National Perspective April 17, 2011

Edition 138 Vol.3 week 33 Sunday,April 17th, 2011

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By Rhenae NunezTues, Apr. 12, 2011BELIZE CITY – Activist Moses Sulph has been the subject of in-tense investigation by the UDP government after they leaked ma-licious allegations of impropriety about him at the Registry Depart-ment in downtown Belize City. In February of this year the gov-ernment embarked on an inves-tigation /audit of Sulph’s desk. The reason for the investigation/audit of his desk where he works as a data entry clerk was never di-vulged. Sulph told the media that he felt the exercise was malicious since he was not given anything in writing explaining the reason for the investigation. What if anything the investigation revealed remains a mystery how-ever; Sulph received his walk-ing papers on Monday 11th April 2011. Sulph who is also President

SULPH AXED!SULPH AXED!SULPH AXED!...feels the wrath of this vindictive UDP Government

of Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action (COLA) reserved comment until he has spoken

with fellow unionists who have reached out to him. An emergency meeting is scheduled for Saturday

afternoon at the Public Service Union’s headquarters on Kut Av-enue in Belize City. Fellow COLA member Geovanni Brackett fi red off a terse warn-ing to the UDP government at the conclusion of Plus TV’s Rise and Shine morning show this past Wednesday morning. Brackett criticized the culture of victim-ization that has fl edged under this government where citizens are punished for speaking out. Refer-ring to what has transpired with Moses Sulph, Brackett said, “we nuh wah swallow da pill deh.” Saturday’s meeting is expected to be a charged one since the unions have been showing signs of wak-ing up from their slumber. Moses Sulph and Paul Perriott of the Belize Communications Workers Union are two union leaders who have been wacked off their jobs for disagreeing with the government of the day.

From National Beauty to Jail House Cutie

Remanded for Conspiracy to Bank RobberyBy Rhenae NunezMonday, April 11, 2011ORANGE WALK TOWN - Saman-tha Carlos was only seventeen years old when she won the title of Queen of the Bay, Belize’s oldest and most prestig-ious beauty pag-eant. Since then she has led an active life having participated in various sporting disciplines espe-cially basketball and football. She has also made an attempt at

AGUSM’S - Dr.Malic SoudahFiles Backruptcy in the U.S.

See Story on Page 7

Samantha Carlos

FIFA’s Blatter blasts Barrow... “leave Bertie alone”!

BELIZE CITY – FIFA President Jo-seph Sepp Blatter landed in Belize for a few hours yesterday, and a� er a whirlwind tour of the Football Federa-tion of Belize (FFB) new stadium in Belmopan, and a 20 minute meeting with Belize Prime Minister Dean Bar-row, called on the Barrow administra-tion in a keynote speech at an inaugu-ration ceremony to leave the national football association alone. FIFA, the Federation of Internation-

al Football Associations, is one of the oldest international sports organiza-tions and with revenues of over US$1 billion annually, one of the richest. It reportedly has almost US$1.3 billion in reserves. Each of FIFA’s 208 national mem-ber associations, including the FFB, receives US$250,000 annually from FIFA. Blatter is on an extensive tour of Cen-tral American countries as he is lobby-ing for re-election to a fourth term as president of soccer’s global governing body. It is his second visit to Belize, and he is the � rst president of an interna-tional organization to have visited Be-lize twice. His tour got underway on Monday when he visited Guatemala before heading to Honduras Tuesday. He landed in Belize at 3:00 yesterday

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Sunday,April 17th, 2011 Page 2

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From National Beauty to Jail House Cutie

public life having contested the 2003 Municipal Elections in her home town, Orange Walk. Her bid was unsuccessful. Carlos disappeared from the limelight and only recently resurfaced accused of conspiring to rob Heritage Bank in Or-ange Walk Town where she has worked for five years. On Tuesday, April 5th the Heritage Bank branch was held up and robbed of $202,0000. Reports are that two black men walked into the bank situate on the Belize –Corozal Road around 1:00m and after asking to see the loans officer, the lone security officer was handcuffed along with a female employee and a gun placed to their heads. One of the men then ordered a female employee to open the vault. She refused and was allegedly punched in the mouth and threatened. The vault was then opened and the men helped themselves to two bags of cash which they placed in a knapsack and casually walked out of the bank. Police suspected inside collusion and their investigation rounded up the Bank’s branch manager Samantha Car-los, 28, along with Ricky Valencia, 27, his brother BDF Soldier Harold Valen-cio, 30, and Noel Usher, 31. They were all charged with conspiracy to commit robbery while a fifth person, Marva Welch was charged for handling stolen goods. Welch was found with $1,200.00 said to be proceeds from the heist. Ricky Valencio was out on bail after he was accused of the May 2010 attempt on the life of attorney-at-law, Rodwell Wil-liams, the law partner of Prime Minister Dean Barrow. Samantha Carlos and Harold Valencio were represented by Dickie Bradley who argued in vain for bail for his clients. The so-called gang of five were remanded to the Belize Central Prison at Hattieville until at hearing on May 19th.

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MORE ECONOMIC PAIN There is an eerie feel-ing that has gripped the citi-zens of Belize and more so the residents of Belize City. The increasing crime situation has dampened any type of enter-tainment that citizens could use to distract them from the dismal performance of the Government in their handling of the economy. The Belizean economy is in shambles. This has been brought about from the direct negative intervention policies of the UDP Government of Belize. As a Government the UDP has single handedly im-plemented short sighted poli-cies that have handcuffed the economy of Belize. Investors are not looking to Belize as a haven of good governance and tranquility, so they are go-ing to other jurisdictions such as Honduras and Costa Rica. These countries have Govern-ments that have put legisla-tions in place that are progres-sive and attractive to investors. Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) is a scarce resource, and countries continue to compete vigorously for the almighty dollar which is the cure for many of the ills of a society. However, the Govern-ment of Belize has the op-posite approach, they are the boogeyman to investors be-cause they do not respect the fact that people invest for a de-cent return on that investment. They view making profit as a sin. The investors are not the enemy. The enemy is the UDP bureaucrats who have been instigating for legislations to be pass such as the high jack-ing of Belize Telemedia Lim-ited from bonafide investors, so they can set themselves in the position to hustle. For ex-ample, BELTRAIDE is a joke. The minuscule amount of in-vestors who reaches the Beliz-ean shoreline and turns up at BELTRAIDE finds that they land in an “ant nest” as the bunch of UDP hustlers pounce on them promising the world but never deliver after they get their piece. The stories are endless from investors who felt that the UDP BELTRAIDE has deceived them, and there-fore, they vow to “bad mouth” Belize. Now with fuel ap-proaching thirteen dollars ($13.00) there is almost a shut

down in the country. The UDP Government upon taking of-fice in 2008 changed the taxa-tion on fuel that have increased the intake for the Government and squeezed the life out of the Belizean economy. The UDP switched to a flat tax of $3.15 on every gallon of gaso-line sold. This is tremendously higher than the previous tax regime. This non creative fuel tax has caused hardship on all Belizeans across the board. It is unconscionable that a Gov-ernment can sit idle by and col-lect 40% of the cost of fuel as taxes and do not make any ef-fort to curb this gas albatross. In 2007 when a barrel of crude oil was at US$147.00 per barrel, fuel at the pump in Belize was BZ$9.87 per gallon. Presently oil is below US$120.00 per barrel and is BZ$12.13 per gallon at the pump. Where is the heart? If the Government removed the tax which they waste on themselves anyway Beliz-eans would be paying around BZ$9.00 per gallon. Belizeans it must be admitted is being very tolerant, and we applaud them because they can take a good “bukut” from the Dean Barrow government. We never thought we would see the day that the Belizean people would be dying from the economic hardship brought on by the Government and yet they (the Belizean people) appear care-less as if they are begging for more hardship. The Belizeans acceptance of the Govern-ment’s failed policies is price-less. Presently, the UDP gov-ernment has a willing investor that is prepared to construct and complete the Cruise Ter-minal in Port Loyola (the most economically depressed area in southside Belize City) which is projected to create 5,000 jobs. However, as is the standard practice with the Dean Barrow Government, they find ways to undermine investors and destroy employ-ment opportunities for Beliz-eans. The National Perspec-tive welcomes all comments and asked Dean Barrow and Boots Martinez to say it isn’t so. We have consistently noted that the UDP Govern-ment is filled with hatred and therefore, cannot think or plan

with a sober mind. The only language they will understand is when the people march on Belmopan and rip them from their plush offices. Hopefully, that is sooner rather than later. The students at the University of Belize are having a Peace March to protest against crime on Thursday of this week. The question really is, what peace they are marching for, because they should be marching to light a fire under the butts of the UDP dodo birds in Cabi-net, such as the simpletons Perdomo, who presented a 360 degree plan to fight crime, what a moron. Outside of do-ing that everything else is use-less. We here at the National Perspective sympathies with the families that have family members that have died as a result of the murderous crimes and realize now how help-less they must feel when they listen to the likes of Douglas Singh, who is now presented as a friend to Russia. We hope his contacts are on the up and up. In conclusion, for this week we stand together with the people, whenever they decide they have had enough and are prepared to march on Belmopan to rid Belize of this despot government. THE PEOPLE ARE AWAKE, OPEN YOUR EYES!!!


No-Holds-BarredBy:”PUP Plebeian” 37,416 – Real People Facing Real Problems or Merely a Statistic?

According to the preliminary find-ings of the 2010 Population & Housing Census conducted by the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) last year, Southside Belize City is the country’s most populous area with a reported population of some 37,416 people. Now, while this figure may cause some of us to be extremely concerned, there are others among us who couldn’t care less as they’ve long condemned every man, woman and child of the Southside to hell.Chief among those who’ve con-demned the Southside to hell are the UDP’s four Southside Area Representatives, namely, Queen Square Area Representative and Prime Minister& Minister of Fi-nance, Hon. Dean Barrow, Meso-potamia Area Representative and Minister of Housing & Urban Up-liftment, Hon. Michael Finnegan, Port Loyola Area Representative and Minister of Works, Hon. An-thony “Boots” Martinez and Collet Area Representative and Minister of Education & Youth, Hon. Patrick Faber.Individually and collective, these four Area Representatives are four of the most constitutionally pow-erful men in Belize today, possess-ing and wielding immense political influence. Combined, this quartet controls the greatest percentage of physical and financial resources in the land and thus has the where-withal to significantly and mean-ingfully improve the standard of liv-ing of their poor and marginalized constituents. Sadly and tragically for those constituents of Queen’s Square, Mesopotamia, Port Loyola and Collet, every time the quartet of Barrow, Finnegan, Martinez and Faber plays, it’s the “blues” they’re forced to painfully listen to. Geographically, Queen’s Square, Mesopotamia, Port Loyola and Collet, represent “Ground Zero” for the ongoing internecine gang warfare that plays out daily on the streets of these Southside con-stituencies. Belize City, today in 2011, is what Ciudad Juarez is to Mexico – a killing field. We don’t need for any census to tell us how many hundreds of young men have become and continue to be casual-ties of this warfare. We simply need to talk with the City’s undertakers who continue to bury the bodies. While Barrow, Finnegan, Martinez and Faber possess the political and economic power to radically trans-form the lives of their constituents, the harsh reality is that the people of Queen’s Square, Mesopotamia, Port Loyola and Collet remain the poorest and most disenfranchised among us.The callous and deliberate neglect of the people of Southside Belize

City by the UDP quartet is well documented and vivid to the naked eye. One simply needs to look at the inhumane living conditions of our brothers and sisters on the South-side to know that this is an unde-niable fact. While the people of Queen’s Square, Mesopotamia, Port Loyola and Collet live every day and night with the constant sound of guns blazing in their neighbor-hood, their Representatives live like kings in their fortresses far re-moved from their constituencies. Indeed, this represents a betrayal of the highest order of our people by their leaders.The Opposition PUP continues to hold Standard Bearer Conventions, both contested and endorsement, across the thirty-one constituen-cies of Belize. In Belize City, there are only two PUP Area Representa-tives on the Southside, namely the Hon. Mark Espat, Area Representa-tive for Albert and the Hon. Cordel Hyde, Area Representative for Lake Independence. This has been the case since 2003. Prior to 2003, the late Remijio Montejo represented the people of Collet. Notwith-standing their open and continued contempt for PUP Party Leader, John Briceno, it is widely believed that both Mark Espat and Cordel Hyde hold what are considered to be “safe seats” come 2013 when General Elections are due. This be-lief is strengthened by the fact that the UDP continues to throw what Rhenae Nunez would call a bunch of buffoons in the ring with these two political heavyweights. Like Queen’s Square, Mesopotamia, Port Loyola and Collet, the Albert and Lake Independence Constitu-encies are also at the epicenter of the gang warfare and account for a significant percentage of the young lives that have been lost as a conse-quence. Faced with a UDP Central and Local Government and a PUP Leader in whom they’ve absolutely no confidence, Espat and Hyde can offer nothing more to their constit-uents than a song and a prayer.Now, considering how the Op-position is approaching the other Southside Constituencies, one is left to deduce that John Briceno and the PUP view the people of South-side Belize City just as trivially as Barrow and the UDP do. In Col-let, Briceno and his Executive have endorsed the badly beaten, bat-tered and bruised Carolyn Trench-Sandiford. In Port Loyola, Gilroy Usher Sr. beat out three challengers to become the PUP’s new Standard Bearer for that constituency. Taken into account, however, the almost six thousand people living in Port Loyola and the fact that a pitiful 10% of that number voted in the

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Bella Vista Village Celebrates Founder’s Day

Bella Vista Village in the Toledo district will be celebrating Founder’s Day this Sunday April 17th, 2011. The village will be celebrating its 21st. Anniversay and as part of the celebration villagers will be paying tribute to PUP Deputy Party Leader, Mike Espat who as Minister in the past Administration, founded the vil-

lage in 1990. Other highlights of the celebration will be a ‘Health Fair’ where villagers will be pro-vided with free health examinations such as Ultrasound for expectant mothers, Blood Sugar Tests, Blood Count Checks, Blood Pressure Check among other health services such as Family Medicine, Internist Pediatrician, OB/ Gynacologist. The celebrations is being organized by the Bella Vista Village Council under the patronage of the Village Chair Lady, Mrs Gloria Hernandez Romero. The PUP Southern Caucus headed by Deputy Par-ty Leader, Mike Espat is surely making a difference gearing up for the upcoming elections.


