There comes a point in time when stocktaking of our country, our party and oneself becomes a necessity, and not an option.  Yes, my article 2011…the year of the Rebirth in last week’s edition of the Belize Times painted a sordid portrait of the state of affairs in Belize. Nonetheless, it was a real picture and one which must be of concern to all of us.

It pointed to a trajectory of political, economic and societal disintegration and oblivion, which no one desires, and concluded that in order to reverse this apparent inevitability, a New Belize must be born, not created, with a new political, social and economic order. It further stated that only so will we be able to break the cycle of perpetual subjection of our people from internal and external forces, and enable them to live a better quality of life.

The purpose of the People’s United Party as stated in article 5 of the Constitution is ‘….to create a New BELIZE through the peaceful, constructive, Belizean revolution, which will bring to all Belizeans a better life and just share of the  national wealth.’ Undoubtedly, the architects of our constitution understood the intrinsic link between achieving a better quality of life, and equity in the allocation and distribution of the wealth of the nation.  Implicit is that one cannot be divorced from the other, as the latter is necessary to achieve the former.

The term applied to capture this was ‘social justice’, and implied in it, economic justice. It became the philosophical mantra of the party, and generally refers to the idea of creating a society that is based on principles of equality, solidarity, the entitlement of basic rights and human dignity. It is saying that people have a right to live in secure and safe communities, in decent homes, have equal access to justice, education and quality health care and recreational facilities; have freedom of expression and protection against discrimination and exploitation, amongst other rights and entitlements.

On October 17^th 2010, the national convention of the Party unanimously approved amendments to the Constitution of the Party. One such amendment was a new mantra…a broader and deeper mantra ‘…social, economic and environmental justice.’ This is now embedded in the philosophy of the Party. Economic justice is no longer implied. It is explicit. In addition, environmental justice, as a necessity to achieving and sustaining social and economic justice, not only for this generation, but also for the next, is included.

Economic justice traditionally refers to the right of persons to be employed, of workers to organize and their entitlement to a fair wage. Thus it involves the organization of economic systems to enable each person to earn a living, enter into contracts, exchange goods and services with others and otherwise produce an independent material foundation for his or her economic sustenance. It surrounds the individual, and also determines their place in the social order, as your rank on the ladder of the economic order, is the same in the social order.

Economic justice has evolved to be synonymous with distributive justice, which seeks to redress the disparities in the social order and living conditions of people, as a consequence of the inequity in the allocation and distribution of the wealth, or resources, which countries are endowed with, either directly, or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally. This is because simply organizing and reorganizing the economic systems has proven to be insufficient in enabling people to have a better quality of life. Why?

Historically, persons have been excluded from participating to their full potential in the economic and social systems of the country, and benefitting from them. They have not been able to access resources or opportunities, either by virtue of their place in the social and economic order, the policies, programmes and decisions of government, their political and religious affiliation, their ethnicity, gender, age, physical and mental disabilities or geographic location.

Environmental justice, while encompassing the right to live in a healthy and decent physical environment with access to clean drinking water and adequate infrastructure and transportation [roads, buses etc.], now includes the right of individuals and communities to have the use, benefit  and enjoyment of the natural resources surrounding their communities, as well as the responsibility, with other decision makers and stakeholders, to practise sound environmental stewardship to ensure that the environment continue to benefit generations to come, locally and nationally.

Social, economic and environmental justice cannot be divorced from each other, and must be the mantra of any government. Only when decisions are anchored in these principles, a just system of governance can emerge and exist, out of which a new political, social and economic order will be born to reverse the trajectory of the country, as only such an order can ensure equality in access to resources and opportunities and environmental sustainability, which will bring about social progress, not only for this generation, but for the next, and only so can the revolution continue, and  a NEW BELIZE be born, which will bring to all Belizeans a better life and a just share of the national wealth……

It is not the first time Barrow has flip-flopped on many issues since taking office – remember the commitment to the price of fuel being kept at $7;  his commitment to a DNA forensic lab;  the commitment to a world class basketball court, and the list of flip-flops goes on.

But in his usual way of projecting himself as Belize’s superhero that rescues Belize from some bad thing or the other, PM Barrow said on his way to that meeting in Florida that we cannot have our small operators pushed to the side like this and without any prior notice. Words were coming out of the PM’s mouth but they meant nothing! This was just another indication of his flip flopping manners.

