Sunday, April 3, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
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Issue No. 4738
SUNDAY April 3, 2011
UDP MELTDOWN
Belize City, March 30th, 2010 The ruling United Democratic Party is facing a meltdown of epic proportions. In a move never before seen in democratic societies, the UDP has shooed out Hon. Marcel Cardona, the elected UDP Orange Walk East Area Representative, from their Party without giving natural justice an opportunity to take its course. In a letter leaked to the BELIZE TIMES by a UDP Headquarters insider, UDP Chairman Patrick Faber wrote Cardona and imposed that “with immediate effect” the UDP “ceases to regard” Continued on page 4
PUP demands recall of Shyne as Music Ambassador Convict turned diplomat accused of conning Belizean artists
PM Dean Barrow
Hon. Marcel Cardona
Murder investigation
leads OW Police to U.S. fugitive sex offender Orange Walk Town, March 30, 2011 By Carmelita Perez An American national, who was detained by Orange Walk Police for interrogation into the murder investigation of British/Lebanese national, 54 year old Issis Nassar, has now been identified as a dangerous sex offender wanted by United States authorities. The BELIZE TIMES’ investigaContinued on page 6
US fugitive David McClain
PUP PROTESTS EMPTY POT BUDGET
See page 34
Issis Nassar
Senate probes
UDP’s wasteful spending
Shyne gave Belizeans ‘puss eena bag’
March 30, 2011 In April 2010 Prime Minister Barrow appointed his son, a convicted felon and deportee, Music Ambassador of Belize despite public outcry and open dissent from critics who claimed it was a blatant act of
DPM Gaspar Vega
Leader of Opposition Hon. John Briceño joins protesters on Independence Hill
See page 11
See page 35
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Respect to the BELIZE TIMES, power to Belizean women!
Jorge Aldana’s writes
on Barrow’s Empty Pot Budget Dear Editor, please allow me some space in your newspaper to share my take on the budget debate proceeding last week The Budget Debate last week was historic. The action of Parliamentarians begs the question whether the debate over how Government expects to spend the people’s money, moved to that of “an animal farm” quarrel? Many things occurred before our very eyes; things that will go down into our political history. Let me first say that this is the first Budget Debate that brought the Barrow Administration under fire from the Opposition and at least one member of the ruling party. It was also the first time that a fight erupted in the gallery between supporters of both major political parties; inside a house that should be the most honorable place in Belize. It is also the first time that the Speaker of the House allowed disorder and chaos to take control of the day’s proceeding forcing the Budge Debate to temporarily be suspended. Day one was the Leader of the Opposition Hon John Briceño’s day to shine and shine he did. He took a little over an hour to chastise and rip apart the Prime Minister’s budget presentation delivered a week before the budget debate. Hon. Briceño started by calling the Barrow Budget an “Empty Pot Budget,” questioning how much of the 21 pledges made by the UDP in 2008 has been accomplished so far by the UDP. The PUP Leader’s opening remarks paved the way for what would become the most fiery budget debate under the Barrow Administration. But even when the Prime Minister had
The Party is nothing but the vanguard of the people, the active organ of the people, working at all times in the service of the people.”
his last words on Day 2 of the debate, he failed to say how much of the 5000 jobs promised have been created so far by his administration. In his response to the Leader of the Opposition, the PM made no reference to Briceño’s statement that unemployment has almost doubled since the UDP was elected. On Briceño’s questions on crime situation and the UDP 360 degree approach to curb crime, the PM used the corruption card once again to dodge the bullet before the nation. As Briceño tore apart the Government’s figures for 2011/2012, he was constantly mocked and deliberately interrupted by members of the UDP gallery who shouted comments from across the isle of the ruling government. Even while being interrupted, Briceño maintained his calm and focus and was able to point to the PM and the nation that this year, like the previous year, will bring no alleviation to the burden Belizeans are facing. Briceño indicated that the lack of growth has increased unemployment and created and increased underemployment. He added that Belizean families are unable to pay for their basic food and a decent shelter. He presented facts showing how more Belizeans have fallen below the poverty line and will not be able to afford the basic goods and service such as food, health care and provide for their children’s education. As statistics are indicating that our poverty levels continue to show an increase, Briceño pointed out that the middle class is fast disappearing. He was sharp in pointing that families fall into economic misery, suffering from crime and all those other issues that are plaguing Belize. Barrow was also bombarded by one of his own party members, as Orange Walk East UDP Area Representative Marcel Cardona aimed his contribution at Deputy PM Gaspar Vega and the PM himself. In his explosive remarks Cardona referred to the PM’s ways of running the people’s business as that of “an animal farm, where some animals are more equal than other.” Cardona wasted no time in questioning the Barrow Budget citing that the budget has nothing for his constituency. Cardona told the nation that his people were sick and tired of the unfair treatment inflicted on his people by his own government. The Area Rep said that the proposed budget showed a clear discrimination and abuse against his people who are treated like lepers or sub-humans without rights and privileges. Of course Cardona would not be allowed to fly free with his comments as he was frequently interrupted and mocked by his own UDP colleagues and
Dear Editor, As the close of International Women’s Month nears, I would like to express our deepest words of appreciation to your organisation for helping to positively illuminate our Belizean women. I have noticed significant changes in the newspaper, which I am told, came about with certain changes in personnel. Let me commend you and your staff (old and new) of the good job you do. I read your newspaper every week and was enchanted as your front pages were graced with photos and features of beautiful, successful and positive Belizean women. From your coverage of Melonie Gillett’s new music album, to the contestants of the African Queen pageant, to the winner of the pageant Nadia Avila, I found your choice of featuring women in most possible positive ways an admirable one. Your respect for our mothers and sisters is also obviously not limited to the front page, as inside you give prominent space to the PUP Deputy leader Carolyn Sandiford, who I foresee will one day transform Belizean politics with her ideas, and even a young writer Lucia M. I also note that a young and brave female reporter, Carla Bradley, is a member of your staff. Power to women! This you do, at a time when your opponents are showing the greatest of disrespect to women. They should be ashamed, I tell you. I ask you Mr. Editor to continue on this commendable track. We the women of Belize are grateful. Thanks, Mrs. Gretel B. (My family is made up of seven women and one man so you would understand my excitement.)
This is no Surprise Dear Editor, It was a hot and sunny Saturday afternoon about a month ago, I was washing my motorcycle and my kids were playing in the yard, you know just one of those days. I turned on the radio to see what was on and when I did, they were announcing Shyne’s returning to Belize for a concert. They said it would be the biggest concert in Belize so Belizeans should come out and support. So they said. I guess it is because he is broke and trying to make a comeback or because he is the son of the Prime Minister, so he figured he will get the support which he did. It was like a green light for Shyne Barrow to shine on the Belizean people once more, but instead he has out hustled the poor Belizean inna these hard time. It didn’t surprise me as I used to be a Shyne fan. I am so mad at this system to see how a convict like him can get a position like Musical Ambassador when you have so many great Belizean icons, real grass root artists. It’s just not fair at all. To me as a Belizean Shyne is nothing but a fraud and a joke to the music industry. Even the big producers from outside didn’t have enough confidence in him. He should change his name from Shyne to Dull because that’s what he is. To me, Shyne acts more Jewish than so-called Belizean and that’s my opinion on our fake Music Ambassador. Shyne, I think the whole country of Belize deserves an apology from you, right now. Thanks for publishing, Roberto Peyrefitte
THE BELIZE TIMES EDITOR
Alberto Vellos supporters on the gallery. While Briceño and Cardona shined during the two days of budget debate, so were disrespects, chaos and unruly behaviors. The National Assembly is an honorable place and must be treated as such. But even with the frequent interventions by the Speaker of the House, Hon. Emil Arguelles, lawlessness and disrespect ruled. He failed to keep “The House” in order, allowing supporters from both political parties to shout at members of the national assembly creating havoc. Party supporter should not be allowed to shout comments to any member of the National Assembly but it happened during the two days of presentations. Unparliamentarily language is forbidden and if a member uses such languages, the Speaker of the House
Continued on page 34
Send your letters to: editortimes@yahoo.com
OFFICE MANAGER
Fay Castillo McKay PRINTING/PERSONNEL SUPERVISOR
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Chris Williams STAFF REPORTER
Carla Bradley TYPIST
Rachel Arana OFFICE ASSISTANT
Roberto Peyrefitte Printed & Published By The Belize Times Ltd. #3 Queen Street P.O. BOX 506 Belize City, Belize Tel: 671-8385 Email: belizetimesad@yahoo.com editortimes@yahoo.com
Sunday, April 3, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
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THE BELIZE TIMES
UDP MELTDOWN
Continued from page 1
Cardona “as a member of the UDP”. The letter explains that over the last six months, Cardona has conducted himself as having no interest, or having abandoned, and ended allegiance to the UDP. The letter says that the most recent example of Cardona’s abandonment was his display at last week Friday’s Budget Debate. At that House of Representatives meeting, Cardona blasted UDP Leader and Prime Minister Dean Barrow, as well as his Deputy Leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Gaspar Vega, accusing them of spitefully abandoning his constituents in Orange Walk and breaking sacred pre-election promises made to the Belizean people. Cardona’s prepared Budget debate speech, which he could not read in full after the House Speaker Emil Arguelles interrupted him four times threatening to forcibly shut him up, documented extensive examples of victimization, corruption, dishonesty and greed under Vega and Barrow. Cardona began firing off at Vega, who he accused of doing everything over the last three years to orchestrate his removal as an elected representative. He said the Government refused to approve and carry out various projects in Orange Walk East. While the neglect was rampant, an abundance of resources was made available to Vega’s Orange Walk North constituency.
