Barrow too Stubborn, too aze ha’ad

On Tuesday, Adele Ramos of the Amandala wrote an article titled “’Off Shore Drilling has Green Light’: Prime Minister Barrow.” In this article Ramos said that the Prime Minister remains unconvinced that government should change its position.  What is it with Barrow?  Could it be that he is so used to being around people with no good ideas and talents that he has somehow concluded that he is the all-knowing, always correct master?  Worse, does he have a plan to protect us in the event that these guys strike oil offshore and it starts to spill into the Caribbean?

Barrow told Amandala that he “is still in favour of offshore drilling in a limited way in ‘particular areas.’” We at the Belize Times find this unbelievable, especially in light of the public outcry over this whole issue.  All the local experts in the protection of our marine ecosystem tell us that we have a very fragile marine environment and they all tell us that it is one of the wonders of this world.  We were almost taken off our World Heritage status by UNESO because of dredging and recent actions which threaten the system and yet the Prime Minister, after watching what is happening as a result of the BP oil leak in the Gulf, remains “unconvinced” that we should hold off?

Obviously the Prime Minister, in his ultimate wisdom, knows more than anyone else.  If ever there was a case of absolute power and how it can affect a person, this is it.  Get the sense Mr. Barrow – Belizeans do not think offshore drilling is worth the risk.

Vega’s Convention

When Gapi Vega got the nod from his Chief that he can host the UDP Convention in Orange Walk Town it was a surprise, after all everyone knows that Orange Walk Town has been neglected by the UDP Town Council and Central Government in an effort to embarrass Marcel Cardona, who continues to be a thorn in Vega’s side.  You see Vega sees himself as somewhat of a Red King in Orange Walk and he is dying to impress his boss.  But what Vega doesn’t want his Party’s leadership to know is that where the UDP is concerned; Marcel is not going to let Vega take control.

Of course this is not what is troubling to us – what is troubling to us is that while Orange Walk has been neglected for the past 3 years, the Town Council has now been busy using tax payers resources to fix up People’s Stadium to make it ready for the UDP Convention.  While the streets are broken and the drains clogged, while the town is in the worse state of disrepair ever, Town Council employees are being put to work around People’s Stadium.  None of this will matter, for as far as Orange Walk politics is concerned, unu UDP gawn!

Political victimizing is hurting all of us

When a political newspaper writes something that is negative or accusatory of their political opponents, there are always those who will view it with a certain measure of scepticism.  This is understandable, and so on those occasions when an independent source confirms that what we are saying is indeed not an exaggeration then we have to go ahead and use that oft heard cliché, “We told you so.”

During his presentation Dr. Herbert Gayle confirmed something that we have been saying here at the Belize Times over and over again; that the callous and vindictive behaviour of the UDP, the victimization of hard working Belizeans and the firing of PUP supporters, particularly single mothers, has negatively affected just about every Belizean family.   Dr. Gayle referred to this as political tribalism and considered the level of this behaviour as “alarming.”

We told you so.

A shortage of information on the effects of Dengue

This week the Belize Times set out to determine just how many Belizeans in the Cayo District and in the Belize District are affected or have been infected with dengue fever so far this year.  All attempts to get an answer from the Public Health Department was futile, and not because it was the Belize Times trying to get this information, but because the information was just not available.  Yet in a release sent out by Government it stated that the places most affected by dengue are the Belize and Cayo Districts.   Of course such pronouncements should only be made if backed up by data, which should be readily available.

The fact is that there is no proper collection of information on this matter. There is real work being done in the Ministry of Health to deal with this situation and to educate Belizeans about how this disease is affecting our communities, however.  Once again the Minister of Health and his team have been caught unprepared and are unable to deal with this situation.

This is yet another example of the incompetence of this UDP government and their inability to properly manage the affairs of the nation.

How can a government with a super majority become a “fragile central political authority?”

“In a country where there is a strong central political authority, people are not allowed to live in a morass and dump around them with garbage.  Such pictures give the impression that people are on their own and there is little or no sense of parameters for social and physical action.“  – Taken from the Summary Report of “Male Social Participation and Violence in Urban Belize” by Dr. Herbert Gayle.

What Dr. Gayle is telling us is that things in Belize are falling apart; everywhere you look the system is breaking down.  From the bridge at Kendall in the south, which went down more than two years ago, to the broken down streets and highways across the country, nothing seems to be working right.  In the north our cane farmers are dealing with a crisis in the sugar industry and are on their own.  In Belize City the streets are being overrun by criminal activity and murder.  Our education system is inadequate, our health system is unable to deal with seasonal health issues like the dengue outbreak, our athletes are punishing when they go abroad to represent our country and on and on.  We are messed up and it is clear for all to see.

A cemetery at mile 13…

Does anybody else find it a little strange that as of Monday there were only 12 spaces left at the Lord Ridge Cemetery and the idiots at City Hall are just now trying to explore another option? I figure that by this Friday those 12 spaces will be filled and then what? Do we leave our deceased loved ones at home until some other alternative pans out? Our municipal geniuses (insert extreme sarcasm here) are looking at mile 13 as an option. Even if that does happen, we’re looking at sometime down the line and certainly not by Friday. In fact, according to the Principal Planner who would be working on that project at mile 13, they’d need to plan this project to include proper streets and drainage and parking and maybe a chapel; so with the City Council at the helm we’re looking at a really, really long term project. Remember this is that bunch that couldn’t even pave a street in downtown Belize City. And besides that, how many poor Belizeans can afford to transport their loved ones all the way up to mile 13 to be interred. Remember we don’t all drive government vehicles while use fuel paid for by taxpayers. This whole plan makes absolutely no sense, which ironically means that it makes perfect sense that it would come from this UDP city council crew. The question of the week – what happens to deceased number 13 and 14 and 15? We’d really like to know.

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Overpaid under-workers…

Sometimes I wonder if people remember that our UDP city councilors are still being paid extremely hefty salaries from the public purse to ensure that their respective portfolios are handled adequately. Really, all the Councilors are getting nearly $1000 a week to do the people’s business. And that’s outside of their private full-time jobs. Probably some people may not have realized this because most of the Councilors are conspicuously absent from City Hall most of the time. Perhaps we forgot over time because the city is so dilapidated that we couldn’t imagine people actually being highly paid to take care of it. Yes, there is a Councilor being paid to ensure that parks and playgrounds in the city are well maintained. That must be breaking news to residents of the city, I’m sure, especially those living around parks. This morning one of the hosts on a morning show claimed to not even know all the Councilors in the city because apart from one or two who live for photo opportunities the rest are MIA. If we weren’t paying them I wouldn’t give a damn about them being MIA but we are so I do. We’ve got to start holding these Councilors accountable. They’ve gotten a free ride for far too long.

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The Dengue Outbreak…

Finally this week I heard somebody or the other associated with the Ministry of Health admit that this is a dengue outbreak based on the startling increase over their statistics for the past 5 years. According to the figures there have been about 400 reported cases of dengue and I believe he said 49 cases of hemorrhagic dengue. Last week a child died, reportedly because of a late diagnosis and the hospital’s inability to provide blood on time. The reality is that the increase in cases is very likely due to the under-resourcing of the Vector Control Section in the Ministry of Health. There are just not enough vehicles and sprayers and no money to buy the chemical used to kill mosquitoes. The priorities of this government are seriously skewed. There is money to purchase a vehicle costing nearly $200,000 for the Minister of Health but no money to buy equipment to address a disease which has already claimed the life of a child, unnecessarily. And that brings us to the public health system! Have our hospitals and clinics been made ready to deal with cases of dengue and hemorrhagic dengue? Apparently not! Has the blood bank been stocked to deal with urgent cases which require immediate transfusions? Apparently not! What exactly are we waiting for? God forbid that any relation of mine fall prey to what has been rendered an incompetent and inadequate public health system by a negligent UDP administration, because I promise there would be hell to pay.