And in his MO of distracting the public, he says he understands that Carnival’s main tender operator knew of the impending changes and so if anything they are the ones to blame.  Really, the PM expects the country to believe that a local company that has the contract to ferry passengers is the company to blame for Carnival’s move to larger tenders.  And that they were supposed to inform the nation of this new policy the same day that they and the nation got the news.  Now really, we Belizeans are not that dumb, Mr. Prime Minister.

The PM in his interviews with the media failed to inform the public that the BTB under the leadership of his appointed friend Seleni Matus had an entire section of its much flaunted action plan (developed by a host of foreign consultants who are friends of Ms. Matus) dedicated to cruise planning and destination management since they have so much experience in it.  So if anyone is to blame for not informing one has to look at the BTB as well.  They issue all licenses for cruise operations but more importantly, since being appointed in April 2010 and physically taking office in summer 2010, Ms. Matus’s efforts and priorities appear to be only cruise tourism and she has been in constant contact with the FCCA.

Her time in office at BTB began with cruise tourism, ensuring BTB lobbies to host the 2011 FCCA Platinum cruise conference in Belize by being at several FCCA meetings and which it will be hosting later on in the year. The year 2010 ended with the fiasco of BTB and the Ministry pushing cruise consultations in the south in order to justify a proposed cruise facility in Placencia which by now the country knows Placencia has categorically rejected, changed the wording in the BTB official action plan to downplay its role in getting the “Placencia citizenry ready for cruise destination management”, embroiled with local guides and operators outside the cruise village in the height of the cruise season. Now she has started 2011 with her first meeting in Miami with FCCA on this tender matter.

Does the PM and his trio of UDP cronies expect Belizeans to believe that this came as a complete surprise to them knowing how much this government, the BTB and the ministry has been involved with cruise tourism and the FCCA over the past  year and talking about better standards and improved quality of operations in the cruise sector.  To launch the tourism high season, they even had a cruise tourism rally at Old Belize.

With all this noise , effort and energy given to the cruise sector,  who exactly is looking out for the really more sustainable overnight sector which is the future of Belize’s long term growth in tourism?  With this team, it is all about bowing to the cruise lines and dealing with one cruise issue after the next.   Or as Krem Radio Talk Show host put it this week, all they were able to do is to rush off to meetings in Miami only to come back with “time”.   The cruise lines will give Belizean small operators time (up until October 2011) to get larger tender boats.

So who exactly is looking after the more sustainable, long term future of overnight tourism in Belize if all the energies and monies in flights, meetings, and negotiations over the past year have been about cruise issues?   With a Prime Minister who has publicly stated that he is all for oil drilling in protected areas (some of which do form many of the overnight tourism attractions), we are certain Belize can expect many more flip flops.

They say that time waits for no one…it simply moves on. Today is January 7^th. This marks 3 years that the United Democratic Party has been in office. It is a time they have spent squandering the confidence and hope the Belizean people so trustingly gave to them…a time they have spent pushing Belize closer and closer to political, economic and societal disintegration and oblivion, and inevitably to the grave.

Belize is slowly dying. This is sad. This is tragic. This is heartbreaking, as 2011 is also the year that we celebrate 30 years of political independence, and 61 years of the peaceful constructive revolution, which was birthed to bring to all Belizeans a better quality of life, and a just share of the wealth of this nation.

The stark reality in 2011 is that Belize has the highest poverty rate in the Caribbean. 143,276 persons or 43% in Belize are now poor, and cannot find $5.30 a day to eat, and an additional 14%, or 46,648 persons are vulnerable to becoming poor. This totals 189,924 persons or 53% and more than half of the population of Belize. Unemployment is at a staggering 55% in many communities, particularly among youth and women, and the only available options are to sell drugs and be engaged in other criminal activities. Any new investments are certain to be casinos and pawn shops.

Over 60% of all families are living in unacceptable conditions, and approximately 25% of that, in inhumane and deplorable conditions.  The National Health Insurance [NHI], the only health care safety net for the marginalized, which is the first stage for preventative health care, and the non-contributory pension for the elderly, are being insidiously withdrawn. 31,000 children or 30.2 % of primary and secondary age are excluded from schools, with sixth form and university out of the reach of over 95% of our population.

In many of these communities, frustration and fear of life has led to increase in domestic and sexual exploitation of children. Marijuana use is on the rise, as a means of removing one’s mind from what confronts them blatantly, each and every day, over and over again, but reality returns, when the high is gone, as the horizon is still ominous. As Bob Marley reminds us in one of his classic songs – ‘Excuse me while I light my spliff…Oh God, I have to take a whiff…but from reality I just can’t drift.’