“So what about Orange Walk East? Why have notwithstanding our best efforts (even after several personal requests by the Orange Walk East Area Representative and Special Delegations from the East, calling for the intervention or assistance of Cabinet and the Prime Minister himself) to get more land surveyed, we have been unable to do so? Are our people not considered to the “poor”, like most of the rest of the country? Were we operating in an ANIMAL FARM situation, where some of the ANIMALS were MORE EQUAL than OTHERS?” Cardona vented. His exposé on the Prime Minister was more revealing. Cardona called Barrow “the Great Puppet Master”, claiming that the then Leader of the Opposition had recruited him under the sinister premise that he would lead a transparent and honest Government. “I placed my entire trust and confidence in the then Leader of the Opposition and now Prime Minister – But I was merely being used, by whom I have now come to know as “the Great PuppetMaster,” who now that he has accomplished his life-long dream of becoming Belize’s first Black Prime Minister, now wishes to dispose of the very persons who helped to get him elected and where he now sits,” stated Cardona. The relationship between Cardona and Barrow turned sour only three
Continued on page 7
Sunday, April 3, 2011
UDP has Belama
vulnerable to criminals Belize City, March 29, 2011 “The UDP government will transform the Belize Police Department into a highly trained, adequately equipped, creative and professional security team that will exude high morale, and be trained to achieve efficient, highly competent, well organized and fair system of crime prevention, interdiction, evidence gathering, persecution and justice”. 2008 UDP Manifesto The above was what the UDP promised to Belizean three years ago about strengthening the Police Department along with a lot of other mumbo jumbo in their 2008 manifesto. Since the UDP came to power, the Police has seen their department transformed to just the opposite of what Dean Barrow and the UDP promised. Training for police recruits has been cut short, equipment are only given to those flunkies in the department that carry out the political agenda, moral is at its lowest, and many vile and corrupted police officers are used to intimidate, profile and abuse citizens. In the Freetown Division, which has a PUP Area Representative, we have witnessed the victimization first-hand from the impotent Carlos Perdomo with the blessings of Dean Barrow. The then Minister of Police closed down the police booth on Lizarraga Avenue in the Kings Park area and substation in the Belama Area to punish residents, while equipping the Caribbean Shores (an area with a UDP rep) police substation with police manpower, vehicle and surveillance cameras. Under the UDP, the residents of Freetown especially in the Belama area have seen violent crime surge to its highest for the first time in existence. This situation
continues unabated and with no solution in sight. Instead of firing the failed Carlos Perdomo, Prime Minister Dean Barrow carved the special Defence and Immigration Ministries for him and his “gobbled gook” CEO, and brought in a rejected politician a.k.a. “carnival dancer” Douglas Singh as the new Police Minister with loyalist George Lovell as his CEO. Last month, Singh was forced to re-open the Belama substation after outcry from the area representative and the area residents. But this carnival buffoon and his CEO (A retired BDF Colonel – what a shame) reduced the strength of the station to one police officer with little or no support. While Singh considers Belama’s security unimportant, PM Barrow travels every day with no less than six police escorts, other ministers are assigned at least two. The news of the armed attack inside the Belama substation which left the single officer on duty clinging for life is shocking for residents, but for Minister Douglas Singh and George Lovell, who had the precinct undermanned, it should be no surprise. The attack by the criminal elements on the Belama substation should be seen as an attack on all residents of this area and this nation and should be condemned by all. In his 2011 budget presentation at the House of Rep. the Hon. Francis Fonseca the Freetown Rep. was ridiculed by Gaspar “Greedy” Vega and Patrick “Patsy” Faber when he warned of the volatility and danger that existed at the Belama police station. The blame for the attack on the young police officer lies on the failure of Dean Barrow and his incompetent government to make our police officers and our community safe from criminals that have now taken over his government and our country.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
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THUG POLITICS For some people who are aspiring for or have gained the trust of the electorate, etiquette and good manners are as alien to them as logic and good reason. The vile and vicious behaviour of the Prime Minister sends chills through the national spine of the electorate. His conduct is a far cry from the expected norms of parliamentary conduct and statesmanship. It is certainly not representative of the decent people of this country who the PM and his government have been charged to represent “without fear or favour”. DEBASING MISCONDUCT Clearly last Friday’s debasing misconduct in the legislature by representatives of this United Democratic Party government is far removed from their Oath of Office. It is the lowest denominator in politics just as in Biology where an amoeba represents the lowest form of life. The most recent precursor to this type of misconduct was an attempt by a Minister of the UDP government and a member of Prime Minister Dean Barrow’s rag-tag cabinet, to disrupt a convention and to try to intimidate voters and supporters of the People’s United Party. It is totally unacceptable and cannot be excused away as “just politics”. It is unbecoming of a Minister and of any member of our parliament. It is unacceptable to the vast majority of the national electorate, who for the most part, are decent and intelligent people who want nothing more, or nothing less, than to live a decent life and on which they hedged their political bets in the last general election of 2008. THUGS AND IGNORANCE The type of thug politics, that the populace have been privy to, built on ignorance and arrogance, is not what our people want or deserve. They are turned off by the greedy and self-serving interest displayed by their elected representatives in the Legislature. But the publicly rude, crude and thuggish misconduct of the Prime Minister, the Minister of Works and their cohorts, is nothing less than political misconduct by members of parliament. A few days later, as the debate on the government’s budget resumed in the House of Representatives, a UDP hack caused an unprecedented disruption during the debate as he burst into a diatribe of hate directed at the opposing supporters in the House gallery. It is obviously endemic in the UDP and its violent standard of politics while giving lip service to the spiraling increase in murders and other violent crimes. All this is systemic of a bigger problem. It includes the total disregard, by UDP representatives, for constitutional principles on which this nation was founded and, not unexpected, as always, ignorance and disrespect for the Code of Ethics - the Standing Orders of the Legislature. The House Speaker is obviously up to his neck in incompetence. With a heavy political bias, yet wanting to appear to be doing the balancing act, he comes over as being totally inept in running the affairs of the Legislature. He is incapable of controlling the ruckus and misconduct, even overbearing arrogance, led by the Prime Minister. We would expect that the PM, if no other, would lead in showing a modicum of decency and respect for parliamentary procedures. Instead, it is usually he who leads the charge for disrespecting the norms of parliamentary debate with the use of un-parliamentary language, sexual innuendos, disorderly conducts and debasing and derogatory remarks and name calling against Opposition representatives in the House. The PM is certainly no statesman. Like others in his government he IS beginning to look like an amoeba. AVOIDING A NATIONAL DISCOURSE Instead of continuing to embarrass themselves with the vulgarity, it would be so nice if our government representatives could take some time to lead a national discussion on the issues: housing, the crumbling infrastructure, their inability or unwillingness to role out the National Health Insurance Scheme to ensure better health care for the poor, the issue of growing poverty, unemployment, crime and balancing the budget. Mr. Barrow’s pro-poor policy is simply a political quick fix which he has, for as long as he has been in office, applied to his own Constituency to keep the people poor and dependent. It is tantamount to throwing alms to the poor. This is not the answer to meeting the needs of the poor while our representatives enrich themselves. It is gross hypocrisy and the betrayal of a people who were deceived to think that they were going to get better with a change of Government in 2008. People need jobs. People need to have their dignity restored. People want to dig themselves out of the downward spiraling quagmire of crime and murder and more murder in the streets as more and more, mostly black men continue to eliminate each other. They have no moral leadership. And so they turn to the political thugs for a temporary respite. For a few, and fortunately only a few, their role models have become the crooks and the thugs in the present government. It is disturbing that a government that was elected with such a strong mandate has reached this stage where they have squandered every iota of public confidence, trust and hope for economic recovery and for a better life. BULLYING FOR POLITICAL POWER Because of their failures, the politicians in the Barrow administration have started to attempt to bully their way into maintaining political power. But here is an advice to Mr. “Boots” Martinez, the Minister of Works and his colleagues: Having displayed very, very low levels of IQ, when you open your mouths to speak, confine yourselves to work and try to resolve the many problems you promised to fix when you were in opposition. Also there are certain fundamental standards of decency expected of parliamentarians: leadership, honesty, transparency, accountability, objectivity, integrity, and selflessness. If these are too difficult to commit to memory, then what about trying common decency, common sense, etiquette and good manners. You have been given a wonderful opportunity to take the pig out of you; an opportunity to get out of the mud that has been your life-long domain. Stop the thug politics….please!
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Sunday, April 3, 2011
More Blood on UDP hands
GOB’s tactic to delay Kendall Bridge replacement until elections is costing lives Belize City, March 27, 2011 Nearly three years ago, the Kendall Bridge in the south of Belize was washed away in the floodwaters of Tropical Storm Arthur. Despite promises by government of a new bridge within the year, southern residents have had to make do with a temporary causeway which is rendered impassable after every heavy rain. Over the weekend that causeway over the Kendall River claimed two more victims. An ambulance driver and nurse transporting a pregnant woman late Saturday night were killed when the vehicle flipped over the bridge and torpedoed into the river. 51 year old Ernesto Caliz Sr. had left Punta Gorda around 6:00pm en route to the Southern Regional Hospital in Dangriga. Caliz was accom-
Murder
investigation leads OW Police to U.S. fugitive sex offender Continued from page 1 tions reveal that 55 year old David B. McLain was detained in Orange Walk earlier this week. He was the second man detained in connection to Nassar’s vicious murder last week Thursday. As is normal, Police conducted a background check on the detainee and when they did, red flags came up. McClain was identified by the investigation as a wanted sex offender from Lawton, Oklahoma. McLain is reportedly wanted for the offense of sexual battery of a person over 16. We understand that because McClain is a U.S. national wanted in that country for the serious offense, the process of his extradition has commenced. Orange Walk Police hope to get as much information out of him to help them crack the Nassar murder case, however. The artist who was in Belize conducting art training was attacked inside her home, and killed. She was found nude, lying face down on the floor close to her bed, with her hands tied to the back and her mouth gagged with a piece of white cloth and with a slash to her throat. Nassar, it seems, was raped and then brutally murdered by her attacker or attackers. Investigators believe the attackers entered Nassar’s home by prying open two window louvres. The murder was the third for the year 2011, and the second killing of a woman during the celebration of Women’s Month in Orange Walk.
Ernesto Caliz & Madonna Anyamwu
panied by Nigerian nurse Madonna Anyanwu and a patient in the rear of the ambulance, 32 year old Magdalena Choco. Upon reaching the approach to the causeway, the ambulance lost control, ran off the causeway and into the river. The lifeless bodies of Caliz and Anyanwu, both still strapped in their seats, were retrieved from the ambulance. They both sustained serious head and body
injuries and are said to have died instantly. Patient Magdalena Choco was taken out injured, but alive. By our unofficial count, Caliz and Anyanwu are the third and fourth victims of the Barrow Administration’s makeshift Kendall crossing. In October of 2008, two persons attempting the crossing in a canoe drowned. Only one body was ever recovered. Sources in the south tell us that there have been at least six non-fatal accidents at the causeway. The BELIZE TIMES spoke to PUP Deputy Leader and former Minister of Works Mike Espat, who Continued on page 34
Sunday, April 3, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
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Women boycott El Guardian for nasty attack PM Barrow defends worthless editor
Belize City, March 28th, 2011 In a series of letters and strong messages of condemnation, influential women have verbally flogged the editor of the UDP’s El Guardian newspaper, Alfonso Noble, for the vicious attack on the People’s United Party United Women’s Group President. As a direct response to the publication of what has been classified in various quarters as an act of “poor journalism”, “vulgar”, “a cheap attack”, “worthless”, “vile”, and “malice”, the 16-member Women’s Issues NetworkBelize has announced that it is boycotting the UDP newspaper. The action, so far, is the strongest show of solidarity with the women
Alfonso Noble
leaders of the PUP who took to the streets and marched to the office of the National Women’s Commission last Wednesday, to protest that organisation’s silence a week after the publica-
UDP MELTDOWN
Continued from page 4
months into the UDP administration. Cardona detailed what happened. “I was called to a Special Parliamentary Caucus Meeting at 10:00 am at the UDP Headquarters on Monday, February 12, 2008, where we were all informed what our Ministerial Porfolios would have been. However, in my case, the Prime Minister immediately inserted a corollary that as it pertained to NICH, he was directing me to APPOINT Mrs. Dianne Haylock as its President. “The new NICH President is not an easy person to deal with. She tends to love her independence of action, and on several occasions wilfully refused to respect my authority as the Minister in charge of NICH or to properly report to me on the administration and operations of NICH. She privately, and without my knowledge or approval, nor the knowledge nor approval of members of the Board of Directors for NICH, negotiated a private deal with a local businessman.” The NICH Board and Cardona terminated Haylock but her wrongdoing was defended by the Prime Minister. This is when things began to crumble. “Two months later, he (PM Barrow) terminated me for believing in him and rather ironically, standing up for and defending his very own selfavowed anti-corruption principles. But little did I know at the time, that the NICH President was “RELATED” to the Honorable Prime Minister himself, and may have been an old girlfriend of his,” wrote Cardona. Ever since then, Cardona has been treated as a political leper. He has never been accepted back into Cabinet, and was overlooked last year in the appointment of a new Attorney General, even though he is among the only three trained attorneys in Barrow’s Cabinet. Instead Barrow recycled a UDP sympathizer, who may find himself discarded in the same fashion one day. In March 2010, Cardona claims he confronted Barrow during his visit
to Orange Walk and that is when the Prime Minister told him coldly, “I believe we are fast reaching the end of the road for you! I want you out!” From there, the attack against Cardona heightened and didn’t culminate until a convention was held in Orange Walk East earlier this year. The orchestration was complete, and Cardona was replaced by a well-financed opponent supported by Vega, “Landy” Burns. Cardona’s blazing remarks caused total disorder in the House, as his UDP colleagues fumed and foamed at the mouth in attempts to stop him from talking. A video captured by one newsstation showed Dangriga representative Arthur Roches calling the attention of the Speaker, and signalling that he shuts Cardona up. When it didn’t work, Roches hung his head low in absolute shame. Prime Minister Barrow didn’t have the gall to look at Cardona in the eyes on Friday afternoon. He has now sheepishly attempted to denigrate Cardona, and warned that his removal would be imminent. Faber’s letter to Cardona today exposes the UDP as a party of dictators. Cardona, who said on Friday he was not resigning from his party, would be the third politician forcibly booted from the UDP in the last few months. But unlike his predecessors Zenaida Moya and Mark King, Cardona is given no chance to defend himself before the UDP’s Ethics Committee, no opportunity for natural justice. Faber simply wrote that the UDP was imposing Cardona’s “constructive resignation”. Just like that, for standing up and talking the truth and defending the people, Cardona is now an enemy to the UDP. It’s been an awfully morbid week for the ruling United Democratic Party. On Thursday, a swell of Opposition supporters marched to Independence Hill to protest Barrow’s Empty Pot Budget. Inside the House, the Leader of the Opposition People’s United Party, Hon. John Briceño, exposed the Budget as a farce, and declared that the UDP had no hope to give Belizeans.
tion. The PUP group of women did not march to the WIN-Belize office, but the action wasn’t necessary for the regionally-affiliated pro-women’s advocacy group to take a strong stance. In a letter to El Guardian WIN-Belize’s Executive Director Carolyn Reynolds said the newspaper’s poor judgment revealed the hypocrisy of the UDP Government. “The current UDP government has publicly called for an increased
involvement of women in politics… However, at the same time the official UDP organ commits this outrageous political attack on a woman simply because she has chosen to be active in party politics.” Reynolds said the media can play an integral role to change the negative stereotypes women face, but the El Guardian chose to do the opposite. In announcing the boycott, Reynolds said the action would cease when the
Continued on page 32
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THE BELIZE TIMES
101 Reasons against Barrow’s Budget 23. 1.2 million budgeted for Food Pantry programme in Cayo. This is the second least poor district in Belize, so it begs to ask why not Toledo, Corozal or Dangriga- three of the most poor municipalities? Who is advising the Barrow Administration? 24. $300,000 earmarked for Amnesty? For whom? Where is the war in Central America or Caribbean? Didn’t Barrow say he won’t pursue the Amnesty Program for thousands of immigrants? 25. Last year’s budget for the National Geological Service was $50,000 but zero dollars were spent. Imagine that the people to watch the Oil gets zero dollars. 26. DPP’s office – Budgeted $5,000. This is so shameful, and a total disgrace. No wonder the crime and violence situation in Belize is so bad. The United States said they believe the conviction rate is less than 5%, and they accused the Barrow Administration of not having the political will to fight crime and drug trafficking. Here’s the proof! Speak out Mrs. DPP. 27. Attorney General’s Ministry has a nest egg of $725,392 for legal fees for one person. Imagine that! Not to mention what will be paid from the Prime Minister office. 28. Kendal bridge funds – ZERO. With last week’s accident the number of lives lost at Kendal bridge are five. Yes, five dead at Kendal all because of neglect and incompetence under the UDP. 29. Not a red cent to upkeep Castro’s 1.8 million dollars road to no where – yes the Crooked Tree Road to Black Burn. 30. Operation Jaguar’s budget – ZERO! Is this saying to the Belizean people that we have given up on the war on crime? Even though right after the budget debate our mothers are grieving for the lost of a 14 year old and a 19 year old, while a policeman shot in the chest while inside the station, and two more shooting victims? Nothing done the same way yields different results. The UDP is plain incompetent. 31. Ministry of Defense gets a measly $20,000 for “Intelligence gathering”. They spent a measly $12,000 last year. No wonder planes with goods headed for the north are landing all over Belize and new settlements keep popping up on our borders. Shame on you! 32. UNDP funding for Belize agents – ZERO draw down from this government. We got to ask why?? Why we can’t access UNDP monies! 33. Not a cent set aside for expanding the text books programme to keep our youth in school. Over 30 thousand cannot access schools because and are at risk of turning to crime and violence, yet the Government kills a PUP programme that made education a little more affordable. UDP…always anti progress.