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The case of Mr. Buckley…

A couple months ago a healthy, strapping young man who was the breadwinner of his family was shot by a Policeman through no fault of his own. He almost died because an officer of the law shot him twice with a shotgun for no reason. He was breaking no laws; he was doing no wrong, simply returning home after a day’s work. Nothing will ever be the same for Mr. Buckley. He has not been able to provide for his family and probably will never be able to return to the life he once had. He has suffered and his family has suffered. The Police Department which is responsible for this situation promised to help but that help never materialized. I remember when the law partner of the Prime Minister was shot. I remember Mr. Barrow taking center stage and pontificating at length about the situation. I have not heard the gentleman render even one comment on the case of Mr. Buckley. Mr. Williams was wealthy enough for a chartered jet to fly him abroad for the best medical attention. Mr. Buckley doesn’t have that luxury. He will have to struggle to do the best he can for himself and his family. Mr. Barrow had and has the power to do something for Mr. Buckley. Perhaps this is something the Prime Minister can instruct his new Minister of Police to look into when he stops slobbering.

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Rocky Bald-Barrow…

Sometimes I wonder just what is going through the bald head of our nation’s leader. Yes I understand that he lives the life of the privileged and the very wealthy. Yes I know that he doesn’t have to wonder where his next meal will come from or how those utilities will be paid. I understand all that, but is Mr. Barrow so blind that he cannot see how people are living out here? Can’t he see the poverty and the frustration and the anger and desperation as things just get harder? The UDP is running an ad about their upcoming convention. The center of attraction is a beaming, glowing Dean Barrow with arms raised. The music track for the ad is the theme from Rocky where he gears up for his match with the big Russian and the video caption reads – Inspiring the Future. That is a joke. It has to be. Mr. Barrow should fire his propagandists for making a fool of him. Inspire the future…many Belizeans don’t even know what the future will bring because of Mr. Barrow. Many Belizeans are just trying desperately to survive the present under Mr. Barrow. The ad is an insult to all Belizeans and a sign that our leader, enclosed in the luxury of his own personal circumstances, has not a clue about the reality which he has brought upon us.

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The DPP’s strange revelations…

In an interview aired on Channel 5, Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryl Lynn Branker Taitt Vidal stated that the Prime Minister’s decision to remove the Chief Justice from the bench is irrational. She states, though, that the Prime Minister is not an irrational man so there must be some reasoning to which we are not privy. We agree with you, Madam DPP, there is another reason. We believe that the Prime Minister has moved on the Chief Justice because he has made several landmark decisions which have not gone in Government’s favour and it angered to PM. We believe that the PM is a petty man who had no qualms about using his powerful position to deal with those he feels have slighted him. Madam DPP also spoke about the mysterious Court 3 and her comments were startling. See, Court 3 will not come under the auspices of the DPP’s office. Court 3 will be governed, so to speak, by the Attorney-General’s Office. The Attorney-General is a political appointee who was chosen by the Prime Minister, so it stands to reason that this special Court which is to hear special cases will be influenced directly by politicians with none of the objectivity which should be granted by the Office of the DPP. We have been told that this Court is an illegal court. We have also been told that the special prosecutor picked to handle cases in this court has packed up and left the country due to concerns about the legality of the proceedings which are to be held there. Strange things, indeed, though nothing unexpected really from this UDP administration!

Doug Singh’s queer behavior…

By queer in this piece I am referring to strange, though many will choose to take it the other way. I am absolutely amazed by the fact that Doug Singh’s first decisive moves since his appointment as Minister of Police include a new gym, putting policemen on a diet and challenging officers to a manly competition including running two miles, doing 75 pushups and doing 25 chin-ups. Mr. Singh has yet to say anything about rooting out the corruption in the Police Department; rebuilding the lost confidence of the community; strengthening the relationship between the DPP and the Police; improving training of officers; a new forensic lab perhaps; taking the war to the streets or anything remotely involved in fighting crime. Really, the gentleman seems obsessed with the most cosmetic and frivolous inroads into solving a deep rooted and ugly problem, and that is just plain strange. And of course, this seeming obsession with sweaty policemen in scanty attire pumping iron and doing pushups – well that is just plain queer. Faced with an 8 year old who was viciously gunned down while playing in his own yard, just seconds after another man was shredded by bullets from an M-16 assault rifle, Mr. Singh says absolutely nothing. But he has a lot to say about some stupid challenge to officers. This is really no laughing matter. While Mr. Singh indulges his lust for fit police officers, our streets are running red with the blood of the victims and the tears of those left behind. Enjoy your race, Mr. Singh.

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Unnecessary public insults…

For there to be any success in this crime-fighting thing, corruption within the Police Department will have to be rooted out and everyone that’s left will have to move in sync like a well oiled machine. Mr. Singh’s inappropriate comments about sloppy, big-bellied officers will go a long way to ensuring that any cohesion in the upper echelons of the Department will be a long time in coming. The new Minister could well have met with Department heads and addressed the health and fitness of officers, their attire and any other aspect of cleanliness he chose to. Instead he took it nationally and ensured that everyone in earshot of a television heard his insulting and derogatory comments aimed at officers who have our security in their hands. There was no need for that. And here’s another thing. Back when things were under control, criminals used to have a healthy respect for and fear of the Police. How now, Mr. Singh? The funny gentleman has insured by his girlish taunts on national television that his officers have been made into a laughing stock. Those comments will have repercussions for a long time to come; bad repercussions for us. You can take that to the bank, Mr. Singh.

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The DPP/Police Relationship…

For a long time now we’ve been bashing madam DPP, but apparently there’s a lot more going on in the justice system than meets the eye. Rather than being all agog about sweaty policemen, our Minister of Police would do well to try and repair the very critical relationship between these two entities. We all know how important that relationship is. We have seen accused murderers walking down the court steps because of some foul up between the two departments. We have seen the intimidation of and threats against witnesses in murder trials which more often than not lead to the case being thrown out. The DPP should play an active role in just about every aspect of any serious criminal offense. The Police should seek advice and instruction from the DPP in the investigation process, the placement of charges and preparation for trial. This will ensure that when prosecution time rolls around, everybody’s on the right page. That hasn’t been happening and we’ve seen the results. The blame for this rests squarely on the shoulders of Mr. Barrow, who has for his own purposes ignored this problem and Mr. Singh, who is fixated on fit police officers and probably isn’t even aware that this is a serious problem.