We enter 2011 with one of the highest murder rates in the world, and the fifth in the region, with preliminary tally by Amandala reporter Aaron Humes at 39.62 per 100,000, well above the internationally accepted benchmark of 30 per 100,000 in average nations. According to Humes, more than half the murder victims in 2010 were under the age of 30, and 9 were children. What does this say about our future, particularly for our young black men?

We have witnessed the gradual re-colonization of our country, with our country mortgaged to international financial institutions, foreign countries and companies for over 2 billion dollars, and tourism, a dependency industry, controlled by foreign entities, being our number one foreign exchange earner.

We continue to be beggars internationally, yet shake our heads in incomprehension when Kim Simples Barrow, the wife of the Prime Minister of Belize, went with hat in hand to BNE’s Board in Ireland, to solicit money for the building of a resource center for southside Belize City, while out of $821.7 million dollars generated from oil exports, BNE’s take is $647.6 million or 79% and the people of Belize receive a paltry $174.1 million or 21%. They must have been laughing at us unlearned natives. Where is the just share of the wealth?  Is 2011 any different today from when the logwood and mahogany and sugar were being shipped out of Belize to enrich mother England?

Our government says our border is artificial. But maybe in the true sense it is, as we now have an adjacency zone instead of a border, with Guatemalans crossing freely and raping our resources daily, despite the herculean efforts of our under resourced and overworked security forces and natural resource managers, and planes are landing with impunity on our highways and in our faces at our international airport. Is territorial integrity and national sovereignty the cry anymore?

Our national heroes can be counted on two fingers, and national honours are pulled out of a closet each year by a select few. The Belizean dollar still has the Queen on it, and becoming a member of the British Empire is still something to aspire for, but the British is saying hasta la vista, and as we lament their departure, we are looking to the United States to save us. Is national pride and unity an impossible dream? Will the CCJ be any different from the Privy Council in delivering justice?

The reality is that we have regressed. We have not fulfilled the dreams and hopes of those who fought for independence, and the right to charter our own destiny. Where is the better quality of life for all? How is it that a few still have so much, and the masses are still suffering in a country that is so rich with wealth untold? Has anything really changed? Decision making is still in the hands of a few, but maybe now taking place in Belmopan, Washington and other capitals, instead of London, and legitimized by our parliament. Are the remnants of the British political parliamentary system of governance serving all of us or just a few?

Yet, I am the proverbial optimist. As did the Rt. Hon. George Price and the architects believe in the people of Belize in 1950, so do I in 2011. I am hopeful that we will understand, sooner or later, that the revolution that we are engaged in may no longer be peaceful. It must now transition to an all out war to radically transform our nation. As Belize lies on its deathbed, it is incumbent upon all of us as Belizeans, to confront the truth of the sordid state of affairs of our country. We must be prepared to break the cycle of perpetual subjection of our people, of creating a new political, economic and social order, for only so can the revolution continue, and only so will a NEW BELIZE be born, which will bring to all Belizeans a better life and a just share of the national wealth……

By: Mike Rudon Jr.

When I checked my email this morning there was a release from the ministry of police and public safety informing me that they had hired a new public relations officer. Immediately I was overwhelmed by a warm sensation of well-being. I was immediately uplifted, comforted and invigorated by this bit of knowledge. Gosh, I thought, finally we have been rescued from this dreadful scourge of crime; finally we can walk our streets in safety and peace; we will no longer be prisoners in our own homes, FINALLY; finally we will cease to be victims of the cold, callous, vicious criminals who prey on us and spill our blood with apparent impunity; finally we can stop grieving for our children and loved ones whose lives are wrested away each and every day. Glory hallelujah, praise the Lord, deliverance has been brought onto us by our saviors at the ministry of police and public safety. They have hired a public relations officer.

There’s this song which keeps playing over and over in my head. It’s an oldie but a goodie from this weird looking guy called Meatloaf. In it he claims most emphatically that he will do anything for love, but he won’t do THAT. Nobody knows what exactly he would do for love because apart from the promise there are no specifics. And nobody knows what is this monumental, prohibited ‘that’ which he won’t do. Again, there are no specifics. It’s like Mr. Barrow and the UDP, who promised that they would do anything for us. Three years after, we’re still left with only the promise; we’re still imagining the possibilities of them doing anything for us. And as for that elusive ‘that’ which they would not do? Well, all we know for sure is that the UDP absolutely will not be a competent, efficient, responsible, honest and transparent government. ‘That’ they will not do.

