Incompetent UDP Minister & CEO of Agriculture strike again

Belize City, February 8, 2012

Like spoilt potatoes causing a revolting stink, a slew of permits granted by the Ministry of Agriculture, is threatening to destabilise the local potato market.

More than 55,000 pounds of potato, which were approved for importation from Mexico by cronies of the United Democratic Party, have flooded the local market, creating an unnecessary competition for local potato growers who were expecting to put out their full harvest by mid-February.

The permits were granted in a rush of a few days in late December last year by the Belize Agriculture Health Authority. The amount of potato imported is so tremendous that it has inundated the market for local growers who are now unable to sell their produce. Instead, their potatoes have been rotting in farms.

This latest crisis in the local food market is once more the work of incompetent Ministers and UDP cronies. Under Agriculture Rene Montero and CEO Gabino “Gambino” Canto the agriculture sector has been turned upside down. Local farmers have been the targets of constant attacks instead of assistance as Government has given priority to imported products instead of local produce.

In a very similar manner, the Ministry of Agriculture had brought the onion industry to near collapse as onion from Holland was imported when the local market had sufficient domestic supply. The same occurred in the rice industry when it was found that imported rice was being sold in the market.

Cardona says UDP’s 4 years have been a “reign of terror”

His OW East Upliftment Committee will campaign for Dr. Marco Tulio-Mendez

BELIZE CITY, Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

The political campaign fever hit a new pitch today when elected UDP area representative for Orange Walk East constituency announced that he was officially defecting from the ruling United Democratic Party and casting his support for the Opposition People’s United Party.

At a press conference held this afternoon in Belize City, Cardona said that his support for the PUP will not be as a candidate in the March 7th general election, but as a voter of the Orange Walk East Constituency. He announced too, that his 200-plus Orange Walk East Upliftment Committee and supporters would also join him in supporting and energetically campaigning for the PUP candidate, Dr. Marco Tulio-Mendez.

Cardona, who has been at odds with the UDP since 2008 when he was fired as a Cabinet Minister after opposing what he called a secret “sweetheart contract”, had found it impossible to speak against the UDP because Part VI, Section 59 (2) (e) of the Belize Constitution disallowed him to do so without being accused of “crossing the floor”, which would lead him to lose his seat in the National Assembly.

But with the Prime Minister having called for the House of Representatives to be dissolved, Cardona said he felt like “a free man”, and he spoke ever freely as he lambasted and verbally flogged the UDP Leader and Prime Minister, Dean Barrow, calling him “a false prophet” and a “1st class actor”.

Cardona said Barrow recruited him as a UDP candidate in the 2008 elections by personally convincing him that the UDP would be a party of no-nonsense and anti-corruption. But it was all a lie, he indicated, because as Prime Minister, Barrow has been promoting and covering up corruption in the forms of nepotism and cronyism that involves the enrichment of his close friends and families.

“…is awarding of millions upon millions of tax-payers’ dollars in legal services to the Prime Minister’s ex-wife Lois Young Barrow and brother Denys Barrow, when there are other equally competent, if not more competent local attorneys who could do the job, NOT a blatant act of “CORRUPTION” and “NEPOTISM” on the part of Mr. Anti-Corruption, Prime Minister Dean Barrow? Is the awarding of lucrative oil contracts to the Prime Minister’s nephew, Kimano Barrow, to allow him and his family to benefit from the oil bonanza in Belize, NOT another blatant act of “PUBLIC CORRUPTION” and “NEPOTISM” on the part of Mr. Anti-Corruption, Prime Minister Dean Barrow? Is the hundreds of thousands, and perhaps millions of dollars in earnings or legal fees provided to the Prime Minister’s own Law Firm, Barrow & Williams, by the several oil companies which have been granted oil concessions to operate within Belize, not another blatant form or act of “PUBLIC CORRUPTION”, or “BRIBERY in exchange for PATRONAGE” on the part of Mr. Anti-Corruption, Prime Minister Dean Barrow?” asked Cardona in his 9-page long statement.

Cardona also accused Barrow of punishing his people in Orange Walk East ever since he took his stance in 2008. He was ostracized and support to his area or people was prohibited. In 2010, the UDP executed a carefully planned political convention and exerted tremendous effort to ensure that their implanted candidate, Orlando “Landy” Burns, would replace Cardona as the next UDP candidate. Furthermore, Cardona said that during the last four years the UDP would “intimidate, coerce and punish” anyone who would even associate with him through various methods including threatening to fire if one was in the public service, taking away leases and private property, cancellation of business contracts, intimidation from GOB tax and regulatory departments, taking away of scholarships and even callously threatening senior citizens with cancellation of pensions.

