mohit Budhrani presented food package vouchers to Anthony Malher, Allan Pollard, Oscar Arnold, Dr. Pitts and Paul Thompson.

Members of Belize Police Department were also recipients of the generous contribution. The packages contain the necessary staples including rice, beans, flour, sugar, toilet paper and many more items to assist families throughout the city. The endeavour is in its third week and is expected to last for an additional three weeks but many families’ needs will still remain, and BIC has expressed their desire to make this a permanent undertaking based on those needs.

17 MAY

2020

17 MAY

13

THE BELIZE TIMES

2020

Yu cu call mi black Spanish! Yu cu call mi poor! But yu cant call mi THIEF! ACCOUNTABILITY NEEDED PART 1 responsibility for actions, products, decisions and policies including the administration, governance, and implementation within the scope of the role or employment position and encompassing the obligation to report, explain and be answerable for resulting consequences.”

Will any dishonest public officer e.g. elected politician, be charged and jailed for misappropriation of Covid-19 funds? Accountability cannot exist without proper accounting practices; in other words, an absence of accounting means an absence of accountability.” So I have to ask myself, what are GOB’s accounting practices? Why can’t Belizeans gets simple answers to how

By Senator Elizabeth Bennett It was almost four weeks into the semester and students were somewhat warming up to each other. So it was quiet easy to suggest getting some healthy snack for our upcoming group presentation. Each student gave their $5.00 contribution which yielded a handsome budget of $40.00 to buy all that was needed to serve bean dip and orange juice for the class of thirty-seven students. With each purchase, I updated the group chat and a grant total of the expenditure was provided before the presentation in class. We all smiled! Our presentation was off the charts and the class enjoyed the healthy snack provided. I was especially happy though because one of my group members stated in the group chat after receiving the final balanced budget, “I wish our politicians could be like you!” As a universal fact, I can state that responsible and honest people take pride in being accountable.

So what REALLY is ACCOUNTABILITY? There are many definitions that exist that provides us with a very good understanding of this elusive word. It’s elusive to those who chose to make it elusive. One dictionary states that accountability is the fact of being responsible for what you do and able to give a satisfactory reason for it, or the degree to which this happens.

Another meaning of accountability is the obligation of an individual or organization (GOB) to account for its activities, accept responsibility for them, and to disclose the results in a transparent manner. It also includes the responsibility for money (our public purse) and other entrusted properties (our natural resources). I especially like this definition as it speaks to what GOB should be doing on a weekly basis in regards to the Covid-19 funds. Just as we were being updated on the Covid-19 patient count, same should apply on how the money is being spent.

After all, you and I, and our children, the working class, will be the ones responsible to pay back these handsome sums of money. And the worst part of this is that we may never benefit from these funds as salaries, increments etc. are being cut for the wrong people.

But even Wikipedia has a neat definition which states that accountability “in ethics and governance, is answerability, blameworthiness, liability and the expectation of account-giving”.

This source also provided a further definition in leadership roles which states that “accountability is the acknowledgment and assumption of

the Covid-19 funds are being spent and on a weekly basis? If there is a transparent system in place, it should be as easy as ABC to pull the data and inform the nation. It’s not rocket science.

We all have enough to worry about regarding our survival because of this pandemic that is still impacting the global economy and causing countless deaths in many countries. Accountability would be even more paramount to ease the minds of the citizenry of this country. We certainly do not need an added layer of mental distress and anguish knowing that funds being borrowed are flowing into the pockets of dishonest politicians

and their supporters while we are hungry as a people.

We can never escape the expectation of being accountable. It is unacceptable for any person, to commit careless or illegal actions and deny them or lie about them to the nation. The least we can do is die with some dignity and a clean conscience because accountability is not about perfection, but about the power of recovery. And this is what Belize needs most right nowaccountable politicians who will report to the people in a transparent manner all actions, decisions and spending etc. Who likes being called a thief by the public anyways?

Registered Office 15 A Street Belize City, Belize

Site Office Mile 68 George Price Hwy San Ignacio Town, Cayo District, Belize Phone: 824‐2085/3016 Fax: 824‐4512

VACANCY for ACCOUNTANT BELIZE ELECTRIC COMPANY LIMITED (BECOL) is accepting applications for the post of ACCOUNTANT. POSITION PURPOSE: To manage the Company's accounting, budgeting, financial reporting and cash management activities.

MAIN DUTIES: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Financial Statements, Statutory and Stakeholders Report Preparation Budget and Forecast Compilation / Monitoring Preparation of Departmental Expense Reports and Analyses Management of Invoicing, Receivables, Payables and Inventory Control Maintenance of all General Ledger Accounts Liaison with External and Internal Auditors Assist with development and maintenance of financial processes and procedures

QUALIFICATIONS: 1.

2.

3.

4.

Education/Experience/Skills required of the Position.

Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration or Accounting Certified Public Accountant (its equivalent) or is prepared to work towards certification Five years’ experience in a senior accounting capacity Computer literate with knowledge in Microsoft Office applications, QuickBooks, and other pertinent software

SALARY:

Dependent on Qualifications and experience

The successful applicant must reside in the vicinity of San Ignacio/Santa Elena Town or Benque Viejo Del Carmen Town.

Send Application letter, résumé and two (2) recent letters of reference to: corporate@becol.com.bz Deadline: 22 May 2020

14

THE BELIZE TIMES

17 MAY

2020

On behalf of the PUP Family, we join Belizeans and send heartfelt positive healing thoughts for a speedy recovery.

Right Honorable Said Musa

Belize Medical and Dental Association May 8 Release Belize Times Commentary: A couple weeks ago, in one of their multitudinous Statutory Instruments the UDP did good on their threat to curtail the work of medical doctors in the country. As usual the UDP’s failure to have a logical working solution results in a hard headed display of arrogance. Instead of protecting the doctors in Belize with the “oversupply of PPEs” the doctors are relegated to only working for the government or for themselves (Private Practise). Everyone in Belize knows that that is not reality.

Our population is too small and the salaries are too small for this to be sustainable for a medical professional. If one stays private, you are then not allowing the people that need the access to given medical specialist expertise. I once met an ankle surgeon, a specialist from Argentina. He was Maradona’s doctor for some time. He, nevertheless, was passionate of his time at the local public hospital. He clearly opinionated that people that can afford him were expected to visit him privately and he would not receive them at the public hospital. But, the poor also has needs and he gave of himself there too.

It is understandable that Covid-19 is not normal. But the UDP totally gave up on the notion that they are there to protect our citizens especially the frontline doctors. They are not the enemy.

So a doctor is held for practicing medicine. There is a certain minister that was riding a bike when he should not; when will he be arrested?

Unfair.

17 MAY

2020

THE BELIZE TIMES

15

To all our teachers

(May 15, 2020) “Please keep safe and know that we are eternally grateful for your good work and for your dedicated service to building Belize” – Hon. John Briceño

FROM ALL THE PUP FAMILY, THANK YOU!

50 16

17 MAY

17 MAY

THE BELIZE TIMES 2020

17 MAY

2020

2020

PUP CARES

Our Party Leader, Hon. John Briceño, has asked that we refrain from taking and showing pictures of Belizeans receiving items. Yet, continuous thanks go from him and the PUP to the countless persons, including our Standard Bearers and diverse groups all around the country who are helping Belizeans in this unique time of need. Thank You. Cayo North: Michel Chebat

Cayo South: Hon. Julius Espat

Giving a helping hand when it matters the most.