The assertion made by Tom Mor-rison, UDP hopeful for the Albert Division, has for a long time been a commonly held perception by a wide cross section of our society. Often the accusation is hurled by those who have lost their bid for election - either way vote-buying and rent-a-crowd is not unique to the UDP or the PUP, and neither did it just start in April of 2011. I don’t know what exactly happened over in Albert on Sunday but I cer-tainly saw what occurred in Carib-bean Shores that same day. It was a free-for-all bashment that energized Anthony Mahler’s camp on con-vention day. Major machinery was mounted to defeat Joe Coye. Why? because he is still being blamed for G-7. But that does not constitute a rational reason since the G-7 now runs the PUP. But how do we ex-plain Godfrey Smith’s contribution to the trouncing of Joe Coye since he and Party Leader John Briceno remain at odds. It was Smith who penned the scurrilous piece in Feb-ruary titled “Basta Briceno” in his Flashpoint column. I am at a loss for a plausible explanation for Smith’s participation in Sunday’s conven-tion. Godfrey Smith was not the only force that went against Joe Coye on Sunday. I saw representation of the Fort George Division and even the PUP hierarchy. It is a surprise that Joe even got as many votes that he did considering the artillery that was stock piled and deployed against him. All in all, it was a great showing for the PUP - certainly one greater than the dismal showing across town for the UDP even with the amount of money that was alleged to have been spent by Herman Longsworth’s camp. A few weeks ago, I wrote that the conventions will infuse some much needed cash in the economy or the depressed economy will have a crip-pling effect on the conventions. For principled candidates like Joe Coye who will not pay for votes, the end result was predictable. The problem of vote buying has become so pervasive that aspirants who do not have a suffi cient bank roll to feed the insatiable appetite of a rotten spoiled electorate do not stand a chance. I was confronted by

“Jules clearly it’s a case of big money spenders against a grass roots man who have worked hard in the division but money does have an impact especially amongst humble and poor people of the Albert division. I would tell you that lots of money has been spent. [Jules Vasquez - Not by you]. Certainly not by me.”- Tom Morrison, UDP Albert Convention, Sunday April 10, 2011“Vote buying in politics would seriously impinge on the development of the na-tion.” Former Vice President Ghana Aliu Mahama.

The Convention where Betrayal and Money WonIs Caribbean Shores is Ripe for a Formidable

Independent Candidate?three elderly women who had col-lected money from Mahler’s camp and were pursuing Joe Coye’s wife for a match of Mahler’s wager. They were unsuccessful in their bid so they left without voting. That was only one of the sicken-ing and denigrating things that I witnessed on Sunday in Caribbean Shores. There were a number of people who were obviously drunk. Mahler’s apparatus included a mu-sic box with a dj who kept up the hype, pom-pom girls at the gate and a few who once they were suf-fi ciently tanked up were ready for action – physical action against any who seemed opposed to their can-didate. Sunday’s convention was more about defeating Joe Coye than it was about selecting a standard bearer that would eventually make a suitable area representative for Ca-ribbean Shores. Since Sunday there has been a heat-ed debate on facebook over what had transpired. I am disappointed by the result because I supported Joe Coye. I feel slighted because my vote was not coerced or induced – I voted according to my conviction. Even though Joe has lost, I still feel that he is the better man for Carib-bean Shores. His achievements are forever etched in the division and it is now for Mahler to fi ll that shoe. Mahler’s campaign never told us of his “vision” for Caribbean Shores besides that it is time for “change” – the buzz word that gets voters every time. Although Mahler’s campaign denied the malicious attacks on Joe Coye I cannot help but feel that it emanated from or on behalf of the Mahler campaign. And the Mahlers aren’t as squeaky clean when it comes to land grabbing in Carib-bean Shores. Mahler’s father Esteban “Steve” Mahler was the chairman of the PUP Caribbean Shores lots committee under Joe Coye. During that span of time, Anthony Mahler got the plot where his home is located on Blue Marlin Boulevard. Around the cor-ner where his business Innovative Signs is located is another piece of land acquired by the Mahlers. Fur-ther up on Durgeon Avenue is an-other business operated by Mahler’s sister, former City Manager Marcia Mahler. That property sparked con-troversy since it was designated for

a neighborhood park. Then there are those from the UDP who have been pointing fi ngers at Joe Coye the past few years and calling him names about land grab-bing in the area. I fi nd the accusa-tions hypocritical since the UDP in their heyday grabbed up quite a number of lots in the area. Just about everyone who has come after has exploited in that regard denying many like myself a chance at getting property in our area.Some of the biggest land owners in Caribbean Shores are members of the upper echelon of the UDP hierarchy and if, as they say, night should turn to day, a lot of those people would want to run away when Belizeans found out how little they paid for their piece of the land of the free by the Carib Sea. Indeed “the people have spoken” but they didn’t speak for me. There are a number of factors that acted against Joe Coye including his role in G-7 some years ago as well as the scandal that erupted over his acqui-sition of land in Caribbean Shores.

The greatest betrayal of all was by the former PUP Caribbean Shores committee who Joe considered to be near and dear friends. Without any warning they abandoned Joe af-ter some have benefi tted from Joe’s kindness. But it is water under the bridge and Anthony Mahler is the victor and yes – the spoils are his. My vote will go to he or she who deserves it. I may change my mind once I have been convinced by ei-ther Perdomo or Mahler or a formi-dable independent that may come along. I am open to the possibilities. From what I have already heard, the persnickety Caribbean Shores electorate is not impressed by the choices so far. This leaves the door open for an independent who can convince the people here that they will protect and promote property and community values, will fi ght for services, will work with the business, social and economic insti-tutions in the area and last but not least promote, protect and respect our Constitutional rights. Yes – there is room here for one more....

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Gangs Rage Deadly War Over Weed Turf

By Rhenae NunezTues. Apr. 12, 2011BELIZE CITY - Chaos and may-hem erupted at the Vernon Street Fish Market around 4:30pm on Tuesday when two gunmen showed up and let o� a barrage of bullets at Avondale Fuller, also known as “Hogbone” Trumbach. He was seat-ed inside his Isuzu Trooper waiting for his girlfriend and child who were purchasing � sh.� e mayhem sent � sh buyers who are usually crowded at the market around that time of day diving for cover, some even jumped into the infested canal. Reports are that as others tried to drive out of the area a young child was run over. � e child’s status is unknown to us at this time. Trumbach is said to be a leader of the notorious George Street Gang. According to witnesses one of the men began shooting at the front of the vehicle while the other � red from the rear. Trumbach attempted to escape with life by driving o� but crashed into a van that was parked in front of him which then hit a nearby lamp post that snapped. “Hogbone” Trumbach was rushed to the KHMH with multiple bullet wounds to the head. He died a short

while a� er arriving. Police say the assassination is part of an ongoing gang war in Belize City’s southside. A well known person to police has been picked up and they are pursu-ing another. Both suspects are from Taylor’s Alley o� Orange Street. One of the suspects is alleged to have just been released from police custody on Tuesday morning a� er he was detained for questioning in connection with the Taylor’s Al-ley shooting of Enrique “Boogie” Trapp. Police suspect that the ‘Hogbone’ shooting was in retaliation for the shooting of Enrique “Boogie” Trapp which occurred around 10:00pm on Saturday night. It is also believed that the war between Taylor’s Alley and George Street gangs is over turf to sell weed. About an hour a� er the Tuesday evening shooting at the Vernon Street Fish Market which claimed Avondale Trumbach’s life, police were sent rushing to another shoot-ing scene at the corner of Fair-weather and Waight Streets. � e victim was Jerome Lewis, 20 years. Lewis was standing in front of his home when a gunman showed up and started � ring at him. He re-ceived a bullet wound to his up-per right arm. He was taken to the KHMH; his injury has been clas-si� ed as non-life threatening. It is speculated that the shooting may have been in retaliatory for the ear-lier shooting of “Hogbone”. No sus-pect has been picked up for the cor-ner Fairweather and Waight Streets shooting. � e police department has amped up their presence in the streets in anticipation of an escalation of the street war.

Sunday,April 17th, 2011

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Rage Against the ‘Machine’!

Do not go gentle into that good night,Old age should burn and rave at close of day;Rage, rage against the dying of the light.Though wise men at their end know dark is right,Because their words had forked no lightning theyDo not go gentle into that good night.Good men, the last wave by, crying how brightTheir frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,Rage, rage against the dying of the light.Wild men who caught and sang the sun in fl ight,And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,Do not go gentle into that good night.Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sightBlind eyes could blaze like me-teors and be gay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light.And you, my father, there on the sad height,Curse, bless, me now with your fi erce tears, I pray.Do not go gentle into that good night.Rage, rage against the dying of the light. I had no intention of writ-ing anything at all about the recently concluded PUP Carib-bean Shores constituency stan-dard bearer convention, espe-cially because my candidate lost badly, and the campaign

had turned contentious in the fi nal days. I fi gured that there would have to be a cooling off period, and there needs to be the passage of some time to allow for possible rapproche-ment, mediation and re-unit-ing. The triumphant victors, how-ever, do not seem content to let the matter die, and in my case have continued to launch personal attacks on me. So, as they say, in for a penny, in for a pound. Anthony Mahler didn’t so much win the Caribbean Shores PUP convention as Joe Coye was being persecuted by erstwhile political allies, disappointed former support-ers, and his long time political opponents on the other side of the color line. As I watched the circus unfold Sunday morn-ing I could only marvel at the massive display of force and at one point I even wondered if I would escape the drubbing physically unscathed. Joe’s former G7 allies and ex-Cabinet opponents’ resources and assets within the PUP were

all in full deployment and the bombardment was sustained. Though we tried hard not to cower in our foxholes and de-fi antly raged against one of the greatest display of machine politics ever seen by the PUP against one of their own, we knew within the fi rst hour that everyone else would win and Joe Coye would lose. It is ironic than at least for one day Joe Coye was able to do what its former and current leaders have been unable to do since August 2004 - unite the Peoples United Party. And the UDP did not just sit back and enjoy the show - they too deployed bags of cash in the key Kelly Street area, with instructions to the lucky recipients to go harass our campaign. Even though we had made it clear that we would not be paying anyone anything at all to vote, a vocif-erous horde maintained an all day offensive of harassment on our chief campaigners and the candidate himself. I had to marvel at their determination that they must be paid by our

campaign even as they stood before us clad in our oppo-nent’s shirts. Whither Joe Coye now that he has been defeated by opera-tion Caribbean Storm? If all bets are off then surely all options are open. Joe Coye has lived a life of public service and I seriously doubt that will change. At 67 he rides 15 miles on a regular basis and his mind is sharp. I always thought him uncomfortable being confi ned within the strictures of party politics, and perhaps having just run a principled campaign he feels if anything all it is that he has been liberated by the betrayal of his party’s bosses and power brokers. At this point he owes them nothing, and they have paid him back in full for anything he may have done to them. A cheque was cashed last Sunday, and no doubt some believe that he was given the boot. Because I was privy to his thinking for the entire length of his bid to return as the PUP candidate in the up-coming General Elections it could be that perhaps it was a mutual philosophical parting of ways. Joe Coye may have come to despise the populist party po-li-tricks as antagonistic to his personal philosophy of issue-oriented politics. In the after-math of Sunday he may just feel that he may have won a more precious prize – the free-dom to be himself.


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Over the last three years with the advent of the UDP government, we have seen the escalation of vi-olent crimes supersede just about every other activity. Likewise, we have seen the most outrageous po-litical tampering and manipulation as a means to infl uence the nor-mal course of the judiciary and the Common Penal Law in Belize. This blatant manipulation has not only resulted in the deterioration in the dispensation of justice, but we have seen where more accused persons of violent crimes have either gotten-off at trials because of lack of evidence, improper police procedures during their investigations, the obtaining of witness or witnesses through hostile means (meaning through threats of being equally charged ) or because the trial judge failed to properly in-struct the jury at some point during the trial or the summation.However, this is just part of the problem. We have seen where a dis-ciplined police structure like the po-lice department went from protect-ing and preserving the law for the protection of the wider population, transform into a rogue or servants of the political masters in Belmo-pan. According to our duly consti-tuted law and the ‘Police Act’ all aspects of policing, enforcing the laws should be carried out by agents responsible to and working under the duly appointed Police Com-missioner, and certainly not to the Prime Minister, or the Minister of Police, who are civilian and more so, politicians’. Over the last three years, we have seen where the two respective ap-pointed Ministers have done noth-ing, noteworthy, to strike a balance or reduce crime, instead, on the con-trary we have seen a consistent rise in the brazen execution of violent crimes. We have also seen and heard Prime Minister Barrow smoked out of hiding each time, just around every springtime (April) come out with a knee jerk response with mighty names such as ‘Jaguar Op-erations’ and ‘Restore Belize’ that is yet to restore some sense or normal-cy to the traditional Belizean way of life with some degree of public safety that could instil a breath of individual security to every single law-abiding Belizean. This time around, in a desperate move, he is now hell-bent on re-straining the constitutional rights and liberties of all Belizeans. Even though he has said himself that the violent-criminals are just a few that repeat their criminal behaviour. The truth of the matter is that if Mr. Bar-