Cardona described the last four years under Barrow and the UDP as a “4 year reign of terror, intimidation, oppression and victimization”. He said for that reason the Belizean electorate, starting with those in Orange Walk East, will exact punishment on the UDP on March 7th.

He warned Belizeans not to be deceived by Dean Barrow and his many promises, and begged Belizeans to ask themselves how many of the promises which Barrow made in 2008 have been kept in the last four years.

PUP Leader Hon. Francis Fonseca pledges to serve the people

Election announcement statement by Opposition Leader, Hon. Francis Fonseca

JANUARY 31ST, 2012

My Fellow Belizeans:

March 7th is Election Day!

After 4 years in office, P.M. Barrow and the U.D.P. Government have declared “Job Done”.

In the Prime Minister’s world of imaginary possibilities, all is well in Belize, life has never been better, the U.D.P. record he says is a “Stellar” one.

Well, those of us living and working in the “real” Belize, know that Belize is facing a serious economic crisis. Our people are struggling in the worst kind of way.

Cost of living keeps getting higher and higher. The food, light and water bills, school fees, rent and medical expenses are a heavy burden on our people. Wages are frozen. Unemployment is rampant rising from 8.5% in 2007 to 24% after four years of U.D.P. mismanagement of the economy.

Mr. Barrow and his U.D.P. Government talk Pro-poor but the reality is that poverty in Belize has grown to more than 40% under the U.D.P.

The economy is stagnant. The policies and arrogance of this U.D.P. Government has destroyed the investment climate resulting in a lack of growth, thousands of lost jobs, businesses and industries shut down, homes auctioned, major once thriving enterprises seized by the banks, loans defaulted on, children out of school.

The poor are getting poorer and the middle-class falling into poverty.

The U.D.P. came to office in February 2008 with great promises and the support of a hopeful nation.

They have squandered that hope and failed miserably to deliver on their promises.

Despite this, the Prime Minister asks for new clear instructions, he asks you the Belizean people to instruct him to spur economic growth, to do something about the Superbond, to roll out N.H.I.

After four years of incompetence and politics, the Prime Minister only now realizes that he and the U.D.P. were elected in 2008 to solve these challenges and to grow the economy.

My fellow Belizeans, we do not need to give the U.D.P. new and clear instructions, we need a new P.U.P. Government with clear plans and solutions to our social and economic problems.

The P.U.P. will deliver us from the stifling air of uncertainty and anxiety that prevails today and will set free the creative and enterprising spirit of the Belizean people.

Everyone who wants to work must have an opportunity to work so that all can enjoy a dignified life in a Belize growing in prosperity.

Working together, the public and private sectors as well as Civil Society and community organizations will, with the right leadership, pursue a vision of National Renewal, to grow the economy, create jobs, lower taxes, increase wages and build a 21st, Century infrastructure in a Belize that is clean and green, a Belize that is safe and secure where citizens can walk the streets without fear, engage in gainful employment, provide more for their children and enjoy a better life.

The U.D.P. want this election to be about the past. You passed judgment on the P.U.P. in February of 2008. This 2012 election is about the future.

I invite all Belizeans, over the next few days and weeks, to listen carefully to the plans and policies of the P.U.P.

We offer a creative and dynamic job creation plan.

- A bold and progressive Reform Agenda.

- A credible, targeted plan to tackle crime and violence.

- A visionary Agenda to improve Education and Health.

Together we can move Belize forward but it will require a Government that is serious, competent and focused on Solutions NOT Politics.

The P.U.P. is committed to a positive, peaceful campaign. The political parties will have their say but the Belizean people will have their way.

May God Bless you, your families and Belize.

Dr. David Hoy & Anthony Mahler will work together to ensure residents of Caribbean Shores have better representation

Belize City, February 1, 2012

The People’s United Party has had a prestigious record of attracting the brightest minds as it takes on the giant task of nation building. With the news that PUP Standard Bearer Anthony Mahler was stepping down as the candidate in Caribbean Shores for personal reasons, the void had to be replaced with someone of equal or better character and competence.

With the support of Mahler and the PUP Caribbean Shores Committee, Dr. David Hoy stepped up to the plate and has been selected as the Standard Bearer for the division. Like the previous PUP candidate, Dr. Hoy who is an eye doctor, stands out for service to the community and unquestionable integrity.