18 JAN

THE BELIZE TIMES 2015

17

PUP-led Municipalities: Promoting the use of masks and social distancing Corozal Town Council Leading by example while helping along with the community

Port Loyola: Gilroy Usher

The government might have forgotten Cayo South but not the PUP.

Visiting with the constituents

Orange Walk Town Council The work continues, in a safe way.

Belize Rural South: Andre Perez Everyone wants to support Belize’s fight against Covid-19.

Andre and his team will keep on helping.

Stann Creek West: Hon. Rodwell Ferguson

Cayo Central: Alex Balona

Working hard with the same community helping each other.

Working alongside with the community to deliver help.

Belize City Council We are happy to contribute to ensure that our officers have an abundance of protective equipment on the front lines while also helping to generate employment for city residents as these masks were locally made. Always ‘Bout The People

Toledo West: Hon. Oscar Requena Belize Youth Movement executive member hailing from down south, Bevin Cal, has no problem supporting the fight to keep Belize safe from the coronavirus.

SERVE THE PEOPLE!

18

THE BELIZE TIMES

THINK ABOUT IT

CONTRACT OFFICERS ARE ILLEGAL THEIR GRATUITIES ARE ILLEGAL TOO

The ruling UDP politicians have succeeded in messing up the public service. They have messed up many other areas of Belize: The Guatemalan issue, the loss of the Sarstoon River, the unbridled sale of passports and visas, the widespread abuse of public lands, the lack of policy regarding crime and ongoing corruption. Now the economy has finally nose-dived following years of reckless spending, waste and stealing.

We applaud the Public Service Union and the Teachers Union for standing up to the threats and bullying behavior of the Prime Minister. We are particularly impressed with P.S.U. Vice President Dean Flowers and Teachers’ Union President Elena Smith. Their strength of character and calm demeanor under pressure forced the high and mighty Prime Minister to agree to a meeting.

The Prime Minister is used to “it’s my way or the highway” approach and is eager to change the law to do as he wishes. He has always done this and gotten away with it. We shall soon see that come to an end. He has the upper hand as the Public Service Union is weak and will not strike and the Teachers’ Union is unable to effectively take industrial action since schools are still closed until September.

We wish to offer unsolicited advice to the public officers and their union because a great disservice, indeed an illegality has been going on for a long time with the once prestigious public service of our country.

There are some 480 “contract officers” who have been employed over the past 13 years of Dean Barrow’s horrible administration. The Public Service Union have the facts, the names, and the positions in the departments. The opposition is now in possession of the ignoble and shameful list of massive cronyism and abuse of taxpayer monies.

Moreover, whenever these cronies are employed or re-hired they stifle the upward mobility of good, decent, hard-working career officers. We give one of many examples.

The Comptroller of Customs (we won’t call his name) reached the mandatory retirement age two years ago; which is 55 years. He was given a further illegal employment. He cannot be allowed to continue working under the law as he must retire at 55 years. The Prime Minister personally approved for him to get a two-year contract. Recently this year, the Prime Minister again approved a further two-year contract. The Prime Minister has no such authority as we shall point out. But let us briefly look at the harm these contract officers and re-hired officers do.

In the above example, the Assistant Comptroller of Customs is deprived of receiving his just promotion and increased salary if he was allowed to get the position he deserved. When the Assistant goes to Comptroller each customs official below him goes up one grade. Each customs official benefits with promotion and upward mobility. This is why they are career officers.

Under this UDP Humpty-Dumpty system it is better to be a crony than to be a trained, qualified career public officer.

It is not only the Prime Minister who is guilty of these abuses and unlawful appointments, ALL Ministers put in their cronies in their Ministries and departments. It is costing 20 million dollars each year. By contrast increments for public officers cost 16 million per annum.

Why are contract officers unlawful?

The Constitution, the highest law in the land, which is above the Legislature, above the Executive and above the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, lays down at Section 106 how public officers are to be hired, employed, promoted, retired etc. To help protect public officers the Constitution put the six members of the Commission on the same protection as judges.

But omg - oh my goodness, we just learnt that the Prime Minister appointed one of his former ministers, Charles Gibson, as Chairman of this impartial Commission. It crazy but it actually happened.

Nevertheless, only the Public Services Commission can employ persons in the public service. The Constitution makes no mention of Ministers or Prime Minister having any authority to employ any public officer. There is no provision, no mention, and no authority to reemploy anyone who reaches the age of 55 years.

Nor even the Public Service Commission has the authority to re-employ any public officer who reaches the mandatory retirement age of 55 years. The Commission and the Prime Minister are not above the law.

Now, about these two-year contracts and their clause for a 20 percent gratuity. This too is illegal.

So important is the issue of gratuity and pensions that the Constitution deals with it at Sections 112 and 113.

There is also a Pensions Act of Belize. It deals with details of pensions and gratuity. All public officers are subject to these laws and no other.

A public officer is any person working for the government who is paid taxpayer monies from the emolument of the public service.

There is only one public service and there is only one category of public officers. There is no such thing as contract officers. There is no second category of public officers outside the Constitution and all the laws governing the public service.

There is one set of laws which govern pensions and gratuities of public officers. No one, absolutely no one, not even the Public Service Commission

17 MAY

2020

has authority to hire a “contract officer” or to re-hire a public officer who has reached retirement age.

By law, Section 7 of the Pension Act, a gratuity only applies to a public officer who has worked for a minimum of ten years. There is nothing in any law that any public officer can be paid a gratuity for a mere two years of work.

That is ridiculous and that is unlawful.

The reign of the tyrant is coming to an end. His tyranny ends in six months. If Belize is to be a better place the public officers must start to work to bring about all the necessary changes if we are to start a new era of good governance.

CHRIS COYE Big respect to Attorney and Economist Christopher Coye who provided a fabulous insight into the situation that Belize and Belizeans are now facing.

This is a very important discussion which was held with Mose Hyde on his YouTube show. It needs regular repeating.

Listening to the analysis one is disturbed at the lack of thinkers and absence of ideas that abounds in our country. The present gang in Belmopan have no ideas to lead Belizeans into the future. That is so obvious.

There should be no illusion that Belize is in a mess. Or in more colourful language- we are up shit creek without a paddle or a pole.

GUILLERMO FOREMAN Talk about weird and stupid law. A Belizean returning home by road from, most perceived as, racist USA, he reached the Northern Border. The border is closed for good reasons. A pandemic called covid-19 Every Belizean has a right to return to their country. The only exception seemingly in the world is if you are a Palestinian under the brutal boots of the Israeli occupiers.

Well, this Belizean is stuck on the Corozal/Chetumal Bridge for four days.

His movement inside Belize can be restricted, but he cannot be prevented from entering his country.

Can someone explain why he could not have been brought in under strict medical control and quarantined?

Why is he a criminal arrested and put in jail?

Stupid law, by stupid people.

Editor’s Note: The article above is the opinion of the author and not necessarily of the People’s United Party

17 MAY

2020

THE BELIZE TIMES

Where is the Love?

By Karim Adle, President Upon writing this piece, we are now at 29 days free of any new Covid-19 infection in our beloved jewel. Without a doubt, this is an incredible feat that merits all praise and thanksgiving to the Almighty Father. While we have been spared in the first wave, the economic mess and destruction caused by covid-19 is undeniable. In order to get to my point, I must first backtrack a little, and say why I believe that Covid-19 unmasked who the UDPs truly are and brought forth to light how broken and dire our economy already was.