The other day I was listening to a news story about crime in Barbados. In 2009 the small island nation had something like 79 murders. In 2010 the murder statistic rose to 84. It was big news for the country, with a massive outcry by the populace for dramatic resolve and action while the government scurried to find answers. Here in Belize we have roughly the same population as Barbados. Last year 2009 we broke the record for murders with an appalling 103 for the year. This year we left that figure in the dirt and rose to new heights, or sunk to new depths, with 132 murders.

Cause for alarm? Sure, in the normal scheme of things! And it was important enough that the prime minister made mention of it in his New Year’s message to the nation. Only he didn’t make mention of any new initiatives, any crack-downs, any visionary plans, nothing. There was no acknowledgement of a crisis; no explanation of or resolve to address the problem; no commitment to the nation to fight crime tooth and nail in the New Year. Nope! In a strange turn of events, Dean Oliver patted himself on the back over the crime situation, claiming – ‘crime appears, albeit slowly, to be giving way to our now resumed, now unstoppable march of progress.’ Okay then buddy. Like it did me, I am reasonably sure that caught a lot of people by surprise.

See, what we’re stuck with is a wishy-washy, namby-pamby, poco-tiempo government – the genuine article. The biggest mistake is to expect anything real from Mr. Barrow and crew. If you’re looking for bold vision or innovation, you’re looking in all the wrong places. And this police thing is just one glaring example in a string of glaring examples.

Long after first minister of police Carlos Perdomo had proven to everyone’s satisfaction and dismay that he was a dud of the first order and a hopeless case, the prime minister finally acted. He replaced a dud with another dud, a figurehead, a monumental and very expensive waste of time. Under spent shell #2, Doug Singh, crime spiraled completely out of control to where it is now. We got Operation Jaguar which did nothing at all. We got Operation Restore Belize which gave us a nifty song. But that’s it…end of story.

And now as we enter 2011, Mr. Barrow and the UDP have done it again. They have offered us their answer to the unspeakable violence which holds us in chains. After much thought and brainstorming we have been gifted with their idea of a solution to the record-breaking murders, and that bold innovation is (insert drum-roll, ticking clock and anxious gasp from the audience)…a new public relations officer.

It can be argued that one of the greatest accomplishments during the ten years when the People’s United Party was in government was to diversify the economy. During 1998 to 2008 there was tremendous expansion in the tourism industry; there was the birth of the aquaculture industry; there was expansion in the agriculture industry, there was the advent of the call center industry; and finally, the establishment of the oil industry, just to name a few.

The Importance of Diversification

A strong, growing, sustainable economy is the goal of every nation in the world. A sustainable economy enhances a nation’s standard of living by creating wealth and jobs, encouraging the development of new knowledge and technology, and helping to ensure a stable political climate. Having a diverse economy—that is, one based on a wide range of profitable sectors, not just a few—has long been thought to play a key role in a sustainable economy.

There is also a link between economic diversity and sustainability, and economic diversification can reduce a nation’s economic volatility and increase its real activity performance. Furthermore, there are metrics that policymakers can use to measure these key economic dimensions and ways that they can promote their nation’s long-term economic health and stability. However, if one was to look at the major economic indicators of our economy, the performance over the last two and a half years have been a dismal failure.

There is No Confidence

One of the most important facets of an economy is the confidence placed in it by the people who have the money and interest to invest in new and old business. Today, the business community has no confidence in the economic policies being implemented by this government. No matter what this government does, the people of Belize have definitely loss their confidence in this UDP government. What that means is that the economy will not improve any time soon. I guess like Deputy Prime Minister Gapi Vega said, we will have to continue to be beggars.

Underemployment – Barrow’s Magic!

There are also many of our people who are underemployed, which is a strategy being used by the Barrow administration to “fudge” the unemployment statistics. The term “underemployment” has three distinct related meanings. In one sense, it refers to a situation in which someone with excellent job qualifications is working in a position which requires lesser qualifications, as for instance the case of an Accountant having to deliver mails. In the second sense, underemployment means working part time when one would prefer to be working full time. In the third sense, underemployment is a form of overstaffing in which employees are not being fully utilized.

