THINK ‘BOUT IT!

A PROMISE I CAN’T KEEP

I know I promised that as soon as gas prices reach $9.00 I will remove my burdensome extra tax of $1.00 additional on top of the taxes I already have on gasoline prices. But shucks can’t you see I’ve messed up the economy, I’ve busted the government budget, there is a huge deficit of  SIXTY MILLIONS DOLLARS which is an embarrassment to me. So batten down and tek uno lik because I’m not removing my burdensome $1.00 per gallon on gasoline.

If uno nu like it stop driving uno vehicles…by Dean Barrow, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.

SHARON FRASER

Magistrate Sharon Fraser offered bail to a Guatemalan national. The Guatemalan had been in jail for over a hundred days. The Supreme Court in two separate judgments this year has taken a strong stand for the liberty of persons who are languishing in prison when they could be offered bail. Justice Lucas and Justice Legall have been championing the Constitutional rights of persons who are charged but not tried and held in prison unjustly.

Sharon Fraser is a former public officer prior to pursuing legal training at the University of the West Indies. She is considered the next in line to become Chief Magistrate as the UDP government will not wish to promote the Senior Magistrate for party political reasons.

But, (there is always a but) the UDP government is attempting to subvert Sharon Fraser’s legitimate expectations based on her seniority and qualifications by bringing in two more foreign Magistrates.

It’s a dirty shame, but (there is always a but) what did you expect from the UDP?

What the UDP doesn’t expect from Sharon Fraser is that she will fight back for her right. But they may have an unpleasant surprise because Sharon Fraser knows the law and is a fighter.

CHARLIE GOOD

Our condolences to the wife and family of Charlie Good.

One of the decent things for the government to do is to find employment for Mrs. Hirian Good.

In the words of the Godfather of Soul – James Brown – “It takes a man or a woman to say I’m sorry, but a fool to walk away.” There must be at least a man (there is no woman) in Cabinet who is man enough to know that Mrs. Good has suffered enough from losing her job and it’s time to give her back her employment.

DWAIN DAVIS

Our prayers are with Dwain and his family following his medical condition on Thursday morning which has left him hospitalized and in a critical condition.

Dwain is a quiet, unassuming but highly competent public servant. His record of service is an impeccable one. In an effort to assist the UDP City Council and its embattled Mayor who was being handcuffed and straitjacketed by the UDP government; Dwain tried his best to keep the City Council afloat by utilizing funds to see that the employees and suppliers were paid by the otherwise bankrupt City Council. That others may have abused the Council’s inadequate procedures is another story. But the UDP government in Belmopan sacrificed Dwain Davis in their eagerness to hurt Mayor Moya.

We wish Dwain a speedy recovery.

ELIZABETH PURCELL

A British Crown Counsel who has been assisting the Office of the DPP haa impressed several attorneys in the Supreme Court of Belize. Crown Counsel Elizabeth Purcell has steered TWENTY-TWO CASES through the Belmopan Court of Justice Troadio Gonzalez by both of them working during the summer recess when they should have been on vacation.

The British Crown Counsel has been described as very professional and ethical in her prosecutions. The law requires that prosecutors and indeed all attorneys are to conduct themselves as Ministers of Justice. For prosecutors this means conducting the case against an accused fairly and justly as compared to winning at all costs, be it by foul means or fair. Belizean lawyers tell us the British Crown Counsel holds a high standard and should be emulated.

GERALD GARBUTT

Gerald Garbutt is a warrior. He is a man you would not hesitate to go to war with him on your side. He is as the bible says Thou good and faithful servant.

Gerald was a former important technician at Radio Belize when this country only had one radio station. Gerald went on to put together his own radio station – FM 2000 which has been acquired and rechristened Positive Vibes. Gerald was also one of the movers behind the KREM Wednesday night call-in show during his years as technician and manager at Krem Radio.

Gerald has successfully undergone triple bypass surgery in Jamaica where his only daughter is a practicing surgeon specialist. It is a slow and long recovery but if anybody can do it Gerald can.

Big Respect, ‘Raldo!

JIMMY McFADZEN

Jimmy McFadzen has returned to Belize to restart a new life following his soldiering in the USA. Jimmy was a personality and radio journalist. It is expected he will be functioning back in that field as his voice has been heard on a couple of big time commercials.

Every Belizean who returns and engages in productive work builds and improves our country.

SANTIAGO BAEZA

We are reliably informed that the UDP radio station, Wave Radio through one of its hosts on their scandalous morning show has defamed the character of Mr. Baeza and his family. There is a recording of the inaccurate and false accusations. Mr. Baeza was been verbally attacked because he has been paroled from Her Majesty’s Prison presently managed by a private company named Kolbe. Wave’s host was saying that Mr. Baeza has committed murder and should never be out of the prison and that it was PUP wickedness that released him in violation of the law. This we are told is utterly false and untrue.

Other things were said about Mr. Baeza which were totally false and untrue. This is also defamation of character which can result in a Supreme Court case and orders for the payment of money for damaging a person’s character.

For the record Mr. Baeza was given time after a jury said he had committed manslaughter, not murder. He is not a convicted murderer. He served over ten years in prison, more than half of his time and the parole law is that a person is eligible for parole once they have served one third of their sentence. The Parole board by law is made up of professional and impartial public officers, and after a process of vetting by the police and other agencies, not – “the PUP.”

JOE NORTH

Joe North is the name of a thing not the name of a person. Fishermen and seamen treat Joe North with full respect. When the winds are blowing from the north it is signaling the coming of cold weather, squalls and strong waves.

In Belize the winds usually come from the east. All year round we get the easterly winds from over the sea moving over our shores.

There was a time in Belize when Joe North started blow the cockroaches which lived in our sweaters and flannel shirts would find themselves suddenly evicted as we dash to protect ourselves from the oncoming cold winds.

BOY IS GIRL

Somebody at Channel 7 is a little bit more than curious about a handsome young boy who claims he is a pretty young girl. The student has reportedly been featured no less than three times as a major news story at Channel 7 complete with his/her photograph walking daintily in a cha-cha-cha (slippers) and well attended hair style with bandeau.

The student has admitted that ever since he was seven years of age he was a girl. At high school he is now a full grown girl except he is not wearing dresses as yet. But he had been using the girl’s toilet.

The high school he attends has now kicked him out.

Another male who has been conducting himself as a female at the Ministry of Education has said he/she cannot assist one of his kind (a fellow Belizean) as the school is not under the influence of the Ministry. The young man/young girl says he/she feels like it is him/her alone against the world. That is a pretty lonely place to be.

We thought it a bit sensational to constantly be flashing this person’s picture on Channel 7 television screens. For one it will ruin the young person’s future and two it may expose him to serious violence given the nature of our society. You are either a man or a woman – that man in a woman body or woman in a man body don’t wash out here.

LET’S SEARCH FOR SOLUTIONS

The painful recession that has been biting our angry bellies need to be confronted and every bit of solution can help to ease the pain and punishment being inflicted on so many innocent Belizeans.

Hey, Mr. PM, can’t you reduce interest rates which DFC and SSB and Housing Department are collecting on housing loans. Them 15% and 12% and such are turning out to be killers of those peoples’ dreams. Doing something is better than doing nothing.