For many years, we in the PUP have been highlighting how broken and fragile our economy was, always to be rebutted by members of the ruling UDP saying our economy was great and we were living in a robust economy with a great trajectory. As recently as the Budget debate, the Prime Minister stood up and had nothing but praises for the state of the economy. However, one month into the pandemic hitting our shores, they are exposed and are now trying to stifle the

PSU while believing they deserve all praises for ministers giving up one month’s salary.

This UDP government from 2008-present deserves no praise, they deserve the Game of Thrones Walk of Shame for stacking up our national debt while disregarding our human resources and what truly matters. I for one, would have preferred the half a billion dollars squandered from PetroCaribe to be invested in the nurturing of professionals destined for the agroproductive sector and for medical students for our most important health sector.

Our people have to pay back all these loans the government is borrowing from 2008 up to present. When the going got tough they relegated our fellow brothers and sisters to waiting under tents. They didn’t deem it fit to invest in at least ‘Mennonite’ houses but opted to use tents as a means of placing persons. What a damn shame, I’ll let that sink in!

Again, as the clock continues to tick we continue to see how incompetent the UDP characters are. We are shown how cruel they are and what they think of the poor and marginalized. The way they treated the masses throughout these hard times says a lot of who they truly are.

I urge all readers, to realize you are worth more, your life is best improved by proper spending and not by roads and roundabouts. Decision day is soon coming, and you will have the opportunity to exercise the right to vote for a new government that is truly about serving the masses. Vote for a Better Belize. Vote PUP.

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20

THE BELIZE TIMES

TO OPEN OR NOT TO OPEN‌

By Ricardo Moguel Rosado Today the topic of opening our borders has been discussed on a national level. Seems the country is either on a quandary over the health of the nation or the health of our economy.

Now we are talking about relaxation of national restrictions.

One of them is opening borders.

This allows the flow of people and goods across our international checkpoints. So far our international demarcation line is not hermetically sealed because there are many porous points but it has served its purpose. We have contained the coronavirus and flattened the curve. We have 31 days without any new cases reported thus contained the first wave. No new cases and all 16 of the 18 infected patients recovered and the other 2 sadly passed away.

Movements of goods is best for the economy. It must be done in an appropriate fashion. Goods exported out of Belize is easiest than the ones imported. Trucks cart away goods to foreign markets especially grains. This alleviates the farmers cost from storage and seriously needed cash is introduced for new planting creating employment for hundreds of Belizeans. Extreme care must

be implemented to ameliorate an infectious situation with the introduction of foreign drivers and vehicles into our country.

Risk must be weighed. Does the economic gain worth putting the nation’s health at risk?

Importing is easier since it comes in containers at the port.

But imports from our neighbors traditionally use Belizean towheads to transport goods into our country. Extreme caution needs to be exercised at the exchange point. The big risk here is contact with the drivers from both countries.

Goods are desperately needed

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2020

izens will flock to Chetumal to stretch their dollar and run the risk of getting infected.

A tiny virus has brought the world to its knees. It has highlighted many major national problems facing the nation Belize. Corruption and the virus have seemingly bankrupted the nation. The aid has not been enough to help all. Hardship and suffering are still part of the daily Belizean life for many. New social conditions demand a need to construct a new model, an era of political transformation, a new time to change.

Let us not let easy solutions create complex problems that we cannot solve. Today more than ever, Belize needs all of us.

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671-8385 or since panic shopping has depleted our warehouses. Importing goods can hopefully keep prices from rapidly skyrocketing.

The major concern is opening our borders to tourism. Asymptomatic carriers can easily be introduced into Belize and introduce the second wave. Our cit-

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17 MAY

2020

THE BELIZE TIMES

21

MISSING

On a postponed April 5th UDP Leadership Convention II, these were supposed to have helped solve the UDP’s leaderless problem. BUT, the coronavirus became the excuse why the incompetent UDP can only run Belize into the recession gutter. They have run Belize broke and the UDP feel it is Ok since they are a broken Party with no leader nor vision.

Just as the Belize entered the time of most need ever…the UDP Ministers, Representatives and especially their vying leaders disappeared. Yet, they want to collect their all their HUGE salaries PLUS allowances while cutting the salaries of public officers and teachers—frontline workers. Leaders elected by a few elite does not work…ask John Saldivar.

Hon. Omar Figueroa Who?

Hon. Wilfred Elrington He artificially made it into the ballot.

Which delegate will vote for him? Not even the Pickstock UDP delegates…

President of the Senate Darrell Bradley Was gifted President Seat since elections do not work for him. Mystery: which constituency he feels is the easiest.

Hon. John Saldivar Yes folks, he is still HON. Mira will take less than 72 hours to remove that tag.

Hon. Patrick Faber Everything he does puts people to sleep. Press conferences, Leadership Conventions, Alleged Scandals, Simeon Coc and Sports Council Clarifications.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

17 MAY

2020

PUP Standard Bearers

Appealing to their Constituents Excerpts of FB Posts

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Freetown Our economy, already in recession before COVID-19, is now in full blown crisis.

On this LABOUR DAY 2020 we pay tribute and give respect to the women and men who rise each day to put food on their tables, to serve their communities, and to make Belize a better place for all of us to live and raise our families.

We also urgently call for a clear, bold and comprehensive plan to restart and re-build the Belizean economy in the context of the “New Normal” of the global economy.

Hon. Jose Mai, Orange Walk South I am happy for the Mexican Cane Farmers. They are receiving more than twice the price Belizean farmers are being paid.

783 pesos is the price established for payment. This is equivalent to approximately $80.00 BZ per ton of Sugar Cane.

Belizean cane farmers are being paid $42.00 per ton of sugar cane.

Such pittance.

Hon. Kareem Musa, Caribbean Shores The family of Said Musa wishes to express our heartfelt thanks to the many who sent messages of well wishes, blessings and prayers on learning of his illness.

He is in good spirits.

Going forward we remain optimistic for his recovery that will require time, therapy and patience.

Hon. Rodwell Ferguson, Dangriga Again help comes when they see you trying to help. I launch the appeal locally and internationally and a few Belizeans at home and abroad responded positively. I have to make it known to the world and show transparency.

Mr. Chris Cutlkelvin from Belize Education Empowerment Foundation out of Houston made a contribution and I was able to package 40 parcels of food items and distributed in Georgetown and Silk Grass. The people appreciate it very much Chris. I want to big up Nicha and her husband from Coconut Row in Hopkins your beans went a long way…’never’ had to buy no beans. God will make a way when there seems to be no way.

Hon. Florencio Marin, Corozal Southeast Ahora más que nunca.... por el bien de tu familia, amigos y de nuestro país. Unidos vamos a sobresalir de esta pandemia. Cuento contigo....

David Castillo, Corozal North Todos los casos ya recuperados! Sigamos manteniendo el distanciamiento social y a seguir las recomendaciones del Ministerio de Salud!

Juntos venceremos el mal!

Michel Chebat, Cayo North This year Covid-19 separated us from celebrating together. But it could not stop us from celebrating afar, still united as one Cayo North.

A sincere thank you to all Mothers who tuned in, who followed our page and who made this celebration in collaboration with Hitz Oye Fm truly remarkable. You all made this event a huge success.

While we are apart physically, we want all Mother’s to feel the appreciation and love we have for you all. You all are the pillars of our beloved Cayo North.