Preventative Detention...!A bone-head solution to Anti Social Activities like Crime

and violence!row knows all this for a fact, then why institute extreme draconian laws like eavesdropping on the com-munications of Belizeans and now further; the reintroduction of the most severe of all, Preventative De-tention (PDA) and the removal of jury-trial on politically convenient charges when the constitution states clearly that everyone is to be con-sidered innocent until proven guilty by a jury of his peers in a court of law. The bare-faced truth is that those few-violent criminals, like Mr. Barrow describes it, are not in jail where they belong, because of the gross incompetence in the police department that does not investigate properly to get the strong evidence that brings about a solid conviction that will hold strength at all levels of our courts. Preventive detention is used to a considerable extent in countries ruled by dictators. It was also found in the Soviet Union, particularly in cases in which the accused individu-als were perceived as political or security threats to the government. In such countries, where there was often little concern for the protec-tion of individual rights, preventive detention was left almost exclusive-ly in the hands of police and pros-ecuting authorities. Where there is a greater concern for individual rights, the courts have been given control; but critics maintain that the practice in any form does not lend itself to vigorous and continuous protection of individual rights.Today, Preventative Detention in this region of Central America and the Caribbean is internationally sponsored and fi nanced to the con-venience of the United States of America. It is a regional concept attached to the ‘Merida Initiative’ and ‘Plan Columbia’ in their fi ght against drugs even though they would dare not introduce such dra-conian measures in the US. In truth, it is a convenient way of manipulat-ing the regional enforcement bodies from Mexico through Central Amer-ica, the Caribbean and to Columbia where they are allowed to secretly push in their enforcers into these countries under the guise of diplo-mats or with diplomatic immunity. Preventive detention (PDA) is an imprisonment that is not imposed as the punishment for a crime, but in order to prevent a person from committing a crime, if that person is deemed likely to commit a crime. But who among us are mind readers to know the intent of another person? Any form of arrest or imprisonment of another person based on specula-

tion on the intent of another person begins to chip away on part two of the Constitution of Belize which provides for a genuine list of rights and civil liberties of all Belizeans.In most democracies, no one can be arrested without being told the grounds for such an arrest, except under rare and special circumstanc-es (but since 911 the US started its anti-terrorism campaign and legis-lation to cover its tracks). An arrest-ed citizen has certain rights: He/she must be subject to and informed of a criminal charge and brought before the nearest magistrate within a forty-eight hour period, and has the right to defend himself by a lawyer of his choice. Depending on the laws, this lawyer can be called for as soon as the detention starts, or can be hired by the defendant, days or weeks lat-er.In contrast to this, under preven-tive detention the government can imprison a person for some time without a criminal charge. It means that if the government ( not the en-forcement agency) feels that a per-son being at liberty can be a threat to the law and order or the unity and integrity of the nation, it can de-tain or arrest that person to prevent him from doing this possible harm. But where does this fi ts in the case of the police and its crime fi ghting abilities? Some jurisdictions allow preventive detention only in specifi c cases, for example only for persons who have already been sentenced

for a serious crime. In the proposed reintroduction of this constitutional amendment by Dean Barrow it is open-ended and too general which threatens the rights and civil liberties of all Belizeans, not only the repeat offender or known criminal.A related, but different form of de-tention is detention of suspects. In contrast to preventive detention, de-tention of suspects must quickly be followed by a criminal charge (or happen after the charge).In most jurisdictions, people suffer-ing from serious mental illness may be subject to involuntary commit-ment under mental health legisla-tion. This is undertaken on health grounds or in order to protect the person or others. It does not, strictly speaking, constitute a form of pre-ventive detention, because the per-son is detained for treatment and released once this has proved effec-tive. This is neither the case accord-ing to Barrow’s intent, Preventative Detention, the trial by judge only in conveniently selected charges, the anonymity of witnesses are all breaching the constitutional legal doctrine that presumes innocence until guilt is proven in Court. The Belizean people must not allow the rights and liberties afforded to all of us under part two of our constitution to come falling down with a domino effect as our economic development has fallen under the Barrow admin-istration.


San Pedro medical school principal files for bankruptcy

Thursday, April 14, 2011BELIZE CITY – It has been reported in the Columbus Dispatch newspaper edition of January 23rd, 2011, that Ma-lik Soudah, believed to be the principal shareholder/owner/operator of the be-leaguered American Global University School of Medicine has filed for Chap-ter 7 bankruptcy in the United States. Both Malic Soudah and his brother Maher are listed as having declared bankruptcy. The Columbus, Ohio newspaper did not offer any details. Malic Soudah is listed as AGUSM’s President and CEO on their website. Maher Soudah is listed as AGUSM’s President of International Affairs on their website. The Soudah’s just last year moved AGUSM from Belmopan to San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. The institution has been dogged by charges that it gave a student a transcript purporting to at-test that he had completed medical studies when he not attended a single class. The school lists Columbus, Ohio as

the address of its “Office of Admis-sions.” The school claims it presently has 12 students enrolled. The Ministry of Education, which is responsible for the regulation of offshore medical schools in Belize, could not be reached for comment. It is unknown how Soudahs’ bank-ruptcy will impact on the institution’s continued viability.BANKRUPTCIESCHAPTER 7Soudah, Maher Jeries aka Soudah, Ma-her J. aka Soudah, Maher dba Jumanco International LLC dba American Aca-demic Services LLC fdba Parveenco International fdba American Global Ltd. dba Med Serve International LLC, 118 Graceland Blvd. Ste. 311, Colum-bus, 43214. Jan. 13. (11-50265).Soudah, Malik Jeries aka Soudah, Ma-lik J. aka Soudah, Malik fdba Ameri-can Global, Ltd. dba Med Serve In-ternational LLC dba American Academic Services LLC, 8065 Reyn-oldswoods Dr., Reynoldsburg, 43068. Jan. 14 (11-50299).

No-Holds-BarredBy:”PUP Plebeian”

Continued from page 3PUP convention, we could safely assume that “Boots” Martinez can sleep restfully at night. Like Col-let, it is reported that Johnny and his Executive will endorse another badly beaten, battered and bruised individual in the person of An-thony Sylvestre Jr. as their Stand-ard Bearer for Queen’s Square. Fi-nally, in Mesopotamia, Johnny and his Executive intend to endorse a former UDP and disgraced Traffic Manager, Mike Godoy. One doesn’t have to be a political pundit to portend that after the dust settles following the General Elections in 2013, the political configuration on Southside Belize City will remain the same as it ap-pears currently. Mark Espat and Cordel Hyde will remain the two lone PUP Area Representatives on the Southside.Surely, John Briceno and the PUP can’t think, for a minute, that San-diford-Trench, Sylvestre Jr., Usher Sr. and Godoy can unseat the in-cumbents Faber, Barrow, Martinez and Finnegan. To even conceive such a thing would leave me to conclude that Briceno and his Ex-ecutive are living in a fool’s para-dise. It is the belief of many that John Briceno and the PUP have, essentially, “conceded” the constit-uencies of Queen’s Square, Meso-

potamia, Port Loyola and Collet to the UDP. Sandiford-Trench, Sylvestre Jr., Usher Sr. and Godoy, then, represent nothing more than the Opposition merely ensuring that it has a candidate on the ballot paper. So, if it is the case that John Briceno and his Executive have “conceded” those four Southside constituen-cies, it means, then, that they are as a guilty of turning their backs on the people of Southside Belize City as the UDP have. The truth is John Briceno’s, brother Jaime and others like Narda Garcia are even further removed from the ruthless realities of the people of Southside Belize City than Barrow, Finnegan, Martinez and Faber are. While they drive home every day to the sweet smell of sugar, the people of Southside Belize City go home to the smell of dead bodies.Belize City arguably represents the nucleus of Belizean Politics. Con-sequently, all ten constituencies of Belize City, particularly the six constituencies of Southside Belize City should be treated by all po-litical parties with the highest of importance and relevance. As it were in Belize City, today, however and sadly so, the 37,416 people of Southside Belize City are treated purely as an afterthought. Thus, the question that needs to be asked of both the UDP and the PUP is: Does 37,416 represent merely a statistic or real people facing real problems on Southside Belize City?


Caribbean news

UK Governor in Anguilla Refuses To Sign Government’s 2011 Budget

Says UK Ministers will provide ex-planation in writing.(The Valley Anguilla) -The UK Governor in Anguilla, Alistair Har-rison, issued a statement today in-dicating that he will not be signing the 2011 Budget presented prior to Christmas by the Chief Minister and Minister of Finance, Hon. Hu-bert Hughes. Reasons for the deci-sion were not presented other than saying that UK Ministers will be writing to the Government of An-guilla explaining the background to that decision. The release read as follows:“ I have informed members of EXCO, and will be confirming in a letter to all members of the House of Assembly, that I will be instruct-ed by the Secretary of State to re-

Governor Alistair Harrison (left), Chief Minister Hubert Hughes (right)

Puerto Rico Police Commissioner charged with assaulting minor

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The po-lice commissioner in Puerto Rico’s capital was charged Monday with sexually assaulting a minor and producing child pornography in a case that emerged after his teenage daughter accused him of molest-ing her.Hilton Cordero was charged with one count of committing a lascivi-ous act against a minor and three counts of producing child por-

serve the 2011 Appropriation Bill for signification of Her Majesty’s pleasure. UK Ministers will be writ-ing shortly to the Chief Minister explaining the background to this decision, and to propose a way for-ward so that the Governments of the United Kingdom and Anguilla can agree a budget for 2011 that puts Anguilla’s public finances onto a more sustainable footing. In tak-ing this step, the British Govern-ment has not (not) indicated that it seeks to impose a particular budget settlement, or a particular level of reduction in expenditure or in the numbers of the public service; but it will expect the cooperation of the Government of Anguilla in moving forward.

nography. Neither charge in-volves his daughter. A judge ruled there was probable cause to arrest him and or-dered bail set at $130,000.Cordero asked to be tempo-rarily relieved of his duties after his daughter’s accusa-tion became public.Defense lawyer Mayra Lopez Mulero denounced the charges outside court and said prosecutors would not be able to prove their case.

The U.S. territory’s Department of Justice provided few details about the charges.The newspaper El Nuevo Dia re-ported that authorities seized Cor-dero’s computer while investigat-ing his daughter’s accusations and allegedly found nude photos of a neighbor who was a minor at the time. The neighbor, now 19, alleg-edly sold him the photos, the pa-per said.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Mon-day April 11, 2011 – With regional unity within the Caribbean Com-munity (CARICOM) already un-der stress amid recent trade and immigration-related issues, reports are now coming out that the wider Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) bloc is pulling in different direc-tions. CARIFORUM, a construct pulled together from CARICOM and the Dominican Republic in 1992 for the purpose of negotiating with the European Union, has long been an unusual alliance, whose time now seems to have come. Following the 18th meeting of the CARICOM Council of Ministers in Belize last week, Belizean for-eign minister, Wilfred Elrington, told reporters that the Dominican Republic was not comfortable with the current structure of CARIFO-RUM, and appeared to feel that CARICOM was playing too large a role in decision-making.“The Dominican Republic doesn’t seem to want the director general to have to report to the Council of Ministers by going through the sec-retary general of CARICOM. Their recommendation is for the director general to have a direct line to the Council of Ministers,” said Elring-ton. “It’s a thorny issue because proto-col has always been for institutions, certainly the CARICOM institu-tions, to make reports through the secretary general that is the highest post. And from the secretary gen-eral it goes to the Council of Minis-ters or to the heads of government. You just don’t bypass your secretary general,” he said.This stance by the Spanish-speaking neighbour might be understand-able given that the Dominican Re-public has an economy that is larger than that of any single CARICOM member, and the equivalent of 64 percent of the size of all of CARI-COM combined.Furthermore, while the EPA’s Re-gional Preference clause obliges CARIFORUM states to extend to each other the same treatment they

Cariforum could be unravelling

extend to the EU, regional leaders have not yet given the green light to the Dominican Republic’s ap-plication – first presented in 2009 - to join the Caribbean integration movement.At the Belize meeting, both Bar-bados and Jamaica supported the creation of a new head of CARI-FORUM in the form of a director general, arguing also for additional directors. Emanating from this proposal was the agreement that the director general should be the EPA coordi-nator. Both proposals included the need for there to be a genuine EPA implementation Unit for CARIFO-RUM which is located in the CARI-FORUM Directorate.But there appears to be some disa-greement as to whether the Cari-com secretary general should con-tinue to be the secretary general of CARIFORUM, with the new direc-tor general reporting through the secretary general to the leaders.The meeting agreed that the new CARIFORUM structure would provide for both the EPA Imple-mentation Unit and the traditional programming and development cooperation function with its own dedicated staff. It also noted “the preparedness of the Dominican Republic to forego concessions in its favour to have positions in the CARIFORUM Di-rectorate reserved for its nationals once CARIFORUM is restructured to operate more efficiently and transparently”.It was also agreed that the cur-rent position of assistant secretary general of CARIFORUM should be designated as director general and should assume the position of CARIFORUM EPA coordinator, in addition to his/her responsibilities for the CARIFORUM Directorate. This position will be filled by a na-tional of the Dominican Republic up Sep. 16, 2012.The Council meeting also agreed that the status quo would remain regarding the reporting of the new director general of CARIFORUM to the secretary general.


www.nationalperspectivebz.orgwww.nationalperspectivebz.orgwww.nationalperspectivebz.org

