News From the Nation

Police officer shot over the weekend

San Ignacio, Monday, November 3, 2009

Dimas Pinelo, a Belize Police Department constable was shot around 7:00 p.m. last Saturday night on the Calla Creek Road in Cayo, in what is believed to be a resurgence of the banditry in that area by Guatemalans coming across the border.

Pinelo was reportedly part of a four-man squad riding in the pan of a borrowed pickup truck that was accosted by four armed and masked men all dressed in black, while they were reportedly responding to reports of criminal activity.

Pinelo, who was transferred to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, is in a serious but stable condition, and is expected to recover from the wound to his right shoulder.

All English speaking Caribbean countries are in a recession

Belize City, Monday, November 2, 2009

The Economist Intelligence Unit, a respected think tank, says economic conditions in the Caribbean will get worse before they get better.

Its analysis of economic indicators in the region show that tourism’s performance is weak, remittances are not picking up, consumers are borrowing and spending less, unemployment is rising and government budget deficits are widening.

The Unit says that given these dynamics it estimates that there will be continuing recessions in 2009 in all the countries in the English-speaking Caribbean with the exception of Dominica. Dominica has a relatively low reliance on tourism and is enjoying a construction boom thanks to fiscal stimulus measures funded mainly by donor aid.

In 2010, the EIU says growth will remain negative in some countries and even in those that begin to recover expansion will be very weak.

Belizean arrested in Mexico with 36,000 counterfeit pesos

Belize City, Monday, November 2, 2009

A Belizean was busted with 36 thousand counterfeit pesos in Mexico last week Wednesday. The Diario de Quintana Roo reports that 19-year-old Manuel Eduardo Martinez – a Belizean of Corozal and Mexican Javier Martinez Vidal, 39, of Quintana Roo attempted to pay for services at the Hotel Ucum in Chetumal with the fake money.

The hotel called the Mexican State Police who told the newspaper that the duo had allegedly paid for the services of a prostitute with 800 counterfeit pesos. They also claim that the pair led police to their hotel room where they found 98 –  two hundred pesos bills, 36 – five hundred pesos bills, 4 Belizean five dollar bills, and 20 Belize dollars.

According to the newspaper the men confessed that they bought the money in the Corozal Free Zone from one Jose Luis for $4,000 Belize dollars.  The men remained detained pending charges. In Mexico counterfeiting is a crime punishable by sentences of up to 15 years imprisonment.

Smart says Barrow is lying

Belize City, Monday, November 2, 2009

Speednet, the operators of the Smart telecommunications service apparently feel PM Barrow crossed the line when he discussed private negotiations involving BTL and Speednet.  Mr. Barrow at his press conference last week revealed what he apparently considered were salacious details related to interconnection and lease agreements of BTL towers.  Barrow claimed that the agreement had not been approved by the PUC, and that they were anti-competitive, and therefore illegal.  He said Government would challenge them in Court.

Speednet has issued a press release criticizing Barrow saying: among others thing that: “The comments made by the Hon. Prime Minister were unfounded, and in the opinion of Speednet, clearly intended to negatively influence public opinion against Speednet in order to create a competitive advantage in favour of the now Government controlled Belize Telemedia Limited.”

The release defends the 2004 interconnection and tower lease agreements, indicating that not only were they agreements negotiated by private companies but also that the interconnection agreement was submitted and approved by the Public Utilities Commission, contrary to Barrow’s assertions.

Speednet argues that the 15 year interconnection license given to them is standard, because it is meant to safeguard customers from prolonged interruption of services.  As to the Prime Minister’s complaint that the $1,000 rental of 18 BTL towers is too low and should be increased to $5,000, Speednet challenged that the pricing is ordinary because players in the industry view the duplication of networks as an inefficient use of valuable resources in an industry that is capital intensive.

Speednet also clarified that the rental fee which they pay is reflective of the bulk of towers rented, and fair and reasonable in comparison to the fees paid by Speednet to non-Telemedia tower owners.

Cecil “Chubby” Reneau is the new Chairman of the Marshalls

Monday, November 2, 2009

A new Chairman of the Marshalls’  National Service Corps was elected over the weekend at Independence Hall in Belize City.

On Saturday, October 31 delegates from 29 constituencies from around the country met to hold elections for the Chairman’s seat for the Marshalls’ National Service Corps, an arm of the People’s United Party.  Two members of the PUP vied for the position, namely, Leni Jo Usher and Cecil ‘Chubby’ Reneau.  Votes were cast by way of ballot and the final count was Reneau with 43 votes while Usher received 36 votes.