MORE TO COME NEXT WEEK
Eden Who? Minister of What?
By: Junius Brutus Last week UDP Minister and Toledo East Area Representative Eden Martinez stood in the House of Representatives and rambled on for a little over 20 minutes as he praised his boss’s budget. It was 20 minutes of hot air, 20 minutes of lies, 20 minutes of misinformation, misdirection and rubbish, 20 minutes of nothing. Martinez suffers from the same affliction as his boss. They both believe that the Belizean people can eat and breathe and live on big, fancy words. They feel that when poor Belizeans lie down in their dilapidated shacks at night, fancy words will give them comfort and shelter and peace. In his waste of time address, Eden Martinez talked about the most vulnerable in our society, women and children, and stated that they are his ministerial responsibility. But the truth is that very few people even know that there was a ministry and minister responsible for ensuring the welfare of our women and children. Martinez claims that he believes in social justice and he champions the cause of the poor and vulnerable. But it is all a lie. Under his watch, the south of Belize which he is paid to represent, is more impoverished than it has ever been. Under his watch, poverty in Belize is the highest it has ever been. More than 187,000 Belizeans are living below the poverty line and another 45,000 are right at the brink of abject poverty. As Minister of Human Development, this is his responsibility, but he didn’t talk about that in the House. Martinez rambled from one thing to the next - pausing frequently to praise his boss Dean Barrow, but never once did he mention that the unemployment rate of women and children is at 25%. And he says he is the champion of women and children. How come Martinez didn’t stand up when hundreds of single mothers were fired by his colleague in the House of Representatives, the dishonorable Patrick Faber? Women were forced out of their jobs just because they supported the PUP – Patrick Faber stood up in the House and said so – and nobody heard a word from this so-called champion of women and children. In a report done recently, it was discovered that more than 30% of children drop out of school annually, many of them because they simply cannot afford the high cost of educa-
Continued on page 30
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Woman accused of
smuggling weed between her legs
Sofia Welch
Mark Conorquie
fined $13,500 for traffic death of Maurice Sedassey BELIZE CITY, Wed. March 30, 2011 Mark Conorquie, 40, a resident of Carmelita Village who was found guilty of causing the death of Maurice Sedassey by careless conduct, was fined $3,500 today by Justice Herbert Lord. Conorquie was ordered to pay $2,000 by July 31 and the balance by October 30. If he defaults on payment he will serve 15 months in prison. Justice Lord also ordered Conorquie to pay $10,000 in compensation to the family of the deceased. Before he decided on the sentence,
20 year old accused of trafficking 9lbs of weed
Jason Lamb
BELIZE CITY, Wed. March 30, 2011 Jason Lamb, 20, a construction worker who resides on Pelican Street was allegedly found over 8 pounds of cannabis on a red sofa in his living room. Today he was charged with drug trafficking in the #7 Magistrate’s Court. Lamb pleaded not guilty to the charge, and Magistrate Aretha Ford offered him a bail of $6,000, which he met. She adjourned his case until May 24. The incident occurred around 8 a.m. yesterday. The police went to Lamb’s house and upon their arrival they saw him coming out of his house with a towel wrapped around his waist. They ordered him back inside and he complied. The police reported that when they searched the house they found the cannabis amounting to 4 kilograms, in two plastic bags that were on a red sofa in the living room. One bag contained one kilogram. The other bag contained 3 bags, each with one kilogram reported the police. The bags and Lamb were taken to Queen Street Police Station. The bags were weighed and labeled as exhibits.
Mark Conorquie
Justice Lord heard pleas for mitigation from two character witnesses, retired Seventh Day Adventist Pastor Aquilano Jesse and Mrs. Jude Ico, the owner of a snack shop at a primary school in Carmelita Village. Conorquie was not represented by an attorney. The incident occurred between 12 and 1 p.m. on July 27, 2009 between miles 19 and 20 on the Northern Highway. Sedassey, who resided in Sandhill Village at mile 20, was riding his white beach cruiser bicycle from his home and was heading to a Chinese-owned shop at mile 19 to sell bottles when he was knocked down by a green Dodge Ram pick-up truck driven by Conorquie. Sedassey was flung from his bicycle. He received injuries to his body and broke his neck and died on the spot.
BELIZE CITY, Wd. March 30, 2011 A 22 year old self-employed woman, who allegedly tried to smuggle 92 grams of cannabis into Belize Central Prison in her underwear, was charged with drug trafficking when she appeared today in the #5 Magistrate’s Court. She is Sofia Welch, a resident of Jasmine Street. Welch pleaded not guilty to the charge, and Magistrate Albert Hoare offered her a bail of $5,000, which she met. He adjourned her case until May 13.
Sunday, April 3, 2011 The incident occurred around 2:30 p.m. yesterday. The police in Hattieville reported that they received a call from the Belize Central Prison, Kolbe Foundation that Welch was caught trying to smuggle cannabis to an inmate she went to visit. Melissa Mendez, a Grade II Prison officer, reported to the police that when she searched Welch she found a black plastic bag containing the cannabis. She said the bag was in Welch’s underwear between her legs.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
HOUSE MEETING
PROTEST PUP Leader Hon. John Briceño, flanked to the left by Hon. Florencio Marin Jr, and to the right by Rt. Hon. Said Musa & Hon. Francis Fonseca
Belizeans stand guard at Independence Hill to protest the UDP’s Empty Pot Budget
11
PUP Leader John Briceño tells supporters the Party WILL fight for the poor
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Team Smart spikes
Sunday, April 3, 2011 Jasmine Anderson serves
another win in women’s beach volleyball
BELIZE'S #1 SPORTS PAGE
How they won:
Belize City, March 27, 2011 Team Smart Girls’ Barbara Cadle and Esther MidUsher/ Encalada vs. Cricel Castillo/ Game 1 Jasmine Anderson: 21-15 & 21-17 dleton won the 2nd stop of the 2011 Smart Speednet vs. Vivianni Avila/ShanGame 2 Hoare/Rath tell Arnold: 21-19 & 21-16 national women’s beach volleyball tour organized in vs. Castillo /Anderson: Game 3 Cadle/Middleton 21-15 & 21-6 conjunction with the Belize Volleyball Association at the Game 4 Usher/Encalada vs. Vivianni Avila/Shantel Arnold: 21-14, 19-21, 15-10 Buttonwood Bay Park on vs. Hoare/Rath: 21-11 Saturday, March 26. Game 5 Cadle/Middleton & 21-12 In the championship game, ‘Babsy’ and Esther reGame 6 Usher/Encalada vs. Anderson/Castillo: 21-17, 21-23, 15-11 mained invincible, winning 21-14 and 21-12 over Emma Hoare and Rebecca Rath. The champs won the $300 first prize, while Hoare and Rath took la that same weekend, home the $200 2nd prize. which would push back Bobby Dee Usher and Tanisha En- the 3rd stop to April 16calada had to be content with the $100 17. 3rd prize when in the semi-finals, The champions and Hoare and Rath advanced out of the 2nd place winners of the losers’ bracket by a 21-14, 21-19 win. national tour will repThe tour is tentatively scheduled resent Belize when the to continue in Caye Caulker on April BVA hosts the Central 9-10, depending on whether the BVA American beach volleysends a national team to the NORCE- ball championships in Impossible is nothing for Cricel CA beach volleyball tour in Guatema- May.
Hattieville Monarchs
conquer Third World 4-0 Belize City, March 27, 2011 The Hattieville Monarchs posted their first win after three draws in five games in the Belize Bank Superleague football competition, when they stomped Third World of Belize City 4-0 at the MCC Garden on Sunday. Albert “Chicken” Arnold and Jerome “Jaro” James led the Hattieville Monarchs’ counterattack supported by Brandon Rogers, Jason Robinson and Floyd Jones at midfield. James raced down the right sideline with the ball and eluded Third World’s defense to center the ball to Arnold who beat the other defenders and embarrassed goalie Elroy Rowley with the Monarchs’ 1st goal in the 22nd minute. James’ next pass to center found Brandon Rogers, whose header went directly to Rowley. Never mind that, because Arnold scored a 2nd goal in the 32nd minute when he outran Third World’s defense and beat the last defender to blast the ball past Rowley to the far corner of the net. James and Arnold played give and go a 3rd time for Arnold to complete his hat trick in the 38th minute, and the Monarchs led 3-0 at the half. Third world’s fortunes did not improve in the second half, when James scored a 4th goal in the 79th minute.
Cricel Castillo
Hattieville Monarchs won 4-0
Header to the goal
Dion “Pussy” Flowers controls the ball
Sunday, April 3, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
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BELIZE'S #1 SPORTS PAGE
Triple B’s &
Las Flores defends against Sarah Arzu
Corozal United
score 24 goals in weekend games
Other games: West Girls vs. Bullet Tree girls
Belmopan, March 26, 2011 A goal scoring frenzy took place in the FFB women’s football tournament over the weekend, with no less than 30 goals scored by three teams. The Triple B’s posted their 5th win against the Las Flores girls when they won 12-1 at FFB football field in Belmopan. Triple B’s Sarah Arzu scored double hat tricks, scoring in the 24th, 45th, 56th, 57th, 63rd and 80th minutes! Triple B’s captain Kaya Cattouse joined the party in the 2nd half by scoring the 4th goal in the 50th minute, and followed with a hat trick as she scored again in the 65th, 71st and 85th minutes. Maggie Hulse drilled the 2nd goal in the 38th minute, and Gianne Cayetano scored the 11th goal in the 81st minute. Las Flores’ Lenise Sampson scored the visitors’ only consolation goal with a free kick.
How they won: Game 1 - Jamal Galvez/Raul Arnold vs. Vito Fonseca/Andy Arnold
21-11
21-13
Game 2 – Morataya/Cabral vs. Victor Hernandez/Amir Arnold
21-16
21-18
Game 3 – Audinette/Arnold vs. Luis Requeña/Errol Patt
21-16
21-15
Game 4 – Ernest Broaster/Tariq “Soup” Campbell vs. Alberto August/Bruce Bennett
21-16
21-15
Game 5 – Requeña/Marin vs. Jamal Galvez/Raul Arnold
21-15
21-15
Game 6 – Requeña/Patt vs. Fonseca/Arnold
21-11
21-15
Game 7 – Audinette/Arnold vs. Broaster/Campbell
17-21
21-18
15-12
Game 8 – Hernandez/Arnold vs. Galvez/Arnold
21-11
16-21
15-10
Game 9 – Requena/Marin vs. Cabral/Morataya
21-17
21-16
Game 10 – August/Bennett vs. Requena/Patt
21-6
21-23
15-12
Game 11 – Hernandez/Arnold vs. Broaster/Campbell
21-17
22-20
Game 12 – Morataya/Cabral vs. August/Bennett
21-11
21-15
8
West Girls
0
Bullet Tree
Goals: Kimberley “Brazilian” Perez, Shirley Codd, Carlita August
Corozal United vs. Yo Creek Strikers
12 Corozal
0
Yo Creek
Goals: Miriam Villamil, Janellie Chan, Ciannie Castaneda, Patricia Espinoza, Griselda Balam, Mindy Canul
Upcoming games: Bella Vista Latin Girls vs. Pumas Auto Rental, Carl Ramos, Sat. Corozal United vs. Sugar City, Santiago Ricalde, Sun. Las Flores vs. Triple B’s, FFB field, West Girls vs. Bullet Tree
Kaya Cattouse scored 4 goals
‘Tico’ & ‘Chico’
win men’s beach volleyball Belize City, March 27, 2011 Caye Caulker’s Jose “Tico” Requeña and Juan “Chico” Marin are undefeated and one game away from winning the 2nd stop of the 2011 Smart Speednet national men’s beach volleyball tour organized in conjunction with the Belize Volleyball Association. In Game 13 on Sunday March 27th, it was a clash of titans as Requeña and Marin remained invincible, toppling Germaine Audinette and Arvid Arnold in a 3-set duel: 22-20, 16-21 and 15-13. In Game 14, Gustavo Morataya and Jason Cabral advanced out of the losers’ bracket to the semi-finals by eliminating Hernandez and Arnold 21-16 and 21-11, before darkness forced a halt. Requena and Marin now await the outcome of Game 15, between the defending national champs, Germaine Audinette and Arvid Arnold and San Pedro’s Gustavo Morataya and Jason Cabral next Sunday, April 3, to know who they will face in the finals.