Kevin Bernard, Orange Walk East The Orange Walk Town Council has learned that Belize Water Services Limited was in the process of digging up a newly paved section of San Francisco Street. As Mayor, I want to say that I am frustrated and outraged because the Council works hard to pave and upgrade roads for our residents, and we were not at any time consulted about BWS doing any work which would require them destroying a section of road we just paved.

I am angrier, as all residents of Orange Walk Town should be, because BWS has a tradition of digging up our streets and then leaving them in a mess. When the company does find time to fix the streets they dig up, it is poorly done and certainly not up to the standards maintained by the Council. We are either on the same page when it comes to the development of our town, or we are not.

I take this opportunity to advise BWS that the Council will be doing everything in its power to hold the utility company responsible for its actions – including going to the Police or taking legal action prohibiting the company from digging up our streets without consultation, and without a structured agreement in which the company commits to fixing back the street within a specified time frame and up to standards approved by the Council.

Jorge ‘Milin’ Espat, Cayo West Are you registered to vote? REGISTER TO VOTE The Elections and Boundaries office in Cayo West is now open from Monday-Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. If you need assistance in getting registered please contact Mr. Manuel Mendez 604-0673, Mr. Alfred Kuylen 625-6163, Mr. Joe Mendez 635-5977 or Mr. Marco Chable (Succotz) 652-

2995.

Our country is in crisis with an incompetent government which has failed our people during the most vulnerable moments. The best never came and certainly will never come with this administration. It can only be possible if we make a change. The only way you can change the direction of our future is by VOTING. YOUR VOTE MATTERS! Get registered on time as we gear towards a decisive moment in Belizean Politics.

Stay Safe. Best wishes from your PUP Cayo West candidate.

Oscar Mira, Belmopan Good day to all our hardworking people of Belmopan and Belize. It is in these times of crisis when we see the absolute phenomenal work that our Belizeans are capable of and do every day. I want to especially salute our frontline health workers, our security workers the workers that keep our grocery stores stacked, our farmers who keep us fed, and everyone who through their labor keep their families fed and clothed.

It is a bittersweet day since there are thousands of you who want to be working and are out of work through no fault of your own.

Believe me when I say that we will get through this. We will have to work harder, be determined and work our way back to prosperity.

Hard work doesn’t guarantee success, but it improves its chances. – B.J. Gupta Hon. Oscar Requena, Toledo West -Plus TV Interview On the river banks of San Pedro Columbia: The state of Emergency is something we had to adjust to. We are not used to it. We(in Toledo West) are law abiding people. I want to thank all our Alcaldes and also many organizations who have provided support and found a way to assist our people.

Imagine, we only had 18 positive tests. What would have happened if we had 100 positives? The government must be prudent, and we need more honesty in government for it to benefit the people.

Candice Pitts, Mesopotamia Thanks to Amy Thomas from Beauty in Belize, Inc. and Castle RiRi Rock, the reparation of Ms G’s house has begun.

As we mentioned before, Ms G is a single mother of 4 who has lived all her life in Mesopotamia She is tired of feeling excluded in our society and has no problem revealing how people like her have been living in her community for many years The audio on the recording is not very clear, but she was raising some important points 1. She has lived in Mesopotamia for 35 years 2. Whenever it rains, she and her children have to try and find dry places in the house to sleep 3. Her living conditions make her awake many days depressed, frustrated, and hopeless 4. She asked for assistance from the Area Representative of Mesopotamia, who is the Minister of Housing, but received no assistance 5. She also asked the current standard bearer and likewise received no assistance 6. She celebrates the thought that her house will be repaired while she is still alive to see it. #6 is absolutely incredible, especially since she has lived for 35 years in a constituency where the Area Representative has been Minister of Housing for the past 12 years.

Thanks again Amy, Rene, Max, and all the young men in the community who are happy to see Ms G repair her house and are all helping out!

Alex Balona, Cayo Central Selena Village with approximately 300 inhabitants is a fairly new community established about 40 years ago on the outskirts of the Spanish Lookout Mennonite community in the Cayo District. Behind the village are the agricultural farmlands which belong to some of the local farmers and others who live in other communities. On the only access road to the village lies a wooden bridge which over the years has suffered from extreme weather conditions during the annual rainy season.

Even after various requests to the responsible authorities for urgent repair the bridge has gone unattended. The present village chairman Mr. Samuel Duarte along with his village council, sought the assistance from the village residents to assist financially and with voluntary labor. The work was started but is yet to be completed. The crossboards were replaced but the runner boards are pending. If anyone would like to assist or make a donation toward this effort, kindly contact the village chairman, Mr. Samuel Duarte. Your generosity will be highly appreciated.

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

17 MAY

2020

Simone Cruz

from Sacred Heart College wins regional second place award in CARICOM essay competition

By Zoila Palma Gonzalez Sacred Heart College 4th form student, 16-year-old, Simone Cruz has won the second-place award in the CARICOM essay competition.

Cruz says she was elated when she found out that her essay was shortlisted for the inaugural CARICOM Competition Commission (CCC) Regional Secondary School Essay Writing Competition 2019-2020.

According to Simone, she found out about the essay competition through her social studies teacher, Stefphoney Grinage, who encouraged and supported her throughout the process.

The commission says that the competition was a key component of the advocacy drive by the CCC to foster competition and consumer culture in the region, from the ground up.

“Students were challenged to think about the importance and benefits of competition and consumer protection laws to the region. The CCC received 50 entries from students across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM),” the commission noted.

Simone’s essay, “How does consumer protection law benefit me and my Region?” was selected for second-place winner in the age 16 to 19 years old category.

“I was stressed because of the pressure that came with having to do the essay. I knew the earnings and the name the winners would receive would be great. There were many times I got irritated because of making mistakes, but in the end it was all worth it. I had the support of my mom, my sisters, my dad, my best friends and my teacher, Ms. Stefphoney,” Cruz stated.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

“

You can make anything happen if you put your mind to it. Don’t give up no matter what happens, keep your eye on the prize. If you believe you can do it, you are already a winner.

”

Simone says that she was in a state of disbelief when she was told about her essay being selected.

“It was only until I was sent the official letter congratulating me that I started to convince myself that this was really happening. I am proud of myself more than ever and very

much elated,” Cruz added.

Her essay explained more about the laws that protect the rights of consumers and that it is important for consumers to know their rights.

Cruz extended words of encouragement to all students to believe in themselves.

“You can make anything happen if you put your mind to it. Don’t give up no matter what happens, keep your eye on the prize. If you believe you can do it, you are already a winner. Remember no one can make you feel inferior without your consent,” Cruz said.

Her prizes include $750 USD, a trophy and a certificate of achievement.

The commission says that the competition was made possible with the partnership of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for funding the competition and consumer videos used to sensitise students across the region and the sponsorship of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) and Barbados Fair Trading Commission (BFTC).

“The excellent advocacy by the national competition and consumer authorities in the CSME in promoting the competition in their respective jurisdictions and the Ministries of Education in each participating Member State and the teachers who ensured that as many students as possible participated in this inaugural competition,” the commission noted.

The commission says that the quality was above and beyond expectation. The top 3 essays from both age categories will be published on the CCC’s website during this month to showcase the hard work of the students and also for future educational purposes of their colleagues.