Prior to the delegates casting their votes in the weekend’s elections, the Chairman of the PUP announced that the Chairman’s seat is the only one being contested as the other posts each had only one candidate.  The Vice-Chairman of the corps is now Robert Cadle, while the  Treasurer is Jesus Sosa. Dorla Vaughan is the Secretary and the Assistant Secretary is Maurice Martinez.

It should be noted that this coming Saturday, November 7, the United Women’s Group will be meeting at Crocland’s Resort for their annual conference.  The UWG is another arm of the People’s United Party currently being headed by Gina Tillett as president.

BTB Executive and Financial Directors contracts not renewed

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

A letter to industry stakeholders obtained by Vibes News confirms that the contracts of Belize Tourism Board Executive Director, Tracy Taegar-Panton, who has held that top post for a more than ten years, and Evan Tillett, the Director of Finance, and which expire at the end of the year will in fact not be renewed.

Both have been told to go on vacation immediately which will carry them through the end of their contract on December thirty-first.

In the letter Taegar-Panton confirms that her contract has not been renewed and gives no indication why but industry sources say that Taegar-Panton may have run afoul of the political executive in the Ministry of Tourism.

Did Corozal housewife commit suicide?

Belize City, Tuesday, November 3, 2009

A housewife of San Narciso Village in the Corozal District may have committed suicide last Friday night. According to a local newspaper, 39 year old Antonia Campos told a patron in a bar that said she was having domestic problems and wished to die. Campos then reportedly got up from her seat and ran onto 4th Avenue and right into the path of a car driven by Nigel Sanker.

Campos suffered severe facial and head injuries and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Corozal Hospital. The body has been transported to the KHMH where a post mortem examination is scheduled for today.

EP Yorke female student nation’s top CSEC performer

Belize City, Wednesday, November 4, 3009

5 female students are the top performers in the annual CSEC results. Athina Swasey of Edward P Yorke was the top student in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations. Swasey obtained eleven Grade Ones in her subject exsaminations, and in addition to being this year’s Most Outstanding CSEC Candidate, Swasey also achieved first place subject awards in Human and Social Biology and English B.

Virginia Hsu, of St Catherine’s Academy tallied the second highest scores, attaining ten Grade Ones in her subject examinations.

Stacey Karyn Grinage of St John’s Junior College was the most outstanding candidate in the May-June 2009 Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE). She is also the winner of the Belize Scholarship for this year. Grinage obtained grade twos in six subjects and achieved first place subject awards in History Unit 2, and Sociology Unit 1.

Other outstanding CSEC candidates for National Awards are Leonie Eileen Magdaleno of Stann Creek Ecumenical College, as well as Lila Estephan and Lilian Lai-Fung Shen both of St. Catherine Academy.

The National Award Ceremony will be held later this month.

Another home invasion

Belize City, Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Police report that they are investigating a home invasion which occurred last weekend in Ladyville. William Tennyson, 58, reported that whilst at home along with his aunt, an eighty one year old retiree, at about 8:15 pm on Saturday, October 31st he was accosted by a Creole man who placed a knife on his throat and ordered him to open the front door grill. He complied and another Creole man with his face covered entered. The complainant was then taken upstairs to his aunt’s room where the men demanded and received cash, and escaped with an assortment of jewelry and cell phones.

CFE Cancels Guaranteed Power Supply to Belize

Belize City, Wednesday, November 4, 2009

The Belize Electricity Limited announced in a press release this morning that its Mexican power supplier has canceled its guaranteed power supply contract. The release reads:  “Comisiόn Federal de Electricidad (CFE) has advised Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) that it is cancelling the guaranteed power supply contract (Firm Contract) with BEL, due to Force Majeure reasons.  This contract was to expire in December 2010.

“CFE has stated that their generation capacity has been significantly limited, as a result of problems with gas availability, generation equipment and shortfall in hydroelectric production.

“While CFE canceling of the firm contract is due to Force Majeure reasons, they are proposing to negotiate a new contract to provide up to 50 MW of economic and emergency energy to Belize.  The rates under this new contract are expected to be higher than they were under the former contract.”

BEL maintains that there is sufficient local generation to meet Belize’s energy demand without supply from CFE.  It says that since CFE’s initial notice in April, advising that it needed to suspend guaranteed power supply to Belize through to September 2009, BEL has been able to maintain power supply to Belize by relying on local generation sources, including the hydroelectric facilities at Belize Electric Company Limited and Hydro Maya Limited; the heavy fuel plant at Belize Aquaculture Limited and BEL’s own Gas Turbine Unit.