On Tuesday, January 31st, Dr. Hoy was announced as the official candidate. Dr. Hoy is the owner of Hoy Eye Center which has its main branch in Caribbean Shores. He is married and has four children. Dr. Hoy is an accomplished professional. In 1985 he graduated with summa cum-laude probatus honors from the Universidad Autonoma de Centro America, and then from the Hospital General de Mexico as an ophthalmologist in 1985.

From 1989 to 1994, Dr. Hoy served as the Head of the Ophthalmology Department for the country of Belize. Today, he continues to serve the nation as he is employed by the Government of Belize on a rotational basis to cover emergency cases at the tertiary level the Karl Huesner Memorial Hospital.

Dr. Hoy has kept abreast of new practices and technology in ophthalmology over the last 17 years and has attended seminars in Central and South America. In 2009 he received a Certificate in corneal and refractive surgery from the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary.

The residents of Caribbean Shores have been abandoned by the UDP Government, with the needs of proper infrastructure maintenance and development totally neglected. The answer to those problems is not another 5 years of the UDP no matter how glamorous the new UDP candidate appears to be. No everything that glitters is gold. The PUP, on the other hand, is serious about the work at hand and has put forwards its best candidates for the residents of Caribbean Shores. First Mahler, now Dr. Hoy. Mahler and the PUP Caribbean Shores Committee has committed to supporting Dr. Hoy and the PUP through to victory to ensure the division does not fall in the clutches of the UDP.

Independence Village, Stann Creek District, January 31, 2012

More and more shenanigans are surfacing from within the Elections and Boundaries Department, casting serious doubt about the integrity of the upcoming election process.

In the Stann Creek West Constituency, a voter found out he had been removed from the list. When he contacted the Elections and Boundaries Office to find out why, he was told they had received information that he had died. Unbelievable, right!

How can the Elections Department simply strike someone off a voter based on information. Isn’t there a verification process, where questioned are asked before actions are taken?

This matter has not been resolved as yet. An investigation has now started at the Elections and Boundaries office in Stann Creek West.

Voters across the country are advised to double check the voters’ list at their local PUP offices to ensure that their names remain and they don’t fall victim to UDP hanky panky. The UDP are hell bent on stealing the elections.

Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina

Guat President demands answers for shooting of Guatemalan nationals

Belize City, February 1st, 2012

For many months the escalating tension between Belize and Guatemala, perpetuated by incidences of confrontation and violence between security officials and nationals from both countries, has gone totally ignored by the Belizean Government.

But the recent shooting death of a Guatemalan national has triggered condemnation from Guatemala’s highest leader and Belizean authorities have been called into question. This is the most tense which relations between Belize and Guatemala have been in several years. This uneasiness is exacerbated by the fact that Guatemala is now led by an ex-military, who is believed to be a no-nonsense President.

Guatemala’s recently-elected President, Otto Perez-Molina, and his Minister of Foreign Affairs have condemned the fatal shooting of Guatemalan national 29 year old Juan Choc Chub, which occurred on Saturday, January 28, 2012.

There are differing reports over the incident. Belize’s security officials say the confrontation occurred inside Belizean territory, in the Chiquibul National Park, where B.D.F., police, forest officers and Immigration officials had two confrontations with Guatemalan nationals. They said a shootout ensued and the two Guatemalan men were shot in the process.

But Guatemalan officials have rejected the report. They say the two men were attacked on Guatemalan soil, in Monte de los Olivos in Dolores, Peten.

In that attack, Chub was shot dead, while his brother Daniel was injured.

Guatemala’s President, who is a retired military general, is treating the incident as a matter of national importance and has called for a full-scale investigation, while demanding answers from Belizeans authorities.

The Guatemalan government has indicated that they intend to defend the rights of their citizens based on international laws, and ensure that those responsible are punished.

The incident has triggered a meeting between Belize’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sedi Elrington and Guatemala’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Harold Caballeros, Vice Minister Carlos Raul Moralez and Ambassador to Belize, Manuel Tellez on Thursday.

Former PUP councillor Leonardo Chavarria, PUP Leader Francis Fonseca & former PUP mayor Tony Westby pledge victory for the PUP - see page 8

Belize City, January 24, 2012

Party Leader Francis Fonseca on Monday January 23, 2012 met with Former PUP Punta Gorda Town Councillor Leonardo “Chavo” Chavarria and former Punta Gorda Mayor Tony Westby. Both men visited the Party Leader to express their full support and confidence in the PUP under his leadership and to assure the Leader that they would be doing everything they could to ensure a victory for the Party both in the municipal elections in Punta Gorda and in Toledo East for the general elections.