Tico Requeña spikes
O.W. United, City Boys & Griga Knights score 8 goals in weekend football Orange Walk Town, March 27, 2011 Orange Walk United enjoyed their 2nd win in the Belize Bank Superleague football competition when they defeated Cayo South United 4-0 at the People’s Stadium on Sunday. Cayo’s defender Garret Bermudez blundered into giving up a penalty when he handled the ball, as Christopher Hendricks tried to pass the ball in front of the goal. Oliver Hendricks converted easily beating Cayo’s goalie Shawn Lopez to lead 1-0 in the 6th minute. Lopez was busy in the net all game long. In the 32nd minute, Christopher Hendricks found Gabriel Perez for a pass that led to the 2nd
goal before the half. In the 2nd half, Oliver Hendricks scored the home team’s 3rd goal in the 48th minute. The visitors got the chance to get on the scoreboard, but Lorenzo Diaz goofed up in a penalty kick. Christopher Hendricks set the ball again, this time for Ian Chi who wasted no time in blasting it into the net in the 53rd minute for the 4-0 final score. The Raymond Gentle City Boys posted their 5th win in a 2-1 upset of the Placencia Assassins on their home turf in Placencia. The Griga Knights posted their 3-2 over the Paradise Freedom fighters of Punta Gorda at the Carl Ramos Stadium last Saturday night.
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Sukhnandan,
Ayuso, Usher win
BELIZE'S #1 SPORTS PAGE
table tennis competition Belize City, March 27, 2011 The Joseph Sukhnandan/Nelito Ayuso Team, and youngster Matthew Usher, enjoyed big wins in the table tennis tournament sponsored by Grace Kennedy Belize, and held under the auspices of the Belize Table Tennis Association at the Belize Elementary School Auditorium on March 26 and 27. The competition started on Saturday with the ROUND ROBIN event featuring the 15 & UNDER/CADET players, with six youth participating. Matthew Usher, Gian Lisbey, Ashar Arthurs and Jamuel White made it to the double elimination round. Usher then took first palce; Arthurs was second, Lisbey took third and White placed fourth. Sunday also saw the start and conclusion of the STRONG & WEAK DOUBLES event, which comprised of 12 doubles teams in a DOUBLE ELIMINATION format. With the rules being
Ayuso & Sukhnandan
Gian Lisbey
that the top rated 25 players had to find a partner outside that 25, the “matchups” of the teams proved to be very interesting and quite competitive. After a total of some 31 matches
Form 3AB wins SCA Triathlon Belize City, March 26, 2011 The Form 3AB girls won the 4th annual St Catherine’s Academy relay triathlon held in front the Pickwick Club pool and on Newtown Barracks in Belize City last Saturday, March 26. Form 3AB’s Lynette Palacio swam,
Shantell Castillo rode her bike along Newtown Barracks to the Memorial Park and back, and Kursha Pollard ran to the St Thomas Street/ Princess Margaret Drive roundabout and back, clocking a total time of 22:50 seconds to win 1st.
played in this event, last year’s Runner-Up, Nel Ayuso, rated No. 2, & Joseph Sukhnandan, rated no. 35, made it to the finals against Tux Vasquez, rated No. 4 & Ricardo Bailey, rated No. 32. Ayuso & Sukhnandan made it to the finals by first losing to Vasquez & Bailey in the “winners bracket”, and then coming back around through the “losers
bracket” to the finals by defeating Sanchez & Perera, 3-0, Matus & Usher, 3-0, Rivero & Rivero, 3-0, Martin & Chang, 3-1, and finally defeating 3rd place finishers, Cui & Chang to make it to the Finals. With the first win now in their favor, Ayuso & Sukhnandan went on to win the second and final match by a score of 3-1. Both matches were very close, and the spectators were given a good display of doubles table tennis play. The event ended with medals being awarded to the top winners in both events.
Top Shattaz & Lord’s Bank in OW’s basketball finals Orange Walk, March 23rd 2011 The much anticipated finals of the Youth Recreational Center basketball tournament, organised by Coach Ladrick “Mad Bull” Shepard is now here. Top Shattaz and Lord’s Bank have advanced to face-off for the big title which starts this weekend. Meanwhile in the Juniors, Elite Promos and CGI are locked in a battle of the titans.
The weekend games results are here: Friday March 25th Games: Lords Bank vs. King Ballers – 94-79 Top scorers: Darwin Leslie, 23 points; Randy Usher, 16 points Lord’s Bank advances to finals, GM 1 Top Shattaz vs. San Pedro Tuff E Nuff – 92-84 Top scorers: Leroy Lauriano, 33 points; Farron Lauriano, 21 points Top Shattaz advances to finals Saturday March 26th Games: 3 place Town Council vs. C.G.I. – 38-60 Top scorers: Craig Cooper, 22 points; Roger Reneau 32 points Junior Finals GM 1 Elite Promos vs. Cancarras’s Garage – 74-63 Top scorers: Javier Guttierez, Leonard Jones, 18 points Series tied, GM 3 to be played on April 9th
UB girls win 33rd Relaython
Form 3AB won 1st Place
Belize City, March 30, 2011 The University of Belize girls won the 33th running of the annual 50mile relaython from Belmopan to Belize City on Sunday, clocking 7:04:00 when they finished at the UB campus on Freetown Road. They had beaten the men, who ran 75 miles from San Ignacio, by 2 minutes. The men clocked 7:06:00. The girls have won 16 times, this year made the 3rd year back to back to back!
UB girls are excited after victory
Sunday, April 3, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
15
Over 50 Single
mothers out of jobs HL’s Burger closes down due to financial woes Monday, March 28, 2011 Ever since Howell Longsworth, the owner of HL’s Burger, revealed two years ago that his business was on the verge of bankruptcy and his assets were being liquidated, it spelt trouble for the over 50 single mothers that were employed at his eight burger outlets across the city for the past 33 years. Known as the local version to the Big Mac, Burger King, or Wendy’s of the United States, HL’s has over the time of its existence become a trademark to not only Belizeans but visitors alike, with its variations from regular, to bacon and cheese, to bunboy. But inflation, along with skyrocketing taxes that Longsworth initially thought were written off, sent in the business after he discovered that the taxes had swollen to a whopping $7 million. Unable to meet the payments and losing business because he has had to raise the prices of his products, the
business finally folded. Armed robberies at the various outlets added to the problem. While Longsworth endured the financial “hard times” as a businessman, his employees have had to either look for employment elsewhere or stay at home hoping for an end somewhere soon. Longsworth has admitted that he has been unable to cough up the monies to pay off all of his employees. He decided to throw in the towel during an emergency meeting with the ladies on March 2nd when his only comfort to them was a letter acknowledging that he owes them notice pay and vacation salary. Longsworth has committed to sell off assets in order to meet his immediate debts and expenses, which include the monies owed to his workers. He has said that in lieu of the sizable amount he owes the workers
After 33 years in business, the financial meltdown has hit HL’s hard. All employees have been laid off.
with longer years of service, he has decided to sign over the operations of two of his outlets to them. Still, it provides little comfort to the mothers who must continue to provide for their families and children attending school, since it is not immediate cash. One of the women is due to give birth in May and her situation is so dire that she can’t find a job nor collect her earnings. The HL’s scenario is but one of dozens that have gone bankrupt or
have simply had to close their doors because of poor business in a shrinking economy. Never have Belizeans had to cut down so much and limit their spending as they do now. A classic example that things are not about to get better anytime soon is the very bland budget this government presented two weeks ago, where the unraveling details show that the only thing that went up is crime, hopelessmess and unemployment.
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
Agriculture Sector, a no show in the 2011-2012 Budget City of Belmopan, March 30, 2011 By Carla Bradley The Government of Belize has failed to truly answer questions regarding high unemployment, crime, and decrease in tourist arrivals, and in particular why the economy is as depressed as it is today. At the Senate meeting on Tuesday March 29th 2011, Minister/Senator Doug Singh was ecstatic about a mere 2.4% GDP growth. In Belize there are over one hundred thousand Belizeans living in poverty and yet the government is celebrating the type of growth that only benefits a few. We are sure poor Belizeans see nothing to celebrate. Singh, who is the appointed Police Minister, did admit to a 33% increase in murders across the country, which is the worse this country has seen in its history and sadly enough it is not looking any better as days go by. Minister Singh mentioned that the agriculture sector has been booming and that money has been pumped into this sector in order to help it grow,
but failed to mention the plight of rice growers in Blue Creek, or the onion producers in the northern districts. Rice growers’ produce has been sitting in storage, because the GOB has decided to import rice from Mexico. The onion growers have lost over five million dollars because of an oversupply in the market, after GOB imported onions from Holland. Even the shrimp industry’s exports are declining. It was stated by this current government that loans would be available for small farmers and small businesses at a lower interest rate, but it is yet to be seen. In order for the business sector to grow, they must be given that chance to prosper. Senator Courtenay mentioned that the performance of the agricultural sector was not shown in this year’s budget, and he asked why not? Agriculture is often referred to as the Pillar of the Economy, but in this year’s budget, the Economy dangles on delicate strings because there is no support for the Agriculture sector.
Cane farmers see no aid in GOB’s fuel subsidy Orange Walk Town, March 30, 2011 By Carmelita Perez When the People’s United Party was in Government, cane farmers of the North received a fuel subsidy of $2.00 per gallon of diesel. When the Dean Barrow administration took over in 2008 that amount decreased to $1.50. It was then increased to $2.30 and in the last two weeks was decreased again to $2.15. Of course, when the PUP administration was in power, the price of fuel was much lower than it is today. Despite the $2.15 fuel subsidy, cane farmers are still being affected by the high
price of diesel which presently sells for $10.56 per gallon at the pumps. This means that even with the $2.15 subsidy, cane farmers still need to pay more than $8.40 per gallon of diesel. According to Alfredo Ortega, BSCFA’s Chairman of the Committee of Management, the recent hike in fuel prices has affected cane farmers in more ways than one, because it has reduced their spending and investing power, which is critical. If fuel prices continue to increase, the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association will meet to discuss the next step forward to address the situation.
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Sunday, April 3, 2011
FECTAB says NO
to “foreign bullies” (L-R) Tom Greenwood, Yolanda Schakron, Yohnnie Rosado & Moses Sulph
By Carla Bradley The Federation of Cruise Tourism Associations of Belize is demanding that the Barrow Administration toughen up in tackling issues in the cruise tourism industry, and to even place penalties on Carnival Cruise Limited, in defense of small Belizean tour operators. It is likely the request will be ignored, as the Ministry of Tourism has toned down its tough rhetoric against the cruise line, and now seems more willing to bend at its request. But FECTAB is resolute, and on Tuesday, it was joined by COLA and Belizeans for Justice in a discussion of the major problems facing the industry, they claim, as a result of Carnival and Chukka Caribbean Adventures. Tom Greenwood, president of FECTAB, touched on topics like the escalating rate of crime, and the suspension of cruise solutions which has caused over 300 Belizeans to be left without a job. It is not the first time that FETCAB cries foul, but nothing has been done to address the issues they have raised in the past. Greenwood said they would no lon-
Cayo Pre-school
lacks water;
yet Minister Faber spends thousands on political event Monday, March 21st, 2011 There is everything but a good start at Good Start Preschool, located just two miles from the nation’s capital and right along the Western Highway in Camalote Village, Cayo District. That’s because for the past six months the school’s principal, Carol Banner, has been trying to get the school connected to the village’s water system. That connection, however, has not happened because the Government-owned utility company, Belize Water Services, has told Banner that she has to come up with at least the $5,000. Principal Banner used to conduct classes inside the community center, but last October she got a loan and purchased a school building for the school. She says that because she has to meet salaries and pay the loan, finding the money required for the water connection is impossible at this time. The only aid the school receives is a monthly grant from the government, but it is not nearly enough to buffer all the expenses. Besides that, she is only permitted to charge the 34 students $10 per month, which works out to $340. Banner has reached out to the Belize Water Services, through personal visits and in writing. The only responses she received was that the school will have to find the money or that the person who can address her concerns is not in the country. BWS’ position is that a customer must meet the costs of the laying the pipes. In the case of the preschool, it works out to a little less than
Continued on page 33
ger sit by and watch the industry which has taken Belizeans years to build, be taken over by foreign companies. Yhonny Rosado, owner of Cavetubing.com, expressed deep concern with attempts to bully his workers. He said he and his workers have been harassed by the Police at the Caves Branch, even in front of their tourists. The intervention of police officers in tourist activities/ tours, according to Mr. Rosado, is not needed; his men are trained in this field not the police officers. Other tour guides expressed their concern regarding the intervention of police officers when it came to how tours are being handled and orga-
nized at the tourist destinations. Greenwood and Rosado pointed out nine demands to the Government which include the removal of Chukka Caribbean Adventures from Belize, the removal of ramparts built over the crystal cave at the caves Branch, the leveling of playing
field at Caves Branch, the repairing of the road into Caves Branch, and providing aid for 15 tenders who are out of work. Greenwood also called for the suspension of Carnival Cruise for a period of 3 months. He said the cruise line has been acting as if it has power over Belize.