Tots badly burned in Cayo fire; family now homeless

Belize City, Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Two young children were badly burned in a fire on Monday night in Georgeville Village, Cayo District.

Reports allege that 14 year old Bridget Martinez was left home alone with her 3 year old and 5 month old sisters. Her mom Audrey Martinez says that around 8:30 she went to her cousin’s house next door and in what seemed like only a split second after that, the fire started.

She dashed home but by then the fire had already engulfed the house. Besides the injuries to her daughters Audrey Martinez and her 10 children are now homeless and have lost everything.

It is believed that the fire was caused by faulty electrical wiring.

The family needs help and anyone who wishes to assist can contact Audrey Martinez at 620-1609.

She also needs help in locating the father of her children Alford Castillo. He is reported to be somewhere in Belize City.

National Security Minister’s office burglarized

Belize City, Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Caribbean Shores area representative and minister of National Security Carlos Perdomo was in the news recently over a piece of land that he took from a single mother, a constituent of Minister Michael Finnegan. Today the news is that someone broke into the minister’s constituency office over the weekend, right across from the lot he had taken from Ms. Jerguson, and stole the minister’s computer and accessories.

This is the second time that the Caribbean Shores constituency office has been burglarized in recent months, and as with nearly all other such reports, Minister Perdomo seems unable to do anything about it.

Police arrest six for weed, three for gun, ammo possession

Belize City, Wednesday, November 4, 2009

According to the police press release for today, the police have arrested and charged six persons in four separate incidents for possession of marijuana.

On Tuesday, Police arrested and charged Sandra Thompson and Patrick Flowers with drug trafficking after discovering 11 ounces of weed during a search of their Belize City residence.

Similarly they report that yesterday they arrested and charged Mathew Alexander Gonzales of Corozal Town after a search was conducted on him which led to the discovery of nearly a pound of suspected cannabis.

Police report that yesterday they detained Gildon Rivers of Belize City after a search of his bag at a vehicle check point in Benque Viejo Town yielded four and a half pounds of weed.

The further report that after searching a house in Orange Walk occupied by Honduran nationals Victor Moralez and Jacinto Sorto, they decided to detain both pending charges after finding 3 ounces of marijuana.

Police are investigating an alleged carnal knowledge report by a 12 year old minor who reported that in the month of July 2009 a male person of Orange Walk Town had sexual intercourse with her. The suspect has since been detained pending investigation.

Police also report that they’ve arrested and charged three men on weapons and ammunition possession charges.

Police have arrested and charged Steven Edward Stults, American national of Cayo District, with kept prohibited firearm and kept prohibited ammunition after they conducted a search on his residence which led to the discovery of a 45 caliber automatic pistol along with 6 live rounds. They have also arrested and charged Isaguias Mai and Urbina Chan, both of Cayo District with Kept Firearm without a Gun License and kept ammunition without a gun license after they a search of Mai’s residence led them to the discovery of a 9 millimeter pistol with 33 live rounds, 5 expended shells and 2 slugs.

Charlie Good to be buried Saturday

Belize City, Thursday, November 05, 2009

The family of the late Charles Good has announced that they are dissatisfied with the conclusions drawn by Medical Examiner Mario Estrababran from his autopsy of his body yesterday.

Dr. Estradabran has certified the primary cause of death as “Neurogenic shock” secondary to acute pancreas hemorrhage, diabetes type 2, hypertension and chronic heart disease. He also listed the time of death as 4:55 a.m.

Good’s widow this morning said that the family is dissatisfied with Dr. Estradabran’s inability to properly answer their questions regarding her husband’s condition and what impact his being brutalized by the police on September 23rd may have had on his death.

Charles Good constantly complained of pain after being roughed up by the squad of policemen. He had received two major surgeries, including a heart bypass operation, in just the past three years, and was still recovering from a massive stroke.

His widow Hirian Good has also announced that funeral services for the late Captain Charles Alexander Good, Retired, will be held on Saturday, November 7th at St. Joseph’s Church in Belize City starting at 10:00 a.m., after which his body will be transported to San Ignacio, Cayo District for interment.

Shooting up of minister’s car raising questions

Belize City, Thursday, November 05, 2009

A report that Minister of Works and Port Loyola area representative Anthony Boots Martinez’ private vehicle, a 2007 Nissan Maxima, was shot up by a supposedly irate citizen yesterday morning on Reggae Street in Belize City is giving rise to many questions.