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24 SPORTS

THE BELIZE TIMES TIMES THE BELIZE

21 8 MAY AUG 17 MAY

2016 2020

JODY WILLIAMS & ANA CAMP WIN RUN VIRTUAL 10K CHALLENGE 1st men’s 30-39 Jody Williams

6th FEM 40-49 Risela Magaña

1st women’s 5059 Cheryl Olson

Belize, May 1-3, 2020 Jody Williams and Ana Camp won the Male and Female 30-39 years categories, when Ricardo Salazar of Total Times BZ organized 1st ever Run COVID Outta Belize Virtual 10K challenge over the weekend. Some 37 athletes competed in the event, with international participants from the United States, Canada and Cuba.

Male 30-39 years 1st Jody Williams - Hope Creek Village – 37:18 2nd Chris Prater - London, Ontario, Canada – 48:33 3rd Edgar Alvarez - Belmopan – 50:56.

4th Leon Guild - Belize City – Team Dragonz – 54:25.

5th Alfred Mendez - La Habana, Cuba – 1:05:39.

Male 17-20 years 1st Julian Padron - San Felipe Village, Orange Walk – 55:35.

Male 21-39 years 1st Brandon Adophus - Orange Walk Town – 38:43.

2nd Victor Manuel Herrera de la Haz - La Habana, Cuba – 43:25.

3rd Jose Ortiz - Belmopan 51:59.

4th Fred Usher Jr – Belize City Team Splash Elite – 52:46.

5th Stanley Alvarez - Duck Run II, Cayo – Team Westrac - 1:41:54.

Male 40-49 years 1st Walter Thiessen - Spanish Lookout, Cayo – 59:08.

2nd David Cano - Belmopan 1:01:29.

3rd Fernando Garcia de Leon La Habana, Cuba – 1:13:39.

Male 50-59 years 1st Marvin Hope - Austin, Texas, USA – 44:54.

2nd Dr. Ramon Figueroa - San Ignacio - 50:56.

Male Over-60 years 1st Doug Jorgenson - Burrell

Boom Village - 1:03:24 Female 30-39 years 1st Ana Camp - Esperanza Village, Cayo – 38:43 2nd Andrea Pelayo - Orange Walk Town - Running Renegades – 53:18 3rd Kathleen Azueta-Cho - Belmopan – MoH - 54:59.

4th Mirtha Welch - Roaring Creek – Team Splash – 1:01:26.

5th Jen Brown - London, Ontario, Canada - 1:01:53 6th Lliani Ordonez - Belize City - Team LLSY - 1:01:56.

7th Evelyn Zuleta - Belmopan - 1:03:29 8th Diana Arias – Belmopan 1:08:19.

Female 21-39 years 1st Errin Na$a Halasinski Connecticut, USA - Jesuit Volunteers- 1:09:06.

Female 40-49 years 1st Sandra Perez - Los Lagos, Belize district - Team LLSY – 1:02:00.

2nd Erin Ryan - San Jose Succotz, Cayo – 1:22:00.

3rd Lilian Alamina - Belize City - Team LLSY - 1:25:77 4th Yemeri Reyes - Belize City - Team LLSY - 1:37:15.

5th Megan Ryan – San Jose Succotz – 1:40:33.

6th Risela Magaña - Corozal Town – 2:36:20 (1st run after knee surgery!

Female 50-59 years 1st Cheryl Olson – Consejo Shores, Corozal – 1:01:20.

2nd Linda Carrasco Bradley Caye Caulker – 1:09:13.

3rd Dr. Melisa Cuellar - Belize City – 1:17:18.

4th Chickie Espat - San Ignacio – 1:21:50.

Female Over-60 years 1st Gwyn Hayman - Huntsville, Ontario, Canada - 1:13:50.

1st Male 17 -20yrs Julian Padron

1st FEM 60+ Gwyn Hayman

17 MAY

THE BELIZE TIMES

2020

25

Section

Países vecinos reactivan sus economías y compran más energía a El Salvador Por Karen Molina / Guadalupe Hernández, elsalvador.com Además de que los vecinos abren sus economías mientras aquí permanece el cierre, esto se explica por alza de los precios en Guatemala. Después que el país ha importado alrededor del 25% de la energía desde Guatemala, El Salvador ha pasado a ser vendedor de energía en el mercado regional e incluso, a superar las exportaciones de energía de Panamá.

Según datos del Ente Operador Regional, EOR, El Salvador ha inyectado a la red regional 1,806 megavatios de energía en el Mercado de Oportunidad Regional MOR mientras que Panamá solo ha inyectado 599 megavatios y Guatemala, apenas 13.1 megavatios.

Sin embargo, para el economista Mauricio Choussy esto no es una buena noticia.

“Con todo respeto, si estamos exportando energía es porque la economía de los vecinos necesita energía, eso quiere decir que su recuperación ha comenzado.

Qué pena, el exportar energía en nuestro caso no es un éxito, es una muestra de que nos seguimos hundiendo en la recesión”, tuiteó.

De acuerdo con el gerente general de la Unidad de Transacciones, UT, Luis González, esto se debe a que dada la caída del precio del petróleo a nivel internacional, hay momentos en el Mercado Eléctrico Regional (MER) en el que salen despachadas ofertas de oportunidad de exportación de agentes, sobre todo en horas nocturnas”.

Además se debe a que el país está generando más energía hidroeléctrica porque los embalses tienen suficiente agua por las recientes lluvias y porque los ingenios ya dejaron de producir energía al terminar la zafra y su participación ha caído al 7.24%. La CEL anunció este viernes que ha aumentado su generación hidroeléctrica en 11.84 GWh por día. La participación de las hidroeléctricas ha pasado de 12% en abril a 31% en mayo.

El presidente de CEL, Daniel Álvarez, explicó que El Salvador producirá más energía eléctrica, gracias a lo cual “el suministro eléctrico será estable en la pandemia del COVID-19”.

Explicó que la tarea se ha enfocado en optimizar los recursos para estar preparados para cualquier contingencia. Y recalcó que la presencia de lluvias ha contribuido a una mayor producción de energía.

“Como Gobierno, además de

estar luchando contra la pandemia, no hemos descansado en continuar con la generación de energía para los millones de hogares y nuestros hospitales, clínicas y centros de cuarentena”, dijo el titular.

Energía de Guatemala está más cara Según estos datos del EOR, El Salvador está exportando a $49 el MWh mientras que Guatemala tiene un precio más alto. Eso ha hecho que Guatemala deje de exportar e incluso, haya comenzado a importar energía desde México. Según González, esto ha permitido un equilibrio de oferta y demanda en el mercado regional en función de los precios. Y por ello, indica, los comercializadores salvadoreños han sabido aprovechar esa oportunidad.

En marzo, la UT reportaba que la demanda de energía había caído 25% respecto al consumo total de un día típico. En un día normal laboral de lunes a viernes, el país consume un promedio de 19,560 MWh mientras que el sábado se consumen 16,876 MWh y en domingo, unos 14,885 MWh.

Bukele: El Salvador comenzará a exportar energía. (Foto: Getty)

La presa Chaparral, de las más importantes del país.

Los pueblos indígenas son uno de los segmentos de población más vulnerables ante la expansión del coronavirus.

Coronavirus: la amenaza del covid-19 para los pueblos indígenas Por William Márquez, BBC News Mundo La expansión europea a territorios de América y Oceanía que se inició en el siglo XVI y la colonia en los siglos subsiguientes tuvo consecuencias catastróficas para los pueblos autóctonos de esas regiones.

Cuando los colonizadores entraron en contacto con las culturas nativas, introdujeron nuevos patógenos contra los que los

aborígenes no habían desarrollado inmunidad y estos últimos se vieron abrumados y diezmados por enfermedades altamente contagiosas que contribuyeron a la desaparición de sus civilizaciones.