Media conference attended by concerned stakeholders
Sunday, April 3, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Sunday, April 3, 2011
ivan cal Submitted on 2011/03/30 at 5:27pm UDP/ dean barrow government is a failure to the country of Belize,after 3 years after TS Arthur swept away the Kendal bridge he cannot work out a solution to build a new bridge to replace the Kendal in the southern part of Belize- now another 2 lives has been lost in a tragic accident-now 5 in total so how many more need to die and maybe he will do someting?…….., but he has $$$$$$$$ to buy new fancy-latest rides and fill in his tank with fi we tax payers $$$$$, he is a shame and a disgrace to our nation….SO HELP US GOD’. Mayan_Prince says: March 29, 2011 at 2:34 pm stop looking at the past…. do some work…. especially in the south, particularly Toledo West….. the past has gone….. prepare for 2maro……. stop blaming the PUP…. i think the people voted for u to bring forth development and not criticizing the past….. so far any development in Toledo West? but all u cud hea is the sweet talking……. ReVoLuTiOn says: March 27, 2011 at 12:09 am I hope that Belizean people see what is going on here. It’s time to step out and speak out and act out as this man is doing. No matta wat Thea Garcia says: Congrats Party Leader on a thunderous speech. School the PM he needs a few lessons. You sounded like a true guerrero del Norte, a true champion for Belizean people. Remind Hon Saldiver that while the grass grow d horse di dead while they are fiquring out how to get economic growth up to 3% we are literally dying out here. no matta wat says: March 28, 2011 at 11:58 am i agree we as Belizeans should get behind dis man Cardona and support him to the fullest because what he is saying is true! there is preferential trade going on! the resources only go to some parts or areas and this should not be so! Dissapointed UDP says: March 30, 2011 at 10:51 am this useless crowd, the real hussle is officially now on. they ALL sit in Cabinet on Tuesdays, and plan and execute hussles instead of dealing with issues of national importance, crime, the economy, NHI, Citrus, Sugar Industry, Tourism Industry, Kendall bridge. the worst is yet to come as they will become bolder in their schemes. Look out people!!!!!!!!!! It is a shame says: March 29, 2011 at 9:22 am It is a crying shame, look at the Ministers Vehicles and they have these policemen on bicycles. the Police Station was never fully reopened, despite the Minister’s assurance that the zinc for the roof has already been ordered it is still not yet fixed. It is a shame. this policeman was placed in a cell practically, no where to exit if you are ambushed. very poor lighting for a police substation, grass overgrown. In short very representative of this government, neglect and decay, it is a shame, we definitely deserve better. Posts are from www.belizetimes.bz, Belize Times Facebook Account and www.channel5belize.com
Sunday, April 3, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
Strictly Personal Barrow is bogus
By glenntillett@yahoo.com “Mr. Prime Minister yu di call mi name, but da your name stink outta road.” – Rt. Hon. Said Musa. I was told, but have not been able to verify, that Prime Minister Dean Barrow referred to me in a disparaging and/or pejorative way as he wrapped up the budget debate in the House of Representatives. I am not surprised, disappointed or in any way perturbed. Mr. Barrow is becoming desperate and I expect there’s more and worse to
But you could not hide from Marcel Cardona. He spoke loudly and clearly. He is where he is because you chose friendship over principle, an individual’s interests over the people’s, corruption over transparency, hypocrisy over altruism, Diane over him.” come. The PUP had just won the budget debate despite the unequal odds having been lengthened even considerably more by the absence of two of the members from its side of the aisle. And on Friday afternoon a Jihadist attack on Barrow from his back bench by one of his own appeared to have sown disarray in their ranks. The PUP had chosen to attack Barrow’s latest budget as simply “more of the same” and then pointing out the failure of his last budgets. Their logic is near irrefutable. It created a serious conundrum
for the Government side that the latest budget is based on a lie – that the Belizean economy grew due to their good stewardship. The contradiction in Mr. Barrow’s presentation was evident when he had to admit that the only areas of growth he could point to was electric generation and oil exports – two sectors which his administration had nothing at all to do with the increased production. The growth in electric generation came from the coming on-stream of the Vaca Falls hydro-electric project and the BSI cogeneration project. These two projects were conceived, planned and implemented during the past PUP administration. And not only was the oil field found during the last administration, but the increase in oil export earnings is as a result of oil prices rising, and not because the Barrow administration did anything at all in that regard. In fact actual oil production declined slightly in the year just passed. On the first day Opposition Leader John Briceño astounded many of his critics with a spirited peroration, and former Prime Minister Said Musa proved once again that he is a master debater. The next day Francis Fonseca was scathing while Florencio Marin, Jr., stuck to basic points and kept the focus on the administration’s continued, glaring victimization of his constituents. By the time Barrow got up to speak, the debate had already been lost, and his prepared remarks had been clearly trumped by Marcel Cardona long, detailed and ringing denunciation of his administration and leadership. Perhaps, though, the debate was truly lost by the UDP’s twin-pronged strategy of leading off with ad hominem arguments in ad hoc responses, and then reading from prepared speeches that purported to detail the work they and their respective ministries have been doing, amidst a chorus of praise for the great Pooh Bah. The clincher in all this is that the budget fails the smell test. To quote a dear, dear friend of mine – it is incongruous that you would put the lipstick title “Celebrating Growth, Sustaining Recovery” on this pig of a budget when clearly, to quote Senator Eamon Courtenay’s understatement “All is not well with the Belizean economy.” According to Mr. Barrow, the Government missed its revenue collection target by $50 million but the economy grew?! Foreign direct investment fell from $139 million to a paltry $13 million but the economy grew??!! The most notable feature of the past fiscal year’s economy was the number of businesses that went into bankruptcy, receivership or just quietly closed their doors, but the economy grew???!!! You are deathly afraid to say what is the rate of unemployment but you wish to insist that the economy
grew?!?!?! In the third quarter of last year, agriculture, hunting, and forestry declined by 2.9% but the economy grew? Fishing declined by 21.1% but the economy grew? Manufacturing declined by 6.7% but the economy grew? Construction declined by 10.2% but the economy grew? Mr. Barrow, you are boasting of having to inaugurate and implement (widely under-funded) “pro-poor projects” because the economy grew? You are “celebrating growth” even as concerns for the turmoil in our major export industries (tourism, sugar, citrus, oil production) cloud out any sunshine of optimism, because the economy grew? You did not disappoint – I ex-
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pected a personal attack from you in the National Assembly where you routinely abuse your parliamentary privileges and hide behind the skirts of immunity. But you could not hide from Marcel Cardona. He spoke loudly and clearly. He is where he is because you chose friendship over principle, an individual’s interests over the people’s, corruption over transparency, hypocrisy over altruism, Diane over him. With all due respect to the lady, but you shouldn’t be trying to denigrate Marcel for running last in a convention where you threw the entire might of the party and the government against him. Didn’t Diane, by way of comparison, run dead last in a general election? Barrow, you are bogus.
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THE RECORD DOESN’T LIE PUP ON THE REBOUND IN PORT LOYOLA
By Gilroy Usher Jr. At a convention on Sunday March 20th, Gilroy Usher, Sr. was elected as the new PUP Standard Bearer for Port Loyola. Of 803 votes casted for four candidates, Mr. Usher received the most votes with 326. Comparable to the UDP convention of 2001 in which Boots Martinez got 509, the 326 votes of Mr. Usher is very good because in that convention for the UDP Port Loyola had 2000 more voters and Martinez had already contested the 1998 General elections. In retrospect Martinez’s performance in 2001 with 509 votes was very poor. Also the turn out for Mr. Usher would have been greater, if Boots Martinez did not stand at the convention for the entire day and willfully intimidated scores of voters who showed up to vote. He also discouraged hundreds of voters from coming out when the word got around that he was standing less than fifteen feet immediately across from the entrance of the voting area. The actions of Boots “The Barbarian” Martinez at the PUP convention were despicable and unbecoming of an Area Representative. Many people wonder what was behind the behavior of Mr. Martinez. Was it a sign of fear on the part of the Minister? Is Mr. Martinez fearful of this new challenger so he attempted to suppress the turnout to give the impression that his challenger is weak? The man actually stood in the burning sun and pouring rain to police and intimidate voters. Never in the history of politics has such a thing ever been done by a Minister of Government. To escape potential victimization by Boots Martinez some voters resorted to jumping the back fence to come and vote. Boots’ actions were truly a blow to democracy. After three years as a Minister of Cabinet and the Area Represen-
PUP Port Loyola Standard Bearer Gilroy Usher Sr.
tative for Port Loyola, his division continues to be the most neglected division in the country with deplorable streets, poor housing accommodations, and the highest unemployment rate. We are in 2011, but large sections of the division don’t even have electricity. Minister Martinez has no excuse for his terrible neglect of the division because he has the monetary resources and political influence at his disposal. It is clear that he does not have the will and the desire to help the people in the division. As a result of this neglect, Boots is losing ground in the division. In frustration, shots were fired at his vehicle by members of the division and there is an instant where the Minister resorted to attacking an individual, who was only asking him for some assistance. The record doesn’t lie. In the PUP convention which Mr. Usher won, the party gained 300 more votes than it did in the last general election, and this figure would have been greater had it not been for the intimidating tactics of Boots Martinez. It is therefore clear that the people of Port Loyola are ready for a change in the division. The people of Port Loyola want a representative who is honest, hardworking and reliable and has a track record of being on the side of the people. That person is Gilroy Usher, Sr. The man for Port Loyola.
Boots attempted to suppress the turnout at the PUP convention
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
It Begins With the Budget Debate…. By Carolyn Trench-Sandiford – Deputy Leader People’s United Party - Belize
I
have yet to meet someone who is excited, inspired or able to draw hope from the 2011-2012 budget debate, if one can even dignify it with such a name. In fact, I can go even further and say, that I am yet to hear someone say something positive about the budget debate, or wishing to discuss the budget at all. It is as if the budget does not exist, and the debate is inconsequential. This is disheartening. This is demoralizing. It is also frightening, when one considers that the budget is perhaps the single most important instrument for effecting change, and for improving the quality of life for Belizeans, and the budget debate is the means to contribute to this. The budget is a component of the collective wealth of our country. Each citizen has a right to a just share of it. It is during the budget debate that the issues, the concerns, and the challenges that confront our nation, government, our communities and ourselves are brought to the forefront, and the strengths or deficiencies of solutions evidentially debated, so that consensus can be built on how the budget ought to be use, particularly as an instrument of change to provide opportunities for those who traditionally and intentionally have been marginalized as a result of the practice of economic, social and political exclusionary policies. As a Belizean and an aspirant for political office, I am very troubled at this state of affairs, and I believe that most Belizeans similarly are, but why are we collectively not expressing it? Is it solely because of the disgust that we now have for the circus that the budget debate has become? Or, is it because of the residual distaste that lingers subconsciously in our minds, as a result of not only being subjected to hearing a cacophony of hysterical voices competing for attention on radio, but also to the images of unruly and bully boy behavior from members of the ruling UDP party, including those in the highest authority in government, now shown on television, and being repeated ad nauseam on youtube, facebook and
other social media? Are we not concerned when members of the ruling party, in their pursuit of fame, and a moment in the political spotlight, scream and shout at the tip of their voices, engage in name calling and mudslinging, and use unsavory language and abuse their parliamentary privileges with their personal and vicious attacks on other members of the house, even against individuals who are not members of the house, or in political life, and who have no means of responding, instead of them constructively discussing and debating the people’s business? They flagrantly and with apparent impunity ignore and flout the authority of the speaker of the house, having no regard for the rules as contained within the Standing Orders, which defines how members should conduct themselves, and how parliament should operate. There is a purpose to the Standing Orders. It is there to provide order within the house, and to set the environment for meaningful parliamentary discourse. If members of the ruling party in the house do not observe this simple rule, how can the debate begin? No one would criticize them if they use the house to be emotional and passionate about the plight of the people, or use colourful language and wit, for it would be justified as presenting the dire circumstances which plague their constituents, and their attempting by all means to ensure that this be conveyed and considered in debating how the resources of the country are to be prioritized and distributed. In fact, they would be applauded for it. The fact that the Speaker of the House contributes to this repelling atmosphere by not exerting his authority, and is selective in applying flexibility in what he chooses to hear, and who to hear it from, favouring the ruling party side with a wide and unending ambit, only exacerbates the situation, and prolongs the search for solutions to the many problems that confront our nation. He must understand that he has a role to play in the solution searching to our country’s problem, and any abdication of that role makes him guilty of betraying the trust bestowed upon him by the Belizean people. But perhaps, more importantly, does he not appreciate that he is sending a dismal message to the electorate, particularly to our young people. That it is ok for “honourable” members of the house to flout the authority of the speaker of the house, and disrespect the house by conduct-
ing themselves in such a belligerent manner, without any consequences to their actions. If this is the message, then how can we expect our young people to conduct themselves differently? As well, how can we judge them, less we be judged, when they are at a vulnerable and impressionable age, and are just finding themselves. Are adults and figures of authority not to be role models for them to emulate? Why should they have to be respectful of authority, whether in the home to their parents and elders, in school, to their teachers, in the communities to their neighbours and peers, and to the police and security forces, or to each other, when elected representatives are not being respectful to the highest level of authority and
23 decision making in the land? This is where we enact legislation that citizens are mandated to comply with. The time has come for us to challenge this state of affairs, so that dignity and trust in the House of Representatives can be restored, and so can it then be a symbol of hope and change for all of our people, particularly our young people, so that parliamentary discourse can begin once again, so that the budget can contribute to breaking the cycle of perpetual subjection of our people, to create a new political, economic and social order, and to transition to Phase II of the revolution, for only so will a NEW BELIZE be born, which will bring to all Belizeans a better life, and a just share of the national wealth.