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The strange case of Mr. Mangar…

Just before the Easter break, the Prime Minister and the Commissioner of Police did their best to ruin a young Police Officer’s life on national television for the whole country to see. They accused this gentleman, Detective Constable Mangar of masterminding heinous crimes, including a bank heist in Spanish Lookout which left one man dead. They said he was the ringleader of a criminal ring within the Police Department. Mr. Mangar was arrested and his home was searched while his wife and family looked on. He was remanded to prison and paraded before the nation as a criminal, somebody to scorn. He is still before the Court even as this is being written. But strangely enough, the Belize Times has received a copy of a letter from the DPP to the Police Department advising them that there is no evidence against Mr. Mangar and the charges should be dropped. Even worse, that letter from the DPP was dated June 3^rd, more than a month ago. The Police Department has not done as instructed by the DPP. Mr. Mangar continues to serve time in the public spotlight as a criminal. This entire episode has been grossly unfair to Mr. Mangar and his family. He deserves massive financial compensation from the Police Department which appears to be acting without reason or rationale. Unfortunately, the Police Department will never be able to compensate the young man for what he and his family have suffered.

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The expelled, un-expelled Mayor…

Last week Zenaida was expelled from the UDP and then a day or two after, she was un-expelled. Truth be told, the soap opera antics between the Mayor and her allegedly balls-less leader and all the other bit-players means little to anybody out here. All we want – all we ever wanted was a Mayor who would serve the people with integrity, with honesty, with accountability and who would get the job done. Instead we got Zenaida Moya who took us all for a ride. What we got were sweetheart deals, mismanagement of public funds, misappropriation of public funds and audits revealing hundreds of thousands of dollars missing. Oh, and we got under-depositing too. The city is in a wreck and looks and smells like a pig-sty. Our streets have been left to rot. The Mayor has done absolutely nothing for the city since she took office four years ago. A lot for herself, but absolutely nothing for the city! So really, the theatrics, to balls or not to balls shenanigans of this crew mean little to Belizeans. We need the job to get done – end of story!

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Unanswered questions…

Now that the sports hoopla is over and done and the go Belize fever has been broken by the cold reality of defeat, a lot of questions are re-surfacing. Why was proven successful coach Kevin Siroki discarded in favour of a man who had absolutely no coaching experience and whose only claim to fame was playing for great coaches? How much exactly did we spend so that Team Belize could get to the Dominican Republic for a week? Half a million? More? How much did we pay Coach Marques Johnson for his shot and unsuccessful stint in Belize? Who’s feeling the fool now that we’ve lost and the Coach up and left without a word and the entire team is feeling demoralized and disenchanted? Have we gained more from this outing than we lost? People really, really want to know.

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The UDP Land Grab…

What’s going on with all these UDP cronies who are grabbing up choice parcels of land like the proceeds of some giant Gapi Vega cartoon piñata which has been busted wide open? Seriously this thing is completely ridiculous. How come only the UDP cronies can benefit under this Barrow administration? Whatever happened to the oath which talks about serving all manner of men and women without fear or favour. Boss, that means UDP, PUP, VIP, NIP and any other damned P that there is. Taking that oath means that you promise to serve ALL Belizeans. You hear that Gapi? Not only Belizeans with the surnames Vega or Hernandez or Thimbriel or Barrow or Wallace! Over the next weeks Belizeans can judge for themselves because we’ll be letting everything out into the light, but we can tell you that in San Estevan, for example, Gapi’s nephews and nieces are a happy bunch, getting land for little or nothing – like almost 8 acres of land given to Gapi’s nephew Cosme for under $1000 dollars. Check that out. How many of us poor Belizeans can get access to those opportunities? How many of us poor Belizeans are fighting to get even one small lot, one parcel of land? How many of us poor Belizeans are fighting to hold on to a piece of land while this vindictive government does its best to take it away? And at mile 4.5 on the Western Highway, that’s a whole other story, as the already privileged UDPs cream off the jewel by taking hold of some really prime property for little or nothing. More on that story in this issue! There ain’t no shame in the UDP’s game. No shame at all.

Government abuse…

On Wednesday a government vehicle, a late model Mitsubishi Montero assigned to Minister of State Edmond Castro was on the Northern Highway. It was being used as a service vehicle for two cyclists who ride for Castro’s Clear the Land team. This is not the first time that this vehicle has been spotted on the highway doing this very same thing. For months on end this same vehicle has been utilized by Castro for his personal cycling team. We have said it time and time again – why do we taxpayers have to pay so that Castro and his sons and their friends can exercise? We pay for fuel, maintenance and for the driver who patiently drives in front of the cyclists for hours on end. This is only one instance of outright abuse among many? Would this government be willing to provide Belizeans with its fuel bill monthly? Would the government be willing to make Belizeans aware of how much of the fuel bill is being utilized in service of the people and how much is being used for the convenience of ministers, UDP cronies and their family members.

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Unsustainable luxury…

The Deputy Prime Minister of our poor, third world country is driving a brand new late model luxury Lexus SUV. Our Prime Minister is driving a quarter-million dollar luxury Land Cruiser. Our Minister of Health is driving a $160,000 luxury Toyota SUV. There are various ministers who have two luxury SUVs at their disposal, one of which is used by their spouse or loved one whenever necessary. Mr. Barrow has just created two more ministerial posts which will force taxpayers to purchase two more luxury SUVs. Government’s vehicle fleet must have cost millions to assemble and it appears that just as taxpayers get used to seeing their representatives in a fancy ride, that representative gets gifted with a later model. This is unsustainable. If we were a wealthy super-power, our representatives could be driving a different German manufactured luxury ride every day of the week. But we’re not. Belize is a poor country. We are being told that we need to tighten our belts in this time of recession. The cost of basic food items has gone up. The high cost of education is forcing students to drop out of school. Businesses are closing down. Belizeans are losing their homes. But our ministers and UDP cronies are riding pretty in leather and A/C comfort.

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Our justice system…

On Monday after a bloody weekend, the lineup of the newscast basically summarized the story of things in Belize, at least on the crime front. The first story was of a brutal murder, a young man shot in the head on a busy street a black from the bus terminal. The second story was a rundown of six shootings in the city over the weekend. And the third was the story of a man remanded for murder who walked free because the prosecution could produce no case file. Really, that is what is happening in Belize in a nutshell. There is unchecked violence on the streets, compounded by the criminals realizing that somewhere between the Police investigation and the Office of the DPP, something will very likely go wrong and there is a very good chance that they will walk free. This is nothing personal against Madam DPP or the bigwigs in the Police – this is the reality on our streets, the reality that grieving mothers and loved ones left behind must face every single day.

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Inappropriate Comments…

The New Minister of Police and Public Security has been silent since his ascension more than a month ago. In fact, his appointment coincided with the re-launch of a violent crime wave in the city complete with murders, shootings and armed robberies. Operation Jaguar is no more and Operation Restore Belize doesn’t seem to have made it off the pages of the brilliantly written presentation copy. There is no doubt that Belizeans will need a warrior to take on the battle of crime. We will need a fearless visionary, a man of integrity and focus and commitment who will lead the charge against the lawless, whoever they may be. But we got Doug Singh. In an interview with Channel 7 on Wednesday night, his first real sit down since his appointment, Doug Singh says he has got this problem pegged and knows exactly what needs to be done to take care of crime in our city which has become a war-zone. According to Singh, the Police Department needs a new gym where officers can work out and get in shape. Hmmm! Okay then! Sweaty men in spandex lifting weights might be just what the minister ordered, but we’re far from convinced that such an initiative will do anything to stop the bloodshed in the city. Seriously, though. We said from the beginning that Dean Barrow was not serious about fighting crime when he appointed Doug Singh. Mr. Singh’s inappropriate comment proves that we were right.