Fiscal Costs to the Government

High unemployment has an impact on government expenditure, taxation and the level of government borrowing each year. An increase in unemployment results in higher level of “handouts” and lower tax revenues. When individuals are unemployed, not only do they need to rely more on the Ministers and other politicians to make ends meet, they spend less and thus the government collects less taxes. Maybe the Prime Minister and his goons in Cabinet like it when people have to depend on them.

Loss of Investment in Human Capital

Unemployment wastes some of the scarce resources used in training workers. Furthermore, workers who are unemployed for long periods become de-skilled as their skills become increasingly dated in a rapidly changing job market. This reduces their chances of gaining employment in the future, which in turn increases the economic burden on government and society.

Social Cost of Unemployment

High unemployment in any economy creates severe burdens on society.  The personal and social costs of unemployment include severe financial hardship and poverty, debt, homelessness and housing stress, family tensions and breakdown, boredom, alienation, shame and stigma, increased social isolation, crime, erosion of confidence and self-esteem, the atrophying of work skills and ill-health. Most of these increase with the duration of unemployment. Unemployment also falls disproportionately on already disadvantaged groups in society, for example lower-income earners and recently arrived migrants.

The Duration of Unemployment Affects the Economic and Social costs

It is clear therefore that unemployment carries substantial economic and social costs. These costs are greatest when long-term structural unemployment is high. It is agreed that high levels of unemployment are costly not only to the individuals and families directly affected, but also to local and regional economies and the economy as a whole.

In my research for this article I came across this quote which I believe sums up how many Belizeans feel today and which I think needs to be shared: ‘You don’t live when you are unemployed—you exist’ (Jackson & Crooks 1993). With closure of many businesses (National Transport, Batsub, Belize Aquaculture Ltd. etc) 2011 will be worse than 2010 and there will be many more Belizeans just existing.

By: Mike Rudon Jr.

I am ecstatic at the news that villagers in Belize Rural North are standing up and saying NO MORE. I mean absolutely no disrespect when I say that it’s about damned time. This thing is about way more than just PUP or UDP or VIP or PNP. This is about way more than petty politicking and propaganda. This is about people power, about people who hired Mr. Castro to represent them stating that he is a failure, an embarrassment and a hustler and they want him to answer for his actions. They want him to be investigated and charged if found guilty and they want him gone. I like it. I like it very much.

I’m fed up of people out there saying that the Opposition is doing nothing and allowing this Barrow administration to ride roughshod over Belizeans. What exactly is the Opposition supposed to do? Nobody seems to be able to answer that little gem? But it’s fine to just say that the Opposition needs to do more. I’m fed up of Mr. Barrow and his bunch wrecking this nation and then refusing to account for their actions. Three years after people kicked out the PUP and anointed the UDP amidst great golden promises of plenty, we are messed up. And every single time the Prime Minister or any one of his bunch of morons gets to a podium they blame the PUP…three years after they’re still blaming the PUP. Oh, crime is out of control…blame the PUP. The economy is in a mess, blame the PUP. Tourism is on the reef and sinking, blame the PUP. Businesses are closing hand over fist, blame the PUP. Our people have no jobs, blame the PUP. There are more school dropouts than ever before in history, but they want us to blame the PUP. So could somebody please remind me why we voted for the UDP?

Hell, when Mr. Barrow was asked recently about his junior minister’s actions and the media wanted to know if Castro shouldn’t be facing legal charges for the allegations against him, Mr. Barrow shrugged it off by stating stupidly that with all that his government was far, far, far, far, far better than the PUP. Not exactly what we were asking, buddy and not exactly a response which makes us feel all warm and cuddly inside, but typical Barrow.

Mr. Castro has been a very bad representative. That is no great secret. His wealth and holdings have increased beyond all proportion since he was named junior minister of works. There have long been talks about a missing grader under his watch; talk of land shenanigans; talk of hustling; talk of misappropriation of funds allocated for road-works; talk of vehicle-loads of contraband good crossing the border; talk of sexual misconduct. The arrogance of the man has been almost beyond belief. It still pisses me off mightily to see him using the government vehicle which we pay for so that he and his sons can exercise every more. But Mr. Barrow never cared about any of that. Castro continued to enjoy all the privileges and perks of his office and so much more.

I may be going out on a limb here, but I’m fed up of people complaining about those who are supposed to be serving us but doing nothing about it. I can’t stand the phrase, as true as it is – that people get the government that they deserve.