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www.belizeandiaries.com
The best thing a father can do for his children is love their mother There’s a commercial on the television that I see quite regularly and never fails to warm my heart. The theme song in this ad says, ‘you can let go now daddy...’ and it shows how a father is in a hospital bed clinging and his daughter is at his bedside remembering when he taught her to ride her bicycle and when he walked her down to the aisle on her wedding day. I always get a feeling of melancholy as I hadn’t had a close relationship with my father until I was already a woman and therefore I had no fond memories of growing up in his presence. But I look at my daughter now and I long for her to be able to look back and have good memories of her childhood with both parents. The problem with this is while every mother may yearn for the father to play a significant role in their children’s lives it’s not something that can be forced upon the men – it has to be something that they genuinely have an interest to do. In my observations, many men don’t see the importance of being more than just the head of the household. In order for children to be all that they can be and for them to have a stable and happy life as adults they need to have positive influence to carry them thru their early years. In most Belizean homes, women are the caretakers. They attend to the children’s homework, playtime, meals, laundry, medical visits and the list goes on. But it’s not the only the women’s responsibility to do these things. The fathers have to become more involved! FATHERS, rather than spending time in front of the television with the children, talk to them. Ask them how their day went and what they learnt in school and you would be amazed how those two little questions can evolve into a great discussion. I always find myself tickled and proud when I listen to my six year old talk about her classes or when she asks me questions – it shows how their brains are working overtime trying to figure things out. It is during these years that we get to leave an imprint on their minds and in their hearts for the rest of their lives. Here is a list of things you can do to play an active role in your children’s lives as a Father! 1. I remember reading that the best thing a father can do for his children is
love their mother, be an example and support and respect the woman in your life/mother of your children. Down the road, your daughter will not tolerate anyone to disrespect her because she grew up in a home where that was not done to her mother nor will the son disrespect his girlfriend/spouse and he too will learn to be a good father. 2. Never be too macho or proud to share the house work. Giving the mother some reprieve can allow more quality time spent together. Tonight while mom is making dinner help the children with their homework or reading a book or just talking to them, DO NOT TURN ON THE TV – it’ll only be a distraction. 3. Spend time with your children. Take them fishing, teach them to make a kite, clean the yard together, go buy a movie and popcorn – these things will stay with them forever and it provides stability for them in the home. 4. Understand and accept that your children will make mistakes and accidents will happen. They will make a mess and they will lose focus in school at times and they may do many things that don’t meet your approval but remember they are humans too and mistakes are a part of the growing process. This doesn’t mean you should spoil them but as an adult you will know when discipline is required. 5. As the head of the household you are expected to offer security and protection for your family. Be active at home and make sure the home is comfortable, fix the broken pipe, unclog the drain, ensure the locks are secure, take the car to be serviced and just be there for them. 6. No matter how financially strapped you may be there are many ways to spend time together as a family. Going to church, going to the park, sitting down and having a meal together – these are all ways to stay in touch with what is happening in each other’s lives. It’s a time consuming job to be a father but in the end when you’re old and you look at how your children turned out you’ll be glad you took the time to be a father. So even when you come home dog-tired and frustrated take the time out for them and remember a good father can make all the difference in a child’s life!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
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THE BELIZE TIMES
SCA’s Karen Munnings & Alexia Perez
The Great Debaters: E.P. Yorke battles SCA
Belize City, March 30, 2011 A hotly contested and quite eventful debate broke out in the University of the West Indies Auditorium on Monday, March 28, 2011 at 10:00am. The packed auditorium of mostly Belize City-based high schools sat to witness the commendable initiative of the Belize National Library Service and Information System (BNLSIS). BNLSIS is in the climax of hosting a secondary and tertiary school level debate in commemoration of Women’s Month. The debates follow the theme for Women’s Month 2011 which is: “Valuing Ourselves, Promoting Shared Responsibilities.” The topic debated was: “Be it resolved that in providing their value to society women should have shared responsibility with men.” The debate teams are organized by gender for the co-educational schools and the presentations have been vibrant and intriguing so far. The forum is surely a clean and healthy tool for teaching youths how to articulate differences of opinion and how to form intelligent ideas. The debates are structured in rounds of seven minute presentations and explode into three minute summary speeches. On Monday, Edward P. Yorke’s debating squad, represented by Brenton Codd and Francis Vanzie gave passionate, focused arguments that left the entire room with new perspectives and provocative questions but the day belonged to St. Catherine’s Academy.
The dynamic female duo of second former, Karen Munnings, and third former Alexia Perez, held their fort. In a refreshing and inspiring presentation, Munnings and Perez spoke with razor sharp zeal and focused substance. The challenges to the judging panel was an intimidating and formidable one, to try to weigh the competition, and this was apparent from a temporary and almost controversial hiccup in the tabulation and application of the one page rules the debates. After the smoke cleared and the students finished their nail biting, the rousing cheers were for the winners of this round, St. Catherines Academy. As we panned the room and listened to the excitement of the students, we noticed that the vigilant boys of St. John’s College had infiltrated the debates and were actively taking notes. The next debate is between the winners of Monday’s round and the SJC boys. Their espionage was professional and smooth, as a student from that school showed us the list of what he referred to as “contradictions that he could get them (SCA) on.” This has all the gut wrenching excitement of a heavy weight headliner in the making but it does leave the on lookers, students, teachers, organizers, parents and the public, with a sense of hope, inspiration, and national pride. Belize looks forward to the next round, and to hold the anticipation, that date will be announced at a later date.
EP Yorke’s Brenton Codd & Francis Vanzie
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
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Write to us at: editortimes@yahoo.com
Realizations, Emerging from the Shadows By Lucia Moguel
Sing To Me By Roy Davis, Unpublished, 2008 You’re on Early every morn At the crack of dawn Singing to me. Yes, you, Mr. Melodious You’re fabulous Sing to me from the Mango Tree Sing to me. Sing to me a song A sweet one A melody A rhapsody Sing to me. Your songs Are music to my ears They have been that way For many years Please go on Keep on with the song.
all.
What is it that I feel? Sounds like chiming bells; A flower I see, the most beautiful of them
How can perfection be attained by such subtleness? Every breath from my essence suddenly taken; Oh! How I’d wish to have that flower, Embracing and loving it forever more. Contemplating it I can not resist, For such splendor captivates all my soul. Never have I seen such exquisiteness zealously assembled; A great honor it is to be in the presence of this imposing being. Worries and sorrow soon vanished, the cure is finally found; It is the solution to all ignoble problems; The one true inspiration, a proper redeemer. The hostile long days spent seeking are
now rewarding, The most precious and valuable forever kept; Loss of such will result in agoraphobia. Loss of such? (Thoughts that should remain In complete oblivion, never to emerge) Dearest flower, remain by my side for greatness Will never be attained if lack of you subsists. So serene, so delicate, so beautiful, Please teach me grandeur, teach me to live. Emptiness remains no longer, all malice is gone; Purification of one soul is gained. Keep the bells chiming, the warmth, and the finally conquered happiness. All characteristics are possessed to captivate ones whole self; For isn’t it great how delicacy enchants the heart?
The Epiphany of Life By Lucia Moguel It is interesting to recognize and note the perplexity of a human being. Although my years on earth are just a few, I have seen my fair share of the crude reality of life and the complexity of a person. Being a human is no easy task, this is why dogs can’t solve problems; they can only be trained. I have seen and experienced collapses, disappointments, hardships, rejection and even failed love affairs. Indeed these are common problems and there are some that are more serious than others, but problems are problems. Problems are included when we purchase life; the sad part is that we cannot get refunded. However these necessary pesky obstacles will always be present. However, not all is lost; they serve one sole purpose which is to give us strength, wisdom and comprehension. Throughout our lives, we decease and resuscitate. We perish when all the stress of our problems accumulates and our emotions collapse; the end of the dark tunnel is unseen and the walk seems eternal. We revive when we finally see the light at the end of that tunnel and we rejoice for all our problems have gone. Our bodies feel lighter and we feel invincible, all is bliss, even the potholes on our streets seem pretty. Nonetheless, we must consider the transition between these two points. It is not easy to reach the end of the tunnel especially if one’s judgment is clouded by deceitful emotions and vague mirages. During our quest into the dark tunnel of our problems we encounter difficulties. These hardships should be annihilated on our own yet a helping hand should not be rejected; no man is an island. It is innate in us to be social beings. I
have seen people trying to solve their problems on their own, a few succeed, but others just fall. This is when solidarity and compassion are added in the equation. There is always someone there that will lend you a helping hand. A show of kindness is well appreciated in the midst of our dilemma. However, one cannot depend fully on others. What would happen if the person fails? We don’t need to depend on anyone else to be happy. Happiness and inner peace comes from within; it comes from our interior light. When our problems diminish we can achieve personal growth. Growing up is painful. It encompasses a vast amount of trial and error, equivocation, regrets and repentance. It is painful to know the truth, but only the truth will save us and free us from the chains of bitterness. When the blindfold is removed, the solution to our problems appears. There are things that require profound thought in order to be able to make wise decisions. Problems allow us to remain in unison. They strengthen bonds between families, friends and couples; between religious organizations, communities, political parties and even the little things in life such as insects. Problems are necessary evils but we shouldn’t concentrate on them or they shall be our demise. Life would be better if people would spend five minutes to take a rest and look up into the sky and around them, just to notice how beautiful our world is. Five minutes just to notice how blessed we are and the greatness of life. It is said that the thought of light is much more beautiful in the darkest of nights. As we all know, night is not eternal and neither are our problems. Where there is will there is a road…
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Sunday, April 3, 2011
BELIZE TIMES WEEKLY
SCIENCE & TECH R
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Selected By Chris Williams
$6.8 billion needed to ready US for the next big quake 30 March 2011 by Ferris Jabr The recent magnitude-9.1 megaquake and the tsunami that followed it showed that Japan was not fully prepared for so violent a tremor. If even a country that suffers frequent earthquakes wasn’t ready, what of the US, which itself contains several seismic hotspots? Over the past two decades, the US has made considerable advances in fortifying its cities against quakes, but geologists and engineers agree that there is still much to be done. In a National Research Council (NRC) report published today, they have outlined just what that means. The National Earthquake Resilience report is particularly concerned with the possibility of a “Katrina-like earthquake”: not just a moderately damaging tremor, but a cataclysm rivalling the 1906 San Francisco quake, estimated at magnitude 7.9, which probably led to thousands of deaths. Geologists fear that because of the US’s relatively unshaken recent history, its citizens have been lulled into a false sense of security, believing that a devastating earthquake is unlikely to strike the country – although it’s not even 50 years since Alaska felt the force of the second largest quake in recorded history. The magnitude-9.2 Prince William sound event led to 115 deaths in Alaska alone. The NRC report recommends three major goals: raising understanding of
How a 7.8-magnitude earthquake might spread along the San Andreas fault (Image: David McNew/Getty)
earthquakes; developing cost-effective measures to reduce the effects of earthquakes on individuals, the built environment and society at large; and improving the earthquake resilience of communities nationwide. Over 20 years, reaching those goals is likely to cost $6.8 billion. Crucial minute Early-warning systems are of particular importance. Japan has the world’s most sophisticated system, with 1000 seismometers scattered about the country: it gave some people nearly a minute’s notice before the recent earthquake struck their towns, and probably
Google launches Plus One to rival Facebook’s Like button Google is today introducing the most significant social feature to its search service yet, adding a oneclick button to allow users to recommend sites and share those recommendations with their friends. Plus One will initially only be accessible to 2% of Google’s English-language users in the US, but it will be seen as a rival to Facebook’s increasingly ubiquitous ‘Like’ tool which appears on hundreds of thou-
sands of third-party sites. Appearing as a small icon next to each search result and text ad, loggedin users can share their recommendations with contacts through their Gmail address book, Google Reader and Buzz contacts and, eventually, Twitter contacts. Google would not comment on whether Facebook contacts could eventually be integrated. Google is characterising Plus One as a different function to Face-
saved many lives. Such systems work by detecting relatively harmless seismic Pwaves, which ripple through the Earth at great speeds ahead of the slower – but far more damaging – S-waves. The report also recommends involving the public in planning earthquake response measures, because this could help to provide people with information that could save their lives. In the November 2008 Great Southern California ShakeOut more than 5.5 million citizens, 5000 emergency responders and disaster recovery agents – and 300 scientists – participated in a drill that
book’s Like, saying that recommendations are only shared within the context of relevant searches, rather than spamming all contacts. Social is widely seen as the next generation of web services, but Plus One will also begin to influence the ranking of sites within search results listings. Users will be able to choose for recommended sites to be more visible in search results. Google is also planning to extend the service to news publishers so that they can integrate Plus One on story pages.
modelled what would happen during and after a magnitude 7.8-earthquake on the southernmost 300 kilometres of the San Andreas fault. The ShakeOut scenario estimated that an earthquake of that size would cause over 1800 deaths, 50,000 injuries and $200 billion in damage and other losses – and stands as a dramatic call to action to prepare for the real thing. William Ellsworth of the Earthquake Science Center in Menlo Park, California, points out that most US cities are now much better prepared for a massive earthquake than San Francisco was in 1906 – but, crucially, preparedness is not uniform, even within each city. “The building codes we have in US today are pretty good, but lots of smaller structures are not covered by those codes and neither are older buildings.” Engineer Gregory Deierlein of Stanford University, California, explains that two-storey buildings with apartments on top of a relatively open structure like a restaurant or parking lot are particularly prone to collapse. These buildings could be adapted to be more earthquake resilient. Bounce back As important as protecting buildings is ensuring that a city’s utilities and transportation systems are not crippled by a quake, says Deierlein. “If roadways and utilities are largely intact, society tends to back bounce back pretty well,” he says. “But major disruptions to roads, power and water lines really delays recovery.” Ellsworth says thanks to an energetic programme of improvements and replacements, US roads and highways – especially on the west coast – should fare much better in any future earthquake than they did after big Californian quakes in 1989 and 1994. After both events some roads remained unusable for years. “Earthquakes are going to happen, and we are going to take some hits, so we have to have procedures in place to recover from an earthquake in an effective way,” Ellsworth says. “That’s the whole idea of earthquake resilience.” Deierlein agrees. “Resilience means there will be a lot of damage and cleanup, but the city will not be paralysed.”