Human rights sore spot for Peru runo� candidates

LIMA, Peru – Peru found itself on Monday facing the very scenario many Peruvians dreaded: The two presidential candidates whose demo-cratic credentials are most questioned — the daughter of jailed former Presi-dent Alberto Fujimori and leftist mili-tary man Ollanta Humala — are head-ed for a runoff election.The doubts begin with the fact that both have close relatives in jail for hu-man rights violations which resulted in multiple deaths and are heightened by concerns that the issue has been barely raised by either candidate.Clearly aware of such preoccupations, Keiko Fujimori immediately sought to assure Peruvians after Sunday’s fi rst-round vote that she had no inten-tion of restoring the cynically corrupt, authoritarian regime of her disgraced father.She promised “absolute respect for democracy, press freedom, human rights and the rule of law” after fi nish-ing second with 23 percent of the vote. Supporters soon drowned her out with chants of “Chino. Chino! Chino!” her father’s nickname.Humala, who led the voting with 31 percent, has also vowed to respect democratic institutions, but many Pe-ruvians don’t trust the former army of-fi cer. And many cringed when during a fi nal campaign rally he said that if he wins the presidency “media directors will no longer set the news agenda, the people will.”The duo will be competing for support from the 44 percent of voters in Sun-day’s election who backed three less-polemical candidates.That situation confi rmed the fears of Nobel literature laureate Mario Var-gas Llosa, who had warned Peruvians they would be forced to choose in the June 5 runoff between “AIDS and ter-minal cancer.”“There was a chance to embrace a moderate, middle ground, but that op-portunity slipped away,” said Michael Shifter, president of the Washington think tank Inter-American Dialogue. While rejecting “doomsday scenar-ios,” he said that “the risks of some backsliding in economic policy and democracy have certainly increased.”In pre-election opinion polls, 50 per-cent to 60 percent of Peruvian voters said they would not under any cir-

cumstances vote for Keiko Fujimori or Humala.Now, they have no other choice.Humala, a 48-year-old former lieu-tenant colonel, has alarmed many by proposing that Peru’s constitution be rewritten to help him boost state in-tervention in the economy so the poor can benefi t from a mineral-exporting boom that has made this Andean na-tion’s economy among the world’s fastest-growing.Peruvians also still remember Hu-mala’s declared admiration for Hugo Chavez in his fi rst presidential run in 2006, though Humala this time dis-sociated himself from the leftist Ven-ezuelan leader who has castigated opposition media and nationalized private companies.He told foreign reporters last week that he would not join Chavez’s ALBA bloc of leftist nations and that he would welcome counter-narcotics aid from any nation.On Monday. he told a Colombian ra-dio network that he would give “a new turn” to relations with Washington.“We need to secure and strengthen our relations with the United States,” he told RCN. “The United States is one of the most important commercial partners we have in Peru and, as such, we will make all effort to work hand in hand with the United States in a re-lation in which both can win.”Humala’s had a strict military-style upbringing and his younger brother, Antauro, is serving a 25-year prison term for leading a violent revolt in 2005 against then-President Alejandro Toledo. Four police offi cers and two of Antauro Humala’s followers died in the bloody taking of a highlands police station that sought to provoke a nationwide revolt.Keiko Fujimori, meanwhile, became fi rst lady in 1994 when her parents divorced. Her father’s corrupt regime shut down Congress in 1992, used the courts against opposition media, paid off congressmen and profi ted from drug traffi cking through intelligence chief Vladimiro Montesinos’ extor-tion of narcos.Her father, Alberto, is serving a 25-year prison sentence for authorizing two death squad massacres that killed 25 people, while Montesinos is serv-ing a 20-year term for selling arms to

Colombia’s FARC rebels.Keiko Fujimori, 35, said two years ago when her father was convicted that she would pardon him if elected, but she has hedged recently, saying she would leave his fate to the courts, where he is appealing.The respected Peruvian investigative journalist Gustavo Gorriti says her father’s government stole hundreds of millions of dollars from Peru’s treas-ury.“Do we want to see organized crime return to power?” he asked in a pre-election column.Keiko Fujimori has a solid base of supporters who aren’t concerned by such matters. They adore her father for taming runaway infl ation and de-feating the Maoist-inspired Shining Path rebels in a dirty war that claimed some 70,000 lives. Nearly half the rights abuses in that era were commit-ted by security forces, according to a Peruvian truth commission.Humala, who was on the front lines of that confl ict, was accused fi ve years ago of torturing and “disappearing” people in 1992 while commanding an army base in the jungle village of Madre Mia. One villager, Jorge Avila,

said Humala detained him, his cousin and his sister and tortured them. He said he escaped but never saw the two relatives again. Avila later retracted his accusation, but there were claims he was paid off.Human rights lawyer Gloria Cano told The Associated Press she fi nds it un-settling that the two candidates who got the most votes had the most ques-tioned rights records and have “nev-ertheless not made clear their position on the subject.”Analysts say Keiko Fujimori is any-thing but a sure bet against Humala.Humala has matured and moderated considerably since losing a runoff 53 percent to 47 percent in 2006 to cur-rent President Alan Garcia.“The vast bulk of the media is going to get behind Keiko and the private sector is going to get behind Keiko. A good chunk of the political elite will get behind Keiko. The entire up-per middle class of Lima will fl ock to Keiko,” said Harvard political scien-tist Steven Levitsky, currently on sab-batical in Lima.“I don’t know if that’s enough to win the election but it’s going to be very close.”

Brazil’s Rousse� wants ‘new phase’ in China ties

BEIJING (AFP) – Visiting Brazilian President Dilma Rousse� on Tuesday called for a “new phase” in ties with China and urged the world’s second-largest economy to buy more from her country than iron ore and soybeans.Rousse� , who arrived in Beijing on Monday for her � rst major foreign trip since taking o� ce in January, is looking to boost ties with China, which has in recent years become Brazil’s largest trade partner and larg-est investor.� e two major emerging powers signed nearly two dozen agreements a� er talks between Rousse� and Chi-nese President Hu Jintao, including a deal for the sale of 35 Embraer E190 commercial jets to two Chinese air-lines.“Brazil wants to inaugurate a new phase in these relations -- a qualita-tive leap,” Rousse� told a high-level dialogue on science and technology to kick o� a jam-packed day of meet-ings with Chinese o� cials and top businessmen.“We need to go beyond the comple-mentarity of our economies (...) to encourage a dynamic, diversi� ed and balanced relationship,” said Rousse� , who travelled to China with about 300 business leaders.She said the “challenge for the coming years” would be to transform Brazil’s trade relationship with China to fea-ture “higher value-added products” such as aircra� , not just agricultural products like soybeans, iron ore and

oil.China said it would “encourage com-panies to increase imports of high val-ue-added products from Brazil”, ac-cording to a � nal joint communique.To that end, Embraer -- the world’s third-largest airplane manufacturer behind giants Boeing and Airbus -- signed o� on the sale of the 35 medi-um-range passenger planes to China Southern Airlines and Hebei Airlines.Brazil’s development, industry and commerce minister Fernando Pimen-tel refused to give a � gure for the deal. With a list price of $40 million, the value of the deal would be $1.4 billion.Chinese telecommunications maker Huawei Technologies announced it will build a research centre in the Sao Paulo area, with total investment of $300-400 million, Rousse� told re-porters at day’s end.Brazil’s state-run oil company Petro-bras meanwhile signed exploration and development deals with Chinese giants Sinopec, Asia’s largest re� ner, and Sinochem, but no � nancial terms were disclosed.� e two countries also signed deals to boost cooperation in the energy and mining sectors, and voiced support for UN Security Council reform that would see increased representation for developing countries.“� e international situation is com-plex. Against this backdrop, strength-ening the China-Brazil strategic part-nership has important signi� cance,” Hu told Rousse� in their meeting.


Mon Apr 11, 8:13 pm ETQUITO, Ecuador – U.S. Ambassa-dor Heather Hodges left Ecuador on Tuesday under an expulsion order issued by the government last week in reaction to a leaked diplomatic report in which she criticized cor-ruption among police leaders.

Despite NATO ri� , US holds to limited Libya

WASHINGTON – Despite rebel setbacks and an increasingly pub-lic ri� with NATO allies, the U.S. will stick to its plan to remain in the back seat of the Libya air cam-paign, the Obama administration insisted Tuesday a� er three weeks of air missions that have failed to turn the tide against Moammar Gadha� .France’s defense minister declared that without full American partici-pation, the West probably would not be able to stop attacks by Gad-ha� loyalists on besieged rebel cit-ies.U.S. o� cials said they were com-fortable with their role and had no plans to step up involvement, even as British and French o� cials said Washington’s military might was needed to ensure the mission’s suc-cess. � e Americans said NATO could carry out the operation with-out a resumption of the heavy U.S. e� orts that kicked it o� last month.“� e president and this adminis-tration believes that NATO, and the coalition of which we remain a partner, is capable of ful� lling that mission of enforcing the no-� y zone, enforcing the arms embargo and providing civilian protection,” White House spokesman Jay Car-ney told reporters.“� e U.S. has not abandoned this operation by any means,” State De-partment spokesman Mark Toner said. “We still are o� ering support where we can. I don’t think it’s cor-rect to say that there’s somehow discord in the alliance.”� e public complaints of Britain and France, however, contradict-ed that position, and U.S. o� cials contended privately that some in Europe appeared to be backing down on pledges to take the lead in the operation once the opening phase was over. � e administration had not wanted to keep a primary

role a� er that point and had made its participation in the NATO mis-sion contingent on having only a supporting function a� erward.With the disagreement out in the open, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is expected to hear loud calls for the U.S. to re-sume heavier � ghting when she travels to Germany for meetings of NATO foreign ministers on � ursday and Friday. � ose talks are expected to be dominated by the situation in Libya, where rebels � ghting forces loyal to Gadha� are facing increasing challenges and appealing for additional assistance.At the State Department, spokes-man Toner said President Barack Obama had been clear from the beginning that the U.S. “role would diminish as NATO stepped up and took command and control of the operation.”He added, “� e U.S., of course, as needed, would help out if request-ed in other capacities, in other ca-pabilities, but really our role has receded in this mission.”At the Pentagon, Marine Col. Dave Lapan said there was no move to increase American military in-volvement.“I don’t see any planning to re-as-sert U.S. strike aircra� and forces as we saw early in the campaign,” the Pentagon spokesman said. “NATO has those capabilities to conduct strikes.”“Ultimately, what needs to happen is Gadha� needs to stop attacking his own people,” Lapan said. “� e lack of U.S. strike missions doesn’t change that.”At NATO headquarters in Brussels, alliance o� cials agreed and said the operation was succeeding.NATO Brig. Gen. Mark Van Uhm rejected criticism of the operation. He said the North Atlantic military alliance was performing well in en-

forcing the arms embargo, patrol-ling the no-� y zone over Libya and protecting civilians.“With the assets we have, we’re do-ing a great job,” Van Uhm told re-porters.France and Britain di� ered, calling for the rest of the group, in particu-lar the United States, to step up the campaign.At a European Union meeting in Luxembourg, Paris lamented the limited U.S. military role in Libya and chided Germany, too, for its lack of involvement. In a dire anal-ysis, France’s defense minister said that without full American partici-pation in the combat operation, the West probably couldn’t stop Gad-ha� ’s attacks on rebel-held cities.French Foreign Minister Alain Ju-ppe shredded NATO’s united front, saying its actions to this point were “not enough” to ease the pressure on the city of Misrata, which has been subjected to weeks of bom-bardment by forces loyal to Gad-ha� .“NATO absolutely wanted to lead this operation. Well, voila, this is where we are,” Juppe said. “It is unacceptable that Misrata can con-tinue to be bombed by Gadha� ’s troops.”Britain’s Foreign Secretary William Hague agreed that the allies must “intensify” their e� orts, but he used a more diplomatic tone.“� e U.K. has in the last week sup-plied additional aircra� capable of striking ground targets threatening the civilian population of Libya,” Hague said before a meeting of EU foreign ministers. “Of course, it will be welcome if other countries also do the same. � ere is always more to do.”French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet complained that France

and Britain were carrying “the brunt of the burden.” He said the reduced U.S. e� ort — American forces are now in support, not combat, roles in the airstrike cam-paign — have made it impossible “to loosen the noose around Mis-rata,” which has become a symbol of the resistance against Gadha� .Longuet also criticized Germany, which is not taking part in the mili-tary operation, saying that Berlin’s commitment to primarily back a humanitarian e� ort only was “sec-ondary” at best. Germany does not take part in NATO’s military air-strikes in Libya because it sees the operation as too risky. Italy also has been reluctant to get involved in the airstrikes because it had been Libya’s colonial ruler.France’s frustration with the stale-mate on the ground, where Libyan rebels have struggled to capitalize on Western air attacks, has been echoed in several Western capitals, but rarely were the comments as barbed as Juppe’s.� e reduced U.S. role since NATO took over command on March 31 has clearly a� ected the operation.“Let’s be realistic. � e fact that the U.S. has le� the sort of the kinetic part of the air operation has had a sizable impact. � at is fairly obvi-ous,” said Swedish Foreign Minis-ter Carl Bildt.Libyan opposition spokesman Ali al-Issawi said that Gadha� ’s sol-diers have killed about 10,000 peo-ple throughout the country and injured 30,000 others, with 7,000 of the injured facing life-threaten-ing wounds. He said an additional 20,000 people were missing and suspected of being in Gadha� ’s prisons. � ere was no way to inde-pendently verify his claims.

US envoy departs Ecuador, expelled over criticism

The U.S. Embassy’s spokeswom-an, Martha Youth, confi rmed the departure to The Associated Press.Youth said the embassy was hold-ing discussions with the foreign ministry over who would be in charge of the embassy in the ab-sence of an ambassador. She said she could not identify that person until Ecuador approved.Ecuador said last Tuesday that Hodges must leave after WikiLeaks released a cable in which the envoy claimed the then police chief, Gen. Jaime Hurtado, was involved in acts of corruption that were known by President Rafael Correa.Two days later, the U.S. govern-ment responded by ordering the ex-pulsion of Ecuador’s ambassador in Washington, Luis Gallegos. He has not yet left the U.S.


Should Government Nationalize BNE?