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The Police Department…

It appears that the absolutely only thing the Police Department can get right is doing things wrong. The story about two minors who were picked up and detained for hours, questioned and beaten is crazy, really crazy. The fact that the recent Police modus operandi will cause very few people to question the truth of the allegations is sad. How can our guys be getting this basic stuff wrong? Isn’t there a sort of Police Procedures 101 that recruits must take before they pass out? Anybody on the periphery of the law will tell you that a minor cannot be questioned without the presence of a parent, guardian or social worker. It is just not done, end of story. But our Police Officers did it without blinking an eye. And then there is the brutality part, allegations of the minors being punch and hit with a machete and one of them being told that his finger would be cut off. What country are we living in again? Listen, everybody recognizes that the streets are getting tough and Police Officers must be tougher. But tougher and stupid are not synonymous terms. Tougher doesn’t mean breaking the law and abusing the human rights of detained persons. Hell, it’s no wonder the criminals out there are having a field day.

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The UDP Governance Policy…

In addition to his completely inappropriate comments regarding the changes he would like to see in the Police Department, Doug Singh took the time to don his UDP Chairman hat and reveal the policy of the UDP. According to Singh, “the objective of a political party is to win elections. Really it’s not to govern well, it’s to win elections.” While anybody with half a mind could have looked at the way the UDP is governing and seen that they don’t give a damn about working for the people, it is stunning that the Chairman of the UDP would come out so openly and say it. How arrogant has the UDP become when its Chairman will come out on national television and tell people that they are in the race to win elections, not to do the right thing and serve well? It doesn’t get much worse than that. I hope the people of Belize who put their faith and trust in Mr. Barrow are sitting up and taking note.

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Juliet, Audrey & Bev…

The lesbian Senator of the United Democratic Party, Juliet Thimbriel, has been beside herself lately during her daily rant on WAVE Radio’s morning show. She is furious because the Belize Times has happened onto some documents which show that a close friend of hers, the CEO in the Prime Minister’s Office, has been given a house and lot in Belmopan for little or nothing, and has also been the beneficiary of two lots in Caribbean Shores for little or nothing. Juliet has taken the perceived attack on her friend personally. This week we expect her to go even more ballistic, as the Belize Times will highlight a house and lot in Belmopan which was sold to another of her close friends, the CEO in the Ministry of Natural Resources, for a paltry sum. In addition, we’ve received documents which show Juliet Thimbriel herself being given two large lots on the Western Highway for $1500. Juliet and her two friends are benefitting big from the UDP, so we shouldn’t be surprised when she expels so much hot air on their behalf because her bread is being well buttered to do so. There was a time when Juliet used to expend all her energies in defense of the poor people of Belize. Oh how things have changed.

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.

Red alert…

Last week we received word that the Prime Minister had received threats on his life in connection with the shooting of his law partner and the execution of Andre Trapp. We didn’t carry the story then because politics being what it is, the media animals over that side would immediately have accused us of instigating violence against Mr. Barrow. Nothing could be further from the truth. Any attempt on the life of the leader of this nation would set an appalling precedent and would signal that Belize is a nation operating completely outside the rule of law. If the criminals are willing to attack the Prime Minister, then indeed none of us are safe. So we don’t want anything to happen to that gentleman. We understand that he now travels with a contingent of Special Branch officers in Secret Service mode and that security has been enhanced at his home and his office. We understand that even his wife who we refuse to refer to as the First Lady because she isn’t moves around the city with Police protection. We offer every hope that he and his family remain safe.

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But then again…

Mr. Barrow will never publicly admit to the mistakes which he has made. He’s just not built that way. But we are ever hopeful that when he does manage to get in some alone time, he realizes that the responsibility for the crime situation, even for the threats on his life, lie squarely on his shoulders. The PM had the option of leading the country the right way but instead he chose to play politics with the restructuring of the Police Department. He chose political expediency over efficiency and the results of that move were clear. Months and months ago, when every Belizean including the Prime Minister knew that Carlos Perdomo could not handle the job, Barrow still left that gentleman at the helm. Things got progressively worse, and still our leader ignored the cries of the people. Murders became daily occurrences, and still the leader ignored the demands of the people. In the end, for Mr. Barrow, it wasn’t about doing things the right way, but about politics. What we see now, the murders on the streets, the threats to the life of the PM, the shootings, the robberies, the home invasions, the unchecked criminality – all that is because Mr. Barrow chose to play politics rather than do the right thing.

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Case in point…

Barrow will accuse the Opposition of crying out for some sort of plan from GOB and then not supporting it. That’s just the way the leader of the nation plays politics. The fact of the matter is that Barrow’s Operation Restore Belize is seriously flawed from the onset…and we all know that garbage in equals garbage out. Case in point the Director of Public Prosecutions! Word this week is that Shirley-Biscuit will be confirmed as the DPP, moved up from acting status. Hell, the Office of the DPP plays a crucial function in the war against crime, and every Belizean knows for sure that Shirley-Biscuit can’t hack it. Jeez, her conviction rate is somewhere around 7%, I’ve heard, and her record is deplorable. I have nothing against the woman personally because I’ve never met her, but her record speaks for itself. When murder cases do reach the courts on the rare occasion, more often than not criminals come bounding down the steps of the Court smiling from ear to ear. I challenge anybody to name one sterling accomplishment of Shirley-Biscuit in office…just one. ANYBODY! That’s right…you can’t because there isn’t any. But Shirley Biscuit does have one redeeming quality – she has some good friends in high political places. Because of those friends, and certainly not because of her record or work ethic, Shirley Biscuit will now be rewarded. The conviction rate is directly tied to the rise in crime…criminals know that there is every likelihood that they will walk, so they are not afraid to commit the crimes. Mr. Barrow doesn’t care about all that. See why Operation Restore Belize won’t work?

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Extinct…

It appears that the reprieve from violent crime, as welcome as it was, was a very temporary one. For the past weeks Operation Jaguar has been on the endangered species list, but I think after the last weekend it’s safe to say that Operation Jaguar is extinct. We must say kudos to the men and women of the Police Department and the Belize Defense Force who were able to maintain it as long as they did. It can’t have been an easy job. But we all knew that Jaguar couldn’t be maintained and there would need to be something else, some bright gem from Mr. Barrow’s administration, to carry on the fight against crime. But there has been nothing. The effete Mr. Singh was sworn in as the new Minister of Police, Mr. Barrow’s new wunderkind and answer to crime, and there has been NOTHING, which is actually just what we expected from Mr. Singh. What next, Mr. Barrow, do we just descend back into the depths of lawlessness and despair and chaos and anarchy?

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There’s weather coming…

There’s a storm out there, and while it’s not a serious threat it could be by the time this paper comes out. If this one doesn’t give us a scare, then the next one might…or the next. We haven’t seen Mr. NEMO since the reshuffle/expansion of Cabinet. We do know that after every bit of heavy rain at least two bridges down south are impassable. One in Belize Rural North also becomes impassable. We haven’t heard about any plans to deal with these problems. We haven’t heard any plans to get a new bridge for the Kendall crossing. Mr. NEMO needs to wake up because forecasters say this will be an above average year for tropical weather activity. Are the hurricane shelters ready for mass occupation? Have food stores been identified? Have evacuation plans and the resources necessary for mass evacuation been identified and made ready for any disaster? The best advice I can give any Belizean at this time is to do your own thing, make your own plans and take care of your own families. Mr. NEMO fell asleep the last time and seven people died during a tropical storm. Imagine what will happen if Mr. NEMO falls asleep during a category five hurricane?