Sunday, April 3, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
Trip To The Zoo We went to the zoo last weekend. It was my second time visiting and I wasn’t bored at all. I had even more fun because we took my cousins this time. After our visit we had fun playing safari pretending we were in Africa. What are some of the animals you think you would see if you went on a trip to Africa to a savannah to see animals? Well here are two well known animals you can have fun with this week!
Connect the Dots!
Materials: • Brown paper lunch bag • Scissors • Glue • Markers or Crayons Directions: 1. Print this page. 2. Color the page. 3. Cut out the pieces. 4. Glue to lunch bag as shown in example.
Connect the Dots and meet this amazing giant!
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Where Are The Men Pt 3 In last week’s article we promised to address the issue of training a boy to become a man. You may ask why talk about boys? Well, Proverbs 22:6 says “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” A boy is moldable, trainable, and bendable like a young plant. After fifteen years of whatever type of training he is receiving, it will then take breaking to do any type of correction! It is very difficult to bend a full grown tree into the direction that it is supposed to go. Society is very different today than it was in the past. It is very hard to distinguish between a man and a woman, as it relates to function. First men used to wear pants, now women wear pants as well; Men went out to work and brought home the ‘cheese’, now some women make more money than men do. Women own the house, the car, the visa cards, do the same jobs, play the same sports and the list goes on and on. It has reached to the point that the women are working on making the playing field equal. Since in Belize we are almost taken over by the culture of young men hanging out on the streets, watching young ladies pass dressed up on their way to work, the responsibilities of the man become more and more obscure! Without any training it is natural for a female to mature quicker than a male. Comparing age, females are more level-headed and responsible than males. Without proper and adequate training then, the male has more to battle with than he may understand! I believe one of the main reasons for this type of deficiency in the male can be learnt just by looking at nature. Many times a young man grows up without or with very little responsibility. In fact, as I’ve mentioned before, I have heard Parents asking forty year old men still living in their homes “Yu think you da man?” A young girl, on the other hand, because of changes in her body has no question as to when she is becoming a woman. Sometimes at the tender age of nine she has to be planning and thinking ahead: “Ok its my time of the month, I will need to take pain pills to school, I will need to take extra pads to change during break, and to keep an eye so I’m not caught off guard!” As small as this might look it is a lesson on responsibility and future planning! In the home, since the majority is run by women with men being absent, the young ladies are taught how to cook, how to wash, iron and the list goes on. What happens then to the male? Who trains the male to be a man? Who tells him how to treat a woman? Who talks to him about this new interest in women that he is experiencing? The television? His friends? The music? If that is what we are depending on women stand no chance in the near future of having the kind of males in their lives that will provide a long lasting and meaningful relationship! I will answer the question of how to train a boy to become a man by addressing the woman as to what to look for in a man! 1. Does he have a job? Genesis 2:17-20 shows us that God created the whole earth, then created man, gave man work to do in the garden and after that gave him a wife. The first thing to look for in a man is whether or not he desires to work and has a job. 2. How does he treat his mom and sisters? Exodus 20:12 tells us to honor our father and mother. If a young man is not trained to honor or respect his mother and sisters, how will he honor them? Although this may be a hard pill to swallow God didn’t say honor your father if he is not a drug addict, or a drunkard, no condition is attached… just honor your parents! 3. What is your vision for life or where are you going? In Genesis 1:28 God told man to multiply, replenish and subdue the earth. This was a huge vision or plan for Adam but it was very clear the direction that it took him. What is your son’s purpose, why did God create him? What is his strengths, is he intellectual, or practical in his approach to life? Women hear me out, nothing frustrates a woman more than living with a man who is going nowhere!! You will begin to nag and become a thorn in his very flesh. Finally, as we keep these truths in mind let’s not forget that before Eve was created, God and Adam had a relationship. He was accountable to God and served him. As a fish is without water so is a man without God. My final point is to encourage and train our young boys to have a respect for God. If this is intact then as it says in Matthew 6:33 all other things will be added!!! Until next week God bless!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
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Gun violence escalates! Gunmen invade Police Station & shoot cop
Belize City, March 30, 2011 132 murders in 2011 is a shameful record for any Government to hold, but the violent crime has escalated to the crisis levels under the Barrow Administration, that not even Police Stations are respected by the lawless. Since Friday, the old capital has seen a blood bath with three men including two teenagers killed while two are clinging to life. The weekend followed last week’s multiple murders. The first murder victim was 19 year old Shamir Medina. At 8:20 on Friday, the teenager was riding his bicycle in the Plues Street area when he was shot multiple times to the chest and abdomen area. He survived and was rushed to the KHMH, but later succumbed to the injuries around five the next morning. In what is suspected to be an act of retaliation for the Medina shooting, a 14 year old was targeted next. It happened at the corner of Caesar Ridge and Kraal Road around 9:30 on Friday night. Devon Reynolds was gunned down not too far away from his home. The violence then stunned the north side, when 23 year old PC Nigel White was shot to the center of his chest, while inside the Belama substation. The area has become increasingly prone criminals, as the Government first closed down the Police station. In response to outcry from the Area Representative Hon. Francis Fonseca and the public, the station was opened, but the Ministry of Police cut down on the number of officers on guard. That was the case on Saturday morning when PC Nigel was the only officer guarding the station. He became an easy target for mindless criminals who ambushed him and shot him. The gunmen then pro-
Devon Reynolds
ceeded to take his service revolver and run off to the Belama Phase Two area with two other men. The violence continued into the week when 51 year old mechanic Linsford Ferguson was shot in a merciless ride-by. Ferguson was riding his bicycle on Poinsettia Street when two men
tion; many of them because their families are so poor that they have to drop out of school to work or their siblings will starve. Where was the champion Eden Martinez when a cane-farmer was shot by Police in Orange Walk? He left behind a widow and six children with no means of support. The widow has written to the government for assistance six times and has gotten no response. Now her 15 year old son has had to drop out of school and work in the cane-field or his family will starve. Where is the champion Eden Martinez? And what about the bridge at Crique Sarco, the bridge which links three communities – Crique Sarco, Garbutt Creek and Hiccattee Creek with the rest of the country? In 2007 then PUP Toledo East Area Representative Mike Espat placed a bridge across the Temash River so those families could have access. The work to
Linsford Ferguson
passed on bicycles, and fired a spray of gunfire which hit him in the left side of neck, the nose and right side of back. Ferguson is under a serious condition at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. On Tuesday night, a bullet found 35 year old Charles Huesner who was
where he is admitted in a stable but serious condition. The old capital continues into another week of siege, with no new anti-crime measure from the Minister of Police Hon. Douglas Singh. The Commissioner of Police Crispin Jeffries, whose contract ends this month, has also been silent.
Two of a kind – UDP style Toledo District, March 24, 2011 With the UDP convention to elect a standard bearer around the corner in Toledo West, two incompetents are running around trying to gain popularity in our constituency. Having two of a kind does not make any difference. Both incompetents will blame each other when they are voted out on Election Day. While they are still imagining the possibilities, both of them are behind the driver’s seat and have the upper hand to uplift the Toledo West Constituency. Their government is in power and so what is the problem?
Eden Who? Minister of What? Continued from page 8
Shamir Medina
riding his bicycle on Plues Street. Heusner was shot on his left hip, right foot, right upper back and left chest. Huesner managed to ride his bicycle up Plues Street and onto Dean Street where he collapsed. He was found on the street and rushed to the KHMH
build the road approaches and make the bridge fully functional was started, but because government changed in early 2008, Eden Martinez and the UDP stopped the work. Now the women and children of those three communities have to climb up to the bridge and walk across temporary planks. Eden Martinez has refused to finish the bridge because it was started under the PUP. What kind of champion is that? The people of Toledo East need help, but instead they have gotten a lame-duck minister who believes in words and not work. Martinez believes in petty politics rather than working to help his people. The people of the South need help, but instead of a helping hand they are given pretty words in the House of Representatives. If Eden Martinez does not know or is not willing to serve the people, he needs to move on. The people DEMAND a representative who works.
The present area representative, better known as the ‘little boy with marbles in his pocket’, is finally waking up. He has been heard telling the people that the senator is a big “thief” and taking advantage of the Maya Women Council. He says that funding is available to aid the women but the senator is not using it properly. She is using the funds to finance her family. On the other hand, the senator is going around telling the electorates that she can do better than the not so honorable area representative. She is claiming that monies are allocated for the West but the area representative is the one not using funds properly. The senator is known around the South to have a bad attitude. The area representative says she has no respect
for the Women Council, and that she is abusing the Council’s vehicle to do her campaigning. Proclaiming herself as a Maya will not help her at the convention, the pro-contrabandista has been heard saying. You are insulting the very same people you imagine to work with. Stop acting in sheep clothing, be real, says Juan Coy. Toledo West believes that two of a kind will serve no better. Both of them do not possess the skills in leadership. They are unable to speak for the people of Toledo West in parliament and in the senate. It’s time for the UDP government to get out of the way.
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Sunday, April 3, 2011
The Difference is Clear!
By: Councilor Kevin Bernard - BYM President
The past few months have been considered the wind-up to election mode, and this has resulted in the emergence of many new faces on the political scene. I commend the Leader of the People’s United Party and the Party’s National Executive for encouraging the participation of young people as candidates and giving them a real voice in the affairs of the PUP. In the days ahead the energy and strength of these young visionaries will be combined with the wisdom and experience of current leaders as we take on the UDP Government whenever elections are called. I express my support and that of the BYM executive in this move to involve young candidates to bring about the changes that our country so desperately
needs. As the President of the BYM, I congratulate all those that have been elected and look forward to more young candidates emerging victorious at their respective conventions. I also extend an invitation to all our young people to join us in this movement as we chart the way forward with new ideas, new vision and like a beacon of hope we forge unity and lead Belize out of the mess it is in today. Truly, the difference between the Barrow administration and the PUP under Briceño which seeks to serve the people in Belmopan is crystal clear. On Friday March 25th, 2011 I listened to the Budget debate and the presentation from the member for Orange Walk East. He stated that in 2003, at the age of 28, he was approached by Dean Barrow and sold a package of dreams…dreams of being a part of the movement to rescue the nation. After Barrow had gotten what he wanted and later kicked Cardona to the curb, Cardona realized that he had been used and discarded by a cold, callous and disingenuous politician. With that said I take this opportunity to commend the Hon. Member for Orange Walk East for standing up and defending the young people of Orange Walk East and the entire constituency. Hon. Cardona realized that his people were being victimized and he chose the road less travelled, at least by the UDP. He chose
Women boycott El Guardian for nasty attack Continued from page 7
El Guardian’s editor apologizes for his “grievous actions” and commits to fairly portray women in “all future publications”. The National Women Commission’s late condemnation of the El Guardian appeared to be brushed with sympathy, as its Executive Director, Anne-Marie Williams, coughed up disgust at the publication via a letter dated on Thursday, March 24th. Williams had avoided a meeting with the delegation of PUP women who had marched to the Commission’s office on Wednesday. At first the group was stopped by the security guard and told they would not be allowed into the office. After persisting that nothing will stop them, they marched on but found a locked door, which was later opened by a secretary who claimed that Williams was “out of office”. Williams had been informed of the exact time the delegation would be arriving, and her sudden M.I.A. was highly suspicious. The act drew the contempt of the women delegation, who were in disbelief at the cold treatment from the public-funded lead organisation for women’s issues. Nonetheless, Williams got the message. In a letter to El Guardian she condemned the publication on behalf of the Commission. But in media interviews on Thursday, she attacked
women who she claimed wilfully put themselves in certain situations. This was viewed by many as offering excuses for the El Guardian publication. The Women’s Department also spoke out against the newspaper… One surprising critic was the wife of Prime Minister Dean Barrow who was grilled in an interview last week and seemingly forced to take the popular stance. When asked to comment, Kim Simplis-Barrow hop-scotched all over, pointing out instances when she believed people should have protested in the past. Unable to avoid the direct question, Simplis-Barrow eventually said she was disgusted by the publication and that the editor must apologise. Her husband, Prime Minister Barrow disagrees; however, and this week he said in a media interview that he saw no wrongdoing with the publication. Despite the calls, there has been no apology from the El Guardian. On the contrary, Noble reprinted a commentary last week defending himself, and offered further reasons for the publication. PUP Deputy Leader Carolyn Trench-Sandiford told the BELIZE TIMES that symbols of protest are a positive sign. She said that it appears the El Guardian remains indifferent however, and Belizean women will have to decide what it will take for the UDP newspaper to get the message.