By: Nuri Muhammad There is a noise from certain quarters that the government should nationalize the oil industry and thereby gain all the profits that would come from our oil produc-tion. While much of this comes across as rhetoric and polemics, any serious consideration of na-tionalizing our oil industry would have to take into consideration the repercussion of such a move. The model that is used by the promoters is government’s action in taking over Belize Teleme-dia Limited (BTL). This is high-lighted as the precedent for why government can and should do the same thing with Belize Natu-ral Energy (BNE). Take over the operation of that company, pay off its shareholders estimated value, and begin to operate the company as a Belizean entity. Of course, government’s stated rationale for “nationalizing” BTL was to avoid a barrage of litiga-tion from its major shareholder, Lord Ashcroft, who in the opinion of the government, at the time, had become “treasonous in his behavior towards the Belizean people.” In some ways the acqui-sition of BTL could be described as a “hostile takeover” by govern-ment, precipitated by a supportive media and public opinion against Michael Ashcroft. But how can this be used as a precedent for the suggested na-tionalization of BNE when the same scenario does not exist? There is no hostility between the government and the major share-holders of BNE. BNE, in fact, has been described as a “good cor-porate citizen”, according to the Prime Minister, paying its taxes and contributing to economic de-velopment. So where is the prec-edent? Some believe that through na-tionalization Belize would gain all the revenues accrued from sales of our precious crude abroad. No more middleman to take a part of the proceeds; everything goes to the government of Belize. All this sounds good, but this is not how things work in the real world. First of all, does government nationalize the whole industry or just the company, BNE? If it’s the entire industry that will mean no other company will be licensed to explore in Belize; all future pros-pects will be done by the govern-ment of Belize. Nationalizing the industry also means that the pace of exploration will be affected by government’s ability to invest mil-lions to further explore since no exploration will take place except by the government. This will also require a beefed-up Geology and

Petroleum Department, since they will be the frontline for explora-tion for the newly formed national oil company. Clearly, such a venture will bring tremendous obstacles and will take the government’s at-tention off the real objective of a government, which is to regulate the industry and gain from the rev-enue of oil production. The other choice is to nation-alize BNE as a single company while maintaining regulatory con-trol over the rest of the industry. In other words, government be-comes the principal shareholder in the flagship company in the country while maintaining a regu-latory influence over its competi-tion. This choice would mean that government is a competitor in the production and sale of petroleum products from Belize. This would change the equa-tion of the oil industry if govern-ment becomes one of the competi-tors. Naturally that would mean that all the forecast of profitability for BNE over the next twenty five years would now become govern-ment’s responsibility. Keeping the largest share of the market for the government owned BNE would be expected. We already see this pattern of behavior with the gov-ernment owned BTL in relation to its competitor, Smart. Nationalization is not a good idea. To start with, if the objective is to guarantee a revenue stream from the wealth of the oil then the goal is more to insure those funds are received, rather than taking over the running of the compa-nies producing that wealth. Why should government take on the trouble of running a company just to accomplish that? The problem is not with BNE, as a company; there are no complaints coming from the workers of BNE, for example. The critical issue with BNE is insuring that GoB is get-ting its due from taxes. Why saddle ourselves with the burden of running a company that is already being run efficiently? Why try to fix something that is not broken? And according to the figures coming out of the Ministry of Finance and highlighted by the Prime Minister in his budget pre-sentation last month, BNE is pro-ducing, in a robust way, just what government needs at this time: revenues. If BNE is already pro-viding what government is ben-efiting from why step in and try to fix that in an attempt to assert national pride and chauvinism? Nationalization of BNE is a wayward idea born out of a frus-tration felt by some people who are not well informed about what is going on in the oil indus-try, especially BNE. This lack of

knowledge has led some people to believe that BNE is a pariah com-pany with foreign owners who have one thing in mind: to rip off the Belizeans and take the money and run. Unfortunately this is a prevailing public perception of BNE, and BNE has not yet been successful at establishing itself as a “baanya Belizean” company. For this reason, BNE suffers the public relations dilemma of being perceived as an ‘outsider’ rather than an ‘insider’. Those who advocate for the nationalization of the industry and specifically BNE are in most case only mouthing off their opinions without giving a clear outline of

how it will all work. Nationaliza-tion is a major step for which we are nowhere close to being pre-pared to undertake at this time. But I repeat, if the objective is to maximize on the profits com-ing from a robust oil industry the way to go is not to take over the oil companies themselves, but to be the enabler and the regulator of the process. It is by enabling more exploration of oil that we encour-age the growth of the industry, and it’s by regulating that industry that we insure that our environment is protected, and that Belizeans get the maximum benefit from our oil. (Comments welcomed at [email protected])

Firstly, I feel morally compelled to commend the voters who partici-pated in the Caribbean Shores con-vention on Sunday last, particularly those who did so of their own voli-tion free of undue influence.I take this opportunity to also ex-press my sincere gratitude to those thousands of voters who have placed their trust in me over almost twenty two years to manage their affairs, a trust that I have never betrayed. The principles of public service and the passion to serve that drove me over those years have never changed, and will never change, but I believe that the times and circumstances have been changed by some of the very men and women in whom I so believed, who, by the way, hap-pen to be in both political parties. Too many have lost their sense of intimacy, self became the universal reference for decision making, and it is no longer what is in it for the people but what is in it for “I”.In the campaign of 2008 my fam-ily and I were subjected to the most scurrilous attacks by the UDP op-position, but this seems to be the norm in today’s dirty politics. What, of course, I found most reprehensi-ble is a line of attack made against my family and I in the homes of voters and on the day of the conven-tion – the vilification and acrimony

THE IRONY OF DEMOCRACYBy:Joe Coye hurled at me and my supporters by

the blue sea of a paid mob.This was supposed to be a PUP con-vention, and yes, it was. In one of the camps of one of the candidates I saw the faces of those in the upper hierarchy of the party. I saw them in numbers from Fort George and Pickstock. I saw both members and surrogates of the G-7 and those who were opposed to it now lining up against me. And there was also the money influence of external forces, such as the UDP.What was indeed overwhelming was the ostentatious display of se-ductive wealth – the big tents, the large billboards, the almost 40 taxis apparently lining the park just to display posters of the candidate, the expensive and intoxicating dj’s and their booming sound system, and cheerleaders, then to round it off, an abundance of blue notes that were flooding the homes and streets – all to defeat whom, one of their own??!!Now that the party is over the ques-tion to be asked is who paid for all this and why? The English political philosopher John Stuart Mill argues that people can know truth only by discovering it for themselves. Find those who came with their strings attached, follow their stings and you will find the truth.It is commonly felt today that the elites, not the masses, govern the society. Sunday’s convention lends truth to the perception that In our democracy the masses elect the leaders but the elites choose who will be leaders.This, I believe, is the “IRONY OF OUR DEMACRACY”.These are not the views of sour grapes but the “grapes of rational wrath.”(Signed) Joe Coye

APPLICATIONS FOR LIQUOR LICENSESNotice is hereby given that Audra Stevens is applying for a Malt &Cider LI-QUOR LICENSE to be operated at Mitchell’s Cool Spot, Silk Grass Village,Stann Creek District under the INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSING ORDINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.Notice is hereby given that George Jackson is applying for a Publican Special LI-QUOR LICENSE to be operated at “Stone Cold Daiquiris”, Mango Creek, Stann Creek District under the INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSING ORDINANCE, Revised Edition 1980.


FIFA’s Blatter blasts Barrow... “leave Bertie alone”!Continued from page 1and after a 5 hour stopover took off en route to Nicaragua. Mohamed Bin Hammam, who is challenging the Swiss national in the June 1 vote, has said he’d double the annual subvention, but Blatter has said only FIFA’s governing panel can change funding as he dismissed the offer from the 61-year-old Qatari, who runs Asia’s soccer federation. Blat-ter, 75, has run FIFA since 1998. (The FIFA congress meets at least once a year where each member association has a vote.) “We’ve already made the budget” for 2011-15, Blatter said. “If you give only money and you don’t control where the money is going, this is not a good gift.” Any increase in annual allowances to members “could only be done by the congress,” he said. But member countries can ex-pect more money from FIFA under a fourth-term Blatter presidency for specific “development programs” and initiatives to ensure every country has at least one playing field and a stadium for international matches. In his remarks at the ceremony to inaugurate the FFB’s new facility in Belmopan, Blatter said that his meet-ing with Prime Minister Dean Barrow was cordial and respectful, but did not remark on the fact that sports minister John Saldivar had shunned meeting with him and that no member of the Barrow administration attended the ceremony. Opposition Leader John Briceno and the US ambassador to Belize H.E. Vi-nai Thummalapally did attend. Blatter also told the gathering that he had spoke with Barrow about the differences between the FFB and the administration and that it was agreed that it was an internal problem. “Ladies and gentlemen,” the FIFA President said, “it is a problem of foot-ball. Let football in peace. Let football work according to the statutes of foot-ball and these statutes according to the international federation.

“We need the support of the govern-ment, but the government should not, and never interfere in the organization of our game, and especially not in the statutes.” Blatter remarks comes against the backdrop of an “investigation” by the Minister of Sports, who signed a statu-tory instrument authorizing a com-mission to investigate the FFB’s pro-cedures and elections, and which has refused to certify the FFB as a mem-ber in good standing of the National Sports Council, and which has baldly stated that the FFB cannot represent Belize in international competitions. After pointing out that he was ac-companied on this tour by FIFA’s in-ternational legal counsel who is also a member of FIFA’s executive, Blatter then pointedly said: “FIFA will not tolerate political in-terference. We know that there is a law, and everybody has to abide by the local law in a country, that’s a principle. But when it comes to international partici-pation, that also the government of a country shall respect the statutes of its own association in connection with the statutes of the international fed-eration, and if it is possible in 207 na-tional associations then it should also be possible in 208, in Belize, in the last one 208. I am sure, you will do it and we will help you.” He then went on to promise to dou-ble the amount of funding Belize foot-ball has been getting from FIFA. But while Barrow was cordial and may have appeared receptive to Blat-ter’s entreaties, sports minister John Saldivar continues to hurl threats and imprecations at the FFB generally, and at its President Dr. Bertie Chimilio. In his regular weekly appearance to-day on WAVE Radio, Saldivar contin-ued his threats to take over the FFB, and to kick FIFA out. The situation appears to be at a stalemate but is fast heading to a showdown but perhaps between big bad John and Barrow, who was once Chimilio’s and the FFB’s attorney when he was Opposition Leader.

Police investigating “contract hit” threat to CGA CEO

Thursday, April 14, 2011DANGRIGA – Reliable reports are that Citrus Growers Association CEO Henry Anderson has been informed by Belize Police that they are investigating reports that he is the target of a “hit” contracted to a Belize City gang.Anderson is in the eye of an in-creasingly contentious battle be-tween the CGA and Banks Hold-ing of Barbados and their Belizean supporters for control of the Citrus Products of Belize Limited, the na-

tion’s citrus processor. He has re-ported several incidents of threats and near violence to the Police in the past few months.The CGA’s membership is growing increasingly frustrated because of the failure of the group, which owns the majority shares in CBPL to gain control of the company and are an-gry over the failure of CPBL CEO Henry Canton to vacate his position following a December 17th Annual General Meeting of the company’s board of directors at which a reso-lution was carried that in effect ter-minated his employment.The CGA membership is scheduled to meet tomorrow and it is expect-ed that its membership will be de-manding radical action in terms of enforcing their demands that Can-ton resign.The current annual citrus harvest is expected to close by the middle of next month.

Customs seize City Councilor’s vehicle

Thursday, April 14, 2011BELIZE CITY – Confirmed reports to the newspaper this afternoon are that the Cus-toms Department has seized

Belize City Council mem-ber Eric Chang’s green Isuzu DMAX pickup pending the outcome of an investigation to determine if it entered the country uncustomed, and whether or not it is a stolen vehicle.Chang had been “asked’ by the Customs Department to bring in the vehicle for “in-spection” from several weeks ago but had been refusing the requests. He was informed that the Department intended to impound the vehicle by the National Transport Depart-ment yesterday and decided to turn over the key.

Labor Department, National Transport Workers To Take

Receivership To Court

By Rhenae NunezTuesday, April 12, 2011BELIZE CITY - The vendetta of the UDP government has been exacted and yielded the common result - Belizeans walking the un-employment line. In December of last year receivers Kevin Castillo, Robert Garcia and John Flow-ers of the Transport Department stormed the Novelos’ compound on the Western Highway just out-side Belize City and strong-armed the entire operation.The ambush was orchestrated by the Belize Bank after the company fell on hard times and could not meet its obligations to the bank that was under pressure from the Central Bank of Belize because of their volume of non-performing loans. That morning an estimated 275 workers of the company were ren-dered jobless after the lock on the gate to the compound was cut off and Phillip Jones, former opera-tions manager was informed that

the receivership was taking over and that he and the entire staff were summarily fired without their salaries and severances. Four months later, workers have still not been paid. Eighty-three workers were paid two weeks sal-ary on Christmas Eve leaving the rest for whom the receivership claimed that they could not find any documentation verifying their employment, unremunerated or unpaid. One of those employees who have not received payment is former Operations Manager, Phil-lip Jones. On Tuesday morning the former workers of National Transport Services met with Labor Commis-sioner Ivan Williams and Deputy Labor Commissioner Paulette Wagner. The receivership was in-vited to attend but they were a no-show. After about two hours of talking the Labor Depart decided and declared that they are going to take the receiver and the Belize