According to Martinez his driver Michael Sutherland was approached by one Kevin Sutherland who shot the vehicle three times because he could not meet with the minister.

Boots claims that Kevin Sutherland is not one of his constituents and they do not transact any business that would result in that kind of violence.

He also claimed that the police had advised that the matter be treated as a civil one, and so far there are no reports that Kevin Sutherland has been arrested or is even wanted by the police.

It is the third incident involving Boots Martinez and shots being fired over the past few years.

Coyes et al money laundering case adjourned to November 9th

Belize City, Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Yesterday the case with the million dollar money laundering case against the Coye family, their business Money Exchange International and employees continued in Magistrate’s Court No. 3 before Magistrate Kathleen Lewis.

The Financial Intelligence Unit, which brought the charges against the Coyes made a request to the court to amend the charge sheet to now reflect changes in line with the revised Money Laundering and Prevention Act, which is now the Money Laundering and Terrorism Act, that came into effect after the charges were initially brought.

Attorney Dickie Bradley, who represents Jude Coye, Michael Coye and James Gerou, completed his submissions yesterday morning. In an interview afterwards Bradley maintains that none of the statements presented as evidence against his clients had anything to do with the charges against any or all of the defendants. He had previously described the prosecution’s case as mainly quantity but no quality. He said that of the 86 statements tendered into evidence only one, Shaun Oliva’s, makes any accusation. He called her accusations in the statement unsubstantiated by any report by the Central Bank or any other relevant authority.

In the afternoon attorney Arthur Saldivar, who represents Marlene and Melanie Coye, also made submissions on behalf of the defendant, again highlighting what he termed the complete lack of evidence to substantiate the charges.

The case was adjourned until November 9th, when attorney Anthony Sylvestre will make submissions on behalf of Athlee Matute and Dietrich Kingston.

The Financial Intelligence Unit’s case is being presented by attorneys Antoinette Moore, Mikail Arguelles and Tricia Pitts. They have tendered 86 statements as evidence that included statements by persons whose identities had been purloined from the Belize City Council Traffic Department database, attesting to that they had neither sent through or received money from a Moneygram agency the Coyes operated on Central American Boulevard.

There were also statements by CIB Chief ASP Julio Valdez and Sergeant Bernard Reyes, who carried out the police investigation, assorted F.I.U. personnel and former Money Exchange International Country Coordinator Shaun Oliva.

The Coyes et al were variously charged with money laundering after nearly US$1.5 million was discovered stashed inside a suitcase in one of the bedrooms during a search of their home on Johnson Street in Belize City on New Year’s Eve last year.

The case has attracted wide attention, and even more so after Dean Fuller, the manager of Omni Networks Limited was arrested and charged on Monday, July 13, 2009 with laundering $6.5 million as part of the scheme. Omni directors and shareholders include Dean’s wife Diana Fuller, sister Susan Fuller, as well as the CEO of the Ministry of Tourism Michael Singh, who is also the brother of UDP chairman Doug Singh, and Ruth Esquivel, the daughter of former Prime Minister and UDP Party Leader Manuel Esquivel.

The court records show that Fuller is accused of being “engaged, directly or indirectly, in transactions involving property to Wit: $6,588,702.21 that is the proceeds of crime or knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe the same to be the proceeds of crime” between October ninth, 2007 and January first, 2009.

It is the third time that the Singhs have been linked to a company under investigation for money laundering. In February 2003 it was reported that Doug Singh was the registered agent for a Canadian owned international business company called Goldman and Stein that was being investigated by US authorities tracking the transfer of large sums of money.

On July 21^st, 2004 Belize Transportation Agencies Limited was stripped of its authority to conduct Western Union money transfer business by the Central Bank of Belize. In a press release the following month BTALCO’s General Manager Mike Singh confirmed that his company had halted operations as a result of a Central Bank investigation.

Of note is that the appointment of and acceptance by the Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit, Attorney Marilyn Williams to an ethics committee of the United Democratic Party by its chairman Doug Singh has raised more than eyebrows.

Her colleagues before the bar in particular are saying that the blatantly partisan appointment is not befitting of her official government position as FIU director, but erodes public confidence in the integrity and independence of office.

The defense attorneys are also on record as saying that when the money was seized and counted in front of witnesses, it totaled some $1.64 million, but on the charge sheets and other court documents that sum has been reduced to $1.54 million and so far there have been no explanation as to reason for the difference, or any accounting for the difference.