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The Music Ambassador

Our comments about Shyne are never personal and are never meant to reflect negatively on his talent or abilities in the hip-hop world. Yes, the man had a following who loved his music. Yes, he made a lot of money playing the role of gangster and that’s his thing. But Shyne knows nothing about Belize but what he’s seen in the past couple months since he was deported. His music is not our music. His culture is not our culture. Mr. Barrow was seriously demented when he appointed Shyne as Music Ambassador of Belize. Even taken by itself independent of the other crap our PM has done, this act speaks to something which is not quite right in the head of Mr. Barrow. A few weeks ago, he mentioned that Shyne is making a song about Belize. So we did a little research and we came up with Shyne’s latest release called the Roller Song. If you ask me I’d say that indeed it is about Belize because it talks about all the broken promises made by the government. The song talks about the social ills which have been brought down on the people by the administration. Shyne talks about the level of desperation on the streets, the fact that the youth have nothing to eat and no money to take care of their families. According to our Music Ambassador who is supposed to be a role model to all our children (so says Mr. Barrow), F@#K the law cause he’s got no money but he’s got his gun. Okay then. A role model for our children you say Mr. Barrow? Like I said, I’ve got nothing against Shyne or his music. That’s his thing. But it sure as hell isn’t our thing. It’s not fair that Shyne’s music will be identified with Belize because he represents us as our Music Ambassador. It is an affront and an insult to those many Belizeans like the recently deceased Mr. Peter’s who gave his life to music and culture in Belize. Mr. Barrow should be flogged for his ‘wutlessness.’

Finally…

Thank you Jesus…Praise the good Lord! The Bar Association has just woken up from a long Rip van Winkle like slumber and has come out swinging at Mr. Barrow and his administration. The release from the Association is big, make no mistake about that. It should have come a long time ago, that’s for sure, but it’s big. In barely veiled condemnation and criticism couched in only the thinnest veneer of respect and diplomacy, the Bar Association accuses Mr. Barrow of railroading the Chief Justice out of office for no good reason. It goes farther to accuse Mr. Barrow of interfering in the Judiciary which should be a sacrosanct body. And it goes even farther to let Mr. Barrow know that he is not trusted so it demands input in any new appointments to the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeals. I told you this was big. This is a body of about 150 learned attorneys telling Mr. Barrow that he is behaving like a damned dictator and trying to manipulate the Judiciary and they just won’t stand for it anymore. They are telling Mr. Barrow that his judgment and integrity are suspect and they don’t believe he can do the right thing in the matter of appointments to the bench. This isn’t big, this is huge. This is the leader of the nation being accused of improper and unethical behavior. This is the leader of the nation being accused of tampering in the Judiciary. Big props go out to the Bar Association for finally coming out in a matter which threatens the very democracy of the nation.

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A typical response…

Mr. Barrow’s response to the accusations by the Bar Association was typical…typical of the dictator and despot, that is. He refutes the allegations (of course) – see, everybody is wrong and Mr. Barrow is a man of sterling character who would never do anything unseemly, claims the release. According to the release, despite what everybody in the nation is seeing and seeing, Mr. Barrow would never do something as dastardly as attempt to force the Chief Justice off the Bench. What a crock. Oh, and as to the request for input in further appointments to the Bench, Mr. Barrow’s release politely tells the Bar Association to take a long walk off a short pier. When the Unions wanted input in how the government managed the money from the Venezuela Grant, Mr. Barrow told them to step off – we don’t need you. Now Mr. Barrow is telling the Bar Association the same thing. I seem to remember Mr. Barrow’s manifesto promising consultations with all pertinent bodies on every issue critical to the nation. Like most of Mr. Barrow’s promises, those commitments have not come to fruition. To borrow a phrase from a colleague in the media, Mr. Barrow is bogus. We knew it a long time ago. The word is now spreading.

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Subverting the Judiciary…

It is positively uncanny the way Mr. Barrow can so eloquently speak out of both sides of his mouth. If leadership ability was all about saying one thing eloquently and doing the other thing without losing a step or feeling a twinge of remorse, Mr. Barrow would stand a great chance of being elected leader in perpetuity. Hell, what am I saying? The way things are going, Mr. Barrow may very well come up with a new law making him leader in perpetuity. This CJ move is a very bad thing. This has gone way past the point of Belizeans believing that the PM is interfering in the Judiciary. His actions, especially as regard Chief Justice Conteh, are so blatant and arrogant that they defy rationality. Mr. Barrow does not have a hope in hell of convincing Belizeans that he is serious about crime when his very actions say the opposite. The Prime Minister should take notice that bodies which are traditionally silent are blasting his actions in the open. That’s a very bad sign for Mr. Barrow. The leader of the nation should back off his obvious vendetta against the Chief Justice. He should leave the Judiciary alone.

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ReconDev & Ramon…

The driver of UDP Area Representative and Chairman of ReconDev Ramon Witz has been arrested for his part in a corrupt land deal. The arrest comes days after a group calling itself the People’s Committee broke the news about the sale of a parcel of land to a Chinese man in Belmopan. That land wasn’t owned by ReconDev and wasn’t theirs to sell, but an opportunity to hustle was seen and taken. Money changed hands and apparently when this Chinese businessman went to register this piece of land he found out the bad news. The Police situation report released to the public fingers only this small fry, the driver of the UDP Area Representative. But the release by the People’s Committee points out that the bogus sale from ReconDev was done with the proper documents with the proper seal which can’t be accessed by just anybody. The People’s Committee calls names including Mr. Witz and other big UDP players and claims that this is far from the first land hustle involving the crew. I hear that the driver who is in Police custody is talking and he is also calling some big names. The next few days will be very, very interesting for Mr. Witz and his UDP colleagues in Cayo South.

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The connection…

It was a matter of interest for the people in Cayo South when Mr. Ramon Witz was passed over in the recent Cabinet reshuffle/expansion. See, Mr. Witz had already been promised the portfolios of NEMO and Transportation. His people in ReconDev had already received their letters informing them that they would be transferred to NEMO. It was a done deal. Then suddenly, things changed overnight – Ramon was slapped back and Melvin was brought in from political asylum. Ramon wasn’t talking and everybody else seemed mum. Now with this latest ReconDev revelation people are speculating that Mr. Barrow got wind of the corruption in that body and knew it was going to break. That sounds eminently reasonable. What Mr. Barrow now needs to do is launch an immediate investigation into the affairs of ReconDev and his Cayo South Area Representative to find out the depth and breadth of that corruption. How much do you want to bet that this will never happen? Mr. Barrow has shown an amazing penchant for ignoring the stench of corruption within his own administration.

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Mr. NEMO…

As I write this, a weather system is forming and we are reminded of the warnings that this will be a very active hurricane season. That’s not good news for Belizeans, especially since a great aspect of their security and safety in the event of a natural disaster rests in the hands of Mr. NEMO Melvin Hulse. Our Prime Minister claims that there could be no safer hands than those of Mr. NEMO, but leaves out the part where he had already decided to wrest NEMO from those same hands and then was forced to change his decision at the last moment. This is no time to be playing political games, Mr. Barrow. The reality is that even the hint of heavy rains is revealing very serious inadequacies in our roads and bridges and emergency preparations. Mr. NEMO has no idea how to deal with his portfolio, a fact which is patently evident. Almost a month into the hurricane season, and Mr. NEMO is still absent. In the event of a serious disaster, the damage and loss of human life could be catastrophic. Any such loss will be the fault of Mr. Barrow who seems unable to make good decisions and is instead to gloss over serious flaws and incompetence with a light coat of makeup.