I don’t give a damn about who is in power. Our political representatives need to get the sense that the phrase ‘in power’ is just a fragile gift which we have chosen to give to them. Our political representatives need to realize that their hold on that gift is a tenuous one and will be decided by how ably they represent and serve us. This ain’t a free for all, Jack. We didn’t put you there so you could get rich and screw us in the process. Like I said, I don’t care who it is. This is way bigger than politics, way bigger than party lines. If the PUP gets into office and somebody screws up I’ll be here saying the exact same thing. Trust me on that.

This move by the villagers of Belize Rural North is a big one and a great precedent. For too long our politicians have screwed us and we need them to get the sense that we’re in charge. I hope this move goes all the way until the cries of our people have been heard because it should be all about us. And when Castro is gone, it should not stop there because none of our politicians are sacred cows. Some of them are guzzling at the public trough like gluttonous cows, but none of them are sacred cows.

You can’t make omelets without breaking a few eggs. Let Castro be the first and then let’s really get serious. If not, then we should all just stop complaining and sit back and let Mr. Barrow and his crew do what they want to us. I think as a people we’re bigger and better than that.

Carolyn Trench-Sandiford-Deputy Party Leader

There are times when the demands of life take you away from some of the tasks you meticulously list and set out to do, whether it being daily, weekly, monthly, or simply a singular activity. And then there are times when something occurs that reminds you in a profound and subtle way of the importance of completing that task.

This played out for me today when I heard of the passing of Jose “Joe’ Erales. Yes, I was saddened by the news, perhaps even more so, as the last time we spoke, it was about the Order of Distinguished Services Plaque that is to be positioned in a place of honour at Independence Hall.

Joe was a member of the Order of Distinguished Services, the highest honour to be awarded in our Party. He was very excited about the plaque, not so much because his name was already carved out on a metallic plate, but because it was to salute those persons who have displayed unselfish, consistent and loyal commitment and dedication to the Party over time, and who have earned their place as a member of the Order.  For like Joe, they were the ones who kept the revolution going despite all odds, or any obstacle that was placed before them, because they believed in the People’s United Party, and what it stands for. Joe knew them all.

While I have known Joe for many years–who do not know Joe Erales, PUP loyalist, stalwart, soldier, historian, Justice of the Peace–my conversations with him were not as many as I would have wished, but when they took place, they were uplifting and enriching, besides being educational, instructive and insightful. With Joe, there was always so much to learn and so little time to spend together to do it.

Consequently, much of our discussions would occur when he came by Independence Hall for meetings, or simply for a visit to make sure his beloved Party was functioning, or during the election phases. In fact, I could almost see him in front of me as a fixture at Independence Hall during the 2009 municipal elections, providing words of support and guidance. He knew that was perhaps one of the toughest periods of my tenure as Chairman.

During our encounters, he would regale me with the early days of the PUP, and the names and contributions of the people who were instrumental in forwarding the revolution, and the places he had travelled in his quest of nationalizing the philosophy of the party. His anecdotal accounts and experiences were vivid and compelling. It was as if you were there. And you heard it only once, so listening was crucial.

Sometimes it was about his stance besides the Rt. Hon. George Price in the fight against the British, the emotions of seeing the Belize flag being raised for the first time, or the many strategies that were used to win elections. There seem to be no end to what he had to say.

Of course, the conversations always ended with reference to my father, Elkin, and his role and participation in the party. These were truly special to me, as I was a child when my father was an active member of the party, so it was always a treat to hear of his involvement, the occurrences on the campaign trails, the glory of election wins and the pain and heartbreak of losing.

Joe was well researched and a library all by himself. While I know that the very nature of life will bring many other losses to our Party, I have no doubt that Joe will be one of those who will always be remembered, and whose spirit will always reside with us at Independence Hall, to urge us on in continuing the revolution to create the NEW BELIZE, which will bring to all Belizeans a better life and a just share of the national wealth.

It is the story of old Mr. Moody, a professional hypochondriac who believes he is very, very sick and has only one thing on his mind – his complicated illnesses.  Really, the sickness is mostly in his mind, and in the bills that his doctors send him and the prescriptions they write. With one main attending physician and 17 or 18 (he forgets) additional doctors, he’s so sick that he cannot see what’s going on in his own home.  His daughter is in love with a most unsuitable young man – an entertainer.  His housekeeper is opinionated, bossy and full of herself and has more than one trick hiding under her apron.  Moody is married to a beautiful schemer who has him under her spell and who just wants to enjoy her inheritance as soon as possible.  His dastardly doctor wants to treat him as often and as expensively as possible.  When Mr. Moody, who is also a music lover, hatches a plot to marry his daughter to his doctor’s intellectually challenged nephew, all hell breaks loose.