La devastación de pueblos continuó hasta entrado el siglo XX y ahora el nuevo coronavirus amenaza con consecuencias similares.

“Sin lugar a dudas, nosotros, los pueblos indígenas somos uno de los segmentos más vulnerables ante

la actual pandemia de coronavirus covid-19”, declaró en un comunicado la Confederación de Pueblos Indígenas de Brasil (APIB).

“A lo largo de la historia hemos sido víctimas de sucesivos invasores por las enfermedades que portaban, como la gripe, la viruela y el sarampión”, continúa el comunicado.

Y añade: “el coronavirus es otra de estas amenazas”.

El primer caso confirmado de Continued on page 26

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17 MAY

2020

Section

Coronavirus en África: qué hay detrás de la aparente resistencia del continente africano a la pandemia El continente africano ha reportado alrededor de 55.000 contagios de coronavirus.

Por Karen Molina / Guadalupe Hernández, elsalvador.com Desde que se reportó el primer caso en África, el 14 de febrero, medios de comunicación en todo el mundo, expertos, gobiernos y hasta la Organización Mundial de la Salud (ONU) han pronosticado una “catástrofe” en el continente.

Aunque expertos advierten que todavía es muy pronto para cantar victoria, el “desastre inminente” que vaticinó John Nkengasong, director de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades de África, aún no ha ocurrido.

Mientras que Europa contabiliza más de 1,5 millones de casos confirmados, Estados Unidos supera los 1,3 millones y América Latina se acerca a los 250.000, el continente africano ha reportado alrededor de 55.000 contagios.

Su relativamente baja cifra de muertos sorprende aún más: hasta el 8 de mayo, esta región del mundo había registrado poco más de 2.000 muertes, un saldo muy inferior al de otros continentes o incluso si se compara con una ciudad como Nueva York, que ya ha superado las 20.000 víctimas mortales.

Estos números impresionan más si se toma en cuenta que África es el segundo continente más poblado del mundo con sus 1.200 millones de habitantes.

Pero ¿qué se esconde detrás de la aparente resistencia del continente africano a la pandemia de coronavirus y por qué hay tan pocos casos reportados de covid-19?

Los países africanos más afectados son Sudáfrica con 10.015 casos, Egipto con 9.400, Marruecos con 6.063 y Argelia con 5.723 (cifras a 11 de mayo).

Juntas, estas 4 naciones suman prác-

ticamente el 50% del total de los contagios en África.

Pese a las numerosas advertencias desde el inicio de la crisis sanitaria, África continúa registrando cifras de contagios y de muertes relativamente bajas cuando se compara con otras regiones del mundo.

Algunos expertos argumentan que la explicación a la presunta excepción en la que se ha convertido el continente es que los deficientes sistemas de salud locales no permiten hacer suficientes pruebas y detectar más infecciones por covid-19, debido principalmente a la carencia de recursos.

Pero otros aseguran que también influyen otros factores, que van desde elementos demográficos hasta la menor movilidad.

Medidas tomadas a tiempo Pese a unas pocas excepciones, la mayoría de los países africanos tienen en común que han tomado medidas “más rápido que el resto del mundo”, destaca Soy. “Han sido más decisivos y han tomado medidas drásticas desde muy temprano. Ruanda fue uno de los primeros en implementar un confinamiento cuando tenían menos de 20 casos confirmados.

Cerraron la puerta; detuvieron los vuelos internacionales”, precisa.

Experiencia con epidemias Aunque la pandemia de coronavirus es la crisis sanitaria más grave que nuestra generación ha vivido, está lejos de ser la primera.

Especialmente en África, un continente que ha enfrentado fuertes epidemias de malaria, tuberculo-

sis, cólera, VIH y ébola.

Todas estas enfermedades han cobrado vidas, pero también han obligado a la comunidad científica y médica africana a innovar.

Un continente menos globalizado Frederique Jacquerioz, experta en salud pública africana del equipo de médicos de medicina tropical y humanitaria del Hospital Universitario de Ginebra, en Suiza, estima que otro factor que puede explicar la resistencia de África a la pandemia es la baja movilidad existente entre los países del continente y el resto del mundo.

“Los primeros casos confirmados en África fueron jóvenes, africanos o europeos, que habían viajado, regresaron a África y trajeron el virus con ellos”, le dice la médico a BBC Mundo. ¿Hay un factor demográfico?

La pirámide demográfica africana es otro elemento que puede haber ayudado a que el saldo mortal en la región no sea mayor: África es el continente con la población más joven del mundo.

Blanchet apoya esta hipótesis y resalta que “la edad media en África es de 19,7 años, mientras que en Europa es de alrededor de 40 años, por ejemplo”.

Editor Belize Times: Para más información sobre este artículo, visite bbc. com/mundo

Coronavirus: la amenaza del covid-19 para los pueblos indígenas Continued from page 25 coronavirus entre la población indígena de Brasil se anunció el 4 de abril. Desde entonces y hasta este 14 de abril la cifra ha aumentado a 16 casos confirmados y tres muertes, según la Secretaría de Salud del Estado.

Suelo virgen Un estudio realizado por investigadores de la Universidad de Missouri, en Estados Unidos, concluye que la consecuencia más devastadora de la colonización europea fue la introducción de nuevas enfermedades infecciosas.

En ese momento, muchas de las poblaciones indígenas no habían sido expuestas a patógenos que eran tan comunes en Europa. Y lo provocado por dichos microorganismos altamente infecciosos entre estas comunidades se conoce como epidemias en suelo virgen.

Sus consecuencias fueron “extremadamente graves”, con un alto índice de mortalidad y una completa descomposición social, dice el estudio.

En las pequeñas comunidades indígenas de la Amazonía y otros lugares de la región, la situación no solo ocurrió en el período inicial de la colonización europea, sino amplia y repetidamente a lo largo de los siglos.

Editor Belize Times: Para más información sobre este artículo, visite bbc.com/mundo

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CXC Regional Examinations to be held in July 2020 - CARICOM By caricom.org CSEC, CAPE and CCSLC students will be sitting their examinations in July this year. That was the decision coming out of the First Emergency Virtual Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) – Education on Friday. The meeting, chaired by Antigua and Barbuda Minister of Education, Hon. Michael Browne, was attended

by Ministers of Education, senior Ministry of Education officials from across CARICOM and key stakeholders including CXC, University of the West Indies, CUT and (other stakeholders).

The Registrar of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) Dr. Wayne Wesley, in a presentation to the meeting, explained the administration of the modified examination process for the award of valid

grades. He indicated that preserving the integrity of the examinations involved; the administration of Paper 1 (Multiple Choice Assessment), School Based Assessment, and where applicable additional assessment components along with appropriate modelling accounting for historical data and teacher predicted information as important calibration/quality check.

He said while the proposed revised administration schedule for examinations is July 2020 (results released in the 1st week of September 2020), there was need for a regional consensus considering the impact of COVID-19 and the respective national protocols.

The COHSOD also agreed to have Examinations administered via an e-Testing modality in countries that are equipped with the requisite infrastructure. However, where there were infrastructure challenges,

candidates would be allowed to sit paper-based examinations.

The CXC in collaboration with the UWI presented another proposal at the meeting in relation to requirements for CAPE applicants for 2020 admission. Their proposal to accept CAPE Unit 1 plus previous results to serve as matriculation to UWI for the next academic year was accepted by the Council.