The Party Leader thanked them for their support and confidence and expressed his strong desire to see a united team in Toledo East under the leadership of the PUP Standard Bearer Mike Espat. Both men agreed that they could and would work with Mike Espat because the people of Toledo East need and want a PUP Government.

As they said to the PL, “The interest of the people must always come first and whatever differences we had with the Party in the past must be set aside so we can elect a PUP Government for the good of Toledo and Belize”.

Boots Martinez

By Gilroy Usher, Sr. (PUP Standard Bearer for Port Loyola)

Jane Usher Boulevard and Neal’s Pen Road are two of the longest streets in the Port Loyola Division and as such they serve hundreds of pedestrians and vehicles daily. Given their importance, one would think the Area Representative Boots Martinez, who has been the Minister of Works since 2008, would have given priority to the proper upkeep of those streets the day after elections. Not so, however. For the four years, and with millions of dollars at his disposal every month, Martinez totally abandoned those and every other bad street in the division. He refused to even full up the huge water holes on Jane Usher Boulevard and Neal’s Pen Road to ease the suffering of school children and adults who traverse the areas. It would have only taken two truckloads of hard core material.

Over the last four years as Area Representative for Port Loyola and Minister of Works, Boots Martinez, had lots of opportunities to upgrade Neal’s Pen Road, which was last paved by the PUP, and Jane Usher Boulevard. Every time, however, he chose to upgrade the streets in other divisions such as Caribbean Shores and Freetown and scores of miles away in the districts.

Upon turning his back on Port Loyola, Boots Martinez forced the residents of Port Loyola, who elected him to office, to fight their way through mud and water and in huge potholes and craters.

Upon being elected to office, Boots immediately forgot that charity begins at home. As demonstrated by the total neglect of his constituency for the past 4 years, Boots Martinez simply has no care or love for the residents of Port Loyola.

In fact, in taking the good people of Port Loyola for granted, over the last four years, Boots Martinez has stated, repeatedly, that the people of Port Loyola will still vote for him although he is doing absolutely nothing to improve the constituency.  What arrogance by Boots Martinez.

With municipal and general elections around the corner and the beating he has been taken from the PUP Port Loyola Committee for the total neglect of Port Loyola, Boots Martinez suddenly remembered that Jane Usher Blvd and Pen Road need urgent attention and announced plans to pave those streets in time for the upcoming elections.

Residents of Port Loyola are tired of Boots Martinez and the UDP politics of convenience. After four years of neglect, Boots Martinez and the UDP are trying to bribe people to vote them into office again by using taxpayers hard earned money to sponsor election gimmicks such as free ham and groceries for Christmas, petty reduction of light bill rate by 3 cents, and the write off of mortgages at Social Security while they remove 1,500 senior citizens from the pension scheme started by the PUP.

Today residents of Port Loyola know that a vote for Boots Martinez and the UDP will be a vote for 5 more years of neglect in their constituencies. Even a poll conducted by the UDP themselves shows that 86% of the Belizeans polled believed their standard of living have gotten worst under the UDP.

As a man of my word, I, Gilroy Usher, Sr. has assured the residents of Port Loyola that as the next Area Representative for the division, he will work seven days per week throughout the year to ensure that their needs for better streets and other things are addressed.

Again we advised the residents of Port Loyola and Belizeans in general to take all the freebies that the UDP are offering. It’s your money, take it and vote them out of office in the upcoming elections for the massive neglect of the country.

Darrell Bradley

Patrick Faber

Belize City, January 25, 2012

The UDPs surely talk a good talk but when it comes to putting their money where their mouths are, they always bow out like a bunch of crybabies. Such is the case with two of their most notable crybabies, UDP Chairman, Patrick Faber and UDP Belize City Council Mayoral Candidate, Darrel Bradley.

As we understand it, LOVE FM had extended an invitation to the UDP Chairman and his counterpart, the Chairman of the People’s United Party (PUP), Henry Usher to appear alongside each other on the “LOVE FM Morning Show”. Obviously, the folks at LOVE FM are aware that the election season has commenced and therefore wanted to afford both mass parties the opportunity to discuss their election preparations.