The cast features writer-director Joey Clarke as old Moody himself – and a funnier old enema-addicted fart you’ve never seen.  Joining him is Diane Garcia as Toinette, his brilliantly brazen housekeeper, and stage veteran Pamela Gideon, in a wickedly luscious turn as a trophy wife gone bad.  Jason Pasquale is hysterically pompous as Dr Malaprop, and Rodvern Lino shines as his completely inadequate nephew with a license to malpractice.

Berne Velasquez surprises in his first theatre performance as the hunky love interest with the golden voice; and in her debut appearance, teenage actress Tasneem Bhojwani sparkles as Moody’s pretty daughter who only has eyes for one guy – and it’s not the one her dad approves.  Ishmael Quiroz rounds out the players as the good brother, Uncle Hector who is liked by all and only has everyone’s -well, almost everyone’s – best interest at heart.

The play is a lighthearted romp suitable for audiences aged 9 – 99, and as an added bonus also features live singing under the able direction of Jason Guerrero.  You are guaranteed enough laughs to make you forget your own troubles for a precious two hours.  After all, isn’t laughter the best medicine of all?

What is particularly attractive and novel about this production is that show patrons may enjoy libations along with the laughter, and during the play, servers wait discreetly nearby to ensure that you don’t miss a single witty exchange, or visual gag.  Drama and drinks do make for a most pleasant evening’s entertainment.

There is still time to catch the Best Medicine in its last weekend at the Biltmore Hotel, on December 4, with true dinner theatre, the proceeds of which go to charity.  Your $60 dinner theatre ticket will allow you to enjoy a complete Dinner Theatre package, including the full evening’s entertainment.  Dinner will be served at 7pm, and show time starts at 8pm.  The proceeds from the Dinner Gala will be contributed to projects of the Rotary Club of Belize. Tickets to see the show only are $30 each.

There will also be an encore matinee performance with theatre-style seating on Sunday, December 5, at 6pm.

So, if you are need of a good prescription for love, laughter and a great night out, choose the Best Medicine this weekend.

Our national Coat of Arms features a shield.  Above that shield, rises a mahogany tree.  Below the shield is the motto scroll.  On that scroll is inscribed our national motto.  Most reliable sources translate this Latin phrase as “Under the shade I (We) flourish.”  Some however, give the slogan a more sinister, less desirable meaning: “I (We) flourish in the shadow.”  Forgo the attractive side-argument as to whether this meant under our colonial masters or under the mahogany tree.  Stick with the main thing – What can flourish in shadow?

Mushrooms and UDP Ministers, apparently.  Do not be tempted by fun fungus jokes, this is not the time.  Focus, rather on the shadows, for therein our democracy is currently lodged.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister of Belize, “with immediate effect, removed Hon. Edmund Castro as a Minister of State.”  Sacked him.  Cleared him out of the Ministry of Works, and from his Cabinet.

According the Press Release which was issued yesterday by the Office of the Prime Minister, “The decision was taken following a report made to the Prime Minister about an incident involving Hon. Castro. The Prime Minister was satisfied, after due consideration, that the report was substantially accurate; and that Hon. Castro had engaged in behavior inconsistent with the high standards of propriety to which the Prime Minister seeks to hold his ministers.”

So of course, like the sacking, with immediate effect, the entire country went into an overdrive of speculation, rumor, gossip, innuendo and yes, good, good, “yeri-so”.  We all became inquiring minds who demanded to know.  Leave that there for the moment.

Every member of the National Assembly, including the Honorable Edmund “Clear The Land” Castro” is subjected to the Oaths Act, Chapter 130 of the laws of Belize.  Under section 2, the Oath of Allegiance and Office “shall be in the following form:

“I,              , do swear [or solemnly and sincerely affirm and declare] that I will bear true faith and allegiance to Belize, and will uphold the Belize Constitution and the Law, and that I will conscientiously, impartially and to the best of my ability discharge my duties as [      ] and do right to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill-will. [So help me God.]