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This oil thing…

Mr. Barrow needs to come down out of his ivory tower and get the sense that the oil thing isn’t going away anytime soon. Last reports from US Government sources indicate that close to 60,000 barrels of oil are spewing out into the Gulf of Mexico every day. The best efforts of the billionaire oil company BP combined with US Government resources have resulted in the containment of less than half of that daily. More than 1/3 of the federal fishing area in the Gulf is out of business. Analysts and the brightest minds are having difficulties encompassing the scope of the disaster and where it will all end. More than 25 companies in Belize most of them stakeholders in the environment and tourism, have come out to call for a moratorium on offshore drilling in Belize. The situation seems clear enough – a spill a fraction of the size of the Gulf of Mexico spill would destroy our fishing and our tourism and our reef. We simply cannot take that chance, not for all the money in the world. Mr. Barrow seems insistent on protecting the development agenda and the big money, but he needs to start thinking about the nation. We won’t allow offshore drilling, Mr. Prime Minister – you don’t want to buck us on this one.

Charge them all…

The situation where a 15 year old boy was brutally beaten to death with an aluminum baseball bat by another boy is a frightening one. It’s bad enough that there was that amount of rage in the mob which chased and stoned the young student from Independence and it’s even worse that one boy thought nothing of standing over his helpless victim and hitting him in the head and face with a baseball bat. I think the monster who committed the act should be charged for murder and accorded none of the privileges of a minor. He gave up that right when he smashed that bat into the head of a fellow student. I think all the other boys in the group should be hit with serious charges, maybe as accessories to murder. We can no longer continue to hide from the fact that there are monsters among us and we must deal with them accordingly. It was a frightening act and one which will have repercussions in our school system for some time to come.

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Imagine the possibilities…

The murder of that young student by another student brings to mind a protest in front of the National Assembly by about 1500 teachers who were pleading for Minister Patrick Faber to reconsider his position on corporal punishment. Those teachers were claiming that the reality of dealing with today’s students in the classroom setting is far different from the fairy tales woven in story books. The teachers were saying – if not corporal punishment then please give us some alternatives and options in disciplining our students, don’t just leave us hanging here. Recently teachers have been physically aggressed by students and parents of students and it seems that they have no recourse. The Minister does not seem to care and he went ahead and did exactly what he wanted, disregarding the teachers completely. It is not to far a step to imagine an enraged student attacking a teacher, and it is not to far a step to realize that it could have been a teacher lying on the ground covered in blood after being savagely beaten by a student with a bat or other weapon in his hand. It’s a scary, sobering thought. But like with all other important things which do not affect him, we are sure that Minister Faber is not taking notice right now.

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The Police again…

My friend Jules Vasquez has a flair for the dramatic but his news story on Joshua Arana was right on the money. Imagine travelling all around the world to countries where you are at the mercy of foreign cultures and foreign people and being treated with courtesy and respect and coming back with no unpleasant incident marring the experience. Then in your own country, your own home being disrespected and brutalized by your own people. The Police need to be put in check. This is by no means a rant against the entire Department, but those persons in uniform who behave in this way must be rooted out immediately. It is not at all difficult to believe Mr. Arana’s recounting of his experience at the hands of the Police because it is something that happens every day. Just a few weeks ago a gentleman was held down by police officers in Hattieville with an M-16 in his face and brutally kicked all about the head. Police/community relations are already at an all time low. When these incidents happen, the officers involved must be kicked out of the Department immediately. It is the only way that people might, just might begin to believe that the Police are not to be feared and hated after all.

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There they go again…

I wrote the previous piece on Tuesday morning and by Tuesday night the news reported that the Police had done it again. The victim this time was a small female who had been punched in the face by a Police Officer. She appeared on the news with her face swollen and bruised and eyes bloodshot. Assistant Commissioner of Police Elodio Aragon Jr. had just finished an interview in which he gave the standard spiel that they were taking the alleged beating of Joshua Arana serious and would investigate and deal with it. Listen big man, here is some free advice. Don’t just say that you are going to deal with it. Deal with it. I’m not saying to just jump up and act hastily on an allegation, but how long will it take you to talk to the policeman who is accused of the wrongdoing. Talk to him, put him before a quick tribunal if necessary and if he is wrong then get him the hell out of there. Enough of this covering each other crap! Wrong is wrong. Until the Department is seen to treat these allegations with the seriousness they demand and until justice is seen to be dispensed fairly, I wouldn’t advise the powers that be to hold their breaths in this community cooperation think.

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This CJ thing…

Though it won’t be confirmed by any release from the Office of the Prime Minister, word from the legal fraternity and within judicial circles is that Mr. Barrow is carrying out what seems to be a very personal and focused attack on Chief Justice of Belize Abdulai Conteh. Apparently the CJ has been told that he will not be allowed to work even one day past his 65^th birthday – even if that means that cases which have not been finished will have to start all over again in front of a new Chief Justice, whoever that may be. This is a most unseemly directive from the Prime Minister, especially since Conteh is considered a brilliant legal mind and an eminent jurist throughout the region. We believe that the scribbling was on the wall months and months ago when the Chief Justice handed out a ruling against the Government of Belize in the amendment thing. Mr. Barrow was not happy then, and made his discontent a national thing when he publicly stated that he felt that the ruling by the Chief Justice was wrong. Since then there have been indications that the relationship between Mr. Barrow and Mr. Conteh have been strained, at least as far as Mr. Barrow’s feelings towards Mr. Conteh are concerned. The loss of a justice the caliber of CJ Conteh will have negative repercussions on our legal system which is already teetering. Losing Chief Justice Conteh simply because Mr. Barrow doesn’t like him would be unacceptable….par for the course, but unacceptable.

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On the DPP…

And at the same time when this Barrow administration is trying to push out the Chief Justice, they are gushing with praises for the Director of Public Prosecutions and seem to have no problem with renewing her contract which has come to an end. Isn’t anybody concerned that Ms. Cheryl-Lynn Branker Taitt Vidal is regarded in legal and judicial circles as the Director of Nolle Prosequi. Did that little thing slip by somewhere? Isn’t anybody concerned that it is very likely that this DPP may just have the worst conviction rate of any DPP in recent and not so recent memory? Doesn’t it concern anybody that this DPP has been in the middle of speculation about political manipulation and interference? Doesn’t anybody care that this DPP has done absolutely nothing to distinguish her office and has not even one solid accomplishment under her belt? I guess not. Apparently it doesn’t matter what the post is – under this administration it’s all about who you know and not what you know.

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Come on Audrey…

I wonder if Oceana is aware that their Vice President in Belize, Audrey Matura Shepherd is using the company as a platform to launch her own skewed agenda. On World Oceans Day, Mrs. Shepherd didn’t have a thing to say about oceans. Instead she launched an attack on the previous administration and in particular on the leader of the opposition. The information she presented was grossly inaccurate and on behalf of Oceana she made some allegations which will no doubt have some very serious legal repercussions. Although Audrey has never made her rabid political affiliation a secret, there was hope that she would handle her new role in a non-political environmental organization responsibly. She didn’t and she should pay the price for what she will cost Oceana in credibility. Even the Prime Minister has come out publicly to state that Audrey’s perspective is completely false. So there she is, left out in the cold. So much for thinking that she had changed! But while she’s previously been able to get away from the traps set by her overestimation of her own intelligence, things are going to be different this time. You can bet on that.

