UDP Politics as Usual…

Wake up call…

Knowing the UDPs in general and in particular Mr. Nemo, Melvin Hulse, it is no stretch of the imagination to see the whole crew patting themselves on the back for a job well done with Tropical Storm Alex. But the fact that we were all spared damage from this storm has absolutely nothing to do with NEMO and certainly cannot be credited to any preparation by NEMO. The storm was an anomaly, promising 65 mile an hour winds but delivering less than half that. There is no time or reason for self-congratulations here. If we had been hit by a storm of any note, our nation would have been devastated. If the truth be told, Belizeans were in the end given only a couple hours to prepare for the storm because Mr. NEMO was asleep at the wheel – AGAIN! How many persons were given adequate time to put up shutters, to fortify their homes, to stock up on hurricane provisions? How many shelters were opened? What resources were dispatched to render relief in the face of a storm which could have been much worse? Were preparations made to evacuate persons in the South in the event of the Kendall and Middlesex crossings becoming inundated (a sure thing in any serious storm)? The reality is that anybody on the far side of the Kendall crossing would have been left to their own devices because no provisions otherwise were made. And there are so many questions which must be answered. Tropical Storm Alex was a wake-up call, make no mistake about that. Belizeans should thank God that it was only that, and start making preparations for what else is out there. NEMO should also look at the mistakes that were made and use the reprieve which has been given to make sure they get it right next time. Because the way the season looks, there will be a next time.

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Ring around the collar…

On April Fool’s Day, Mr. Barrow stood in front of the nation and took Belizeans for fools. He broke the news of a crime ring which had been uncovered within the Police Department, a ring masterminded by a Detective Constable Mangar; a ring that had been responsible for all the brazen robberies which had been taking place in the country including the Scotiabank Spanish Lookout heist. Mr. Barrow assured Belizeans that they could sleep easy in their beds since their businesses were now safe. He credited brilliant Police work for uncovering the ring. Detective Constable Mangar was promptly arrested and his name was ruined. His wife and family were caused untold hardships. The breadwinner of the family had been incarcerated without warning. There would of course be legal and other expenses incurred. Mr. Barrow did not really care…he made his stunning declaration and sailed off into the sunset without a second glance. Now we hear that the charges against Detective Constable Mangar are about to be dropped because there was never any evidence against him. A man’s life was ruined for no reason. His name was ruined for no reason. The Prime Minister should pay for this careless mistake. The Police Department should pay, and pay dearly for the wrongs against this man and his family. We cannot allow these things to go unpunished.

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Dropping the bar…

Mr. Barrow is by now well known as a man who will go back on his commitments without blinking an eye. He has been a practicing liar for many years now but has perfected the art since February 2008. Remember how in the UDP manifesto he promised the social partners and other organizations input and influence on the decisions made by government. Well the unions reminded him of that when the Venezuela funds were about to be disbursed. Barrow said – who, me! I don’t remember that. Then just a week or so ago he was reminded by the Bar Association that he had promised them inclusion in important decisions involving the Judiciary and the dispensation of Justice. Mr. Barrow forgot that one too and gave the Bar the figurative finger. This is a man who has no problem riding roughshod over everything and everybody in his path. Look at the case of the Chief Justice. There is no sound reason for the Chief Justice to be kicked off the Bench with such immediacy. The move will cost Belizeans who have cases before the CJ a pretty penny, since these cases will need to be heard all over again in front of another Justice. The backlog of cases will be made much worse. Mr. Barrow has been advised of all this, but has indicated that he doesn’t give a damn. He doesn’t care about the backlog or the effect on the timely dispensation of justice. He doesn’t care about the unnecessary costs and time delays which will have to be borne by those with cases before the Chief Justice. Mr. Barrow wants the Chief Justice gone, so he’s gone. End of story. Our Prime Minister should be aware that the region is watching these events unfold with much interest. There will be repercussions. Of that there can be no doubt.

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Huge disrespect…

There are few other cases which reveal the hypocrisy of Dean Barrow and his lady love as much as the Maya communal rights case. The Chief Justice issued his decision this week and it has Lady Lois furious. She immediately proclaimed that government will need to appeal because this thing is huge…too huge to trust a decision by the CJ we gather. Lois went further to disrespect the Maya people, questioning their veracity as REAL Maya. This is not the first time that Lois has disrespected the Maya. But just about three years ago it was a completely different story. Back then Lois fought tooth and nail for the same Mayan rights she is doing her damnedest to have denied. Back then she was the attorney on record for the Maya, not the attorney insulting them and demeaning indigenous people at every turn. But back then her ex-hubby wasn’t where he is today. In 2007 Dean Barrow was the leader of the Opposition and the Maya people were his best friends. In more than one interview Barrow proclaimed that the Maya would always have support from the UDP. He proclaimed from every pulpit and podium that the Maya were justified in their land claims and he had their backs in the battle for their rights. But oh how things have changed. That was back when Dean Barrow wanted to be Prime Minister, back when he would have said anything to be seated in that top spot. Now that his posterior is firmly planted in the throne, he can show how he really feels. He can now show his true disdain for indigenous people. The Maya people will not forget the very personal insults heaped on them by Lois. They will not forget the Prime Minister turning his back on them.

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Don’t panic…

How reassured our people must have been when both the Prime Minister and Boots Martinez sent word advising them not to panic because they would be monitoring the situation from their party in Miami. Can you imagine that? The Area Representative of Queen Square and the Area Representative of Port Loyola, two of the most impoverished areas in the city, were both bashing it up in Miami while their constituents prepared to face a storm they had no idea about. If that storm had brought its promised winds, there would have been significant damage in both those constituencies. As it is, there was serious flooding in Port Loyola. But it was more important for the Prime Minister and his sidekick Boots to profile than to be here with their people facing the storm. If I didn’t believe in God before I would now after what happened in Miami when the whole kit and caboodle had to be evacuated from the hotel after a bad smell overwhelmed everybody just after the Prime Minister began to talk. Talk about poetic justice. Both the Prime Minister and Boots will need to answer for neglecting the people just when they were needed the most.

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