The Council adopted Public Health Guidelines for the reopening of schools, as proposed in the report from Executive Director of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) Dr. Joy St. John.

The report from CARPHA included initial guidance on the development of protocols for re-opening of schools in the response, recovery, and resilience phases of the crisis by the Education sector. She also spoke to the need for mental health consid-

erations during a Public Health crisis.

Dr. St. John reminded the COHSOD of the complexities of the education system in Member States and the challenges for social distancing.

The Chair underscored the significance of competing and varying conditions impacting education systems in Member States, with some states seeing increased cases of confirmed COVID-19 while in other states the number of confirmed cases are decreasing. There was a deep appreciation of the complexities of responding to the provision of education during a public health crisis and Member States detailed the peculiar challenges they were experiencing.

In particular, attention was given to the current trend of COVID 19 infections in Jamaica and it was agreed that the CXC would pursue further bilateral discussions with Jamaica in relation to special considerations that could be explored.

After tedious negotiations and consultations, and on evaluating Education and Health officials’ ability to create a safe environment for students to prepare for and sit the regional exams, the meeting arrived at a consensus for exams to be held in July 2020. Informed by CARPHA’s recommendations and strategies for the safe, phased opening of schools, Ministries of Education, guided by national Health officials, will adapt respective national conditions to ensure students, teachers and staff can safely prepare for the July sitting.

Distressed Caribbean Countries Face a Dilemma: They’re Too Rich

By Ben Bartenstein and Sydney Maki, bloomberg.com For Caribbean nations such as Suriname, Belize and Barbados, the pandemic hasn’t just shut down local economies. It’s also led some investors to worry about how they’ll repay their bonds.

Unlike eight regional nations including Haiti, Honduras and Nicaragua that may qualify for a global debt relief initiative backed by the Group of 20, average incomes of the three make them ineligible. In other words, they’re too rich.

Such is one irony of a multilateral effort to temporarily waive debt payments by 73 of the world’s poorest countries in the midst of a devastating public health crisis. In the Americas, eligible nations don’t have many liabilities to waive, and the nations most at risk of default don’t qualify. The G-20 plan aims to free funds in low-income countries to combat the coronavirus crisis.

Note: All nations but Haiti are IDA eligible on a mix of small economy or

blend credit terms Of the eight nations that fit the criteria, only Honduras and Grenada have international dollar bonds. The others mostly owe loans or local debt. Meantime, some of the region’s most distressed sovereigns -- Suriname, Belize and Barbados -- don’t match the World Bank’s low-income country guidelines.

Almost all the nations that can request debt relief are also eligible for International Development Association funding. To qualify for IDA resources, a nation must have a gross national income per capita of less than $1,175 or lack creditworthiness to access other types of funding.

Careenage harbor in Bridgetown, the capital city of Barbados.

Photographer: Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images

Haiti’s gross national income was $800 per capita in 2018, according to World Bank data. By contrast, Suriname’s was $5,210, while the latest figures from Belize and Barbados were $4,470 and $15,410, respectively.

Regardless of where they fall on that scale, Caribbean nations are suffering from a triple blow that’s eating up revenue. Tourism has ground to a halt. Remittance flows, which briefly spiked in some places, are expected to fall sharply. And oil prices have also collapsed.

Gita Gopinath, chief economist at the International Monetary Fund, warned that

island nations are particularly vulnerable.

“This is an existential question for these countries,” she said on a webcast Thursday hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations.

“The hit the entire economy is facing is tremendous.”

Even Costa Rica, a playground for American tourists that has long been ranked as the region’s oasis of stability, is in trouble. Its $1.3 billion of dollar bonds due in 2045 have tumbled to 78 cents from as high as 109 in late January.

“There is still a risk in terms of funding needs for this year,” said Delphine Arrighi, a London-based money manager at Merian Global Investors UK Ltd.

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CCJ Takes Lead in Assisting Justice Sector to Adjust to COVID-19 Pandemic

By Michelle Nurse, Caricom.org May 11, 2020 The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) (last week) convened a meeting of key personnel in judiciaries, prosecutorial services, state agencies and bar associations throughout the Caribbean in an effort to assess challenges and needs arising from the new paradigm produced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Co-sponsoring the meeting were the JURIST Project, the CCJ Academy for Law and the Caribbean Association of Judicial Officers.

The virtual meeting was attended by more than 100 participants across 22 countries and was hailed as a success by attendees. Many of the participants expressed a desire for follow-up regional collaborations.

President of the CCJ, the Honourable Mr. Justice Adrian Saunders, opened the meeting

by welcoming the gathering that included seven regional Heads of Judiciary, six Directors of Public Prosecutions and several Court Registrars, Bar Association Presidents and other legal and technical professionals. The conference was co-facilitated by the CCJ President and Mr. Peter Bracegirdle of Global Affairs Canada (GAC), a consultant with the Canadian-funded JURIST project. A significant role in organising the event was also played

by APEX, a non-profit agency

established by the CCJ in 2017 to provide technology-enabled solutions and training to improve the region’s justice delivery sector.

In the first session, the attendees engaged in a discussion of the challenges faced in their jurisdictions by judicial officers, court staff, attorneys and other court users. Issues discussed included health challenges, particularly of court staff but also of court users who are not able to conduct their affairs remotely, either owing to the nature of the services required or the absence or unavailability of desired technology. The gathering noted the challenges in ensuring a) efficient, accessible and effective justice for all court customers; and b) the health and safety of all who work in and use the services provided by the justice sector.

The latter two sessions focused on solutions that have

been implemented in various jurisdictions and the lessons learned from these, as well as the needs that have become apparent in addressing the uncertainty that lies ahead. Participants benefited from hearing measures that have been implemented in other jurisdictions, such as those enabling the conduct of trials in Magistrates’ or Parish courts.

The meeting served as a significant first step in combining ideas and efforts across the Caribbean to meet the needs of those working in the justice sector and those seeking to avail themselves of its services. Going forward, the CCJ intends to continue working with its partners and the stakeholders in each of these jurisdictions to ensure that we are all stronger and better positioned to serve our constituents, even when COVID-19 is in our rear view.

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Saudi Arabia

to triple VAT as Covid-19 & low oil cripple state finances

By RT.com Riyadh has rolled out major austerity measures to keep its economy afloat after the coronavirus outbreak resulted in a steep decline in oil revenues which the nation vastly relies on The kingdom will suspend a cost-of-living allowance for government workers starting in June and hike VAT from the current rate of five percent to 15 percent as of July 1, the Ministry of Finance announced on Monday. The expenditure reduction is set to save Riyadh 100 billion riyals ($26.6 billion) in total, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

“These measures that have been undertaken today, as tough as they are, are necessary and beneficial to maintain comprehensive financial and economic stability on the medium and long-term for the interest of the country and its citizens,” Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan said, as cited by the agency.

The VAT rate increase may further hit consumer spending – which has already been crippled by the coronavirus outbreak – and impede recovery after the crisis, analysts believe.

“Raising VAT when many households are already facing job losses and salary cuts is likely to exacerbate the decline in consumption this year and increase pressure on businesses,” wrote Khatija Haque, head of MENA research at Emirates NBD. Saudi Arabia’s budget revenue mostly comes from crude imports and this year’s oil market rout resulted in massive financial losses for the kingdom. While the coronavirus was the final straw that slashed global demand for the commodity and sent prices into a tailspin, Riyadh’s decision to flood the market with cheap oil after the OPEC deal fell apart also contributed to it.