Royal disdain…

The Prime Minister’s disregard for the critical situation in City Hall is nothing short of a slap in the face of residents of Belize City. Mr. Barrow has become so enamored of his so-called grandiose plans to rid the nation of crime that he seems completely oblivious to a disaster not in the making, but made a long time ago. It is time for her Majesty’s loyal Opposition, and indeed the people of the city to call for the removal of UDP Mayor Zenaida Moya and the Councilors who have demonstrated amply their incompetence, inefficiencies and in some cases their propensity for lucrative financial deals on the side. It is time for a concerted effort to instigate a by-election which will see a new Council placed into office. It is frankly almost beyond belief that Mr. Barrow has so determinedly ignored such blatant abuses of office as have occurred in City Hall. There is no need at this point to go into the transgressions of Mayor Moya. Suffice it to say that they are many and sordid. Any one instance should have ensured her removal and replacement. It is indeed quite remarkable that the United Democratic Party issued an official release calling the Mayor a thief, and even the Ministry of Local Government went public to accuse her of misappropriating funds, and she still sits in her luxurious office in all her coiffed and manicured glory while her political boss and the leader of the nation is absolutely focused on punishing her because she said he has no balls. It is bad enough that the rest of the region and the world must be taking us for a laughing stock. But it is far worse that the people of the city have to live in the filth and with the mess created by the UDP in City Hall.

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Safe hands…

I’ve been chastised often for my loose fingers on the keyboard and the fact that my emotions frequently get away from me. But really, when Mr. Barrow will get up in a press conference and say that there could be no safer hands in charge of national emergency management than those of Melvin Hulse, I am compelled to say that he is a bloody jackass. I would tend to want to remind Mr. Barrow of the seven deaths down South by flooding while Mr. NEMO was asleep at the wheel. It is perhaps an apt time to remind Mr. Barrow of this, since as I write this it is June 2, two years to the day of the tragedy. Perhaps it is a good time to remind Mr. Barrow of the situation down South even as this is being written, because again Mr. NEMO was asleep at the wheel and the rains caught the emergency management organization unprepared. It is important that Mr. Barrow be informed of such things because for some reason he doesn’t really seem to care about the people down South. Mr. Barrow is a fool, Mr. NEMO is a joke, and God forbid that there is a disaster of any significant proportions. It will give me no satisfaction for my words to be proven justified, because the cost will be great.

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Kendall…

Even as we enter the hurricane season, there has been no word on the bridge at the Kendall crossing which washed away in the floods two years ago today. Apparently it is not a priority for Mr. Barrow at this time, or really at any time in the past two years. It is unthinkable that government has not been able to find $4million dollars to replace a bridge which is so critical to the resident of the South. In the past two weeks, the crossing has been inundated at least four times by flooding, rendering it impassible. Mr. Barrow has found money for his ex-wife, for his son, for his daughter, for a fence at the sporting complex, for a whole fleet of luxury vehicles for his ministers, for travelling all over the world and for a host of other things which may not seem like a priority to the rest of us but are obviously very high up on his list. But there has still been no Kendall Bridge. The last thing we heard about it months ago is that they are still seeking funding. That is simply unacceptable.

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The Cabinet expansion…

Some readers may have thought that the ‘reshuffle’ in Cabinet would have been the first thing in this column. But see, it’s simply not that important. In fact, political observers are calling it nothing but a joke. Mr. Barrow is simply doing what he does best, in trademark smoke and mirror style. After presiding over the most incompetent and inefficient bunch of dodo-birds in history, our erstwhile leader pretended to hear the screams of the citizenry, but even cursory analysis will show the reshuffle for what it really is – an expansion of his Cabinet. For all his buffoonery, Mr. Perdomo now has less than a quarter of the work and the stress, but for the same pay. We now have to find money to pay for a new Attorney-General because Mr. Elrington couldn’t handle the ‘herculean’ task. So Mr. Elrington also will have less work, but for the same pay. Thanks to Mr. Barrow, Belizean taxpayers will have to find more money to pay Mr. Singh and Mr. Pitts, and I assume to pay for new vehicles with drivers and new office space and new furnishings and new staff. See what I mean…we end up paying the price for the Cabinet’s incompetence. Check this out – our little nation now boasts the largest Cabinet in its history – larger than the US, larger than the UK and larger than other countries in the region. The UDP messed up and we get to pay. What do you think about that?

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As for Mr. Singh…

There are several issues surrounding the appointment of Mr. Doug Singh as Minister of Police. The first is that he brings absolutely nothing to the table. Mr. Barrow’s justification was that Mr. Singh had spent years in the private sector. So what? What does that mean? The truth is that the little gentleman has absolutely none of the expertise or qualifications which would even remotely make him suitable for what is admittedly a difficult job. And then there is also this persistent rumour about companies in which Mr. Singh and his brother Mike were involved being investigated for money laundering. Those persistent, insistent little rumours have followed the Singh brothers for years. Some people say that at one point the US was even at the point of making a move on one or the other of the brothers, though that has been difficult to confirm. But still, it makes me wonder how the US will view the appointment of Mr. Singh to this very important and powerful post. It makes me wonder just what the hell Mr. Barrow was thinking to make the appointment.  Not only is Mr. Singh completely unqualified, but he reportedly has baggage attached to him which will most certainly have undesirable repercussions.

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Drill, baby drill…

Opposition to offshore drilling in Belize is mounting at a furious rate, even as it is reported that more than 22 million gallons of oil have now spilled into the Gulf of Mexico. The Belize Tourism Industry Association is now joining the fray in some capacity and has said that they will make a firm position statement in the days ahead. Keeping in mind the stakeholders in the BTIA, it is difficult to envision them taking a position in support of offshore drilling. Mr. Barrow maintains, though in eloquent speak, that he doesn’t give a damn who opposes offshore drilling – he will not be swayed from the position his government has taken. I believe that the gentleman is making a serious miscalculation. I am fairly certain that if Mr. Barrow persists, this government may be brought to its knees in a hurry. There is simply too much at risk. This government has made too many mistakes with fairly simple matters for Belizeans to have any confidence that they can deal with an oil spill in our waters. The thing is that Mr. Barrow is risking our jewel simply because his ego cannot countenance him stepping back from a position he has taken. His pride refuses to allow him to backtrack. I say it again – Mr. Barrow would do well to listen to the Belizean people – not only listen, but hear what we are saying.

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We are paying…

We taxpayers must begin to take stock of the practices and policies of this government, since it is our money that is being spent. Weeks ago the Opposition revealed that government vehicles were being used by the UDP in the elections to ferry voters to and from polling stations and do other general political work. It must be understood that whenever these government vehicles move, we pay the cost – for fuel, for the drivers and for maintenance. The people will need to take a stance because Mr. Barrow sure doesn’t give a damn. After the reports came out, the UDP decided that their response would be to remove the license plates from all government vehicles but still use them. So at every election the latest model SUVs and luxury pickups can be seen in the care of political operatives. I repeat…we are paying for all this, and according to GOB we have precious little to spend. Have a heart, Mr. Barrow.