The belligerent Faber wouldn’t have it, though, insisting to the organizers/hosts of the show that he appears alone, a demand which they bowed to unreluctantly. Thus, the two Chairmen appeared separately, the UDP Chairman appearing on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 and the PUP Chairman appearing on Wednesday, January 25, 2012. No doubt Faber realized that he would’ve been the one in the hot seat given the awful mess he and his incompetent Government have our country in. Moreover, the big mouth Area Representative for Collet knew, all too well, that he would’ve been no match for the PUP Chairman.

Sure enough, Faber’s caught cold feet but it paled in comparison to his Party’s Belize City Mayoral Candidate.  By now, all of Belize City and, indeed, the entire country know that at the first of its kind Belize City Mayoral Debate, planned, organized and conducted by LOVE FM, Darrel Bradley, on the advice of his foul-mouthed father, “Nasty Joe” was a no-show.  Television viewers and radio listeners of the debate would recall Independent Mayoral Candidate, Ernesto Torres publicly calling out Darrel for his decision not to participate in the debate.

On Tuesday, January 17, 2012, the University of the West Indies (UWI), St. John’s College Junior College (SJCJC) and Wesley Junior College (WJC) jointly hosted their own version of the mayoral debate.  Lo & behold, a visibly confident Bradley showed up this time around, cheered on the entire evening by the ten buffoons on his slate and a herd of UDP hecklers. From the time word of the debate had gone out, many political observers suggested that Darrel would have gladly and willingly participated knowing that his alma mater UWI was one of the three organizers. Clearly, the UDP Mayoral Candidate knew that he would’ve received “special treatment” from UWI.  Well, for his opponents and those who attended the debate, it was obvious that Bradley was “powdered and pampered”.

The BELIZE TIMES understands that LOVE FM was in the middle of planning and organizing a second round of the mayoral debates when it decided to abruptly cancel the said event.  As we’ve been reliably informed, this decision by LOVE FM was as result of the UDP Mayoral Candidate running scared once again and indicating to LOVE FM his decision not to participate.  While we can easily understand Darrel’s reason for opting not to participate in the debate, we simply cannot comprehend LOVE FM’s reason for canceling the debate.  Has LOVE FM forgotten that there are four other Mayoral Candidates who are all too eager to debate the issues? Are we to believe that LOVE FM is “taking orders” from UDP higher-ups?

The more Darrel Bradley continues to chicken out, the more he is viewed by the residents of Belize City as a pathetic joke. The truth is that even members of his beloved Party share this view of their Mayoral Candidate much the same as they do of his boorish father.

And just when we thought we’d laughed enough at the UDP Mayoral Candidate, we’re laughing even harder now at the news that the PUP Mayoral Candidate, Karen Bodden is no longer Darrel’s greatest fear. Word is that ever since the “driving instructor” called him out on national television and got rave reviews for his performance in the UWI/SJCJC/WJC sponsored debate, Darrel is losing much sleep as he continues to have nightmares about Torres.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Berthen Garay, 26, had just left his common-law wife of seven years, Elicia Lopez, at their house through “Pregnant Alley” at around 6:20 pm on Tuesday evening, January 24th, to go to his mother’s house through Taylor’s Alley, which runs parallel to the one where he lives.  He was not going to stay for long, but when he did not return home by 7:30 pm Lopez grew worried and called his cell phone.  To her shock, a policeman answered the call and informed her that he had just been found murdered.

The murder scene was six miles from Hattieville Village, on the Boom Road.  There, Garoy’s murderers shot him and left him on the road with four 45 calibre expended shells near his body.  His blood still freshly covered the pavement along a far-flung area from businesses or residences.  Police believe that he was killed at around 7:30 pm, just 15 minutes before he was discovered by a team of policemen on special patrol from Ladyville to the Hattieville Prison.  Garoy’s killers shot him six times at point blank range, once in his forehead, three times in the back and twice in the right shoulder.

While the police have many theories, including that he was taken to the area by someone he knew that picked him up, they cannot definitively pin-point who his killer or killers were, or why they murdered him.

Already we can see that 2012 has picked up right where 2011 left off, with countless unsolved homicides and many families without closures to their losses.  This UDP government has no meaningful investment for the Police Department.  There’s always “ongoing investigations” into murders that become several years old and no solution than the first day they occurred.  The people of this nation deserve better, Mr Barrow.  First do something about the high crime rate and murder counts, and then, when crime does occur, have a strong system in place that can turn over more convictions.  Berthen Garoy’s family, and those of all the other murder victims in the previous years, deserve justice.