Continued on page 14


If NOT then Carnival must go. Today the world witness’s the worst economic down turn in recent times and Belize is no exception. Unemployment is up, cost of Living is up, fuel prices are up, way, way up; and guess what else is up, way, way up. Carnivals profit!! That’s right! Carnivals profit for 2010 was 2 billion with a“B” as in boy, BILLION United States dollars. Their 12 months profit was greater than the total of Belize’s long term debt including its Super Bond. Despite these obscene profits, Carnival recently dropped the hammer on local Tender operators and insisted that lower rates must apply, even as fuel prices in Belize escalated by 40% over a three month period. In the process many local tender owners find themselves jobless as the Cruise season winds to its end. “How will we service our mortgages and feed our families?” they ask. Carnival certainly doesn’t intend to provide the answers, and Rick Oshea, the foreign instigator of all these woes is no where to be seen. He got the message and left town, a very smart guy. As the Federation of Cruise Tourism Associations, FECTAB represents thousands of Belizeans from all walks of life and the many different sectors which have planted the seedlings of Cruise Tourism, nurtured and fertilized the young trees and hold the rights to reap the fruits of our labor. Unfortunately Carnival and their Jamaican buddies have other ideas and have placed Cruise Tourism in Belize at a dangerous crossroads. Carnival seems to feel that it can impose its Jamaican partner, Chukka Caribbean into our midst and expect business as usual. Over the past year FECTAB has met with the media on several occasions, engaged the Belize Tourism Board frequently, and generally taken a path of constructive dialogue. Our passive approach however should not be taken as a signed weakness. Chukka MUST NOW GO. Like Mr. Oshea, the Jamaicans have invested absolutely nothing in Belize and rely instead on doing business through weak third parties who grab at the crumbs being offered. Armed with monopolistic contracts from Carnival, too many are only too happy to lease this, rent that and charter what they can. In Belize we call it Dead Raise. The Jamaicans have invested nothing and have absolutely no financial exposure. Their minority partner recently booted from Management of their operation is the only one at risk. The Jamaicans pay slave wages and undermine the system at every opportunity. Even venders at archaeological sites are denied opportunities to earn a few crumbs. Their mission is clearly operating at bare bone costs so as to facilitate their bosses in Miami and their 2 Billion United States dollar profit. Should Belizeans stand idle by and do nothing? Recently we saw another set of Jamaicans attempt to take over our fishing industries in the South. We applaud our southern brothers for the stand that they took and the Jamaicans seem to have high tailed it out of here. Chukka take note, your turn is now. Another Caribbean conglomerate has been facilitated in buying into the Citrus Industry and not surprisingly CPBL and the local growers are losing millions of dollars while the Caribbean conglomerate makes a killing on the sales of the Belizean citrus products on the world market. This is the same model that is being employed by the Chukka/Bakabush Jamaicans in our Tourism Industry. Note the foreigners are presently being facilitated and defended by born Belizeans officials in the Tourism Industry, but they will be exposed for their conflict of interest participation in part two. Despite a common Caribbean background, Belize as a lesser developed country is far from ready for CSME and the baggage it brings. Economies such as Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago are highly developed, driven by greed at the expense of the masses, and murder rates are among the highest in the world. Belize follows closely behind in terms of crime despite a population of only 312,000 persons and a wealth of natural resources including Oil. This should not be. Tourism is the star to which we hitch our wagon, according to PM Barrow, and no Belizean should be marginalized, not at the hands of anyone, let alone a group of greedy Jamaicans, here for the bidding of their billion dollar bosses in Miami. Enough is enough. Chukka Bakabush must go. Belize is for Belizeans. Tourism in Belize is for Belizeans! Chukka get out!! We appeal to the social conscience at Carnival in the event that they may have one. How can you expect to make millions from Belize without the Belizean people benefiting in any way? How can you expect to be tolerated if your very presence is having such a destabilizing influence in these already difficult times. Other Cruise Lines now express concern for the situation and the potential impact on them. To these other Cruise Lines we say “You are most welcomes and FECTAB will do all in its powers to insure the best possible experience for your passengers, they will be greeted and treated with Love.” The sentiment towards Carnival is quite different. Rick Oshea caused many people to lose their jobs, at least he is now gone. The Jamaicans must now go, and if that’s not acceptable then Carnival must go. The rising tide of public sentiment will float this boat. As a proud and nationalistic people we are also very resilient. We sincerely hope that Carnival will see the folly of their ways (famous throughout the Caribbean) and develop a sense of respect and cooperation for and with the Belizean people. If this is not to be, rest assured that we will do just fine without them. For the Jamaicans we invoke the now famous words of your lawyer, consultant and de-facto manager.

The time has come. The Time is now.Just Go, Go, Go.We don’t care how.You can go by foot. You can go by car.Mr. Melvilles will you please go now.You can go on skates. You can go on skis.You can go in a hat.But please go. Please!We don’t care. You can go by bike.You can go on a Zike-Bike if you like.If you like you can go in an old Carnival shoe.Just go, go GO! Please do, do, DO!Mr. Melvilles We don’t care howMr. Melvilles will you please GO NOW!

Heed our words boys for a long hot summer has only just begun. Go while the going is still good!

CHUKKA BAKABUSH must go; (Part 1)

A PAID AD



Convention Corral� e grapes of wrath in

Caribbean Shores

� ursday, April 14, 2011BELIZE CITY - � e ill-feelings gen-erated by last Sunday’s PUP and UDP conventions may not soon dissipate since both losers were two time in-cumbents, and both saw their party’s hierarchies line up behind their � rst time opponents, and both were anni-hilated.In Caribbean Shores a record number of voters turned out for what proved to be a day of spectacle and circus at the Trinity Methodist Primary School. Anthony Mahler easily out-distanced Joe Coye who was seeking a � � h candidacy 762 votes to 373. Austin Waight was also a distant third with only 63 of the 1,271 votes cast.In a statement late this a� ernoon Coye con� rmed last week’s National Perspective report that the campaign had turned contentious saying: “In the campaign of 2008 my family and I were subjected to the most scurril-ous attacks by the UDP opposition, but this seems to be the norm in to-day’s dirty politics. What, of course, I found most reprehensible is a line of attack made against my family and I in the homes of voters and on the day of the convention – the vili� cation and acrimony hurled at me and my supporters by the blue sea of a paid mob.” He would go on to lament that he was opposed on Sunday by nearly the entire spectrum of the PUP leader-ship, and vowed that his views were not “sour grapes but the grapes of ra-tional wrath.”� e PUP was scheduled to endorse Anthony Sylvester this weekend for Queens Square but as of press time this could not be con� rmed.To date the PUP has held 15 con-ventions, 7 endorsements( Corozal South East, Cayo South, Stann Creek West, Belize Rural North, Colllet, To-ledo East, Toledo West), and 8 con-tested (Corozal Bay, Corozal South West, Dangriga, Corozal North, Cayo North, Port Loyola, Orange Walk North and Caribbean Shores).Of the 16 remaining, 8 are scheduled to have been completed by the end of May. 3 are believed to be endorse-

ments (Mesopatamia, Queens Square and Orange Walk East) while (Pick-stock, Cayo West, Cayo Central, Cayo North East, and Orange Walk South) are all contests.Reportedly none of the incumbent parliamentarians in Freetown, Fort George and Orange Walk Central, Albert and Lake Independence will be challenged, while there are active campaigns ongoing in Belize Rural Central (4 candidates), Belmopan (4 candidates), Belize Rural South (3 candidates).If we are to judge by his remarks to the media a� er being blown out 423 to 191, a margin of more than two to one, in Sunday’s UDP Albert conven-tion, Tom Morrison is not a happy man. Morrison decried his oppo-nent’s spending power, and though he did not publicly allude to the pres-ence of many of his party’s luminar-ies, who were clearly on the side of his opponent, their presence were a fac-tor in the lopsided defeat to Herman Longsworth, perhaps best known as the man with the contract to build the Marion Jones Sporting Complex million dollar fence, and a Barrow in-sider.Morrison told Channel Seven’s Jules Vasquez in part: “… My opponent has spent lots of money. I don’t know where all this money came from, it is said that it came from his northern bosses.” He knew he had been defeat-ed even before the polls were closed.Next up for the UDP is the Lake Inde-pendence convention this Sunday at the Sadie Vernon High School. 4 can-didates, incumbent Vandley Jenkins, former City Councilor and politi-cal Jihadist Mark King, businessman Glen Leslie and Ministry of Foreign A� airs employee Percy Lewis, are all campaigning for the nomination.� e UDP have held contested con-ventions in Caribbean Shores, Coro-zal Bay, Orange Walk East, Corozal South East, Cayo South and Albert, and have endorsed candidates in Freetown, Port Loyola, Collet and Mesopotamia. � e majority of its re-maining conventions will be endorse-ments.

Labor Department, National Transport Workers To Take Receivership To CourtBank to court. “We were optimistic that the re-ceiver and the Belize Bank would have some sort of social conscience but that is not the case so the mat-ter will be going to court,” former Operations Manager Phillip Jones told the media. He said that he believes he and the other unpaid workers have a good case because Kevin Castillo and his team en-

Continued from page 12 tered National Transport Services’ compound illegally. According to Jones, Castillo went to Fabrigas and borrowed a chain cutter and cut his way into the compound. Jones said that Attorney Lisa Sho-man is preparing the case to go to court. Some workers who spoke with the NATIONAL PERSPEC-TIVE expressed doubt that things will work out in their favor. Many remain unemployed a� er four months.

D & E Bus Crushes Teen to Death

by Rhenae NunezSun. Apr. 10, 2011SUCCOTZ, CAYO DISTRICT - Residents in the Succotz Village area of the Cayo District claim that the stretch of highway that passes through their village is very danger-ous. � at sentiment was con� rmed when the life of Alex Ramos ended a� er he was run over by a D&E Bus

as he was making his way home on his bicycle on Sunday evening around 4:00 a� er playing basketball at a nearby court. � e accident happened between miles 72 and 73 on the Western Highway. � e D&E Bus was en-route to San Ignacio from Benque. � e teen was riding his bicycle in the same direction. Bus driver Rob-erto Galvez,36 said that he blew his horn to alert Ramos who swerved from le� to right in front of the bus causing the bus to run over him. Alex Ramos was supposed to have sat Monday’s Primary School Ex-amination (PSE). Village residents attribute Sunday’s accident to speeding and claim that there have been a number of accidents on that stretch of highway; Sunday’s being the most tragic which resulted in death. Residents also say that their requests for speed bumps have fall-en on deaf ears. Drive Roberto Gal-vez was detained by police pending their investigation.

Alex Ramos, 15 crushed to death by D&E Bus

BEL leaves City Council in the dark

� ursday, April 14, 2011BELIZE CITY – � e Barrow administration continues to struggle today to contain the fallout a� er having the Belize City Council, the nation’s larg-est municipal government, dis-connected by Belize Electricity Limited for non-payment yes-terday.Frustrated City Hall employees have quietly complained that they were forced to sit in the dark, in the sweltering heat in-doors, under orders from the Council, who were hoping that that way they could stop the story from getting out. � e Council is maintaining that they are current in their pay-ments to the utility and that the disconnection is the result of an attempt to collect arrears owing from the 2003-2006 mu-nicipal administration. Both

the Mayor and the councilor responsible for public relations have claimed that the bill was only recently presented to the Council and that they had not had time to investigate and ver-ify that they had indeed been incurred by the Council before BEL struck.Service was restored to City Hall and the Commercial Cent-er, another City Council prop-erty, about two hours a� er the 9:00 a.m. disconnection.City residents are hardly im-pressed with the explanation since they have several times witnessed workers demonstrat-ing in front of City Hall for wag-es owed to them. � ey have also heard the reports that Council at one time or the other owed entities and agencies such as the Social Security Board and the Income Tax Department, and appears to be heavily in debt.


HEAlTHY LIVINGHEAlTHY LIVINGHEAlTHY LIVINGAchy joints? It could be osteoarthri-tis. Osteoarthritis, the most com-mon type of arthritis, is a condition caused by wear and tear on the car-tilage of your joints. � is strong tis-sue usually cushions joints, but can wear down over time, causing joints to ache, and become sti� and pain-ful. � ere’s no cure, but a variety of painkillers and treatments can help, as can losing weight if you have ex-cess pounds.What Is Osteoarthritis? Your doctor will want to make sure that your pain is caused by arthritis and not another problem. So � rst you’ll need to describe your symp-toms as best you can. Your doctor will ask you questions about your symptoms. Examples of questions include: Is the pain burning, aching, or sharp?, Are your joints sti� in the morning? If yes, how long does the sti� ness last?, Do you have any joint swelling?Knowing these things will help your doctor make a diagnosis. If your joints are tender and swollen and the muscles are weak, this will also help your doctor con� rm whether you have arthritis. You may also have X-rays to check your joints for damage. Your doctor may want to do blood tests or other tests to see if there are other causes for your pain.What Are the Symptoms of Osteo-arthritis?Symptoms of osteoarthritis can range from mild to severe.� ey may include: Pain: Your joints may ache, or the pain may feel burn-ing or sharp. For some people, the pain may come and go. Constant pain or pain while you sleep may be a sign that your arthritis is getting worse. Sti� ness: When you have arthri-tis, getting up in the morning can be hard. Your joints may feel sti� and creaky for a short time, until you get moving. You may also get sti� from sitting., Muscle weakness: � e mus-cles around the joint may get weak-er. � is happens a lot with arthritis in the knee., Swelling: Arthritis can cause swelling in joints, making them feel tender and sore. Deformed joints: Joints can start to look like they are the wrong shape, especially as arthritis gets worse. Reduced range of motion and loss of use of the joint: As your arthri-tis gets worse, you may not be able to fully bend, � ex, or extend your joints. Or you may not be able to use them at all. Cracking and creak-ing: Your joints may make crunch-ing, creaking sounds. � is creaking may also occur in a normal joint, but in most cases, it doesn’t hurt and doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with the joint.Arthritis of the spine can also nar-row the openings that make space for the spinal cord and for the nerves

Osteoarthritis

that branch o� the spinal cord (spi-nal nerves). � is is called spinal ste-nosis. It can lead to pressure on the spinal cord or spinal nerves. � is pressure can cause pain, weakness, or numbness.Some medical conditions can cause symptoms similar to osteoarthritis. Compare osteoarthritis vs. rheu-matoid arthritis. Learn about other conditions with symptoms similar to osteoarthritis.How is it treated?� ere are many treatments for ar-thritis, but what works for someone else may not help you. Work with your doctor to � nd what is best for you. O� en a mix of things helps the most.Take Control of Your OsteoarthritisEven though there is no cure for osteoarthritis, treatment can help reduce your symptoms and make it possible for you to lead a full and ac-tive life.� e goals of treatment are to: Reduce your pain and sti� ness. Keep your joints working and moving well. Keep you from becoming disabled. Prevent more damage to your joints.Treatment is based on: How bad your symptoms are. How much your symptoms pre-vent you from doing your daily tasks. How well other treatments have worked. How much damage to the joint (or joints) you have.Treatment for mild to moderate ar-thritisIn most cases, people who have mild to moderate arthritis can manage their symptoms for many years with a treatment plan that may include: Medicines, including acetami-nophen (for example, Tylenol) and

nonsteroidal anti-in� ammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (for example, Advil and Motrin), naproxen (for example, Aleve), or aspirin (for example, Bayer and Bu� erin). Or you may use capsaicin cream on your skin. Exercise to help keep your muscles strong and your joints moving well. Weight loss, if you’re overweight, to reduce the stress on your joints. Heat and cold therapy, such as hot compresses, cold packs, ice massage, or para� n wax. Physical therapy or occupational therapy. Assistive devices and orthotics, such as tape, braces, splints, or canes to help protect your joints from in-jury and take the stress o� of your joints. Changing activities or the way you do things to rest or reduce the stress on the painful joint and allow you to move better. Learning and practicing a “good-health attitude” to help you cope with the stress and challenges of liv-ing with arthritis. Some people who have arthritis also have depression. If you’re depressed, be sure to tell your doctor. Treating depression may help reduce your pain and make it easier for you to do your daily tasks.1� e more you know about arthritis and what you can do to treat it and stay active, the less likely you are to have pain and become disabled. You may also be able to prevent any more damage to your joints.Treatment if arthritis gets worseIf the pain and sti� ness from arthri-tis don’t get better or they get worse, your doctor may recommend: Steroid shots. Opioid pain medicines. Physical therapy or occupational therapy.