Saudi Arabia’s tax hike announcement immediately weighed on markets and investor sentiment in the Gulf, as neighboring states were feared

to follow suit. The main stock index of Saudi bourse, Tadawul, was down over one percent on Monday. Stock markets in other countries in the region, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Jordan and Bahrain, also tumbled around one percent.

The UAE’s finance minister told Al Arabiya TV that Abu Dhabi has no plans to hike tax. However, the ongoing coronavirus crisis may still force other regional players to roll out austerity measures.

“Kuwait, Oman and Qatar have not yet implemented VAT and the increased pressure on government finances may finally push them to introduce this tax, particularly in Oman and Kuwait,” Haque noted.

Latin America’s second-biggest airline, Avianca, driven to bankruptcy by coronavirus

By Marcelo Rochabrun and Devika Krishna Kumar, Reuters Avianca Holdings, Latin America’s No. 2 airline, filed for bankruptcy on Sunday, as a bond payment deadline loomed and after pleas for aid from Colombia’s government to weather the coronavirus crisis have so far been unsuccessful. If it fails to come out of bankruptcy, Avianca would be one of the first major carriers worldwide to go under as a result of the pandemic, which has

resulted in a 90% decline in global air travel.

Avianca has not flown a regularly scheduled passenger flight since late March and most of its 20,000 employees have gone without pay through the crisis.

“Avianca is facing the most challenging crisis in our 100-year history,” Avianca CEO Anko van der Werff said in a press release.

While Avianca was already weak before the coronavirus outbreak, its bankruptcy filing high-

lights the challenges for airlines that cannot count on state rescues to avoid bankruptcy restructuring.

An Avianca representative told Reuters it is still trying to secure government loans.

“Help from governments to the airline industry is vital,” Silvia Mosquera, Avianca’s chief commercial officer, said in a statement to Reuters before the bankruptcy.

Avianca, one of the oldest airlines in the world, estimated liabilities Continued on page 30

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Global Public Square (May 10)

By Fareed Zakaria, cnn.com I want to conclude this special by giving you my take, drawing on my “Washington Post” column this week.

Despite the fact that in America at least the curve has not really flattened, we are all thinking about when and how things will get back to normal?

But we should use this crisis as a way to rethink what normal means.

The more closely you look, the more it appears that we human beings have been living in a way that makes future pandemics likely even inevitable.

Peter Dashik is a Disease Ecologist and a renowned virus hunter. He and his team venture into bat caves in full protective gear to get the animal’s saliva or blood to determine the origins of a virus. In a conversation with me he was clear. We’re doing things every day that make pandemics more likely.

We need to understand this. It’s not just nature. It’s what we are doing to nature. Remember, most viruses come from animals. The CDC estimates that three quarters of new human diseases originate in animals. The Coronavirus might simply have come from one of those wild life markets in

China where wild animals are slaughtered and sold, a practice that should be banned around the world.

But it’s also true as human civilization expands, building roads, clearing farmland, constructing factories, excavating mines, we are also destroying the natural habitat of wild animals, bringing them closer and closer to us.

Some scientists believe this is making the transmission of diseases from animals to humans far more likely. The virus that causes COVID-19 appears to have originated in bats which are particularly good incubators for viruses.

Scientists are still studying what happened, but in other cases we’ve seen how human encroachment can lead bats to look for food around farms, where they then infect livestock and through them infect humans.

There are other paths for pathogens. The most likely one comes directly from our insatiable appetite for meat. As people around the world get richer they tend to eat more meat.

Some 80 billion land animals are slaughtered for meat each year, 80 billion around the world.

Most livestock is factory farmed an estimated 99 percent in America about 74 percent around the world according to one animal rights group.

And that entails crowding thousands of animal’s inches for each other in gruesome conditions that are almost designed to incubate viruses, and then encourage them to spread getting more virulent with each hop.

Vox’s Sigal Samuel quotes the biologist Rob Wallace. Factory farms are the best ways to select for the most dangerous pathogens possible.

Factory farms are also ground zero for

new antibody resistant bacteria, which is another path towards widespread human infections.

Factory farmed animals are bombarded with antibiotics which means the bacteria that’s service and flourish are highly potent. While these animals are not always the source of deadly infections some 2.8 million Americans are sickened by antibody resistant bacteria annually, often 35,000 die every year according to the CDC. Then there’s climate change, which intensifies everything, transforming ecosystems, forcing more animals out of their habitats and bringing tropical conditions to places that were previously temperate.

Scientific American reports the warmer weather and more variable conditions brought by climate change are making it easier to transmit diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, Zika virus, West Nile virus

and Lime disease in many parts of the world. As we change ecosystems and natural habitat, long dormant diseases can emerge to which we have no immunity.

In May 2015 two-thirds of the world’s population of a small antelope died suddenly within a few weeks. A bacterium called Pasteurella Multocida which long lived in the animal without doing any harm suddenly turned virulent. Why? “The Atlantic’s” Ed Young explains that the region was becoming more tropical and 2015 was a particularly warm, humid year. When the temperature gets really hot, he writes, and the air gets really wet, Saiga die, climate is the trigger and Pasteurella is the bullet.

So let’s not get back to just normal. Let’s change our ways to make normal life less dangerous for the planet, for nature and for animals which, of course, includes us.

Latin America’s second-biggest airline, Avianca, driven to bankruptcy by coronavirus Continued from page 29 between $1 billion to $10 billion in a filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.

It already went through bankruptcy in the early 2000s, from which it was rescued by a Bolivian-born oil entrepreneur, German Efromovich. Efromovich grew the airline aggressively but also saddled the carrier with significant debt. Efromovich was ousted from the airline last year in a boardroom coup led by United Airlines Holdings Inc, but he still owns a majority stake in the carrier.

United stands to lose up to $700 million in loans related to Avianca. Efromovich told Reuters on Sunday that he disagreed with the decision to file for bankruptcy and that he was not involved in making it. Avianca’s leadership will host a press conference later on Sunday.

LEAD-UP TO BANKRUPTCY The management that took over after Efromovich’s ousting was already focused on a cost-cutting reorganization dubbed “Avianca 2021.”

Warnings about its fragile finances abounded. Roberto Kriete, president of Avianca’s board, said last year in a meeting with employees that the airline was “broke.” Last month, Avianca’s accounting firm, KPMG, said it had “substantial doubts” about the carrier’s ability to exist a year from

now. Avianca’s shares closed at 88 cents on Friday in New York, from a high of more than $18 in 2014.

Most pressingly, Avianca was facing a $65 million bond payment due on Sunday that analysts did not think the airline was in a position to meet. S&P downgraded the airline to CCCstatus in the days leading up to that payment. Van der Werff had in recent weeks gone on a public relations campaign to secure emergency aid from Colombia’s government, but as of Sunday none had materialized.

Avianca has no certain date to resume operations, as its main hubs – Colombia, El Salvador and Peru – have all shut down air traffic to fight the coronavirus. The carrier faced backlash this week after it sold plane tickets for late May only to have to cancel them when Colombia extended its coronavirus lockdown.

In parallel to its Chapter 11 filing in the United States, Avianca said it intends to begin winding down operations in Peru.

Avianca is the third of Efromovich’s airlines to go through bankruptcy or out of business in recent years. Airlines Avianca Brasil and Avianca Argentina ceased to exist last year due to economic troubles in their markets.

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