to stand for his people and for principle rather than for the misguided policies of the UDP. For that stance he has been maligned and punished by his own colleagues, but he and his constituency will be better for the path he chose to take. I have to ask - Is this the type of Dictatorship Government that the young people of our nation would chose? It is clear that the United Democratic Party believes in governance through intimidation and bully tactics. It is clear that diversity of opinion and belief is not welcomed in the UDP and is in fact ground into the dirt. In the UDP it is Mr. Barrow’s way or the highway. I ask again – is this the type of government our young people would wish for. I believe that political parties should attract young men and women to participate in Governance rather than dissuade them from becoming involved in the political arena. Just this week the Prime Minister condoned his newspaper’s distasteful, malicious, petty and obscene attack against a young woman just entering the political arena. What sort of message is that sending? Indeed…how many women are offering themselves as candidates in the UDP as general elections approach? From their actions, it is clear that the UDP has no Women Agenda…No Youth
Agenda…No Agenda Period! In direct contrast to this, the PUP continues to encourage and welcome young men and women into electoral politics and into vital roles in every facet of the Party. In the PUP, we engage our young people, while the UDP continues to oppress them. In the PUP, we help our young people prosper through the development of job entrepreneurship programs and scholarship opportunities. Under this UDP Government, there is no hope, no vision, and no plan – just a whole pile of possibilities that never become reality. Our young people are living in fear while the Government continues to ignore us. For this reason, the Belize Youth Movement met on Saturday March 26th and will start the move to further the discussion with our youth stakeholders. We believe that this year’s budget, like all previous UDP budgets, fails to offer any clear national framework for our young people. We find this incorrigible trend unacceptable and we will not support the actions of this Government. My young Belizean brothers and sisters, the time to rise up is now. Let’s realize that the difference is clear with the People’s United Party - it’s time for a change. United Always with the People’s United Party.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
Cayo Pre-school lacks water; yet Minister Faber spends thousands on political event Continued from page 18
a quarter mile from the water company’s source. Banner had proposed two alternatives to BWS: to have the connection be made at the back of the preschool where BWS’ main line also runs to make the shorter connection more affordable for them; the second, for the company to allow the school to pay the bill in monthly instalments. Those proposals were quickly knocked down and met with a definitive “no”. The concern for the students’ parents is that there is the risk of an illness breaking out
because of the lack of potable water. Banner has had to use her own resources, driving a private vehicle to carry water by the bucketful to the school, which is more than a mile away from her house. While most of us may take the rain as a nuisance sometimes, Banner and the children are thankful for the rain, because it provides water for the children to wash their hands. Flushing the toilet, which most people do after each use, is not something the school can allow for at this time. The sewer pipe is connected to the building, but the lack of running water makes flushing only
a future practice. It is a shame for a school - preschool at that - to be denied access to potable water, especially when it is located in a suburban community quite within reach of the water system. Good Start Preschool is the only such institution in Camalote providing early childhood education. They are without clean running water because the government’s water company has turned a cold shoulder to their plight. How many times haven’t we heard of the government, on its various political platforms, boasting of connecting water sys-
33 tems? Only this past Sunday, the Minister of Education Patrick Faber, spent thousands in his Collet constituency on his endorsement convention. Yet he has failed to find a solution for the preschool. People are suffering out here Mr Faber, including the little ones whose votes you will be seeking in years to come. I hope you can find a response for them when they ask you questions on the real issues, because no one will remember your convention day more than how you are making the children suffer for months without water at their school. If you still take no shame however, Good Start Preschool will have no choice but to appeal to individuals or the community to come to their aid and to prevent an outbreak of some potentially contagious disease from occurring at the school.
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THE BELIZE TIMES
PUP demands recall of Shyne as Music Ambassador Continued from page 1 nepotism and a slap in the face of established musicians who had given their lives to the promotion of the music and culture of Belize. Just after his appointment, at a public appearance at the House of Culture Jamal “Shyne” Barrow announced that he had personally deposited $100,000 of his own money to a fund established to develop local talent. So far not one red penny has been received from the Music Ambassador despite his claim. Shortly after this announcement, Barrow moved to Israel, stating – “This is my homeland, the place where my soul resides.” Despite that, the Prime Minister refused to reconsider his appointment, claiming that his son would bring much positive recognition to Belize. Instead of positive recognition, the Prime Minister’s Music Ambassador has disgraced himself and embarrassed a nation already struggling for positive recognition. Just recently Jamal Barrow has been accused of being a con artist and perpetrating a scam in Belize, after he promised concert-goers that he would bring internationally recognized artists to perform – artists who never showed. Just hours after the concert, the Prime Minister’s Music Ambassador and son fled back to Israel amidst a hail of bad publicity. And indeed now there are reports that the Music Ambassador is being taken to Court in Belize for nearly $200,000 in unpaid bills for lux-
Northern Caucus Team meets in Caye Caulker Caye Caulker, March 30, 2011 The Northern Caucus Assessment Committee held its first meeting this past Saturday in Caye Caulker along with Chairman of the Belize Rural South Executive Committee, Milo Paz, and the members of the PUP Executive Committee in Caye Caulker. The members of the Assessment Committee who attended are, Valdemar Castillo Sr.,
Continued from page 6 told us that the south of the nation has once again become the ‘forgotten region’ under this UDP administration. According to Espat, “it is unforgivable and unacceptable that people have to lose their lives as a direct result of incompetence and neglect at government levels. And what is even worse is that these two fatalities won’t even be a blip on the Prime Minister’s radar. He just doesn’t give a damn.” The UDP enjoys full representation in the southern region with Eden Martinez in Toledo East and Juan Coy in Toledo West, Melvin Hulse in Stann Creek West and Arthur Roches in Dangriga. None of these UDP representatives have made any meaningful mention of the neglected bridge at Kendall
for the past three years, even though the crossing is a crucial and critical link between the South and the rest of the country. For the residents of the south, the UDP is putting petty politics before their needs. The Kendall Bridge has been promised every year, but the Barrow Administration has scheduled its completion wittingly until months before the next general elections. For the latest victims of the long neglected crossing at Kendall it is too late, but the residents of the south are crying out for a bridge at Kendall after three years of being ignored. The residents of the south are crying out for attention for their forgotten region. How much longer will the Prime Minister and the UDP area representatives in the south ignore their cries?
ury accommodation, utilities and other expenses. Belizeans are proud of their culture. It is regrettable and sad that because of the decisions of one man, the Prime Minister, our cultural develop-
ment has gone from a high with our great music icon Andy Palacio and the world renowned Watina to a gangster rapper whose claim to fame is explicit, violent lyrics and whose disconnect with Belizean culture is glaring. The People’s United Party demands that the Prime Minister act now to immediately recall his Music and Goodwill Ambassador Jamal Shyne Barrow aka Moses Leviy aka Moshe Levi before the image of the nation is further tarnished by association with and ‘representation’ by his son the Music Ambassador.
on Barrow’s Empty Pot Budget should ask the member to retract from such comments and refrain from using such languages, but instead it was allowed. And because Mr. Speaker had no order in “HIS HOUSE” the shouting matches went physical as members of the galleries broke into fight; a first in history, The House proceeding was temporarily suspended until all supporters of the Opposition were ousted from the galleries. But while Belizeans had to stomach the unparliamentarily behaviors, personal verbal attacks and the two days of uninspiring political self praises, again Belizeans were left with a very bad taste in our mouth when the PM responded to the Opposition’s presentation. Instead of responding to the question raised and contribution made by Briceño, Belizean got personal with venomous attacks, childish observation and uncalled disrespectful and unparliamentarily remarks. At the end, PM Barrow skewed from the issues raised and cleverly pulled out the supper bond card and the internal PUP business
PUP Northern Caucus Assessment Committee plans for the future
More Blood on UDP hands
Jorge Aldana’s writes
Continued from page 2
Sunday, April 3, 2011
diverting from the hard-hitting issues at hand. In fact the PM made no comments to Cardona’s bold contribution and remarks against the PM himself. He used the Monday newscast to refer to Cardona as a “dead duck politician.” But how do we move on as Belizeans following the budget presentation? While we continue to live in political peril certain things are clear in our minds. Sure as hell Belizeans are not satisfied. We want and demand a better life and sure as hell we are not seeing recovery in the near sight. But until Belizeans can unite, demand in one common voice, put up a good fight and bring our government to its knees, we will not see the change in the way Parliament conducts “Our Business.” Fear, victimization, corruption, nepotism and the lack of political will must be trampled out of our political system so that Belizeans can trust once more in our Government. Only if we believe in ourselves and in our country will we be able to save Belize and move our country forward. Jorge Aldana
Jaime Briceño Ramiro Ramirez, Servulo Baeza, and Neri Ramirez. During the meeting, Party officials discussed the strengthening of the PUP Committee in Belize Rural South and ways to assist the Party’s work, and to assist in the process of the upcoming standard bearer convention. The officials agreed to a second meeting for April 9th to ensure the inclusion of a greater number of PUP members to be part of the people’s Committee at Caye Caulker.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
THE BELIZE TIMES
Senate probes UDP’s wasteful spending City of Belmopan, March 29, 2011 By Carla Bradley Senator Eamon and Senator Hulse spearheaded a critical look at the revenue generation and wasteful spending under the Barrow Administration during the Senate meeting held on Tuesday, March 29, 2011. Senator Eamon pointed out that even though GST was increased from 10% to 12.5%, the revenue generation projected was still not met at the end of the fiscal year. The business sector has been hit pretty hard, with rapid declining of investment, which has forced businesses to either go into receivership or to completely close down, because there just isn’t enough money to keep the business up and running. The total foreign direct investment in 2009 was 139 million dollars and in 2010 it was less than 13 million dollars, a major difference of over 126 million dollars. Senator Hulse touched on the expenditures in the 2011/2012 budget. Hulse said the perceived over spending has raised red flags, and he questioned why so much money is being spent. He then compared the Budget presented in 2001-2002, under the PUP, to the current budget and made significant
comparisons in departments, where he believes spending is too much. Such expenses are as follows: TRAVEL EXPENSES PUP - 2001-2002 budget - 3.4 million UDP - Present budget – 8.5 million OFFICE SUPPLIES PUP - 2001-2002 budget – 15 million UDP - Present budget – 33 million OPERATION COSTS (FUEL AND MISC) PUP - 2001-2002 budget – 6.3 million UDP - Present budget - 34 million RENTS & LEASES PUP - 2001-2002 budget – $3.3m UDP - Present budget – $7.1m Senator Hulse then called on the government to answer the following
question: is Belize really getting the value of the money spent in each fiscal year? Hulse, who represents the business sector, also indicated his concern that members of the private sector were not consulted before the budget presentation. Senator Hulse said the public’s business must be discussed with the public. He then applauded the previous PUP government for their open negotiations and involvement of both the public and private sectors of Belize during their term in office. Before ending his speech, Senator Hulse challenged the Barrow Administration to convene an economic summit, where both the private and public sector can sit down and raise their concerns and opinions in regards to the budget.
Tuesday’s Senate meeting in session
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John Saldivar dying March 28, 2011 Yesterday, a well- known campaigner for John Saldivar, came all the way to Independence Hall. We at BELIZE TIMES cannot say we were surprised at what she told us. We could see the frustration on her face when she walked in. She reported that in the upcoming Belmopan constituency convention for the UDP, unless the process is rigged, John Saldivar would be challenged. She cited a list of reasons why his own people wanted him out of their party. She reminded us that the last time that the “pompously obese” Minister waddled into the House of Representatives UDP’s booed him. She left a bag of goodies on him here that we will share with you little by little as the weeks go by. But she swore that he would be gone and that no one in the Public Service, the UDP, or Belmopan liked the dude. We were reliably informed that there were serious efforts to convince the sitting Mayor to take out John Saldivar but he reportedly declined and disclosed his intentions to leave the pig sty of UDP politics. The current option is to prop up the Deputy Mayor of Belmopan to deliver Saldivar’s head. The woman was so resolved in her disdain for the Minister who looks like the HL’s Bunboy that she swears that he will reap what he has sown. We probed her to comment on the PUP contenders in Belmopan and with bright eyes, she said “I like the hope and excitement that they bring to the race!”
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THE BELIZE TIMES
Sunday, April 3, 2011