Hyaluronan (hyaluronic acid) shots.If your pain is very bad, you may decide to have surgery to replace the joint. Or you may decide to have some other kind of surgery that can help keep your joints moving well and prevent your arthritis from get-ting worse.Some types of surgery include: Arthrodesis. Arthroscopy. Finger or toe surgery. Joint replacement (hip, knee, or shoulder). Osteotomy (knee or hip).Your treatment may include: Using pain medicine. If your pain is mild, over-the-counter pain med-icines such as acetaminophen (for example, Tylenol) and nonsteroidal anti-in� ammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may help. Commonly used NSAIDs include ibuprofen (such as Advil and Motrin), naproxen (such as Aleve), or aspirin (such as Bayer and Bu� erin). But if these don’t get rid of your pain, you may need a strong-er prescription medicine. Because you’ll likely take these medicines for a long time, you’ll need to see your doctor for regular checkups. Using heat or ice on the painful joint. Heat may help you loosen up before an activity. Ice is a good pain reliever a� er activity or exer-cise. Your doctor may give you gels or creams that you can rub on the joint to make it stop hurting. Having shots of medicine in the joint also helps some people. Losing weight, if you’re over-weight. Losing weight may be one of the best things you can do for your arthritis. It helps take some of the stress o� of your joints. Exercising to strengthen your mus-cles. Having stronger thigh muscles, for example, can help reduce stress on your knees. Swimming, biking, and walking are good activities. But make sure you talk to your doctor about what kind of activity is best for you. You may also get help from a physical therapist. Having surgery. If the pain in your joint gets really bad, you may decide to have surgery to replace the joint.� ere are also some things you can do at home to help relieve your symptoms. For example, there are devices and tools that can take the stress and weight o� of your joints and make it easier for you to hold objects, open and close things, and walk. Doorknob covers, tape, brac-es, splints, and canes may help.You might also try changing ac-tivities or the way you do things to reduce the stress on the joint that hurts and allow you to move better. For example, walk instead of jog. Or use a sewing machine to make a quilt instead of making it by hand.


Featured Recipes


BirthsAubrey Jamulet Desiree to Mark Anthony Bethran and Natasha Diane Bethran nee Bevans. Ashna Dilip to Dilip Buhhrani and Shalini Ramesh Budhrani nee Mahi-tani . Alexa Nicole to Arturo Antonio Portillo and Judy Ann Portillo nee Ram-clam. Julio Enrique, jr., to julio Enrique Chi, sr., Isenia Angelica Chi nee Batun

MarriagesRyan Leith Benson, 38, to Carrie Melissa Terbasket, 31,both of Cawston, British Columbia, Canada.Jeffrey Michael Servoss,39, to Lisa Lee Osinga, 39,both of Phoenix Arizona, U.S.A. Ricardo Gamaliel Navaez,24,to Wei-Yun-Chang,28 both of Corozal Tow, Corozal District. Daniel Seth Modaff,35, to Stephanie Lee tripp,30,both of Yorkville, Illinois, U.S.A.Romel Alexander Gomez,21, to Idolly Irene Stains,25 both of San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye. Raymon Anthony Evans, 24,to Rochelle Denise Barrett,36,both or Teakettle, Cayo District. Miguel Evaristo Verde,27, to Gladys Silvetti Osorio,17, Both of Sarteneja, Corozal. Marcus Rash,30, to Cristina Chub,26, both of Bella Vista, Toledo District Roscendo Cal,29,to Delphina Chub,20 both of Corazon Creek,Toledo District. Ricardo Makin,25,to Avelina Chiac,18 both of Corazon Creek,Toledo District. Elloyd Junior Gilharry,48, to Fidelina Pineda,38,both of Belize City. Jerome Alexander William,29 of Hopkins, Stann Creek District, to Jhoanna Karenina Larrieu,29,of Belize City. Mark Oliver Leadbetter ,32, to Naomi Claire Rutledge, 34, both of Hoole, Chester, England , U.K.Giovanni mendez,32,to Yolanda rodrigues,35 both of Belize City. Jan Roberts Phillips,24, of Ladyville, Belize District, to Letricia Ni-cole lamb,23, of Burell Boom, Belize District. Stephen Alexander Hartloff, 63,to Carole Susan Leavell,65,both of Lincoln, California, U.S.A Alan Eugene Marks,64, to Tammye Kay Canada,53,both of lake Os-wego, Oregon, U.S.A. David Andrew Morgan,36,to Dana Nicole Anglin,30 both of Cedar Falls, Iowa, U.S.A. Daniel Bryan Bredahl,35,to Billie Jo Lori Shoen,30,both of St. Paul, Minnesota,U.S.A Robert Mckinley Rheves,54, to Floripe Del Carmen Carbajal Oca-na,39, both of Houston,Texas, U.S.A. Abdulla Saleh Sowayan, 33, to Jennifer Susan Dickey,33, both of Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S.A. Kevin Patrick Johnston,38, to Chantal Delage,35, both of waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Edwin Obinna Ogueri, 41 to Martha Nnnena Mboma,40 both of Belize City. Nelson Perez Blanco, 38, to Silvia Raquel Zena Portillo,26, both of Belize City. Dane Smith, 23, to Mildred Larios, 25, both of ladyville, Belize district. Steve Ortiz, 41, to Marly Minelle Cruz, 25, both of Belize City. Randy Tyrone Hyde, 33, to Lesly Yanery Alfaro, 26, both of Belize City. Eduardo Hernandez, 24, to Lillian Danett Acosta, 23, both of San Felipe, Orange Walk district. Gabriel Quetzal, 37, to Yuri Arzu, 27, both of Corozal town,Corozal District. Elias Moses Cho,26, to Domaris Luceli Itza,17 both of Guinea Grass, Orange Walk district. Jose Benedicio Escobar, 43, to Virgilia Campos, 46, both of San Nar-ciso, Corozal District.

DeathsAmber Dishawn Ramclam, 9Maria Zoila Reyes, 55Oscar Ervin Mariano, 48Frances Mazie Marshalleck, 75Abdul Kareem Theus, 32

Katherine Massiah, 49Anthony Fitzroy mcfi eld,65Victor Louis Jacob, 71Rual Illizaliturri, 66Melcheeseadeck Calderon, 56Brandon Steve Gibson, 22

Braised Pork Roast With Apple-Brandy Sauce

YIELD: 8 servings (serving size: 3 ounces of pork and 1/3 cup of sauce)

Ingredients 1 (2 1/2-pound) rolled boned pork loin roast 1 tablespoon dried rubbed sage 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme 1 teaspoon salt, divided 1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided Cooking spray 1 teaspoon margarine 2 cups chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup thawed apple juice concentrate, undiluted 1/2 cup applejack (apple brandy) 1 (10 1/2-ounce) can low-salt chicken broth 2 2/3 cups chopped peeled Granny Smith apple (about 1 pound) 1 tablespoon water 2 teaspoons cornstarchPreparation Unroll roast; trim fat. Combine sage, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; rub inside surface of roast with one-third of sage mixture. Reroll roast, securing at 1-inch intervals with heavy string. Rub outside surface of roast with remaining sage mixture. Preheat oven to 425°. Place a large Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot. Add roast; brown on all sides. Remove roast from pan; set aside. Melt margarine in pan. Add onion and celery, and sauté 5 minutes. Return roast to pan. Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, ap-ple juice, applejack, and broth; pour over roast. Insert a meat thermometer into thickest portion of roast. Cover and bake at 425° for 20 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 325° (do not re-move roast from oven), and bake 30 minutes. Add apple; cover and bake an additional 30 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 160° (slight-ly pink). Remove roast from pan, reserving cooking liquid. Place roast on a platter; cover with foil. Let stand 10 minutes. Combine water and cornstarch, and stir into reserved cooking liquid. Bring mixture to a boil, and cook 1 minute or until sauce is slightly thick. Serve sauce with pork. Note: Use 1 cup apple juice concentrate and omit apple brandy, if de-sired.



Your Lipstick Questions, Answered

� is week, our Beauty 101 series is focusing on tips for lips. You had questions, and your fellow comment-ers have the answers:As always, I thank all of you for email-ing and posting your tips and tricks, and I apologize that I’m not able to use all of them, due to space issues. � ere are hundreds of lipstick related tips on yesterday’s post, so be sure to go through it for additional hints and such. And now, a few lip tips from your fellow readers:On Applying Red Lipstick: Here is my four-step process for applying perfect red lippy. It’s not highly scien-ti� c, but it is very easy. 1) Exfoliate. As with any cosmet-ics, you need a smooth canvas before you apply any paint. Scrub lips gently with an old toothbrush or some oil-and-sugar mix, then wait until the tingling feeling has subsided to move on to the next step. 2) Prime and line. Slick on some waxy balm or a lip primer - MAC makes an amazing one, but my Mary Kay cheapie also works pretty well. Wait for the primer to dry. Line the outside of the lips with either a nude or invisible liner - this is your safety net for ultra-long wear. � en follow your natural lip-line with a liner that matches your lipstick. � is doesn’t have to be perfectly precise, for rea-sons that will become apparent. Gen-tly � ll in the lips with liner. Just kind of roll the side of the pencil against your lips and you’ll be � ne. 3) Fill in the colour. Now, take a lip-brush (again, a cheap one works � ne) and start applying layers of colour. If you’re a rosy-tint kind of gal, skip the lip-lining step and just mix a bit of lipstick pigment with some lip-balm on your brush. � is will give you a sheer, diluted layer of whatever lip-stick you choose. For a bright, matte look, just keep applying lipstick, blot-ting between each layer, until the lips are pigmented enough. Blot again. 4) Line again. Now, this step is really for those of us who are clumsy in our initial applications or super-paranoid about long wear. Remember how you didn’t have to care about getting a perfect outline in the � rst go? � at’s because you’re going to take your liner, sharpen it, and outline your lips

again, with your elbow propped up and your face very close to the mir-ror. Re-lining lets you � ll in any gaps and really lets you get a sharp, precise lip shape. � is whole process, when you’ve practiced a couple of times, takes about � ve minutes. It makes you look instantly ‘done’. � row on some matte powder and brow liner (before your lipstick, of course) and you’re practi-cally ‘polished’.From commenter LadyCoCo: Foolproof red lips step-by-step: 1. Condition your lips. Healthy lips are going to keep lipstick on way longer, so put on a rich balm or salve before you go to bed, if possible. I like CO Bigelows rose salve; it’s re-ally moisturizing. If you don’t have time to wait a whole night, dab a little eye cream on your mouth; it has way more moisture than anything made for the lips. 2. Prep. When it’s time to apply your lip, start out with a waxy (not slip-pery) balm. � e original Burt’s Bees peppermint-smelling stu� is ideal. � en dab on a lip primer if you have one; if not, eyelid primer works equal-ly well. If you have to, you can usually skip the primer if you’ve moisturized well enough and applied a good waxy balm, though. 3. Brush on color working from the outside in. Shu Uemura’s $35 kolin-sky lip brush is supposedly the best, but I � nd that just about any lip brush works about the same. It should have medium-� rm bristles, but size is the most important quality in a good lip brush. It should be small, not wide, so that you’re not tempted to go outside the natural lines of your mouth. You should never do this, no matter how thin you might think your lips are. 4. Line your lips with a lip liner in a matching color. Lip liner seems to have fallen out of favor in recent years, but it’s really the key to a pol-ished red lip. Line carefully and slow-ly within the natural line of your lips-don’t draw anything outside your lip line. Some people may � nd it easier to draw light dashes, then connect them. 5. (Optional) Slick on a red gloss like NARS lip gloss in Bloodwork. � is will keep your red lip intact all day and add a sexy, vampy e� ect.