Expelled for disrespect…

I have a serious problem with the recent expulsion of Mayor of Belize City Zenaida Moya from the United Democratic Party. Actually, I don’t have a problem with the expulsion, per se, because I think that the Mayor should suffer a fate far worse than expulsion for what she has done to Belizeans who trusted her. What I have a serious concern about is the reason for the expulsion. Our Prime Minister has a humongous, gargantuan ego but a question has arisen about the existence of his dangling appendages (how’s that for diplomatic speak?) Our Mayor in an interview claims that her political boss lacks those objects. Two days after the Mayor made her startling revelation the powers that be within the UDP sprang into action to play out her demise. Oh, the disrespect of our exalted leader, they cried. How dare the Mayor say that the Prime Minister has no balls? Off with her head! Did I mention that when the Mayor gave that interview it was outside the courtroom where she was arraigned on a charge of theft from the Belizean people? Oh yes, our Mayor has had a somewhat sordid history within City Hall. She was accused early on of misusing public resources, by no less than one of her Councilors. Then she was accused of orchestrating sweetheart deals and bloated contracts for her brother, with checks produced to prove it. Then she was called out by her Councilors and the Ministry of Local Government for misappropriating the people’s money, paying herself a hefty ‘extra’ every month without authorization. Then there was the infamous ‘under-depositing’ for which we have still received no account. Then there was the audit report which showed hundreds of thousands of dollars missing at City Hall. Even now City Hall is embroiled in another scandal involving missing money. All this was during the Mayor’s time, all this under her watch. Mr. Barrow is responsible for Zenaida’s entrance into politics, so one would have thought that he would feel at least marginally responsible for all her messes. If not that, then one would have thought that out of a sense of responsibility to Belizeans and adherence to the best principles of integrity, honesty, transparency and accountability the leader of this nation would have brought Zenaida to task a long time ago. But no, it has nothing to do with that. Zenaida has been expelled from the UDP because she hurt Mr. Barrow’s pride and questioned his manhood. Nothing more, nothing less! Moral of this story…steal as much as you want, be as incompetent as you like but never, ever say that Mr. Barrow has no balls!

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And that means…?

As best we can figure, this means that the Mayor is still in charge of the City, still the boss of City Hall, but she is not a UDP anymore. This means that she still makes the decisions within City Hall and still has access to all your money, but she will certainly not be getting any support in any undertaking from the UDP Central Government or from the Party in general. Let’s break this down. With the Mayor getting the full support of the UDP Central Government as a member in good standing of the UDP, City Hall is a mess. The Council is broke, the city is a dilapidated cesspool and Belizeans can access absolutely no services. With the Mayor standing alone, it stands to reason that things will get much worse, though it is difficult to imagine worse than the mess we are in. Mr. Barrow needs to stop focusing on his balls or lack thereof and deal with the affairs of the people. He should have stepped in a long time ago and dealt with the Mayor for her financial shenanigans with the public coffers and for her glaring incompetence. That is what the City demanded. Instead he has punished her for her ‘no balls’ comment which means that she is still in a position of authority but with no real power. Because of Mr. Barrow’s ego, the people will be the biggest losers in this deal.

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Rain rain go away…

The rains are here, if not with a vengeance, then with some consistency and, as everyone with some modicum of sense predicted, GOB was caught with its figurative pants down and head stuck in the sand. The south is a mess. For the second week, the Kendall crossing was closed due to flooding, effectively cutting off the South of the country. The Middlesex crossing was recently closed for the second time in two weeks. The approach to the Mullins River temporary crossing washed away. Really now, this Kendall crossing thing is no joke. Apparently the government does not seem to understand the seriousness of the entire south being cut off from the rest of the country. It’s been two years now and our government is still talking about seeking funding, and saying that these things take time. How much more time do they need? The hurricane season hasn’t even started yet and NEMO has had to be called in to deal with flooding in the south. What will happen in the event of a major disaster, God forbid? This UDP administration can manage to find money in the blink of an eye for trivial things like new fancy rides, but somehow they can’t help the people in the South. This is a serious situation.

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No offshore drilling…

In response to a letter from an organization advising caution in the push toward offshore drilling for oil, the Prime Minister patronizingly retorted that the writer could not presume to speak for the rest of the country. Boss, what part of HOLD UP don’t you understand? Are you watching the news about the BP oil spill? Do you realize that an oil spill anywhere near that magnitude in our waters would spell disaster for our nation? Real and complete disaster! Nobody’s playing politics with this one, Jack. We know that the PUP gave out some of those contracts for offshore drilling. So what? All we’re saying is that the BP oil spill has scared the crap out of us, all of us. Now that we’ve seen the possibilities, we’re saying – let’s just re-examine this thing. Sure we want to invite investment into our country, and yes, we do promote development of the nation…but not at the possible cost of the nation. Hell No! The PUP has deliberately kept out of the increasing outcry against offshore drilling because this is bigger than politics. Nobody’s telling you to chase all foreign companies out of our waters, Mr. Barrow. Now that we’ve seen the up-close view of the danger, all we’re asking is that you make sure that all possible safeguards are in place. Until they are, as the leader of this nation Mr. Barrow has the responsibility to place a hold on all offshore drilling. The people aren’t going to let go of this one, PM. There’s just too much at stake.

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Dudus & Kalilah

This situation in Kingston, Jamaica is crazy, really crazy. It’s a little scary too, because even in our little Belize we know that there are big time gang bangers and drug dealers with real big time political connections. Anyway, there are unofficial reports of over a hundred and fifty deaths, though official figures stay under thirty. There have also been reports of grenades thrown into crowds. A lot of our students are heading back home cause they can’t deal with the danger over there. Channel 7 had a story a couple nights ago giving the latest in the mayhem and Belize’s very own Kalilah Enriquez was on the frontlines reporting for a local Kingston television station. That girl just kept on reporting the facts with clinical precision even as gunshots rang out all around here. She barely flinched in the face of real violence and danger and just did her job. When I saw that report, I thought to myself – now that girl has got a lot of what our Prime Minister is accused of not having (I just couldn’t help myself). But seriously though, kudos to Kalilah! And as to the violence overtaking Kingston, I can only say that I hope our gang-bangers and dope dealers aren’t watching and decide to follow the examples being set. Like I said, we’ve got all the elements of Jamaica’s troubles right here in our paradise – gangs, drugs and political connections. Let’s hope for the best…!

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Crazy Barrow…

Mr. Barrow was on Love FM Wednesday morning. I listened to him for as long as I could stomach his sweet nonsense. I heard our learned leader say, in not so many words, that Carlos Perdomo has been hopeless when it comes to finding any solution to rampant crime. I heard him say that nothing has worked so far and now he will step in to show Belizeans that GOB means business. The Prime Minister admitted that his crime minister has been a failure. And then in the very next breath he stated that he will do nothing about Carlos. Isn’t that absolutely crazy? In other countries when things go wrong in departments, government ministers line up to hand in their resignations. They do so because they bear ultimate responsibility if areas under their watch are in disarray. In Belize nothing has gone right in crime and the Police Department is on the public’s most hated list. Yet the man at the helm has not himself taken responsibility for the mess and his Prime Minister seems to be allowing it to happen. Belize is in a mess, and this government is just taking us deeper under, that’s for sure.