According to section 3 of the Oaths Act, “The oath of allegiance and office shall be taken and subscribed by every member of the National Assembly previously to his taking his seat as a member thereof, and such oath shall be tendered by the Speaker or presiding member at a meeting of the said Assembly.”

According to 7 News, “No details are provided of the so called “incident.”  But the only conclusion which can be drawn is that Edmund Castro was fired for engaging in corrupt or questionable behavior.”  Ominous if true, and this serves only to throw MORE fuel on the already raging bonfire of speculation.

Luckily, we have some illumination on the matter from 7 News’ Jules Vasquez who spoke to the “characteristically upbeat” Castro.  That exchange revealed that Castro “had a meeting with the PM yesterday” and they went over “whatever the allegation was.”

Asked by Vasquez if he “could speak of what that incident is”, the bold reply was “Jules I don’t think it was to that magnitude and I don’t wish to comment on that because I am not seeing it so but nevertheless we have to move on.”  Yes, well.

Undaunted, the veteran newsman pressed on. Undeterred, Clear the Land stated that “the entire story is not quite the way it turn out.” Sic.

But as News 7 puts it so well, “the burning question that everyone wants an answer to is: what did Castro do that got him fired from Cabinet?

Channel 7 and Jules had the scoop, however, and informed the Jewel that “a Belizean American woman went to the Prime Minister complaining and offering documentary evidence establishing that she had paid Castro just under 50 thousand Belize dollars to privately purchase 20 acres of land from him”.

The news item went on as follows : “Our information says that an initial amount of ten thousand US dollars was paid in 2009 – and then – she claims – Castro asked for additional amounts to finalize the transaction.   Eventually when no title was forthcoming, the woman who lives in the United States got fed up and took her complaint to a good many people before she finally got to the Prime Minister.  They met this week – and – our sources say – she provided documentary evidence that she had transferred monies from her bank in the United States to Castro. Again, our understanding is that it was a private land purchase – but according to our information, the complainant had not received title – or any document entitling her to any piece of land.”

Simply sensational.  Amazing, astounding and alarming. According to the oracle at  Channel 7, “The proof she provided was enough to convince the Prime Minister who called in Castro and acted decisively to remove him as Minister.”

According to another reliable media source, Prime Minister Barrow has “confirmed that he fired Junior Minister Castro because of wrong doing involving land transaction. When asked by Channel 7, the PM said whatever wrong was done will be righted. He did not want to go into details to publically embarrass Mr. Castro.”  Such delicacy of spirit is novel and fascinating when found in our fearless Head of Government.

Why not, Prime Minister?  Why no detail?  If the wrongdoing was sufficiently substantiated to warrant removal, then the Minister must have broken his oath.  Either he did not bear true faith and allegiance to Belize, or did not uphold the constitution or the law; or maybe it was failure to comply with the part about doing right to all manner of people.  Not discharging duties to the best of ability is not reason enough in this cabinet to be sacked. Just ask Carlos.  Plus, the PM’s knows the full extent of Castro’s ability, and has known its limits for some time now.

So, what does the wrongdoing amount to? Does it rise above moral turpitude to the level of criminal wrongdoing?  Only the PM, the complainant(s) and Castro know for sure.  If the Minister’s wrongdoing does amount to an offence under Belize’s Criminal Code, does the PM have a legal duty to inform the DPP?  If he does, and he does not, is there a cover-up?  Citizens have a right to know.

When it comes to scandal, whether whiff or more, oftentimes the cover-up is worse than the initial wrongdoing.  Just ask former US President, Richard Nixon.

Whatever the truth is, in respect of former Minister Castro, as well as the Ministries of National Security & Immigration, and Police, it must come out of the shadows and face the light.  The Prime Minister’s high standards of propriety, to which he seeks to hold his Ministers, demands no less.

No citizen is above the law, not even ones who can claim parliamentary privilege in the National Assembly, but not outside.  Thanks to this government in fact, there is a particular legal remedy put in the hands of the good citizens of the Jewel.  As from December 1, 2010, any elected representative of the people who has disgraced or disappointed those electors whom he represents, may, according to this Prime Minister, now be subject to the Recall of Elected Representatives Act which provides for the recall of Members of the House of Representatives before the expiry of their normal term of office.

Before you lament, stalwart daughter and son of the Baymen’s Clan, like Herodotus, about men who set a place apart in the middle of their cities where they gather to cheat one another and swear oaths which they break; take heed from our anthem.  Put on your armour.  Clear the Land. Drive back the tyrants, let despots flee.