Aries-Even big, bad, bold you needs a little support now and then -- like at the beginning of this week. Since you’re usually so self-suffi cient, you might have to ask since the stars send bounti-ful super energy right to you, and you’re probably ready to make a daring move. Go for it! If you’re staying up late or partying on Friday and Saturday, be sure to make up for it with some healthy stuff, too. Use a little charm to get your desire. Taurus-Be careful of issues that can turn into time-sucks. Just a few lit-tle things can eat up a lot of your day. Bring snacks to a meeting or have a one-on-one over a good meal. The act of breaking bread (or doughnuts, as the case may be) creates a bond that’s elemental. A dramatic presenta-tion or long-winded lecture isn’t as forceful as stating facts, projections and expectations in a concise, meaningful way. And you might want to give work a rest this weekend, because love is in the air! Gemini-Being thrifty at the beginning of the week gives you a bit of a creative challenge, and it also gives you a little extra for a future plan or splurge. Make your own lunch and make your own fun. You’re quick with ideas and have the stamina to carry them out. Progress abounds! Watch out for some sort of interference -- a misunderstand-ing, a busybody, something getting lost in the shuffl e. Be clear and concise. The stars send you extra sexiness now. Make the most of it! Cancer-There’s so much to do and so little time this week. Don’t let it all get to you -- the energy that’s coming your way is highly ef-fective, high achieving and will make the higher-ups sit up and take notice. The end of the workweek involves balancing -- budgets, dif-ferent aspects of your life, even your diet and exercise regime. Make sure the plus and minus columns are working out in your favour. If you’re working this weekend, don’t expect to move mountains. Leo-You have a catlike sixth sense at the beginning of the week, with the refl exive knowledge of how to approach people and sit-uations. You’ll defi nitely land on your feet now. Look even bet-ter, with your personal heat turned up to sizzling. Energy, excite-ment, fun and fabulousness are there for the taking. Keep your expenditures to a minimum; feed your mind instead of opening your wallet. Virgo-Turn those organizational abilities toward planning a social event or a great date at the beginning of the week -- it’ll likely come together as the best thing ever. You may be the underdog in a certain situation, but somebody’s pulling for you. Figure out who, and get some tips and support. Friday and Saturday are great days to be you. With the stars on your side, you can get a ton done and also attract some attention via your extra sparkle. Libra-Make plans and share your feelings when your energy’s warm and wonderful. Be ready to kindle the spark of a new romantic idea, too! Ask you to get back to work -- and to work through a few things in the realm of romance, too. Process and move forward. Any of those plans you make are especially favored by the stars, and you’re likely to add in a last-minute stroke of genius, too. It’s great for dates! The weekend’s great for socializing, solo or with your honey if you’ve got one. Scorpio-Dreams, intuition and other less-than-logical stuff fi gure prominently at the beginning of the week. Heed your inner voice, and let your subconscious provide clues. Some real-world hassles require your attention; handling them calmly reduces the stress factor. Your karma gets a major boost if you step outside yourself and donate your time, money or expertise (or all three) to a good cause. Be extra patient with everyone -- including yourself. Sagittarius-A deeper, more meaningful level can be reached at the be-ginning of the week, whether in a relationship or in your own outlook. Your core values are especially relevant now. You’re a winner on if the stars have their say -- and remember, you can’t win if you don’t play. Take a chance (maybe in the realm of romance!). Beware of imbalances of power; anyone who thinks they’re the boss of you could be problem-atic. You’re extra articulate and very tuned on on Sunday -- speak up! Capricorn-Confl ict, opposition or limiting factors may come into play at the beginning of the week, and your response is everything. Use your powers of patience and fl ex your muscle of understand-ing. Make a busy schedule and stick to it - it could come in handy when you’re asked to do something you’d rather not do. Find a goal or two defi nitely within reach, and not just when it comes to work, either. On Sunday, the vibe is good for kicking off a new project. Aquarius-Even if you’re off-balance at the beginning of the week, stick with your routine as much as possible. Going through the motions has a therapeutic effect. You can identify a contradiction, make a discovery and fi nd a way to move forward that feels great. An interruption or delay could be a good thing now. You’re not so much judging books by their covers as speed-reading; fi nd out a lot in short order. The stars send extra brains and curiosity your way. Pisces-It’s ‘handle with care’ time on Monday -- love’s a little tricky, and you need some TLC. But Tuesday and Wednesday look fabulous for romantic matters, and you look fabulous, too! You have a way with words that’s especially suited to online fl irtation or other electronic types of reaching out. At the end of the workweek, be careful of the in-tersection of love and work, even if you’re simply getting too involved in a coworker’s love drama. When the weekend comes, putting some-one else fi rst is especially important. Your love karma’s looking great!

Sunday,April 17th, 2011Page 18

Orange Walk, April 10, 2011

The Orange Walk Technical boys won the Belize Telemedia under-15 and under-17 northern regional basketball championships on Sun-day, to advance to the nationals to be held in Orange Walk Town on Friday and Saturday, April15-16.In Game 1 of the u-15 regionals at the Andres Campos Community Center in Corozal town on Friday night, the Orange Walk boys blew out the Corozal champs, Libertad boys, 46-24! Shimar White led with 12 pts and 8 rebounds, and Michael Shaw added 10pts. Eusebio Espinoza added 8 pts and Izsair Rosado add-ed 6pts, while Gian Chavarria and Chris Manzur each scored 4pts. The Orange Walk boys led from the get go, 11-10 in the 1st quarter, 23-17 at the half, and 29-22 by the end of the 3rd quarter. Corozal’s Marcelo Chimilo scored 7pts, while Jezie Leslie had 5 pts and Rai West – 4pts.In Game 2 of the u- 15 region-als at the orange Walk Multipurpose Complex on Sunday, Eusebio Espi-noza and Izsair Rosado each scored 11 pts to lead Orange Walk to a 39-33 win over Libertad. Marcelo Chimilio scored 8pts for Libertad to lead 11-10 in the 1st quarter, Jezie Leslie added 8pts and Roygel West - 7 pts for Libertad to lead 22-15 at the half.Shimar White scored 10pts for O.Walk and Gian Cha-varria, Michael Shaw and Johnny Alvarez each tossed in a bucket as they took over the lead 33-28 in the 3rd quarter. David Sedacaey scored

O. Walk Tech boys win BTL U-15 & U-17 basketball northern champs4pts for Libertad.In Game 1 of the u-17 regionals at the Andres Campos Community Center in Corozal town on Friday, the O.walk Tech u-17 squad edged out the Corozzal Rebels 63-62. Tyrone Baptist and Timothy Morey had each scored 16pts, Morey hitting 2 treys and Bap-tist – one. Roberto Vidal added 15 pts and 5 rebounds while An-fernee Heredia scored 8 pts and grabbed 4 rebounds.The Rebels led 14-9 in the 1st quarter as

Arturo Leal led with 26pts and Ro-berto Romero’s 13pts, and the Reb-els were still up 26-24 at the half. James Neal scored 8 pts, and Shane Belizaire hit a long trey to add 9 pts, but the Orange Walk boys took over the lead 45-43 by the end of the 3rd

quarter. Rebels’ Rai West scored 6 pts, but Homer Peralta captured 11 rebounds and tossed in a buck-et for the 63-62 win.In Game 2 on Sunday, Orange Walk u-17 team also blew away the Corozal R e b e l s 79-63 Timothy

Morey hit 2 treys as he led with 20pts, while Jerry Vasquez also hit 2 treys, as he and Roberto Vidal each added 15pts. James Neal had led the Rebels with 24pts and 10 rebounds, but the score as tied 18-18 in the fi rst quarter. Arturo Leal added 22pts to give the Rebels a 47-42 lead at the half. Tyrone Baptist scored 12 pts and 11 rebounds as Orange Walk led 58-44 at the end of the 3rd quarter.The Rebels tried to close the gap, with Shane Belizaire scoring 6 points and Oscar Vidal - 5 pts, but with Orange Walk’s Homer Peralta scored 6 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, for the 79-63 win.

Belize City, April 10, 2011Emma Hoare and Rebecca Rath upset the defending national champions Babsy Cadle and Es-ther Middleton in the fi nals to win 3rd stop of the Smart national beach volleyball tour, organized by the Belize Volleyball Associa-tion at the Buttonwood Bay Park on Sunday, April 10.In Game 1, Shantel Arnold and Tisha Solis won over Tichelle Solis and Bri-anna Lopez 21-13 and 21-15, In Game 2, Emma and Rebecca won over Vivianni Avila and Kelsey Balderamos, 21-6, 14-21 and 15-7.In Game 3, Babsy and Esther won over Shantel Arnold and Tisha So-lis their fi rst loss in two sets 21-9

emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd emma hoare & rebecca rath win smart beach volleyball tour 3rd stopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstop

and 21-17.but they were eliminated when they suffered their second loss and fell to Kelsey and Vivanni in the fi fth match of the day.IN Game 4, Kelsey and Vivianni also elimi-nated Tichelle and Brianna Lopez 21-9 and 21-15 when they fell to Babsy and Esther eliminated Kelsey and Vivianni to meet Emma and Rebecca in the fi -nals.In Game 7, Emma and Rebecca won 21-8, 12-21, and 15-10 over Esther and Babsy to clinch the championship.The tour contin-ues with the men’s third stop at the Buttonwood Bay park on Sunday, April 17.


Hattieville, April 10, 2011

Defending Superleague champs The undefeated Raymond Gentle City Boys are undefeated and still No.1 in the 2011 Belize Bank Su-perleague football competition with 21 pts from 7 wins, as they posted their 7th win in a 5-1 blast of the Hattieville Monarchs at the Hat-tieville fi eld on Sunday, April 10. Star striker Deon Macau-lay scored the 1st goal in the 12th minute, and drilled home a 2nd goal in the 28th minute for a 2-0 lead at the half.In the 2nd half, Leon “Lem” Jones scored a 3rd goal in the 48th minute nd he blasted in a 4th goal in the 65th minute.Floyd Jones pulled one back for the Monarchs when he converted a penalty in the 78th minute, but it was their only consolation goal and Ian Gaynair scored a 5th goal in the some seven minutes before the long whistle.The Paradise Freedom Fighters are still no. 2 in the Superleague with 15pts after posting their 5th win: 4-1 over Cayo South United at the Cama-lote fi eld on Sunday. Zerrick Tor-res scored the 1st goal in the 12th minute, and Andres Makin scored a hat trick with goals in the 36 and 78th minute and a 3rd goal in injury

Raymond Gentle City Boys still No. 1 in in Superleague football

time. W i l -helm Coye scored Cayo United’s only consola-tion goal in the 85th minute.Orange Walk United advanced to No.3 spot in the Superleague by a bombing the Griga Knights 5-0 at the People’s Stadium on Sunday. Jarret Davis and Ian Chi led Orange Walk offensive, but this was not the Griga Knights who ahd lost to city boys the week before. The Griga Knights was shot-handed without Darwin Castillo, Kenroy Arthurs,

Jeffery Apolonio, Onest Martinez, Allan Flores, Tito Flores and Byron

Perez, who not only did not play; they wer not on the bench,

and had not made the trip north. Even

with only 9 men on

t h e

field, t h e G r i g a Knights still frus-trated the Or- ange Walk strikers until the 40th min-ute when the sugar city boys won a free kick, and Jarret Davis’ kick beat goalie Elias Pelayo for the 1st goal.Davis did it again with a 2nd

goal in the 42nd minute by put-ting the fi nish on a play by Ian Chi and Pelayo was embarrassed a 2nd time.This was not the end of pelayo’s embarrassment as Randy Casanova ran through the defense and drilled home a 3rd goal in the 64th minute.Pelayo compounded his problems whn he fumbled a shot by Gabriel Perez and Dean

Flowers was right ther to pick up the rebound and blast

it into the net in the 84th minute for a

4-0 lead. Flowers did it again with a 5th goal

in the 87th minute for the 5-0 rout.At the MCC gar-

den, Third World were no match for Palencia Assassins

who posted their 2nd win by a 2 -0 score. Derrick Torres scored

the 1st goal in the 6th minute and Brandon Torres added a 2nd sec-ond goal in the 91st minute.The competition continues with Hat-tieville hosting the Griga Knights in Hattie ill eon Sunday, while the Assassins visit Cayo South Unit-ed at the Camalote fi eld, Paradise Freedom Fighters challenge City boys at the Toledo Union fi eld, and Third World travel north to sugar city for a rematch with Orange Walk united; their fi rst encounter ended in a 0-0 draw.

Punta Gorda, April 9, 2011The defending women’s football champions, the Triple B’s conti nue to lead the 2011 Delhart Courtney Cup women’s football tournament, as both teams enjoyed big wins in Week 1 of the quarterfi nals, with Triple B’s posti ng a 3-0 victory over the Litt le Swaggers at the Toledo Union fi eld in Punta Gorda Town n Saturday, April 9.Sarah Arzu scored the fi rst winning goal in the 1st half and added a 2nd goal before the half ti me break. Kara Kisling added a 3rd goal in the 2nd half for the 3-0 win.Suga City Gurlz also stunned the Las Flores Galacti c Girls 7-0 at the las Flores fi eld on Sunday, April 10. Tamarah Bapti st led that tack with a hat trick, scoring the fi rst wining goal in the 9th minute and adding two more goals in the 29th and 38th minutes. Dalia Mai added a 4th goal in the 42nd minute to lead 4-0 at the half ti me break.In the 2nd half, Noemi Magana scored a 5th goal in the 53rd minute, Da-lia Mai scored her 2nd goal of the ball game in the 75th minute and team captain Karen Garcia added a 7th goal in the 87th minute.The West Girls also put themselves on the good foot to winning a berth in the semifi nals by a 2-1 win over the Bella Vista Lati n Girls at the Mar-

Triple B’s & Suga City Gurlz lead Delhart Courtney Cup football

shalleck Stadium in Benque Viejo del Carmen; with Kimberly Perez and Shirley Codd each scoring one goal for the West Girls, while only

shalleck Stadium in Benque Viejo Maria Acosta scored for the Lati n Girls.Corozal United FC also looked to secure their place in the semifi -nals, by a 2-0 win over Pumas Auto

Rentals at the Carl Ramos Stadi-um in Dangriga, with two goals by the team captain Miriam Villamil and Mindy Canul.The quarterfi -nals conti nue with the re-match games as the Triple B’s will host the Litt le Swaggers at the FFB Sta-dium on Saturday, April 16, while the Suga City Gurlz will await the Las Flores Galacti c Girls at the Louisiana Field on Sunday April 17, the Bella Vista Lati n Girls will host the West Girls at the Bella Vista Field, and Corozal United FC will host Puma Auto Rentals at the Santi ago Ricalde Stadium.

Belize City, April 10, 2011

The ABL Swingers of Atlantic Bank won the volleyball champi-onship volleyball tournament or-ganized by the Women’s Depart-ment during the March Women’s Month. The ABL Swingers won the championship fi nal in a hotly contested battle against the Social Transformers of the Ministry of Human Development and Social Transformation. The Pacesetters of the Youth for the Future won 3rd place.Other participating teams in-cluded the Sex Busters of BFLA,

ABL Swingers win Women’s Month volleyball champs

the WIN-Belize Bembes and Girls Power of the YWCA.Women’s Is-sues Network of Belize (WIN-Be-lize), the Young women’s Christian Association and the Belize Family Life Association add their congrat-ulations to the champions, and ac-knowledge the contribution of the e sponsors, Jex Trophies, who do-nated the 1st and 2nd place trophies and 1st place medals. The BFLA donated the 2nd place medals, and the Women›s Department donated the 3rd place trophies and medals.


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National Perspective April 17, 2011